Expositional commentary on Scripture using an inductive exegetical methodology intent upon confronting the lives of Christians with the dogmatic Truths of God's inspired Words
opposing Calvinism and Arminianism, Biblical commentary, doctrine of grace enablement, understanding holiness and wisdom and selfishness, in-depth Bible studies, adult Bible Study books and Sunday School materials
Dr. Lance T. Ketchum
Line Upon Line
“1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come {being completely fulfilled in its type}, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly {in such a manner as to be startling} there came a sound from heaven as {likethe sound} of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire {so that they could know this more than just a rushing wind}, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
Those that lack a comprehension of the OT types in the Feast Days and sacrifices are prone to miss the great truths regarding dispensational transitional issues when we see these types fulfilled.This is the case with the Day of Pentecost.Before time itself was created, the Godhead covenanted together in a three-fold plan of redemption and a New Genesis.Lewis Sperry Chafer1 refers to this as the “before time covenant.”This Covenant of the Regeneration (promise of a new, eternal Genesis) is spoken of in II Timothy 1:9 and Titus 1:2.It is the primary Covenant of God to which all other Covenants find their source in grace and in God’s longsuffering with fallen mankind.It is to this ultimate “blessed hope” that the believer’s citizenship in Heaven is connected and to which the Day of Pentecost, in both the giving of the Law at Sinai and the beginning of the Church Age on this day in Acts 2, connects believers and our service/ministry to the LORD and His eternal purpose and creation.
Therefore, the critical truth for us to see here is that the New Genesis began “in Christ Jesus” in the plan of God “before the world began.”Secondly, the New Genesis “in Christ Jesus” is an ongoing WORK of creation.Jesus referred to this continual work of the New Creation in John 5:17; “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”Thirdly, believers join themselves to this continual, ongoing work of the New Creation “in Christ” as they live the Word of God and proclaim the Good News of redemption.
Finally, “born again” believers (those entering the New Creation by being born again spiritually) are elected/chosen vocationally to become partners with Christ in this vocation (Eph. 1:4 and 4:1; vocationally “chosen in Him” as our High Priest) to reach the lost and the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in bringing the lost to conviction of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming eternal judgment, repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21), and actually beginning to be “doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”In other words, the free gift of salvation comes with a moral obligation to be the Ambassadors (servants) of Christ and actually DOING the “ministry of reconciliation” (II Cor. 5:17-21).
The Day of Pentecost typified this promised new, everlasting, eternal Day initially existing only in the Plan and Purpose of God through promise of the birth, holy life, death, burial, and resurrection/glorification of the Promised God/Man (the “last Adam”) extending from eternity past into eternity future.The original Day of Pentecost fell on the 50th day after a seven week period (there are seven Dispensations or Days of New Beginnings revealed throughout Scripture), with each week ending on a Sabbath Day.This was the Day God gave Israel the Law through Moses on Mt. Sinai.The Day of Pentecost as part of the feast of Weeks (also called the Feast of Firstfruits) then always fell on the first day of a new week after this seven week cycle.It typified the New Eternal/Everlasting Day of “the regeneration.”Although all believers of all Ages (Dispensations) have been positionally integrated into this New Genesis, Christ Jesus was the first human being Who ACTUALLY became part of this Eternal Genesis through His resurrection/glorification (the “Firstborn”).
In Acts 2:1-4, we find God’s record of the first day of this New Beginning of the New Covenant as manifested in the release of the Holy Spirit of God to indwell believers, baptize those believers into the “body of Christ” (the New Creation), and be released through the lives of yielded believers as those believers were supernaturally enabled in their priestly vocations as bold witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.The baptism with the Spirit and the indwelling of the Spirit is a partial fulfillment of the believer’s future glorification/transfiguration.Therefore, the baptism with the Spirit and the indwelling of the Spirit partially fulfills the believer’s glorification/transfiguration. The believer is progressively being transfigured (becoming Christ-like) through progressive sanctification (Romans 12:2; “be ye transformed;” lit., transfigured; present, passive imperative).
Practically then, if the disciples had not been obedient to Christ’s command to wait those ten days between His ascension and the coming of the Spirit, and, after the Spirit of God came and they were “filled” with the Spirit of God (meaning they yielded their wills to Him), and had they not spoken the gospel message because they were afraid of being killed by the Jews, none of the miraculous outcomes of the Day of Pentecost would have happened.What then do we need to learn from Acts 2:1-4?
1. According to Matthew 5:17-48, we each need to strictly interpret the Word of God to discover God’s expectations of us before we can seek to live those expectations.Lowering God’s standards of expectation by a liberal/loose interpretation of the Word of God, or a distortion/perversion of the doctrine of Grace, will not release the power of God through our lives.
2.“They were ALL in ONE ACCORD in one place {assembled where they were supposed to be};” we must obey what God tells us to do (and not to do) and we must do so through the supernatural enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit (in “fellowship” or in the “unity of the Spirit”).
3. We must understand that no one can be saved apart from HEARING, UNDERSTANDING the details of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and BELIEVING (resting faith) in the Person of Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:18-23; notice the word “understandeth”).Therefore, we must understand that this is a supernatural work and we will not attempt it in the mere strength of our own human resources of knowledge, intellect, art of persuasion, or appeals to human carnality.
4.“They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance;” we must actually unite ourselves in the eternal purpose of the Godhead in the plan of redemption through joining ourselves to Them in “fellowship” (partnership in “the work of the ministry”) and becoming living translations of the Word of God, and the literal voices of the Holy Spirit of God in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.The “other tongues” was to reveal the supernatural nature of the Spirit of God in bringing UNDERSTANDING to the hearers of the message.People are amazed by, and often foolishly become preoccupied with, miracles without seeing the supernatural purpose in the miracles.Real faith merely sees God supernaturally working in everything that is “good” (Rom. 8:28) and then seeks to be joined with God (“fellowship”) in that supernatural work (“the work of the ministry”).
The visible result, or spiritual outcome, of this new operation of the Spirit (the “fruit”), beginning on the Day of Pentecost, was that thousands of people believed, were baptized, and were added to the Church (“of the firstborn”).This was a literal fulfillment of what Christ spoke of in John chapter 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
As we read the book of Acts, we need to keep in mind that it records transitional issues moving from the operations of God in the Dispensation of Law (the Mosaic Covenant) into the Dispensation of Grace (the New Covenant or the New Creation).As we come to understand that the Day of Pentecost was a fulfillment of an Old Covenant type fulfilled at the time recorded in Acts chapter 2:1-4.This event recorded the coming of the Holy Spirit to begin a new way in which God would operate through ALL believers during the Dispensation of Grace regarding the threefold ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers:
1. To indwell all believers the moment they trust in Christ and are “born again”
2. To move those believers positionally from the fallen family of Adam and into the family of God (the baptism with the Holy Spirit)
3. To fill to overflowing all believers completely yielded to, and in unity with, the indwelling Spirit of God with the Christ-life.
4. To continue God’s ongoing work of the New Creation that began “before the world began in Christ Jesus” through a synergism with Him in a constantly growing network (local churches) of Spirit filled and supernaturally empowered believers supernaturally enabled to do “the work of the ministry.”
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; Systematic Theology; Vol. V, Thirteenth Printing, June , 1976, page 27
Anonymous comments will not be allowed. Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
“1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:1-11).
Acts chapter one takes place in the 10 days between the ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell all those truly trusting in the finished work of Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection.Acts chapter one records the final occasion of Christ's post resurrection appearances to His disciples (this does not include His appearance to the Apostle Paul).The most important aspect of Acts chapter one is that it records the last events transitioning from the Mosaic Covenant to the beginning of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood (I Cor. 11:25) recorded in Acts chapter two on the Day of Pentecost in the celebration of the Feast of the Firstfruits and the beginning of the Church Age in the “church of the firstborn” (Heb 12:23).
These 10 days transition us to the Day of Pentecost and the Day of the New Beginnings.The vast majority of teaching I have heard on the text of Acts chapter two has focused upon the numbers of souls saved and the miracle of the disciples speaking in tongues.Although these are important, they are not the emphasis of the transition.On the Day of Pentecost Christ would create a new order of human existence where there would be full union with the Divine Nature and the human nature in the body of “born again” believers.The New Creation (“the regeneration”) was directly connected with the Divine through the indwelling of believers with the Holy Spirit of God. This New Beginning made Spirit filled believers the conduit through which God would supernaturally work.
The Apostle Paul refers to this new order of human existence as the “new creature” (II Cor. 5:17), which is the foundational Truth for New Covenant believers becoming the “ambassadors for Christ” whereby Jesus has “committed unto us the “word {Logos} of reconciliation {restoration to Divine favor}” which connects every believer to the responsibility of the “ministry of reconciliation” (the idea is the responsibility of the attendance of the servant to the restoration of souls to Divine favor through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the salvation and discipleship of individuals).This “ministry of reconciliation” is to become the occupation of every “born again” believer as we remain in this world.
We pick up in Acts 1:8 regarding the primary ministry of the Holy Spirit’s supernatural work through the yielded believer. After the Day of Pentecost, the glorified Christ Jesus would be able to literally live His Life through the body of the yielded believer (Rom. 6:11-13, 12:1-2, & Gal. 2:20).We are told clearly that “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”Christ had already taught the disciples this purpose earlier in their discipleship.Christians do not need to tarry for the Spirit or wait for the Spirit since the Day of Pentecost. He has already come and is now waiting on us to yield to Him so He can do what He came to do through us.We simply need to be filled and then move in the direction of our expectation.
"13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-15).
Clearly, according to John 16:13-15, the indwelling Spirit of God is the conduit through which the Christ-life is intended to flow through the life of the Spirit-filled believer and into the world. The indwelling of believers with Spirit of God became a new direct link of the spiritual realm of God with the physical/material world of mankind. The primary purpose of God in establishing this conduit of grace was so that God could be glorified within His fallen creation (meaning that God could be known and experienced in all of His wondrous attributes and character as a Person and could interact directly with humanity through the lives of Spirit filled believers).The believer was expected to so thoroughly know the Word of God that the Spirit of God could literally speak the Word of God through the mouth of the believer to the reach lost and disciple believers.The Spirit of God would supernaturally bring to the remembrance of the Spirit filled believer those things that believer had learned from the Word of God.
The great Truth of Christ’s resurrection transcends the mere restoration of what He was before His resurrection exponentially. Jesus was resurrected in His glorified humanity and, in His glorification, created a New Existence/Creation within the fallen first creation. The intent of this New Existence for all believers “in Christ” is that there is the availability to us presently, in this existence, a portion of the New Life that is ours in this New Creation “in Christ.”The connecting link to this supernatural aspect of our New Life “in Christ” is the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and the filling with the Spirit of God.Through this connecting Link, every believer could become the conduit through which the power of God could flow directly into the fallen creation in a supernatural way.
“15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:15-23).
The means of the appropriation of “the working {energeia; the supernatural energy of God} of His mighty power” is the filling of the Spirit of the indwelling resurrected, glorified Jesus Christ, “the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.”The resurrection power of Jesus is that New Life that now flows through the “Vine” to the “branches” that Christ speaks of in John chapter 15.Whatever “branch” receiving that power by being connected to the “vine” WILL PRODUCE FRUIT.We might call this Pneumatological Kinesis.Kinesis is the movement of an organism or cell in response to a stimulus, the rate of movement being dependent on the strength of the stimulus.The stimulus is the filling with the Spirit of God conditioned on total yielding (Rom. 6:11-13 & 12:1-2).The potential in the power of God that is released through this Kinesis is communicated in Ephesians 1:19 by the words “exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.”The words ““exceeding greatness” intend to convey an immeasurable and infinite resource in the power of God given to believers through the resurrection/glorification of Jesus Christ and available to us, and through us, in the conduit of being filled with the indwelling Spirit (similar in scope to the “unsearchable riches of Christ” in Eph. 3:8b).
In his Epistle to the Colossians, Paul refers to this “fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:23) in terms that correct the false doctrine of other mediums or mediators through which the believer is, or can be, connected to the Divine Person, Power, and Potential of God’s creative power.
“19 For it pleased the Father that in him {Jesus} should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister” (Colossians 1:19-23).
In verse 19, the Greek word translated “fullness” (pleroma) was understood and used by the Gnostics to denote various mediatorial images, angels, or spiritual beings that were each believed to give a partial revelation of God. Therefore it was necessary to have “knowledge” of all these mediators in order to have a FULL knowledge of God.
When Paul told Timothy (I Tim. 2:5) that Christ was the only “mediator between God and men” he was denying the whole foundation of Gnostic beliefs. Some continue a form of Gnosticism in praying to saints (invoking them to act on their behalf), angels, the dead, and to Mary. There are two primary characteristics of the “fullness” of the Godhead in Christ.
1. In Jesus we find the totality of Divine powers and attributes.Everything that God is, Jesus is.
2. The “fullness of the Godhead” dwells “in Christ.”That “fullness” is permanently at home in Christ Jesus.Christ Jesus is the permanent residence of the fullness of the Godhead.The idea conveys the permanency of the union of God and man in the Person of Jesus.
Beginning on the day of Pentecost in the indwelling of the believer with the Holy Spirit, that “fullness” of that Godhead that resides in Christ also resides in the believer’s body and is released through the overflow of the filling of the Spirit.This filling is what defines and triggers Pneumatological Kinesis.
The fullness of the Godhead “in Christ” is a provision for mankind’s benefit (Colossians 1:20-23). Again the Gnostics taught that there could only be a partial completion of the work of salvation. Therefore a person could never be fully saved, because the angelic mediators could only provide a partial reconciliation. The emphasis of verses 20-23 is that the security of a believer’s salvation is based upon an already accomplished reality. Jesus has provided complete reconciliation to God.
Anonymous comments will not be allowed. Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
Undoubtedly, the greatest example of being a servant is the example given us in the incarnate, eternal Son of God.The Creator of heaven and earth was willing to become a man in order to pay the “wages of sin” for our redemption.The Son of God came in the form of the Son of man and took on Himself the “form of a servant.”What is important for us to see in this is that this servant aspect of Christ’s character flows supernaturally from His Divine Nature.
The disciples continued to struggle with being servants to others.This was something contrary to everything they had ever been taught in life beginning with their parents and from everything within their culture.Culturally, a person works hard to become a somebody of importance and to hold positions of prominence in the world.Although faithful Christians will receive great prominence and be exalted to be ruling kings and priests with Christ in the Kingdom Age, they were not to live or work motivated by that future position. An integral aspect of the Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4) that indwells the believer is the character of a servant.Christ addresses this as He answers the question of the disciples in Acts 1:6 regarding when the Kingdom would be restored.They were preoccupied with the prominence of their future positions in the Kingdom rather than being preoccupied with the ministry they had been trained to perform and the servants (bond slaves) Christ had exemplified and prepared them to become.The greatness (the degree of exaltation) of their Kingdom positions would be determined proportionately to the degree they were willing to set aside the pride of life (desire for prominence) to become the servants of both God and their fellowman.
Critical to our understanding of this text and its practical application for our lives is that this servant mentality must be maintained throughout our lives.The reason why the servant mentality must be maintained is because we are by nature selfish, prideful, self-promoting, power hungry, and carnally ambitious in our desires for personal recognition.Our fallen natures lust for prominence and we are by nature competitive in order to achieve status among our peers.In our carnal thinking, it does not make much difference of we find acceptance and extreme self-worth in a righteous relationship with our Heavenly Father and our position of prominence as His sons.That spiritual position is an invisible position of prominence.We want (lust for) a visible, recognizable, acknowledge position of prominence among our peers.This is carnal and worldly!
Although the faithful, Spirit filled believer will achieve extreme exaltation in the coming Kingdom Age, the condition for that exaltation is humility and selflessness in our present existence in the here and now.We find this admonition in two major Bible texts referring to this condition of humility for exaltation.In other words, those who meet the conditions will be exalted before men, but that exaltation should not be what motivates us to be servants.
“5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves {the idea is to reflect an attitude in your living of an accurate opinion of what you really deserve} in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift {hupsoo; elevate or exalt}you up” (James 4:5-10).
How easily we forget from whence we have come.How easily we achieve a false sense of self-importance.As soon as we begin to see some spiritual growth in our lives and begin to have a spiritual walk with God, we must guard against the false notion of self-righteousness and spiritual superiority over others.When self-righteousness and spiritual superiority raise their ugly heads manifested by contempt for sinners (rather than their sin) and casting that person aside as unworthy to be in your presence or incapable of ever achieving your degree of spirituality.Look out friend!God is going to give you a wakeup call to reality.Doing that is part of our fallen natures.It is carnal and worldly!
“1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5 Likewise, ye younger {neos; i.e., new, referring to new believers who are still spiritually immature}, submit {subordinate; put yourself under} yourselves unto the elder {presbuteros; referring to the pastor}. Yea, all of you be subject {subordinate; put yourself under} one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth {opposes} the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:1-7).
In I Peter 5:7, believers are commanded to “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.” That which defines this submissive spirit of humility is not left up to our imaginations. Neither is it merely defined linguistically.In fact, Jesus defined it by giving an example in Matthew 18:4 and with this example He gives a serious warning regarding corrupting children in their thinking and living regarding the issues of pride and self-importance.For the lost, these are the kinds of things that keep people from the humility of genuine repentance leading to genuine salvation and an honest evaluation of what they really are apart from God’s workings of grace in their lives.For the “born again” believer, these are the kinds of things that keep people from being filled with the Spirit of God and experiencing the abundance of the Christ-life.
Obviously Christ considered leading anyone astray, especially a child, in the area of self-promotion/exaltation by a failure to be humble and submissive, to be such a serious offense that it merited a punishment that was used upon those who committed crimes against a whole society, rather than merely another individual.Hanging a huge stone around the neck and casting the person into the depth of the sea was a sentence of death upon those committing either parricide (killing a parent) or infanticide (killing one’s own child).This means of execution was an extreme form of dishonor and shame portraying the just dessert of casting away the soul of such a person that is so degenerate in their thinking that the judgment upon the corruption of the life of an innocent falls now upon their own eternal destiny.
The seriousness to which a person should take this warning regarding the corruption of a child through selfish living is expanded upon in Matthew 18:7-14.This continues in the context of the warning regarding leading a child astray in the area of humility or self-aggrandizing.Do not lose the context of this warning regarding living an exemplary life of humility as servants to others.Notice the instruction that Christ gives defining extreme measures a person should go in order to avoid corrupting a little child in these behavioral attitudes that motivate us.
Why is it that so many children of professing believers grow up to reject Christ and to live in sin as unbelievers?It is not that they reject the God of the Bible or the love of God manifested in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.They do not begin as unbelievers.Unbelief is developed in their lives progressively as they WATCH the adults around them live like unbelievers.
A genuine life of faith is manifested to them through a genuine life of faithfulness (submissive obedience to God’s commands and instructions for living).Like Lot’s children, who could not take their father’s warning of God’s pending judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah serious because of their father’s hypocrisy and spiritual inconsistencies, our children are tripped up (offended) by our duplicities.We tell them to do one thing while we live in contradiction to the principles we are trying to establish in them.This is the sin of hypocrisy and it is a sin against society as a whole and the individuals within our immediate influence specifically.
Anonymous comments will not be allowed. Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
“1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:1-11).
The book of Acts is often referred to as the Fifth Gospel. It was written by Luke and it continues where he left off in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of Luke is what Luke is referring to by the statement, “[t]he former treatise have I made” in Acts 1:1.
Secondly, the book of Acts is directed to someone named “Theophilus.” The Greek word “theophilus” simply means friend of God. I believe the word “theophilus” is used as a general term addressing this narrative to all people who consider themselves friends of God, or Christians. The term friend of God is used to describe faithful believers who live “the faith.” It was first used to describe Abraham.
“17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:17-22).
Later, in the Epistle of James, he would extend this friendship terminology into a contradistinction in teaching that anyone who was a friend of the world was not a friend of God, but an enemy of God.
“1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:1-10).
There is a simplicity to grace-living and, yet, there is a complexity to it. Grace-living is simply yielding all that we are, all that we can be, and all our desires to the indwelling Spirit of God. If the quality of our faith in the reality of God’s existence and our understanding of the scope of His existence was where it ought to be, the simplicity of yielding to Him and allowing Him to live through us would not be so complex. That is what James is dealing with in his epistle; the reality of our faith in God.
The reality of our faith in God is also what Luke is dealing with in his introduction to his continuation of the Gospel of Luke that we have come to call the Acts of the Apostles. The title Acts of the Apostles is a man-made title and not really accurate to the scope of the intent of this historical account of the first generation of the Age of Grace. This purpose is given to us in the first two verses of Acts chapter one; “1b all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.” Do not rush by this statement. In this statement, we have the whole Church Age defined as well as the scope of the “work of the ministry” as a continuum of the Christ-life through every Spirit enabled believer throughout the Church Age. This historical account would be better entitled the Acts of Jesus Christ Lived through the Priesthood of All Believers. David Thomas 1 gives us the following note on the statement “all that Jesus began both to do and teach:”
“ . . . from the arrangement of these words in the original Greek, two things are plain which escape the English reader: First, there is an emphasis on the verb ‘began;’ secondly, there is none on the word ‘Jesus.’ The contrast is not that the former treatise related what Jesus began, and this relates what some other person or persons continued; but it is that the former treatise related what Jesus began to do and teach: and this relates what He, the same Jesus, continued to do and teach.”
The question immediately then is raised, How could Jesus continue to “do and teach” after He was dead? Answering this question gives us the supernatural nature of God’s intent beyond salvation from Hell and what we see fleshed out in the lives of those recorded in the book of Acts. The answer is simple: Christ lives supernaturally through the yielded life of the believer indwelled and “filled” with the Spirit of God. What Jesus began to do on the Day of Pentecost was something the world had never seen before. Jesus would supernaturally live THROUGH those “born again” of the Spirit of God and who were completely yielded to Him.
This understanding of the historical record of the book of Acts gives us the supernatural perspective that must be included in our perspective of the history of the Church that has been written in the book of Acts and is being written each day through the historical events of the lives of believers. The work of evangelism and teaching that Jesus began in His incarnation is continued through the hypostatic union of God in all believers. That work is divinely energized when hypostatic unity (Eph. 4:1-7) is supernaturally created in the life of a believer completely yielded to the indwelling Christ. The history of the book of Acts is the record of what Jesus did as He lived His life THROUGH the life of His disciples. ALL THAT HAPPEN IN THEM IS POTENTIALLY STILL AVAILABLE TO ALL BELIEVERS!
The willingness of these believers to risk everything, even life itself, to completely yield themselves to Christ was based upon the reality of their faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the reality of their faith in their own glorification and exaltation in the coming Kingdom Age. This is the central reason we have 10 recorded appearances of the resurrected Jesus to His disciples.
“3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father {referring to the indwelling; John 15:26-27}, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:3-5).
The words “infallible proofs” are translated from the Greek word tekmerion (tek-may'-ree-on), which simply means criteria for certainty. There was no doubt, none whatsoever, about the resurrection and glorification of Jesus. For the early Christians, this was an established FACT that gave them a living FAITH that trusted in the promises of God regarding yielding their lives to the supernatural workings of God. That did not mean that their lives would be without persecutions, difficulties, spiritual warfare, temptations, trials, hunger, pain, or sufferings. In fact, all of these types of things would increase in their lives due to satanic opposition in his attempt to discourage and corrupt/defile them for God’s supernatural workings through their lives. The only way these early believers would be able to survive the horrendous onslaught of satanic opposition would be a real, living faith in the reality of their own resurrection/glorification.
Another important aspect of Christ’s post resurrection appearances that David Thomas points out is that Jesus never speaks to the lost multitudes in any of those 10 different appearances. Jesus appeared and communicated only with His disciples after His resurrection (with the exception of His call of the Apostle Paul). The emphasis in this fact is that after the Day of Pentecost and the indwelling of, and baptism with, the Holy Spirit, Jesus would from that time forward in the Church Age speak TO His disciples through His inspired Word and TO the lost world THROUGH His disciples. That is why we can truly call the Great Commission the GRACE COMMISSION.
“26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27).
“7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:7-15).
After the Day of Pentecost (beginning the Church Age or the Age of Grace), reaching the lost would become the sole responsibility of local churches and individual, faithful believers making up those local churches. Believers individually, and local churches (believers corporately), were to be the distribution centers of Truth through the supernatural enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 5:17-21). The Great Commission required that reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ become the accepted and lived responsibility of the Church and every individual Christian “born again” of the Spirit of God.
Yet, the Great Commission was not to be, and could not be, accomplished through human will power, strength/might, or through human wisdom. Fulfilling the Great Commission would need to be a cooperative, supernatural work done in synergism with the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and with a network of other believers of like precious faith in various local churches. Fulfilling the Great Commission would require an in depth knowledge of the Word of God, an intimate relationship with the God of the Word, and a living, vibrant faith that is willing to make enormous personal sacrifices and take enormous personal risks to insure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed throughout the world.
“15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:15-23).
Fulfilling the Great Commission would require a partnership with God in “the work of the ministry.” This partnership is available to every believer and is communicated by the word “fellowship” in our English Bibles. The availability of this partnership to every believer is communicated in the last phrase of the Great Commission: “and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). This “work of the ministry” was never intended to be done apart from a partnership with the indwelling Christ. Yet, the “work of the ministry” is the Great Commission and is commanded to every believer.
1 David Thomas, Acts of the Apostles Expository and Homiletical, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI; reprint of the 1870 ed. Published by R.D. Dickinson, London, under title: Homiletic Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles
Anonymous comments will not be allowed. Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
Perhaps one of the greatest misnomers of Christianity is that Christians will receive rewards in the Kingdom Age for merely being good little boys and girls (because they do not live in sin).The fact is, Christians will receive rewards for fruitproduced (souls won and disciples made) to the glory of God because they yielded their bodies to the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, Who then creates the Christ-life in their lives.This is what the Apostle Paul referred to in Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:11-13, and 12:1-2.
“17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break {luo loo'-o; literally loosen; the idea is to teach a more relaxed, broader, more liberal interpretation}one of these least {in size or importance; i.e.; seemingly insignificant} commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case {double negative in Greek text; not at all or not by any means} enter into the kingdom of heaven {this is not referring to the final eternal state of existence, but is referring to the Kingdom Age because God-kind righteousness is required; i.e., justification “by grace through faith”}” (Matthew 5:17-20).
Notice, in Matthew 5:19-20, that there are three divisions of people divided according to their proper understanding and application of the union of Law and Grace; “19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
1. Those who will be “least” in the Kingdom Age (vs. 19a, the unfaithful; i.e., the spiritual legalist and liberal)
2. Those who will be “great” in the Kingdom Age (vs. 19b, the faithful believer who lives in the supernatural enabling of the Spirit and produces “fruit” to God’s glory)
3. Those who will not even “enter into the” the Kingdom Age (vs. 20, the lost)
The “kingdom of heaven” is the Kingdom Age, not the final eternal state of existence.The final eternal state of existence is called the Kingdom of God in the Word of God.There is a difference between these two kingdoms.The “kingdom of heaven,” or the Kingdom Age with still be part of the first and fallen creation, but dominion will be restored to mankind through the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.Rewards will determine the positions that glorified Church Age believers will hold for these 1,000 years of Christ’s rule on Earth.The parable of the “talents” in Matthew 25:14-30 explains that these positions will be determined solely on the basis of the fruit (or gain) that the yielding of our lives to Christ produces and the indwelling Spirit of God creates the Christ-life through us.Christ precedes His teaching on the parable of the “talents” with His parable of the Ten Virgins (five “wise” and five “foolish”) in Matthew 25:1-13.Which group of “five” do you believe REALLY believed that the Bridegroom was coming for them?
Secondly, The “kingdom of heaven” will last one millennium, or 1,000 years.It has events defining its beginning and events defining its ending.Part of the events defining its beginning is the Judgment (Bema) Seat of Christ where Christ will evaluate the ministry/service of believers during the Church Age.The faithful will be given “crowns” for various areas of faithful service that will also translate into varying degrees of responsibility of positions in the Kingdom Age as they rule and reign with Christ as His kings and priests.Matthew 5:19-20 is addressing these faithful individuals from the Church Age, their positions, and how the degrees of power or greatness of those positions will be determined.
The Word of God speaks of five different “crowns” given to faithful believers as rewards. All five crowns are determined by how faithfully a believer lives the Grace-life (Christ-life) in the enabling power of the indwelling Christ.
1. The Crown of Life
“Blessed is the man that endureth {faithfully continues under} temptation {the trying or testing of the reality of faith; James 1:2}: for when he is tried {dokimos ginomai, i.e., proven to be a regenerated person by his faithfulness to his love for the Lord} he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
The “crown of life” is NOT salvation.Salvation is not a reward for faithful service to Christ.Salvation is the salvation of our souls “by grace through faith.”The “crown of life” is the crown for living the Christ-life.The “crown of life” is Christ’s reward to the believer for being “salt” and “light” by living the Christ-life “by grace through faith” by yielding his/her body to the indwelling Holy Spirit.Therefore the “crown of life” is the Crown of the Christ-life habitually lived through the life of the yielded believer as described in Galatians 2:20.The “crown of life” is Christ’s reward to the faithful believer for the salvation of our lives (not our souls) by yielding our ambitions, abilities, and resources to the cause of Christ in evangelizing the world and in bringing glory to God.
“19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:19-20).
The “crown life” (the Christ-life) is given as a reward to the believer who truly lives out the testimony of his/her water baptism in the death to self and the commitment to live life in the resurrection power of the indwelling Christ.
Failure to keep the promise of daily dying to Self and being filled with the Spirit (putting on the Christ-life) that was made in water baptism will result in the loss of this reward and the position of ruling “over cities” that comes with the reward (Luke 19:11-17).Those who are not faithful in living the grace-life/Christ-life during the Church Age will hold a position of the castaway in shame during the Kingdom Age.The degree of rewards (greatness in positions of rule) during the Kingdom Age for glorified Church Age saints will be determined solely because of the spiritual fruit produced by the Holy Spirit through our lives habitually yielded to Him.
2. The Incorruptible Crown
“24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Corinthians 9:24-27).
The crowns awarded at the Greek Olympic Games were laurel wreaths.They would quickly wilt, turn brown, and crumble into dust.They were intended to be very temporal because they represented who was the champion in that particular event at that particular moment.On any other day, another of the competitors may win that crown.However, the “incorruptible crown” is an eternal crown because it is not given for one race.The “incorruptible crown” is given to a Christian based upon Christ’s evaluation of a believer’s whole life.The key to this reward are the words “temperate in all things” (I Cor. 9:25).
The word “temperate” is from the Greek word egkrateuomai (eng-krat-yoo'-om-ahee) and refers to the self-control of human appetites, carnal lusts, and/or worldly desires or ambitions.There are six things that God “hates.”Either the seventh, or having all seven, is an “abomination” (disgusting or abhorrent) to Him.
“16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Sin is like a spider web. Seldom is there but one strand.One sin connects to another that connects to another that connects to another.For instance, in David’s sin with Bathsheba, we see all seven of these abominations referred to in Proverbs 6:16-19.Pride led to lying that led to cover-up that created a situation of urgency that plotted to do evil that led to murder that brought God’s chastisement upon David, his family, and ultimately upon the nation of Israel. By David’s sin, he gave his children permission to do the same and the seed of spiritual discord was sown.
God does not leave us guessing about what constitutes intemperance or the failure in the self-control of the “flesh.”In Galatians chapter five, God tells us exactly how intemperance will manifest itself through a person’s life.
“13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do {present, active, participle; i.e. are doing as the regular practice of their life} such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:13-21).
The “kingdom of God” is the final eternal state of existence provided only to those “born again” into God’s family “by grace through faith.”All true believers receive this inheritance.Therefore, the issue of unrepentant, habitual living in the “flesh” is also a manifestation of still being lost even though there may be a profession of faith in Christ.
The third Crown reward for living the Christ-life builds upon the previous two.We cannot earn the third Crown reward apart from having earned the first two in that producing a true disciple of Jesus Christ must be done in the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.Discipleship is a supernatural work involving progressive transfiguration (Rom 12:2).
3. The Crown of Joy or Rejoicing (the Disciple Maker’s Crown)
This “crown” is often referred to as the Soul Winner’s Crown.However, I like to refer to it as the Disciple Maker’s Crown because there are three phases in the evangelization of a soul.These three phases (or steps, because they must follow in order or succession to one another) of evangelism are detailed in the Great Commission given by Christ to His Church (all “born again” believers).
1. The first phase of evangelism is preaching the gospel and leading a soul to a faith decision to be “born again.”
2. The second phase of evangelism is leading a “born again” believer to become a disciple of Jesus in daily dying to the “old man” and yielding himself to the indwelling Holy Spirit.The beginning of this second phase of evangelism is leading a person to be water baptized, which is a physical/outward portrayal of this spiritual/inward commitment.Water baptism is intricately connected to formal local membership and accountability to other members of the local body in living the Christ-life.There is no such thing in Scripture as a Lone Ranger Christian outside of formal membership to a local body of believers.Scripturally, such a person would be considered an anomaly and to be living contrary to the commands of God.
3. The third phase is teaching the “born again” believer, now committed to live the Christ-life, the Word of God and how to become a “doer of the Word” and not just a “hearer only.”The emphasis in the words “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” in Matthew 28:20 is upon the word “observe.”The idea of the word “observe” is to preserve or guard.The natural tendency is to lower or lessen God’s expectations.The believer is to live in such a way as to never let this happen.The high expectations of righteousness (and therefore righteous living) must be carefully guarded and passed on from one generation of Christians to the next with exacting specificity.This involves teaching the specificity of Bible doctrine and living the specificity of what we know.
This three-fold mission is what defines the ministry/purpose of the Christ-life and is what should define the life of the believer who hopes for the “crown of rejoicing.”Christ died for this purpose.This Crown of Rejoicing is the reward of rejoicing for the souls won to Christ and made disciples through YOUR “work of the ministry.”In His resurrection and ascension to the Father, Jesus sowed the Seed of the Holy Spirit of God into the bodies of every “born again” believer with the hope they each would begin to live His purpose; i.e., God-kind righteousness being miraculously produced through the lives of “born again” sinners.This same purpose must become the Disciple Maker’s sole purpose for living.When this spiritual “fruit of the Spirit” is produced inwardly in the believer, it will produce the fruit of souls won to Christ and disciples made of Christ to the glory of God. This Crown is the actual believers who are saved and discipled through your ministry.
“19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy” (I Thessalonians 2:19-20).
4. The Crown of Righteousness (the Crown for Keeping “the Faith”)
The local church (made up of individual believers saved by “grace through faith,” discipled, and “perfect[ed] for the work of the ministry”) is the “pillar and ground of the Truth.”Every local church and every individual believer will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ according to two criteria regarding how we kept “the faith.”
1. The effort we put into learning the Word of God and the effort we made to teach the Word of God to others.
2. The effort we made to translate the Word of God into the language of living (“be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only”).
The Crown of Righteousness is for learning, living, and teaching the Word of God to others so that they might do the same (creating a continuum of “the faith”).Living the Word of God cannot be separated from teaching the doctrine of Grace, because no one can live the Word of God (be righteous) apart from the supernatural inner workings of the indwelling Spirit of God.
“1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh” (Galatians 3:1-6)?
The Crown of Righteousness is the reward for yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit, Who then produces God-kind righteousness through our lives.Apart from this work of Grace, the believer can never be anything but a sinner.The Spirit of God is the inner source of “living water” (God-kind righteousness).
“17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:17-21).
II Corinthians 5:21 refers to practical God-kind righteousness supernaturally produced by the Spirit of God through the regenerated believer.Christ having been “made . . . sin for us” opens the spiritual door for the Spirit of God to indwell the believer.“Made” in II Corinthians 5:21 is from the Greek word ginomai (ghin'-om-ahee).The idea is to become.I believe this goes beyond the imputation of righteousness “in Christ” to the potential of practical God-kind righteousness supernaturally produced through the believer’s life by the indwelling Spirit of God.This is exactly what Paul is saying in Romans 8:4; “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”This was never even a possibility prior to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Age of Grace.“Now . . .in Christ Jesus” the fulfillment of “the righteousness of the law” is a possibility in the regenerated believer’s life if that believer will “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”This, of course, refers back to what Paul has already said in Romans 6:11-13.
5. The Crown of Glory (the Faithful Pastor’s Crown)
The Crown of Glory is possibly the highest ranking crown of all.Rewards are given for faithfulness according to levels of responsibility of ministry given to people by the Lord.We must remember that Pastor’s will be held accountable for the lives under their ministry if they have not taught people properly and/or administrated the local church under their charge according to the directives given to us in the Word by the Chief Shepherd.
“7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar {the Lord’s Supper}, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:7-17).
All Five Crowns are referred to as “full reward”
“7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (II John 1:7-9).
“1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come {being completely fulfilled in its type}, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly {in such a manner as to be startling} there came a sound from heaven as {like the sound} of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire {so that they could know this more than just a rushing wind}, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
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