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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON GETS SAVED?

This is Lesson 2 in the New Christian Series.

The first part of this lesson is a study of Twelve Important Things That Happen When A Man Gets Saved. The second part is the beginning of a three part study of Nine Basic Doctrines Associated With Salvation. When a man believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, many wonderful things take place as a new relationship is established between him and God. Of course, the new believer is unaware of all these things until he studies Bible doctrine and grows in the word of God.To illustrate, consider the auto mobile. The average auto mobile driver knows little or nothing about what goes on inside the engine and transmission to make the car move. He does know he can turn the ignition on, step on the gas and drive away, but has no idea of all the mechanical functions that must take place for that auto mobile to even move. The average Christian has a similar experience regarding the salvation of his soul. As it is unnecessary for the auto mobile driver to understand all of the workings of the auto mobile in order to drive it, so it is unnecessary for the believer to understand all the workings of God in his life in order to be saved: it is only necessary that he believe. Although unaware of all that transpired when he believed, or the many blessings that would accompany salvation, he still received the benefit of them.

While it is not necessary for all auto mobile drivers to study auto mechanics to become better drivers, it is necessary for all believers to study the Bible in order to enjoy their salvation fully and become better Christians. We got saved, even though our enemy the devil did not want us to. Now, he has another strategy to defeat us as believers. Satan wants to keep us ignorant of our new position and power in Christ. (In other words, while the devil cannot stop the believer’s car (his life), he can get it going in the wrong direction, or get it off in a ditch somewhere.) We should learn all we can about our relationship with God so that we can keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ and follow a straight path. It should be our desire to equip ourselves to be used by Him to minister to others and win the lost to Christ.

To begin with, we will look at twelve important things that happen to the believer when he gets saved. I think you will find these very simple and self-explanatory when we look at the scriptures. When we finish our study of these twelve things, we will go on to a more in-depth study of nine other very important doctrines pertaining to the new believer’s relationship with God.  

Twelve important things that happen when a man gets saved

I. His Sins Are Forgiven
"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin:" Colossians 1:13-14

  This verse should be a great comfort to all believers, especially those who lived like the devil all their unsaved lives. But by the grace of God, all our sins have been forgiven and will never be brought up again by the Lord. The realization that we have been redeemed by His blood is cause for great rejoicing; never cease to offer the sacrifice of praise for the wonderful work accomplished at Calvary in the offering of the precious Son of God for our vile sins!

II. He No Longer Has To Die In His Sins Every man must die in one of two ways. He will die at peace with God, looking forward to a heavenly home with eternal rest from sin and the cares of the world, or he will die in his sin. Unfortunately, most people die in their sins, because most people die unsaved.
 

"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."  John 8:24

  All the unsaved die in their sins, and must stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. Without the blood of Christ to take away their sin, there will be no mercy and no one to plead their case. Those who die in their sins will be cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be punished for ever and ever. The horror of the Auschwitz prison camps in Germany, the Bataan death march in the Philippines, and the torture of millions of Christians in Europe by Roman Catholics in the Dark Ages will seem mild in comparison with the horrors of eternal damnation in Hell.
 

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31
 

"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."  Matthew 13:49-50
  Hell is a place of unimaginable suffering. One of the greatest torments for those condemned to Hell will be the knowledge that they could have escaped. Having rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, the unsaved will perish without the Saviour, and in Hell memories of the past will haunt them forever: they will remember how they mocked the Saviour when they rejected the gospel of the grace of God, and they will remember their friends and loved ones who received God’s free gift of salvation. At the White Throne Judgment the lost will be doomed by their own confession of guilt even as the thief on the cross, who said of how the two suffered on the cross:
  "And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds...  Luke 23:40-41
    "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light for their deeds are evil."     John 3:19
  Rejoice, dear believer, in the knowledge that there is NO MORE CONDEMNATION for those washed in the blood of the Lamb! Furthermore, believers need fear death no more, for when we die, we will die in Christ. Our hearts should be filled with joy at the expectation of His soon return; when all those in Christ will be raptured, and taken to Heaven where we will be with Him forever in glory.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" I Thessalonians 4:16
  This verse refers to the rapture of the body of Christ, when the Lord will return to carry us away to be with Him forever in Heaven.

III. He Passes From Death Unto Life and From Darkness Unto Light

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren..." I John 3:14
  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
  For the unsaved sinner, life offers no more than a few sinful pleasures, worldly gain, and passing fame. At death, he will lose everything he ever treasured: his family, friends, fortune, and fame. Worst of all, he will lose his eternal soul to Satan, and be punished forever in Hell. Later, he will be raised up at the Great White Throne Judgment to be judged by the perfect measure of a sinless Saviour. He will then be cast into the Lake of Fire, called "the second death" (Revelation 21:8). By the grace of God, believers are no longer subject to the second death, for we have eternal life instead: we have passed from death unto life. In the scriptures, that life is the light.
  "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:4
  Having therefore passed from death unto life, the believer has also passed from darkness unto light, because Jesus is the light.
  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12
  "(Y)e should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you forth out of darkness into his marvellous light:" I Peter 2:9
As Christ is the light, so Satan is darkness:

"But if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." II Corinthians 4:3-4
  The lost are in darkness because "the god of this world" (Satan) has blinded their minds so they cannot see (II Corinthians 4). When they get saved, however, the Holy Spirit illuminates their darkened minds by the scriptures.
  "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
  "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." Psalm 119:130
  "(T)he Holy Ghost… shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26

Many years ago Charles Wesley penned the words to that immortal hymn ‘Arise My Soul, Arise." One verse says:
"Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night:
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth and followed thee!
  Thank God for the LIGHT that set us free and brought us out of darkness and death!
 

IV. His Name Is Recorded In Heaven

The Bible clearly teaches that there are BOOKS in Heaven. A liberal might say, "God knows everything; he doesn’t need any books." To which we would reply, "But the Bible says ‘BOOKS’." "Well, it says that, but it does not mean literal books; it is just figurative," he might continue. "Then maybe He just wrote your name down ‘figuratively,’" we would suggest. Believe what you will, brethren, but I am sure that my name is written in the Book of Life, and nothing can ever remove it.

The Bible says: "(R)ejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20   "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown... whose names are written in the book of life." Phil 4:1,3   "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the Lake of Fire." Revelation 20:15   True believers need not be concerned about being punished in the Lake of Fire, for our name is written in the Book of Life.

V. He Is Given Eternal Life The Bible says we do not have to wait until we die to know if we are going to Heaven. Eternal life begins the moment our sins are washed away. At that very moment our names are written in theBook of Life. That’s right, all believers have eternal life now. It began the day of our rebirth in Christ, and will never end. Since the believer’s salvation is eternally secure in Christ, we use the term"eternal security."   "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16   "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24   "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36   "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." I John 5:11-13

VI. He Receives An Inheritance

As believers we are God’s children:

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. "Romans 8:17
  How wonderful to be "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Because we are born into the family of God by faith, we not only receive forgiveness of sin, but an inheritance as well.
  "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Acts 26:18
  Our inheritance from the Lord as individual believers is not the same as Israel’s inheritance, which the Old Testament identifies as being the land of Palestine.
  "(A)nd all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever."   Exodus 32:13

The Christian’s inheritance is found "in Christ" and "in light."
  "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance..." Ephesians 1:11
  "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:" Colossians 1:12
  We are made fit for it by God the Father. The earnest (our guarantee that we shall receive it) is the gift of the Holy Spirit. At the moment we are saved, He seals us unto the day of redemption.
  "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:14
  This inheritance is described in brief but astonishing terms by the apostle Peter.
  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." I Peter 1:3-5
  It is incorruptible (it is beyond decay and ruin).
It is undefiled (it is beyond the reach of sin).
It will not fade away (it is beyond the reach of time and change).
It is reserved for us in Heaven (it is beyond the reach of loss).
  This part of our inheritance (including our new nature, our new body, and our home in Heaven) is kept safe for us until we receive it in the last day.
  "In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:2-3
  That mansion is also ours by inheritance, because we are his children. What wonderful things await those children whose God and Father has made such great provision for their homecoming!
As the scripture says:

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I Corinthians 2:9

VII. He Receives The Blessed Hope

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ;" Titus 2:13   When things go wrong in this life and the future looks tough, Christians can still look forward to this blessed hope.

VII. The Wrath Of God Is Removed

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36   When we believed, the wrath of God was removed off us. This can be likened unto the eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state in 1980. It spewed out a river of fiery, molten lava that destroyed everything in its path. Can you imagine someone walking up to that volcano and saying, "Peace be still," and having it stop and cool off; and maybe even developing a little frost over it?

Of course that sounds ridiculous, because it is utterly impossible for any man to do But it is not impossible for God, for He is the One who created the volcano. Certainly the Creator is more powerful than anything He creates. Can you picture Hell then, and how much more terrible the wrath of God will be in that place? Just think, all are condemned to suffer God’s wrath in a burning Lake of Fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. But one day the Saviour found us, gave the invitation, "Come unto me," and took all our sin away the moment we placed our faith in the precious blood of Christ — is it not marvelous?

IX. He Has Peace With God

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Romans 5:1   Now that we have "peace with God," we no longer have to worry about going to Hell, and we can really begin to enjoy life. The following story offers a good illustration of what peace really is. Once, there was a contest offering a prize to the artist best able to portray the state of true peace. Generally the entries portrayed a serene lake scene, beautiful majestic mountains, etc; but the prizewinning picture showed a rocky cliff, dropping off sharply into the sea.

There was a great storm upon the sea, with waves rolling high and crashing upon the isolated coastline. The judges did not understand how this could possibly portray the subject, "Peace." So the artist explained. About halfway down the side of the cliff on a frail limb a small bird’s nest was suspended over the turbulent sea. Inside was a mother bird and her chicks sitting quietly. "Peace," he said, "isn’t the absence of turmoil. Rather, it is found only in the midst of turmoil."

X. He Is Equipped By God For Service

God equips believers to serve Him by making them:    A. Ambassadors for Christ.   "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God." II Corinthians 5:20   An ambassador is an authorized representative who carries a message to the nations, and every Christian, whether faithful or not, is an ambassador for Christ. As His ambassadors we should carry thegospel message to all the world. B. Recipients of certain spiritual gifts.   Spiritual gifts from the Lord enable us to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. (We will study these in a future lesson.)

XI. Spiritual Priests

Every believer is made to be a priest unto God.   "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:6   "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." I Peter 2:5   As "priests unto God," every believer can go to God himself without any religious rites or carnal priesthood (as that of the OT). As spiritual priests, we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto the Lord. Some of these sacrifices are named in Hebrews chapter 13.   "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16 Three sacrifices are found in the preceding verse:

1. The sacrifice of praise 2. The sacrifice of prayer 3. The sacrifice of giving (to communicate)

XII. His Saviour Becomes His Advocate

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." I John 2:1-2   This verse tells us that Christ is our Advocate before God the Father. The Greek word for "advocate" is parakletos, which means intercessor. In the Roman legal system, the Paraclete was one called to the aid of a defendant in a trial. His job was to plead the case of the accused before the court in an attempt to obtain mercy. In the same way, Christ now pleads with the Father for mercy and pardon for those He has redeemed. Never another pled so fervently as our Lord, whose plea is based on His own blood sacrifice at Calvary. His plea is always just, always merciful and it is always granted. Praise God!   "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9   When believers sin, fellowship with the Father is broken. The remedy for this situation is confession of that sin to God. The Lord prescribed this way for us to receive cleansing of our sins and maintain our walk with Him. As His children "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" Furthermore, I Timothy 2 says:

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" I Timothy 2:5   If Jesus Christ is the one Mediator between God and man, then no earthly priest or heavenly saint is mediator. Any religious system that would place another in the position of advocate or mediator is nothing but a thief who steals Gods glory. Remember, He said He would not share His glory with anyone.   "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." Isaiah 42:8

Let’s Review

Twelve Important Things That Happen
When A Man Gets Saved (pp. 3-12)
Fill in the blanks.
1. Colossians 1:13,14 "Who hath delivered us from the......................., and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have.............. through his.......... even the........... of ..................."
2. John 8:24 "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall.....................: For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
3. People who have not trusted Jesus’ blood to wash away their sins will die in their sins and stand before the....................... Judgment.
4. After this last and final judgment, all the lost will be cast into the...........................
5. According to John 3:19 lost people are said to love........................... rather than light.
6. While lost people die "in their sins," saved people are said to die "........................" 7. Saved people who are alive "in Christ" as well as Christians who have died "in Christ" will be............... and taken to heaven at the Lord’s return.
8. Being cast into the Lake of Fire is also called the................. according to Revelation 21:8.
9. I John 3:14 says that Christians "Have passed from death unto............"
10. In the scriptures that life is the........................
11. In John 8:12 who is the "light of the world?".....................
12. As Christ is the Light, so Satan is .........................
13. II Corinthians 4:3,4 "But if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
14. What is Satan called in this verse? He is called the "..................................."
According to this verse, what has he done with his power? "...................... of them that believe not."
15. When a lost person gets saved, who illuminates his darkened mind?.....................
16. Psalm 119:130 "The entrances of thy............ giveth..............: it giveth understanding unto the simple."
17. John 14:26, "The............ shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
18. Luke 10:20 "Rejoice, because your............ are written in heaven."
19. Philippians 4:1,3 "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown... whose............ are written in the........................."
20. Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the............ was cast into the........................."
21. Is your name in the book of life? (Circle one) Yes No
22. The moment a person’s sins are washed away,............ begins.
23. John 10:28 "And I give unto them............ life; and they shall............ perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
24. John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath............: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him."
25. Can a born again believer ever lose his salvation?.............
26. Having been born into the family of God by faith, we not only receive forgiveness of sins, but an............ as well.
27. Write Acts 26:18 here.............................................................
28. Is our inheritance today the same as Israel’s inheritance?............ .
29. What is Israel’s inheritance? The land of............ .
30. Who "seals" a person that moment he is saved?............_ .
31. Ephesians 1:14 "Which is the............ of our until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
32. According to I Peter 1:3-5 the believer’s inheritance is
a. ............ b.............
c. ............ d.............
33. What other inheritance will we receive according to John 14:2-3? A ............ is also ours.
34. Titus 2:13 "Looking for that blessed ............, and the glorious............ of the great God and our Saviour ........................."
35. When things go wrong, Christians can take comfort that the Lord Jesus Christ will return soon. He could come........................!
36. According to John 3:36 what was removed from us the day we got saved?.........................
37. Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by............, we have............ with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
38. II Corinthians 5:20 "Now then we are............ for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God."
39. An ambassador is someone who carries a.............
40. ............Christian is an ambassador, whether he is faithful or not.
41. Christians should carry the ............ message to all the world.
42. The Lord enables believers to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit by giving them .........................
43. According to Revelation 1:6 every believer is made a............ unto God.
44. As priests, every believer can ............ to God himself without religious rites or a carnal priesthood.
45. As priests, Christians offer up.............
46. List three spiritual sacrifices found in Hebrews 13:15,16.
a. ............ b............. c.............
47. In I John 2:1,2 the Bible says that if we sin, Jesus Christ is an.........................
48. As such, Christ’s job now is to............ with the Father for mercy and pardon for those he has redeemed.
49. When believers sin,........................ with the Father is broken.
50. To restore our fellowship with God, I John 1:19 says that we must............ our sins.
51. I Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God and............ between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
52. If Jesus is the Christian’s mediator, does he also need a heavenly saint, earthly priest, or religious system to help him go to God?.........................
 

An In-depth study of nine basic doctrines associated with salvation PART 1

Here, we begin an in-depth study of nine basic doctrines associated with salvation. These are chosen because they are the ones with which we need to be most familiar. A knowledge of these subjects should not only strengthen us in our daily life, but also prepare us to combat false teaching. We will study the first three doctrines in this lesson, the next four will be covered in lesson three, and the last two will be covered in lesson 4.

Paul says:

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ:" Ephesians 4:14-15   The Lord desires for us to be established in the scriptures so we will not be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Because there are so many false teachers today, it is vital that every Christian know the truth about what the Bible teaches. There is no excuse for being confused or deceived by these false teachers, because the Spirit will guide us into all truth if we will follow Him.

The New Birth

Our first subject is the new birth. We see in the Bible that when a man gets saved, he is born again. Christ likens and contrasts this spiritual birth to our physical birth whereby our mothers brought us into this world.

Jesus spoke to Nicodemus:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:3-7   When a man gets saved, his spirit (small letter "s") experiences rebirth by the Spirit of God (capital letter "S").

I. Spiritual Death

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit, they died spiritually. They had been forewarned of this by the Lord in Genesis 2, when God said:
  "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:17

God told Adam and Eve they would die "the day" they ate the forbidden fruit. But we know that Adam did not die physically until 930 years later (Genesis 5:5). Since there are no mistakes in God’s word, we know that the Lord was not speaking of physical death, but spiritual death. Because of Adam’s disobedience, all born into this world thereafter, except for Christ, have been born with a dead spirit.
  "Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12
  In Romans chapter 6, the word death has a dual application. It refers not only to the death of our physical bodies, but to the second death in the Lake of Fire as well (Revelation 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8). This second death is the opposite of eternal life, which we receive by the new birth.
  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."Romans 6:23
  Except for those who will go up at the rapture of the Church, all men must die physically. Only the believer, having God’s gift of eternal life, will escape the second death. Our own spirit was dead, but being born again we are now made alive unto God by His Spirit.

In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul says:

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" Ephesians 2:1
  The word "quickened" means "made alive" (I Peter 3:18). Spiritually, every man is born the same — "dead in trespasses and sins."

Paul continues:

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past and the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 2:2-3
  By nature (that is by our natural physical birth) we were all born as "children of wrath." Having been born again, however, believers are no longer under the wrath of God.

That is why John says

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36

Now, listen to this.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved.
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7
  Oh, what glorious and precious words these are to the saint of God! When the Lord Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, we died to sin. When He came alive again and rose bodily from the grave, we were made alive in Him. When He ascended to the Father and was seated at the throne of glory, we were also seated in heavenly places with Him. Should we not, therefore, glory in his great love and the exceeding riches of his grace, knowing that He went to Heaven to prepare a place for us? And, He is coming again to gather us unto Himself, that we might partake of all His riches in glory. Hallelujah!

II. Every Man Is Born In Sin

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden every man has been born with a flaw. He is unclean before God because of sin. The imperfection of man may be noted below.
They are born with a fallen nature
They are born the children of wrath
They are born with a dead spirit

David says:

"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5
Job also knew that man is born with a spiritual defect.
"How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?" Job 25:4
  The answer to Job’s question is that man cannot be justified with God until he is born again.

III. The Two Births

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (first birth) and of the Spirit (second birth), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5
  Notice, that a man must be "born of water and of the Spirit." Catholics, Campbellites and other heretics say "born of water" means water baptism. What they mean is that one must be baptized to get saved. But in this verse the expression "born of water" has nothing to do with water baptism. In fact, the word "baptism" is not found anywhere in chapter 3.
Look more closely at the context of John 3:6. Jesus had just told Nicodemus (verse 3) that he must be born again. Not understanding, Nicodemus thought Jesus could only be speaking of a second physical birth. That is why he asked Jesus if it was possible for a man to enter into his mother’s womb and be born a second time(verse 4).

Look at the answer Jesus gives him

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:4
Then verse 6 explains the passage perfectly:
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." John 3:6
  You can see how "born… of the Spirit" in verse 4 matches "born of the Spirit" in verse 6?
Then, obviously "born of water" in verse 4 matches "the flesh," (natural physical birth) in verse 6. After examining the context, it is plain to see that only a man trying to justify a preconceived doctrine would make it to be anything else.
Moreover, we know that babies are suspended in a sac of water inside their mother before birth.
When the water breaks, as they say, the baby is about to be born. (Note in the book of Genesis thatnew life comes forth out of water.)
  "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." Genesis 1:20
  Physical birth is always connected with water,
But spiritual birth has nothing to do with water: it is by the Spirit of God.

IV. Born Twice, Die Once — Born Once, Die Twice

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14-15   "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8   "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."Romans 6:23   These verses in Revelation apply to a lost man coming before the Lord Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment, where he will be judged and condemned for his sin without an advocate.

Because he rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour and was not "born of the Spirit," he will be cast into the Lake of Fire, to be eternally separated from God. This is called "the second death."

Every lost man is born only once ("born of water,") but he will die twice.

He will die a physical death at the end of his life here on Earth, and a second death on the day of his judgment. In contrast, every saved man is born twice. Like all men he is "born of water" (physical birth), but he is also "born of the Spirit" (spiritual birth).

Therefore, a saved man will only die once, at the end of his earthly physical life.

Of course, he may not die at all, if he is still alive when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to rapture the body of Christ. Those who have been to Calvary and confessed their sin need never again fear judgement for sin, because it has already fallen upon the Saviour.

Understand this clearly: if you have not received forgiveness of sin by faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be judged by Him in your sin and you will go to Hell.

So, when a person trusts Christ as his Saviour:

His spirit is born again (John 3:6.)
His soul is saved from Hell (Matthew 10:28; 16:26.)
His body remains unchanged until Christ returns.

V. Body, Soul, and Spirit

Man is a tracheotomy (having three parts), being made in the image of God. We learn from the scriptures that man has a spirit, he has a soul, and he has a body. This is like unto our God who has a spirit — the Holy Spirit, God has a soul — the heavenly Father, and God has body — Jesus Christ.

Paul the apostle tells us this

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Thess 5:23

Look back in Genesis 2:

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7   God made man out of the dust of the ground (that’s his body). He breathed into him the breath of life (that’s the spirit). And man became a living soul.

Watchman Nee gives us more light on this:

"‘Formed man of the dust of the ground’ refers to man’s body; ‘breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,’ refers to man’s spirit as it came from God; and ‘man became a living soul,’ refers to man’s soul when the body was quickened by the spirit and brought into being a living and self-conscious man. A complete man is a trinity — the composite of spirit, soul and body. According to Genesis 2:7, man was made up of only two independent elements, the corporeal and the spiritual; but when God placed the spirit within the casing of the earth, the soul was produced. The spirit of man touching the dead body produced the soul. The body apart from the spirit was dead, but with the spirit man was made alive. The organ thus animated was called the soul.

‘Man became a living soul’ expresses not merely the fact that the combination of spirit and body produced the soul; it also suggests that spirit and body were completely merged in this soul. In other words, soul and body were combined with the spirit, and spirit and body were merged in the soul.

Adam ‘in his unfallen state knew nothing of these ceaseless strivings of spirit and flesh which are matters of daily experience to us. There was a perfect blending of his three natures into one and the soul as the uniting medium became the cause of his individuality, of his existence as a distinct being’ (see Pember’s Earth’s Earliest Ages). Man was designated a living soul, for it was there that the spirit and body met and through which his individuality was known.

God treated man’s soul as something unique. As the angels were created living spirits, so man was created predominantly as a living soul. Man not only had a body, a body with the breath of life; he became a living soul as well.

Thus we find later in the Scriptures that God often referred to men as ‘souls.’ Why? Because what man is depends on how his soul is. His soul represents him and expresses his individuality. It is the organ of man’s… will, the organ in which spirit and body are completely merged. If man’s (the believer’s) soul wills to obey God, it will allow the spirit to rule over the man as ordered by God. The soul, if it chooses, also can suppress the spirit and take some other delight as lord of the man.

Respective Functions of Spirit, Soul and Body

It is through the corporeal body that man comes into contact with the material world. Hence we may label the body as that part which gives us world-consciousness. The soul comprises the intellect which aids us in the present state of existence and the emotions which proceed from the senses. Since the soul belongs to man’s own self and reveals his personality, it is termed the part of self-consciousness.   The spirit is that part by which we commune with God and by which alone we are able to apprehend and worship Him. Because it tells us of our relationship with God, the spirit is called the element of God-consciousness. God dwells in the spirit, self dwells in the soul, while senses dwell in the body. The power of the soul is most substantial, since the spirit and the body are merged there and make it the site of man’s personality and influence. Before man committed sin the power of the soul was completely under the dominion of the spirit. Its strength was therefore the spirit’s strength.

The spirit cannot itself act upon the body; it can only do so through the medium of the soul. This we can see in Luke 1:46-47: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.’ "Here the change in tense shows that the spirit first conceived joy in God, and then, communicating with the soul, caused it to give expression to the feeling by means of the bodily organ.’ (__Pember’s Earth’s Earliest Age__). To repeat, the soul is the site of personality.

The will, intellect and emotions of man are there. As the spirit is used to communicate with the spiritual world and the body with the natural world, so the soul stands between and exercises the power to discern and decide whether the spiritual or the natural world should reign.

Sometimes too the soul itself takes control over man through its intellect, thus creating an ideational world which reigns. In order for the spirit to govern, the soul must give its consent; otherwise the spirit is helpless to regulate the soul and the body.

But this decision is up to the soul, for therein resides the personality of the man. Actually the soul is the pivot of the entire being, because man’s volition belongs to it. It is only when the soul is willing to assume a humble position that the spirit can ever manage the whole man. If the soul rebels against taking such a position the spirit will be powerless to rule.

This explains the meaning of the free will of man (the believer). Man is not an automaton that turns according to God’s will. Rather, man has full… power to decide for himself. He possesses the organ of his own volition and can choose either to follow God’s will or to resist Him and follow Satan’s will instead. God desires that the spirit, being the noblest part of man, should control the whole being. Yet, the will — the crucial part of individuality — belongs to the soul. It is the will which determines whether the spirit, the body, or even itself is to rule.  

A. The Spirit

The spirit of man is associated with the mind. A comparison of scripture with scripture clearly shows these words are used interchangeably in the Bible.   "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" I Corinthians 2:11   Notice again that "spirit," (small "s") is man’s spirit and "Spirit", (capital "S") is the Holy Spirit. Paul says that man’s spirit is the part of the man that knows things, the things of man. The mind is a function of the brain associated with the spirit. We see this relationship of the spirit and the mind expressed again in the following scriptures:   "[B]e renewed in the spirit of your mind." Ephesians 4:23   "For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit." Romans 1:9   "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin." Romans 7:25   "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24   We cannot see God — He is a spirit. We must worship Him in our minds and in our hearts. One of the evidences of the new birth is that a saved man begins to think differently because the Holy Spirit becomes one with his spirit. We then become conscious of God’s presence and will because the Holy Spirit has entered us and we have been renewed in our spirits.   "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our saviour." Titus 3:5-6   That "renewing of the Holy Ghost;" is what happens when the Lord comes inside us. He renews our spirit and gives us a new birth. This is called "regeneration." That is the "washing of regeneration" we just read about in Titus 3 it means a re-creation.

B. The Soul

The soul is the seat of the emotions, affections, desires, will, self— the "heart" in Scripture (Matthew 26:38; John 12:27). Soul and spirit, then, are divisible, as is shown in everyday life; the emotions being often contrary to what the mind knows to be the facts. Apparently, the soul is shaped like the body (Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 16:23-24) and fits in it like a hand in a glove. It is attached to the body in a lost man, but detached in a saved man, as we shall see in Chapter I. The soul gives us self-consciousness.

C. The Body

Now, when a man gets saved, his spirit is born again, and his soul is saved from Hell, but nothing happens to his body until Christ returns. __As we read in the book of Romans:__ "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope..." Romans 8:23-24   While our souls are not "saved by hope," the scriptures teach that our bodies are. While we still await the redemption of our bodies, we know that one day soon the Lord Jesus Christ will return. Then He will change our vile, sinful bodies into glorified bodies like His own, and our bodies will also be literally saved. __As Paul speaks of Christ:__ "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Philippians 3:21  

VI. When A Man Is Born Again

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." II Corinthians 5:17   This verse refers to the regeneration of our spirit when the Holy Spirit comes in and creates the new man within us.   "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13   We cannot, of ourselves, will the new birth. God must move first and draw us to himself.   "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44   When faith is received by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), this "gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8-9) enables us to see the truth. Then we have power to exercise our will and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ or to reject him as Saviour. When we believe, we receive Him, and by the operation of God we are born again by the Holy Spirit.

In the book of Revelation the apostle John records the invitation by the revelation of God. Here is the invitation.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come, and let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17

VII. Believing Is Not A Work

__Once again we see that salvation is not of works:__   "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9   Some say, "If you believe on Christ, you are working." But the Bible tells us plainly that believing on Christ is not a work.   "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:4-5   We will ignore what man says and simply believe the holy scriptures which tell us that: "(T)o him that worketh not. His faith is counted for righteousness." While others trust their works, we will trust in His finished work at Calvary. In the end, only His work will stand.

Let’s Review

An In-Depth Study of Nine Basic Doctrines Associated With Salvation (Part 1)

The New Birth (pages 20-30)
1. In John 3:7 Jesus said that a man must be.............
2. This new birth is not physical but............. 3. A saved person is said to be born of the............ according to John 3:5.
  From the verses below choose the correct reference to answer the question. It may be necessary to use some of the references more than once.

Ephesians 2:4 Romans 5:12 Revelation 21:8
John 3:36 Romans 6:23 Ephesians 2:5
Genesis 5:5 Ephesians 2:6 Ephesians 2:2
Ephesians 2:7 Ephesians 2:1 Genesis 2:17
Ephesians 2:3 I Peter 3:18

1.______ In which verse did God warn Adam and Eve that they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit?
2.______ Which verse shows that the death they experienced at that time could NOT have been a physical death?
3.______ Which verse tells us that because of Adam’s sin all men are born sinners?
4.______ Which verse says that man earns death because of his sin?
5.______ In which verse do we see the word death used in reference to both spiritual death and physical death?
6.______ Which verse says that physical "death passed upon ALL MEN" whether they are saved or lost?
7.______ Which verse says that "eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ."
8.______ Which verse tells us that Christ’s flesh was once dead but was quickened (made alive) by the Spirit?
9.______ Which verse says that every person is born "dead in trespasses and sins?"
10.______ Which verse says that believers are "made alive" spiritually when they are saved?
11.______ Which verse says that before you were saved you were a child of disobedience?
12.______ Which verse says that before a Christian is saved he was a child of wrath?
13.______ Which verse says that people are born sinners "by nature" (that the natural birth is no good)?
14.______ Which verse says that believers have life but unbelievers have wrath?
15.______ Which verse says that as unbelievers we were dead in our sins but now we have been saved by grace?
16.______ Which verse says that Christians already sit in heavenly places with Christ?
 

Choose an answer from the words below and fill in the blank.

  born of water fallen nature born again
born of the flesh water baptism water
children of wrath Psalm 51:5 Job 25:4
born of the spirit dead spirit

1. At the time of their physical birth every person is born has three characteristics. They are born:
a. With a............
b. The............
c. With a............
2. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me."............ .
3. "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?"........................
4. The Bible term for the natural birth..............
5. The Bible term for the second birth..............
6. What ‘born of water’ is NOT..............
7. What ‘born of water’ is..............
8. What ‘born of the Spirit’ means..............
9. The physical birth is always connected with this..............
  Read each statement below paying special attention to the italicized words in bold print. If the statement is correct as written, write the word "True" in the blank. If the statement is not correct, cross out the incorrect word(s) and write the correct word(s) in the blank.

1. ______"And death and hell were cast into the Lake of fire. This is the first death." Revelation 20:14
2. ______"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into hell." Revelation 20:15
3. ______ Lost people stand before the Lord Jesus Christ at the __Judgement Seat of Christ.__
4. ______ At the judgment of the lost, men will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the __second death.__
5. ______ Every lost man is born __once__.
6. ______ Every lost man dies __once__.
7. ______ A lost man’s __second death__ is his physical death.
8. ______ A lost man’s __second death__ is being cast into the Lake of Fire.
9. ______ Christians alive at the rapture will never experience __physical__ death.
10. ______ Every true Christian today has had __one __birth.
11. ______ The __soul__ of the Christian is born again (John 3:6).
12. ______ The __soul__ of the Christian is saved from hell.
13. ______ The __body__ of a Christian stays the same until the rapture.

Fill in the blanks.

1. Man is made up of three parts.
a. ............ b ............ c .............
2. At the rapture our bodies will be.............
3. Our newly reborn spirit is associated with our............
4. Three ways we must worship God:
a. ............ b. ............ c. ............
5. The ‘renewing of the Holy Ghost’ is called .............
6. According to II Corinthians 5:17 a saved person is a .............
7. To get saved a person must exercise his own will and believe .............
8. Believing on Christ is NOT a .........................

Spiritual

Circumcision

The second doctrine we will study is the doctrine of the spiritual circumcision of the soul.

I. The Operation Of God
At the moment of salvation, a surgical operation takes place inside the believer called "the operation of God," or the "circumcision not made with hands."

__Paul says:__
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." Colossians 2:10-13
  Circumcision is a surgical operation, but here, it is not a physical operation performed with hands; it is a spiritual operation performed by God. What happens in this operation? The sins of our flesh are put off by the circumcision of Christ.
We well know a man’s spiritual condition in his unregenerate state: he is dead in his sins and his soul is uncircumcised. On the other hand, his spiritual condition after the new birth is quite different, because of this circumcision made without hands. This circumcision miraculously separates our soul from the sins of our flesh.
In the Old Testament, God commanded the Jews to circumcise every male at birth. That physical circumcision was a type of the spiritual circumcision God performs on every born again believer.
  "Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
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." Romans 2:26-29

This is the inner, spiritual circumcision.
"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Galatians 3:8
  "And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29
  We learn from these verses that the New Testament Christian is now the seed of Abraham, in a spiritual sense. (Still, Christians have not displaced Israel, nor will we receive the physical promises made to the nation of Israel.) So, while an Old Testament Jew received physical circumcision (done outwardly in the flesh) a New Testament Christian receives spiritual circumcision (performed by God inside our bodies). It is interesting to note that the Old Testament circumcision was done on the eighth day after birth. If you have ever studied the meaning of numbers in the Bible, you know that the number "8 " represents a new beginning.

So naturally the Bible says:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." II Corinthians 5:17

Every man is born with a dead spirit and with his soul joined to his body. But when he is born again, he is spiritually circumcised and he becomes a new creature. Then, alive unto God spiritually, his soul is separated from his sinful body of flesh forever.
Let me give an illustration of spiritual circumcision. Have you ever eaten Jell-O? Have you ever taken a spoon and just played around with it, watching it wiggle and jiggle while you are eat? Well, then you know that you can take a knife, or spoon and, going around the inside of the bowl, you can loosen the Jell-O from the bowl. Soon you can have the whole thing loose in the bowl. That is like spiritual circumcision. That Jell-O was stuck to the bowl. You can turn it upside down and it will not even fall out; it is like they are one. But, cutting the Jell-O loose from the bowl, you actually separate the two. Notice that the Jell-O is still in the bowl, retaining the shape of the vessel that it was formerly stuck to. So also our souls retain a bodily shape.
Our sins are part of our flesh, and although our souls have now been saved, our bodies have not. We are still waiting for the redemption of our bodies, which will take place at the rapture. For now, we are trapped inside these sinful bodies of flesh. Before salvation, we were spiritually dead and in our sins, but read Ephesians 2.
  "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" Ephesians 2:1
  We have been "quickened" (made alive) unto God by the new birth. Why are we said to be "in our sins" before salvation? Because we are in these sinful bodies. Our sins are part of us, and we are part of them, because the two are joined together. So God performs this operation on us when we get saved, to separate us from our sinful bodies.
  "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Romans 6:18,22

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2
  While we are free from sin, it is still present in our bodies. Paul discusses this dilemma in Romans chapter 7.
Though this passage of scripture may appear difficult, it can be easily understood.
  "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."Romans 7:17-18,24-25
  How was Paul to be delivered? — "through Jesus Christ our Lord." Paul saw that he would finally escape that old sinful body at his death. How did he explain his sin? It was his old flesh serving the law, but never able to fulfil it. Nevertheless, Paul served God in his spirit, and struggled to bring his fleshly desires under control. Now, this is no excuse for sin, and we are held accountable for the things we do while still in our bodies.

Let me give an illustration.

Suppose a man is bitten by his neighbour's dog and the bitten man sues for damages. The dog’s owner testifies that he should not be held responsible since he did not bite his neighbour: it was the dog. While that is true, the owner is still responsible for not putting the dog on a leash. In the same way, the believer has the power to rule over his body, to resist the Devil, and keep from sinning (I Corinthians 10:13).
When our flesh does sin, we are held responsible.
At the same time, we know there has only been one who was perfect in all his ways. The secret to living the Christian life is for us to reckon our flesh to be dead and set our hearts to desire upon the things of God. We will still sin, but our soul is no longer defiled by those sins because it is saved and separated from our bodies.
Let’s go over it once more. Every man is born with their soul stuck to their body. Our sins are part of our flesh, and as unsaved sinners we are spiritually dead in our sins. We are in our sins because our sins are in our flesh. They are part of us and we are part of them. If we do not get saved, we die in our sins. After salvation, we are free from sin, but according to Romans 7:17,18 and 24, sin is still present in our mortal body. This is why the Holy Spirit cuts our souls loose from our bodies when we get saved, otherwise we would still be in our sins, because of our flesh.
  "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" Romans 6:6-8
  Here, "destroy" does not mean to annihilate, but to make powerless. In God’s sight our flesh is dead and no longer has power to rule over us. God sees us alive unto Himself and dead to the flesh. But, still dwelling in these sinful bodies and in this wicked world, we tend to give in to the desires of our flesh when tempted. When we do, we give it power over us once again. This is like committing spiritual adultery; and even though our soul is still saved, this condition will cause us to become unstable in our mind and life.
  "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." James 1:8
  "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Romans 6:11-12
  Here, the word "mortal" means "dead." When we get saved, the Holy Spirit cuts our soul loose from our body and kills (renders powerless) our flesh. But though it is dead in relation to God, westill have to put up with our flesh until the day that we leave it.
  "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." Romans 8:9-10

So when the Holy Spirit comes in:
He regenerates our spirit,
He kills our flesh, and
He severs our souls from our flesh.
  In reality, the Christian is dragging a corpse around. A lost man has a live body and a dead spirit, but a saved man has just the opposite: a dead body and a live spirit.
No one could be born again until after Christ’s death on the cross. Afterwards, according to His promise, He sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to permanently indwell those who received Him as their Saviour. No Old Testament saint ever received the spiritual circumcision, and none were ever born again. That is why we find the words "body" and "soul" used synonymously throughout the Old Testament. Man is referred to as a "soul" instead of a "person," because in the Old Testament, their soul was still stuck to their body. There was no way it could be cut loose. (Genesis 12:13, 46:26; Psalms 59:3; Proverbs 13:25; 25:25.)
There are many more verses like these in the Old Testament, but not once in the New Testament is the word "soul" used synonymously with "body." In the New Testament, Christ has died and the Holy Spirit begins to spiritually circumcise believers, cutting their souls loose from their bodies. The Holy Spirit has a sharp knife He uses to perform this operation, even as men used a physical knife to perform that physical operation called circumcision in the Old Testament. He uses "the sword of the Spirit;" the living Word of God you can hold in your hand.
  "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Ephesians 6:17
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17
  We are saved by grace, through faith, which comes by hearing the word of God. Without the word of God, no one could get saved, because they would not know how.
  "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." I Peter 1:23   It is "by the word of God" that a person is saved. Furthermore, it is alive, eternal, and incorruptible.
  "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…
Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:18,21
  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:12-13
  The word of God pierces and divides asunder our soul and spirit, cutting them loose from our joints and marrow (our body.) He is talking about the Bible; saying that the word of God knows all of our thoughts and the intent of our hearts. There is nothing hidden from Him (the word of God). He sees and knows everything we do.
Remember the Jell-O illustration? The bowl is like an unsaved man’s body: before it is cut loose, the soul is stuck to it. In that body "dwelleth no good thing," because it is sinful. If a man dies in his lost condition, his body goes to the grave, but his soul will go to Hell because it has no power to go to Heaven. However, when a man gets saved, the Holy Spirit cuts his soul loose from his body. So when he dies, his soul goes to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. For now, the believer is trapped in a sinful body of flesh which wants to rule over him, but the believer is no longer part of that body, nor need he be subject to it, if he yields himself to God.  

Let’s Review Spiritual Circumcision (pp. 36-41)

Fill in the blanks.
1. Spiritual "circumcision not made with hands" is called the "............ of God."
2. Physical circumcision is a type of............ circumcision.
3. Spiritual circumcision separates the soul from the sins of the.............
4. God performs spiritual circumcision on............ born again believer.
5. Every Christian today is the seed of ............ (spiritually).
6. According to II Corinthians 5:17, every Christian is a .............
7. According to Romans 6:18 Christians are ........................ from sin.
8. Even though a Christian is free from sin, sin still dwells in his.........................
9. In order to keep from sinning in the flesh, a Christian is to reckon himself to be " ............ unto sin."
10. The sword of the Spirit is the ............ of God.
11. I Peter 1:23 "Being ............, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."  

The Sealing of the Holy Spirit

I. Sealed Until The Day Of Redemption "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14   The "purchased possession" (verse 14) is our body, and we are "sealed... until the day of redemption" of that body. That’s what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:23, when he says, "[W]e groan within ourselves waiting for… the redemption of our body." The Holy Spirit has sealed us until that day of redemption.   "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30   "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." II Corinthians 1:21,22

II. The Two Natures

When spiritual circumcision takes place, a new creature is formed inside the believer. From then on, he has two natures.
See the following scriptures.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature..." II Corinthians 5:17
  "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day." II Corinthians 4:16
  "But ye have not so learned Christ;
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:20-24
  Before salvation, there is only the "outward man." Our soul takes on all the characteristics of that "old man" and its old nature because they are stuck to each other and are virtually one. When we get saved, a new man is created inside us; now we have the old man and the new man. This refers to our old Adamic nature that is part of our body, and our new spiritual nature, which is the "new creature" formed inside of us by the Spirit of God. The old nature is sinful and corrupt (Ephesians 4:22), but the new nature (cut loose from the old nature) is perfect and sinless. Ephesians 4:24 says it is created in righteousness and true holiness. Now, see how terribly confusing the next two verses are to those who do not know about the believer’s two natures.
  "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." I John 3:6
  If we are saved, we know we are abiding in Him in the inner man. Yet, if we have any sense at all, we also know that we have sinned.
Regrettably, we sin every day (and we know when we sin), but we are told in I John 3:6 that anybody abiding in Him does not sin, and anybody that sins has not seen him and doesn’t even know Him. How contradictory then, I John 3:9 seems to be.
  "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." I John 3:9
  I John 3:9 says we cannot sin, but we know we can sin; anyone who says they don’t is lying. It is shameful, but true, that we sin every day. See how I John 1:8-10 also seems to contradict I John 3:6,9.
  "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." I John 1:8-10
  How about that? These verses tell us quite clearly that if we say we have no sin, we have deceived ourselves, and we make God to be a liar. But the verses in I John 3 say that no one who is born of God still sins. How do we explain that? The only way we can explain those verses is by the doctrine of the two natures of the believer. The old nature is sinful — it is in the body. Furthermore, we are held accountable for the sins of our body.
When we obey our flesh and do wrong, I John 1 says we should confess those sins. But because our new nature is created in righteousness and holiness, it is sinless. So, you see, I John 1:8-10 is a reference to the old nature, while I John 3:6 and 9 is a reference to the new nature. The old nature is destined to go to the grave, but the new nature is destined to go to Heaven. That is eternal security!

Once again:

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." I John 3:9
  The believer’s spirit is born again — perfect and sinless. "His" refers to the Holy Spirit; and the "seed" is the word of God.
  "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." I Peter 1:23
  These verses that say we cannot sin, are used by some to teach a doctrine of sinless perfection. It is true that the believer’s soul no longer sins after experiencing the new birth, because it no longer touches the flesh nor is defiled by the sins of the flesh. But our body is not redeemed and it does sin. Believers are living sinless and perfect on the inside of their sinful bodies. Looking out through the eye holes in our heads, our souls are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption. That is the reason Jesus bore all our filthy, rotten sins in His own body at Calvary.
Then He took them down to Hell and left them there so that we would not have to pay the penalty for them. The problem is, that as long as we are alive we still have the old nature that wants to do wrong, while the new nature wants to do right. Paul spoke of this same problem in Romans 7. The old nature gave him fits. He was certainly one of the greatest Christians that ever lived, and he despised walking around in that body of sinful flesh, but he knew that only at death would be delivered from it.   "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." Romans 7:18-20
  The believer’s two natures can be plainly seen here. Our bodies desire to sin (and sometimes we follow those desires), but the new man does not want to sin. We find a spiritual warfare going on inside of us, even as Paul experienced.
  "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:21-25

All Christians have the same problem as Paul. But, the power is available to us as it was to Paul, that will enable us to put off that old man and put on the new man. The Holy Spirit has given us power over our flesh by putting it to death. The secret is for us to reckon that body to be dead also (Romans 6:6,11-12).
  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1-2

Furthermore, Paul instructs us:

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." Romans 13:14
  So, when we make provision to fulfil the lusts of the flesh and conform to this world, we are not putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are quenching the Spirit and breaking fellowship with our heavenly Father.
Paul also said that when he sinned, it really was not him doing it, but sin dwelling in him. So the doctrine of the believer’s two natures explains Galatians 2:20.
  "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
  One time Paul says that he is crucified, and the next time he says that, nevertheless, he lives. The explanation is that every Christian has a split personality—he is two people in one. We must consider the old man crucified and let the new man live and be renewed day by day. The Holy Spirit’s work is to cut our souls and spirits loose from our bodies, and seal that soul and spirit until the day of redemption.
The sealing of the Holy Spirit is one of the strongest arguments in the Bible for the doctrine of eternal security. This could be illustrated by sealing a letter in an envelope, putting a stamp on it, and sending it away. That envelope will not be opened until the letter gets where it is going. It is the same way with the child of God.
The Christian is like a fruit jar full of preserves with the top sealed. Those preserves will remain intact in the fruit jar until the top is removed. So, one day God will remove our soul from its container. The contents of the jar are protected even though you may take the jar and drag it through all manner of filth. It is the same way with the child of God. He can turn his back on the Lord Jesus Christ and follow after the lusts of the flesh. But if he does he will not get away with it, he will pay dearly.
He will reap what he has sown in this life and he will suffer loss of eternal heavenly rewards at the Judgement Seat of Christ. But, by the grace of God, he can never lose his soul because it is sealed and undefiled. That is eternal security!
These are three of the things we have begun to study in-depth, regarding salvation. There will be six more in the next lesson. Please study these lessons with an open Bible. Read the scriptures, study the verses and take notes. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and show you the truth. It is impossible for any man to make you understand the scriptures; the Holy Spirit is the only one that can do that. If He does not enable you to understand the word of God, you will never understand it. If you will believe and love God’s word, then you may ask God for understanding, and He will give it to you. He will not turn you away. He will teach you His word and equip you to serve Him. One day at the Judgement Seat of Christ you will receive rewards for your service unto Him. May the Lord bless you as you grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 

Let’s Review

The Sealing of the Holy Spirit (pp. 43-47)

Fill in the blanks
1. The ‘purchased possession’ of Ephesians 1:13,14 is "our ............."
2. Every believer is "........................ Holy Spirit " until the day of redemption.
3. Every believer has ............ natures.
4. Each Christian has an............ man and a ............ man inside him.
5. The old man does still ............ while the new man cannot .............
6. A Christian’s born again spirit is perfect and .............
7. The part of a Christian that sins is his .............
8. We are accountable for the sins of the .............
9. I John 1:8-10 is a reference of the ............ nature.
10. I John 3:6,9 is a reference to the ........................ nature.
11. Romans 7:21-25 explains the spiritual ............going on between the two natures in a Christian’s body.
12. All Christians have a ............ personality and are actually ............ people in one.
13. A Christian who follows the lust of the flesh will lose his rewards at ...................................., but we know he cannot lose his .............

Original Lesson By
Vernon Hanson
Bible teacher
Gloryland Baptist Church
Edited and expanded by
Linton M. Smith Jr.
ThB., ThM., DD.
This Bible course has been prepared and distributed as a ministry of Gloryland Baptist Church. It and other gospel materials may be obtained from:
Gloryland Baptist Church
P.O. Box 587
Adamsville, AL 35005
Pastor Charles Andrews
(205) 791-0312
valiantfortruth@reborn.com
  Gloryland's New Christian Series Bible course may be copied freely, but must not be sold except to recover the cost of copying or printing. We only ask that proper credit be given and that you notify us if you are copying or distributing the course or making links to it on the Internet. Please let us know if you translate the course into another language, or if you wish to have it translated into another language. © Copyright 1994 Linton M. Smith Jr. Next Page