Lesson for June 10, 2018
The Doctrine of Spirituality vs. Carnality
The Spiritual Walk of the Believer
The mechanics of being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only are often expressed as walking. The spiritual walk occurs in the life of the believer with being in fellowship with God and being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished by simply naming, acknowledging or admitting your sin directly to God. When you do this God forgives those sins you name and cleanses you from those you have perhaps forgotten or failed to recognize as sin. We call this process the Rebound Technique, which puts a believer in the position to live his spiritual life.
New Testament Greek Words for Walking
The Greek word PERIPATEO means to walk or to walk around. It is used for literal walking in Matthew 4:18. But it is used primarily for the function of the Protocol Plan of God in the Church Age in such passages as Romans 6:4; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:2. It is used for the life of the carnal Christian as well in I Corinthians 3:3 and Philippians 3:18. It is used for the life of the unbeliever in Ephesians 2:2 and Colossians 3:7.
The Greek word STOICHEO means to march in step, to march in rank, to walk in agreement with, to function in a system, to follow a leader from the ranks. It is used in the New Testament primarily for functioning in a system and advancing in that system to spiritual maturity. It is used for living under the power of God in Galatians 5:25. It is used for the pattern of salvation by faith in Christ (walking by faith) in Romans 4:12. It is used for following the rules of the new spiritual species in Galatians 6:16 and Philippians 3:16.
The Greek word POREUOMAI means to go, to proceed, to travel, to conduct oneself in a certain manner, to live, and to walk. It is used for the carnal life pattern of the unbeliever in I Peter 4:3; Jude 16,18; II Peter 2:10, 3:8. It is used for occupation with Christ on the part of believers in Acts 9:31.
The Greek word ANASTREPHO originally meant in the Attic Greek to upset, to overrun, or to associate. Its figurative meaning was to behave or to function in terms of human conduct; also used for the practice of principles. It is used for the conduct and the lifestyle of the unbeliever in Ephesians 2:3. It is used for motivation for Christian integrity in Hebrews 13:18. It is used for the operation of the sin nature in Ephesians 4:22. It is used for life and conduct in the Divine Dynasphere in II Peter 3:11.
The Greek word ORTHOPEDEO means to walk straight. It is used for legalism and resultant hypocrisy in Galatians 2:14; in other words, they were not walking straight.
Walking in the Spirit
(Romans 8:1-17; Galatians 5:16)
Walking in the Spirit is analogous to being filled with God the Holy Spirit and executing the Christian Way of Life. The Greek word for walk in these verses is “peripateo,” which is used to express the entirety of a believer’s spiritual life. Therefore, we can say that without the filling and power of God the Holy Spirit a believer does not have a spiritual life. This verse in Galatians also makes it clear that if a believer is not walking in the Spirit, he is being controlled by his sin nature and in a state of carnality.
Walking in the Spirit is a grace function of God the Holy Spirit since it is His ministry in the life of the believer that provides everything that we need to execute God’s plan, purpose and will (the Protocol Plan of God). It is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us, guides us, and produces the character of Christ in us. (John 14:16-26; 16:13-14; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23)
Walking in the Light
(I John 1:5-7; Ephesians 5:8)
Walking in the Light is analogous to being filled with God the Holy Spirit and executing the Christian Way of Life. The command to walk in the Light is a reference to experiential sanctification. The Greek word for walk in these verses is “peripateo,” which is used to express the entirety of a believer’s spiritual life. Just as walking in the darkness is incompatible with walking in Light, so carnality is incompatible with the execution of the Protocol Plan of God. Walking in the light is a term used specifically for the believer’s execution of God’s will, plan and purpose for the Church Age. Therefore, walking in the Light is synonymous with the Christian Way of Life. The command to walk in the Light is a command to be filled with the Spirit and learning and applying Bible doctrine under the filling of the Spirit.
Walking after the Pattern of Jesus
(Colossians 2:6; I John 2:6)
Our precedence for walking in the Light begins with the Lord Jesus Christ during the Hypostatic Union. All precedence for the Protocol Plan of God is derived from Christ’s walk on this earth during the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union. This means that no precedence is derived from the dispensation of Israel. Jesus lived within the Divine Dynasphere as our Prototype for the Christian Way of Life and we are to simply follow His example of residing in the Divine Dynasphere under the filling of the Holy Spirit.The Greek word for walk is “peripateo,” which is used to express the entirety of a believer’s spiritual life.
The humanity of Christ was impeccable during His thirty-three years on earth. This means He remained absolutely perfect because He resided inside the Divine Dynasphere as our Prototype while functioning under the filling, power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and sharing God’s perfect happiness. Through the virgin birth, Christ’s humanity was born without a sin nature, thus excluding any imputation of Adam’s original sin or inherent sin nature at His birth. This means He was born as Adam was created – in a perfect state of impeccability.
Because of the availability and utilization of divine omnipotence (power), Christ’s humanity continued in the state of impeccability even while He was under maximum temptation and under maximum pressure. The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit inside the Divine Dynasphere empowered Christ’s humanity to resist every temptation, far beyond anything we could ever imagine. His state of impeccability was absolutely necessary for Jesus to go to the Cross as our sin-bearer. The justice of God the Father poured out on Jesus Christ every sin in the human race and judged them. During that entire time of judgment, Jesus remained inside the Divine Dynasphere and He was sustained by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit and His maximum utilization of God’s perfect happiness.
Walking in Newness of Life
(Romans 6:4; II Corinthians 5:17-21: Galatians 6:16)
The potential for walking in newness of life begins at salvation when a believer becomes a new creation in Christ. The Greek word for walk in these verses is “peripateo,” which is used to express the entirety of a believer’s spiritual life. II Corinthians 5:17 is often quoted with regard to the doctrine of being a new creation in Christ (but one that is not very well understood). In order to arrive at a proper interpretation of this verse, it is necessary to consider the content of II Corinthians 5:17-21. II Corinthians 5:17 begins with a reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the placing of the believer into union with Christ at salvation. It is this union with Christ that gives us the potential for the execution of the Christian Way of Life. It is in light of this doctrinal truth that Paul tells us in verse 17 that we are new creations in Christ, the old things have passed away and new things have come.
Contrary to popular belief, old things passing away is not a reference to a change in a person’s lifestyle or giving up “bad habits.” We know this from the original language and from many other passages of Scripture. Once a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, their lifestyle does not automatically change. If there needs to be change, then the only legitimate change must come from spiritual growth based on learning and applying the Word of God, not on some religious taboo. As a matter of fact, this passage refers to what God does for us, not what we do for God. Becoming a new creation is a matter of God’s grace. Therefore, all human effort is eliminated. The reason a person becomes a new creation is that they are in union with Christ. This union means that a believer shares Christ’s destiny and inheritance.
The first word of I Corinthians 17 is therefore. In Greek the word for therefore is “hoste” and can be better translated “conclusion.” Paul looks back at the context of the passage and draws a conclusion based on previous doctrinal information. The conclusion is if (first class condition meaning if and it is true) any person is in Christ (baptism of the Holy Spirit) that person is a new creation. Creation is the Greek word “ktisis” and refers primarily to the creative act in process. It is the believer who is being acted upon by God. This act of creation is when God, at salvation, creates a human spirit in the believer. In order to better understand what Paul is teaching we will use the term “a new spiritual classification” since this describes more precisely what occurs at salvation. This creative act by God creates something in a believer that previously did not exist. It is “new” and it is “spiritual” in nature and the believer becomes a different “classification” (Royal Family of God). (I Corinthians 2:9-14; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19)
Prior to salvation a person is merely God’s creation, but not a part of God’s family. Becoming a part of God’s family is a matter of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. This act of faith places a person into union with Christ and they instantaneously become a child of God. No longer is this person merely a creation of God, they are now a “new” creation of God, which is a different classification, spiritually. Before salvation a person is spiritually dead (separated from God); after salvation a person is spiritually alive (reconciled to God). (John 1:12)
Old things is actually one word in Greek. It is the word “archaios.” “Archaios” literally means that which existed in the beginning. It is a reference to something that is ancient (really old), something in the past. It does not therefore refer to a believer’s bad habits or lifestyle.It refers to something that is thousands of years old. What exactly passes away at salvation that would fit into the meaning of the Greek word? The context makes the meaning very clear. It is a reference to an old condition – spiritual death. Thousands of years ago our original parents, Adam and Eve, sinned and the result was spiritual death. Spiritual death passed to every member of the human race as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. It is spiritual death that Paul has in view when he uses the word “archaios.”
Passed away in Greek is “parerchomai” and means to go, to pass, to come to an end, to disappear or to neutralize. In our passage it means that spiritual death has gone, passed away or come to an end. At salvation, spiritual death comes to an abrupt end. Once you are placed into union with Christ, spiritual death disappears forever from you. Never again will you be spiritually dead. You can reject the Christian Way of Life and turn your back on God and His Word, but you can never be spiritually dead again.This is grace! (Romans 6:23)
New things have come does not refer to new moral habits. There are two words in Greek for new. The first is “neos” and means new in time, young or that which is recent. The second word is “kainos” and means new in form, new in quality or different in nature. It is this second word, “kainos,” that Paul uses to describe the new creation. A believer receives a new nature (a human spirit). This nature is from God and it is spiritual. Receiving this nature is not a matter of reformation of a particular lifestyle or behavior. Receiving this nature is strictly a matter of God’s grace provision. The transforming power of God the Holy Spirit places you into union with Christ and sets you apart to God for all eternity, upon your faith in Christ.
In case there is any doubt about the true meaning of this passage, II Corinthians 5:18 clarifies it: “Now all things are of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” The all things are from God, not man, and it is God Who reconciles mankind to Himself by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. This eliminates any thought of religious “tabooism” or asceticism. You do not give up anything to become a new creation in Christ nor do you start doing something. You are a new creation because you are “in Christ” and for no other reason. Salvation is a matter of faith alone in Christ alone and has absolutely nothing to do with good works or human merit. Jesus Christ has already done all the work on behalf of us all. His substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross paid the penalty for all sin and set up the potential of everlasting life for every member of the human race.
Romans 6:4,Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
Newness is the Greek word “kainotes,” which means a new quality, something unusual or astonishing. To walk in newness of life means to live a lifestyle consistent with who you are as a new creation in Christ. Becoming a new creation in Christ means a believer has the potential to have a spiritual walk. Newness of life means potential freedom from the power of the sin nature as the ruler of your life. Whether you ever reach newness of life or not is dependent entirely on your attitude toward Bible doctrine.
What Paul is saying in this verse and those that follow in Romans 6 is that as new creations in Christ our experiential sanctification should align with our positional sanctification. In other words, we should align our lives with who we really are in Christ, which is Royal Family of God. We often call this practical righteousness. All believers receive the righteousness of God at salvation, which is a positional truth or what is often called our standing before God. It is how God sees us because of our union with Jesus Christ. However, after salvation we continue to live in Satan’s world system and we still have a sin nature which is influenced by Satan and his world system. Therefore, we need a power greater than us in order to execute God’s plan for us. We call this power system the Divine Dynasphere and we call God’s plan the Protocol Plan of God. When we execute this plan under the filling of the Holy Spirit with Bible doctrine in our souls, we are walking in newness of life.
