Nobody Told Me About 'Good Flesh'

...And by saying "nobody" it obviously isn't the case, I have learned about it through a mentor and I am so thankful!  Since I used the term "good flesh" over and again in conversations last week, the Spirit is leading me to just put it in a blog post.

Most believers can easily explain how sin happens; it happens when someone isn't obeying God's commands.  "Do not steal.  Do not lie.  Do not dishonor one's parents."  We could call failures in these ways, "bad flesh" - when the flesh acts out in ways that are in disagreement with God's law.  But there is a more insidious case of fleshliness, one that is much, much harder to discern from the Spirit.  Why is it harder?  Because it looks and acts just like someone who obeys God's laws.  At least, as far as most believers can detect on a less intimate level.

What does "good flesh" look like?

When I'm in good flesh, sometimes, I'm quoting scripture.  Sometimes, I'm leading someone through the gospel.  Sometimes I am getting groceries out of my pantry for a neighbor, or helping a friend across town.  Sometimes it's when I raise my hand in Sunday School.  I can be in good flesh and start a blog post.  (Okay, I'm praying right now to get me out of good flesh, because believe it or not, this is difficult to deny in myself!)

Don't all those things sound so Godly?

Don't be deceived.  I'm trying not to be.

"But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way..."

Let me explain what is at stake, the best way I know how.  Anytime anyone takes you on a tour of God's commands to disciple you, what happens in your soul?  I will tell you what happens in mine.  When someone shows me God's standards, I have tried to be the most willing and pliant of people.  Unfortunately I hear only at a certain depth, the first time I am told about God's goals for me.  This first depth is almost always, "good flesh."  It tries.  It is ready for a challenge.  It wants to grow, to develop, to be proven a good student.  It wants to perform when told there is something important at stake.

And there is a negative response in "good flesh."  It feels pressure when the discipleship program comes back for round two, three, ... fifty.  "Good flesh" looks at the same challenge on some days, and doesn't get excited.  It wants to hide.  It wants to avoid.  The mind gets foggy, not knowing where they are and where they are ultimately going.  It causes hurt.  It causes confusion.  Then later, the fog lifts because the soul gets tired of the path of pressure.  Just like it became tired of challenging itself.   There is a constant oscillation of "I'm ready for a challenge, again!" and then disillusionment and confusion come back once more.

There is no middle ground, with "good flesh."

Fortunately for us, God uses the law in a Spiritual way, oftentimes, for us after our first hearing.  He has mercy on us and intercedes for the will of God in our lives.  If our hearts are truly repentant, we will "hear" later, that same program of discipleship all around us.  We will hear it in the words of other believers and even unbelievers.  We will hear it in the Bible when we were reading for another purpose.  We'll hear it in our escapist tv programs.  And most importantly, in our experiences and our attempts to understand God's will in the moments of our lives, we'll hear it when it's time to attempt a new level of obedience.

I have a feeling that Paul's number one concern of sin in the Epistle of Romans, is "good flesh," not "bad flesh."  Think about chapter 2 when he tried to reason with the righteous as measured by God's law.  Think about chapters 6 through 10 which Paul uses to save us from the mistakes of Israel and their fate in Romans 11.  He wants our experience of salvation to be actual "saving" from the flesh in every aspect of life.  Let's read through Romans 7 and into Romans 8, 9 and 10, with the idea of "good flesh" being enemy #1.  I'm so glad God showed this to me recently.  Romans 7:6, 8-9 -

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.  What shall we say, then?  Is the law sin?  Certainly not!  ...  But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire.  For apart from the law, sin is dead.  I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.  And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.  

Any program of discipleship or shepherding using commands and ideals from God's Word cause good flesh to respond.  It is an imperfect program of sanctification.  Not because the law itself is bad.  The law is Spiritual.  But we still have flesh and it wants to respond.  Does the law not tell you, "perform"?  Of course!  And this is exactly why, after some time of investing heavy personal efforts, those who are taking us through a tour of God's Word say... "Umm, you still don't demonstrate that you get it."  How frustrating!  I call this stage, fog.  I think Paul does, too.  Romans 7:15,18, 22-25

For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will to do, I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.  ...  ...for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  ...  For I delight in the law of God according to 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 will deliver me from this body of 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.

Anytime we fall short of perfection, guess which realm made it happen?  The flesh.  Our minds can "hear" on that first level every single day what God is leading us to become. But how to become it, defies us, as soon as our will is to manifest it.

The good news is, God understands the problem very well.  Let's read Romans 8:1, 3-4 -

There is now no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  ...  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us....

Jesus stood in the place of attempting the will of God; His attempts stand in the place for our attempts.  He gave us a way of being in response to the expectations of God, and have complete and utter victory.  So this is what is at stake: we can walk in what Christ accomplished, or we will walk in the realm of getting all fired up to live up to the challenge of God's Word.  Every Christian deed we attempt will be judged this way: Romans 8:13 -

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

The law was meant to sanctify us.  Even though it can't.  There is still a way that it can.  "But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.  For they are not all Israel who are of Israel" (Romans 9:6).  Let's read Romans 10:5-9 -

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, 'The man who does those things shall live by them.'  But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, 'Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say?  "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe that in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

There is a perfect picture of the silly maze of good flesh.  It either gets pumped up to rise itself to the occasion (ascends), or it wants to run and hide in fog and surrender (descends).  But faith offers a sane middle road.  It believes what Romans 8 just taught.  What the flesh could not do, God did by sending Jesus Christ on behalf of sinful flesh.  If we want to escape good flesh - we call out Jesus Christ as Lord.  If we put to death the deeds of the body through resurrection power (Rom 8:11), we will live!

Remember, Paul asked "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24).

Israel stumbled over and rejected the righteousness available by faith.  Faith says this when it hears the law: "The word of God is near you."  Another words, The Word is a Presence!  He is in your heart (Jesus was raised from the dead) and He is in your mouth (confess that Jesus Christ is Lord).

Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11).  Paul experienced that shame as a Christ follower in Romans 7, he even called himself wretched.  Christ followers are thus taught how to escape the error that the Israelites made - they did not call on God in Isaiah 28:16 -

Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.

My hope for myself, is this.  When I hear the Word of God, and a fellow believer most thankfully has aspirations to see my life embody it, I will stop where I am and not be inspired to try.  I will believe that Jesus is available and ready to obey it perfectly in my place.  He is the sane middle road.

How Much We Need Need (part 3)

'Need' is a Significant Component to the Gospel Message
[Previous post:How Much We Need Need (part 2)]

The way of this world is crooked, yet finds hope in Christ to put on the incorruptible and immortal. Jesus' offer of eternal life to all those who trust in Him for it, is not divorced from His earthly ministry. Nor is it divorced from the Father's ministry. Even the Gospel written for the purpose of evangelism (the Gospel of John; 20:31) does not neglect to testify of the power and presence of God, come, through signs. The kingdom come is a historical event just as is the cross. No matter the Gospel, the reality is that the promise of God manifesting and working in our midst - God's glory - has come face to face with us through Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6). The gift is available; for all to "receive" (Gal 3:14). It is clear; "revealed" (Gal 3:23, Gal 3:1, John 3:16). It is now; when "the fullness of the time had come" (Gal 4:4). Anyone who comes to the Father may drink Jesus, which is the indwelling of the Spirit (John 7:37-39). He wants us correspondingly to choose to remain in Christ and so also in the Father.

Lift up Your Face: The Woman at the Well's Assurance to Us

God-fearing Jews and Gentiles sought to be in Him, and when He came, they received Him with joy. In our case example, the woman at the well goes off to share the source of living water with the men of her city. While she is gone, Jesus teaches His disciples what they are missing since they were absent. He says in John 4:35,

Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

This is an insider's track, the strategy driving the exchange with the woman at the well. The disciples had been laboring to purchase food which perishes. Meanwhile she can see the Way. The harvest is white when the revelation of Jesus is proclaimed. When in the town she does not communicate with the language of living water, though she points to the same source. She is testifying to the town, the Way. Not so centrally the Truth (1 Cor. 15:1-4), not so centrally the Life (John 11:25-26). The whole town would be very familiar with Jacob's well. She was confident this familiar object would illuminate the relational understanding of their need of God, and show how to receive the Spirit. She reaps. She receives wages. She was excited to share in the everlasting work of the Kingdom with Jesus her Savior. Now she is part of the Jerusalem that is born above, the Jerusalem of prophesy. Gal. 4:24-25, 28

For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar--for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children--but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. ... Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the promise.

Housing the source of living water, New Jerusalem is clad in precious gems which stand the fiery test of judgment (1 Cor 3:12). These materials are the sort which the Jerusalem of the bondwoman never got around to acquiring for themselves though given ample opportunity. They distanced themselves from God, they convinced few that their God was true, and were exiled. God hid his face from them for a time, because they believed they did not need God. Then in Isaiah chapters 40-66, God tells them He has not written a certificate of divorce. He will bring the remnant back by His Servant, the Kinsman-Redeemer, who will acquire everything Himself out of faithfulness to Jacob, out of His mercy and grace and strength. He will convince the watching world. The precious gems (reward/wages) are explained in Isaiah to be children, or the nations. Jerusalem will not be barren of disciples any longer. He will see to it personally. Isaiah 49:18,

Lift up your eyes, look around and see; all these gather together and come to you. "As I live," says the LORD, "You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, and bind them on you as a bride does."

This strength to convince people of our God confirms the Spirit having come, and certainly stood in contrast to the accomplishment of the Pharisees, who "travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, [they] make him twice as much a son of hell as [them]selves" (Matt 23:15).

Massive conversion to the faith is not the only "sign" that assures God's promise to Abraham has been made clear, available, and right now. I used the word "sign." It is a sign, and I use the word in a way a little less narrowly than a typical free grace person might.

Signs: Tangible Proof of The Power and The Presence of God

Elijah is a lesson that though God does amazing signs for one, God was still quietly at work in the lives of 7,000. Though He had spoken His presence through impressive fire on the altar, He also was not in the wind, earthquake or fire, but a still small voice. When doubting Thomas greeted the resurrected Jesus, Jesus said "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). Jesus also said it was a wicked and adulterous generation that seeks after signs when they are plenty already to be believed (Matt 16:4), but, having mercy on us He acknowledged, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe” (John 4:48). And so He uses signs; eight in John - eight miracles upon major prophecies of Christ's identity and accomplishment.

It is interesting that in God's opinion eight signs in the Gospel of John prove enough about Jesus that people may believe to everlasting life. But there are a multitude of other "signs" in John's Gospel. An example is John 6:2 which is not counted as one of the eight signs,

Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

All eight are not requisites for faith. When only one of John's eight signs in his Gospel had been performed in chapter 2, Nicodemus comes to Jesus in chapter 3 to learn how to become a citizen of redeemed Jerusalem because of a number of unidentified signs (plural, 3:2). What about all the other amazing happenings (signs) encompassing Christ? For instance John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin, yet John said he did not know who the Savior was till the alighting of the Spirit. What is he trying to do to us? John can't mean he doesn't know the cousin he recognized in utero! He means, he was looking for the signs, and they came from Isaiah (42:1). Scripture enmeshed with circumstances was his assurance. We can easily expound the work and identity of Christ when we look for the many signs of what His coming and Kingdom will be like. Are custom-fitted applications of God's Kingdom in our lives, an interference to the doctrine of 'faith-alone'? The woman at the well asked what some have considered 'deflecting questions' out of her pursuit of God's true place of worship. Both she and John the Baptist's belief in Jesus came in circumstantial need for God.

How Many Signs Do We Need?

Jesus said "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true" (John 5:31). He reaps what the Father sowed. Some people might want to argue that "God is with Him" so that the world would believe in Him for everlasting life. But Jesus' oft repeated contention is for all to know the Father. His ministry was to glorify the Father, not Himself. This is why John is concerned that "the words of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled" throughout the length of the book. If Jesus' "Emmanuel" ministry was to convince the whole world to become followers of the Father, that therefore proves Jesus is the Father's (suffering!) Servant. If Jesus' ministry is failing to convince the lost person to believe the Most High God, has He saved anyone?

John employs eight signs for one goal: to "know Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (20:31). But the passages in John of each sign employs itself for the manifesting of His glory, and, for believing. Believing what? Remember, believing in Jesus and believing in the promise to Abraham are, paradoxically, distinct and yet One. What is an acceptable handle on the nuance between the two covenants (I can barely describe it in a post, truly!)

In the same way that the truth is distinct and yet also One, let me ask if believing in Jesus for eternal life, and believing in Jesus, are at odds with one another? No! Jesus has life in Himself like the Father. Might we skip over the Father and receive the gift from Jesus separately? Not likely! Jesus' shared His heart for the Father. To believe in the Son is to believe in the Father, and to believe in the Father is to believe in the Son as well.

The Way You Know, You Know: Variegated Signs

In the free grace INDepth note on the signs of Jesus in the Gospel of John of my Bible, it says, "... each miracle was a concrete demonstration of Jesus' divinity and messiahship" [1]. This is true, and John 20:31 tells us the signs are meant so that we might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing we might have eternal life. And that is excellent. But God's Word can be believed point-blank, in passive persuasion. Man is less willing to believe Him at His Word, and so God gave more; demonstration and power and the nearness of God. "Signs," "semeion" means a distinguishing mark or an indication. It means a portent, a miracle... bringing attention to the Trinity.

Signs prove the gospel of Jesus Christ is variegated in our approach to Christ and Christ's approach to us. Jesus' disciples believed in Him with a single sign that He turned water into wine. These Jews were aware of their own performance in the covenant having degraded since the exemplary faith-lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. "We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, those who were never called by Your name" (Is. 63:19). That Jesus had created the best wine at the end of the covenant, spoke scriptural, relational truth. Without Jesus there, it was just another wedding, just another day. But significance came to the wedding when Jesus made their need for God obvious according to the scriptures. They were not inhibited from believing Jesus because there was not yet a cross and resurrection or no audible promise of everlasting life. And they could also believe that the Servant would die according to other scriptures, because that is where the recollection of revelation leads them to conviction. This explains how Mary anointed Jesus before His death, when none of the apostles got that Jesus was going to the cross. She had spent a lot of time watching "the signs of the sky," sitting at His feet.

Nicodemus knows by sheer volume and kind of signs. He knew Jesus was a teacher come from God, for no one can do the signs that He did unless God is with Him. And if God is with Him, then the Kingdom has indeed come. Jesus did so many signs that the people wondered if their doctrinal Christ would be any more prolific than this man Jesus? John 7:31,

And many of the people believed in Him, and said, 'When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?'

Other "signs" in the Gospel of John are:

• physical healings (Jn 6:2, Is 38:16)
• the blind see (Jn 9, Is 35:5-6)
• infants and children will not die young (Jn 4:50, Is 65:20)
• the Father anoints Jesus (Jn 6:27, Is 61:1)
• liberty to the captives (the Son makes you free Jn 8:36, Is 61:1)
• the acceptable year of the Lord (the woman in adultery Jn 8:10, Is 61:2)
• opening the prison of those who are bound ("loose" the bound Lazaraus Jn 11:44, Is 61:1)
• comfort for the mourning (the Comforter comes when Jesus goes away, Jn 16:6, Is 61:2)
• joy replaces mourning (Jn 15:11, Is 61:3)
• the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Jn 14:27, Is 61:3)
• the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified (Jn 15:7-8, Is 61:3)

This is just scratching the surface, mostly from just one passage in Isaiah as one may see. These do not include the many passages in Isaiah on light, or love and mercy of God has come, most importantly the suffering Servant, and there's more.

Entrance Sign: Those Who Are Making Straight the Way Are Grabbed by Those Seeking the Way

The Father and Son talk to each other about their motive in the gospel. The Father states His plan to gather true Israel, which includes God-fearers among the Gentiles. Where are God's "7,000 quiet God-fearing" unbelievers in our day? When we witness the gospel converting Gentiles we gain assurance that we know God and God knows us. Is. 49:5-6

And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered back to Him (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength), indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'

The Gospel of John calls God-seeking Gentiles "children of God" in Caiaphas' prophecy, 11:51

Now this he did not say on his own authority, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

By this scriptural "sign" from John we know that Jesus is the Servant, and the Father is faithful to His promises.

Those coming into His Kingdom find the Way to anticipate redemption from human depravity and a fallen world. God's glory-with-us, is part of the New Covenant Way in which He plans to win the world through the church. We read salvation into our circumstances right off the pages of scripture, and we realize we "know" Jesus now. This is the mystery where we begin a relationship by faith with Him.

That Which Matters to Us Matters to Him -
Will We Respond the Same

From the scriptures, straight to the needs of our lives - only God-fearers see the Way to believe in Him. Both the gift and the supply of the Spirit is for anyone who asks the Father (Luke 11:13) and believes in His Son, Savior of the world. And, through Him we also have a firm hope for godly living.... the subject of the next post. Matt 22:1-14

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

How Much We Need Need (part 1)
How Much We Need Need (introduction)


[1] Thomas Nelson Inc., 1997. NKJV Study Bible, pg. 1781.

How Much We Need Need (part 2)

[Previous post: How Much We Need Need (part 1)]
'Need' is a Significant Component to the Gospel Message

The Woman of Samaria
by Harold Copping

In the last post I took a fresh look at John 4 and the gospel presented to the woman at the well. In this post I would like to ask some critical thinking questions.

Imagine a salvation where there was no redemptive works to be done, no thing for saints to accomplish by Christ's power, in this life or the resurrected one. What would the offer of eternal life in John chapter four look like if humanity only needed forgiveness of sins and a wage-less, rewardless, workless, and undistinguished experience of eternity in heaven? I might have to pull out a pen and (God forgive the concept) mark out portions, perhaps something like this:

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The Woman at the Well: Evaluate the "Homework"

This is a good point for discussion. What do you think of the stuff in the last post? I know I don't know a lot yet and I probably have some major holes in my understanding of what is happening in John 4.

Around town I head FG people say about our own gospel that it "makes no difference, it's only the convincing thing to do." Did Jesus share a "no difference" gospel in John or in the other Gospels?

What is the gospel according to the passage? Is the gospel precisely only one verse: "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water"?

If that's all the gospel is, what's all the context for? Did the woman at the well need the context on husbands (Jesus' conversation piece) and places of worship (her conversation piece) in order to receive the gift of eternal life? Seriously, we just don't need all that do we? Even the study note in my bible says that she was deflecting the gospel issue by bringing up a theological hobby horse. Is the discussion on the proper place of worship in this gospel presentation just theological legalism? Is Jesus doing biblical synthesis? Of course the biblical backdrop is necessary. I believe Jesus needed those scriptures because it satisfies what this woman knows she needs of God. She need not repent here in this encounter; Jesus does not ask her to repent in this passage. She isn't pressing to perform good works for her salvation. What she needs is a New-Covenant grand integration with God; the kind that advances her abiding with God, and God abiding with her.

Jesus asked her, "If you knew..." To "know" God is to be intimately knowledgeable of Him through living with Him (John 14:7-9; 17:3). Sounds like a question of fellowship. We read gospel passages in the New Testament scriptures as always being a "yes/no" answer of whether or not people in His day were saved (justified/possessing eternal life). Why can't it be a "yeah-but wait"?

There are two typical ways a Free Grace person assesses Spiritual exchange with God. They do it by asking the question, "Is this person being saved/justified/receiving eternal life?" Or they assess by asking, "Is this person already a believer, but now is coming to a conviction regarding sanctification or fellowship with God?" Right? Both those questions are excellent for this passage. The woman at the well: is she being invited to return to fellowship with God, and therefore was already justified (saved)? If she was not saved before He presented this gospel, is He inviting her to just believe and therefore also receive the fulfillment of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, previously unavailable to believing Jew or anyone else for that matter, in Living Water now available to the world? But there is a third way to assess the Spiritual exchange, which is the essence of this post.

First be sure, this is a gospel for a Jew, a physical descendant of Abraham (she calls Jacob her father in verse 12). This may be a most inappropriate gospel to share with a Gentile to help them receive justification with God; that is, unless it's suitable for all people, which I believe it is, but I will explain that in another post. Before I explore some of the issues of salvation/fellowship for a Jew, let me share what a burden it has been to study this carefully. It is so difficult to understand her relationship to God, especially considering she is a half-breed Samaritan, with all the pondering I've been able to make of this passage.

There's a more paradoxical way of approaching a passage such as this, than just asking two diagnostic questions "Is she getting saved?" and "Is she returning into fellowship with God?" This third approach finds the most consistent support through scripture, and once I got it, it was simple to understand why Jesus was preaching the way He did, and why the Apostles preached the way they did in Acts and taught the gospel the way they did in Romans and Hebrews. Let me show you how I found what I have.

Abraham had Eternal Life and the Holy Spirit

First I asked myself, what about Abraham? Was he saved? And his sons, Isaac and Jacob? How about all his other offspring... were they saved? We know that "only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7). "That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed" (Rom. 9:8). Therefore we know that whoever is a descendant of Abraham and who also had at any moment the faith of Abraham (faith in the promise first given in Genesis 12) are those who will inherit the promise. If the promise was most illustrated as guaranteed to anyone at all, it was illustrated as guaranteed to Abraham. Can anyone nullify the promises to these believers? No!

If Abraham were standing there with the woman at the well, would he need to hear the gospel Jesus told this Samaritan woman? Can you imagine Jesus telling Abraham, "Believe in Me and receive everlasting life!" The answer is yes, and no. First: the reason why the answer is no....

The promises made to Abraham already contained the saving work of Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection: The Holy Spirit for, and the Resurrection of, believers. It is quite something that the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1 Cor 15:1-4 is caught up in Genesis 12... but thanks be to God that it was kept secret till the administration of grace began in Paul's preaching and teaching.

Proof text: Matthew 22:29-33

Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

If Abraham is living thousands of years after his physical death, then hasn't he already received the gift of eternal life? Do Abraham's spiritual offspring (those who "believe in the LORD") also already possess eternal life? I think so. After all, Jacob and Isaac already have it too. If this woman already believed in the LORD before meeting the person of Jesus, she had already received the gift of eternal life before Jesus offered it at the well. Therefore she did not need the gospel of everlasting life preached to her to offer her justification. In fact the terminology Jesus uses may simply be formality and confirmation for the long-awaited promise. He says essentially, "Got some good news here!" John 4:13-15

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

Payment of goods promised, is the gospel ("good news") here? Yes indeed! But even this is not the most important issue going on here, because in a sense she still needed to believe this gospel to be saved. In this perspective, the answer is yes -- Abraham did need to believe the gospel Jesus was preaching here. Let's investigate the issue of the Holy Spirit and see if we find the same pattern (and we do).... When I read Genesis 12, or Genesis 15:6 where his faith was accounted for righteousness, I just don't see the promise of the Holy Spirit embedded in these promises. Nevertheless, that is what Paul tells us was latently there all along in the book of Galatians, all of chapter three. (Paul is the authority on this doctrine.)

Proof text: Galatians 3:2-9

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

We also know the promise of blessing spoken to Abraham was a dim revelation of the Holy Spirit from another verse in Galatians, 3:14

that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Abraham did not possess the Holy Spirit. Not in the way we Gentiles do (in this 'time of the Gentiles' after Emmanuel has come). The Holy Spirit was not come to dwell in men till Pentecost happened. Before that, it was some kind of closeness with His Spirit yet without Him making His eternal dwelling in those who believe in Him. Abraham was most definitely looking forward to the day of Pentecost. He knew it was the means by which God would bless all the families of the earth. Here is the doctrine which contrasts the difference between Abraham's covenant and Jesus' covenant, John 4:13-15

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

She wants two things. She wants to not have to travel to draw water - implying distance. There would be no distance now between her and God anymore, since the fountain of water (the Holy Spirit) would make her connection to God a personal possession. Second, she wants to not thirst. She needs God's Spirit, in fact we could just say she needs God (Father, Son or Holy Spirit), period. She wants Him. She IS thirsty. She wants Him all the time. Thirst happens when you leave the side of the well, does it not? But we cannot escape the presence of God in the New Covenant. This is an upgrade in water-dispensing technology. It is in a grand sense, integrating God and man closer than they had been through the promises of Abraham. With Jacob's well, this much is sure: they had already received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They had received the promise of God. They had free access to God's presence, God's Spirit. Jacob's well proves that the usual Free Grace questioning of salvation and fellowship issues is stopping short of the most important question. It is not a "yes/no" but a "yeah, but wait" kind of answer.

Jesus says "You won't have to 'come here' (to Jacob) to draw God anymore. I'm changing (fulfilling and replacing) the covenant."

The Free Grace Gospel: What it has Been and What it can Become

John 4 is a gospel proving how the LORD uses human need for God to bring people into persuasion of the Truth and Work of Christ, to receive Him (the gift). It seems to me indisputable He did just that in this passage. And since it is so simple (as the GES say, one drink, one persuasion is all it takes), and must be doctrinally sound (as the FGA say, the Jesus of scripture is what must be identified), this gospel focusing on human need for receiving Jesus is the framework for both sides of this debate to be right when they preach.

John 4 is a great example of the weakness in both the GES's and the FGA's distinct philosophies on evangelism. The FGA wants to safeguard against universalism and false doctrine of the work and person of Christ; therefore they probably wouldn't use this passage to help someone come to Christ. The context is eschatological, and otherwise incredibly narrow and personal, and does not articulate 1 Cor 15:1-4.  It is sad they wouldn't use a passage from scripture of our own Savior offering living water to "anyone" ("And let him who thirsts, come" Rev. 22:17) who wants it. The GES wants to safeguard against false doctrines of works so believers can gain assurance of salvation and rest and grow in Christ. This passage does a great job at leading a lost person to assurance of salvation. Unfortunately the context is eschatological and incredibly narrow and personal, and in this woman's case her presence by Jacob's well suggests she already possessed eternal life.

Dave Anderson remarked at the Free Grace Alliance conference last spring, "I don't want to go on with this business of finding the minimalist gospel. I want to preach the maximum gospel." Minimums are wrong. But so are maximums. What we want is a way to navigate through gospel passages according to the way that most helps the lost person get saved. This passage can and should be used in evangelism in spite of its flaws in satisfying the noble goals of the FGA and GES. I want to explore the heart of the scriptures on salvation, perhaps by which we can assess the Spiritual exchange happening in New Testament gospel accounts.


[Please click the links below to other posts in this series:]
How Much We Need Need (introduction)

How Much We Need Need (part 1)

[Previous post: How Much We Need Need (introduction)]
'Need' is a Significant Component to the Gospel Message

In this post I would like to take a look at the gospel given to the woman at the well in the Gospel of John, Chapter 4. In the next post I plan to ask some critical questions.

The key to understanding the gospel content that saves the lost person coming to Christ, comes through the understanding that apart from God's presence with us our world is broken, and humanity, depraved.  The gospel given to the woman at the well in John 4 was tailored to her personal restoration and went beyond, fulfilling her in the promise given to Abraham and his offspring.  Take a new look at the gospel the Samaritan woman at the well heard, received, and for which she abandoned her jar to tell her countrymen.

The Woman at the Well: My Homework

John 7:4-15

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

The conversation has concerned water, both natural and Living. But there is more going on here, involving intimacy, husbands, and places of worship. And only when she's been restored in these things does she spring up and testify. John 4:16-18

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

Who are her five husbands? Being Samaritan, I can guess who they are. 2 Kings 17:24

Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.

All five "possessed" Samaria, they all "dwelt," or entered, her. We don't know for sure which people-group and their false god represents the current man she currently is residing with as an unmarried woman. But I rejoice that at least she had not been married to the last one like she had the first five, exalting and officiating in high places for various sorts of false worship as it says in 2 Kings 17:32,

So they feared the LORD, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

The woman at the well doesn't seem (at this point) to be the sinful woman she is usually characterized as being. Instead, theologically astute. It might be possible that the man she "now has" is the LORD Himself.  She has Him in the sense that the Samaritans somehow went on fearing God in spite of their adulterous service to false gods.  But the Samaritans no longer know Him since He no longer knows her.  John 4:19-20

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

She perceives how He is aware of the sin of Samaria. Seizing the very heart of the issue, as any woman would who has waited a long time for salvation, she admits: I still fear you.  But I don't know you like I did once upon a time.  He shows her how to know Him.  John 4:21-22

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

As the Apostle John uses the word in his epistle, "know" means fellowship.  She divorced all her former false gods and was a 'single woman' so to speak, an unconvinced God-seeker. This is repentance over what Samaria did at first, and Jesus knew it. Her repentance must have already taken place before Jesus met her at the edge of the well. They agreed about the past of Samaria. The study-note in my bible says,

The Jews insisted that the exclusive place of worship was Jerusalem. But the Samaritans had set up a rival worship site on Mount Gerizim.... When the blessings and curses were read to the wilderness generation of Israel, the blessings were read from Mount Gerizim. Deuteronomy 27:4 instructed that an altar be erected on Mount Ebal, opposite Mount Gerizim. But the Samaritan scripture changed the verse to read "Mount Gerizim." The Samaritans altered history and tampered with the text of Scripture to glorify Mount Gerizim.  [1]

Samaria of old sounds like the false woman in Proverbs 9, who claims "stolen water is sweet" and causes men to worship false gods, because she "knows nothing" (Prov. 9:13). The woman at the well, however, knows a very few things about the God she and her territory abandoned and the Savior, more importantly, who is coming.

Worshiping now in Spirit, Later in "Truth"

How is Samaria to go on with Christ? Jesus explains the where and how worship will take place, and she is all ears. John 4:23,

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Old Testament prophecies about end-time events tell us what Jesus means. They will worship God, "In Truth" - the name given to a location on earth known as New Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:3,

“Thus says the LORD:

‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the LORD of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’

Salvation has come through the Jews; Jesus Christ and the remnant of Israel. The Kingdom of God is at hand in Jesus Christ, and during His first coming it was present on earth. As Jesus sits there on the edge of the well in the heat of the day, His Kingdom is before any people of any nation. What does His kingdom look like today?  Today, there is no Temple in Jerusalem and so wherever the church is, there is the only dwelling.  But when Christ comes again, His Spirit will annex geographical location, possessing not only the souls of His people but also territory on earth.  During the millennial reign of Christ, the nations will seek Him by traveling to this geographical residence of His church. Zech. 8:20-23,

“Thus says the LORD of hosts:
‘Peoples shall yet come,
Inhabitants of many cities;
The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,

“Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD,
And seek the LORD of hosts.
I myself will go also.”
Yes, many peoples and strong nations
Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem,
And to pray before the LORD.’

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”

Revelation 21 contextually puts into proximity both the fountain of Living Waters from which everyone is invited to drink, and the coming of the New Jerusalem, Christ's holy people.   The resurrected church is the dwelling of God in Jerusalem.  Rev 21:2-7

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Isaiah has exactly the same thing; the New Jerusalem (characterized as being clad with precious materials) is contextually in proximity to the offer of drinking from the fountain of Living Water (see Isaiah 54:10-55:9).  Indeed, the pure "water of life" has its ultimate source in New Jerusalem as depicted in Revelation 21 and into 22. Rev. 22:1,

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The OT prophesies being fulfilled in both Jesus' first advent and in Revelation seem to be endless.  Earlier in Isaiah 54 God speaks to His covenant people as to a wife. Isaiah 54:5

For your Maker is your husband,
The LORD of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

It seems very likely that the woman understood the significance of their location as they sat and conversed.  Living water would flow from the location of the New Jerusalem, a woman intended for the Holy One.

All Things 

The woman at the well is curious: is this man greater than Jacob?  John 4:11-12,

The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

What is she referring to when she confesses, "He will teach us all things?" John 4:25-29

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

A Prophet after Moses was to be known by noting the thing they say will come to pass (deut 18:15-22).  If they speak correctly... then they ought to be feared.  Jesus had told her what would come to pass saying, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him (John 4:23)."  All of a sudden location did not impede worship.  The presence of Jesus was affective!  In the gospel accounts many people were prepared to worship Jesus while being in His presence even before the Spirit had covenantally been poured out on the church.  She "knew" Him now.  Imagine her surprise to be experiencing the presence of God by being in the presence of Jesus.  She need not travel to Jerusalem because she was able to worship God right here at the well!  His words about the future were coming true during their conversation.  It was this very experience, this very foretold truth, that caused her to leave her jar behind and run off to tell them, 'This is the Prophet!"

Jesus' Messiah-status would mean He would teach all things on behalf of God "I will put My Words in His mouth" (Deut. 18:18).  According to the revealed mystery we know now in the gospel, this would be fulfilled through the promise of the ministry of the Holy Spirit God.

Formerly I focused my theology on the Holy Spirit's Living Water deposited as a one-moment event. John 7:37-39

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”  (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

His Spirit leads men into all Truth. John 16:13,

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

He will tell the church the "things to come"?  This leading of the Spirit into all truth is not only for now, not only an experience for this age. It is also for the Millennial reign, a thousand years of God's ministry to the world from His throne in the New Jerusalem! Unlike this age, in the next age knowledge of the LORD will be simple to access, but understanding Him will take an eternity. Quickly she gained intimacy with Christ by a first drink of living water.  But: He was not a one-moment husband, was He?  That had been their original error.  Indeed; He was and is a husband into eternity.  Projecting forward, God's truth and righteousness will not be manifest in the millennium in every corner of the planet.  This will be the work to be accomplished by Jesus under His thousand year rule. Isaiah 2:2-3

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,

“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The Samaritan woman and her people were looking forward to this Spiritual quality of the Christ's coming, not only for this age with Jesus before her, but also the age to come.  The men in the city also knew after hearing Him that they were invited to be incorporated into the Holy City in true worship of God, the treasured Wife of the Lamb (and also see the end of enmity between Israel and Judah).

Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

"Come, hear Him for yourself," is the message for the Samaritan and for the faithful Old Testament believer.  It is the message for all the nations.

Summary

The earthly Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem in A.D. 70.  This is why Jesus teaches the woman, "the time is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father."  We are sojourners and pilgrims on earth (1 Pet. 2:11), yet "our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself" (phil. 3:20-21).

Until His second coming, we only have the opportunity to worship the Father in the Temple that dwells inside us.  It does not matter yet what location we worship from, because wherever we are, we are with Christ and in His Kingdom.  Jesus used the truth about the program of the church age to show Himself to be a prophet to the woman.  But the Father still "desires" all "true" worshipers to worship Him in spirit and in truth; the City of Truth (Zech. 8:3).  In the resurrection, we all must do so.  By acknowledging her very important question about the future location of worship, He satisfies Samaria's desperate thirst for God's presence.  His kingdom is "now, but not yet."  John 4:21-24,

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The fountain of Living Waters is given to serve Christ and manifest righteousness into eternity, and we already know we need every drop, every day.

[Continue to the next post:]
How Much We Need Need (part 2)


[1]  Thomas Nelson Inc., 1997.  NKJV Study Bible, pg. 1766.

How Much We Need Need (introduction)

Salvation of any kind is not for any one who does not personally interact inwardly with scripture. Every other gospel is an insufficient or front-loaded gospel.

The key to the free grace gospel debate, and the key to salvation and reigning in joy with Christ is caught up in one truth:  Man needs God.

The only consistent and genuine thing about man is that he has needs. With these God makes transactions of His life in us.

I humbly introduce a multi-part series of the best I can do to share scriptures which point to a comprehensive and fair Content of Saving Faith interpretation of the gospel message.


[Please click the links below to begin this series:]
How Much We Need Need (part 1)
How Much We Need Need (part 2)

Twin gospel concerns

There are two thoughts I have had stemming from watching children respond to the gospel last June.

This year's CEF five-day kid's club had twenty-six children. A few of them were ones I felt had never heard the gospel before, and two little girls who believed in Jesus that week were ones whose mom was reluctant to let them go when I met her. Praise God!

CEF later sent the attendance record sheet for my club with all the names of the kids along with a general newsletter. At the bottom there was a tally:

Decisions, First Time: 6

Assurance: 1

I know most of these kids pretty well. One of the "first times" is my niece. She is five so perhaps she did not understand previous presentations of the gospel. She doesn't have a church-going family but she has me and AWANA. I wonder - was this really her first moment of faith in Jesus?

Another one is a boy belonging to a Spanish pentecostal church, but the mom seems to have a very good understanding of scripture and an active faith life. I wonder... was this really his first profession of faith?

Another eight year old girl is one I am pleased with. She came to the backyard club last year and I am sure, she was a "first time professor" of faith at that time. Then she came to club this year and is again a "first time professor" of the faith. Then I directly took her the following Monday with me to church to a VBS program, and Bonnie and the bible story teacher pulled me aside and said, "She accepted Christ today, but, she seemed to know a lot about the gospel. Was this really her first time?" I said, actually no. They said, "Hmm. Well, you might read her john 10 or other assurance passages."

I am concerned. A 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 gospel message is a/the gospel that saves the lost. Those who are receiving the Word of God are often not expressing faith that they are saved. What if the gospel has become just a list of beliefs to profess? What if the children do not understand that they have been invited by Jesus Christ to receive the gift of eternal life? This is one point of reflection I have gained through this experience.

But I have a second point of concern.

There were some older boys and their little gang who I had longed to share the gospel with last summer but they do not live in this area and disappeared for the '08-'09 school year. I was thrilled to see them wandering around again this summer. I invited them but they didn't show up till the following week. Monday at two o' clock there was a knock on the door. "We're here for the club!" they declared. I laughed and said, "You missed it, I'm so sorry guys!" They asked what they missed, and I said, "come here and I'll show you!" They all sat patiently through the CEF Wordless Book gospel. I had them bow their heads and hopefully pray with me according to their own sense of believing what they had heard from scripture about becoming a child of God. Those two boys said, "We want to learn how to read the bible." I said, come and see me and I will teach you, okay?

I was pretty excited about that but somehow they did not come around very often. Then two weeks ago they showed up saying, "We want to take Grace [my daughter] with us to church on Sunday. Can she come??"

Hmm. "What church?"

"Oh, it's just down that way, you know that one? They are giving out ten dollars to the one who brings the most friends with on Sunday. We just get on the bus in the morning when it comes by." I've seen that bus. I know the church "down there." It's the Oneness Pentecostals, who will tell them, eventually after they've begun to build relationships with the people there, that they aren't truly saved till they've spoken in tongues after being immersed in water.

The eight-year-old girl I spoke of above, the one who now three times has professed faith in Jesus "for the first time" is one of those kids getting on the bus. This makes me very upset. I have been praying about what to do.

They've come back over and hung out. I told all of them them in a serious manner that I want them to know for sure that Jesus accepts them unconditionally because of their believing in the cross and I've read them john 6:47. I've done this two times when they've been with me. But now, all they're thinking about is ten dollars. Some church will pay them money, to attend. And they want money, because they're kids. What can I offer them? What can Christ offer them that will over-ride what this church has decomposed the gospel to be about?

All this hard work that CEF has done, that I have been desiring for their sake, is now at risk. This is when the sectarian group moves in and does what they do best.

Should I play on the same terms? I was thinking much better than anything I can do to convince them to be cautious with them is to implant the Word into their hearts and minds. I have tentatively decided to pay each child one dollar for every scripture they will work to memorize. That way it's guaranteed and based on their own accomplishment.

Then, even if they go to that church, and their members tell them, "you aren't saved" they will have to battle with scripture itself -

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. John 6:47

But I am by no means sure that this is God's will for them. I keep praying, feeling unsettled and unsure. I believe Jesus is capable of doing more amazing things with these little ones than anything I might come up with.

Any suggestions...?

"I'm changing my mind"

Sounds like a bad thing when it comes to theology, I guess a majority of people may think? Dr. Radmacher tells this story again and again in class: "My former student said to me, 'Dr. R., that's not what you taught seven years ago.' Well... if I'm done learning, then just shoot me!" And he is fully joking and fully serious when he tells this; you might be able to picture his expression. :)

Sure, believers can depart from truth and embark toward error, and that's unfortunate. But if there is no mobility permitted on principle, how are those who are currently drifting in error going to learn something redeeming? I myself want others who are more knowledgeable to encourage me to reconsider whatever might be tradition, and I do that by reckoning with them that the Word as fully fit for reproof.

Is there any grace, for theological error?

Of evangelicals, those who already defend grace toward theological error are Free Grace people. Does God only declare righteous the doctrinally pristine? No! We have been debating in excess of late that one can be saved by believing the "gospel" - and let's say for the moment that the gospel was "glorious" - 1 Cor 15:1-4 (though technically it appears that Stegall's gospel may actually require the most numerous points of content though it is difficult to figure out how to enumerate; therefore my addition may be incorrect). Even the fullest Free Grace gospel does not require belief in the Trinity, or belief in the virgin birth, or belief in other things such as the infallibility of the Bible, does it? These advocates readily explain for the sake of this debate that this is not the case; otherwise, they are adding a long list of biblical ideas to the gospel message. Our justification in Jesus Christ is accomplished without these additional beliefs - in the absence of them - or in the err of them. What about our sanctification?

How long is long enough that someone can walk by faith in Christ; someone who is a new believer founded and secured in everlasting life upon the content of the gospel.... How long, and still either not know about the Trinity or not believe in the Trinity? How long is long enough till it affects someone's sanctification, jeopardizing their obedience, by faith, in Christ? At some point it does, but can you tell your neighbor exactly when and where it has become sin - impossibly they must not have been righteous, in Christ, by faith alone, while also not knowing or receiving these other doctrines?

Or would you tell them that they must believe all doctrine from scripture in order to move forward from being born again, in any intent to walk with Him after that initial moment?

What is the one doctrine requiring our theological precision, in order that one may be sanctified in faith in our LORD after being born again?

Is it not how to walk by faith in Christ?

Miss this, and I don't see how one could be perpetually transformed into the image of Christ. (Of course there is always the reality that believers practice it even while denying or being unaware of the truth, and many new believers have no clue what any doctrine is yet the Spirit leads and teaches them.) I understand faith-righteousness to be the only precise doctrine, if any, necessary for godliness - though all the Word is all Truth and in measure, our challenge for abiding in Christ. Change your mind on this one, though, and the gospel begins to be corrupted in the daily Christian devotion (Galatians 3 - "you foolish Galatians!") and then also, eventually, corrupted in the Christian declaration (Galatians 1 "no other gospel").

I asked, above, if God justifies only the doctrinally pristine; and now I'd like to inquire whether God sanctifies only the doctrinally pristine?

I've always appreciated those who have taught on the subject of "theological legalism" because this is one of Free Grace's ameliorating contributions to evangelicalism. It will minister to many brothers and sisters in my thinking, freeing them from unrealistic expectations of themselves and of others. They are freed not from abiding in the Word, nor from learning the Truth. But, they are freed from obligation to a perfect or even well-rounded understanding of it (their doctrine) as they are abiding in Him.

If I'm incorrect, I'm willing to change my mind as I learn more.

Raise the Banners

Those who looked on at Calvary scratched their heads.

For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God (2 Cor. 13:4).

This is the gospel that Paul gave his life to defend. He preached "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be according to grace" (Rom 4:16), to both the lost and the saved (Gal. 5:5).

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving (Col. 2:6-7).

His one bitterness was with brethren who were in Christ but recanted their sufficient faith; a tragic irony (Gal. 5:11-12). But I'm sold out. I want my stake in the earth to look like this.

"The Christological Symbol (Brazen Serpent Sculpture), created by Italian artist, Giovanni Fantoni, stands atop Mount Nebo. It is symbolic of the bronze serpent created by Moses in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9) and the cross upon which Jesus was crucified (John 3:14)."

This is a picture of God's invitation to put on the offense of Christ.

It is the stone of stumbling for those wrestling with God's terms of faith alone (Rom. 9:33). It is the most powerful teaching in the world, because it proclaims our reality of life in God; righteousness is ours by faith in His Son and not from ourselves (1 Cor. 1:18). I forget to meditate on what "grace" really implies here and now in His Body. It implies that sinners can, without any merit, be imputed with Christ's righteousness.

If you, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared (Ps. 130:3-4).

At Calvary, evil was crucified (Heb. 10:14).

If we wave around the offense of Christ like a banner, we know that this world is struggling with believing it, and they quicken our sufferings. Their reproaches reflect a wrestling with God's grace. That's okay with me; if I no longer live, but Christ does, I "fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Col. 1:24). And He told us this would happen (Phil. 1:29).

Secondary Separationism, Part 2

Where are the Scriptures which Teach This?

On pages 250-251 of his text, "Biblical Separation" [1], Dr. Pickering quotes several of his opponents to this teaching, those who admit for example, "The scriptures say nothing about secondary separationism," and, "There is no such thing as first-degree, second-degree separation, etc." Pickering acknowledges that secondary separationism is not labeled specifically as such, in the scriptures. But that's not the end of it: Pickering also has to justify his teaching past this confession that it is no where directly taught in scripture.

Pickering insists that the practice can be drawn as a valid principle from the following scripture:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received from us.... And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed" (2 thess 3:6, 14).

Pickering acknowledges that in context the Thessalonian Christians were merely shirking their responsibilities and had become busybodies. He then immediately rationalizes upon this scripture, saying (on page 255): "The question is this: Is that all this passage teaches? Does the principle go beyond the specific situation evident at Thessalonica, and should it be applied in other situations as well?" He then moves right in to pointing out Paul had authority from God to teach the truth. And he points out that those idle brothers, in their disregard of Paul, were called "disorderly." Through this simple but poor connection, Pickering gives his readers the impression that 2 Thess. 3 is calling all those who reject Paul's written authority, those who are idle.

Rather, I ask you to take a look at this passage and see if it is not saying that those who Paul is calling "disorderly" are those practicing idleness. It is the demonstration of idleness, which Paul is commanding the Thessalonicans to take note of, and withhold their company from.

Pickering nevertheless insists that "Their improper actions resulted from their incorrect grasp of doctrine." Friends, this next unabridged paragraph (pg. 256-257) is where you are going to see the door open up for a moral kind of legalism in the practice of secondary separationism....

The main question among separatists is this: Does this portion of scripture apply only and exclusively to people who leave their work, sponge off other believers, and live idle lives that contribute to spiritual confusion? Certainly this is the context of the passage as it is written. Is it not true, however, that the principle clearly seen here applies to other situations? The principle is this: When our brethren do things that are wrong - caused by an incomplete knowledge of or deliberate disobedience to some teaching of Scripture - we should not merely continue to fellowship with them as those who have done nothing wrong.... It is the principle of maintaining a pure walk that should be stressed. It is the principle of refusing to condone, honor, or utilize those who continually and knowingly are following a course of action that is harmful to other believers and to the welfare of the churches.

Can he defend his interpretation with other scriptures? He had none others. Following this look into 2 Thess. 3, Pickering quotes the commentary of other respected fundamentalists who happen to agree about this interpretation from the text, and concludes, "We cite them, however, to show that there have been a host of men through the years who have believed that the practice of so-called secondary separation has Biblical support" (pg. 261).



[1] Pickering, Ernest & Houghton, Myron. Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church. Schaumberg, Illinois: Regular Baptist Press; 2008.

Secondary Separationism, Part 1

Secondary Separation: What is it?

In his book titled, "Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church" [1], Dr. Pickering explains the teaching of secondary separation. This is the position that maintains a man must not only separate from apostates. There is a second degree of separation one must take, by withdrawing from any fundamentalist who is known to cooperate in any way with apostates.

(Remember, in a previous post Pickering refuses to use the term "heretics" for those who err doctrinally; his word for those who teach doctrinal error is "apostates." Yes - in a future post we will look into this term categorizing those who are reckoned "apostate" according to Dr. Pickering... definitions are on the way soon!)

For illustration.... Imagine that you're a separationist. Though you may personally benefit from a relationship with an erring Christian, by affiliation you are not permitted to cooperate with or minister to such an erring (unrepentant) Christian.

But there's more. If you choose to invite your erring Christian, to, say for example give a speech on any range of other doctrines in which you are in agreement, you then become subject to separation yourself -- you will be separated from, by your fellow separationists. Separationists would invoke the second degree of separation, upon you.

A concise definition is on page 251:

Coined in the aftermath of the fundamentalist-modernist controversy, the term "secondary separationist" refers to those who will not cooperate with apostates or with other evangelical believers who aid and abet the apostates by their continued organizational or cooperative alignment with them.

Pickering teaches why he believes secondary separation is necessary. In his book he explains how it is critical to maintain the purity of the truth through our times. To accomplish this, each one of us must take a clear stand against those who have become apostate. In addition, we must not keep company with those who do not also withdraw from apostates. If a teacher be apostate, the testimony of the truth is being attacked. How can we fellowship with those who are an enemy of truth? An apostate teacher may be a true believer. He may also be a gifted and many times accurate teacher; however he is nevertheless teaching some false doctrine. He may be well meaning. But we have to consider how he spreads untruths to the unsuspecting.

Pickering goes on to insist that those who are younger in the faith have no way of knowing for themselves whether what they have heard could be false, and they will assume it is true because of his position as a teacher. To permit a man to teach what is known to be error, implies to others that there is nothing wrong in him doing so, or at least not sufficiently serious enough to do anything about it.

Dr. Pickering has made a checklist to help his readers consider their personal responsibility to not only separate from apostates, but also from fundamentalists who will not keep their own fellowship pure from apostate teachers. I take this directly from his text, pages 276-277:

1 - Am I honoring God by my fellowship? "Whatever therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31). When a believer remains in an apostate denomination, that believer is supporting the Lord's enemies through is or her money and presence. Is that believer honoring the Lord by "staying in"?

2 - Am I aiding or encouraging someone to continue a walk of disobedience? If a great preacher continues to remain within a group largely influenced by apostates and a separatist church has him speak, is this occasion helping or hindering others? Having them participate with us is not the way to assist them from the path of disobedience.

3 - Will my cooperation with a person or organization give the impression that I condone a lackadaisical attitude toward apostasy and compromise? Did not the writer of Proverbs say, "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil" (prov 8:13)? Is the support of apostasy, its publications, schools, spokesperson, and missions evil? If it is, do I as God's child truly hate it?

4 - Will others under my leadership or influence be tempted to further compromise or be confused or weakened in their testimony because of my actions? We cannot live to ourselves. We are responsible for our brothers and sisters as well.

5 - What long-range effects will cooperation have? As previously noted, Bob Jones Sr. often said, "Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate."

[1] Pickering, Ernest & Houghton, Myron. Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church. Schaumberg, Illinois: Regular Baptist Press; 2008.

The Teaching of "Secondary Separation"; Introduction

I've taken note on a legalistic characteristic comprising a substantial portion of the free grace community both on and offline. Paul called the infusion of legalism in the Galatian region at that critical time in their history, being "thrown into confusion". Confusion does seem to abound for FG, does it not? At least it appears the case in their interrelationships.

This infusion may have drawn many to mere confusion. However, for those holding staunchly, where you discern the practices and affects of legalism, you will also find the doctrines fueling it (just as you would with any other schism), if you dig around a bit. With Pickering's text, I am persuaded to have found one centralized source of FG legalism (though there may be two). It was the landmark nature and widespread adoption of his text which makes it a central point of examination.

In particular I wish to draw attention to possibly the most controversial portion of Pickering's teachings on biblical separation: The Teaching of Secondary Separation. As I said in the last comment in the previous post, I have always learned and participated better when the controversial aspects were discussed at the front. I realize that it goes in backward order; starting with the man-made assertions and working back to scripture, and I apologize for the sense of alarm that it might generate. Regardless if the teaching is biblical, it is popular and widespread and for this reason alone I think it is important to investigate.

With all kinds of biblical commands that attend godliness, they can be taken too far. They may morph as far as their Spiritual essence is concerned, creating bondage in the stead of health.

Take the command for water baptism, as an example of how any command may be used for good (Spiritual) or harm (legalism).

I've seen obedience to the command to be baptized in water, be Spiritual in effect to those who obey it. My own church is one such place - praise God. But I've also been a part of other churches, and witnessed for myself how the command to be baptized is used as a subtle tool of slavery and judgment within, and damnation to those without. People are slowly harmed by legalistic theology. Soon falls a trend of members escaping, or burning-out of living for God. With the trend the need is born to express to one another the legalism present in the command - more - its legalistic emphasis within or behind the command. Books need to be written. It takes skill to explain how a command from scripture crosses the line from being healthy, to being harmful (legalistic). It takes discernment and a gift of teaching to expose for newcomers, the nuances where the command had become obsession in self merit as opposed to gratitude for the accomplishments of Christ. Those sorts of books have been written - in the case of refuting the baptism-based legalistic doctrines.

This dichotomic usage of the command to be baptized expresses a principle concerning all commands, including the teaching of biblical separation. Separation is taught in the scriptures and is meant for our benefit. The question to ask, however in my thinking, is this: How do you discern when it has crossed the line, promoting legalism? Would an investigator take heed and note when the feel-good, sounds-right, stops becoming "good" and stops becoming "right"? It will require the whole counsel of God, and an understanding of the essentials of legalism - what legalism is as a generality.

"Heresy:" Pickering & Swindoll

In times passed it has been a confidence-booster to read only the scriptures long before consulting man-made commentary. I've been reading just the scriptures used in Separationist philosophy for awhile now. Recently I posted at Dr. Lybrand's Free Grace blog a comment exploring what the Bible has to say in definition of "heresy." Click here to read that comment.

By publicly sharing my conviction, it made me feel the committment of it all. It has become time for me, at least, to visit other writings, and test how far off my concept is compared to the experts.

Pickering

Dr. Pickering's book titled, "Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church" was originally published in 1979. According to Kevin Mungons who wrote the Foreword to the Second Edition, Pickering had "come to write a book that became the standard defense of fundamentalist ideas" [1]. Before it, there was no established text on the subject.

The word "heresy" is addressed in Biblical Separation, but to my reading I have only found one page where it is mentioned. It says on page 191,

It should be carefully noted that heresy (using the term in the strict sense in which it is used in the New Testament) is not apostasy. The word "heresy" is used only in Titus 3:10 and refers to a selfish choice that results in party divisions within the church. It emphasizes carnal troublemaking, not theological error.

Interesting.

Pickering's idea of false teaching and preaching falls altogether into the category of -- "apostasy" -- not "heresy." I may publish some excerpts soon on the subject of "apostasy," for, to Pickering this is where we would take the popular question of "what constitutes heresy?"

Okay. Now off to visit Swindoll.

Swindoll

In 1990 Chuck Swindoll published a text called, "The Grace Awakening: Believing in Grace is One Thing; Living it is Another" Swindoll addresses what the word "heresy" means on pages 104-105: [2]

Legalists were disturbing others and distorting the truth as they spread doctrinal heresy. Their heretical message was that the Galatian Christians should let Moses finish what Christ began. ... We continue to hear that "different gospel" to this day and it is a lie. It is heresy. ... The problem is, it appeals to the flesh. Paul's twice repeated reaction to the one who introduced that doctrinal heresy is "Let him be accursed!" This is Paul's way of saying the person is doomed! The original word is anathema! It is the strongest single Greek term for condemnation. Nevertheless, the heresy goes on. Most every cult you could name is a cult of salvation by works. ... Please allow me to be straight with you: Stop tolerating the heretical gospel of works!

Both confirm the two variations of which I took note. In the case that readers have not read the original comment I made regarding "heresy," here were are two variations: One - the use of the word in doctrinal matters, designates legalism. Two - in non-doctrinal matters the word designates opposed camps of Christians attempting to be treated first. This would be opposed to Christ's teachings "For many who would seek to be first shall be last, and the last, first." It also is hypocritical to the practice which is under dispute in the context - The Lord's Supper - at which event Christ washed the feet of the disciples, setting an example for them to follow.

I do not observe further apparent liberty in using the word beyond those two variances. I should say, however, that the second variance may have many uses beyond the context's discussion of the Lord's Supper.

Summary

Can "heresy" mean what it is popularly said to mean?

Can it mean an invasion of untruths against any biblical doctrine?

I don't know what freedom there is to use the word in this generalized manner, since the scripture only uses it to reference the schismatic effect of the teachings of legalism. Legalism is so easy to fall back into. John Maisel, with all his incredible life-experience in church-planting, confirms this sort of disappointing phenomena in his FGA National Conference presentation. I can imagine why Paul wished to be rid of it, yet it kept creeping back in, even affecting Peter for awhile. If there is truly a "Christian's slippery slope," I imagine legalism would be a top contender for destructive things to keep one on constant lookout.

I am very interested to hear what others think "heresy" means in the scriptures.



[1] Pickering, Ernest & Houghton, Myron. Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church. Schaumberg, Illinois: Regular Baptist Press; 2008.

[2] [2] Swindoll, Charles R. The Grace Awakening. Walker & Company, New York; 1990.