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Identification
Ron Stahl
www.christisyourlife.com
Man calls it a fundamental doctrine of the Church; and because has been taught to accept it as just that, he has not learned too much from God in regard to it. Sometimes we accept things without too much investigation and prayer; and, therefore, we do not know God’s will in the matter. Our hearts are honest, and this is what God sees. His mercy covers all else.
There is a knowledge in God’s Word that brings Life and faith and joy. This place of knowledge is of the Spirit, and it is by the Spirit that I am going to enter into it. When I allow myself to be led by tradition, and spend much of my time trusting in rituals and ceremonies, then I am apt to be dull in my soul concerning the things that God would have me learn.
Such was my position in regard to water baptism.
You see, I do not believe that water baptism is required, nor is it necessary before God. If someone wants to be baptized, I would not forbid him, but I would desire to teach him the things that God has taught me.
There are not too many instances in the Bible, nor in my mind is much emphasis placed upon it. Yet I see many churches about me that would make the ritual necessary for salvation. This was my early teaching.
I could not understand why the Church considered it to be of such importance when it is not so emphasized in the Bible.
In Mark there is what we call the “Great Commission.” This says to go and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father…” I can not deny that this is a powerful statement in favor of baptism--if it fits the rest of God’s Word. In effect, this passage really says, “Go and teach all nations, and let them be identified with the Name of the Father…” because this is the true meaning of baptism.
Paul mentioned baptism in rather an off-hand manner; he said, “I baptize none of you except…” and then he named a few names and concluded his statement with “and maybe a few others.” The Philippian jailer was baptized, the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized, the Household of Cornelius was baptized, the twelve young men at Ephesus were baptized, and Jesus was baptized. John, the Baptist, came baptizing. Jesus baptized no one.
There are a few other places where baptism is mentioned. Paul, for instance, mentions it in this manner: “Being baptized into His death.” Again, he asked the young men of Ephesus, “Unto what baptism were ye baptized?” Baptism is a physical means of identifying yourself with a certain thing. Baptism is not a Christian rite, or is it of Christian origin. People were baptizing and being baptized long before Christ was ever made manifest.
History, neither religious nor secular, can say with any degree of sureness, just how or when the practice of baptizing became established. That it antedates Christianity by many centuries is certain. That baptism was by immersion is equally as sure. It was not until the time that Rome was in decline, and the power of the Church in the ascendancy that any form of baptizing, other than immersion, came into vogue.
The act of baptism, at this time, gave a sense of participation of untold thousands of the hordes from the north which played their part in the downfall of Rome. This made them Christians, according to the rules of the church, and brought them under the authority of that organization. Thus did the power of the Church grow, while Rome declined.
Baptism was still a means of identification. Just what place does baptism have in our religious thinking today? For centuries, the thought of its necessity has been implanted within our consciousness, so that we dare not think any other thought without hearing the cries of “heretic.” This bondage is not of Christ, it is of Satan. I am not a captive to Satan, Jesus set me free.
I can break the laws of tradition if Christ is in me because He is Lord of all; and I, in Him, am in bondage to no man.
So, when I am told it is necessary for me to be baptized in order to be saved, I dare to question it. When I am told that I must be baptized because Jesus was baptized, I ask “Why?” When I am told that I must be baptized in order to show forth obedience, I say, “Obedience to whom?” If an organization says that I must be be baptized in order to satisfy their requirements for membership; I will baptized for that purpose, but I will not say that I am being baptized before God.
When I am told that baptism is a means of preserving my soul and bringing me to the place before God where I may present myself to Him, I ask, “By what authority am I taught this?” I ask these things because I see a big God. I see a God who is Spirit, One who is over and above His creation. I see a God that is Lord and Master of all that is.
Baptism, in Bible light, what is it? Foremost, it was a means of identification. One was baptized to show his acceptance of a certain belief, to identify himself with a way of living.
John, the Baptist, came proclaiming a message. He baptized all who believed him. His message had to do with the Kingdom of Heaven--“Prepare, make straight the paths of the Lord. Repent-- the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” These were the words he taught, and this was what Judea gladly listened to and were baptized for. They were willing to identify themselves openly with this message. It was a means of expressing their contempt for Rome. It was a means of saying, “We shall be free of Rome. We will have our own Kingdom. God will reign, and we are His chosen.” John’s message was not a militant one. There had been others too, who would have ushered in the Kingdom of God, but they used a sword. This man said, “If you have two shirts, give one to your brother who has none.” He spoke out against immorality. He laid the axe to the tree, and the chips flew. His message called for a new kind of courage, a courage that was of the Spirit and not the body. This was the message John brought, and he baptized those who would be identified with it.
To say, “I was baptized according to John’s baptism,” was enough to tell the inquirer your belief. Paul had perfect understanding of the young men of Ephesus when they said they were baptized unto John’s baptism.
A question was asked Peter, just as it was asked John, “What shall we do?” The answer was very much as John’s answer, “Repent, and be baptized…”Peter said that they should then receive the Holy Ghost. This gift was contingent upon their repentance, not their being baptized.
Man has formed a doctrine around Peter’s statement: First, repent, then be baptized, and then receive the Holy Spirit.
The Bible gives us understanding regarding this by giving us the account of Cornelius of the Italian Band. There was a hunger in their hearts and an acceptance of the things of God, so that when they heard the Good News, they received it. God baptized them in the Holy Spirit.
This was a surprising thing to Peter. It is true they were not Israelites. God had already dealt with Peter on this score- -but that they should speak in tongues without ever having been baptized!! To have received this gift without ever having made a prior commitment of belief was definitely contrary to the legalistic attitude of the Jew.
Things were a little different in Samaria. Samaria was aware of the Law. Phillip preached in Samaria and there followed the custom of baptizing the Believers. Then when Peter and John came and told them more of God, they received the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Tradition has blinded many of us to the meaning of something that John, the Baptist, said. “I indeed baptize you with water, but there cometh one after me who is mightier than I, whose shoe latchets I am not worthy to untie. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire.” John is plainly saying that water baptism is but a weak excuse for what will be. There is one coming Who is mightier than I. He will not baptize you with water. He will not use a mere ritual, He will baptize you with God Himself.
This seems to me to be the focal point of the whole business. Man had developed a ritual, a certain rite that he performed, and it meant a certain thing. God talks to man in his own language to compare what is with what will be.
Water baptism identified you with something--a belief, a way of life. This is what man understood it to mean, and so God worked in the realm of man’s understanding. Jesus Christ baptizes, or identifies me with the one and only God. I can not be so baptized by man; I receive this baptism from Jesus. I am not baptized with water, I. am baptized with God. It is not an immersion in water; it is an immersion in God.
What a tremendous thing this is! It took man awhile to understand what it was that John, the Baptist, proclaimed. The traditions of man die hard, but when we see, with the eyes of God in us, then we will see them for what they are--dead acts of imperfection.
Notice the Word of God as recorded in the first few verses of the Sixth Chapter of Hebrews, “Lay aside the first principles of the doctrines of Christ…of baptism...and go on to perfection.” Just how are we to interpret these things? Shall we say it is wrong to baptize in water? No, it is neither right nor wrong; before God it is as nothing. We are made one with God as we believe the words of Jesus, and this is not dependant upon any other thing than faith in Jesus.
Paul spoke sharply to the Galatians and asked them who it was that had bewitched them that they should not obey the truth--who was it that took away their senses? They had received Jesus Christ because they heard the Word and believed. They received their perfection before God, not because of some physical act, but solely because they believed. Yet there are those among us who would insist that the physical act of water baptism is as necessary to salvation as God’s provision of His Son.
I see an evolution of baptism. I see three phases: First, John came baptizing; he said, “'Will you identify yourself with the words I say?” He told of One to come who would be the Lamb of God, of one who must increase while he would decrease. He invited people to change their way of thinking, and prepare their hearts for the Messiah of God. Those who were hungry for this event said, “Yes, I want to be one of your numbers. I will become one of you,” and John baptized them so they might show forth their faith in him.
Jesus came. He was the Light of the world. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He took my sin from me. John pointed to Him and said, “There He is. This is the One I said would come after me; he must increase and I must decrease.” Those who were baptized, and said they believed John’s words, must now believe that this is the Christ. They must believe that no longer will John be their leader; he must decrease, but they must now follow this Christ; He must increase. Out of all the multitudes that followed John in baptism, we read of only two that believed his words. Of them we read, “...and they straightway followed Jesus.” It would be difficult to say that one believed John and still not follow Jesus, especially when John pointed Him out and said, “He is the One.” Even so today, it is difficult to say that we believe Jesus and not do the things He says.
There is a similarity between John, the Baptist, and Jesus. They both pointed to a new thing.
John pointed to Jesus and said that He must increase while he, John, would decrease. Jesus said, “My Father is greater than I.” John pointed to a new Person; Jesus pointed to a new Creation.
John’s ministry decreased while the ministry of Jesus grew. There came a time when Jesus said, “It is necessary that I go away, because if I do not go away, the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, will not come.” Even as John came and occupied a place in time, so did the Man, Jesus, who was made the Christ, occupy a. place in time.
When Jesus came, the baptism of John became a useless thing. John taught of One to come, and He had already come. A baptism to the expectancy of His coming was a dead thing--He was already here. The words of John were no longer important, the One of whom he spoke was here; and it was the words of the New Man that brought Life and Peace. The young men of Ephesus were baptized into a dead thing, and that is why they had no Life. When they heard of Jesus Christ, they followed the second step--they were baptized in Jesus Name.
In this act they showed the same faith as did John’s Disciples. Their hearts were hungry and their obedience was such as when they heard of Jesus, they straightway forsook the old and followed him.
This seems to be a pattern that men follow today. First there must be hunger for God, and expectancy for the things of God. Then we see Jesus; and in seeing him, we know that truly He is of God. Then we can believe His words. Like the young men at Ephesus, we can be identified with the words that Jesus spoke--we will, follow them.
He is the One who is greater than John; He is the One altogether perfect. He is the One who shall baptize us with God. This baptism is not by man, neither is it by the will of man; it is the act of God.
“To as many as believe Him, to them He gave power to become the Sons of God to those who are born by the will of God.” The baptism that is of God is not of water, it is of his Spirit. It is a making of one, out of two, so that the old is no more, and the new is supreme. He is Lord of all and we have been identified with Him. We have been given His Nature, made to sit with Him in the Heavenlies. It is the completion of our movement toward God. It is the satisfying of the hunger that caused us to turn from our ways and seek a new way. It is an identifying with God.
He has baptized us with His Spirit so the world may know His love, and that He lives, and is alive for evermore.
Warren Rogers Articles
It is not the nature of the flesh to appreciate the value of Spiritual thoughts. It seems that only when flesh and blood are brought to the place of utter desolation that a divine appreciation is born within the human spirit. How we ought to praise our heavenly Father for the trials and temptations that come our way — knowing that His promise IS that it will always end in a divine conclusion. He has said that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us and that He WILL perfect that which concerns us. You see, in order for God's will to be done we must be purged from every desire that opposes Him. (That's really the only time that God's will is done.) The Father knows just how and when this is to be brought to pass. It is through these "wilderness experiences" that we learn the most significant spiritual lessons. It is often when we are in the desert of human aloneness and seemingly isolated from the rest of the world that we can hear our heavenly Father talk to us, Sometimes we are not willing to bring ourselves to this solitary place of meditation, so our Father arranges things in such fashion that we are reminded once again of our need to seek His face. We do not always like the process that brings us to this place of learning, but we may be comforted in the knowledge that ALL things do indeed work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. His purpose, of course, is that we be "conformed to the image and likeness of His dear Son" - Rom. 8:28-29. Sometimes we forget just HOW our Father brought His first Son into conformity with His will. We read in the Bible that He was A MAN of sorrows and acquainted with grief — He was tempted in His desires in all ways like we ourselves — He was lonely — despised and rejected of men -- He had emotions and even wept as we might today. Many times He found it necessary to withdraw Himself not only from the multitudes but His own disciples too, in order to pray and seek His Father’s will. You see, the Father understands the weakness of all flesh -- He made it! He also knows just what must be done in order to conform us to His likeness while all the time strengthening our faith. The Bible takes time to record that even Jesus, God's first Son, the captain of OUR salvation, the author and finisher of OUR faith, the first born among MANY brethren, LEARNED obedience through the things that He suffered - Heb. 5:8. Jesus, the human Jesus, was not always aware of His Father's leading in His sufferings, perhaps even as we many times are not aware. His flesh did not necessarily enjoy the process of change any more than ours. You see, obedience is the criteria here and disobedience is deeply rooted.in ALL flesh. That is WHY in order for man to learn the things of God, his flesh must be subjected to a certain kind of suffering. It is this suffering we are talking about that brings about the will of the Spirit in our lives. Jesus experienced this suffering, for He spoke from the same place of conflict when He said "The Spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak" - Matt. 26:41. Paul says in Romans 8:3 that Jesus came in the "likeness" of sinful flesh. So, you see, the flesh is not really the answer, it is just a part of the problem: that is as long as it is not under the control of the Spirit. In fact, that's all a problem really is, just something that is not yet under the control of the Spirit. Quite simple, isn't it? Maybe we should yield "right away".) About this suffering thing: the Bible says that IF we suffer with Christ we will also REIGN with Him, It sounds like it is saying, "no suffering, then no reigning". Some today would like us to believe that suffering, any kind of suffering, is absolutely unnecessary. I can't buy that! The Apostle Paul must have derived the same kind of SPIRITUAL BENEFIT through his sufferings. He must have seen some sort of purpose in it even to the extent that he sounded these most unusual words..."That I might KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection AND the FELLOWSHIP of His SUFFERINGS being made CONFORMABLE to His death" - Phil. 3:10. Wow! That’s a pretty difficult statement to make, let alone understand, Why in heaven’s name, if a Christian is to escape ALL manner of suffering, would Paul want to fellowship or share in the sufferings of Christ? I thought that Jesus came to deliver the human race from suffering. I thought that one did not have to suffer. I supposed that suffering, any kind of suffering, was a sign of spiritual weakness and ignorance on the part of the believer. 1 thought that if you were to read "Seven Steps to Victory" by Dr. Know It All , one didn't have to suffer. I thought that all suffering was supposed to be of the Devil and any one who suffered in any way, shape, or form was living far below their God given privileges. Surely, any one that suffers must be out of the will of God and lacking in faith! Evidently, neither Peter, Paul, James, John or Jesus, who all either wrote or spoke about suffering and trials, had not been fortunate enough to get their hands on the right cassette tape series. They must not have known better. Question: Could there be a certain kind of suffering that is JUST AS MUCH a part of the will of God as being healed? Seems to me that the Bible speaks an awful lot about trials and temptations accompanying the Life of the believer. Even Jesus mentioned a cross for EVERY ONE to bear. You don't hear much about that to¬day though. It seems that in order to be in tune one must be a heavy advocate of health, wealth and prosperity, or he is out of rhythm. Maybe there is another side to the coin that flesh and blood does not like to hear. Even Peter said some of the strangest things about suffering. Perhaps what he said, according to some of our modern day seminar teachers, was way out of context. Maybe the Holy Ghost didn't give him his material. Perhaps he wasn't fortunate enough to have attended one of our modern theological seminaries. Maybe he didn't have a Bible dictionary or an analytical concordance. Maybe he didn’t know anything about Greek or expository preaching. Perhaps he had forgotten to memorize the fundamental principles of "Victorious Living". Here are some of the things he said about this matter of suffering — listen! "For as much then AS Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (no wonder flesh wants nothing to do with suffering) — THAT he no longer should live the rest of his time (the time he has left) in the flesh, to the will of man, but to. THE WILL OF GOD. Beloved, think it NOT strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some STRANGE (out of the ordinary) thing has happened to you. But rejoice in as much as you are partaking of CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS. After you have suffered a while, God will make you perfect and establish, strengthen and settle you. Wherefore let them that suffer ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD " According to what? I Peter 4:1-2. It sounds like suffering, a certain KIND of suffering, is just as much the will of God as having a Devil cast out. Could it be that there is a particular God ordained suffering that is used to bring ones will into subjection and conformity to the will of the Spirit of God? Aren’t flesh and Spirit contrary one to the other? If, according to the Bible, Jesus LEARNED obedience BY the things He suffered, then He must not have known what the Father required of Him until He was trained in the things of the Spirit. You do not need to learn something you already know — it is only that which one does not know that he must learn. The Apostle Paul wrote another thing about this thing called obedience. He said that we are to "cast down (dethrone) imaginations and EVERY high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge (Word) of God and bring into captivity EVERY thought to the OBEDIENCE of Christ". He said that this is HOW obedience is fulfilled ~ II Cor. 5:4-6. It was Paul who also said^ "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT your bodies a living SACRIFICE (how the flesh abhors sacrifice), holy, acceptable unto God, which is YOUR reasonable service: and BE NOT conformed to the worlds system, but be YE transformed by the RENEWING of your mind, that you may understand what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, WILL OF GOD - Rom. 12:1-2. Renewing of the mind IS the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. You see, until we learn to PRESENT our bodies in obedience to the Lord (actually presenting of our bodies IS obedience to the Lord) and to lead every thought captive, suffering will be the inevitable tool that God will use to help bring this about. Someone once said, "God does not use force, but He certainly knows HOW to make you willing". The Scriptures say that the way of the transgressor is hard and as the sparks fly upward man was born for trouble. Suffering in the flesh is the Father’s way of redeeming the spirit and bringing man’s will into conformity with His will. Even Paul once said that he had delivered a man’s flesh to Satan’s control that the spirit might be saved. The Bible clearly states, "The wrath of God IS revealed from heaven AGAINST TVLL ungodliness". It also says, "Tribulation and anguish upon EVERY soul of man that does evil, but glory, honor and PEACE to EVERY man that works good" - Rom. 1:17; 2:9-10. It must be clearly understood that when the Bible speaks of suffering, it does not necessarily mean to suffer from sickness or disease or some kind of physical disablement. The kind of suffering the Bible speaks of here is the kind of suffering that belongs exclusively to the believer. The world does not experience this kind of suffering. This kind of suffering comes from the conflicting and contrary desires that are at war within the believer. The reason for this conflict is because man HAS been made a new creature and that new creature is at work within him and wants to gain control of his mind. If there were only one entity, there would be no struggle. Actually, it is God and the Devil fighting it out for control of man's will through his mind. Man yields to whomever he chooses. The Bible plainly identifies this as ".the sufferings and afflictions of Christ" You may remember Paul mentioning this kind of suffering when he wrote about the struggle between the FLESH and the SPIRIT - Gal. 5:16-17. He said that they are CONTRARY (in opposition) to one another and they strive to gain control of man's mind. Actually, you might say there is a civil war going on within man. This causes the most painful of all battles until the will is conquered and brought once again into subjection to the Spirit of God. Remember when we said that a problem is just something that is not yet under the control of the Spirit? Jesus Lord .
What do you turn to in time of need? Do you follow just any old suggestion that comes to mind? A lot of people do. I know of many precious souls who seem to lack direction to their lives be¬cause they just aren't willing to recognize that they are not capable of handling their problems. If we could only realize (real eyes) this, we would stop trying to deal with them and turn them over to our heavenly Father who both wants and is willing to carry the load. The Bible puts it this way, '*Cast thy burden on the Lord and will sustain thee" - Ps. 55:22. Jesus says, "Come unto me all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". Why? "Because my yoke is easy and my burden is light" - Matt. 11:28. May I put it in my own words without re¬moving any of the sanctity? Come to Him everyone of you who are floundering, failing and anxiously striving in the weakness of your human nature, you who are burdened down with earthly cares that hang about thy neck as a great and heavy yoke; take upon thee instead the divine nature (nurture) that can and will sustain you in all of your ways and the promise is thy day so shall be thy strength ’’. The Bible in so many different ways encourages us to PUT our trust in the Lord. Even King David said in Psalm 33:17, "A horse is a vain thing for safety". We are asked to acknowledge the Lord ways and then He will take it upon Himself to direct our paths, Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness that is of Him, and then He will add all else to our lives". Matt. 6:33. It’s so simple, but how we often com¬plicate our thinking. We depend too much upon our own minds. We have, as it were, entered into a contract or an agreement with God in Christ. Sometimes we get our thoughts mixed and fail to distinguish our work from His. Sometimes we want God to do ours and then at other times we try to do His, We forget that the whole basis of Christianity is trust and that God cannot do ours and we cannot do His. It's in the agreement, and agreements are no good if the ones involved do not keep their word. Jesus says, "You seek me and continue to think on the things that are in my kingdom (that's our part) and I will provide all of your needs according to my riches in Glory, whatever they may be" (that’s His part). Of course, there are earthly responsibilities we must assume; God knows that, but they are not to be magnified above heavenly things. It is often said that we are not to be "so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good". But what about being so earthly minded that we are of no heavenly good? My ex¬perience is that more people are worried about falling into the first category than the second, I've met a lot of people who are earthly minded, but I find it a rare thing to meet anyone who is heavenly or Spiritually minded, even in church, if you please. It appears to me there is little danger about going overboard with Jesus in most people's lives. I think they are quite secure. If we are going to magnify something, I believe it would be wise if we took the Psalmist* advice who says, "Come now and let us magnify the Lord together" - Ps. 34:3. We are bound to magnify something 1 So what do you turn to in time of need? Do you turn to that which helps you and sustains you, or do you consider that which only ends up delaying your answer? Is Satan leading you on?? People are all different, not any one of them are alike. They have different tendencies or different grooves of thought. They turn to different things when they become lonely, frustrated, bored, or just plain discouraged. You see, human beings are sub¬ject to many different kinds of emotions. More often then we should, we allow our emotions to rule us and make us slaves to our feelings. Feelings are good and were created by God to be our servant, but when things are turned around, it can become quite a problem. In fact, that’s what a problem really is—just something turned around. It can become heli on earth. Have you ever noticed that "evil" is really "live" spelled backwards? It all began with Adam and Eve when they obeyed Satan. When feel¬ings and desires became their master, so did Satan. Satan took control of their emotions and they became ego motions—motions motivated by their ego. They became a curse born of selfishness rather than a blessing, but then that’s always the way it is when we yield our emotions to Satan. Ever notice the difference when God has them as compared to the other side I Fear is an emotion and so is peace. Joy is an emotion and so is sorrow. See the difference? It's just a matter of which spirit has control of you—who you yield to. They are just the opposite in nature. One is the Spirit of God, the other the spirit of Satan. That's how simple it is. Jesus said, "The THIEF comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but I have come that you may have Life abundantly" - John 10:10, The child of God can yield his emotions to the Spirit of happiness “Christ if he wants. He doesn’t have to "pursue" happiness like the world teaches. It's already within him; all he has to do is develop or cultivate an awareness of his posses¬sion. He can do this by magnifying and acknowledging the Lord, not by magnifying and talking about the problem. Try it I It works; whether you emphasize the negative or the positive, you will get immediate results—what we sow, we will reap. And we don't have long to wait for the harvest. You might say that to live dominated by your feelings is living backwards or turned around, and the scriptures say the way of the transgressor is hard. We were not created to live backwards (evil) but front¬wards (live)—our back on our problems and our face in the di¬rection of the Lord- The Psalms say, "They looked unto Him and their faces were lightened, and they were not ashamed" - Ps. 34:5. If you face the Light, the shadows will be behind you, but if you turn your back on the Light, then you must face the shadows. No wonder Jesus said, "Get thee behind me Satan". Some people say we must face our problems, but they don't tell you how to cope. You do it by facing the Lord, and then He will take care of the problem. We are to overcome evil (darkness) with good and ONLY GOD, according to Jesus, is good. People lean in different directions when they have problems. Some think of drink when things get rough? others turn to physical activity to drown out their loneliness or boredom. Sometimes they turn to other people in order to discuss their problem. They for¬get that what they really need is for God to talk to their'Spirit so they may "Live'* and learn that God cannot be found in these other things . Inevitably there will come a reckoning (Rom. 6) day when they must learn the truth that David learned when the scripture records a great milestone in his life. It simply states, "And David encouraged HIMSELF in the Lord". There just wasn't anyone else around that could do it for him. And anyway, it wouldn't last any other way. Well, I guess the question now is, "Where can a person get help that will last and is there really any such thing"?? I suppose that we have all asked these questions at one time or another when we were very preoccupied with the problem at hand, when maybe we should have been putting it under our foot. I wonder if maybe the real problem has been that we too often look for our answer in the wrong thing. The answer, if we are ever to approach things from a sober point of view, must be admittedly recognized as not to be found in drink, or doing, or people, or places, or things; but in Christ and Christ alone. I like that song that says, "There is no disappointment in Jesus, He is ALL that He promised to be".
In the knowledge of God’s Spirit is conveyed His Power and Ability. God is in His knowledge; God is Spirit, Knowledge, Power, and Faith. With God’s knowledge comes wisdom, or the ability to use this knowledge as it can be productive and creative in your life and in the lives of others. When one speaks according to the knowledge that God gives, he is giving voice to the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto deliverance to anyone who believes. It will deliver anyone that receives it and believes it, for it is God’s power. This is speaking as an oracle of God. It is as thought God spoke. When God speaks, His Word is performed. The one who ministers the Gospel of Christ represents God, so therefore God must be his ability. Because the Gospel is Truth, you have the ability to back up the words that you speak. You cannot separate God’s Spirit, which fills the Gospel of Christ, from Faith, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Deliverance. He is all of these to us and for us. The Gospel of Christ is saturated with all of these things, for the Spirit says in 1 Cor 3:1 that the Gospel is the image, or expression of God. Wisdom, faith, healing, and deliverance are all given to you through the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel is God expressed to the heart of man. The world was framed by the Word of God. The same Word and ability that formed the world and brought it into existence is released from the lips of the one that proclaims the Gospel. (Notice I said Gospel, not theories, or someone’s opinions.) The Word of Faith, creating out of things that are not seen, the things that are now seen. When one speaks according to Spiritual Knowledge (God’s knowledge), the same power that was drawn upon when the world was created again goes into action. The very same Word with the same Eternal Power. The never changing Word with His unchanging power to perform. The ability of Love, fulfilling the needs of those who put a demand upon the Living Christ. 1958
Don’t expect people to understand you. They didn’t understand Jesus. Don’t expect people to like you for what you say. They didn’t listen very long to Jesus. Don’t expect people to be your friend. They were not always friendly to Jesus. But don’t let this keep you from being understanding with people and don’t let this keep you from speaking God’s Word. Don’t let this keep you from being friendly because Jesus was always friendly. Always remember that the word God has given you is true and does not change because of public opinion. Remember that there is a great gulf between the understanding of man and the understanding that God gives. Remember that one’s understanding is founded in the flesh--the other in the Spirit; and man does not know, or in many instances has not yet come to the place where he can understand Spiritual things. Know that until man learns to recognize the voice of God, he will act quite human. If you therefore understand God, act like Him. Do not lose faith because others do not have it. Remember, be patient with them and know that God’s Love is for them too. Do not give into feelings of disappointment because others do not believe you. Remember they did not believe Jesus either. If they do not respond to you, remember that God does not quit loving them because of your feelings. Remember that there are times when you too have not been responsive to God’s Word and Spiritual things, but still God is very patient and kind. Remember that you are the salt of the earth; and if you really are convinced that you have God’s Word, then speak because you have faith in what you say. If you are not convinced of that, then don’t speak; but if the words you hold are truth and life to you, then these words can work in others as they have worked in you. It is God’s responsibility to take care of His Word. It is your responsibility to speak His Word and believe. Do not be brought under bondage to the carnal mind whether it is yours or someone else’s. It does not understand the things of God, so do not consult with it. Do not defend yourself for you are dead and Christ is your life and He needs no defense. Remember that Love is what has made God’s revelation real to you and it is Love that shall make it real to others. Do not argue. Love does not use force. Always be bigger than those who would oppose you and remember that God’s Word is for them as well as yourself. Remember that Jesus died for all men and His Love is never failing. Never take anything personal, but the Word of God for all else will pass away. Keep ever before you the truth of God’s Word and it will change you. Remember that Jesus understands when people do not. Jesus is your friend when people are not. Jesus cares when people will not. Jesus helps when people cannot. Remember that Jesus never fail, though people often do and that one day the flesh shall pass away and be no more, but God’s Spirit abides forever. Always remember that God’s Word is a “He,” not an “it;” and when you give voice, you are releasing God’s power that can change the lives of those who can hear it. Do not limit God’s Word to your own experience, but know beyond doubt that His Word is not bound to human limitations and will work in the heart of the hungry. Remember, too, that a hungry heart is fertile ground for the Divine seed to take root; and it can grow up as the mustard seed into a great tree having strong branches. Remember that you can fill your words with whatever you choose--hatred or love, life or death, God or Satan, good or evil. Learn only to speak God’s Word and then you will quench the carnal mind’s socalled “right” of expression. Remember that God’s Word is a living thing and is not dead like the words of man. It will work wherever faith is found and too it can generate faith where there is need. Jesus declared that the words that He spoke were “Spirit and Life” and unbelief could not cancel it. Abide in Him and let His Word Live in you and then ask what you will.
Roy Stahl Articles
There is not such a great gulf between those who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and those who believe that God is one. The doctrine of the Trinity opens the door to harmony by saying, “These three are one.” The Trinity tries hard to explain God but it runs into the same difficulty that has always been encountered when explaining the things of God--carnal understanding. Flesh just can’t know the things of God (1Cor. 2: 11). Trinity is inadequate and admits it! After fashioning minds to accept the “Personages” of God they turn around and in effect say, it wasn’t so because these three are one. The doctrine of “oneness” stops short of things too. They feel that the one and only God is Jesus Christ and that is His name! It is true this is the only name by which we know God. You see, God never had a name, but God is not contained in a name either. I would like to suggest that we look further into what the Bible says in regard to “Oneness.” I know of no other word to use; but by using the term “Oneness,” I do not refer to the doctrine of Oneness. I might as well define what I do mean. Oneness is not only Jesus being made one with God, but it is the believer being made one with God as well. The understanding of this is where the flesh falls short every time. I feel the truth of this Oneness is quite evident throughout the Bible. Jesus prayed to the Father and said, “That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they also maybe one in us.”--John 17:21. There is no thought of merely being “in accord with” or of having a “singleness of purpose” as some would have us believe. One is just a number, not many, just one. So when I use the term “Oneness,” that is what I mean. It is my desire that these words will help to establish harmony between those two groups of people who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness. These words are meant to “put together” not “take apart.” I can put together only by talking about the Spirit of God, because it is only in the Spirit that we are made one. Here, again, I must define my words: Spirit is God--not part of God, but all of God. The Spirit is the Father God that Jesus represented. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”-- John 1:1. There is no disputing the fact that Jesus was the Word because the Bible plainly states, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”--John 1: 14. In Jesus dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Col. 2:9). It is extremely difficult for me to consider how God, the Father (as a person) could dwell within God, the Son, another person, but I can understand a Spirit dwelling in a person. “And the Word was God.” The Word,” (Logos in the Greek) does not suggest a person. God is not so easily defined. Logos is a dynamic thought, not man’s thought. It is the dynamic, or expression of Divine thought, that existed in the beginning that was made manifest to us in the form of the flesh so we could see it. “We beheld His Glory…”--John 1: 14. When I look to the flesh, the only thing I can see is Jesus. It is not the flesh that is God; it is that which is in the flesh--the motivating force (Spirit) that is God. God entered the flesh because through Jesus He could express Himself in such a manner that man could understand. God dwelt in Jesus. Jesus’ flesh was made alive by God. Herein He was the Son of God. The believer’s flesh is also made alive because God dwells in the believer (Rom 8: 11). The same thing that made Jesus the Son of God makes us the Son of God. There came a time when Jesus gave Himself up to the Father. He is no longer in the flesh; he gave that up so we might also become Sons. While He was in the flesh, God was in Him reconciling the world to Himself. Now He has committed unto us the words of reconciliation (2 Cor.5 19). As God worked in Christ, He now works in us, both planning and doing what He desires (Phil. 2:13. We can look to Jesus in the flesh and see Him as the Son; and because we are flesh we can see, and in a measure, comprehend the great compassion and love that He showed forth to those about Him. But because we believe Him, we have received a new dimension of Life by God’s Spirit dwelling within us. We have the privilege and favor of being with Him in the place of glory that was His when only God was, or as the Bible says, “Before the world was.”-- John 17:5. This is the place of our Spiritual abiding; it is the place in the Father’s house that Jesus prepared for us. It is the place in which He received us to Himself so we could be where He is. It is the fulfillment of this prayer that He expressed to the Father, “Father, I WILL that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.--John 17:24 All of this transpires in God. This Oneness is in the Spirit--it is not in the flesh. In the flesh I am a Son of God, with God’s Life in me. But when one sees his position in God, he will inevitability come to the conclusion that God is all in all and that in Him we have all been made one (Eph 1: 10). Jesus spoke in recognition of two things. He spoke, recognizing His position as a Son in the flesh, and He spoke recognizing His Oneness with God in the Spirit. Consider these remarks: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30, or “Before Abraham was, I AM.”--John 8:58, or “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”--John 14:9. These are Spiritual facts because they recognize a position found only in God. Then speaking from His position in the flesh, as a Son of God, He said, “All that the Father hath told me, I have told you.”--John 15:15; and again, “The words I speak are not my own, but the Father who dwells in me.”--John 14: 10. There are many words which Jesus uttered that become understandable only when we consider this duality within Jesus, but to suggest the thought is, for the moment, enough. Jesus reigned as the Son, until He put all enemies under His feet--even death (1 Cor.15:26). When God raised Jesus from the dead, He gave Him an incorruptible body so at this time there did exist two Gods—God, the Father, and God, the Son. Let’s consider these things for a moment: Jesus was resurrected from the dead. He had a material body. It was one having form and substance--it was not Spirit. He was emphatic about that. He said, “A Spirit does not have flesh and bone as ye see me have.”--Luke 24:39. Death no longer had any power over Him, He now could live forever. Jesus could have restored the Kingdom to Israel or do anything He wanted to because He had triumphed over all things. He was Lord of all (Acts2:36). Jesus had received the nature of God, the Life of God, the power of God. He literally was all of God in the flesh (Co1.2:9). But there was a God who was Spirit too! What would have happened if this condition continued? To understand this you must understand somewhat of the nature of man. The Bible is quite plain when it comes to exposing at least one of the weaknesses of the flesh. Flesh CAN NOT SEE, nor will it BELIEVE, anything outside its own realm (Rom 8: 7). Therefore flesh can’t understand or believe God, who is Spirit. Jesus could have remained in the flesh and all men would have flocked to Him. They would have beheld His miracles, and argued His wisdom, but THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THE FATHER GOD, who is Spirit. No man can truly know Jesus without knowing God! Yet there were those who claimed to know Him. “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” By their very words they showed forth their ignorance of who Jesus really was. Jesus said if they had known the Father they would have known Him; but because they knew Jesus only AFTER THE FLESH, they did not know the Father. Had Jesus continued to exist in the flesh, no man would have known God. Although the fullness of God dwelled within the body of Jesus, man did not see God; they only saw another man, one possessed of powers beyond their comprehension, but a man nevertheless. They did not perceive the Spirit. The whole plan of God would have crumbled at this point if Jesus had not given Himself to the Father. Jesus was to reconcile man unto God and man was not reconciled. His place of abiding was not yet prepared. The Holy Spirit (God) did not dwell within man. Here is the paradox that would have happened if Jesus had stayed “in the flesh.” Men would have believed Him because of His works--things they could see. This is the thing that Nicodemus based his belief on (John 3:2). But because Jesus spoke not of Himself, but of God, men could not believe because God is Spirit and no man can understand the things of God--only the Spirit knows the things of God (1 Cor.2: 11). So Jesus had to go away if man was ever to know and abide in God. The fullness of God dwelled within Jesus, and only Jesus. Had Jesus remained in the flesh, no man could ever have had the Life of God within Him because God had already committed Himself. He had given Himself to this man Jesus in whom He was well pleased. He was satisfied. He had found the man worthy of His love. God loved the world to such an extent that He gave Jesus over to Satan (death) and let Him go through the torments of hell, just so we would not have to taste the penalty of sin. What a tremendous thing this is! He was forsaken by God, which IS the penalty of sin, then God raised Him from the dead and rescued Him from hell. He gave Him authority over all things and in effect said, “It’s up to you.” Now the final test of love was up to Jesus. God had lifted Him up above all principalities and all power and made Him Lord of all. He could have established Himself in this world or He could have established us in God. He desired that we know God as He knew Him, so His prayer was, “Make them one, Father, EVEN AS we are one.”--John 17:21 He tried to explain this to the disciples. He said that He was in the father and the father was in Him (John 14:10). Jesus knew the futility of trying to make the disciples understand this amazing thing, but He told them about it anyway. “I have told you about these things before they come to pass so that when they come to pass, you might believe.”--John 14:29. He said that the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things (John 14:26). He would bring to mind the words that they were hearing now and they would understand. “At that day,” Jesus said, “Ye shall know that I am in the Father, and He is in me, and I am in you.”-- John 14:20. In order for this to happen He had to go to the father. This is what He had started to tell His Disciples. It was disturbing news to them. They sensed a termination of their relationship with Jesus in the flesh; but they had no inkling of the NEW, and more COMPLETE LIFE, that was in store for them in the Spirit, and they were troubled. “Let not you heart be troubled,” Jesus said, “You believe in God, believe also in me. I go to prepare a place for you and when it is prepared I will come again and receive you unto myself so that where I am there you may be also.”--John 14:3. But Jesus knew that when He left, the world would see Him no more. He also knew why He was going to give Himself over to the Father, (no man can see God). But He also knew (as no one else had ever known, because He experienced it) that when God had given a man Spiritual Life He also gave him Spiritual eyes. So He told His disciples, “In a little while ye shall see me no more, and yet, in a little while ye shall see me because I go to My Father. Because I live you shall live also.”--John 16:16. He promised them, “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” Then He told them plainly, “It is necessary for your sake that I go away because if I don’t go away the comforter will not come”--John 16:7 If the Comforter did not come, we could never have the Life of God. There would be no such thing as a New Birth because that comes only because Jesus prepared our dwelling place in God. Had the Holy Spirit not come, we could never have known the things of God (1 Cor.2:12), but Jesus did go away! The world will see Him NO MORE, but we see Him because where He is, there we are also. We can behold His Glory because we are hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). Listen to the words of the Bible: “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him that God may be All in All.”--1 Cor.15:28) This has already been done! All things were put under Jesus feet! This is the ultimate--One God! Man has come into the knowledge of the One God by Jesus Christ. God extended Himself into the realm of flesh by Jesus Christ and man’s ears heard God’s Word from His lips. He came from God and we called Him the Son of God. Remember Jesus had said that the Father is greater than I. He returned to God so that we might know beyond all doubt that there is but One God. He came from God and He returned to God (Spirit) so that we might be one with God. He returned to God so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit (God Himself), could dwell within us and we would know no division! Had Jesus not given Himself to the Father, there would have been two Gods--one Spirit and one flesh. Man cannot worship two Gods! One cannot worship the man Jesus and worship God at the same time. “God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.”-- John 4:23. Jesus was the first born among many brethren; and because of His love for us, we are made accepted in the beloved. We live in the Father because Jesus lives in the Father. He has given us the Holy Spirit so we may know that all He has said is true. This is our guarantee! I hope now that you have begun to see how Jesus has taken us beyond the limits of persons and places and things and placed us in Himself. The Bible says that we are not of this world even as Jesus was not of this world (John 17: 14). Our Life is no longer of the flesh--flesh divides, and we are not divided. Flesh cannot please God--that’s why we are new creatures (literally a new creation). We are made this way because God dwells in us. “Ye are not in the flesh if so be the Spirit of God dwells in you.”--Rom 8:9. It is through Jesus that we entered into oneness in God. Jesus said, “No man cometh to the Father but by me.”-- John 14:6. He gave Himself to the Father that God maybe the only God. Then because Jesus asked Him, God gave Himself to everyone who believes Jesus. Because we believe, we have entered into God! There should be no contention between those who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and those who believe that God is One. Our understanding of God should go beyond the limits of the flesh and be enlightened by the only God, who is Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is a good place to start; but not to stop. We must go further! If Jesus had stopped and not given Himself to God, no man could have eternal life. On the other hand, had He not been a faithful Son, we would not have an abiding place in God. My desire is that we know the Son and His relation to the Father, that we will understand the love that caused the Son to give Himself to the Father; and above all, that we today, right now, KNOW AND ACCEPT OUR POSITION IN GOD! There should be harmony with our brethren who believe that God is One. They too must go on to understand that as God is One so are they, in Christ. To be one with God is the miracle of Salvation. We are made to be a NEW CREATION while we are yet in this mortal body. We must reckon ourselves to be dead to sin. We must consider our lives (our desires in this world) to be no more, because it is God who is now working in us. He plans what is to be done, and He is the only one who can do it. He is our place of rest. When we are willing to listen to God and let Him work, when we are willing to say, “Not my will, but thine be done,” we are in a position to learn more of God than we can ever imagine.
There is a scripture in the New Testament that on the surface of things looks most peculiar. It’s Romans 10:9. Actually there is a wee bit in the eighth verse that tells you what the whole thing is about. It goes this way: “This is the Word of Faith that we preach that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” That’s just plain talk! It’s somewhat reverse order from the way most people do things today. Today we figure that we better have something in our hand before we start talking about it. That’s true too. But this other is “talking faith.” The person who is not born again doesn’t do much faith talking. That’s one of the big differences between people today. Some talk faith, and some don’t, even among those who are born again. The person who believes God tries to do what God tells him to do. One of these things is to talk and act faith. The Bible says that FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”--Heb.11:1 Putting this together with Romans 10:9, I come up with this way of receiving from the Lord. If the Lord has provided something for me that I want and need, I confess that I have it, believe in my heart that this is so, and it becomes mine. This is like the Lord told us about prayer. He said, “Whatsoever things ye ask when you pray, believe that you have received them, and ye shall have them..”--Mark 11:24 Super psychology, you say. Well, maybe, but it’s God that’s backing it up. When you believe God, and put this thing to work because you believe God, you’ll see things happen! When the children of Israel finally came to the point of believing God, they began to act. They acted strangely perhaps, but they acted. God said, “There’s Jericho, it’s yours. Here’s what you do...” Then He laid out one of the strangest battle plans I’ve ever seen. Just go out and march around the wall of the city. Do it once everyday for six days, then on the seventh day march around seven times, but don’t say a word, just be quiet. Then on the seventh day when you finish your marching, just give a big shout. It looked somewhat strange to do all this marching and shouting before the victory, but Jericho wasn’t delivered into their hands until they did open their mouths and shout. O.K., look at Romans 10:9 again. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart…” then you’ll possess. That’s God’s way of doing things. Why don’t you do it?