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The Scriptures and the Godhead
The Authority of the Bible:
The validity of the Bible is established by its own claims. It maintains
a prophetic power, a coherence and clarity, commanding a world wide
fellowship of faithful believers. The Scriptures are simple enough for
children to be inspired and educated, yet scholars all over the world
are still immersed in debating and interpreting its assertions. The
Scriptures are essentially prophetic word - written for and to those
who participate in the covenant of God. They divide true believers from
unbelievers (Matt 10:24; Heb 4:12).
Those who live by them experience daily their ability to enlighten,
guide, reveal and carry one through this corrupted world in strength,
purpose and truth.
The Scriptures do not require the endorsement of institutionalised
Christianity or a governing class of priests. The biblical 'canon' of
27 New Testament books was 'recognised' by the Early Church, not constructed
by it. All 66 books of the Bible constituted the Word of God, inspired
by God, preserved by Him through countless attempts at subversion and
destruction, and all these books stand in doctrinal coherence and spiritual
harmony.
The Scriptures find their fulfilment and culmination in Christ, the
Word Incarnate, who is head and authority of the church today. The Bible
is the book of God's truth -- it is wholly true (infallible) and without
error (inerrant). The minor variations in textual translation and expression
do not constitute an error of truth. Holding to both its inerrancy and
infallibility is done in the power of genuine faith. True faith is experienced
as the unquestionable trustworthiness of Scripture, the reliability
of its historical facts, and its Divine authority on matters of practical
godliness and conduct.
The Scriptures appeal beyond themselves to Almighty God who has conferred
authority on His Word. They maintain an inherent authority in that it
is an authentic embodiment of God's self-revelation to mankind. The
Scriptures were a product of human agents working in certain times and
places within history, yet through His Holy Spirit God inspired both
the form and content of His Word, both structure and content of direct
speech, reported speech, narrative and commentary. God has chosen His
Word through which to manifest the truth concerning Himself. God's redemptive
purposes for His earth are only made known in His revelation of Himself
in His Word.
Christ is the supreme embodiment of God's self-revelation; Christ accepted
the Old Testament as authoritative; the New Testament writers accepted
this authority as co-terminus with the authority of Christ's own teaching;
the Apostles declared their own teachings as sharing in this same authority
(I Thess. 2:13; II Thess. 2:15, etc.).
The authority of God has not been conferred on, and does not inhere
within, any other writings, apocryphal or catechismal.
The Trinity:
Our understanding of Scripture is grounded in the recognition of the
One God revealed in Scripture as three persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. This revelation begins in the book of Genesis and is made explicit
by Christ Himself, God incarnate (e.g. Matt.28:19).
Trinity is not 'tritheism': the OT recognises the fundamental unity
of God; it is also distinct from classical monotheism. God is not plurality
as such but a unity: He is neither three Gods, parts or modes but three
persons co-equally and co-eternally God, single and unique (Deut.
6:4), and who demands the rejection of all other gods (Deut.
5:7) or physical representations of Himself.
After the advent of Christ, God is still preached as ONE God
(Gal. 3:20); yet Jesus proclaimed
His own divinity (John 8:58); as Son
or Word Jesus is equated with God (John 1:1)
and associated with the Father (1 Cor. 1:3);
the Spirit or Comforter is also brought into this interrelationship
(John 14-16). In the Baptism of Jesus all three are mentioned
(Matt. 3:16-17) and the disciples
baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matt.
28:19); Jesus makes this distinction in
John 14:15-17. Paul the apostle's benedictions repeat this acknowledgment
and it is continued in the creeds of the Early Church.
The nature of the Godhead is a fundamental mystery; nevertheless, the
doctrine of the Trinity is a central clarification concerning the Scriptural
revelation of this truth.
The Deity of Christ:
Christ is the Word of God (God's self-revelation as Sovereign God, Creator
and sustainer of all things) Incarnate and all Scripture is animated
and finds authority within God's progressive self-revelation as manifest
through His Son. Jesus was primarily and centrally revealed as the Jewish
Messiah, coming to fulfil the Covenant of God as first expressed to
Abraham (Gen.12, 15, 17). Jesus was
born of the virgin Mary in the city of Bethlehem (Matt.
1:18) brought up in Nazareth, a Jew (Gal.
4:4) a descendant of David (Rom. 1:3)
the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One); He is both righteous (I
John 2:1) and sinless (II Cor. 5:21).
He confessed His own identity to Simon Peter as the 'Christ' and the
'Son of the Living God' (Matt. 16:13-19;
Mark 8: 27-31). He demonstrated a unique and unprecedented authority
in
(i) forgiving sins (Mark 2: 5-7; Luke 7:48-49),
(ii) cleansing the Temple and judging Israel (Mark
11: 27-33), and
(iii) bringing those outside Israel into the Kingdom of God (Luke
15).
Christ is one who demonstrated a greater authority than that expressed
in the OT (Matt. 5:31-32; 38-39):
greater than Abraham (John 8:56) Jacob
(John 4:12) and greater than the Temple
itself (Matt. 12:6). He claimed to
be 'Lord of the Sabbath' (Mark 2:28),
and construes the destiny of individuals as determined by how they respond
to Him (Matt. 11:6; Mark 8: 34-38).
Through His resurrection Jesus has been exalted and given Lordship over
all creation (Col. 1:16-17; Phil. 2:9-11;
1 Cor. 15:24-27 -- the term 'Lord' in the NT is synonymous with
THE Lord YHWH; e.g. Rom. 10: 9-13
as derived from Joel 2:32). Jesus
the Lord is presented in terms applicable only to God Almighty -- e.g.
pre-existent (Phil. 2:6), Creator
(John 1:1-5) -- and as possessing the 'form' of God
(Phil. 2-6) and the 'image' of God (Col.
1:15). Finally, there is no doubt that Christ's identification
with God Almighty in Scripture is total: Christ is presented as God
(Rom. 9:5; Titus 2: 13; Heb. 1: 5-8; I John 5:20; John 1:1; 20-28).
The Virgin Birth:
The birth of Jesus was engendered by a miraculous conception: He was
conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit
wholly in accordance with the will of God Almighty
(Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:26-38). This detail in the gospel narratives
is regarded by some as relatively insignificant on account of it being
a mere detail. All of Scripture is inspired, and God often uses the
detail to conceal and manifest a substantial insight into His character
and intentions. The virgin birth of Christ is presented in Scripture
as both historical fact (with credence added on account of the lack
of embellishment of this fact) and prophetic word (Matt.1:23).
Unlike the other 'supernatural' births in Scripture -- Isaac, Samson,
and Samuel -- it was engendered by a conception performed by the Holy
Spirit. As this factual detail concerns the very biological origins
of the Messiah, it is intrinsic to His identity - His Incarnate existence,
His humanity in relation to His divinity, His sinlessness and freedom
from Adam's imparted guilt, and His consequent suitability on standing
as the propitiation for our sin: on being the atoning Lamb of God
(II Cor. 5:21; I Pet. 2:22-24; Heb. 7:26-27; 7:26; Rom. 5: 18-19).
The virgin birth of Christ finds its theological 'necessity' in Christ's
sinless perfection as the 'spotless lamb' of God, the confirmation of
the miraculous power of God who rules over His creation -- who can both
impart and destroy life, and who changes the course of nature and natural
events in order to manifest His redemptive plan -- and confirmation
of Messianic prophecies Isa.7:4 and Isa.
31:22. Moreover, the virgin birth is a prophetic enactment of
the will of God for all those who find new life in Jesus -- new creations
born of the Spirit of God not by the will of man but by the perfect
will of God.
The Sinlessness of Christ:
Following from the fact of his virgin birth, Jesus was 'sinless' in
the sense that he did not inherit the sin inherent in human life, imparted
through the biological dynamic of conception; and did not inherit the
sins of his fathers (the broken covenant). He did not commit an act
of sin or participate in human sinful behaviour. This was not, as some
early heresies would have it, because Christ was not 'human' in the
ordinary sense of the term (a 'god-spirit', merely clothed in corrupt
human flesh). Christ was both fully human and fully divine, the form
of humanity in its original state: He was the 'last Adam' (1
Cor. 15:35)
Jesus was both a full embodiment of the Holiness of God in and through
the will of God, yet at the same time subject to all of human emotion
and the contingent facts of space and time as are we all. Thus Paul
could say that He was tempted in every way as we are (Heb.
4.15; Luke 22:28) but through the full indwelling of the Holy
Spirit (Luke 4:1-2) He remained blameless
and pure (I John 3:3). His sinlessness
is inseparable from His divinity, and His divinity is inseparable from
both His total commitment and understanding of Himself as committed
and belonging to the Father (John 5.30; Heb.
10:7) and His subsequent mission as Messiah (John
17:19).
The Miracles of Christ:
Miracles are an intrinsic part of the gospel and of Jesus' ministry
in general. They testified as much to the identity of Christ as incarnate
creator (Heb.1:2; John 1:1-4), as
to the poverty of fallen humankind and its need for healing and restoration.
Miracles are not 'violations' of nature but are fundamentally restorative
and demonstrate the divine prerogative of God in governing His creation,
as well as being expressions of His love for His creation. The miracles
of Christ were fundamentally prophetic, and follow the categories of
miracle in the OT -- as judgement, as healing and as guidance. In the
NT, miracles are part of the proclamation of God's redemptive plan:
to restore all creation to its former order, its expression of the glory
of God, and to destroy death. The resurrection of Christ is the central
miracle of the NT (I Cor. 15) as it
provides both evidence and testimony of the authority of Christ over
all creation, even death, and prophetically adumbrates the greatest
miracle of human experience: salvation and spiritual new birth.
The miracles of Christ testified to His identity as sent from God, His
anointing as Messiah, His power as judge, His love, and His mercy. Yet
Miracles were never used as destructive forces against His enemies or
as means of commanding assent from the people; miracles were never tools
of influence, and were never in themselves proof of His Divinity. For
miracles were often performed and replicated by false prophets or those
with evil power (Mark 13:22; II Thess. 2:9).
Miracles were rather expressions of Christ's character and His mission
in accordance with the Scriptures.
The Atoning Death of Christ:
That Jesus died for our sins is the central message of the Gospel and
of all evangelism. Sin is the human condition, and is thus the source
of all natural inclination to wickedness and destruction both in human
life and in creation in general. Sin has separated us from God
(Is. 59:2), yet it is God who has enacted all that can be done
to break this wall of separation. God provides the means by which sin
is atoned -- in the OT the sacrifices; in the NT the cross of Christ
-- that God 'might be just and the justifier' of him who believes in
Jesus (Rom. 3:26). The cross is central
to the message of the Gospel and the representation of the gospel by
the evangelising church (1.Cor. 1:23);
it is central to the Christian life and the experience of faith (Gal.
6:14). Christ likened a life lived in following Him to crucifixion
(Matt. 16:24). The cross is the sacrifice
that makes the New Covenant, it is the victory over sin and death, and
it provides a way of justification. In Paul's epistles the salvific
power of the cross is described in terms of redemption, propitiation
and reconciliation.
The Bible declares human life to be lost, without hope, and bound for
eternal damnation. The vicarious sacrifice of Christ on the cross and
the shedding of His precious blood stands as substitute for our own
deserved punishment, but unlike any punishment that we could have suffered,
the punishment of Christ provided the means for forgiveness and reconciliation.
The essential motivation and meaning of the Atonement remains a great
mystery; and that God should love us while were still sinners, and send
His son to die, demonstrates and order of love and grace uncommon to
human life. Nevertheless, like all mysteries of God, they do not provoke
an irrational assent but a wholly rational form of contemplation. The
legal language of 'propitiation' used in the NT bears reference to the
accessible vocabulary of OT sacrifice (Rom.
3:24-5). In the NT the atonement is more explicitly expressed
as the power to change and redeem the life of an individual sinner;
in the OT the atoning sacrifices are corporate and implicitly foretell
the demands for judgement and recompense needed to provide the conditions
for the salvation of humanity in general. Divine punishment of sin is
necessary -- all sin must be paid for -- following the Divine nature
of justice as an aspect of God's manifest character (Ex.
34:7; Num. 14:18); the seriousness of sin must be acknowledged.
Christ's death was necessary, for the Law could not itself impart life
(Luke 24:26; Rom. 8:3; Heb. 2:10).
The Bodily Resurrection and Ascension of Christ:
Having been crucified, died and buried, Christ rose again and later
ascended into Heaven, taking His rightful place of glory and authority
at the Right Hand of the Father (Matt 26:
64; Acts 2:33 -- a position of honour and government: Ps.
110:1; I Kings 2:19). Jesus was not resuscitated, nor was he
revived (like Lazarus); and in His post-resurrection state He was not
ethereal or ghost-like. Christ was wholly dead and was physically raised,
but raised incorruptible -- with a renewed body, yet a physical body
(Luke 24: 37-39). His body and soul
were restored to the God-created perfection as both fully physical yet
wholly spiritual. In His resurrected state He was a living prophecy
of our future redeemed state (I Cor. 15:
42-44) and through the resurrection He imparts the life-giving
Spirit (I Cor. 15:45).
The resurrection of Christ is the pivotal event of the NT: it was the
last moment of the revelation of Christ's divine nature and the acceptance
of God the Father of this perfect sacrifice (I
Cor. 15:17). The Gospels present this event as historical fact;
it stands as the proof prophesied by Jesus Himself (the Sign of Jonah:
Matt. 12: 39-40) that he was sent
from God, that He was the very Son of God (Rom.
1:4); it was the supreme testimony to the life immortal of Heavenly
existence, and a full expression of the Divine work of redemption: it
provided the hope and means for the future redemption, resurrection
and accession of believers to the Heavenly Kingdom (Rom.
6:4-9; 8:11; I Cor. 6:14; 15:20-22; etc.). And it is the decisive
manifestation of Christ's power in the Divine process of justification,
regeneration and the final resurrection of His people.
Christ referred to Himself as 'the resurrection and the life' (John
11:25) and was raised under His own power as His own power was
God's power (John 10:18): God is revealed
in Christ as the very creation-power of life itself. The Ascension can
be understood as the completion of the resurrection: the demonstration
of His not being subject to the bounds of Nature and His appropriate
transition to Glory where He makes efficacious His Headship of the church
and joins in unity with the Father (Luke
24:50-7; Acts 1:6-11; Mark 16:19); Jesus spoke of it before His
death (John 6:62; 14:2-12; 16:5, etc)
and Paul refers to it repeatedly (Eph. 1:20;
4:8-10, etc.) and its significance (Rom.6:5).
The Ascension was the physical and visible ascent of the person of
the Mediator between Man and God as he traversed Heaven and earth confirming
to us that Heaven is a place, a dwelling for those chosen of God. He
prefigures the ascension of living believers at the Rapture of the church
(I Thess. 4:17); He prepares a place
for those redeemed (John 14:2-4) and
who will remain with the Father forever (John
17:24). He takes His active role as intercessor on behalf of
humanity and will one day return with that same authority to judge the
world.
The Personal Return of Jesus in the Flesh:
In the fulfilment of time Christ will return in person, as judge, fulfilling
the cycle of His mission as redeemer of mankind (John
5;22-27; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Matt. 19:28; Luke 3:17; Rom. 2:16,
etc.). The Greek term 'parousia' -- used to express His coming -- is
a term signifying the physical manifestation of Christ as He will be
'present' to those on earth; another term used in scripture is 'apocalypsis',
which also indicates the nature of His appearing as a 'revealing' of
Christ as universal Lord come to judge His earth in majesty and authority
(II Thess. 1:7; I Peter 1:7,13; 4:13);
and the word 'epiphaneia' is used to express His glorious 'appearing'
-- indicating that He will been seen -- coming to establish His Kingdom
in justice (II Thess. 2:8; II Tim. 4:1).
In Acts 1:11 we are told of His visible
return (and I Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3:20; Titus
2:13; Rev. 1:7, etc.) and though His judgement will be a fearsome
sight, His appearing is the great 'hope' of all believers, perfecting
the salvation of His people and making the Kingdom of God a manifest
reality. All people, angels, the living and the dead, will be judged
according to the record kept (Matt. 24:30,
31; 25:31): the wicked will be sentenced to everlasting punishment
and those found righteous allowed into everlasting glory.
The Person and work of the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead and throughout all
Scripture is acknowledged as the very life-giving force of God Himself
(Gen.1:2). It is by the power of the
Holy Spirit that the redemptive plan of God is carried forth. In the
OT the 'Spirit of God' can mean God Himself (Ps.
139:7; Is. 40:13) or the 'breath of God' (Job
32:8), or the power of life itself (Job
32:8; Ps. 104:30). He generates life and carries the will of
God to completion (Job 33:4; 34:14; Ps. 104:29;
Is. 42:5). He has the general providential ministry of originating,
maintaining, strengthening, and sustaining human life in all its forms
(including active mitigation of the destructive presence of evil in
the world); and the specific ministry of empowering the redemptive work
of God through Christ by convicting of sin, originating all new spiritual
life, inspiring intentions, empowering actions, illuminating the understanding
and imparting knowledge to specific individuals as they are involved
in making manifest the will of God (including the specific mitigation
of the destructive presence of sin in the life of the individual). The
general work of the Spirit makes possible these specific works, that
creation may be redeemed for God's glory and good pleasure. The Holy
Spirit (John 16:13, 14) is the Spirit
of Truth who declares that truth, guides believers in it, declares things
to come, inspires prophetic understanding, confers specific gifts and
ministries, enables spiritual obedience to God, enlightens the mind
to the truth of the Scriptures, and dispenses God's grace: His free,
sovereign and undeserved favour (John 1:16,
17).
The work of the Holy Spirit is identifiable as individual (Christ referred
to Him as 'the Comforter' with a distinct ministry), yet He does not
speak of Himself or under His own authority (John
16:13, 14). He cannot be addressed individually. The ministry
of the Holy Spirit in the church is not distinct from the ministry of
Jesus: His ministry is to impart the words of Christ in power and to
glorify Christ. His ministry is to ensure the recognition of the supremacy
of Christ alone.
The Church and the Ministry
The Nature and Purpose of The Church:
In its most expansive definition, 'the Church' designates the whole
body of the redeemed, whether in Heaven or Earth, who have or are, or
who shall be, spiritually united with Christ as their Saviour, Lord
and King (Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18,24).
The Church was instituted by Christ (Matt.
16:18) and is often used synonymously with the 'Body of Christ',
both as the Church Universal (as above) and the local assembly (1
Cor. 12:27) both of which are simultaneously unified and placed
under the Headship of Christ. Again, the term 'Temple of the Holy Spirit'
is a synonym (1 Cor. 3:16) designating
the spiritual place where God's people are brought into communion with
Him. Historically, it is a 'pillar and ground of the Truth' (I
Tim. 3:15), guardian and disseminator of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. The Church is one and unified: it is empowered by one Spirit,
professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one King. Through it
the Lord dispenses to believers all spiritual blessings, and through
it, as Church militant, the forces of darkness are both exposed and
subdued. Yet not all those who seem to be members remain so (I
Cor. 5; II Thess. 3:6,14). The true marks of the Church are
(i) the preaching and teaching of the Word of God with evangelical
zeal for the Gospel of Christ and with respect and adherence to sound
doctrine (John 8:31, 32,47);
(ii) the practice of Communion and baptism, where the redeeming sacrifice,
power and Lordship of Christ are publicly celebrated (Matt.
28:19; Acts 2:42; I Cor. 11:23-30); and
(iii) the caring for, exhorting, edifying and educating of fellow
believers, in a life of love, security and godly living
(Matt. 18:18; I Cor. 5).
Christ ordains the ministers of the Church, its constitution, and empowers
its moral authority (Matt. 10:1; John 20:21-3;
Eph. 4:11,12). He is present in their corporate worship, and
speaks and acts through His appointed and anointed workers
(Matt. 10:40; II Cor. 13:3).
Water Baptism:
As performed in Acts 2:41, water baptism
became a central Christian rite of initiation following John the Baptist's
baptism of repentance; it has Jesus' own baptism as its precedent (Matt.
3:13) and His command (Matt 28:19),
hence its observance has authority. Baptism was largely by immersion
in the name of Christ (Acts 19:5)
or the Trinity (Matt. 28:19). Christ
delegated the right to baptise to His disciples, and henceforth has
been the general prerogative of the minister as one to whom the ministry
of the Word is entrusted (thought there is no specific scriptural bar
against any professing believer performing a baptism, proper emphasis,
context and conduct being maintained). Baptism was always a public declaration
of faith and a personal resolution in the context of the believing community.
It played an important role in public testimony and preaching of the
gospel (Acts 8:37); moreover, it completed
the cycle of response, repentance and conversion in the believer, with
the believers' final and public affirmation of the claims of the gospel
as a new follower of Jesus Christ. Thus the physical analogy baptism
seems to hold as a symbolic enactment of the death and resurrection
of Christ remains valid (Rom. 6:3-4)
as the total identification of the believer with Christ's death and
resurrection is central to salvation, and signifies that the believer
is partaking in the great work of the ONE true baptism of the substitutionary
work of Christ (Col. 2:12).
Water baptism is not sacramental or spiritually efficacious with regard
to salvation, or healing. It is not a mediating rite of spiritual power
or salvation, or a necessary addition to salvation. Preaching precedes
baptism and salvation is dispensed through the Word of God. Its observance,
however, is a serious expression of obedience and faith in accordance
with the believer's new accession to the Body of Christ and the believer's
obligation to public testimony. It is also a joyous time, and an opportunity
for celebration of an individual life saved by the grace of God.
The Lord's Supper:
Referred to as the 'communion' or the Lord's Table, the partaking of
the bread and wine (as enacted by the early church in 1.Cor.11:23-34)
is an act of corporate fellowship with the resurrected Christ through
the devotional remembrance of His death. It has dense symbolic significance,
relating to things past and things to come. The Lord's death on the
Cross and the supreme price He paid forms the central event remembered
during the Supper; related to this are His deliverance of His People
from Egypt, the Passover and the paschal lamb, the OT 'covenant meal'
and the pledge of loyalty (Gen. 26:30; 31:54;
II Sam. 3:20), the prophesied New Covenant (Jer.
31:1-4), the eschatological future hopes of the OT pointing toward
the marriage supper of the Lamb (Matt. 8:11;
Luke 14: 15-35).
The practice of Communion is a time of both personal devotion and corporate
worship, and should, in accordance with the gravity of Christ's death,
be celebrated with solemnity and respect. The bread and wine are symbolically
the body and blood of Jesus -- the communion is not sacramental; transubstantiation
is both biblically ungrounded and a mystification of the theological
meaning of this act. That Christ himself enacted the breaking of the
bread is proof enough of its purely symbolic significance: it is not
simply symbolic of Christ's person and action but how His person and
action emerged out of OT law and prophecy. The three accounts of the
act given in Scripture (Matt. 26:26-30; Mark
14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23) make clear the nature of the act and
the simple order it takes. As with baptism, there are no direct practical
specifications for the act, it is left to the discretion of the believers
as to how it is conducted and what form the 'bread' and 'wine' will
take. However, actual unleavened bread and actual wine have deep biblical
symbolic resonance and do not lend themselves to arbitrary replacement.
By faith alone is participation in Communion made possible, and faith
in inseparable from the Word: the Word makes the symbols what they are.
By faith alone is Christ received at the heart of the Supper, and is
recognised as Lord at His table, as the unseen Host (John
14:19). Paul gives the sternest of warnings to those who misuse
the table for self-gratification, self-aggrandisement or blasphemous
disrespect (I Cor. 11:27). Though
children are not barred in principle from participation in Communion,
the voluntary act of respect, repentance and reflection demanded by
Scripture presupposes an adult believer capable of having a full consciousness
of their sinful state without Christ.
The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit:
The personal endowment of spiritual power for the purpose of ministry
was a common feature of OT prophets, leaders and kings, from Abraham
to Moses to David; sometimes this involved superhuman power, e.g. Samson.
In the NT the power of the Spirit is demonstrated in the apostolic era
in more specific ways: the Apostles (who were part of the 'foundation'
of the church: Eph. 2:20) maintained
the power of miracles, confer acts of divine judgement and write scripture.
In the post-apostolic age the specific ministerial endowment specific
to the Apostle's ministry has passed. The occasion of miracles, anointing,
healing, prophecy and tongues is still at work in the church.
When in Eph. 5:18 Christians are
urged to be 'filled with the Spirit', this corresponds to Col.3:16
and is synonymous with 'the Word of Christ dwelling within'. The primary
work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to an individual the truth of Scripture
(John 16:13). He also endows individuals
with certain gifts of the Spirit (e.g. tongues), which, as in the time
of Paul the apostle, is sometimes abused and exercised inappropriately
(1 Cor. 14). An emphasis on the 'miraculous
gifts' detracts from the broader work of the Spirit, for example, administration,
encouragement, practical holiness and guidance in our daily lives, and
inspiration to prayer.
The Holy Spirit is a person and not some kind of energy-force that
one can have at their command or can manipulate at will. The Holy Spirit
does not cause irrational, psychotic or manic behaviour; nor does He
usurp the will of the believer. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit
(Gal. 5:22). The emphasis of the teaching
of the NT is 'the way of the cross' (Mark
8:34) not an attempt to avoid the sacrificial experience through
evoking the supernatural. The Holy Spirit does, however, endow the church
corporately with an emboldening, transforming and anointing power that
is over and above the individual's faith.
The Believer's Security of Salvation:
Heaven and the believer are being kept for each other (I
Pet. 1:4-5); the terms 'promise' and 'inheritance' are often
used in Scripture to emphasise the guarantee of the believer's final
destination. All who believe will be raised on the final Day (John
6:39-40); the 'perseverance' of the saints is grounded in the
believer's union with Christ (Col. 3:1-4)
by election (Eph. 1:12-14) and justification
(Rom. 8:30). The believer has, by
the power of the Holy Spirit, 'assurance' of salvation, which means
that despite one's continued sinful state one is irrevocably claimed
as a child of God, whose life is 'hidden' in Christ (Col.3:3),
and is an heir to Heaven (Gal.4:6-7).
This does not, however, nullify the persistent admonishments and exhortations
throughout Scripture to ensure that the believer does not fall into
unbelief or a hardening of heart (Heb. 3:12),
a corrupted mind (2 Cor. 11:3), a
'different' gospel (Gal. 1:6), collaborate
with those who defile the church (1 Cor.
5), maintain a worthless ministry (1
Cor.3:12-15), grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph.4:30)
and fall into the chastening of God (Hebrews
12:5-11) or judgement (2. Cor 5:9-11)
which can be severe. There are differences between the Christian novice
who quickly falls away (Matt. 13:19-21; 2
Peter 2:20-21), the 'backslider' who for all kinds of personal
reasons can become disillusioned, demoralised or fall to temptation
(Gal. 6:1), and the believer who systematically
abuses the gift of salvation (1 Cor. 5).
Apostasy is a different category of sin from all of these, and is also
given as a sign of the end (II Thess. 2:3;
Heb. 3:12). Apostasy constitutes a defection of a believer, and
deliberate enmity towards true believers and thus the faith in toto,
despite the fact that apostates were characterised as prominent members
of the church assembly. Such individuals are condemned to damnation
(Heb. 6:4-6). A careful reading of
the relevant texts (such as the contrastive transition between Jude
v.19 and v. 20, and Hebrews 6:8-9) would reveal that apostates
were never true believers. Moreover, Hebrews
Ch. 6 suggests (taking apostate Israel as a model) that it is
possible for people to be enlightened to the truth of God's Word and
benefit from the work of the Holy Spirit, and yet not themselves be
in receipt of salvation.
Patient endurance, trust, devotion and constancy of obedience, especially
in the face of temptation and persecution, are the very essence of the
life of faith, and are inspired by the Holy Spirit. However, the doctrine
of eternal security places the emphasis rightly on the Grace of God:
for in last analysis, the guarantor of salvation, and the fount of assurance,
is not our own ability to be faithful, but Christ's eternal faithfulness
(I Cor.1:9).
The Demonic Realm:
The nature and origins of demons is largely a mystery. They are described
as 'fallen angels' (Matt. 25:41; Pet. 2:4;
Rev. 12:7-9), 'unclean spirits' (Mark
1:21-27, etc) and 'evil spirits' (Acts
19:12-16), and are related to pagan practices of idolatry, magic
and witchcraft (Deut. 32:17; Ps. 96:5);
the 'possession of individuals' is one of their occupations (if rare).
Their activity is taken sufficiently seriously in Scripture for clear
teaching to be available to believers, especially those saved from occult
activities, believers who have exposure to occult practices (family,
workplace, etc.) or those who come under specific spiritual oppression
in the course of ministry. Demons are terrified of Christ, His name,
and the authority of God (Matt. 8:28; Mark
5:7; Luke 8:28, etc); demons are thus exorcised by the power
of His Word (Mark 7:30; Matt. 1:24; 8:16;
8:28); and this practice is used later by His disciples (Mark
16-17) and promised to all believers (Acts
5:16). The Scriptures are clear: the salvific power of the resurrection
is present in every believer through the Holy Spirit, as Christ Himself
dwells within every believer (Gal. 2:20).
Christ has authority over the demonic powers and principalities and
this power is dispensed through the Church (Matt.
12:22; Luke 10:17); the believer is a 'new creation', born of
the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 5:17). Demonic
possession is utterly incompatible with any characterisation of the
life of the believer in the N.T., as is the various counterparts of
extreme 'demonic oppression' that many false teachers advocate. The
'inner healing', 'deliverance' and faith movements have invented all
kinds of roles for demons the Bible does not give them, creating a bizarre
and complex web of falsehood.
The End Times:
The Lord Himself distinguishes between His first and second Coming (Matt.
24:30; John 14:3, etc); the apostles testifies to this (Acts
3:20,21; I Thess. 4:15,16). The Second Coming of the Lord will
be a physical return (Matt. 24:3,27,37; I
Cor. 15:23; I Thess. 2:19); the 'parousia' of Christ results
in the rapture of the church: the dead in Christ shall rise and the
saints on earth shall be caught up and remain ever with Him (I
Thess. 4:15,16). This is followed by seven years during which
(i) the Gospel will have reached all parts of the world (Matt.
24:14)
(ii) the Great Tribulation occurs (Matt
24:8-10)
(iii) the Antichrist is revealed (II Thess.
2:8-10)
(iv) Israel recognised Jesus as their Messiah (Rom.
11:26).
Then, the coming of the Lord with His Saints occurs (I
Thess. 3:13) - this is the consummate revelation of Christ in
the Day of the Lord in which Christ establishes His rule on the earth
by judging the living nations (Matt. 25:31-46)
and ushering in the Millennial Kingdom (Rev.
20).
In many portions of the New Testament we find references to a 'rapture'
or 'taking away' of the members of the Church still present on the earth
(I Thess. 4:17; I Cor. 15:51); it
will precede the Great tribulation and is a distinct event from the
Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 24:30).
There are many Scriptural passages which testify to the swift and unexpected
removal of the righteous in contradistinction to His great appearing
in the 'clouds and with great thunder' (Rev.
1:7). The Antichrist and the power of Satan is described as being
bounded until the Holy Spirit is removed; if that is so, then the Church
which is inhabited by the Holy Spirit must be removed also. We are not
appointed to wrath (I Thess. 5:9).
There are no remaining prophetic signs which need to be fulfilled for
this event to take place.
Acknowledgements:
Elwell A., W (ed.) Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker, 1996)
Fruchtenbaum, A. Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology
(Ariel, 2001).
New Bible Dictionary (2nd edition) (Inter-Varsity Press, 1992)
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