Testing The Spirits (4)

The above text, which we have addressed in the previous postings, tells us to be on guard as to what kind of spirit, attitude, frame of mind, or disposition, we are being influenced by. It is also true that we must be on guard as to whether we are being led by the Spirit of God or by some evil spirit. So the Lord said through the prophet Malachi: "Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth." (Mal. 2: 15 nkjv) We have seen where the apostle John has exhorted Christians to "test the spirits whether they be of God" or whether they be not of God. This testing should also include testing ourselves and not be limited to testing the spirits of others. 

We are responsible for ruling over our own spirits and insuring that they are ruled by the word and Spirit of God. This is what the Lord commanded in the wisdom of Solomon, who wrote: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Prov. 16: 32 kjv) The apostle Paul also said -- "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." (I Cor. 14: 32 nkjv) Though none has power over his spirit in death, he ought to have power over his spirit in life. Wrote Solomon again: 

"No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it." (Eccl. 8: 8 nkjv)

We must protect our minds, hearts, and spirits. So Solomon said further: "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach (or break) in the spirit." (Prov. 15: 4 kjv) Which simply means that words can either heal or harm the spirit, whether by "spirit" is meant one's inner self or one's inner emotional or mental state. Solomon also said: "The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." (Prov. 20: 27 kjv) We need to make sure this spirit remains a good one. So David prayed -- "Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me." (Psa. 51: 10 kjv) This is a prayer that ought to be prayed regularly because it is easy for anyone, even Christians, to get in the wrong spirit.

Deception Via Evil Spirits

In preceding chapters we referred to the apostle Paul's warning about those who give "heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (I Tim. 4: 1-2). He also wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, saying:

"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." (II Thess 2: 2)

What does he mean by being shaken and troubled in mind "by spirit"? Many commentators suggest that Paul alludes to false teachers who claim to be speaking from a divine spirit. We should see the words as saying "neither by a spirit as from us." People, especially religious teachers, speak from a certain spirit. Of the martyr Stephen we read: "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke." (Acts 6: 10 nkjv) False teachers and deceivers, however, speak from an evil spirit, as we have seen. 

Paul spoke of his "spirit" being with the Corinthian church as they acted in excluding an immoral member, writing: 

"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (I Cor. 5: 4-5 kjv)

Here, I think, by "my spirit" Paul means his mind, state of mind, his attitude, belief about things, his manner, and his way of seeing and judging things. People today sometimes say "though I won't be there, I will be with you in spirit," by which they mean their thoughts will be on the place and is a way to give moral support to what will be occurring to those in that place.

In cults we see how they likewise have their own unique or peculiar spirits. Nazis, for example, have Hitler's spirit, his influence, his beliefs, his attitude and state of mind, and this spirit is with them when they gather together. Many religious cults often exude the spirit or spirits of their leaders or founders, the social atmosphere in their gatherings, the air of the setting, giving emotional sensations and initiating moods and mental images. 

Recognizing False Spirits

"For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him." (II Cor. 11: 4)

How do you discern a counterfeit? Is it not by knowing the real thing? If one knows and discerns the presence of the Holy Spirit, then he can spot false spirits. But, it is not always easy to judge spirit, such as sincerity or honesty. Jurors in court are often trying to ascertain whether a witness is speaking sincerely or honestly, or the spirit by which they speak.

Some of the Jews rejected Jesus and said of him -- "he has a demon." (John 7:20; 8:48: 10:20) Obviously they had no discernment of spirits nor were able to try spirits so as to know whether they were of God or some other source. How do we know if someone has a demonic spirit? Personally, I believe I have seen demons in the eyes of many people in my lifetime. If demons only manifested themselves as did the demon in the well-known film "The Exorcist," then it would be easy to identify them, for that possessed girl vomited green slime, spoke in tongues, moved physical objects with her mind, etc. 

There is mention in the Bible of the "evil eye." So in Mark 7: 22 we have “ophthalmos ponēros” (literally, “evil eye”). Though "evil eye" does not always mean demonic eyes, yet it may at times. It is true that "the eyes are the windows of the soul." Matthew 6:22 describes the eye as the "lamp of the body." Eyes reveal a lot. Judges, detectives, prosecutors, parents, etc., often intently look into the eyes when questioning a witness, or children when they lie, because the eye can often indicate truth or deception.

The demons Christ encountered in one man were named "Legion" because there were many in that one man. It was not hard to see he was possessed because the man made his home in the tombs, broke his shackles and chains from extraordinary strength, spent his time screaming and cutting himself, and could not be tamed. (Mark 5: 1-20) In Acts chapter sixteen Paul recognized that a slave girl was possessed with a "spirit of python." In our original text, the apostle John, in exhorting Christians to try or test spirits to ascertain whether they are of God or not of God, mentions the "spirit" of Antichrist, which he says resides in everyone who confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, such as the early Gnostic sects. One of the ways to detect whether a person is possessed or influenced by this spirit is to see what they have to say about the Lord Jesus Christ. Recall that we have previously cited the words of the apostle Paul who said: "no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus Christ accursed" (I Cor. 12: 3).

Hypocrite or True Believer?

Many pastors agree that there are many people who profess the name of Christ but who are not true believers, not really saved. These are called hypocrites, fakes (Greek pseudo, "false brethren"; Gal. 2:4), frauds, wolves in sheep's clothing, nominal Christians, etc. So, how can we know who is really saved or not? How can we test or try the profession of a professing Christian? Jesus told us how when he said:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matt. 7: 15-20 nkjv)

Though these words address "false prophets" (or false teachers) yet they are applicable to false brethren. We are able to discern their real condition by examining "their fruits." In this way pastors especially are fruit inspectors. There are some things that saved people cannot do. Jesus said his sheep hear only his voice and will not follow the voice of strangers. (John 10: 5) Sheep will not deny that Christ came in the flesh. Sheep will follow Christ their shepherd. True Christians will hold fast to the faith. (I John 2: 19) True believers only recognize Christ as Savior and Lord. Etc. Are we a true sheep of Christ or a wolf in sheep's clothing? On this text John Gill wrote the following on verse 20 (emphasis mine):

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. This is the conclusion of the whole, and a repetition of what is before said, the more to fix the rule of judgment upon their minds, and engage them to try men by their doctrines, and their doctrines by the standard of the Scriptures, and not believe every spirit; for with some care and diligence such persons may be detected, and the malignant influence of their ministry be prevented."

The Lord calls us to make visible to everyone what is invisible, secretive, and sinister, in false teachers. So Jude, the Lord's brother, warned of those false teachers who "crept in unawares" (Jude 1: 4). Paul likewise spoke of those who entered the church for the purpose to "spy" on the apostle and his followers and who also came in "unawares" or by subterfuge. He also wrote: "And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage." (Gal. 2: 4 kjv) These infiltrators into the Christian community need to have their sins and evil intentions revealed, or uncloaked, uncovered so as to show what it is that motivates them and their sinister designs. To take the cloak off them and to  uncover their pretensions, smokescreens, veneers, semblances, exterior, is our duty. Jesus did this and he is our example. He uncloaked sin. He revealed what people really were. He uncovered their hypocrisy and pretensions. 

Uncloaking Sin

"If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin." (John 15: 22 kjv)

Through a cloak you can easily conceal something, such as a dagger. This has given rise to the expression "cloak and dagger," a figure of speech that refers to espionage. To cloak something is to hide it. Star Trek fans will remember that Klingon and Romulan vessels were equipped with cloaking devices that made it so that you couldn’t see their ships coming. It is common for sinners, saved and unsaved, to cloak their sins, so we read where Paul spoke of a "cloak of covetousness." 

"For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness." (I Thess 2: 5 kjv)

Know that Paul says that "covetousness is idolatry." (Col. 3: 5) People cloak covetousness in several ways. One way is by the facade of frugality, by claiming that their unchecked desire to acquire wealth is being prudent, a way to save, or to be financially responsible. While true frugality focuses on minimizing waste to live according to one’s core values, the counterfeit version weaponizes thrift to justify extreme hoarding, ruthlessness, or the exploitation of others. This sin needs to be uncloaked.

The apostle Peter speaks of another sin that wears a cloak, writing these words:

"As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (I Peter 2: 16 kjv)

On this text Dr. Albert Barnes wrote the following (emphasis mine):

"And not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness - Margin, as in Greek, "having." Not making your freedom a mere pretext under which to practice all kinds of evil. The word rendered "maliciousness" - κακία kakia - means more than our word maliciousness does; for it denotes evil of any kind, or all kinds. The word maliciousness refers rather to enmity of heart, ill-will, an intention to injure. The apostle has reference to an abuse of freedom, which has often occurred. The pretence of these who have acted in this manner has been, that the freedom of the gospel implied deliverance from all kinds of restraint; that they were under no yoke, and bound by no laws; that, being the children of God, they had a right to all kinds of enjoyment and indulgence; that even the moral law ceased to bind them, and that they had a right to make the most of liberty in all respects. Hence, they have given themselves up to all sorts of sensual indulgence, claiming exemption from the restraints of morality as well as of civil law, and sinking into the deepest abyss of vice. Not a few have done this who have professed to be Christians..."

The Pharisees and Sadducees and other Jewish sects that Christ encountered cloaked their sins, especially their hypocrisy. Matthew chapter twenty three gives a discourse of Christ wherein he fully unmasks the hypocrisy and enmity of these groups. He says to them -- “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" (vs. 15, 23, 25, 27, 29); "fools and blind!" (vs. 17, 19); "blind guides" (vs. 24); "serpents, brood of vipers!" (vs. 33). He says this unto them to uncloak their real natures:   

"For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (vs. 27-28)

A cloak is simply a covering. Solomon spoke of those who "conceal their sins" rather than confessing them (Prov. 28: 13). Jesus warned: "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." (Luke 12: 2) Some sins will be uncovered in life, but all will be uncovered in the day of judgment. How did Jesus remove the cloaks from the pretensions of false teachers? 

How wisely did Jesus test the spirit of the young ruler who said that he was without sin! We read of this interaction in all three synoptic gospels. He came to Christ with this question: "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matt. 19: 16) Jesus told him to "keep the commandments," but not because he thought that anyone could be saved that way, but this was Christ's way to uncover the man's covetousness and his erroneous opinion of himself. The ruler responds -- "all these have I kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus said -- “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (vs. 21) The result of this instruction is that "the young man...went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." (vs. 23) Jesus tested this man's spirit and showed that it was not right.

Testing The Spirits (3)

In the previous two posts on this subject we saw how "spirit" may denote a disembodied being such as angels and demons (or ghosts) but may also denote a person's state of mind, as in having a happy spirit, a vengeful spirit, an angry spirit, etc. So, to "test" or "try" spirits (I John 4) will involve "discernment of spirit" (I Cor. 12: 10) to discover what is influencing a person in what he says and does, especially as it relates to teaching the Bible in the name of Christ. We saw where even born again people, yea, even apostles of Christ, may have a bad spirit or state of mind. 

Anyone who has a smattering of knowledge about church fights and divisions knows this to be true, for many professing Christians who were engaged in such were acting out of a bad spirit or attitude. Oftentimes these church fights reveal a Christian's "true colors." So James the Lord's brother wrote:

"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?" (James 4: 1 nkjv)

John Gill, commenting on Luke 9: 55 and the case of James and John, said: "...so good men, for want of attention, may not know sometimes from what spirit they act; taking that for a good one, which is a very bad one..." 

This is why there are so many scriptures that warn people to be careful of the spirit that is motivating them, such as when Solomon wrote: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov. 16: 18) As followers of Christ we ought to be careful of the kind of spirit that is moving us to believe things, especially religious dogma, and to do things. We must not only test the spirits of others, but our own spirits. Scripture enjoins us to work on being of a humble and contrite spirit and to avoid being influenced by a proud spirit, a vengeful spirit, etc. 

How many professing Christians have, out of false zeal, killed other Christians who they deemed as "heretics"? So Jesus said: "the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service." (John 16: 2 nkjv) In doing this the murderers are acting out of a bad spirit for such zeal comes from a wrong spirit. 

The apostle Paul exhorted Christians to "examine yourselves whether you be in the faith" (II Cor. 13: 5), and this would certainly include examining our spirits. 

Every lost unregenerate sinner is greatly influenced by the "spirit" of the Devil, or "the prince of the power of the air." So wrote the apostle Paul:

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Eph. 2: 1-3 nkjv) 

Here we see that the word "spirit" refers to an intelligent being. However, having this malignant spirit working in a person produces a kind of spirit, attitude, belief system, state of mind, etc. So we read of people being "hardened in spirit" (Deut. 2:30) and having a "spirit of whoredoms" (Hosea 4: 12) and experiencing "vexation of spirit" (Eccl. 1: 14,17), rather than having "a right spirit" (Psa. 51: 10) or "a faithful spirit" (Prov. 11: 13) or a "humble and contrite spirit" (Psa. 34: 18; Prov. 16: 19).

What is said of all men who are "dead in trespasses and sins" in regard to being influenced and controlled by "the spirit" or "the prince of the power of the air" may also be similar to what is said by the prophet: "The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit." (Isa. 19: 14 kjv) This "perverse spirit" was a judgment given by God for Egypt's sins and it "caused Egypt to err" even further. This is similar to what Paul wrote in these words:

"...because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thess. 2: 10b-12 nkjv)

This delusion of mind and spirit is a judgment from the Lord for their rejection of the truth and leads them to believe the lie of the "man of lawlessness." Similarly we read this oracle of the Lord:

"Woe to the rebellious children," says the Lord, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin." (Isa. 30: 1 nkjv)

Here there is an allusion to sinners having a rebellious spirit and who devise plans from some other spirit other than Yahweh's Spirit. These have a "spirit of error" as John said (I John 4:6), and "follow deceiving spirits." Of saved people Paul wrote: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (II Tim. 1: 7 nkjv) This "spirit" is a spirit of faith, a spirit of power, a spirit of love, a spirit of a sound mind. The unsaved sinner does not have such a spirit, but has rather a spirit of fear, a weak or impotent spirit, a spirit of hate, and a spirit of foolishness in things pertaining to God. 

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, said to those who were departing from the gospel of grace and embracing salvation by law keeping, "this persuasion comes not from him who calls you." (5:8) You could just as similarly say "this spirit comes not from him who calls you." So we hear Paul say to the Christians in Rome: "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Rom. 7: 6 kjv) Unsaved people do not have this newness of spirit. 

Do you have this newness of spirit? Or, are you trying to serve God or a god by your good works or merit? If so, you have the wrong spirit, the wrong belief, a spirit of error. We will have more to say about that in the next concluding chapter.

Testing The Spirits (2)

"1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (I John 4: 1-6)

What is meant by "spirit" and "spirits" in these words? As we saw in the previous post, "spirit" may denote an intelligent being, or may denote an attitude or influence. So we speak of people with "team spirit," or a person who is a "free spirit," or a church that sings with "spirit," or of "Christmas spirit." Does it mean such in the above words of the apostle? Or, is John speaking of evil spirit beings? Or, are both meanings of "spirit" included? How can we "try" or "test" a spirit? 

In the above text we see where "the spirits" are able to "confess" and this would suggest that they are intelligent entities. However, it could be that John means that the person who confesses is confessing by a spirit being's influence. But, even in that case, "spirit" could simply mean "influence," which is what many Bible commentaries suggest is the meaning of "spirit" in this passage. But, some influences may come from spirit beings, either from the singular Spirit of God or from the spirits of demons. So the apostle Paul warned of false teachers who give "heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" and who "speak lies in hypocrisy." (I Tim. 4: 1-2 nkjv) He also wrote: 

"Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." (I Cor. 12: 3 nkjv)

So, people, or preachers, or prophets, may speak by the inspiration or influence of the Spirit of God or by demon spirits. They also may say or teach things from a spirit such as envy or covetousness. So Paul wrote: 

"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." (Phil. 1: 15-18 nkjv)

Here we see how people may be influenced in their speech and beliefs by envy, strife, selfish ambition, pretense, or by the love of truth and from goodwill. The scriptures speak of "pretense." Jesus said that the hypocrites "for a pretense make long prayers" in public (Matt. 23: 14; Mark 12: 40) Paul in the above text says that a preacher (speaker) may preach for the wrong reason, from the wrong motive, or wrong spirit. 

In the text we are examining in First John chapter four, we must also consider the fact that John mentions the "spirit of error" and "the spirit of truth." This would suggest that by "spirit" or "spirits" John does not strictly denote spirit beings. Also, when John says "every spirit that confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is of God" he cannot mean the Holy Spirit because "every spirit" denotes more than one. So "every spirit" means "every person." But, every person who confesses Christ is doing so from his renewed spirit which is governed by the Holy Spirit. Every such confessor is described as "spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12: 23). Mary, the blessed mother of Jesus, said "my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1: 47) and Paul said "if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays" (I Cor. 14: 14). Every believer's spirit in confessing Christ is "speaking by the Spirit of God" as Paul said. 

So, how do believers put demonic spirits on trial? Is it not by trying the human persons, the false prophets and teachers? Is it not by trying their teachings by the standard of God's word? If trying a person's religious beliefs is trying their spirit, does it mean trying their spirit or inner being, or trying what is influencing them, trying their state of mind? How do believers try the spirits, i.e. the moods, motivations, attitudes, influences, etc., of such teachers? How did Paul know if someone was a pretender? He said "some preach Christ" out of envy and strife, or for ulterior purposes, so how did he know who was operating from such a wrong purpose or state of mind? 

Recall that I cited the words of the Lord Jesus from Luke chapter nine where he said to James and John, two of his original apostles -- "You know not what kind of spirit you are of" (Luke 9: 55). So, even holy men of God may at times be motivated by an evil or erroneous spirit or state of mind, or principle of belief. These two apostles thought that the Samaritans who had rejected Christ ought to be instantly destroyed by calling down fire from heaven as Elijah did. Christ corrected them by telling them that the spirit moving them was not a good or right spirit and their reasoning for believing that this should be done was erroneous, for Christ said to them "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Christ judged or tried their spirit and false beliefs. Christ had what the Bible calls "discernment of spirit." 

Discerning Of Spirits

"To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits..." (I Cor. 12: 10)

What does it mean to be a discerner of spirits? What is meant by "spirits" in this text? In the case above, Christ discerned that the spirit motivating James and John was not a wicked spiritual being necessarily, but a "spirit of error," a bad "spirit of mind," perhaps an "angry" or "vengeful spirit," and certainly not a "meek and quiet spirit." It was not a "spirit of wisdom." It was not a "holy spirit." 

In this text Paul says that "discerning of spirits" is a special gift of God given to one saint and not to another, each saint having his or her own peculiar gift. That does not mean however that every saint cannot in any degree be a discerner of spirits. In the lists of these special gifts of God Paul mentions "faith" (vs. 9), which denotes special or great faith, faith that can do miraculous things. This kind of faith he describes in chapter Thirteen when he said: "and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains..." (vs. 2). All believers in Christ have faith, but all do not have the supernatural gift of faith so as to be able to have power over the physical world to work miracles. Likewise, all believers should be able to discern spirits though not to the degree as those who are especially given the gift of "discerning of spirits." Anyone who has the Spirit of God abiding in him is able to have spiritual "discernment" of the Scriptures or things of the Spirit. (I Cor. 2: 14) In Malachi God promised to so redeem his people that they would "return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." Mal. 3: 18 kjv)

In Hebrews 5:13-14 we read that a believer who has matured beyond using the milk of the word as a babe in Christ is able to discern both good and evil. This involves having spiritual insight, the ability to perceive a person's state of mind, intentions, or motivating spirit, being a kind of spiritual intuition. It seems to be the ability to "see right through people," to discern their insincerity, pretensions, subversions, and hypocrisy. The apostle Peter when dealing with the false convert Simon the sorcerer, said to him "For I see (or perceive) that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (Acts 8: 23) We see this ability exemplified in Jesus in this passage: "And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?" (Mark 2: 8 kjv)

Wrote Barnes in his commentary:

"To another discerning of spirits - compare 1 John 4:1. This must refer to some power of searching into the secrets of the heart; of knowing what were a man's purposes, views, and feelings. It may relate either to the power of determining by what spirit a man spoke who pretended to be inspired, whether he was truly inspired or whether he was an impostor; or it may refer to the power of seeing whether a man was sincere or not in his Christian profession. That the apostles had this power, is apparent from the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-10, and from the case of Elymas, Acts 13:9-11."

"Testing the spirits" means to test that animating or motivating principle, or influence, within the psyche of prophets and Bible teachers, whether good or bad. "Spirit" thus may speak to a hidden inner purpose, to a disposition and attitude, to a sentiment and feeling, to a state of mind. But, if that is so, how can you test an attitude? A disposition? Etc.? Do believers have a kind of Rorschach test for the spirits of false prophets and teachers? Are there psychological tests for heretics? Testing the spirits involves testing what comes from the "spirit of the mouth," or testing words and other verbal expressions. It is testing the thing which motivates these false teachers, whether it be ego, money, prestige, fame, etc. It is to test the pretensions, the veneers, the cloaks, the hidden intentions, of the false teachers. 

In the previous post we saw how "the breath" of the mouth is called "spirit" or pneuma in the Bible. So, Christ, when he returns will destroy the wicked with the "breath of his mouth." (II Thess. 2:8; Isa. 11:4) In these texts his breath stands for his word. In Revelation 19: 15 we read: "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations." (kjv) Just as the breath signifies word, so too does sword signify the same. So, in trying the "spirits" (air or breath) we are trying the word or teachings of false teachers and those who claim to be prophets of God. 

Further, it is from man's inner spirit that religious thoughts originate. So Paul wrote: "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?" (I Cor. 2: 11 nkjv) Further, the "heart" of a person, in the Bible, denotes the center or core of his being, and often is used as a synonym for "spirit." So Jesus said:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6: 45 nkjv)

"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. " (Matt. 15: 18-19 nkjv)

"Out of the heart" also means "out of the spirit." So we read: "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." (Isa. 29: 24)

To err in what is taught by the mouth is to err in heart or spirit.

How are we to try or judge what comes out of the mouths of Bible teachers? Nearly all Protestants affirm that it is by comparing teachings by the Scriptures, which is the standard, the only rule of faith and practice. So we read that this is what the Christians in Berea did:

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17: 11 kjv)

Isaiah also said:

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa. 8: 20 kjv)

The apostle Paul also said:

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. " (I Cor. 14: 29 nkjv)

"If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord." (I Cor. 14: 37 nkjv)

In the next chapter we will continue our thoughts on this subject.

Testing The Spirits (1)

In this short series we will examine how the word "spirit" or "spirits" is used in the Bible and in every day speech. As we will see, the Bible uses these words in the same way people do in their conversations. Sometimes the word denotes the immaterial, non-corporeal, aspect of a human being, similar to the word "soul." Sometimes the word spirit refers to incorporeal beings. God is Spirit (John 4: 24) and does not have a physical body, though he did appear in a human body when he became a man, and the Son of God, before his incarnation, appeared in a human form in the old testament period. These appearances are called "Christophanies" or "Theophanies." It seems that God often appeared to Adam and Eve in a human form when they were in the Garden of Eden, for we read that he came to them "walking in the cool of the day" (Gen. 3: 8). 

Angels also are disembodied spirits. (Heb. 1: 7, 14) But they have the ability to appear in human bodies. They appeared as such to Abraham and visited Sodom before its destruction. (Gen. 8 and 9) Two angels in bright shining clothes appeared at the grave of Jesus and were seen in human form. (Luke 24: 4-6) When Christ ascended into heaven we are told that "two men" who were angels in white raiment were present and gave a message to the disciples who were present. (Acts 1: 10-11) The writer of Hebrews said - "do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." (13: 2) It is also a common belief of old testament Jews and new testament Christians that the "sons of God" in Genesis chapter six were angels who sinned by having sexual relations with the "daughters of men." 

In the Bible we also read about "wicked spirits" or "demons," and also about "ghosts," or the disembodied spirits of the departed dead. We must also not forget that every person has a spirit embodied in his or her body. (I Cor. 2: 11)

But, in the scriptures, as in common speech, "spirit" or "spirits" also refers to things that are not beings. So we refer to alcoholic beverages as "spirits," probably because it puts those who drink much of it into a different mood or spirit. We also have what are called "mineral spirits," called such probably because of the odor or air they emit, for "spirit" often means air, breath, or wind. It is from the Greek word pneuma which means such. We have many words in English derived from pneuma, such as pneumonia, pneumatic, etc. dealing with the idea of "air."

"Spirit" or pneuma may denote "an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms." It is also defined as a "temper or disposition of mind or outlook especially when vigorous or animated," as in speaking of someone who is "in high spirits." It is also defined as "the activating or essential principle influencing a person." It is also defined as being "an inclination, impulse, or tendency of a specified kind" and as "a special attitude or frame of mind" as in "the money making spirit." Mood is also a word often used to describe spirit, as in "he is in a bad spirit." The ideas of wind and breath are also often connected with passion, with the quality and nature of something, with passionate speech, as we will see.

Spirit or air is often connected with a man's words as we see this in this passage: "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord..." (Acts 9: 1) The Psalmist mentions those who "breathe out cruelty" (Psa. 27: 12). Jesus "breathed on" the disciples and said to them -- "receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20: 22) In the creation story we are told that God "breathed" into body of Adam "the breath of life" so that he became a living soul, obtaining his spirit thereby. (Gen. 2:7)

Then there are those passages that speak of spirit in conjunction with mouth or speech. An angel was sent out in judgment to be "a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets." (I Kings 22: 22-23) When Christ returns he will destroy the man of sin "with the breath (spirit) of his mouth" (II Thess. 2: 8). Isaiah said Christ the Lord would "smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." (11: 4)

"Air" as a metaphor can mean “the general appearance or character of something.” Something might have “an air of originality” or someone might have an “air of importance.” Since at least the 1700’s "airs" in the plural has been used to refer to a false show of pride. Thus to "put on airs" is to apply a false veneer of superiority to oneself. We also use the word "atmosphere" in a figurative way to describe the mood of a setting, and the "vibes" of it. So we speak of people who show an "air of superiority."

There are other words connected with the idea of air or wind in relation to words such as "blustering," which is a "speaking loudly and aggressively," as in blustery talk, in noisy self-assertive language. There is "windy speech," a being "long winded" in discourse. A similar metaphor for air (wind, spirit, or breath) is the word "flatulent," a word that literally refers to an "act of blowing air," from a Latin verb meaning "to blow," but which is applied to speech as when people speak of certain speakers "blowing hot air" or of "flatulent rhetoric." It can also be seen when we speak of a report or statement being "overblown." Also when people say of someone that he is "full of hot air." There is such a thing as "inflated discourse," and "inflated egos," instances where the metaphor of air or breath is involved. 

The idea of air, wind, or spirit is also seen in the word "puff," as in "puffed up," as when Paul wrote: "that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up (Greek 'physioo') for one against another." (I Cor. 4: 6) Strong says physioo means "to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up; to puff up, make proud; to be puffed up, to bear one's self loftily, be proud" (Strong) Paul used this expression frequently, especially in his first letter to the Corinthians. Notice these:

"Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you." (4: 18)

"the speech of them which are puffed up" (vs. 19)

"you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned" (5: 2)

"Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies." (8: 1)

"charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up" (13: 4)

"vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." (Col. 2: 18)

Sophists, popular worldly speakers, false teachers and prophets, are they who are "inflated" in their appraisals of themselves, in their opinions, in their egos, and thus have a "proud spirit." The source or reason for this puffed up attitude and frame of mind is "the fleshly mind." The thing to counteract this inflation of spirit, this pride, is divine love. It deflates rather than inflates pride. Such airy discourse is immoderate or extravagant. The speech that is intended to "allure" or attract sinful lusts, as Peter described when he wrote: "For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error." (II Peter 2: 18) Used car salesmen have been known for their "puffery," where a car is described in far better ways than it actually is. Airy, puffy, or windy speech use swell words. So we speak also of "airy speech" or "blustery speech." "Tumorous speech" denoting swollen, arrogant, vainglorious, bombastic speech.

That "spirit" also sometimes denotes a state of mind, emotional state, attitude, or disposition, is seen in these statements:

"You know not what kind of spirit you are of" (Luke 9: 55)

"meek and quiet spirit" (I Peter 3: 4; I Cor. 4: 21; Gal. 6: 1)

"contrite and humble spirit" vs "proud spirit"

"spirit of fear" (II Tim. 1: 7)

"slave spirit" (Rom. 8: 14)

"strong in spirit" vs "weak spirit"

"fervent in spirit" (Rom. 12: 11)

"spirit of holiness" (Rom. 1: 4)

"newness of spirit" (Rom. 7: 6)

"spirit of slumber" (Rom. 11: 8)

"spirit of faith" (II Cor. 4: 13)

"spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Eph. 1: 17)

"spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4: 23)

"spirit of glory" (I Peter 4: 14)

In none of these passages is "spirit" to be understood as a non-corporeal being. "Spirit" in these passages denotes "air," metaphorically speaking. 

Notice how "spirit" is used in this prophecy:

"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." (Isa. 11: 2)

Paul talks about "letter" versus "spirit" and so do teachers of law. (II Cor. 3: 6)

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary says:

"The Old Testament. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruah. It appears 389 times in the Old Testament. Its varied use almost defies analysis, but some emphases are discernible. It is used more often of God (136 times) than of persons or animals (129 times). 

Its basic meaning is wind (113 times). The trees of the forest sway before a wind (Isa 7:2); a wind sweeps over the waters (Gen 1:2); and the Lord walked in the garden at the breezy time of day (Gen 3:8). It was an east wind that brought locusts (Exod 10:13) and a strong east wind that divided the Red Sea and dried it up (Exod 14:21). 

 

Breath is also a basic meaning of this term. It is the Lord who gives breath to people (Isa 42:5) and to lifeless bodies (in 1:1 Ezek 37:9-10 in; this chapter there is a wordplay on ruah [;jWr], allowing it to mean wind, breath, spirit a similar phenomenon is found in John 3:5 John 3:8; where pneuma [pneu'ma] means both wind and spirit). It is also used of bad breath Job's breath was repulsive to his wife (Job 19:17)."

 

In the latter case, "bad spirit" denotes "bad breath."

"Ruah can also refer to feelings..."Shortness" of spirit is impatience, whereas "longness" of spirit is patience (Prov 14:29). To be proud in spirit is to be arrogant (Eccl 7:8). The suspicious husband is said to have a (fit) spirit of jealousy (Numbers 5:14; Numbers 5:30)." (Baker's)

In the next chapter we will finish our thoughts on this topic and word study.

Colossians 1: 24 Difficulty

"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (Col. 1: 24 kjv) 

When this verse is first read it causes the reader to wonder what Paul could mean when he implies that the "afflictions of Christ" are in need of being filled up by Paul's sufferings. The afflictions or sufferings of Christ are ended and are sufficient in themselves and need no addition. Right? Commentators give several ways to interpret Paul's words, but they all agree that what they seem to say is repugnant. But, we should keep in mind that things are not always as they seem to be.

Gill in his commentary wrote the following, and I believe he is correct in his interpretation:

"and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh; by which are meant not the afflictions or sufferings of Christ in his own person; for these were all over, he was now entered into his glory, was exalted at the Father's right hand, and was crowned with glory and honour: there was nothing left behind of his sufferings, to be undergone by any of his people; he had drank of the cup and all the dregs of it; he had sustained the whole of his Father's wrath, and all the curses of the law, being abated nothing, but was made perfect through sufferings; having perfectly suffered all, he suffered once and once for all, he will suffer no more; nor is there any need of his suffering more or again, for he has finished sin, wrought righteousness, made peace, and obtained eternal redemption; nor had he any partner in his sufferings, nor did he need any, or left any part of his sufferings to be filled up by others; for he endured all and the whole, which the law and justice of God could require in his own body, in the body of his flesh through death; of these sufferings the apostle does not speak, but of such which he filled up in "his" own "flesh"; and design the afflictions of Christ in his members, which are called "his", because of that near union there is between Christ and them; so that what befalls them may be predicated of him; when anyone of them suffers, he suffers with him, as the sufferings of a part of the body are ascribed to the whole person; and because of that sympathy there is between them, he has a fellow feeling with his people in all their infirmities; in all their afflictions he is afflicted: if Saul persecutes his saints, he persecutes him; whatever injury is done to them, he takes it as done to himself, who are to him as the apple of his eye. Moreover, hereby they are conformed unto him, and made like him; as he was, so are they in this world; there is a good deal of likeness between the afflictions of Christ and his people, though in some things there is a great disparity; add to this, that the afflictions of the saints are endured for Christ's sake, for the sake of his Gospel, and the profession of his name, and therefore called his, and the more cheerfully bore by them: now of these there were some remains to be filled up by the apostle; not that all the afflictions of the whole body of Christ were to be, or have been filled up by him; there was a great deal left behind by him to be filled up by others, and which has been filling up ever since, and still is, and yet all is not fulfilled to this day, nor will be till the end of time; but he speaks only of that part and measure of them, which was to be filled up in his flesh; he had his measure of afflictions allotted to him, great part of which he had endured already, but some remained, the measure was not yet full, though pretty near being completed, which gave him pleasure..."

By the "afflictions of Christ" or "sufferings of Christ" Paul does not allude to what Christ suffered at the hands of the Romans prior to his crucifixion and including his crucifixion, in his physical body, but rather refers to the sufferings and afflictions of his mystical body, the church, the people of God, which with Christ is identified. 

When the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the persecuting and murderous Christ hater, Saul of Tarsus, he said to him -- "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4) Saul was not personally persecuting Jesus for he was no longer on earth as before. So, in these words, Christ says that in Saul's persecuting of Christians he was persecuting him. 

Of these sufferings of Christians for the sake of Christ, Paul reminded the Christians, saying -- "that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this." (I Thess. 3: 3 nkjv) And, every Christian has his peculiar afflictions ordained for him in life and he will not die until he or she has experienced them to the glory of God. When Christ appeared to Ananias in order to inform him of Saul's conversion and to appoint him to go to Saul so that he might minister to him, he said to him:

"But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9: 15-16 nkjv)

Notice the words "how many" and "must." These words tell us that Saul, who became the apostle Paul, had a certain number of afflictions and sufferings to endure for Christ's sake. These afflictions Christ owns as his own. We see this same truth implied in the following text:

"9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed." (Rev. 6: 9-11 nkjv)

There was a certain "number" of martyrs, a certain limit to such persecution, that must be met before the day of the Lord's vengeance and retribution. In Genesis 15: 16 we hear the Lord say of the time when the Lord would punish Israel's enemies and persecutors -- "for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Not only is there an ordained amount of iniquity, limited by God, but there is also an ordained amount of suffering for every believer, and when that number has been reached, the believer will be called to his home in glory. 

Saved People Reject Christ's Righteousness?

"1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Rom. 10: 1-4 nkjv)

"Primitive Baptists," aka "Hardshell Baptists," teach that the people described as "seeking to establish their own righteousness" and who have "not submitted to the righteousness of God" nor recognized "Christ" as "the end of the law for righteousness" and who are unbelievers are nevertheless born again children of God. I know this is their view because I was a minister in their sect for many years. They also teach that the salvation of Romans chapter ten is not eternal salvation, but a temporal salvation, a salvation that is not necessary to go to heaven. 

That is truly an aberrant view and absolutely has no foundation in the context. This twisted interpretation is the result of their idea that eternal salvation has no conditions, that faith, repentance, confession, and perseverance are not conditions, for they believe that a person may be saved but who does not know nor believe in one true God, nor in Christ Jesus, nor in the word and gospel of God. 

They say that most born again children of God are working to save themselves by their works and have not trusted solely in the imputed righteousness of Christ. However, that is certainly not what Paul was affirming in the above text. Paul prays that Israel "might be saved" and this salvation involves believing in Christ and accepting his righteousness for justification. 

From a Primitive Baptist Study on Romans (here) we read this commentary on this passage (emphasis mine):

"Paul said he was praying for Israel that they might be saved. In Rom. Chapter 9 Paul had declared, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel." Thus, there are two Israel's taught in the scriptures. There is natural Israel, and there is spiritual Israel. Not all of natural Israel was a part of spiritual Israel. In the eighth chapter, Paul taught the covenant work of God that God chose a people before the world began to be his and then he predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His son. Next, he called, justified, and glorified those that he chose before the world began. It makes no sense that Paul would be praying for those who were not a part of God's elect. Thus, Paul was praying for that part of natural Israel, which was a part of spiritual Israel." 

It is true that Paul speaks of "Israel after the flesh" (I Cor. 10: 18) and says: "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Rom. 2: 28-29 kjv) However, by "Israel" in this text he does not have in mind those who have already been saved or were spiritual Jews. Rather, he has the same people in mind that he mentioned earlier in his letter when he wrote:

"1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen." (Rom. 9:1-5 nkjv)

Here we see where Paul is praying for the salvation of his fellow Israelites, his brethren according to the flesh, and these are the same ones who he prays for in Romans 10: 1 and who have rejected Christ and his righteousness and seek to be saved by their own righteousness or obedience to the law.

It is an absurd statement for this Hardshell to say -- "It makes no sense that Paul would be praying for those who were not a part of God's elect." Is it the Hardshell view that they can never pray for the salvation of anyone who is lost? That they can only pray for those who they believe are of the elect? How absurd and unscriptural is that idea? 

The same Hardshell article says further:

"Paul was praying that they "might be saved." What was it that Paul desired that they be saved from? Most people today would say that he desired that they be saved from the condemnation of sin. The problem with this belief is that God's elect are already saved from sin and justified by the blood of Christ. Paul set forth this principle when he asked, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" He then answered the question with, "It is God that justifieth." The elect have been already justified by the blood of Jesus. They do not need any further saving from the condemnation of sin. It is a finished work. Therefore, the prayer of Paul on behalf of spiritual Israel is that they might be saved from something else other than the condemnation of sin." 

The same article says further:

"We do not have to speculate what Paul desired they be saved from. It is given to us in verse three: "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness." Paul desired that they be saved from their ignorance and from their efforts to try to establish their own righteousness. Most of those among the Israelite nation who were a part of spiritual Israel were ignorant of the righteousness of God. They were going about to establish their own righteousness through the works of the Mosaic Law. They thought that through keeping the law and all its ordinances and commandments that they could become righteous before God."

From this commentary we see that the Hardshell Baptists believe that a true knowledge of God and of Christ the Son of God, or of the way of salvation, is not necessary to be saved. They even teach that many heathen Polytheists who believe in many false gods are nevertheless saved. Yet, the Bible clearly says that those who "know not God" will be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." (II Thess. 1: 8-9)

This Hardshell commentary also says that "ignorance" of the one true God and of the way of salvation through Christ does not mean that such ignorance damns a sinner forever. That is, of course, absurd. Notice these words of the apostle Paul, and see how he describes those who are "alienated from the life of God," i.e. dead in sin: 

"Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." (Eph. 4: 18 kjv)

Here we see that to be saved from ignorance of God and his way of salvation is to be saved from spiritual death. In salvation God delivers sinners from this kind of ignorance. Of the elect it is said -- "they shall all be taught of God." (Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45) How could they be ignorant of God and his way of salvation if they have been taught of God? If God-taught people believe in many gods and disbelieve that salvation is through Christ, then God must have been a poor teacher, reductio ad absurdum. 

This Hardshell commentary also teaches that most saved people are saved even though they are ignorant of God's righteousness through Christ, and are trying to save themselves by their own works, and though they do not see and accept Christ "as the end of the law for righteousness" Christ is nevertheless still their righteousness. Paul, however, had a different idea, for he wrote:

"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." (Gal. 2:16 nkjv)

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Gal. 5: 4 kjv)

The same article says further:

"That portion of the Israelite nation which was a part of spiritual Israel was going about trying to establish their own righteousness through the works of the law and therefore had not submitted themselves to the truth, that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. So long as they were trying to establish their own righteousness they were in opposition to the plain truth that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness."

But, the fault here is in the assertion that people who are trying to establish their own righteousness through the works of the law and have rejected the righteousness of Christ may still be saved.

John Gill, who the Hardshells say was in league with them, in his commentary on Romans 10: 1 said:

 

"prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved; not only that they might be saved in a temporal sense, from these grievous calamities and sore judgments he saw were coming upon them, which he had reason to believe would issue in the destruction of them, as a nation and church; but that they might be spiritually converted, turned from their evil ways, and brought to believe in Christ, whom they had despised and rejected, and so be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: this he might desire not only from a natural affection for them, but as a minister of the Gospel, who cannot but wish that all that hear him might be converted and saved; and as a believer in Christ he might pray for this in submission to the will of God; and especially as he knew there was a seed, a remnant according to the election of grace, at that present time among them, that should be saved, though the larger number of them were cast off."

The idea that Romans chapter ten is not talking about eternal salvation from sin and death is ridiculous.

Elder C.H. Cayce in "WITH OR WITHOUT MEANS"

Elder C.H. Cayce (1871-1945) in an editorial titled "WITH OR WITHOUT MEANS" for the August 20, 1907 issue of "The Primitive Baptist" wrote the following:

"Life is imparted by a direct touch of life; it is not imparted through a means or medium. Hence, sinners are regenerated, born of God, or born from above, or quickened into divine life, by the Spirit of God coming into direct touch with their spirits. When they have thus been made “new creatures” in Christ they are capacitated to hear and understand the gospel, and they never are until then. We are sure that the reason why many of the Lord's children in this country of ours do not believe the gospel, or do not believe the truth, the doctrine of God our Saviour, is because of false teaching. They are blinded and led astray by false and judaizing teachers, men who are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men."

I cannot believe that this champion debater and apologist for "Primitive," "Old School," or "Hardshell" Baptists would make such a statement as the above, saying that "life is not imparted through a means or medium." It is easy to disprove this assertion.

First, every human being's life came through the medium of his father's sperm and his mother's egg, a case of life coming from life. That disproves Cayce's statement and I cannot believe he would make such an ignorant statement in lieu of this fact. My physical life and existence came through the means of my mother and father.

Second, God raised the physically dead by the means of Elijah, Elisha, Paul, and Peter. That again overthrows Cayce's proposition. (I Kings 17:17-24; II Kings 4:32-35; II Kings 13:20-21; Acts 9:36, 20:7-12) 

Third, God raised to life a valley filled with dry dead bones through the prophesying of Ezekiel. That too disproves Cayce's proposition. (Ezek. 37: 1-14)

Fourth, God uses the preachers of the gospel to save sinners, which salvation involves giving life to dead sinners. (Col. 2:12; II Cor. 2:16)

I also am bewildered how Cayce could say that many of God's children do not believe the gospel. First, because this is in direct contradiction to numerous texts of scripture, such as what Paul says in II Thess. 1: 8-9, where he says that those who obey not the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction. Second, Cayce, like Sylvester Hassell and others, have said that the gospel is preached directly to sinners by Jesus himself when he regenerates them. For instance, I have often cited these words of Hassell:

"Jesus is the Great Preacher, and, by His omnipresent Spirit, He preaches His gospel savingly to His people (Isa. 61:1-3,10,11; Luke 4:16-30; Heb. 2:11,12; Psalm 110:3)."

Union With Christ By Faith

For many Calvinists, such as Puritan Calvinists, or the first Calvinists immediately following Calvin, including John Calvin himself, union with Christ was first in the ordo salutis and that union was effected by faith, and so faith was first, though there was grace and divine preparations prior to faith. "Whatever is not of sin misses the mark" (Rom. 14:23); therefore all is by faith. However, grace precedes faith, for says the apostle -- "by grace are you saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8) and people are said to have "believed through grace" (Acts 18:27). So we have this order: 

1) grace, 2) faith, 3) union with Christ, 4) repentance and all aspects of salvation or redemption, which includes becoming indwelt by the Father, Son, and Spirit, regeneration (or rebirth), resurrection from spiritual death, justification and imputation of Christ's righteousness, forgiveness, sanctification, etc. 

Believers are united to Christ by faith, but faith does not save by its own merit. Faith is not the basis or ground of salvation but is the means or condition of salvation. In this post (here) I cited Dr. A.H. Strong who rightly observed:

"...because faith, and not repentance or love or hope is the medium or instrument by which we receive Christ and are united to him. Hence we are never said to be justified dia pistin, = on account of faith, but only dia pisteos, = through faith, or ek pisteos, = by faith. Or, to express the same truth in other words, while the grace of God is the efficient cause of justification and the obedience and sufferings of Christ are the meritorious or procuring cause, faith is the mediate or instrumental cause." (pg. 160, 161 in the "Relation of Justification to Faith," from his Systematic Theology)

Faith acts as an empty hand reaching out to grasp and receive Christ and his righteousness. Union with Christ by faith logically precedes the benefits of salvation. God first gives the hand of faith, the hearing ear and seeing eye, before salvation. Union precedes communion. In "Union with Christ Is at the Heart of Reformation Theology" Matthew C. Bingham (May 17, 2025; See here) wrote (emphasis mine):

"And Bunyan was not alone in this thinking. Whether we examine pioneering sixteenth-century Reformed theologians such as John Calvin and Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499–1562), post-Reformation thinkers such as Jerome Zanchi (1516–1590) and Theodore Beza (1519–1605), or English divines such as William Perkins (1558–1602) and William Ames, the conclusion is the same: union with Christ is the controlling idea from which flows the entirety of our redemption.2 Union played a central role in the theology of the English Puritans, for whom it has been described by one historian as “the existential nerve” of their piety.3"

1. Richard A. Muller, Calvin and the Reformed Tradition: On the Work of Christ and the Order of Salvation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 202–43. 

2. R. Tudur Jones, “Union with Christ: The Existential Nerve of Puritan Piety,” Tyndale Bulletin 41, no. 2 (1990): 186–208, https://doi.org/10.53751/001c.30522

There are those who will admit that the older Calvinists, and the Puritan Calvinists, said that union with Christ was by faith but will say that they also taught that regeneration preceded faith. That is, however, ridiculous. The ones who say this are those Calvinists who insist that regeneration precedes faith. Some of these will even argue that Christ unites himself to sinners in regeneration apart from faith, but sinners after this union unite themselves to Christ by faith. Again, that is ridiculous. That would be like saying that my wife was joined to me in marriage before I was joined to her. 

John Calvin taught that union with Christ was by faith and also taught that regeneration or rebirth was by faith. That is being consistent. Those Calvinists who want to say regeneration precedes faith and yet want to say that union with Christ is by faith are contradicting themselves. Bingham rightly observes that from union with Christ "flows the entirety of our redemption." If that is so, then regeneration must follow union with Christ by faith for regeneration is one of the blessings of redemption.

In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, we read: 

 

Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? 

 

A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

Likewise, in Keach's catechism, reflecting the faith expressed in the 1689 London Confession of Baptists, we read:

Q. 34. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. 

In one discussion forum titled "How are Regeneration, Faith, and Union with Christ ordered in Reformed Theology?" (See here), the discussion opens with these words (emphasis mine):

"1 In the Reformed Ordo Salutis, or order of salvation, how are Regeneration, Faith, and Union with Christ ordered? (Note that the order of salvation is a logical order, not temporal, and the believer will experience several stages concurrently.) Because of Total Depravity, the doctrine that we are spiritually dead in our sin, I think Regeneration is usually said to precede Faith, because we need to be brought back to spiritual life in order to have faith. Faith is said to precede Union with Christ because it is through Faith that the Holy Spirit unites us the Christ. But isn't it Union with Christ that gives us new life in Christ? Does Union with Christ therefore precede Regeneration? Or is the new life of Regeneration somehow different from the new life we receive through being united to Christ? How is this chicken-and-egg cycle resolved in Reformed Theology?"

The respondents to this query struggled to answer the difficulties raised by this scenario. It is contradictory to say that people are joined to Christ by regeneration BEFORE faith (and thus without faith).

In "The Puritans on Coming to Christ" Dr. Joel Beeke, a man who is an expert on Puritan beliefs and Puritan Calvinism, wrote the following (See here; emphasis mine): 

"Faith unites a sinner with his Savior. As John Calvin (1509 –1564) said, “Faith justifies in no other way than as it introduces us into a participation of the righteousness of Christ.” It apprehends (fides apprehensiva), closes with, and grasps Christ in a believing embrace, surrendering self, clinging to His Word, and relying on His promises."

Thomas Boston (1676-1732), a Calvinist, in "Union With Christ" (Read here) wrote (emphasis mine):

"1 Corinthians xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether toe be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

1. From the sacrament of baptism, where he shews us the blessed union made. And here consider, 1st. The parties united: on the one hand, we all; viz. who believe in Christ, as distinguished from unbelievers. On the other hand, Jesus Christ, whom he had just before mentioned, and who is here understood as implied in the one body, whereof he is the head, or principal part. 

2dly, The uniting or joining of the parties, which is expressed by being baptized into one body, the sacramental sign being put for the thing signified: as if he had said, we are united into one body with Christ, which is signified and sealed by our baptism. 

3dly, The efficient cause of the union, or the party uniting us to Christ, one Spirit, the one Spirit of Christ. It is by him we are baptized, and are joined to Christ. He casts the indissoluble knot; as Christ brings us to the Father, the Holy Spirit brings us to Christ, by faith which he works in us, and makes the marriage-tie between the King of saints and the daughter of Zion. This Spirit must needs be the infinite Spirit of God, since it is but one Spirit that knits all, not only as the author, but the bond of the union."

He also wrote:

"And he unites them to Christ by working faith in them; for he deals with them that have reason, not as with stocks, knitting them without any action of their own, but as rational creatures, apprehending them, and working faith in them, whereby they apprehend Christ."

"Hence we may see, That 'the Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.'"

"2. Faith on the believer's part, Eph. iii. 17- 'That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.' Thereby the believer apprehends, takes, and keeps hold of Christ. It is by that we receive Christ, John i. 12. come unto him, John vi. 35. and feed on him, ver. 56. This faith is that- true one, whereby a sinner heartily receives and rests on Christ for all his salvation."

Wrote John Calvin:

"We should be satisfied with the benefits of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that when we are grafted into his body and made one with him by belief of the gospel, then we may assure ourselves that he is the fountain which never dries up, nor can ever become exhausted, and that in him we have all variety of good things, and all perfection." ("Sermons on the Epistle to the Ephesians" by Lee Gatis, as cited here)

Gatis comments:

"For Calvin then, justification and sanctification are distinct yet inseparable, and simultaneously bestowed on us in union with Christ by faith...This would seem to imply very strongly that for Calvin justification, the imputation of righteousness, does not take place prior to union, but is in fact one of the manifold blessings obtained in union itself."

"In Christ by faith we obtain both a new life and a new legal status. Christ is the source of both; the legal change does not create the life, or vice versa."