INTRODUCTION

In lesson two we learned about Twelve Important Things That Happen When A Man Gets Saved. In that same lesson, we also began an in-depth study of Nine Basic Doctrines Associated with Salvation. Now, we will study four more of these nine basic doctrines.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit

Justification

Imputation

Adoption.

Notice that in studying these great doctrines related to our salvation, most of the material we use is from the New Testament books of the Bible written by Paul (Romans through Titus). These are the primary sources of our doctrinal studies because Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and it was to him that the mystery of the Church was revealed (Ephesians 3:1-11). As we continue our studies, it would be worthwhile for you to read through each of these books several times if possible. They contain instruction for the Church, and we should be very familiar with them.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

 I. The Meaning of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Our worship of God must be "in spirit and in truth," because "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24). When the believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior we were "born again." The very moment we experienced this second (spiritual) birth, the Holy Spirit of God came inside us, circumcised our souls from our bodies, and joined our spirits to the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, the Holy Spirit also baptized us into the body of Christ. So, a new man was formed inside of us, created unto true holiness and righteousness. We have already studied about this new birth and the spiritual circumcision in lesson two. I remind you of these things once more so that what we have already studied will be fresh in our minds as we begin this study of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A correct understanding of these doctrines is especially important today because of current widespread unscriptural teaching concerning the precious doctrines of salvation.

We read in the Bible:

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" — Romans 6:3-5

This passage of scripture from Paul’s epistle to the Romans teaches us that baptism has to do with identification, whereby one thing is so immersed in another that it loses its own identity as one engulfs the other. Consider water baptism as an example. When the believer is immersed in water, he is cut off from the precious air he breathes. In this manner he identifies with death as if baptism were a burial in a watery grave. Romans chapter 6 isn’t talking about water baptism at all, but Spirit baptism. Of course, water baptism is merely a picture. It is an outward testimony to the world of the Spirit baptism that took place the moment we believed. It is this baptism of the Spirit that identifies us with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. This alone makes us part of the body of Christ. A clear understanding of this doctrine is vital because some sects have so confused water baptism and Spirit baptism, that they believe water baptism necessary to salvation.

Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, in his book, Seven Baptisms, says " aptists have peculiar beliefs about baptism. Strangely enough, Baptists are about the only people in the world who believe there is nothing to it!

ou know, when you think of the Baptists you think, ‘Well they sure put a lot of emphasis on water baptism.’ A real Baptist doesn’t! One reason why I’m not ashamed to connect my name with that title is that from time immemorial, Baptists have stood for three things: one of them is eternal security of the believer, which I believe in, and the others are the autonomy of the local church, which I believe in, and the last one is absolute separation of church and state, which I believe in. And real Baptists believe that water baptism can’t do a thing for you but get you wet! That’s what sets them off from Protestants. You know the word ‘Baptist’ was originally ‘Anabaptist.’ An Anabaptist was a person that believed in baptizing folks over again, because their infant baptism didn’t do them any good. They were called ‘Anti-pedo Baptists,’ that is, Baptists were people who didn’t believe that infant baptism could do a thing for you."

 II. The Body of Christ

The topic is Spirit baptism, which is directly related to the Body of Christ. This relationship is seen in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."   — I Corinthians 12:13 Paul was explaining about spiritual gifts to the born-again believers at Corinth. In verse 13, when he emphasized that the church is one body, he was not talking about local congregations on earth consisting of Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Charismatics etc. He was talking about the true church, which is a spiritual body — the heavenly body that all believers are a part of now.

Every born again believer (whether a Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Charismatic, or other) has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into that true church, which is the body of Christ. We realize that these groups teach some doctrines that are wholly untrue. Even so, any of the individual members of such a group are saved if they have trusted the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ alone to wash away their sin. They will not go unpunished for teaching heresies from the Word of God: they will pay for it and will suffer loss of rewards, but if they have been born again, they are in the body of Christ. From Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and his letter to the Ephesians we can get a definition of the body of Christ.

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." — Ephesians 1:22,23

It is plain that "the church" (verse 22) is the same as "his body" (verse 23). (Also see Colossians 1:18.)

 III. A Spiritual Marriage

Now we come to another work of the Holy Spirit, whereby the new man created inside the believer is joined to the Spirit of Christ.

The scripture says:

"He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." — I Corinthians 6:17

This joining of our spirit to the Spirit of Christ constitutes a marriage, wherein the two become "one spirit." "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." — Ephesians 5:30-33

Ephesians 5:30 says that we have become part of His body, but how did we get into His body? The Holy Spirit baptizes each believer into the body of His flesh and of his bones (see also I Corinthians 12:13). In Ephesians 5:31, Paul begins using the human physical marriage relationship to teach us about the spiritual marriage relationship we began to experience when we got saved. In verse 32, he makes this clear by saying that he is speaking of Christ and the Church. His purpose in this is to teach us about two becoming one flesh.

So the human physical marriage relationship on this earth is a picture (a type) of the spiritual relationship between Jesus Christ and the believer. Adam and Eve were a picture of this: Adam was a type of Christ and Eve was a type of His body — they were one flesh. Those who have trusted Christ as their Saviour have been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Thereby their inward man has become one flesh with the body of Jesus Christ. Now, we know that His physical body is seated up there in the third Heaven at the right hand of the Father, nevertheless, we instantaneously become part of His flesh and bones when we believe (I Corinthians 6:17). This is truly a mystery, but it is made possible by the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is omnipresent — He is everywhere. When we got saved, He came inside us to dwell permanently, joining us to the Lord Jesus Christ. We became part of Deity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We find this illustrated again in Romans 7, where Paul once more uses the marriage relationship to illustrate the Christian’s relationship to Jesus Christ. Going back to the Old Testament, he begins to teach on what the law said about marriage.

"Know ye not brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."    — Romans 7:1-4

If the relationship in Romans 7 is representative of our spiritual relationship (and it is), then the husband represents our flesh, and the woman represents our soul. So we see that before we were saved, our flesh and soul were married or joined together, and the Bible says, "what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder."

Dr. Peter S. Ruckman explains it this way:

"So what happened? Here you are, and the law had a hold of your body, because you were in your flesh — and you were under the law. Then you trusted Christ, and when He came in He cut your soul loose from your body and killed your body (making it powerless) — see Romans 6:7-8 and 6:2.

So, when Christ came into you and cut your soul loose from your body, your body was nailed to the cross with Christ, and your body..., the flesh, died. You are then single! And the single person marries Jesus Christ, and is joined to flesh over here. We are now ‘bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh;’ and ‘...he which is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit.’

So you have a case there where, when Jesus Christ came in you, if He had taken your soul away from your body without killing your body, He would have been guilty of committing adultery. Do you see that thing? So when He came in, your body dropped dead, and she (your soul) is free to be married to whom she will."

It should be clear, then, that only by the death of our body of flesh was it possible for our inward man (our soul) to marry Christ and become "bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh:" (Genesis 2:23).

1.      In Romans 7:3, the woman (our soul) was not free to be married to another man as long as her husband (our flesh) was living.

    2. But when her husband died, she was free to be married to another man (Christ).

That is exactly what happened when we got saved: the Holy Spirit baptized us into Christ. That baptism constituted a spiritual marriage relationship because we became "one spirit" with him.

As you can see, the distinction between the two natures (the old man and new man) must be understood. Otherwise, the scriptures would make no sense at all in many places.

All these things happen to the inward man (the new man) who is sinless, holy, and perfect — cut loose from the flesh. But what happens to the old man when we get saved? Even though he is dead and cannot enter into this new marriage relationship with Christ, he becomes engaged to Christ; to be married later.

We find this in II Corinthians:

"For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."     — II Corinthians 11:2

In this passage of Scripture, Paul is talking to the church, the heavenly body of Christ of which all believers are a part. He says, "I have espoused you." "Espoused" means "engaged" — our old man is engaged to the Lord Jesus Christ. After the Lord returns to take us to Heaven, he will change our vile bodies into glorified, sinless bodies like His own (Philippians 3:20,21 and I Corinthians 15:51,52).

After appearing before the Judgement Seat of Christ and having all our tears are wiped away, we will go with the Lord Jesus to the marriage ceremony. John writes about this in the book of Revelation calling it "the marriage of the Lamb."

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."     — Revelation 19:7,8

Spiritually, the new man inside us is married to the Lord Jesus Christ now. However, our old man is not married to Christ yet, but only engaged. In the coming resurrection day, our old man, (the flesh) will be changed into a glorified body, and joined again with our soul. Then we will go to the wedding ceremony where we will actually be married to the Lord Jesus Christ physically. We can look forward to this future event with great anticipation, for it will be our coronation day. No wedding ceremony of any king could ever compare with it. I cannot imagine the excitement in that day when strains of "Here comes the bride" fill the courts of Heaven and we begin to walk down the aisle to meet our wonderful bridegroom who loved us and died for us.

Louis Talbot writes:

"We shall spend all eternity in the light of His presence, and sing throughout the endless ages, the song of the redeemed.

‘The Bride eyes not her garment,

But her dear Bridegroom’s face;

I will not gaze at glory,

But on my King of grace —

Not at the crown He giveth,

But on His pierced hand:

The Lamb is all the glory

Of Immanuel’s land!’"

All of this may be difficult to understand at first, but the Holy Spirit will teach us all things in due time. [Part of us is engaged to be married to Jesus Christ, while part of us is already married to Him. And, part of us is now sinless (the inward man), while at the same time, part of us is still sinful (the outward man).] The two parts of our being must be clearly distinguished in order for us to properly understand them. We must also distinguish the two parts of the church in order to understand what the Scriptures teach about them. Paul’s letter is to a physical body of believers in a local church congregation, in regards to the spiritual body of believers, of which all born again Christians are a part in Heaven. First of all we see the church as a local assembly of believers, joined together in the fellowship of a local church congregation, at a fixed physical location. We also see the mystical, heavenly Church. That is the body of Christ, the Church, spiritually joined to our Lord by the Holy Spirit in marriage, wherein we become "members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." This includes all believers, not just Baptists.

 IV. False Teaching On Baptism

Now let’s continue in I Corinthians 12:13.

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body..." — I Corinthians 12:13

This is Spirit baptism, NOT water baptism.

After receiving the Spirit’s baptism that joins us to Christ, we are to obey the Lord’s command for believers, and submit to water baptism. Let me make it very clear that water baptism only gets us wet, and has nothing to do with getting saved. However it does show others that, as believers, we are ready to obey Christ. It is a testimony to all the world that we have been made partakers of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as Paul mentions in Romans chapter 6.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" — Romans 6:3,5

These verses deserve close study because they are the main verses used to teach the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration (the belief that a man cannot be forgiven of his sins unless he is immersed in water). But notice that the word "water" does not appear anywhere in the passage, nor anywhere in the book of Romans. However, we do see the word "Spirit" and "Ghost" used 27 times in Romans.

Another closely related passage of Scripture is Colossians 2:12.

"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."     — Colossians 2:12

(You will remember we studied this verse closely in our lesson on spiritual circumcision.) There is nothing in the context to suggest that "Buried with him in baptism." has anything at all to do with WATER. The circumcision in verses 11 and 13 is spiritual. The operation of God in verse 12 is spiritual. And the quickening of verse 13 is spiritual. Then why would anyone think that the baptism of verse 12 was physical? Clearly, it is not water baptism, but Spirit baptism

Keep I Corinthians 12:13 in mind as we look at still another passage about the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."     — Galatians 3:27,28

This passage of scripture in Galatians is another well-known text used by the so-called Church of Christ sect, and others, to teach the heresy that water baptism is necessary for salvation. They actually believe that water baptism can wash away sins. It seems they have some kind of fixation with water. Every time they read the word baptism in the Bible, they immediately think water. Whenever they see the word water, they think baptism. However, this is false and without scriptural basis. There is nothing at all in the context of Galatians 3 or Romans 6 to suggest that Paul was referring to water baptism. But, having an obsession with water, these heretics tell us that Galatians 3 and Romans 6 are referring to water baptism (no proof). Then they try to use those verses to convince us that the baptism of I Corinthians 12:13 is water baptism as well. But we need only look at Galatians 3:28 to see that this is something more than water baptism. When we are physically immersed in water and raised up again, we remain physically the same. If we go in as a male, we come up as a male; if we go in as a female, we come up as a female, for in regards to the baptism with the Holy Ghost, there is no respect of persons. When the Holy Spirit baptizes us, it is not into water, but into the literal body of Christ where there is no difference there between male or female, but all are one in Him.

This would be a good time to review the rules of Bible study that we learned in lesson one. Four of those rules that will be particularly helpful to us at this time are:

1. Never add to or take away from the text of the Holy Bible. (Reading, for example,

water when the Bible plainly says "Spirit.")

2. Never take a verse of Scripture out of context.

3. Always ask WHO is speaking, and to WHOM.

4. Always take the plain, literal meaning of every verse of Scripture, except where it is impossible to do so.

Then there are those who call themselves Charismatics and still others called Pentecostals who teach another heresy connected with the baptism with the Holy Spirit. While most of them do teach that we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ alone, they also teach that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation (known as a second work of grace). However, the Scriptures teach that one who does not have the Holy Spirit is not even one of God’s children.

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." — Romans 8:9

I Corinthians 12:13 says that we are all baptized by the Spirit into one body. We are baptized into the body of Jesus Christ the moment we are saved. The false teaching of the Charismatics is that all speak in tongues upon receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Supposedly, this is at some time following salvation. But this is a heretical teaching that cannot be proven from the Word of God. Of course, they will want to take us back to the book of Acts and twist the scriptures to try to prove it, but there isn’t one verse in the Bible that says speaking in tongues is the evidence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit. You won’t find it in Acts 2, Acts 10 or Acts 19 (the 3 places where speaking in tongues is mentioned in the book of Acts). (We will discuss this more thoroughly in lesson 8, Rightly Dividing the Word.)

The truth is, the very moment we believed we got saved the Holy Spirit baptized us into Jesus Christ and we became part of His body. Being, therefore, part of His bone and His flesh, there is no way for the believer to be separated from Christ. We are joined to Him for eternity.

"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones."     — Ephesians 5:30

The part of us that is put into Jesus Christ is the inward man. That part of us is sinless, perfect, holy, and sealed until the day of redemption. It is now joined to the Lord Jesus Christ and will never sin again.

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." — II Timothy 2:12,13

This "reign" will be during the Millennium. (We will study the Millennium further in our next lesson on the Christian’s inheritance.) There are some who use this verse to try to teach that born-again believer’s can lose their salvation. They want us to believe that if we deny Christ (like Peter), Christ will deny us at the final judgement and send us to Hell. But the context (verse 12) says nothing about losing our salvation or going to Hell. If we deny him, he will deny us a REIGN with him. Do you understand that? "If we SUFFER, we shall also REIGN with him." When Paul says "WE," he is talking to saved, born-again Christians, who refuse to suffer for the Lord Jesus. Therefore, the Lord will refuse to let them reign with Him during the Millennium.

Verse 13 says, "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." So even if we were not faithful, and if we were no longer to profess to believe in Christ, we could never lose our salvation, because the part of us that is in Jesus Christ never sins. That part of us has been cut loose from our bodies by the operation of God. Even if we were unfaithful, "yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself." We are part of Christ — "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh:" (even as Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:23), and he will not deny himself. We are not only in Christ’s hand (as John says in John 10:27-2 , but moreover, we are joined to Christ and have become part of His hand (another strong proof of our eternal security). So, the inward man stands perfect before God at all times because he is in Christ.

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him."     — I John 3:5,6

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin..."     — I John 3:9

If we are saved, we are in Him, and in Him is no sin. The part of us that is baptized into the body of Christ is sinless (our inward man).

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as he is, so are we in this world." — I John 4:17

Now, look at that — "as he is, so are we in this world." He is sinless, isn’t He? He is up in Heaven, and we are in him — there is no sin in the part of us that’s in Him. That has to do with our STANDING before God. That is the way God sees us when He looks at us, because He is looking at His Son, and in His Son is no sin. Jesus died on the cross, where He paid for the sins of the whole world.

V. Standing and State

Having mentioned our standing before God, let’s look at the matter of our standing and our state more closely. Dr. C.I. Scofield introduces this subject so well in his book Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth.

"A distinction of vast importance to the right understanding of the Scriptures, especially of the Epistles, is that which concerns the standing or position of the believer, and his state, or walk. The first is the result of the work of Christ, and is perfect and entire from the very moment that Christ is received by faith. Nothing in the afterlife of the believer adds in the smallest degree to his title of favor with God, nor to his perfect security. Through faith alone this standing before God is conferred; and before Him, the weakest person, if he be but a true believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, has precisely the same title as the most illustrious saint.

The student cannot fail to notice, also, that the divine order, under grace, is first to give the highest possible standing and then to exhort the believer to maintain a state in accordance therewith. The beggar is lifted up from the dunghill and set among princes (I Samuel 2: , and then exhorted to be princely.

Positionally he is ‘perfected forever’ (Hebrews 10:14), but looking within, at his state, he must say, ‘Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.’ (Philippians 3:12).

A prince, while he is a little child, is presumably as willful and as ignorant as other children. Sometimes he may be very obedient and teachable and affectionate, and then he is happy and approved. At other times he may be unruly, self-willed, and disobedient, and then he is unhappy, and perhaps is chastised — but he is just as much a prince on the one day as on the other. It may be hoped that, as time goes on, he will learn to bring himself into willing and affectionate subjection to every right way, and then he will be more princely, but not any more a prince than before. He was born a prince.

In the case of every true son of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, this growth into kingliness is assured. In the end, standing and state, character and position, will be equal. But the position is not the reward of the perfected character — the character is developed from the position."

Our standing before God is sinless perfection, because we are in Christ. But our state has to do with our relationship with the Lord as sons — the two are completely different. Our standing is wholly dependent upon Christ’s finished work at Calvary, but the state of our walk with God depends on our works while we are still upon this earth in these bodies of flesh.

The scripture says:

"So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."     — I Corinthians 1:7-9

If anyone ever tells you that a Christian must "endure to the end" in order to go to Heaven, just show him I Corinthians 1:8. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, wrote these words to believers living in the Church Age. He says plainly that Jesus Christ has determined to confirm us unto the end (the time of His second coming). This is something God has to do; we cannot do it ourselves. Do not let the word "shall" confuse you. It does not mean that He will confirm believers later on, but that He has already determined to carry out our confirmation unto the end. I trust God! Sometimes I can’t even trust myself, but I always have complete confidence in my Lord. I Corinthians 1:9 says "God is faithful." and I know He has already confirmed me to the end. That’s good enough for me!

Now let’s look at one more verse related to our present standing in Christ and our eternal security (Ephesians 2:6). Those who will not let the Scriptures speak for themselves have no idea what this verse is talking about, and they will never be able to understand it. They will twist it around to fit their preconceived doctrinal position by making it figurative, or by changing the words. But they cannot accept it as it is written without accepting the truth that we have just studied.

Paul says that God:

" ath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"      — Ephesians 2:6

From the context, it is plain to see that