Eternal Life Is a Person

God does not merely “give” us eternal life. It comes bound up in the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus. If we have Jesus, we have eternal life. He is life and from him all life is derived and sustained. Our Lord Jesus is the eternal Logos, the Creator.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:3–4 (NKJV)

There can be no life apart from God’s imparting and sustaining it.

When Jesus walked this earth, he told his disciples that he is “the Life.” (John 14:6) He also told them that, for us, eternal life consists of knowing God.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)

This kind of knowing is not merely intellectual. It is not just knowing about God. It is having a relationship with him that includes his coming to live inside us in person of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of life. (Romans 8:2)

Because we came into this world as independent agents who were separated from the life of God (Ephesian 2:12), we imagine that it is possible to live on our own terms by our own power, but this is not sustainable over any significant length of time. God allows us to experience physical-soulical life for a season, but eternal life is only available in the spirit. That is why we must be born of the spirit, to come back alive in the innermost core of our being.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5–7 (NKJV)

Jesus, who is “the life,” is the focus or goal of the entire Bible.

Everything points to him in the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27), and all of mankind’s history that is still unfolding is pointing to his soon return in glory. Not only is he the goal of all history, since it is “his story,” Jesus is the means by which God accomplishes his will. In other words, Jesus is the end all and be all of all. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 21:6) , the beginning and the end, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer of mankind (Hebrews 1:1-3), and the goal of all things. (Colossians 1:16)

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:36 (NLT) 

Paul wrote that his glorious responsibility before God and to the disciples was to preach and teach what he called the “unfathomable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)

Unfortunately, many people, even Bible believing disciples, think that Jesus merely provided the means for us to be forgiven by paying the price for our sins, giving us a “fresh, clean slate” in life. It is true that the offering of his body upon the cross as the Lamb of God paid for our sins, but Jesus did so much more than that! He also restored us to a right relationship with his heavenly Father, birthing us spiritually into God’s eternal family, thereby providing us with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the eternal life that resides in him. Jesus’ resurrection conquered death, disease, demons, and everything else that tries to hold people in slavery. We have the promise of reigning with him at God’s right hand forever, too. Salvation is far greater and more extensive than most people dare to imagine!

The reason all this is possible and true is because Jesus did not simply provide these things: he is these things for us. He is the New Covenant.

I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. Isaiah 42:6–7 (NKJV)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered Satan. Everything connected with sin, Satan, and death was defeated. All those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ the Lord participate in that victory for themselves, based on the fact that we were and are “in Christ,” making everything that is true for him true for us, too.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) 

May God open our eyes to the reality of everything that God the Father has given us in his Son, who is the New Covenant! May we stop thinking of God as only being somewhere “out there” looking at us and realize that he dwells within every believer by means of his glorious Spirit.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NASB) 

And since God’s life dwells within us, it is not something that comes and goes.

Jesus promised that his Spirit would be with us forever. (John 14:16-17) That is why we have eternal life if we trust in Christ. Ask yourself, “How long does eternal life last?” The answer, of course, is as long as God’s Spirit lasts, which is forever.

We are as secure as the promises of God.

As long as God lives, so do we. And the Judge of all mankind has promised those who trust in him that we will never, ever be condemned! (John 5:24) Chew on that for a while. That should make your day and your eternity.

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 (NASB) 

Prayer

Holy Spirit, please open our spiritual eyes and heart to perceive and believe in all the glorious riches Father has given to us in Christ. Father, thank you for making us complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), lacking no good thing (2 Peter 1:3). Help us now to live up to our high calling in Christ and tell others about your amazing gift to all who will believe and receive. Amen

Click here to read other articles about the New Covenant.

Beyond Comprehension!

Some things in life are beyond comprehension. Our minds, amazing as they are, are limited. Depending on the level of intelligence God has even to each one of us, we have differing abilities to comprehend difficult ideas. Algebra comes easily to some, but not to others. Differential calculus is something on an altogether next level. Some things are simply beyond us, for example the doctrine of the Trinity – three distinct persons in one God. We may generally understand the idea, but not thoroughly comprehend. It is also beyond comprehension what God has prepared for his people on the other side of the grave.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

When Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, he taught us a very important truth about God. He often saves the best until last.

It was true at creation, and it is certainly true regarding our great salvation. You may think that having our sins forgiven is better than anything else, but you would be wrong. The forgiveness of sins is a means to a greater end which is presently beyond our comprehension.

Jesus fulfilled three ministries during his time on earth. He died as the Lamb of God to provide us with all the things associated with that ministry: forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. (If you do not know the difference between those words, I suggest you read my articles on the subject.)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he did so as the glorious and powerful Son of God, Lord of Lords, and Messianic King of Israel. (Romans 1:4)

Christ’s resurrection confirmed Father God’s acceptance of the Lamb of God ministry and introduced the means for us to obtain our great salvation, which is putting our faith and allegiance in the risen one. (Romans 10:9)

Thirdly, when Jesus ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God the Father, as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out his Holy Spirit upon the church to empower her to fulfill the Great Commission and partner with him in his great harvest and disciple making mission and adventure. It is beyond expectation that God would not only forgive us, but also ask us to be his partners. Being God’s ambassador in this huge endeavor is perhaps even more exciting than getting saved, but, alas, many of us in the church have no clue, having succumbed to the temptation of “forting up” behind the walls of the local church, celebrating what God has done for us instead of going into all the world to spread the good news to those who, like us, desperately need it.

Fourthly, and this one has not yet happened, Jesus will one day return as the glorious Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7 to judge the living and the dead and to permanently and gloriously install his eternal kingdom here on earth.

Participation in Christ’s eternal rule will no doubt be the most glorious aspect of our great salvation.

We cannot even comprehend as yet regarding the glories God has reserved for those who believe and receive all that Christ died to give us.

If we are convinced that Jesus saved us from our sins, we should be even more convinced that he will save us from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon those who reject God’s fabulous offer in the Gospel. As Paul put it, we have been appointed to salvation, not wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10 (NASB) 

This is what Jesus meant in John 5:24 when he taught that those who believe in him have already passed from death to life and will never be condemned. We have this directly from the lips of the glorious Son of Man who will be our judge one day. It is beyond comprehension that God would love us so much! The best way we can show our appreciation is to join the Holy Spirit in reaching others with the good news! Our heavenly reward will be beyond comprehension!

To read my other articles about the amazing new covenant, click here.

The New Birth: An Important Key for Understanding the New Covenant

The New Covenant is often misunderstood, even by those of us who call ourselves Christians. It is such a radical departure from the Old Covenant that we sometimes have a hard time accepting it as true. We are conditioned by our fallen human nature, man-made religion, and worldly society to measure and compare ourselves to various norms or standards. Even we Christians often measure our standing with God in terms of our perceived performance in relation to the Law’s or the church’s demands, which is contrary to the New Covenant. It is difficult for us to grasp the enormity and completeness of the shift that is the New Covenant.

We cannot understand the New Covenant without knowing what happens to us when we are born again.

Jesus told us that the new birth is absolutely essential.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The
 wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t 
tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how 
people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 (NLT) 

The new birth is an unseen internal recreation of the spirit that gives us a new identity as God’s children.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 

The new birth is not always immediately obvious to the observer or its effects easily measurable, but over time it will affect every part of our being.

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33 (NLT)

The Old Covenant failed to make us right with God because we are fundamentally flawed by sin and incapable of keeping it.

If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 8 But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 9 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD. Hebrews 8:7–9 (NLT)

The Law is perfect and accurately reflects God’s righteousness and holiness, but we are born into this world marred and corrupted by sin, thanks to what Adam passed down to us. It is impossible for humans to attain or maintain a right relationship with God through keeping the Law. It always points out our failures, placing us under judgment before God.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Romans 3:20 (NLT)

The best the Law can do is point us toward our desperate need for a Savior.

But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. 23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. 24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. Galatians 3:22–25 (NLT)

God’s solution to the problem of human depravity was to provide the absolutely ingenious new and living way to have a right relationship with him.

But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Romans 7:6 (NLT)

Jeremiah gave us some great insight regarding the nature of the New Covenant.

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT) 

Later Ezekiel added the following.

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, 20  so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NLT) 

Both prophets spoke of God’s doing something altogether new and different in his people that would fundamentally alter their behavior by putting a different spirit and heart within them. How could such a thing be done?

When Jesus told Nicodemus about the new birth via the Spirit’s work inside a person, he clarified the mechanism for this radical change.

The new thing is the fusion of our Spirit with the Holy Spirit via the new birth.

When we are born of the Spirit, we are joined to the Holy Spirit in a radical and unprecedented union with God. 

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

We become sons of God because the Spirit of his Son lives within us! Our identity is a product of the new birth fusion with the Holy Spirit.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6  And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7  Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT) 

God’s own life invades the innermost part of our being as a result of the new birth. This is why our hearts now want to do what is right and pleasing to God. Our deepest desires now spring from God himself.

At first this may sound too good to be true, and our experience often seems to contradict it. Those of us who have been born again still battle with sin. How can this be, if our spirits are united with God?

Paul dealt with this issue in Romans Chapter 7. After explaining in Chapter 6 that we are now dead to sin due to being united with Christ in his death and resurrection, he goes on to recognize the ongoing problem we have with sin in the next chapter. The essence of the problem is that, while we have recreated spirits, we also have bodies that are very much a part of the sinful old order of things under Adam. Our physical bodies are condemned to die because of the judgment against Adam’s (and our) sin.

Jesus, who is the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45) and the progenitor of a brand new redeemed version of humanity, will one day resurrect our bodies from the dead and transform them into glorious spiritual bodies that will no longer be subject to sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:44), thus completely ending sin’s reign in our lives.

Until the resurrection of the body, however, we live in the paradox of being dead to sin in the spirit yet still being pulled by sin because of our union with an unresurrected body. Paul called this the war between the flesh and the spirit.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18 (NLT) 

Jesus acknowledged this problem when he told his disciples that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

Paul went a little further in his explanation in Romans Chapter 7.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15  I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17  So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:14-17 (NLT) 

Even the best-intentioned God-fearing believers, such as Paul, battle with sin. The battle is in our souls (mind, will, and emotions), which is the intersection of spirit and body. (Genesis 2:7) The fusion of a born-again spirit with a mortal sin-corrupted body makes us spiritually bipolar and conflicted.

What Paul means in the above passage is that we now have a decision to make: will we identify with the new creation or with the “flesh”? Paul claimed that his true identity was the new man in Christ, and so should we.

Jesus said much the same thing in John Chapter 8.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34-36 (NLT) 

Jesus often spoke in a mysterious way that requires us to lean on the Holy Spirit to unpack the meaning of his words. Here is what I believe he meant.

  • Slavery to sin results from our being a child of the devil, an enslaved descendant of the first Adam.
  • Slaves are not God’s children, only those who are born of the Father.
  • When we are born again, we are set free from slavery to sin because we become new creations whose inward motivation derives from God himself.
  • Therefore, all born again children of God are no longer slaves to sin.

This agrees with Paul’s teaching in Romans 6-8 and John’s first letter, where he wrote the following.

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 John 3:9 (NLT) 

In other words, if we are born again, we cannot continue to sin without suffering internal conflict of a major sort. It goes against our fundamental nature now to continue to sin. Yet, we all struggle in at least some area because we still live in these unresurrected bodies.

Paul tells us that now we must learn to live above the downward pull of sin by “walking in the Spirit.”

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25 (NLT)

The new birth also provides an escape from the enervating power of condemnation. We now understand that sin no longer defines us and the Law cannot control us any longer. We have a new identity in Christ that transcends sin’s power to dominate and control, and we died to the Law so that it can no longer condemn us.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Romans 7:4 (NKJV)

We are still responsible for the sins we commit, but we are not defined or condemned by them anymore.

God wants us to acknowledge and renounce them without allowing them to tear us down or make us doubt our true identity in Christ and eternal relationship with the Father. We dare not become careless or flippant about sin, because we have a loving Father who knows how to discipline his wayward children.

The power to rise above the condemning power of the Law is absolutely essential in the process of learning to walk by faith in the Spirit.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) 

So the next time we fall for the same old lie and commit some besetting sin, let us not beat ourselves up or start doubting if we are even saved. If we know that we have put our faith and allegiance in Christ, we can acknowledge our sin, ask forgiveness, renounce it, and move on, trusting that the Spirit will help us live out of our new identity as God’s children. Let us claim our New Covenant God-given freedom from sin by faith. The Bible says that sin will not rule over us. (Romans 6:14) We can learn to walk in the freedom and power of the Spirit. Then we will begin to more fully experience all that Christ died to give us, for if the Son sets us free, we are free indeed. (John 8:36)

To read more articles on the New Covenant, click here.

Healing Part 6 – Understanding, Embracing, and Exercising Delegated Authority

Healing is directly related to understanding and operating in the delegated authority we receive from Christ.

Today many people are quite uncomfortable with having or exercising authority over others. It is commonplace for adults to ask small children to call them by their first names, choosing to be on familiar terms with the very young instead of teaching them to respect their elders. My opinion is this aversion to being in authority is directly related to a refusal to be under proper authority. We seldom wish to be what we despise.

As Christ’s modern day representatives, we have the privilege of continuing Christ’s ministry on the earth. This will be hindered unless we come to terms with exercising our delegated authority in Christ.

The Roman Centurion, who asked Jesus to heal his servant, grasped the nature of the authority Jesus had.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6  “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” 7  Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” 8  But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9  I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 10  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! Matthew 8:5-10 (NLT) 

Authority and faith are linked. Faith is able to receive and exercise God’s authority; therefore, understanding the nature and extent of delegated authority is crucial.

The centurion understood that Jesus was on mission from God, and, as his representative, had been given the authority to get the job done. The one having delegated authority is not always required to back up that authority personally. It takes power to enforce authority. The Holy Spirit is God’s enforcer. When Jesus spoke in God’s name, the Holy Spirit made what he said happen. The same is true for us today.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT) 

Jesus was the official ambassador of God’s kingdom. He exercised the authority of that kingdom and was backed up by the Enforcer, the Holy Spirit. That role has now been assigned to his church.

The Holy Spirit is the One who made Jesus’ words and commands effective when it came to proclaiming the gospel, healing, casting out evil spirits, and raising the dead.

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28 (NLT) 

We would never ask or beg an evil spirit to leave a person and to cease to oppress him or her, just as a police officer does not beg an offender to please give up. A peace officer must be comfortable using the authority given to him or her in order to be effective, and so must we.

Jesus gave his disciples specific authority, and by extension that includes us and all the disciples who would follow him through the centuries.

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20 (NLT) 

Satan stole the authority God delegated to Adam by deceiving him into submitting to him instead of God. Satan still gives some measure of evil authority to those who serve him, but God’s authority always overrules Satan’s. The evil power released by the exercise of satanic authority is no match for the power of the one true God. (1 John 4:4)

It is our responsibility to release God’s power through exercising the authority we have in Christ.

When Jesus died on the cross and subsequently rose from the dead, he completely defeated Satan and his minions.

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NLT) 

After Jesus’ resurrection, all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him. (Matthew 28:18) Our Lord now sits in heaven on God’s throne waiting until all his enemies have been effectively subjugated by his people who operate in his authority, backed up by the Holy Spirit’s power.

God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33  Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34  For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand 35  until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”’ 36  “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Acts 2:32-36 (NLT) 

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NLT) 

Satan has been defeated and cannot exercise dominion over the church. Nevertheless, God left him in place in this fallen world so that the church can learn to exercise Christ’s authority as representatives of the kingdom of God. We are being prepared to rule and reign with Christ for eternity.

Much of our ministry here on earth is an exercise of Christ’s authority. The gospel is an announcement that all who put their faith and allegiance in the Lord will be made right with God. Why do we have the right to say such things? God has given us authority to speak in his name. When we cast out evil spirits, we do so in the name or authority of our Lord. The Holy Spirit will enforce our words. Deliverance is never a power struggle between Christ’s followers and evil spirits. It is an authority issue. We have to know where we stand; otherwise, demons will try to bluff their way into continuing to oppress their hosts.

The same is true when it comes to healing. I do not recall our Lord ever begging his Father to heal someone. Instead he usually commanded people to be healed or simply announced that God had healed them, using the authority he had from God. I will leave you the joy of searching out the scriptures to see if this is so. Christ is our example. His ministry is our pattern.

The early disciples exercised their authority to heal, in obedience to our Lord’s command.

Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions... 7  Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:5-8 (NLT) 

Jesus did not instruct them to “ask me to heal the sick.” He told them to heal and otherwise exercise his authority, which had been given to them.

If we are uncomfortable exercising our God given authority, we will be hindered in representing Christ properly in the healing ministry.

It is a little strange when we first start using our authority, just as I imagine it is somewhat uncomfortable for newly graduated police officers to command offenders to submit to their commands. I remember when I first assumed responsibility as the pastor of the church plant in Burlington. I had never before had people honor me as the pastor by calling me by that title. I had to get used to my new role. Likewise, we must become acclimated to exercising Christ’s authority.

Practically speaking, we must move from merely asking God to heal people to commanding them to be healed.

Does that seem like a stretch? If so, it is because we have not yet understood and embraced the authority we have as Christ’s ambassadors. Why not give it a try? We might be surprised at the results. Let’s be willing to take the risk. Let the Spirit be our guide. Learn from experience. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Don’t worry about looking foolish. Get out on a limb where God is able to demonstrate how remarkably powerful he is. If we do these things, we will be able to share some amazing testimonies in days to come of how God used us to bless others and glorify himself.

Click here to see more articles on healing.

Healing Part 5 – What can we do to see more healings?

 

If our Lord provided physical healing in the atonement and he wants to heal people today, is there anything we can do to see more healing? Here are some practical suggestions.

Overcoming Ignorance

One big reason people do not receive more from God is because we do not even know what God has given to us.

The Holy Spirit desires to open our spiritual eyes.

And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT) 

Ignorance can be overcome by diligently studying and meditating on what the Bible teaches on the subject, while leaning on God’s Spirit to be our teacher.

Defeat Apathy

Apathy toward God’s marvelous gifts is sinful.

Another word for apathy is “lukewarmness.” Jesus hates apathy.

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15–16 (NKJV)

God would rather we resist truth than not care.

Sometimes we dress up our apathy in religious garb by saying, “Well, if God wants to heal, I guess he will.” If I held up a hundred dollar bill and said it is yours, would you just look at me and say, “Well, if God wants me to have the $100, I guess it will come to me?” I hope not. I would expect you to act as if you want it, that would walk up to me to take it from my hand. God expects us to want to be healed or to want him to heal others and to do something about it, not remain passive.

If we want to be healed, we should ask God to do it or, even better, proclaim that he has done it! The Bible says that we “were” healed (1 Peter 2:24).

Healing is a finished work that God calls us to experience in the here and now by proclaiming and receiving it by faith.

The woman with internal bleeding was healed by touching Jesus’ garment, without his even consciously willing it. When our faith connects with God’s provision, healing flows. Jesus already paid for our healing on the cross. Certainly he wants us to have it!

Repent for Unbelief

The Gospel of Matthew reveals that unbelief is a hindrance to our receiving anything from God.

And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58  And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57-58 (NLT)  

Jesus often said, “Be it done unto you according to your faith.” In Nazareth the people limited their ability to receive from Jesus because of their unbelief.

Unbelief and pride show that our hearts are hard, which shuts down our ability to understand, believe, and receive (Mark 6:52). Conversely, repentance and humility open our hearts to God and produce fertile soil for faith.

Jesus taught that all things are possible to the person who believes (Mark 9:23).

Overcoming unbelief requires us to confront our doubt regarding God’s promises.

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24  I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:23-24 (NLT) 

James, the Lord’s brother and the leader of the church in Jerusalem, wrote that a “double-minded man,” who wavers between faith and unbelief or doubt, will not receive anything from God (James 1:6-8).

One way to overcome unbelief is to act as if we believe.

I am not suggesting that we become hypocrites, but obedience to God is more about what we do than anything else. Sometimes we must act the part before our feelings catch up.

If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. John 7:17 (NIV) 

I remember once the Lord spoke to my heart when I was feeling down about something. He asked me, “Why don’t you just act as if everything is going to be alright?” Instantly my attitude completely flipped because I thought, “Of course! Because it is going to be alright.”

We must act as if we have faith in order to help our thinking change and line up with God’s Word. Actions often speak louder than words. Faith is as faith does.

The same principle applies to worship. At times we do not feel like worshiping, but if we choose to do so anyway, our feelings will often follow the lead of our actions. Worship is always the right thing to do, if when we do not feel like it.

We also know from Scripture that the Lord sometimes overrules our unbelief as we haltingly approach him for help, as he did in the case of the desperate father who pleaded with Jesus to heal his son. The father approached Jesus, saying…

The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23  “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24  The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:22-24 (NLT)  

We must remember that when we come to God for help, we are engaging a person who deeply loves us, not a heavenly slot machine that requires a special coin of the realm to get results. God is not looking for magic formulas, incantations, or confessions to wring a healing out of him.

The Lord responds to those who come to him as spiritual paupers, expecting him to hear their cry for help (Matthew 5:3).

When we get our eyes off of ourselves and on to him, real faith automatically engages with an honesty that is refreshing. The man who pleaded with Jesus in Mark chapter nine had true faith, or else he would not have persisted in his pursuit of Jesus.

Abraham’s wife Sarah conceived a miracle son in her old age after laughing in unbelief when God first announced his plan. When the Lord confronted her about it, she added lying to her unbelief by saying she did not laugh. Nevertheless, her fear and unbelief did not block God’s plan for her and ultimately the entire world. Neither did Gideon’s initial timidity block God from using him to miraculously deliver Israel. Other examples can be given of how God was able to work in and through people who were very much works in progress regarding faith.

The good news is that when God chooses to heal someone, he is not ultimately limited by our faith level; even though faith is extremely important in the process.

Be Courageous

Lack of courage is a big reason we do not see more healing today.

Many of us are more concerned about looking good in front of people than we are about God’s glory.

We are afraid to pray for healing because we are worried about the possibility that nothing will happen? We are fearful of looking foolish? That is a risk we must take if we are going to be effective representatives of God’s kingdom. It is a good thing to climb out on a limb of faith, so to speak, where, unless God comes through, we will look foolish. When we put ourselves into a position of publicly believing for God to heal someone, we risk looking bad in front of people, but we also risk seeing a miracle.

I have never experienced a person becoming angry with me for praying for their healing, even when healing did not appear to take place. Almost always they show gratitude that someone cared enough to pray for them. I have also witnessed amazing healings occur when I publicly prayed for people.

If we care too much about our reputation, we will not be effective for God.

Ironically, those who risk losing their reputations for God’s glory may gain respect in the process. As Jesus said,

If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:39 (NLT) 

God honors faith. He will back up the confidence we have in him.

Once we are sure it is God’s will to heal people, nothing should hold us back from aggressively praying for people.

Follow the Leading of the Holy Spirit

Listening to God’s voice and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit are essential to seeing God do more healing through his people.

This is a cultivated skill that develops when we do what he tells us. Hearing God speak to us in our hearts can be quite scary, especially when he tells us to do something outside of our comfort zones.

The Holy Spirit is God’s administrator here on earth. He is a liberator and healer of people and is looking for those who will let him operate through them. (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18, and Acts 10:38)

Jesus taught that his “sheep”, those of us who are born again, have the ability to hear his voice. (John 10:27) It takes faith to step out in obedience to the Spirit’s often quite gentle promptings. It often depends on our having courage and being willing to fail occasionally in order to succeed in the long run.

If we are not yet very accomplished at following the Spirit’s promptings, we can ask someone who is further along to help us in this area. This is called being a disciple.

Let us not forget that healing people is God’s idea, not ours. He is far more interested in setting people free than we are. We need to get in step with him.

Listening to God’s voice connects us to what some people call the “rhema” word of God. The “logos” word might be considered to be the eternal promises of God, as written in the Bible.

The “rhema” word of God is when the Spirit speaks directly to our hearts.

Of course, the two must agree, but often the “rhema” word is more specific to our need. We always have the “logos” Word of Scripture to rely upon. When the Spirit speaks directly to us, it ignites faith at a whole new level that God intends to do what he says.

Embrace the Mystery that Not Everyone Seems to Get Healed When We Pray

Books have been written on possible reasons for not receiving healing, the premise being that, if we remove every hindrance, healing will be sure to follow in every case. But is this correct? The Bible teaches us that there is a time to be born and a time to die. (Ecclesiastes 3:2) Elijah the prophet, a man through whom God worked many astounding miracles, eventually got sick and died. (2 Kings 13:14) My own father was a man of faith who believed God for healing, but eventually he got sick and died at the age of 93. Our pre-resurrection bodies will not live forever.

Paul, a man through whom the Spirit did many miracles and healing and who wrote some of our most important Bible verses about faith, once left behind a friend who was sick. (2 Timothy 4:20) Jesus did not heal every sick person he met either. Of all those sick and crippled people gathered at the pool of Bethesda, he singled out one man to heal (John 5:2-9). It is true, however, that Jesus healed everyone who asked. (James 4:2)

It is important for us to realize that there is a certain mystery surrounding healing and all other operations of the Spirit, who distributes spiritual gifts according to his will, not ours. (Hebrews 2:4)

The scriptures provide us with what some call the “revealed will” of God. Others call this “logos” truth, that is, what we can count on as being doctrinally true. But there is also what some call the “rhema” will or word of God, which is his specific revealed or “spoken” will for us in a given situation. God has given us his logos truth in the Bible, which is always true. We are to make our stand upon that eternal Word.

How and when God fulfills the promises in his Word are up to him. Some might call this his “secret” will.

The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us... Deuteronomy 29:29 (NLT) 

To put this is plain English, while it is true that Jesus’ suffering purchased our healing, God reserves to himself how he distributes that benefit in specific situations. Our reference point is the revealed will of God found in the Bible (“through his wounds we are healed”).

When we find ourselves confronted by the need for a miraculous healing, we should “stand” upon his written promises and also ask the Holy Spirit for insight into his specific will for that particular situation.

Let me give a practical example. Usually when I pray for a very old person who seemingly has a terminal illness, I ask for healing according to the revealed will of God in the Bible. However, I am also aware that all of us have been assigned a God-given time to die. Therefore, I listen to the voice of the Spirit in my heart for specific directions as to how to pray. I once had a dear friend who was dying of cancer. When I sought the Lord regarding her situation, I believe I clearly heard him say that she was going to die, that her long period of suffering was coming to an end. This was a person whom God had previously healed miraculously more than once. It was someone for whom I had joined my faith with hers and her husband’s for one of those big miracles. It was not as if we were lacking faith, but this time was different. As her pastor, my ministry toward her changed after hearing from God that this was her time to go be with him. Instead of holding out a false hope of experiencing physical healing once again, I did my best to prepare her to die well in faith as an example to those of us who observed how she handled things. I am happy to say that she died in faith just as she had previously lived and been healed by faith. As a side note, she and her husband both said that God gave them no specific “rhema” word for healing in the last case, as he had previously done for them. We all knew in our hearts that it was time for her to transition into heaven. Being open to the Spirit keeps us from being what I call “mechanical” in our application of faith. God is not a Grand Vending Machine in the heavens from whom we can ring up a healing at will by saying all the right things.

Faith’s goal is to bring glory to God, not just to get what we want.

There is a profound mystery to healing. Some receive a miracle. Others do not, at least not in this short life, and we should not automatically blame unbelief. Telling people they do not have enough faith places an intolerable burden on our shoulders to more or less earn our own healing by exercising the required level of faith. God’s often unknowable reasons and purposes are not ours to command.

There is a dynamic tension between surrender to God’s mysterious will and holding on to God’s revealed promises with unbreakable trust.

Perhaps the greatest biblical example of this attitude in action is found in the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three brave worshipers of the true God in Daniel’s day were faced with the choice of bowing down before Nebuchadnezzar’s idol or being thrown into a roaring furnace. Here is their famous reply to the king.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18  But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18 (NLT) 

These men demonstrated great faith through their loyalty to God.

Faithfulness or loyalty to God is what trust in God produces.

The way we can apply this to our own lives with regard to healing is by coming to God with a prayer such as this.

God, I thank you that Jesus paid the price for my healing. I am absolutely convinced that it is your will to heal me and you have the power to set me free from this illness. However, I also realize that sometimes you have secret purposes of which I am unaware. I surrender myself to your loving care and will. I ask you to glorify yourself through me in this situation, either by healing me or giving me the faith and courage to joyfully endure. I am yours to command. I trust you completely.

The author of Hebrews talks about faith that continues to resolutely trust God regardless of whether it gets its wish.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Hebrews 11:13 (NLT) 

I have discovered that when we entrust ourselves to God’s loving will, we put ourselves in the best possible position to receive a miracle.

God is not stingy. He is not weak. He is not wishy-washy about fulfilling his promises. Rather, he paid a tremendous price to procure our healing and is predisposed to bless us beyond our wildest dreams. He delights in those who fully trust in him. When we surrender ourselves to God, our ability to hear what the Holy Spirit whispers in our ears is greatly enhanced. When we discern his “rhema” will in a given situation, we will have strong confidence.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (ESV) 

I remember years ago when I was facing surgery for cancer, I did exactly what I laid out above. I told the Lord that whether I lived or died, I belonged to him. (Philippians 1:20-23) I asked him to glorify himself through me. After praying that, I clearly heard God speak to me as I read the Bible that he was going to heal me. I had no difficulty believing without doubt that this was his revealed will from then on, and that is exactly what happened. At the time of this writing I have been cancer free for 17 years. Thank you, Lord!

When the “rhema” spoken word matches the “logos” written word, our faith will be unbreakable. Faith is open to hear whatever God may speak to us, because we are not afraid of him or what he may tell us.

Conclusion

We can experience physical healing in a greater way when we overcome ignorance, apathy, unbelief, and timidity. The more we listen to the Spirit and surrender to God’s glorious purposes for our lives, the greater will be our confidence in God’s power to heal. All that remains for us to do is put what we believe into practice.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40 (ESV) 

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Healing Part 4 – Can We Expect God to Heal People Today?

If we believe that Jesus paid for our physical healing in the atonement and that God desires to heal us, is it right to expect him to do so?

In my first article in this series, I concluded that the rejection of present day healing is a form of eisegesis in which we seek to conform the Word of God to our own experience and biases, rather than allowing it to conform us to it. Those who deny that healing is for today either reject miracles in principle, have little or no faith in God’s will or ability to perform them, or embrace a position called cessationism, which holds that the nine spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 are no longer needed or available since the completion of the New Testament. This way of thinking holds that we no longer need to rely upon the power of the Spirit to work alongside the verbal proclamation of the gospel message.

Cessationism is a culturally Greek way of thinking that understands faith as being mostly a mental exercise rather than a holistic (spirit, soul, and body) response to the most dynamic and wonderful proclamation ever made – Jesus is Lord! Cessationists are comfortable with limiting the meaning of God’s Word to what most of us in the West have experienced, which is an absence of the miraculous. Whenever we limit the Bible to what we have personally experienced, it is a form of humanism. Man is not the measure of all things. God is, and his Word measures us. A better approach is to ask God to bring our experience in line with what the Bible teaches. We rob ourselves if we settle for anything less.

It is foolish to discount our need for the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jesus announced in Luke 4:18 that he was in partnership with the Holy Spirit during his earthly ministry. It is impossible to imagine how he could have carried out his mission without the Spirit’s power and the spiritual gifts.

If Jesus depended completely on the Spirit to fulfill his ministry, how much more must we!

The disciple is not above his master. (Matthew 10:24)

Jesus later instructed his disciples to wait until they received the baptism in the Spirit before embarking on fulfilling the Great Commission. (Acts 1:8) Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica that the gospel had come to them in word and the power of the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:5) The first disciples had the written scriptures from the Old Testament; yet, they needed the power of the Spirit working alongside their gospel presentations to convince people of the truth of their message. Today followers of Christ, who have the written scriptures of the New Testament and Old Covenants, still need the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, perhaps more than ever.

The deception that is upon the world has not decreased. People in general are not persuaded by a mere intellectual argument. We need God’s power to work together with the verbal presentation of the gospel!

Jesus is the same today as yesterday. (Hebrews 13:8) The Holy Spirit has not changed either, nor has our need for him diminished. The gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are very much needed today and are still available to us in Christ.

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. 8  For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10  to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11  It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NET1)

Rather than deny what we have not experienced personally, we should ask God to let his gifts flow through us to other people. That is the purpose of the gifts.

Healing is a demonstration of God’s compassion and power. Jesus showed how much God cares about suffering people by healing and delivering them from demonic oppression.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT) 

Jesus promised that his followers would do even greater works than he. (John 14:12) The Bible does not teach us to limit our expectations. Quite the contrary!

The early church expected the Spirit to heal people as part of the gospel proclamation. Jesus did not put an expiration date on his miracle power, and neither should we.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:8 (NLT)

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Healing Part 3 – Why Does God Heal People?

Understanding why God heals people will help us participate in this excellent ministry. If you read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series of articles, hopefully you are convinced that it is God’s will to heal people today. After all, Jesus is the same today (Hebrews 13:8) as he was when he walked the earth, healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). This article examines what the Bible says about God’s motivation for healing people.

If we want to join our Lord in the ministry of healing, it is important for us to think as he does.

The more our hearts align with his, the better will be our understanding of his ways, and the easier it will be for us to walk in agreement with him.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14–15 (NKJV)
It Is God’s Nature to Heal People

The first reason why God heals people is that it is part of his essential nature to heal and restore those he loves.

One of the Old Testament compound names of God was Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals you. All the compound names of God reveal who God is at his core.

He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you [Jehovah-rapha].” Exodus 15:26 (NLT) 

God healed those who were faithful to him in the Old Testament. Under the New Covenant, blessings come to us based on the faithfulness of Christ. He is the One who earned this blessing for us, having paid for it dearly.

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) 

My first article in this series goes into great detail regarding the proper interpretation of this verse.

Once a bill has been paid, nothing more is owed. We do not have to earn our healing in any way because Jesus completely paid for it!

It is a gift from a very gracious God whose nature is to heal and restore those he loves, and now he has the legitimate basis for doing so.

God’s Compassion Motivates Him

Compassion for those who are suffering was and is a primary motivation for Jesus to heal people.

Once when Jesus was tired from ministry to the crowds who thronged him, he tried to get away for some rest and recuperation. Instead, he found large numbers of people waiting for him when his boat reached the shore. Rather than being disappointed or irritable, this is what the Bible says about our Lord’s attitude.

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 (NLT) 

Sickness and disease are part of the aftermath of Adam’s first sin. Death entered the world, with sickness being an ever present threat to diminish or end our physical lives.

God promises that in the new heaven and earth that is coming, there will be no sickness, death, suffering, pain, or even sorrow! (Revelation 21:4) As we wait for that glorious day, when God will permanently remove the horrible consequences of sin, our Lord is not content to leave us without remedy. Today he compassionately provides relief through gifts of healing. (1 Corinthians 12:9) What a privilege it is for us to be part of this ministry!

Jesus demonstrated God’s heart in this matter very clearly during his short earthly ministry. (Acts 10:38) He instructed his disciples to operate in the same way.

Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:7-8 (NLT) 

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, the early church continued to demonstrate God’s love to people through preaching the gospel of reconciliation and performing compassionate healings. A reading of the Book of Acts confirms this. The disciples understood that Jesus’ mission of demonstrating God’s love to people is ongoing.

Healing Confirms the Truth of the Gospel

This leads us to another powerful reason God continues to heal today.

Our Lord uses healing and other miracles and signs to confirm the truth of his Word.

Jesus urged his hearers to pay attention to the miracles and healings he performed, because these things testified to his identity as the Messiah.

Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. 12  “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14  Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:11-14 (NLT) 

Knowing how strong our propensity toward unbelief is, Jesus graciously performed signs and wonders to release people from their spiritual blindness. It still works today for many.

Those who teach and preach God’s Word should be unafraid to ask God to confirm the truth of the Bible by healing their listeners.

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. Matthew 9:35 (NLT) 

Jesus said that certain signs, including healing, attest to the reality of the Kingdom of God in our midst.

Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ Luke 10:9 (NLT) 

I believe that God does not expect people to believe solely because of our words, as important as they are.

The gospel was designed to come to people through preaching and the demonstration of the power of the kingdom of God.

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT) 

I believe it is disingenuous to claim that these signs and wonders only continued until the publication of the text of the New Testament. The early disciples also had the Scriptures, although limited to the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the gospel can be fully preached out of the Old Testament scriptures, as shown in the book of Acts. God backed up those infallible words of Scripture with tangible demonstrations of the Spirit’s power in the physical realm. He does the same today. His strategy has not changed.

What has changed is the way people interpret God’s Word. Instead of taking it at face value, as the early church did, many try to limit the meaning of the Scriptures to what they have personally experienced or can conceive to be true. This is simply another form of humanism, in which we seek to make ourselves the measure of all things. We must allow God’s word to measure and change us: not the other way around.

Jesus warned that we must know both the Word of God and the power of God in order to avoid error.

Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. Mark 12:24 (NLT) 

I hope that we will repent of the sin of diluting God’s Word to conform to our biases and get back to a God-centered interpretation of the Bible that includes the power of God being released through his people by means of the Holy Spirit. You and I can be part of this if we are willing.

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Healing Part 2 – New Testament Confirmation

 

The New Testament confirms the truth that Jesus provided physical healing for us through his suffering and death, as is clearly revealed in Isaiah 53.

The New Testament explains the Old Testament in light of who Jesus is and what he accomplished.

Jesus spent considerable time explaining to his disciples how he fulfilled Old Covenant scriptures.

Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27 (NLT) 

Jesus is the focus of the entire Bible. If we fail to see him in the Old Covenant, we will miss its meaning and purpose completely. To miss Jesus is to miss life itself.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 (NKJV)

It is clear that Matthew understood the implications of Isaiah 53 regarding physical healing.

He clearly stated that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah 53:4 when he healed people.

Now when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying down, sick with a fever. 15  He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began to serve them. 16  When it was evening, many demon-possessed people were brought to him. He drove out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. 17  In this way what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled: “He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.” Matthew 8:14-17 (NET1)

It is always instructive to see how the Bible interprets itself, as it does here.

Matthew leaves absolutely no room to doubt that Isaiah 53 addresses physical healing, no matter how later translators may skew the meaning because of their biases.

Let’s return to the New English translation to see how it honestly renders the passage from Isaiah.

But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 5  He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NET1)  

Their notes reveal the following insight into their struggle to properly translate this passage.

17 sn Continuing to utilize the imagery of physical illness, the group acknowledges that the servant's willingness to carry their illnesses (v. 4) resulted in their being healed. Healing is a metaphor for forgiveness here.

Even these honest translators feel compelled to weaken the power of physical healing contained in these verses, but Matthew rescues us from this error. These verses cover all forms of healing, to be sure, including forgiveness, but we cannot afford to pretend it does not cover the physical aspect.

Peter also cites Isaiah 53 in his first letter.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NET1) 

Those who do not agree that physical healing is for today argue that Peter is here referencing a healing of the soul from the effects of sin and not physical healing.

Healing certainly applies to psychological and spiritual wounds, but it is not limited to them.

God did many signs and wonders through Peter, including remarkable healings. I am sure he understood that this power derived from what Christ suffered during his passion and death, just as did Matthew. They were students of the same teacher and were filled with the same Holy Spirit. God used them both to pen portions of our New Testament.

The Book of Acts reveals what the apostles believed through what they did. Actions speak louder than words. They believed that physical healing is available in Christ. So should we.

In conclusion, we owe a debt of gratitude to Matthew for clearing up this controversy of whether or not Isaiah 53 provides us with a doctrinal foundation for physical healing. Once we know where we stand, it should increase our faith that God still heals today.

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Healing Part 1 – The Inescapable Logic of Isaiah 53

What does the Bible have to say about physical healing? Jesus healed many during his earthly ministry; as did the first apostles. I have personally witnessed people receive healing from God through prayer, including myself. I know evangelists who preach the gospel to huge crowds in other countries where the Holy Spirit often heals and sets people free as a testimony to the truth of their message. Why is it that some churches teach that physical healing is available in Christ; while others insist that, since the completion of the New Testament scriptures, the gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are no longer active? Is God still healing people today, or has he backed off from the way he began the church age? In this series I will examine whether or not Jesus purchased healing for his people through his death and resurrection, whether healing is for today, why we don’t  see more current examples of this gift in operation, and the difference between true faith and what I call “magical thinking”.

Sadly, we Christians sometimes dilute the Word of God to match our own experience or presuppositions. We like to make excuses.

This is called eisegesis, the process whereby we read into the Bible what we want it to say instead of pulling out its true meaning (exegesis) and conforming our thinking to that. God’s Word should set our standard for thinking, behavior, and experience, not the other way around. It may be very difficult for us to admit that we are not experiencing all that God has provided to his people, because we are afraid to think about what that says about us. It is also easy to fall prey to the influence of worldly thinking and dead church tradition.

In the short run, it may seem easier to deny that healing is for today than to struggle with why we are not experiencing it. But in the long run, we want to know what the Bible really teaches and ask the Lord to make that our experience.

Four Important Hebrew Words

Isaiah 53 is the foundation for our understanding of physical healing.

Let us begin by looking at two verses from that chapter. But first, let’s be honest in admitting we all bring to the Bible a few or maybe a lot of preconceptions and biases. This is also true for those who translate the scriptures from the original languages. Those translators who do not believe that physical healing is for today will likely reflect that belief in the words they choose to convey the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words. Regrettably, that has been especially true of this chapter in which some key words usually are not translated according to their most natural meaning. Below I quote from the New English Translation because it is very literal and seems to have less translators’ bias than some other versions. I put the Hebrew words inside parentheses.

But he lifted (nasa) up our illnesses (choli), he carried (sabal) our pain (makob); even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 5  He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NET1)

For us to properly understand how Jesus provided healing for us through what he suffered, we need to pay close attention to the above four highlighted Hebrew words.

  • nasa – This verb means to bear or carry.
  • sabal – This verb means to carry a heavy load.
  • choli – This noun fundamentally means sickness.
  • makob – This noun translates best as pain.

Isaiah 53:4 says that he (Jesus) lifted up or bore (nasa) our sicknesses or illnesses (choli). The same verse also says that Jesus carried (sabal) our pain (makob). The NET translates this in a most natural manner. In other words, it says it as the Hebrew says it. (You may wish to read other translations to see how they use the same words.)

Next, let’s look at how these same two Hebrew verbs are used with reference to sin. The core of the gospel hinges upon Jesus’ being a sin offering as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), which completely satisfied the wrath of God and provided forgiveness and reconciliation to those who trust in him. If he did not carry our sin on the cross, we are still lost and under God’s judgment. Isaiah 53:11-12 makes it clear that he did.

Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried (sabal) their sins. 12  So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up (nasa) the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels. Isaiah 53:11-12 (NET1)

Here we see above that the Hebrew verbs sabal and nasa, which are used to describe what Jesus did with our pains and sicknesses, are also used to show us what he did with our sins.

The logic is inescapable. If we are forgiven by his carrying our sins; then, we are healed by his carrying our sicknesses and pains.

If he did not carry our sicknesses and pains, he did not carry our sins. All Bible believing Christians unequivocally adhere to the latter; therefore, all should also believe in the former, whether or not we have personally experienced physical healing.

To prove that this is proper interpretation of the Hebrew, the Holy Spirit provided us with a confirmation in the gospel of Matthew.

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17  This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.” Matthew 8:16-17 (NLT) 

The reason many find it easier to believe in forgiveness than in physical healing is because forgiveness is for us a largely subjective experience, the reality of which will be confirmed experientially when we each stand before God in judgment. At that point, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not the gospel is true and we were completely forgiven for our sins by what Christ did for us. Healing, on the other hand, requires us to experience it in the present, which tests our faith immediately, instead of putting it off until the indefinite future. We should not back away from the trial of faith that physical healing presents. Both forgiveness and healing are part of the atonement. Both are real. Both can be our experience.

In fact, healing confirms the truth of forgiveness, according to Jesus.

Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6  So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 7  And the man jumped up and went home! 8  Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority. Matthew 9:5-8 (NLT) 

Isn’t it time for us to abandon our unbelief and embrace the truth of physical healing through the atonement? Isn’t it time for our experience to rise to the level of biblical truth instead of lowering the bar to match our experience? Yes, it is.

Click here to see all the articles in this series on healing.

Defining Some Confusing Bible Terms

In this article, I will do my best to properly define some Bible terms that sometimes may confuse us. Have you ever noticed that we Christians, everyone in fact, often use words and concepts regarding which we have very little real understanding? We assume we know, but when pressed, we realize that we do not. In the church, we sometimes refer to the “danger” of speaking in “Christianese,” using terms with which we may be familiar, but have little or no meaning to those outside the church. Sadly, we may assume everyone who is listening to us understands our meaning, but often it is questionable if we do ourselves! This is especially true regarding the  words and phrases that I will cover in this article. I hope you will take the time to think through each of these terms. Growing in understanding will enlarge our appreciation of the gospel.

The “old man” – (Greek: palios anthropos)

When God created Adam, he formed his body out of the dirt and breathed life into his spirit.

Then the LORD God formed man (his body) of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (Hebrew: breath, wind, spirit) of life; and man became a living being (literally: soul). Genesis 2:7 (NASB) 

Adam became a living soul or being. I and many others define the soul as being the mind, will, and emotions – what we call the personality. Greek and Hebrew use three distinct words for spirit, soul, and body. In both languages, the word for spirit also means breath or wind. Paul acknowledges this three-part construction of humans in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB) 

God created us in his image. He is a Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and so are we (spirit, soul, and body). Understanding how God’s great salvation affects each part is necessary to have an excellent understanding.

I have written in more detail about spirit, soul, and body in the linked three articles.

Before the Fall, Adam’s spirit, body, and the resultant soul were in complete harmony. Neither sin nor death had entered the world; nevertheless, Adam’s state of moral innocence was no match for the sinful allure of attempting to be independent from God and the manipulative accusation and deception of the enemy.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV)

When Adam believed the lie and chose to disobey God’s clear command, his spirit became alienated from God, which is a form of death. Spiritually he died that very day; although, it did not take out his body for many years.

but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17 (NASB) 

This condition of spiritual death has been passed on to succeeding generations from Adam.

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12 (NASB) 

Death permeated humanity spiritually, physically, and in the personality, or soul. In addition, the entire universe entered into a kind of death spiral, which Paul called “slavery to corruption.” (Romans 8:20-21)

This post-fall-of-man combination of a spirit alienated from God and a body programmed to die resulted in a new version of the soul that was in harmony with sin and deception and fully committed to forsake God and to live a self-directed life, instead of being in submission to and in partnership with God.

This fallen spirit-soul-body configuration I call the “old man.”

The “old man” we all inherit at conception is naturally inclined toward evil. The essential element of the “old man” is the alienated spirit. It is the driving force or generator behind sin.

People who have never been born again (the regeneration of the spirit) can only experience human life through the “old man.”

The “old man” is incapable of being reformed or rehabilitated, because the core problem is an alienated spirit. It has to be put to death and replaced with what the Bible calls  the “new man.” This is precisely what God did through Christ on the cross over 2000 years ago.

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6 (NET1) 
 
The “new man” – (Greek: kainos anthropos)

When a person is born again, God regenerates the spirit, the innermost part of our being, which previously had been alienated from God and spiritually dead.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 (NASB)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 (NASB) 

This supernatural rebirth causes people to become new creatures spiritually.

The driving force of the “old man,” the alienated spirit, is replaced with a regenerated, reborn spirit which is in complete harmony with God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 

and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image — in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Ephesians 4:24 (NET1) 

God’s Spirit becomes one with our spirit, fusing God’s life to ours in the innermost part of our being.

The “new spirit” or “new heart,” which was promised by the prophets, is the result of a supernatural union of the human and the divine in the spirit.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB)

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 (NASB) 

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NASB) 

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Romans 8:10 (NASB) 

The “new man,” as I understand the scriptures, is the combination of the recreated spirit (“inner man” – Greek: eso anthropos), which resides in every believer, with the pre-resurrection Adamic body (“members of my body”), which is still largely influenced by the fall of man.

The regenerated spirit’s desires are in complete harmony with God’s will, but the residual pull of sin, called the “flesh,” remains associated with the pre-resurrected body.

I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:21-23 (NASB) 

The “inner man” or recreated spirit is the source of the believer’s new identity in Christ.

Eventually, at his Second Coming, Jesus will raise our Adamic bodies from the dead, completing our salvation; but for now we only have the “down payment” of the new birth and our union with the indwelling Spirit, which serves as “earnest money” guaranteeing that God will eventually fulfill his promise to fully redeem us – spirit, soul, and body.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)  

The soul in this “in between time” – the period between the new birth and the resurrection – is being transformed or sanctified (made holy or set apart to God) by the Spirit of grace on a daily basis as we choose to believe the truth (the renewing of the mind) and “walk in the Spirit” – live in dependence, harmony, and obedience to God’s Spirit who indwells us.

But you did not learn about Christ like this, 21  if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 22  You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 23  to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24  and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image — in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Ephesians 4:20-24 (NET1)  

The challenge for us followers of Christ is to identify with Christ’s Spirit, who indwells and is in union with the “inner man,” and realize that the Holy Spirit empowers us to  live above the downward pull of the Adamic body of death, which is called the “flesh.”

 The “flesh” (Greek: sarx)

The flesh is the sinful pull still present in the born again person’s soul, which is connected to the old Adamic order through the body, which has not yet been fully redeemed through the resurrection.

Until then, we are “saved in hope,” which means we are still waiting confidently for the last installment of our great salvation.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24  For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:22-25 (NASB) 

As I wrote before, a born again person is the combination of a new justified spirit (the “inner man”) and a body, which is still linked to the old order of the first Adam.

Until the resurrection, when our bodies are renewed and fully redeemed, believers experience a bipolarity in our souls, a warfare between flesh and spirit.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:16-17 (NASB) 

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15  For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16  But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17  So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19  For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20  But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21  I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:14-23 (NASB)  

Being “saved in hope” means we are completely and firmly confident (Greek: hope – elpis) that God will fulfill his promise to raise us from the dead, which will lift us out of our current conflicted state and make us whole again by transforming the Adamic body into something radically new and unaffected by sin and death.

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54  But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 15:52-57 (NASB) 

After the resurrection, we will no longer have a struggle between that which is connected to Adam (the “flesh”) and that which is reborn by God, since there once again will be complete harmony between spirit and body, but this time oriented fully toward God.

In the present however, the “flesh” is the source of spiritual weakness.

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Romans 6:19 (NASB) 

Even though all believers have “flesh,” we are not ruled by it so that we must live “in the flesh,” which means under the domination of sin.

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5 (NASB) 

Walking in the Spirit means we set our minds on God’s truth – the things of the Spirit. When we do this, the power of God enables us to walk in freedom from the downward pull of sin.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5  For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7  because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8  and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:1-8 (NASB)

Walking in the Spirit is called “putting on Christ,” an act of faith by which we choose to identify with the regenerated “inner man” and rely on the indwelling life of God’s Spirit to give us victory over sin.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:14 (NASB) 

Even though, the old man (See above.)  has already been crucified with Christ, the flesh must be crucified or put to death by us on a daily basis. This is equivalent to what Jesus called denying ourselves.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25 (NASB)

To conclude, our great salvation has past, present, and future components. Jesus accomplished our justification, making us perfectly right with God, when he died and rose again. This was a once for all past event. In the future, we confidently expect God to raise us from the dead, fulfilling his promise and completing our salvation. In the present, we are engaged in an ongoing process called sanctification or transformation, in which we cooperate with the Holy Spirit through belief of the truth and surrendered obedience.

God is changing us day by day into Christ’s image in how we think, speak, and act. Living in the present requires us to draw upon the eternal truth of justification and lock into the hope of the resurrection. It requires us to walk by faith in Christ’s finished work while dealing with the unfinished business of still living in a pre-resurrection Adamic body. It leaves us in a “conflicted” state that necessitates us to keep our eyes firmly upon Christ and his promises.

The “body of sin” – (Greek: soma tes hamartias)
We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6 (NET1) 

This term is more or less synonymous with “flesh.” The body is not evil, but before the resurrection it is linked to Adam’s fall and is an instrument through which we sin.

We can say that the “flesh” is derived from the “body of sin,” since it will only be present as long as these fleshly bodies are still alive. Once the body dies and is resurrected, it will no longer be a “body of sin,” and the “flesh” will disappear.

The “body of sin” participated in Christ’s crucifixion in the sense that we were spiritually identified with (or “in”) Christ when he died and rose again. Obviously our human bodies were not crucified, only the spiritual component. What this accomplished was the nullification of sin’s power or right to enslave us.

We can still choose to sin, but those who died with Christ now have the authority and power to walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh.

The “body of sin” or the related “flesh” was not annihilated at the cross. It was rendered ineffective in its power to rule us. We can let it dominate us, but we do not have to submit to it. In fact, now it is against our inmost being, nature, and identity in Christ to do so.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body (Greek: thneto somati) that you obey its lusts, 13  and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14 (NASB)  
 
The “body of death” – (Greek: somatos tou thanatou)

This term is synonymous with “body of sin,” but emphasizes the pre-resurrected body’s connection with death through Adam’s sin.

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25 (NASB)
 
The “body of flesh” – (Greek: somatos tes sarkos)
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2:11-12 (NASB)

This term is synonymous with “body of sin” and “body of death.”

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5  Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6  For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7  and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8  But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11  a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:1-11 (NASB)  

By faith we understand that the power of the flesh, the sinful tug of the pre-resurrected Adamic body, has been stripped of its power to rule us. As long as we “walk in the Spirit” by faith in Christ’s finished work and in cooperation with the Spirit’s ever present power indwelling us, we are able to live above the downward pull of sin. This is a daily, even moment by moment, interaction with God’s grace.

Conclusion

My purpose in this article is to provide clarity to some potentially confusing terms. Some may disagree with my definitions, which are an attempt to better understand a mystery. Perhaps God has given you a better understanding than I have. In that case, I hope you will share your insights with me. The important thing is for us to believe what the Bible teaches. We never want to nullify the Word of God just because it has not yet been our experience or is difficult to comprehend. To the degree that what I have written helps our faith, I will consider that I have been helpful. Now we can move on to applying these marvelous truths.

Link to all the articles in this series.

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