Dr. Couch, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 12:22-32 is confusing. Would you clear this up for me?
ANSWER: The reason it is confusing is that you are not looking at the Bible
dispensationally. You take what is said in Matthew as applicable to the
church today. Remember, we must interpret by context, context, and
context! And what you're doing is pushing everything in the Gospels into
the church age. Context is the key. Christ is discussing the fact that
He is physically in the presence of Israel, showing the Jewish people by
His healings that He is the Messiah. He is not speaking about church
truth!
The common people were amazed at the fact that Christ
was healing, and therefore, must be the "Son of David," Israel's
promised King and Messiah (v. 23). The OT made it clear that the Messiah
would heal—thus Christ is that One! His healings, done by the power of
the Spirit of God, proved it. The Pharisees did not want to accept this
fact! They argued that He was healing by the power of Satan, by
Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons (v. 24).
They did not
question the fact that Jesus was healing—that they had to admit to! They
saw the results of His healing work. What they were doing was ascribing
that miracle working to Satan! They were denying the object facts that
were taking place right in front of them. This blasphemy would never be
forgiven because it was ascribing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit
(v. 31). Interestingly, they could blaspheme the Son of Man (the
Messiah) and be forgiven. But to deny the objective work of the Holy
Spirit, that was taking place right in front of them, was unforgivable
(v. 32).
The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot happen
today. In Matthew 12, the people, and the Pharisees, were seeing
literally the healings of Christ. Christ is not here with us physically,
doing objective healings, which could be verified and not doubted. So
this blasphemy can not happen today!
I am not fussing with
you, but your question proves the point that we must understand
Scripture from its dispensational framework, otherwise, we end up with
false doctrine, and with an interpretive mess! (1) Keep the lines
straight, (2) Observe carefully, (3) Pay attention to context. I fly
small airplanes and I learned long ago to keep all my stuff in order, to
observe carefully my maps, to keep a close watch on my radio dial
settings, pay attention to my altitude (especially in night flying), or
I'll end up in a big mess on the ground! Do things in order, and don't
jump to conclusions without proper interpretive skills and good
observation!
You need my Hermeneutic book: Classical
Evangelical Hermeneutics (Kregel). We have it for a $18 donation. This includes shipping. Send a
check to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX. 76634. This
book will lay out all the key principles that will guide you straight in
interpretation!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#467)
Dr. Couch, is The Emerging Church dangerous to orthodox Christianity?
Absolutely. I'll let you decide. From the Lighthouse Trials (May, 2009) we find that those of us who believe in Bible prophecy, and the prediction of war in the Middle East (as is seen in Ezekiel 38-39) we are cultish and a danger to the world! Brian McLaren has suggested that premillennialists are part of the reason there is no peace in that region of the globe! Rick Warren agrees. One of his staff has said that ministries and prophetic scholars who have this view are "not normal people, they are complainers, critics and typical dissidents who are generally unhappy about life itself. … They are deadly."
McLaren added that we are doing terrible and deadly things, distorting Scripture. We are morally and ethically harmful.
What this means is that there is now an open war between believers over the issue of Bible prophecy. This war will only get worse, using blame to marginalize what some Christians hold. We who are dispensationalists and premillennialists will only be put down more and more. This has to be a satanic conspiracy. Here we are seeing events in the Middle East heat up and yet there is a growing denial by those who deny the prophetic Word!
Peter writes: "Know this first of all, that in the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation …'" (2 Pet. 3:3-4).
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Absolutely. I'll let you decide. From the Lighthouse Trials (May, 2009) we find that those of us who believe in Bible prophecy, and the prediction of war in the Middle East (as is seen in Ezekiel 38-39) we are cultish and a danger to the world! Brian McLaren has suggested that premillennialists are part of the reason there is no peace in that region of the globe! Rick Warren agrees. One of his staff has said that ministries and prophetic scholars who have this view are "not normal people, they are complainers, critics and typical dissidents who are generally unhappy about life itself. … They are deadly."
McLaren added that we are doing terrible and deadly things, distorting Scripture. We are morally and ethically harmful.
What this means is that there is now an open war between believers over the issue of Bible prophecy. This war will only get worse, using blame to marginalize what some Christians hold. We who are dispensationalists and premillennialists will only be put down more and more. This has to be a satanic conspiracy. Here we are seeing events in the Middle East heat up and yet there is a growing denial by those who deny the prophetic Word!
Peter writes: "Know this first of all, that in the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation …'" (2 Pet. 3:3-4).
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#466)
Dr. Couch, I understand that Christ’s name in Isaiah 9:6 is one long name. Since you know and have taught Hebrew, is this true?
ANSWER: Yes, indeed it is! The Hebrew text says that the Messiah has “one” name (singular). The Hebrew text spells out His name thusly: Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom. In English it reads: “Wonderful Counselor-Mighty God-Eternal Father-Prince of Peace.” In the Hebrew version of the Jewish English Bible, they simply spell out the name with the English letters, but with no explanation. The average Jew then cannot tell what the Hebrew words mean. I believe this is calculated so they cannot know what His name is actually all about!
The words “Eternal Father” should be translated “The Father of Eternity.” The Messiah is the Second Person of the Trinity, and, of course He is God! But He is not God the Father but God the Son! However, He is the Father, if you will, who “is in control of” eternity! Unger says on this passage:
“The Messiah is the Eternal Existing One,” the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Rev. 1:8), construed according to the Semitic idiom, “Where He who possesses a thing, etc. He is called the father of it!”
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Yes, indeed it is! The Hebrew text says that the Messiah has “one” name (singular). The Hebrew text spells out His name thusly: Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom. In English it reads: “Wonderful Counselor-Mighty God-Eternal Father-Prince of Peace.” In the Hebrew version of the Jewish English Bible, they simply spell out the name with the English letters, but with no explanation. The average Jew then cannot tell what the Hebrew words mean. I believe this is calculated so they cannot know what His name is actually all about!
The words “Eternal Father” should be translated “The Father of Eternity.” The Messiah is the Second Person of the Trinity, and, of course He is God! But He is not God the Father but God the Son! However, He is the Father, if you will, who “is in control of” eternity! Unger says on this passage:
“The Messiah is the Eternal Existing One,” the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Rev. 1:8), construed according to the Semitic idiom, “Where He who possesses a thing, etc. He is called the father of it!”
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Answers To Your Questions
Some say we are already in the Kingdom, according to Colossians 1:13. How is this verse handled properly, especially since Christ is not yet reigning from a literal throne over a literal kingdom on earth?
Answer: The kingdom in Colossians 1:13 is not speaking of the literal millennial kingdom of Christ on earth, but rather a kingdom of light (verse 12) verses a kingdom of darkness (verse 13). Dr. Gromacki writes “This expression points to the kingdom of Satan that is marked by sin and moral darkness (Eph. 6:12). The concept of darkness includes an opposition to the light as well as an absence of it. This is a realm of moral rebellion, insubordination, and creaturely independence (John 3:19-20).” (Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series: Philippians & Colossians).
Scripturally speaking, there is a kingdom of darkness and a kingdom of light. Those who are saved, have an inheritance (kingdom treasures) that belong to believers (verse 12). These are spiritual blessings that we possess today as we stand right now “in Christ.” Notice the verbs used: Who (God) delivered (past tense – to rescue) us from the power (liberty of doing a thing) of darkness (metaphoric usage meaning world or kingdom of darkness), and transferred (past tense - moved from one place to another) into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Even the great Greek scholar Dr. Robertson (who is not a premillennialist) identifies this as: “Changed us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.”
Remember a word is limited in scope by its context. In this context, “the kingdom of the Son of His love” speaks of His first coming and salvation – removing us from the realm of darkness, the world system whose leader is the devil to a new life “in Christ.”
Thanks for asking,
Dr. John Pappas
Answer: The kingdom in Colossians 1:13 is not speaking of the literal millennial kingdom of Christ on earth, but rather a kingdom of light (verse 12) verses a kingdom of darkness (verse 13). Dr. Gromacki writes “This expression points to the kingdom of Satan that is marked by sin and moral darkness (Eph. 6:12). The concept of darkness includes an opposition to the light as well as an absence of it. This is a realm of moral rebellion, insubordination, and creaturely independence (John 3:19-20).” (Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series: Philippians & Colossians).
Scripturally speaking, there is a kingdom of darkness and a kingdom of light. Those who are saved, have an inheritance (kingdom treasures) that belong to believers (verse 12). These are spiritual blessings that we possess today as we stand right now “in Christ.” Notice the verbs used: Who (God) delivered (past tense – to rescue) us from the power (liberty of doing a thing) of darkness (metaphoric usage meaning world or kingdom of darkness), and transferred (past tense - moved from one place to another) into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Even the great Greek scholar Dr. Robertson (who is not a premillennialist) identifies this as: “Changed us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.”
Remember a word is limited in scope by its context. In this context, “the kingdom of the Son of His love” speaks of His first coming and salvation – removing us from the realm of darkness, the world system whose leader is the devil to a new life “in Christ.”
Thanks for asking,
Dr. John Pappas
Monday, August 27, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#465)
Dr. Couch, what is going on in Hebrew 6:1-9? I have had people say it is teaching the loss of salvation. Please explain.
ANSWER: I was privileged to take the book of Hebrew in graduate Greek from one of the best Greek teachers in America . And I can assure you this is not what the old "having fallen away" passage is all about!
I came to the conclusion years ago that the book of Hebrews, though passed on to believers in the church, is mainly addressing those Jews who had heard the gospel but had not received Christ as their Savior! They knew of Christ but were rejecting the message of salvation through Him! I stuck to my guns about the meaning of the passage because I'm a pretty good observer and that's what the verses are really all about—these folks were never believers! I discovered a few years back that one of the most brilliant Greek scholars of the last century, Kenneth Wuest, held to the same view.
It would take too long here to spell out the full reason that this is the case, so I can't do that in this short question and answer. But here is just one point that I think is important. When the author of Hebrews starts this section he uses the third person ("those, them"), and not the second person ("you"). In other words, he's writing about the rejecters who refused to believe that Christ was the Savior and the promised Jewish Messiah! He concludes the section by saying: "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning YOU, and things that accompany salvation, …" (v. 9). Below are just a few of the comments that Wuest makes on the passage:
"The readers were enlightened as every sinner is enlightened who comes under the hearing of God's Word. But as the unsaved in an evangelistic meeting today clearly understand the message of salvation but sometimes refuse the light and turn back into the darkness of sin and continued unbelief, so these Hebrews (the readers) were in danger of doing a like thing. … The translation reads therefore, 'if they fell away.' [The writer] here presents a hypothetical case, warning these unsaved Hebrews from making such a thing a reality. Now the writer gives the reason why these Hebrews cannot be brought back to the place of repentance, should they return to the First Testament (the OT Law) sacrifices. They would crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame. Vincent adds, 'the greatness of the guilt is aggravated by the fact that they thus treat the Son of God.'"
Again, it would take too long here to explain the passage completely, but I hope that this helps some.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: I was privileged to take the book of Hebrew in graduate Greek from one of the best Greek teachers in America . And I can assure you this is not what the old "having fallen away" passage is all about!
I came to the conclusion years ago that the book of Hebrews, though passed on to believers in the church, is mainly addressing those Jews who had heard the gospel but had not received Christ as their Savior! They knew of Christ but were rejecting the message of salvation through Him! I stuck to my guns about the meaning of the passage because I'm a pretty good observer and that's what the verses are really all about—these folks were never believers! I discovered a few years back that one of the most brilliant Greek scholars of the last century, Kenneth Wuest, held to the same view.
It would take too long here to spell out the full reason that this is the case, so I can't do that in this short question and answer. But here is just one point that I think is important. When the author of Hebrews starts this section he uses the third person ("those, them"), and not the second person ("you"). In other words, he's writing about the rejecters who refused to believe that Christ was the Savior and the promised Jewish Messiah! He concludes the section by saying: "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning YOU, and things that accompany salvation, …" (v. 9). Below are just a few of the comments that Wuest makes on the passage:
"The readers were enlightened as every sinner is enlightened who comes under the hearing of God's Word. But as the unsaved in an evangelistic meeting today clearly understand the message of salvation but sometimes refuse the light and turn back into the darkness of sin and continued unbelief, so these Hebrews (the readers) were in danger of doing a like thing. … The translation reads therefore, 'if they fell away.' [The writer] here presents a hypothetical case, warning these unsaved Hebrews from making such a thing a reality. Now the writer gives the reason why these Hebrews cannot be brought back to the place of repentance, should they return to the First Testament (the OT Law) sacrifices. They would crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame. Vincent adds, 'the greatness of the guilt is aggravated by the fact that they thus treat the Son of God.'"
Again, it would take too long here to explain the passage completely, but I hope that this helps some.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#464)
Dr. Couch, can believers be seduced by idolatry?
ANSWER: You bet they can! Not so much today, but during Paul's day many of the Gentiles were tempted again to serve idols. Paul warns believers about this. He told the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of" the Jews were in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:7). He added, "My beloved (the believers), flee from idolatry" (v. 14). And then John wrote: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21 ).
We forget that believers can act fleshly or carnal and live just like the world. Paul warned: "You are not able to receive solid food, "even now you are not yet able. … are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men (the lost)?" (1 Cor. 3:2-3).
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: You bet they can! Not so much today, but during Paul's day many of the Gentiles were tempted again to serve idols. Paul warns believers about this. He told the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of" the Jews were in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:7). He added, "My beloved (the believers), flee from idolatry" (v. 14). And then John wrote: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21 ).
We forget that believers can act fleshly or carnal and live just like the world. Paul warned: "You are not able to receive solid food, "even now you are not yet able. … are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men (the lost)?" (1 Cor. 3:2-3).
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#462)
Dr. Couch, I really appreciate your teaching on the Trinity. How can we get more material from you on the subject?
ANSWER: I've never done a series on this. There are some great sources out there that I suggest. One is The Trinity by Edward Bickersteth (Kregel). You need to get it! This answers all the issues on the Trinity, and gives all of the main verses of Scripture. Because of the inclusion going on today ("all religions are the same") you need to fortify your heart, mind, and soul, as to the nature of our God!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: I've never done a series on this. There are some great sources out there that I suggest. One is The Trinity by Edward Bickersteth (Kregel). You need to get it! This answers all the issues on the Trinity, and gives all of the main verses of Scripture. Because of the inclusion going on today ("all religions are the same") you need to fortify your heart, mind, and soul, as to the nature of our God!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, August 24, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#463)
Dr. Couch, I
understand that some believe Solomon was not saved, that he was so deep
in sin with all his wives that he was not a child of God. How do you
answer?
ANSWER: Solomon was saved as we would understand it in NT terminology. But he was seduced by the idols of his many wives. We read in 1 Kings 11:4: "His many wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." He "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully" (v. 6). He "built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab , on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem , and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon" (v. 7). God commanded him "that he should not go after the other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded" (v. 10).
We know he was saved from 2 Samuel 7. Solomon would build a house for the Lord's name, and through Solomon, God would establish "the throne of his kingdom forever" (v. 13). Wow! Forever! God would "be a father to him and he will be God's son; when he commits iniquity, God will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men" (v. 14). But more, God's "lovingkindness" shall not depart from Solomon (v. 15). David's house and kingdom shall endure before God FOREVER; and David's throne, because of Solomon his son, "shall be established forever" (v. 16).
The Hebrew word "lovingkindness" is actually the word Chay'Sad which is better translated "mercy." The word is rich in meaning with a related word "to take refuge." God will be a place of refuge for Solomon, One who gives protection, One to whom Solomon can flee. Other meanings of the word can be: "kindness, benevolence, grace." The Jewish Rabbis say of 2 Samuel 7:15: "God's mercy shall not be permanently taken away." They add, "This promise through David and then Solomon is about an everlasting kingdom of the house of David powerfully influenced by the development of the Messianic hope in Israel ." And, "despite the sins of Solomon it is repeatedly affirmed that the kingdom shall not be withdrawn from David's house for his sake."
Thus, Solomon was saved, he was a believer in the Lord, though weak by being tempted with the idols if of his pagan wives!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Solomon was saved as we would understand it in NT terminology. But he was seduced by the idols of his many wives. We read in 1 Kings 11:4: "His many wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." He "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully" (v. 6). He "built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab , on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem , and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon" (v. 7). God commanded him "that he should not go after the other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded" (v. 10).
We know he was saved from 2 Samuel 7. Solomon would build a house for the Lord's name, and through Solomon, God would establish "the throne of his kingdom forever" (v. 13). Wow! Forever! God would "be a father to him and he will be God's son; when he commits iniquity, God will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men" (v. 14). But more, God's "lovingkindness" shall not depart from Solomon (v. 15). David's house and kingdom shall endure before God FOREVER; and David's throne, because of Solomon his son, "shall be established forever" (v. 16).
The Hebrew word "lovingkindness" is actually the word Chay'Sad which is better translated "mercy." The word is rich in meaning with a related word "to take refuge." God will be a place of refuge for Solomon, One who gives protection, One to whom Solomon can flee. Other meanings of the word can be: "kindness, benevolence, grace." The Jewish Rabbis say of 2 Samuel 7:15: "God's mercy shall not be permanently taken away." They add, "This promise through David and then Solomon is about an everlasting kingdom of the house of David powerfully influenced by the development of the Messianic hope in Israel ." And, "despite the sins of Solomon it is repeatedly affirmed that the kingdom shall not be withdrawn from David's house for his sake."
Thus, Solomon was saved, he was a believer in the Lord, though weak by being tempted with the idols if of his pagan wives!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#461)
Dr. Couch,
thank you for emphasizing the doctrine of the Trinity. I've noticed in
the past that you explain the doctrine clearly. You need to write a book
on the subject!
ANSWER: Thank you for your comments. In graduate school I had an advanced course on the subject. The professor, Dr. John Witmer, did an outstanding job with all the verses in Scripture that explained the nature of our Lord!
There are several ways to confirm and explain the doctrine of the Trinity. One has to do with the fact that the persons in the Godhead do the same thing. For example, in Isaiah 51:12, God the Father says He is the One who comforts. Christ told His disciples He would send them "another" Comforter (or Helper) (John 14:16 ) who would be the Holy Spirit (v. 17). Christ is saying that He is a Comforter but would send another Comforter, the Spirit. So each person in the Godhead comforts believers! They are doing the same work!
John 3:6 speaks of being born of the Spirit, but 5:4 speaks of being born of God. Paul says that Christ performs signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:19 ) but Psalm 136:1-4 says that God the Father also performs great wonders. Thus, all three persons of the Godhead are performing such work!
Satan can fill the heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3) but also God the Father can be lied to (v. 4). It is possible to try (or tempt) the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:9) but also the Lord God can be tried (or tempted) (Matt. 4:7). The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, all three separate persons, are abiding within the believer (John 14:16 -23). Those who are anti-Trinitarian say, "Well, yes, God dwells within, but this idea is not supporting the doctrine of the Trinity!" But it is, because the indwelling is done distinctly be the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit!
In creating us, all three persons were involved specifically. The Father "has made us" (Psa. 100:3), Christ the Word created all things, including us! ( Col. 1:16) and the Spirit of God made us (Job 33:4). God stills the waves (Psa. 107:29) and so does the Son (Matt. 8:26 ). God the Father can send His Spirit (Isa. 48:16) and so the Son (John 16:7). We are to serve God the Father (Deut. 10:20 ) and also the Son (Col. 3:24).
We could go on and refer to hundreds of additional verses but the passages above make clear what the Bible is saying about the persons in the Trinity.
Early in American history, on the East coast, there was a revolt against the doctrine of the Trinity in many of the congregations. They denied the Trinity and turned to the cult of Universalism. This brought down many of the churches, and even some of the colleges, in the eastern states. Spiritually, many of the churches in that part of the country never fully recovered. That is why the East coast remained so spiritually dead even up until the present time. Transcendentalism filled the gap in many congregations. Spiritual deadness followed.
To fully understand the nature and attributes of our God is extremely important. This becomes a bulwark against a belief in other religions! One cannot say Islam, or Hinduism, are equal to Christianity, if one is fully aware of the biblical revelation of who our God is! If you have not heard recently a full doctrinal teaching on the Trinity, you must see that this happens in your Sunday schools or from the pulpit by your pastor! This issue is extremely important!
Thanks for your comments.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Thank you for your comments. In graduate school I had an advanced course on the subject. The professor, Dr. John Witmer, did an outstanding job with all the verses in Scripture that explained the nature of our Lord!
There are several ways to confirm and explain the doctrine of the Trinity. One has to do with the fact that the persons in the Godhead do the same thing. For example, in Isaiah 51:12, God the Father says He is the One who comforts. Christ told His disciples He would send them "another" Comforter (or Helper) (John 14:16 ) who would be the Holy Spirit (v. 17). Christ is saying that He is a Comforter but would send another Comforter, the Spirit. So each person in the Godhead comforts believers! They are doing the same work!
John 3:6 speaks of being born of the Spirit, but 5:4 speaks of being born of God. Paul says that Christ performs signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:19 ) but Psalm 136:1-4 says that God the Father also performs great wonders. Thus, all three persons of the Godhead are performing such work!
Satan can fill the heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3) but also God the Father can be lied to (v. 4). It is possible to try (or tempt) the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:9) but also the Lord God can be tried (or tempted) (Matt. 4:7). The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, all three separate persons, are abiding within the believer (John 14:16 -23). Those who are anti-Trinitarian say, "Well, yes, God dwells within, but this idea is not supporting the doctrine of the Trinity!" But it is, because the indwelling is done distinctly be the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit!
In creating us, all three persons were involved specifically. The Father "has made us" (Psa. 100:3), Christ the Word created all things, including us! ( Col. 1:16) and the Spirit of God made us (Job 33:4). God stills the waves (Psa. 107:29) and so does the Son (Matt. 8:26 ). God the Father can send His Spirit (Isa. 48:16) and so the Son (John 16:7). We are to serve God the Father (Deut. 10:20 ) and also the Son (Col. 3:24).
We could go on and refer to hundreds of additional verses but the passages above make clear what the Bible is saying about the persons in the Trinity.
Early in American history, on the East coast, there was a revolt against the doctrine of the Trinity in many of the congregations. They denied the Trinity and turned to the cult of Universalism. This brought down many of the churches, and even some of the colleges, in the eastern states. Spiritually, many of the churches in that part of the country never fully recovered. That is why the East coast remained so spiritually dead even up until the present time. Transcendentalism filled the gap in many congregations. Spiritual deadness followed.
To fully understand the nature and attributes of our God is extremely important. This becomes a bulwark against a belief in other religions! One cannot say Islam, or Hinduism, are equal to Christianity, if one is fully aware of the biblical revelation of who our God is! If you have not heard recently a full doctrinal teaching on the Trinity, you must see that this happens in your Sunday schools or from the pulpit by your pastor! This issue is extremely important!
Thanks for your comments.
Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#460)
Dr. Couch, I
understand the Contemplative Prayer people use Psalm 46:10 and Matthew
6:6-7 to advocate that we should go into the lotus position, tune out
all thoughts, and contemplate God. Is that what these verses are all
about?
ANSWER: The Contemplative Prayer advocates are not talking about meditating on God. They are advocating Hinduism by which one pushes out all thoughts, even about God, and go into a silent mental state, whereby then they are filled up with the divine! This is Hinduism and not Christianity! They believe we should divorce the mind from all thinking. God then comes and simply fills up the silence space in a mystical "no thinking" way.
This is a repudiation of all objective, conscious thinking. It is a denial of living by objective doctrine, whereby we act on the truths of God's Word. The Contemplative Prayer people admit that they are uniting their view of "Christianity" with other religions. Most of the advocates are coming out of Anglicanism. They are also going back to contemplation and musing from the "desert fathers," those in the Middle Ages who left the world in order to find God "in silence." This is cultism and it is driven by demonism! It is exploding in liberal churches, but too, it is spilling over into Evangelical churches. This is leading to a one-world religion!
In the NAS Psalm 46:10 reads: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The "cease striving" is not speaking about tuning out contemplation, it is about waiting on the Lord in His sovereignty to do the work He has determined in His world. In other words, they misuse the passage and do not understand what it is about. Matthew 6:6 is also not talking about going brain-dead and shutting out all thinking. Christ said: "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." The point is that one simply goes into a private place and speaks with Him alone. Don't "perform" with your praying in order to impress others. Since God is Spirit, He sees and hears all things. He knows our every thought!
Be alert! Satan is working overtime in destroying the truth of God's Word. Because doctrine is no longer "in", especially among those who are thirty-five and under, we can expect all kinds of occultism coming in, in order to destroy biblical Christianity. Satan is working overtime to mislead our churches!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: The Contemplative Prayer advocates are not talking about meditating on God. They are advocating Hinduism by which one pushes out all thoughts, even about God, and go into a silent mental state, whereby then they are filled up with the divine! This is Hinduism and not Christianity! They believe we should divorce the mind from all thinking. God then comes and simply fills up the silence space in a mystical "no thinking" way.
This is a repudiation of all objective, conscious thinking. It is a denial of living by objective doctrine, whereby we act on the truths of God's Word. The Contemplative Prayer people admit that they are uniting their view of "Christianity" with other religions. Most of the advocates are coming out of Anglicanism. They are also going back to contemplation and musing from the "desert fathers," those in the Middle Ages who left the world in order to find God "in silence." This is cultism and it is driven by demonism! It is exploding in liberal churches, but too, it is spilling over into Evangelical churches. This is leading to a one-world religion!
In the NAS Psalm 46:10 reads: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The "cease striving" is not speaking about tuning out contemplation, it is about waiting on the Lord in His sovereignty to do the work He has determined in His world. In other words, they misuse the passage and do not understand what it is about. Matthew 6:6 is also not talking about going brain-dead and shutting out all thinking. Christ said: "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." The point is that one simply goes into a private place and speaks with Him alone. Don't "perform" with your praying in order to impress others. Since God is Spirit, He sees and hears all things. He knows our every thought!
Be alert! Satan is working overtime in destroying the truth of God's Word. Because doctrine is no longer "in", especially among those who are thirty-five and under, we can expect all kinds of occultism coming in, in order to destroy biblical Christianity. Satan is working overtime to mislead our churches!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Monday, August 20, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#459)
Dr. Couch, it
seems as if the book of Romans is written to believers, but then chapter
2 appears to be addressing the unbelievers. Is this true?
ANSWER: Yes, you have it correct. The book in the larger sense is addressed to those who have trusted Christ but Paul has several segments that are aimed at the lost. There is nothing wrong with this. We just have to observe carefully when he makes the shift in context. Notice in 2:3 he writes "O man" and then reminds humanity in general of the wrath that they will have to face from the righteous judgment of God (v. 5). 2:17-29 is aimed at the Jews. Paul begins here by writing "But if you bear the name 'Jew' …" (v. 17). In 3:9-20 the apostle puts all of humanity, both Jew and Gentile, under sin and condemned. Only Christ, and justification by faith, can get us out of the mess of sin!
As Paul gets into chapter 3 he starts applying the salvation process to his readers and shows that by faith we are saved and have a new position in Christ. I would say then that the rest of the book goes back and is aimed at his audience, the believers who are residing in Rome.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Yes, you have it correct. The book in the larger sense is addressed to those who have trusted Christ but Paul has several segments that are aimed at the lost. There is nothing wrong with this. We just have to observe carefully when he makes the shift in context. Notice in 2:3 he writes "O man" and then reminds humanity in general of the wrath that they will have to face from the righteous judgment of God (v. 5). 2:17-29 is aimed at the Jews. Paul begins here by writing "But if you bear the name 'Jew' …" (v. 17). In 3:9-20 the apostle puts all of humanity, both Jew and Gentile, under sin and condemned. Only Christ, and justification by faith, can get us out of the mess of sin!
As Paul gets into chapter 3 he starts applying the salvation process to his readers and shows that by faith we are saved and have a new position in Christ. I would say then that the rest of the book goes back and is aimed at his audience, the believers who are residing in Rome.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Saturday, August 18, 2012
'Think on These Things' by Dr. Robert Lightner
What are you thinking about right now? To
put the question another way, What's on your mind? What we think about
has a whole lot to do with how we behave. Before ever an act–good or
bad–is performed, we give some attention to it, sometimes more than
other times.
In the Bible "mind" and "heart" are sometimes used interchangeably. They are not the same but do work together, and the context in which they are used helps us to understand the meaning. Believers are told to set their affections, their mind, on good things, things not displeasing to God (Col. 3:2). The apostle Peter told his readers to "gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Pet. 1:13). He wanted the people to adjust their thinking so that they would be prepared to be used by God.
Satan loves to get us to think thoughts not pleasing to God. He deceives and apparently knows our weaknesses. The big question is, How can we be victorious in our thought-life?
Here are some suggestions that I trust will help you in the area of gaining control of your thoughts before they get control of you. Try to get proper rest. Fatigue of body and mind hinders spiritual growth. When a bad thought not pleasing to God comes to you, remind yourself of something from God's Word. Do not be afraid to tell the devil to get out of your mind. Guard your heart and mind. Verbalize a truth about God. Good thinking!
In the Bible "mind" and "heart" are sometimes used interchangeably. They are not the same but do work together, and the context in which they are used helps us to understand the meaning. Believers are told to set their affections, their mind, on good things, things not displeasing to God (Col. 3:2). The apostle Peter told his readers to "gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Pet. 1:13). He wanted the people to adjust their thinking so that they would be prepared to be used by God.
Satan loves to get us to think thoughts not pleasing to God. He deceives and apparently knows our weaknesses. The big question is, How can we be victorious in our thought-life?
Here are some suggestions that I trust will help you in the area of gaining control of your thoughts before they get control of you. Try to get proper rest. Fatigue of body and mind hinders spiritual growth. When a bad thought not pleasing to God comes to you, remind yourself of something from God's Word. Do not be afraid to tell the devil to get out of your mind. Guard your heart and mind. Verbalize a truth about God. Good thinking!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Answers To Your Questions
I enjoy and follow your ministry closely. My question is this: Do we identify Christians living today as Saints? Are we today living as “saints” in the “kingdom,” serving God “in the Kingdom?” I hear this preached over and over and dispensationally, it doesn’t fit.
ANSWER: The word “saints” is a good word and we can call each other saints today. The word is the Greek hagios meaning “holy” and has its highest application in the person of God Himself, but when used of others means, “saints” set apart for service to God. The Greeks used to word for one dedicated to the gods, so it moves to the Christian vocabulary to mean “separated from sin" and therefore consecrated to God, or devoted to God. For example, Paul says,
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (1Co 1:2)
Dr. Vine helps when he says, “Sainthood is not an attainment, it is a state into which God in grace calls men; yet believers are called to sanctify themselves (consistently with their calling, 2 Tim 1:9), cleansing themselves from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life, 1 Pet. 1:15; 2 Pet. 3:11, and experiencing fellowship with God in His holiness. The saints are thus figuratively spoken of as ‘a holy temple,’ 1 Cor. 3:17 (a local church); Eph. 2:21 (the whole Church), cf. 5:27; ‘a holy priesthood,’ 1 Pet. 2:5; ‘a holy nation,’ 2:9.“ (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words)
To clarify what Dr Vine’s is speaking of, let me explain the Jewish terms he uses. By saying the saint is spoken of figuratively as “a holy temple” is meant that we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit so that our bodies are the vessels of a truly Holy thing and it is His who is holy not us. We can sin, do sin and as such often grieve the Holy Spirit with our sin, but we are commanded to be holy (set apart) for He is holy.
To answer your question about saints living in the kingdom today, the answer depends upon their context. There are many dispensational teachers who teach we are living today in the universal kingdom of God. The universal kingdom is seen as God’s sovereign control over all things, as Creator, Sustainer, and Director of all history. His universal rule extends through all ages, encompasses every aspect of creation, and is administered by God directly.
So, even though it is true that this “universal kingdom” exists, the Bible speaks of the Kingdom of God as a future kingdom and in reference to Christ’s reign on earth. Almost everywhere you find the word kingdom, it is in reference to Christ’s millennial reign on earth. When dispensational teachers say words like you have said most likely they are moving towards spiritualizing the kingdom – they are moving away from the plain sense of Scripture in order to sound spiritual and exhort people to holy living.
We should live a holy life and look forward to the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for we will be with Him in the millennial kingdom.
Thanks for your question,
John Pappas, ThD (8/12)
ANSWER: The word “saints” is a good word and we can call each other saints today. The word is the Greek hagios meaning “holy” and has its highest application in the person of God Himself, but when used of others means, “saints” set apart for service to God. The Greeks used to word for one dedicated to the gods, so it moves to the Christian vocabulary to mean “separated from sin" and therefore consecrated to God, or devoted to God. For example, Paul says,
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (1Co 1:2)
Dr. Vine helps when he says, “Sainthood is not an attainment, it is a state into which God in grace calls men; yet believers are called to sanctify themselves (consistently with their calling, 2 Tim 1:9), cleansing themselves from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life, 1 Pet. 1:15; 2 Pet. 3:11, and experiencing fellowship with God in His holiness. The saints are thus figuratively spoken of as ‘a holy temple,’ 1 Cor. 3:17 (a local church); Eph. 2:21 (the whole Church), cf. 5:27; ‘a holy priesthood,’ 1 Pet. 2:5; ‘a holy nation,’ 2:9.“ (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words)
To clarify what Dr Vine’s is speaking of, let me explain the Jewish terms he uses. By saying the saint is spoken of figuratively as “a holy temple” is meant that we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit so that our bodies are the vessels of a truly Holy thing and it is His who is holy not us. We can sin, do sin and as such often grieve the Holy Spirit with our sin, but we are commanded to be holy (set apart) for He is holy.
To answer your question about saints living in the kingdom today, the answer depends upon their context. There are many dispensational teachers who teach we are living today in the universal kingdom of God. The universal kingdom is seen as God’s sovereign control over all things, as Creator, Sustainer, and Director of all history. His universal rule extends through all ages, encompasses every aspect of creation, and is administered by God directly.
So, even though it is true that this “universal kingdom” exists, the Bible speaks of the Kingdom of God as a future kingdom and in reference to Christ’s reign on earth. Almost everywhere you find the word kingdom, it is in reference to Christ’s millennial reign on earth. When dispensational teachers say words like you have said most likely they are moving towards spiritualizing the kingdom – they are moving away from the plain sense of Scripture in order to sound spiritual and exhort people to holy living.
We should live a holy life and look forward to the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for we will be with Him in the millennial kingdom.
Thanks for your question,
John Pappas, ThD (8/12)
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#458)
Dr. Couch, is Satan cast out of heaven two times? We have his fall given in Isaiah 14:12-16, and in Ezekiel 28:11-17.
ANSWER: Though these passages are at first speaking to and about the kings of Babylon and Tyre, as the verses go on, it seems they are talking about the powerful and evil personality behind these monarchs, Lucifer. So these passages would be describing Satan being cast out of heaven, and then, some believe that Revelation 12 is talking about another time when he was cast from heaven in eternity past, before the tribulation. Revelation 12 was addressing his original fall described in Isaiah and Ezekiel.
It makes sense to me to see Revelation 12 as looking back when Satan was in eternity past cast from the presence of God. Well, what about Job 1? How could Satan come before the Lord in glory if he has been previously thrown out of heaven? I think we have to understand that Satan was cast from heaven in the sense that he has no longer fellowship with God. He still could come before Him and speak with the Lord, and make accusation against Job as the chapter indicates.
Revelation 12 is just a rehearsal of that original fall. The chapter goes on and describes the fact that now, that is in the tribulation, he is pursuing the woman, who clearly is the nation of Israel. He is working overtime attempting to destroy the Jewish people during that seven year period of wrath on earth.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Though these passages are at first speaking to and about the kings of Babylon and Tyre, as the verses go on, it seems they are talking about the powerful and evil personality behind these monarchs, Lucifer. So these passages would be describing Satan being cast out of heaven, and then, some believe that Revelation 12 is talking about another time when he was cast from heaven in eternity past, before the tribulation. Revelation 12 was addressing his original fall described in Isaiah and Ezekiel.
It makes sense to me to see Revelation 12 as looking back when Satan was in eternity past cast from the presence of God. Well, what about Job 1? How could Satan come before the Lord in glory if he has been previously thrown out of heaven? I think we have to understand that Satan was cast from heaven in the sense that he has no longer fellowship with God. He still could come before Him and speak with the Lord, and make accusation against Job as the chapter indicates.
Revelation 12 is just a rehearsal of that original fall. The chapter goes on and describes the fact that now, that is in the tribulation, he is pursuing the woman, who clearly is the nation of Israel. He is working overtime attempting to destroy the Jewish people during that seven year period of wrath on earth.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#457)
Dr. Couch, you speak often about deception that will come in the last days. What does the word mean?
ANSWER: In Greek the word is "apatee" meaning "to cheat, mislead, entice" with the idea of seduction. In my commentary on Thessalonians I write "It stood as a sign of the end times with all its destructive consequences. When the seven year tribulation begins, with the church gone in the rapture, this seduction will grow worse as the kingdom of the Antichrist becomes darkened and then starts to disintegrate."
Paul first used the word in prophecy in 2 Thessalonians 2:10 and shows that this is what the Antichrist will do ("deceive") with the generation that follows him. I believe verses 10-12 could begin even now, before the rapture of the church. In other words, the departure of the lost, moving deeper into evil, could begin even before the church is taken away. It will grow worse as the Antichrist captures the minds of the lost. Paul goes on and says men will be deceived "because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false." The result: "They will be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."
There is the apostasy of the church before the rapture, and also an apostasy of the world, in that men will gallop deeper into sin and deception even just before the seven year tribulation starts. I believe both could be happening right now.
Some have asked me, "But is not the rapture imminent, in that it could happen at any time, with nothing taking place before?" Dr. Couch, are you saying that the apostasy must come before the rapture?"
There is a little phrase that we often miss when discussing the "difficult times that will come" (2 Tim. 3:1). In these verses (3:1-9) Paul is talking about a kind of departure that will happen with the lost, "in the last days …" (v. 1). His description is about the lost who will morally turn worse and worse in their actions. (Read the verses.) Then the apostle says, "And avoid such men as these." While on one hand, the world will fall deeper into sin and an apostasy, some men were already around in Paul's days, who were living the way he describes before the "last days."
Paul did not know God's timetable. Paul was not certain—God had not given him all the information as to the "when" of these events.
Then how can we know we're into the final days before the rapture? Because of the (1) universal nature of all that is now happening, that is, the explosion of evil, and because (2) the Jews are back in the land in preparation for the seven year tribulation!
I believe we are now rapidly moving into the apostasy of the church, and the deepening immorality of the world! The next event will be the rapture of the church!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: In Greek the word is "apatee" meaning "to cheat, mislead, entice" with the idea of seduction. In my commentary on Thessalonians I write "It stood as a sign of the end times with all its destructive consequences. When the seven year tribulation begins, with the church gone in the rapture, this seduction will grow worse as the kingdom of the Antichrist becomes darkened and then starts to disintegrate."
Paul first used the word in prophecy in 2 Thessalonians 2:10 and shows that this is what the Antichrist will do ("deceive") with the generation that follows him. I believe verses 10-12 could begin even now, before the rapture of the church. In other words, the departure of the lost, moving deeper into evil, could begin even before the church is taken away. It will grow worse as the Antichrist captures the minds of the lost. Paul goes on and says men will be deceived "because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false." The result: "They will be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."
There is the apostasy of the church before the rapture, and also an apostasy of the world, in that men will gallop deeper into sin and deception even just before the seven year tribulation starts. I believe both could be happening right now.
Some have asked me, "But is not the rapture imminent, in that it could happen at any time, with nothing taking place before?" Dr. Couch, are you saying that the apostasy must come before the rapture?"
There is a little phrase that we often miss when discussing the "difficult times that will come" (2 Tim. 3:1). In these verses (3:1-9) Paul is talking about a kind of departure that will happen with the lost, "in the last days …" (v. 1). His description is about the lost who will morally turn worse and worse in their actions. (Read the verses.) Then the apostle says, "And avoid such men as these." While on one hand, the world will fall deeper into sin and an apostasy, some men were already around in Paul's days, who were living the way he describes before the "last days."
Paul did not know God's timetable. Paul was not certain—God had not given him all the information as to the "when" of these events.
Then how can we know we're into the final days before the rapture? Because of the (1) universal nature of all that is now happening, that is, the explosion of evil, and because (2) the Jews are back in the land in preparation for the seven year tribulation!
I believe we are now rapidly moving into the apostasy of the church, and the deepening immorality of the world! The next event will be the rapture of the church!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#456)
Dr. Couch, is Acts 2:38 saying that baptism produces salvation?
ANSWER: Oh, heavens no! But you need some Greek to understand grammatically what's going on in the verse. Ger, in our commentary series from AMG, gets it right. He writes:
"Peter is not saying that the physical act of baptism results in forgiveness of sin, but rather, that baptism is the closely related physical sign of the spiritual reality of repentance, which results in forgiveness.
"Repentance is linked with the forgiveness of sin based upon grammatical agreement in both gender and number (both are second person plural). The 'eis' indicates that forgiveness of sin is the result of repentance. This makes the command to be baptized (third person singular) a parenthetical idea. The verse could then be paraphrased as follows, 'Repent for the forgiveness of your sins, and be baptized.' Peter only associates repentance or belief with the forgiveness of sin, making no mention of baptism as a condition of forgiveness (3:19; 5:31; 10:43)."
Be careful of legalists and those who do by study by fear! They are usually very ignorant and try to put a legalistic spin on verses in Scripture. They always move to the extreme and have no sense of how doctrine and truth really work in the Word of God. Such folks avoid!
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Oh, heavens no! But you need some Greek to understand grammatically what's going on in the verse. Ger, in our commentary series from AMG, gets it right. He writes:
"Peter is not saying that the physical act of baptism results in forgiveness of sin, but rather, that baptism is the closely related physical sign of the spiritual reality of repentance, which results in forgiveness.
"Repentance is linked with the forgiveness of sin based upon grammatical agreement in both gender and number (both are second person plural). The 'eis' indicates that forgiveness of sin is the result of repentance. This makes the command to be baptized (third person singular) a parenthetical idea. The verse could then be paraphrased as follows, 'Repent for the forgiveness of your sins, and be baptized.' Peter only associates repentance or belief with the forgiveness of sin, making no mention of baptism as a condition of forgiveness (3:19; 5:31; 10:43)."
Be careful of legalists and those who do by study by fear! They are usually very ignorant and try to put a legalistic spin on verses in Scripture. They always move to the extreme and have no sense of how doctrine and truth really work in the Word of God. Such folks avoid!
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Monday, August 13, 2012
Answers To Your Questions
I heard you say a saved person is declared righteous. How can a person be righteous?
ANSWER: To be declared righteous is a forensic pronouncement. The word forensic is from the Latin meaning, “relating to the business of the Roman forum.” The Roman forum is where the legal dealings were pronounced. A criminal charge was presented to the public in the forum, the case and the arguments were presented, and the outcome was pronounced. When a person is saved he or she is declared righteous based not on what they have done, but rather, on the work of Christ on the cross and His righteousness is reckoned to us. This reckoning is called imputation. Imputation comes from the Greek ellogeo meaning “to reckon over to one’s account” (eg. Rom. 5:13).
There are three great imputations in Scripture:
1. The imputation of Adam’s sin to the human race (Rom. 5:12-21). Here, death has been declared as the penalty upon all men in that all have sinned, meaning all men sinned when Adam sinned, and thus, the penalty of death is upon all mankind because of one sin of Adam (Rom. 5:18). Romans 5:12 says that all humanity was a participant in Adam’s sin. How is it that you and I participated in Adam’s sin when we were not there? We participated in Adam’s sin because we were “seminally present.” “Just like Levi (although not yet born) paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham in that Levi was ‘seminally present’ in Abraham (Heb. 7:9-10)” (Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology, p. 312). Seminally present means present by means of the seeds or offspring.
2. The imputation of the sin of the race to Christ. Though the word “imputation” is not found here, it is no less understood by words such as “made him to be sin,” “laid on him,” bare our sins” (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 7, p. 192; Isa. 53:5-6, 11; 2 Chr. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). The imputation of the sin of the race upon Jesus Christ occurred at the cross.
3. The imputation of the righteousness of Christ to believers. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to believers constitutes our legal standing before God. “It is the only righteousness that God ever accepts for salvation and by it alone may one enter heaven” (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology). Righteousness is the Greek word dikaioo meaning “justify, be righteous, be freed, to declare or pronounce one to be just to righteous.” Both the Old and New Testament use the word in a legal sense.
The concept of justification or righteousness as a legal term goes back to the Old Testament as the Greek LXX uses the word for the court and the decisions of the judges in Deut. 25:1, “If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that [the judges] may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,” (cf., 1 Kings 8:32; Prov. 17:15; Isa. 5:23)
Justification is what God brings to mankind in both the Old and New Testaments. Notice what Isaiah says, “I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory” (Isa. 46:13). However, the basis of our justification is Jesus Christ as Isaiah declares, “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11), and “…their righteousness [is] from Me, says the Lord” (Isa. 54:17). One of the most popular verses used to described this concept comes from Isaiah 61:10, “ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness”.
In order to see the New Testament declaration, one need only turn to Paul in Romans 8:33-34, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Justification or being declared righteous is not a process but an act of God when a person places his or her faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The act of being declared righteous is clearly described in the past tense as Paul writes in Titus 3:7, “that having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Again, in Romans 5:1, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (cf. Rom. 5:9; Gal. 3:8-9)
What about the present tense usage of the word “to justify?” One verse that Catholics use to justify their doctrine of man achieving “progressive righteousness” is Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law,” which means, not “becomes more righteous,” but “a man with faith is in the present declared righteous.” (Steven Waterhouse, Not By Bread Alone: An Outlined Guide To Bible Doctrine, p. 177)
This doctrine is of most importance since it affects the person of Christ – If a man can achieve righteousness, even if it is said that a man can simply contribute, or add to his or her rightness, then Christ is not wholly man and wholly God. There is only one who could pay the price for mankind and that one is Jesus Christ the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Justification means, “being declared righteous” and any other definition is not only inconsistent with the historical usage of the word, but ultimately means man is capable of self-righteousness, and who wants to claim that?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. John Pappas (8/12)
ANSWER: To be declared righteous is a forensic pronouncement. The word forensic is from the Latin meaning, “relating to the business of the Roman forum.” The Roman forum is where the legal dealings were pronounced. A criminal charge was presented to the public in the forum, the case and the arguments were presented, and the outcome was pronounced. When a person is saved he or she is declared righteous based not on what they have done, but rather, on the work of Christ on the cross and His righteousness is reckoned to us. This reckoning is called imputation. Imputation comes from the Greek ellogeo meaning “to reckon over to one’s account” (eg. Rom. 5:13).
There are three great imputations in Scripture:
1. The imputation of Adam’s sin to the human race (Rom. 5:12-21). Here, death has been declared as the penalty upon all men in that all have sinned, meaning all men sinned when Adam sinned, and thus, the penalty of death is upon all mankind because of one sin of Adam (Rom. 5:18). Romans 5:12 says that all humanity was a participant in Adam’s sin. How is it that you and I participated in Adam’s sin when we were not there? We participated in Adam’s sin because we were “seminally present.” “Just like Levi (although not yet born) paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham in that Levi was ‘seminally present’ in Abraham (Heb. 7:9-10)” (Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology, p. 312). Seminally present means present by means of the seeds or offspring.
2. The imputation of the sin of the race to Christ. Though the word “imputation” is not found here, it is no less understood by words such as “made him to be sin,” “laid on him,” bare our sins” (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 7, p. 192; Isa. 53:5-6, 11; 2 Chr. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). The imputation of the sin of the race upon Jesus Christ occurred at the cross.
3. The imputation of the righteousness of Christ to believers. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to believers constitutes our legal standing before God. “It is the only righteousness that God ever accepts for salvation and by it alone may one enter heaven” (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology). Righteousness is the Greek word dikaioo meaning “justify, be righteous, be freed, to declare or pronounce one to be just to righteous.” Both the Old and New Testament use the word in a legal sense.
The concept of justification or righteousness as a legal term goes back to the Old Testament as the Greek LXX uses the word for the court and the decisions of the judges in Deut. 25:1, “If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that [the judges] may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,” (cf., 1 Kings 8:32; Prov. 17:15; Isa. 5:23)
Justification is what God brings to mankind in both the Old and New Testaments. Notice what Isaiah says, “I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory” (Isa. 46:13). However, the basis of our justification is Jesus Christ as Isaiah declares, “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11), and “…their righteousness [is] from Me, says the Lord” (Isa. 54:17). One of the most popular verses used to described this concept comes from Isaiah 61:10, “ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness”.
In order to see the New Testament declaration, one need only turn to Paul in Romans 8:33-34, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Justification or being declared righteous is not a process but an act of God when a person places his or her faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The act of being declared righteous is clearly described in the past tense as Paul writes in Titus 3:7, “that having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Again, in Romans 5:1, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (cf. Rom. 5:9; Gal. 3:8-9)
What about the present tense usage of the word “to justify?” One verse that Catholics use to justify their doctrine of man achieving “progressive righteousness” is Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law,” which means, not “becomes more righteous,” but “a man with faith is in the present declared righteous.” (Steven Waterhouse, Not By Bread Alone: An Outlined Guide To Bible Doctrine, p. 177)
This doctrine is of most importance since it affects the person of Christ – If a man can achieve righteousness, even if it is said that a man can simply contribute, or add to his or her rightness, then Christ is not wholly man and wholly God. There is only one who could pay the price for mankind and that one is Jesus Christ the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Justification means, “being declared righteous” and any other definition is not only inconsistent with the historical usage of the word, but ultimately means man is capable of self-righteousness, and who wants to claim that?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. John Pappas (8/12)
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#455)
Dr. Couch, the
charismatics, who are generally ignorant about the Greek text, in 1
Corinthians 13:10, take the "perfect" to by the coming of Christ. Thus
they say that tongues will not disappear until Christ returns. I
understand that you take the perfect to be referring to the completion
of the NT canon. Can you explain?
ANSWER: One of the arguments against my position is that the passage does not refer to the NT canon, thus I have to insert that idea in the text. But those who hold that it is referring to Christ's return also insert their idea into the context of the passage. They argue that I am going to my theology (that tongues are no longer with us) in my view. But they are also doing the same thing—inserting their view that it is referring to the second coming of Jesus!
I argue from two points: (1) the coming of this "perfect" is replacing the "partial" mentioned in the passage. We know that the canon of Scripture was not complete when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. (2) I have evidence from church history that sometime after the canon was complete (circa. 90 AD, with the book of Revelation) that many of the key church fathers said that tongues had ceased.
Does it make sense to say that Christ's coming will cause the "partial" to go away, whatever the partial is? But we can say that for sure we only had part of the canon of Scripture—it was not complete when Paul wrote!
The word "partial" is a neuter word (meros). The verb says that in the future "it will be made ineffective, powerless, abolished." The word is "katargeo", and it is a Future Passive Indicative in form. "The partial will be acted upon in the future and it will be abolished."
Interestingly, in the Greek lexicon (Balz & Schneider) the word meros here has to do with "eschatology (prophecy) and [future] history."
Church history confirms what I say, and so does Balz & Schneider!
Iranaeus (120-202) in his work "Against Heresy" says: "These Corinthians who were 'mature' received the Spirit of God and spoke 'in all languages' (not jibberish). We do not hear of the brothers in the church now speak in these languages."
Chrysostom (345-407) said: "This entire passage (1 Cor. 13) is obscure; but the obscurity is by our own ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place."
Eusebius (126-180) Against Montanus the heretic. "He raved and babbled in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy strange things which was not the custom of the church handed down by tradition from the beginning. Some of those who heard were indignant and they rebuked him as one that was possessed. He stirred up two women and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly and unreasonably and strangely."
Augustine (354-430). "In the earliest time, the HS fell upon them that believe; and they spoke with tongues (languages) which they had not learned as the Spirit gave them utterance. These were signs adapted for the time to show the gospel of God was to run through all languages over the whole earth. That thing was done for a sign and it passed away."
In my opinion, the argument is over about tongues. This shows the value of church history in that it can explain sometimes what is happening in a biblical text.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: One of the arguments against my position is that the passage does not refer to the NT canon, thus I have to insert that idea in the text. But those who hold that it is referring to Christ's return also insert their idea into the context of the passage. They argue that I am going to my theology (that tongues are no longer with us) in my view. But they are also doing the same thing—inserting their view that it is referring to the second coming of Jesus!
I argue from two points: (1) the coming of this "perfect" is replacing the "partial" mentioned in the passage. We know that the canon of Scripture was not complete when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. (2) I have evidence from church history that sometime after the canon was complete (circa. 90 AD, with the book of Revelation) that many of the key church fathers said that tongues had ceased.
Does it make sense to say that Christ's coming will cause the "partial" to go away, whatever the partial is? But we can say that for sure we only had part of the canon of Scripture—it was not complete when Paul wrote!
The word "partial" is a neuter word (meros). The verb says that in the future "it will be made ineffective, powerless, abolished." The word is "katargeo", and it is a Future Passive Indicative in form. "The partial will be acted upon in the future and it will be abolished."
Interestingly, in the Greek lexicon (Balz & Schneider) the word meros here has to do with "eschatology (prophecy) and [future] history."
Church history confirms what I say, and so does Balz & Schneider!
Iranaeus (120-202) in his work "Against Heresy" says: "These Corinthians who were 'mature' received the Spirit of God and spoke 'in all languages' (not jibberish). We do not hear of the brothers in the church now speak in these languages."
Chrysostom (345-407) said: "This entire passage (1 Cor. 13) is obscure; but the obscurity is by our own ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place."
Eusebius (126-180) Against Montanus the heretic. "He raved and babbled in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy strange things which was not the custom of the church handed down by tradition from the beginning. Some of those who heard were indignant and they rebuked him as one that was possessed. He stirred up two women and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly and unreasonably and strangely."
Augustine (354-430). "In the earliest time, the HS fell upon them that believe; and they spoke with tongues (languages) which they had not learned as the Spirit gave them utterance. These were signs adapted for the time to show the gospel of God was to run through all languages over the whole earth. That thing was done for a sign and it passed away."
In my opinion, the argument is over about tongues. This shows the value of church history in that it can explain sometimes what is happening in a biblical text.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#454)
Dr. Couch, you often write about the absolute sovereignty of God
found in Scripture. Is John 12:39-41 also a sovereignty passage?
ANSWER: Yes, indeed! John quotes Isaiah 53:1 to show that Israel was judicially blinded and would not trust in their own Messiah. For God "has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them." John then adds that Isaiah saw the glory of God, and he spoke of Him. Some say that John is saying Isaiah saw the glory of Christ, Israel's Messiah, and thus spoke of Him! Many in Israel were blinded because of wanting the approval of men. Nevertheless, the blinding is a judicial work of God. People do not come to the Lord just by accident. Their sinful depravity keeps them from accepting Him. The Holy Spirit must do His sovereign work or no one would be saved!
ANSWER: Yes, indeed! John quotes Isaiah 53:1 to show that Israel was judicially blinded and would not trust in their own Messiah. For God "has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them." John then adds that Isaiah saw the glory of God, and he spoke of Him. Some say that John is saying Isaiah saw the glory of Christ, Israel's Messiah, and thus spoke of Him! Many in Israel were blinded because of wanting the approval of men. Nevertheless, the blinding is a judicial work of God. People do not come to the Lord just by accident. Their sinful depravity keeps them from accepting Him. The Holy Spirit must do His sovereign work or no one would be saved!
You
cannot escape the sovereignty of God in the Bible. He is in charge of
His creation. And because of total depravity, no one will come to the
Lord apart from His absolute sovereign work.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, August 10, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#453)
Dr. Couch, what is going on in our country?
ANSWER: It is the apostasy, but it's happening not only here but worldwide. Specifically, in America, one of the things taking place is the splintering or shattering of our national cohesion. We are being split racially. Our laws will now be watered down by racial segments. The laws once governing this land were Reformation, European in nature. Now they will be seen through the glasses of a Latin, or even a Muslim orientation. There will be no turning back! The direction is set.
All that is taking place has spiritual and theological overtones. Most in our Evangelical churches do not comprehend the nature of the changes we're experiencing. Our new President, Barack Hussein Obama, recently said this is not a Christian nation but a mixture of religions. In one sense, he is right, in that our country was not established as a theocracy. But in the larger picture, he is wrong, and is very ignorant of history. The founding Fathers saw the Bible as the foundation, or the base, upon which our Constitution would rest.
Many believe Benjamin Franklin was not a Christian. The jury is still out on that question. I believe that it is possible that over the years he returned to the faith of his parents, and trusted Christ as his Savior. But it is clear that during the Federal Convention of 1787 he realized that the Congress needed to call upon God daily in order to secure His blessings on the nation. He said:
"In this situation of the convention, groping, as it were, in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the context with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this hall for divine protection. Our prayers were heard, and they were graciously answered. … Have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth,--that God governs in the affairs of men. And, if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: It is the apostasy, but it's happening not only here but worldwide. Specifically, in America, one of the things taking place is the splintering or shattering of our national cohesion. We are being split racially. Our laws will now be watered down by racial segments. The laws once governing this land were Reformation, European in nature. Now they will be seen through the glasses of a Latin, or even a Muslim orientation. There will be no turning back! The direction is set.
All that is taking place has spiritual and theological overtones. Most in our Evangelical churches do not comprehend the nature of the changes we're experiencing. Our new President, Barack Hussein Obama, recently said this is not a Christian nation but a mixture of religions. In one sense, he is right, in that our country was not established as a theocracy. But in the larger picture, he is wrong, and is very ignorant of history. The founding Fathers saw the Bible as the foundation, or the base, upon which our Constitution would rest.
Many believe Benjamin Franklin was not a Christian. The jury is still out on that question. I believe that it is possible that over the years he returned to the faith of his parents, and trusted Christ as his Savior. But it is clear that during the Federal Convention of 1787 he realized that the Congress needed to call upon God daily in order to secure His blessings on the nation. He said:
"In this situation of the convention, groping, as it were, in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the context with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this hall for divine protection. Our prayers were heard, and they were graciously answered. … Have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth,--that God governs in the affairs of men. And, if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#452)
Dr. Couch, I
appreciate the passages of Scripture you give that show America is very
much like Israel who turned against the Lord in the OT. Do you have some
other like-passages to share?
ANSWER: I can't help but think of Deuteronomy 9. As Israel was ready to cross the Jordan river and go into the Promise Land, the Lord warned them of how their heart could depart from Him. He warned them that they would despise His sovereignty and think their prosperity came about through their own talents and righteousness. The Jews in time would say: "God has driven out the pagans of the land because of our righteousness" (v. 4).
Moses added, "Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people" (v. 6).
America has not been blessed because it is so great, but because of God's grace and kindness. We have not deserved His goodness. And now it is being removed from us. As with Israel, we are now provoking the Lord by our sins. His wrath is soon coming upon America, and upon the nations of the world.
Pastors, are you teaching your people these great spiritual truths? Are you simply remaining quiet about what is going on around the world? Are you teaching them biblical prophecy and explaining to them the plan of history? Are you simply leaving them in the dark?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: I can't help but think of Deuteronomy 9. As Israel was ready to cross the Jordan river and go into the Promise Land, the Lord warned them of how their heart could depart from Him. He warned them that they would despise His sovereignty and think their prosperity came about through their own talents and righteousness. The Jews in time would say: "God has driven out the pagans of the land because of our righteousness" (v. 4).
Moses added, "Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people" (v. 6).
America has not been blessed because it is so great, but because of God's grace and kindness. We have not deserved His goodness. And now it is being removed from us. As with Israel, we are now provoking the Lord by our sins. His wrath is soon coming upon America, and upon the nations of the world.
Pastors, are you teaching your people these great spiritual truths? Are you simply remaining quiet about what is going on around the world? Are you teaching them biblical prophecy and explaining to them the plan of history? Are you simply leaving them in the dark?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#451)
Dr. Couch,
with all the evil that is now taking place in our government is it still
appropriate to pledge allegiance to our flag?
ANSWER: That is a good question, but my answer would be yes based on what the apostle Paul says in Romans 13. Can you imagine a government as evil as the Roman government of Paul's day? No government is perfect, and to pledge the allegiance is not condoning everything done by the leaders of our nation. But it is a sign of respect, and even appreciation for the blessings of good government.
Paul's context in Romans 13 is about the "good" government carried out by the Romans. And that government is "established by God" (v. 1). Thus, "every person is to be in subjection to the government authorities" because that "good" authority comes from God (v. 1b). For "rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior but for evil" (v. 3). Government "is a minister of God to you for good" (v. 4a).
Paul's conclusion: "Render to all what is due them; tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor" (v. 7).
However, somewhere there is a line. We all must decide someday how far we can go if, overall, our government really turns evil. I believe that Christians will know when that day arrives!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: That is a good question, but my answer would be yes based on what the apostle Paul says in Romans 13. Can you imagine a government as evil as the Roman government of Paul's day? No government is perfect, and to pledge the allegiance is not condoning everything done by the leaders of our nation. But it is a sign of respect, and even appreciation for the blessings of good government.
Paul's context in Romans 13 is about the "good" government carried out by the Romans. And that government is "established by God" (v. 1). Thus, "every person is to be in subjection to the government authorities" because that "good" authority comes from God (v. 1b). For "rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior but for evil" (v. 3). Government "is a minister of God to you for good" (v. 4a).
Paul's conclusion: "Render to all what is due them; tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor" (v. 7).
However, somewhere there is a line. We all must decide someday how far we can go if, overall, our government really turns evil. I believe that Christians will know when that day arrives!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#450)
Dr. Couch,
what is going on in Ephesians 5:26? What baptism is this? Some
hyper-dispensationalists say that immersion was only during the period
of John the Baptist and is not now applicable during the church age.
ANSWER: They are wrong! Paul spoke of his baptizing some of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:1:13-17. He separates water baptism from the gospel in this passage. Paul writes, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, …" (v. 17). And of course Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39. Philip was a deacon in the Jerusalem church but he baptized outside of a church setting, and did so near the seashore.
Ephesians 5:25-27 is about spiritual baptism and how Christ sanctified His church. The cleansing is not by water but by the sanctifying ministry of the Word. There is no way one can turn this into water baptism, though the passage speaks of the cleansing of the church "by the washing of water with the word." This brings about a cleansing that He "might present to Himself the church in all her glory, …" (v. 27).
Read carefully Ezekiel 36:24-28 that describes the work of the new covenant. This work will take place with the Jews after they have been brought back to the Holy Land (v. 24), during which time the larger portion of the Jews will be converted by the work of the Holy Spirit (vv 26-27). The church presently benefits by this spiritual "washing" of the Spirit though the church does not fulfill this spiritual work. It will be finalized or fulfilled when the Jews are back in the land. That's what the passage teaches.
But my main point is that the "sprinkling of the clean water, that will cleanse Israel from their filthiness" is a spiritual work done by the Spirit. One more verse down explains this. "And I will put My Spirit within you" (vv. 25-26).
Thus, Ephesians 5:25-27 is about the work of the new covenant with the church. Water baptism is the picture of this event; it is a spiritual work, and not a literal work of being immersed in water!
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: They are wrong! Paul spoke of his baptizing some of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:1:13-17. He separates water baptism from the gospel in this passage. Paul writes, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, …" (v. 17). And of course Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39. Philip was a deacon in the Jerusalem church but he baptized outside of a church setting, and did so near the seashore.
Ephesians 5:25-27 is about spiritual baptism and how Christ sanctified His church. The cleansing is not by water but by the sanctifying ministry of the Word. There is no way one can turn this into water baptism, though the passage speaks of the cleansing of the church "by the washing of water with the word." This brings about a cleansing that He "might present to Himself the church in all her glory, …" (v. 27).
Read carefully Ezekiel 36:24-28 that describes the work of the new covenant. This work will take place with the Jews after they have been brought back to the Holy Land (v. 24), during which time the larger portion of the Jews will be converted by the work of the Holy Spirit (vv 26-27). The church presently benefits by this spiritual "washing" of the Spirit though the church does not fulfill this spiritual work. It will be finalized or fulfilled when the Jews are back in the land. That's what the passage teaches.
But my main point is that the "sprinkling of the clean water, that will cleanse Israel from their filthiness" is a spiritual work done by the Spirit. One more verse down explains this. "And I will put My Spirit within you" (vv. 25-26).
Thus, Ephesians 5:25-27 is about the work of the new covenant with the church. Water baptism is the picture of this event; it is a spiritual work, and not a literal work of being immersed in water!
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Monday, August 6, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#449)
Dr. Couch, we
have a man in our church who claims to be a prophet. This is a very
conservative church. What do we do? And, what is a NT prophet?
ANSWER: First of all, he's a fool, and very ignorant of Scripture, and of church history. Ignorance is growing and not diminishing. Several decades back, or more, people started saying, "We don't need to study doctrine in church, just make us 'feel good' with light devotionals on Sunday morning!"
In both our OT and NT a prophet is one who may be a teacher or foretells into the future. CONTEXT is what determines what is going on in a given passage. And, people have such poor interpretative skills that they do not know how to study the Word of God by Context!
If we had true prophets today who could foretell into the future then someone should walk behind them, record their prophecies, and put them in a book as "The Word of God." But we do not have such people around, though with their egos, they try to convince the foolish that they are foretelling prophets. People forget that a prophet could both tell the future but also be a teacher. Once the canon of the NT was complete, such a role of being a teaching prophet or a foretelling prophet was no longer needed.
The only one in the NT who is recorded as foretelling into the future, besides the apostles, was Agabus. He gave a prophecy about the apostle Paul. Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:8-14. Why did they not make a future prophecy about Paul? Agabus did but they did not! The reason would be that they were not prophetesses who were foretelling into the future. They would be "teaching" prophetesses, and, they would only be teaching women, because Paul makes it clear that women were not to be teaching men (1 Tim. 2:12).
When the canon of Scripture was completed, with the writing of the book of Revelation (cir. AD 90-95), we have no record of legitimate foretelling prophets or even of teaching prophets. Paul makes it clear that the three most important gifts that had to do with communicating the Word of God, before the canon was complete, would someday disappear: the gifts of (1) prophecy, (2) linguistics (or tongues), and (3) and of knowledge.
The gift of linguistics (glossa) helped spread the truth among those who spoke different languages. Again, one must compute that the canon of the NT was not complete. Our Bible is in Greek and is translated for different language groups! Another "communication" gift was the gift of knowledge. The one with this gift had special insights into doctrinal knowledge. This was important because as mentioned, the entire NT was not completed. Those with this gift had special doctrinal insights because the canon was not finished. When the NT was completed, it became the authority for spiritual truth.
We know for a fact from 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 that the gift of prophecy had to do mainly with teaching and not foretelling into the future. But as mentioned, only the apostles along with Agabus had the ability to foretell into the future.
Again, how are we certain that the gift was used for teaching and not prophesying into the future?
Paul writes that those who had this gift in the church of Corinth were to exercise their gift "one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted" (v. 31). "Learning" and "exhortation" had to do with the dispensing of spiritual truth in order to inform the church of doctrine and facts that helped "grow up" the fledgling congregations. This is not the giving forth of some prophetic future message!
The Greek text is very strong in the way it describes the going away of these three "communication" gifts. The apostle writes: "Love is never falling; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be in the future made inoperative; if there are [the gifts of] linguistics (tongues), they will in the future stop themselves; if there is knowledge, it will in the future stop themselves, … but when the 'completion' comes, the partial will be done away" (vv. 8-10). The "perfect" or the "completion" is the Greek word "teleion" and it is in the Neuter gender not the masculine. Some ignorant folks say this "perfect" is Christ, but it can't be; the word is a neuter word and He would be described with the masculine gender!
I personally would ask the one who says he has the gift of prophecy to leave the church because, he is not only very egotistical and foolish, but I promise you he will be a trouble maker. He enjoys the "power" of saying he is a prophet and having information about the future that others do not possess!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: First of all, he's a fool, and very ignorant of Scripture, and of church history. Ignorance is growing and not diminishing. Several decades back, or more, people started saying, "We don't need to study doctrine in church, just make us 'feel good' with light devotionals on Sunday morning!"
In both our OT and NT a prophet is one who may be a teacher or foretells into the future. CONTEXT is what determines what is going on in a given passage. And, people have such poor interpretative skills that they do not know how to study the Word of God by Context!
If we had true prophets today who could foretell into the future then someone should walk behind them, record their prophecies, and put them in a book as "The Word of God." But we do not have such people around, though with their egos, they try to convince the foolish that they are foretelling prophets. People forget that a prophet could both tell the future but also be a teacher. Once the canon of the NT was complete, such a role of being a teaching prophet or a foretelling prophet was no longer needed.
The only one in the NT who is recorded as foretelling into the future, besides the apostles, was Agabus. He gave a prophecy about the apostle Paul. Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:8-14. Why did they not make a future prophecy about Paul? Agabus did but they did not! The reason would be that they were not prophetesses who were foretelling into the future. They would be "teaching" prophetesses, and, they would only be teaching women, because Paul makes it clear that women were not to be teaching men (1 Tim. 2:12).
When the canon of Scripture was completed, with the writing of the book of Revelation (cir. AD 90-95), we have no record of legitimate foretelling prophets or even of teaching prophets. Paul makes it clear that the three most important gifts that had to do with communicating the Word of God, before the canon was complete, would someday disappear: the gifts of (1) prophecy, (2) linguistics (or tongues), and (3) and of knowledge.
The gift of linguistics (glossa) helped spread the truth among those who spoke different languages. Again, one must compute that the canon of the NT was not complete. Our Bible is in Greek and is translated for different language groups! Another "communication" gift was the gift of knowledge. The one with this gift had special insights into doctrinal knowledge. This was important because as mentioned, the entire NT was not completed. Those with this gift had special doctrinal insights because the canon was not finished. When the NT was completed, it became the authority for spiritual truth.
We know for a fact from 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 that the gift of prophecy had to do mainly with teaching and not foretelling into the future. But as mentioned, only the apostles along with Agabus had the ability to foretell into the future.
Again, how are we certain that the gift was used for teaching and not prophesying into the future?
Paul writes that those who had this gift in the church of Corinth were to exercise their gift "one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted" (v. 31). "Learning" and "exhortation" had to do with the dispensing of spiritual truth in order to inform the church of doctrine and facts that helped "grow up" the fledgling congregations. This is not the giving forth of some prophetic future message!
The Greek text is very strong in the way it describes the going away of these three "communication" gifts. The apostle writes: "Love is never falling; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be in the future made inoperative; if there are [the gifts of] linguistics (tongues), they will in the future stop themselves; if there is knowledge, it will in the future stop themselves, … but when the 'completion' comes, the partial will be done away" (vv. 8-10). The "perfect" or the "completion" is the Greek word "teleion" and it is in the Neuter gender not the masculine. Some ignorant folks say this "perfect" is Christ, but it can't be; the word is a neuter word and He would be described with the masculine gender!
I personally would ask the one who says he has the gift of prophecy to leave the church because, he is not only very egotistical and foolish, but I promise you he will be a trouble maker. He enjoys the "power" of saying he is a prophet and having information about the future that others do not possess!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Answers To Your Questions
What is the Bible speaking of when it talks about the world? Sometimes
it seems to mean the whole earth and others it seems to mean just humans, what
is going on?
ANSWER: When Scripture speaks about
the world context must be taken into account. The world means the following in
Scripture:
The
world can simply mean the earth, the round sphere of the earth and all its
makeup (eg. Matt. 13:35; John 21:25). The Greek speaking world uses the word kosmos as the whole of the earth as its primary
meaning. The Hebrew Old Testament also uses the word ‘erets to describe the round sphere of the earth in its entirety
(eg. Jer. 10:12). From a Biblical perspective, this usage might be defined as,
“the entire created world.”
Sometimes
when the author wants to be specific about all the people or all the land only
– the inhabited earth, the Greek word oikoumene
is used, but the translators translate it as “world.” But, the word kosmos can also mean all the men and
women of the earth as Jesus came to save the world (John 3:16).
At
times, the word “world” can be used to describe a grouping or class of people
or things; the earth as opposed to heaven (1 John 3:17), the human race in general
(Matt. 5:14), gentiles as a group distinguished from Jews (Rom. 11:12, 15).
Sometimes, the word “world” is used metaphorically to mean the natural life as
opposed to the spiritual life. Paul uses the illustration of the married man
who seeks to please his wife in the material things now as opposed to the woman
who desires spiritual things – the things of the Lord (1 Col. 7:32-35).
At
other times, the word “world” can mean “the present condition of human affairs, in
alienation from and opposition to God” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New
Testament Words) (eg. John 7:7). Scripture says this world has Satan as it
ruler (John 13:30), and as such, the world that he rules opposes God and the
things of God. The world, as used here, is not a geographical location, but a
state or a condition of existence that is opposed to God. With this is mind,
the Bible describes the Christian as being saved from it (John 3:15-17), and his
relation to the world as: we are to be separated from it (1 Pet. 2:11) as Paul
was crucified from it (Gal. 6:4). Believers are not to adopt the standards of
the world (Rom. 12:2; Tit. 2:12; James 1:27), nor love it (2 Tim. 4:10; 1 John
2:15-16). Instead, we must proclaim the gospel of Christ to the world that is
dying (Matt. 24:14; 28:19) and be crucified to it (Rom. 6:6; Gal. 6:14). As
children of God, we must overcome the desires of the world (John 16:33; 1 John
5:4-5), and not be conformed to it (Rom. 12:2).
As
you can see, the word “world” must be understood in its context in order to
understand exactly what is meant.
Thanks
for the question,
John
Pappas, ThD
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#448)
Dr. Couch, what's happening in churches? It seems to be getting worse all the time.
ANSWER: Yes, indeed, it is! I just heard yesterday of a pastor who had a deacon come in and read him the riot act. He said, "You are not the leader here. You're an employee of the congregation!"
Where did he get that idea? The elders are the leaders of the church. Where do you find in the NT congregational leadership? It's not in Scripture. The elders are the pastors, and they are the overseers, and the teachers. They have these four designations. The only time the congregation has a say is in the selection of their missionaries, and in the putting forth of men (not women) for deacons. In both cases, the elders have the final say. In the selection of the deacons, the elders lay their hands on those set forth by the church in order to approve their selection. If they don't, these men do not become deacons.
Democracy is not in the church. God wants strong, mature, and spiritual leadership. You need my book "Biblical Theology of the Church." For the first five who ask for it, I'll send free copies. It is a classic! (Make sure I get your address.) In the book I give you all the verses and all the arguments. Look the verses up yourself! It is a hardback book published by Kregel.
Those of you who are wrongly congregational in your thinking, read it and weep! Just think, you've been biblically wrong all these years! You've been violating what the Word of God says about leadership. And this is why there has been so many problems in churches. People are not reading their Bible!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: Yes, indeed, it is! I just heard yesterday of a pastor who had a deacon come in and read him the riot act. He said, "You are not the leader here. You're an employee of the congregation!"
Where did he get that idea? The elders are the leaders of the church. Where do you find in the NT congregational leadership? It's not in Scripture. The elders are the pastors, and they are the overseers, and the teachers. They have these four designations. The only time the congregation has a say is in the selection of their missionaries, and in the putting forth of men (not women) for deacons. In both cases, the elders have the final say. In the selection of the deacons, the elders lay their hands on those set forth by the church in order to approve their selection. If they don't, these men do not become deacons.
Democracy is not in the church. God wants strong, mature, and spiritual leadership. You need my book "Biblical Theology of the Church." For the first five who ask for it, I'll send free copies. It is a classic! (Make sure I get your address.) In the book I give you all the verses and all the arguments. Look the verses up yourself! It is a hardback book published by Kregel.
Those of you who are wrongly congregational in your thinking, read it and weep! Just think, you've been biblically wrong all these years! You've been violating what the Word of God says about leadership. And this is why there has been so many problems in churches. People are not reading their Bible!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, August 3, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#437)
Dr. Couch, is guilt bad?
ANSWER:Secular psychology says, Yes! But of course, secular psychology is contrary in its teaching to the Bible. The Word of God says that guilt is important in order to bring about conviction of sin, though often it does not do so because of the hardness of the heart.
Paul says that the Law causes the world to become convicted, thus "all the world may become guilty (accountable) to God" (Rom. 3:19). James says that if we offend the law at any one point, we are "guilty of (breaking) it all" (James 2:10). Christ says that if we sin we are in danger (guilty) of eternal damnation" (Mark 3:29). To take lightly the Lord's Supper is to "be guilty of the body and the blood" of Christ (1 Cor. 11:27).
Many seminaries, Evangelical seminaries, today have courses entitled "Integration of Secular Psychology and the Bible." How stupid and blind can one get! Most of our seminaries should be buried and put to rest because they have so move into apostasy and have departed from the pure faith and the teaching of the Word of God!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER:Secular psychology says, Yes! But of course, secular psychology is contrary in its teaching to the Bible. The Word of God says that guilt is important in order to bring about conviction of sin, though often it does not do so because of the hardness of the heart.
Paul says that the Law causes the world to become convicted, thus "all the world may become guilty (accountable) to God" (Rom. 3:19). James says that if we offend the law at any one point, we are "guilty of (breaking) it all" (James 2:10). Christ says that if we sin we are in danger (guilty) of eternal damnation" (Mark 3:29). To take lightly the Lord's Supper is to "be guilty of the body and the blood" of Christ (1 Cor. 11:27).
Many seminaries, Evangelical seminaries, today have courses entitled "Integration of Secular Psychology and the Bible." How stupid and blind can one get! Most of our seminaries should be buried and put to rest because they have so move into apostasy and have departed from the pure faith and the teaching of the Word of God!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Ask Dr. Couch (#436)
Dr. Couch, you
do a great job keeping us informed about Israel and the Middle East,
and the end times. What other ministries have websites doing similar
reporting?
ANSWER: I don't keep up with all of them, though there is a bunch doing the same thing. Evangelicals who believe the Bible are seeing the light, in contrast to the covenant guys who are out to lunch, who deny the literal words of Scripture, who replace the church with Israel. We are no doubt already into the apostasy of the church prophesied by Peter and Paul.
In my opinion, we will not turn all this around. Europe long ago departed from its Reformation heritage and roots, so the same with England. And now, the departure is accelerating in America!
I believe the departure will grow even more diabolical just prior to the tribulation, and about the time of the rapture of the church. Paul tells of these times when he writes:
The antichrist, "the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and will all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness" (2 Thess. 2:9-12).
And more: "Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived …" (2 Tim. 3:13). "For the time will come when they will not endure sound (healthy) doctrine (teaching), but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths (the lies)" (4:3-4).
We are there!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: I don't keep up with all of them, though there is a bunch doing the same thing. Evangelicals who believe the Bible are seeing the light, in contrast to the covenant guys who are out to lunch, who deny the literal words of Scripture, who replace the church with Israel. We are no doubt already into the apostasy of the church prophesied by Peter and Paul.
In my opinion, we will not turn all this around. Europe long ago departed from its Reformation heritage and roots, so the same with England. And now, the departure is accelerating in America!
I believe the departure will grow even more diabolical just prior to the tribulation, and about the time of the rapture of the church. Paul tells of these times when he writes:
The antichrist, "the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and will all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness" (2 Thess. 2:9-12).
And more: "Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived …" (2 Tim. 3:13). "For the time will come when they will not endure sound (healthy) doctrine (teaching), but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths (the lies)" (4:3-4).
We are there!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Scofield's Book of the Month: 1st and 2nd Thessalonians
It was early on in the history of the church, just twenty years after the death and resurrection of Christ, when persecution ripped Paul from his young gathering of believers in Thessalonica. Filled with anxiety and undergoing strong persecution, these believers were certainly feeling like everything was caving in around them.
Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to encourage them in their suffering, and to draw their attention to the comfort that can be found in the second coming of Christ. With 2 Thessalonians Paul continues to remind them that Christ's return will vindicate their place as rightful children of God. He corrects the false teachings of some who said the seven year tribulation had already begun and that the Lord's return was so imminent that people should quit their jobs.
In The Books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Looking for Christ's Return Mike Stallard's sound biblical teaching and compassionate heart combine to encourage readers to walk in righteousness and find hope in the second coming of Christ.
1st and 2nd Thessalonians is Scofield Prophecy Studies book of the month for August. It is being offered at the discount of $10. Send your donation to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634. This offer only applicable in the USA.
Ask Dr. Couch (#435)
Dr. Couch, does 2 Chronicles 7:14 fit us today? I have heard some say that it does not.
ANSWER: I believe it is a broad principle that certainly has secondary application to any nation that calls upon the Lord. The passage is first applied to Israel. They were a theocracy that was required to honor the Lord and follow His Laws. America today is not a theocracy but there are certainly principles and guidelines in this verse that would apply.
The verse reads:
And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Any nation marked by pride will fall, and any people who call upon the God of the Scriptures will be blessed. Note also there must be repentance, turning from sin! I believe in the larger sense America at one time did this, but no more. The evil forces in this nation have been winning for some time now. A larger portion of our people have no idea what the Bible is all about, have no concept of who God is, and certainly have no thought as to what constitutes sin and evil. There will be a price to pay. The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes:
"God encouraged Solomon by the promise that if His judgment should fall on the nation of Israel for their sin, they need only turn to the Lord in earnest humility and repentance and they would find forgiveness and restoration (vv. 13-15)." Without such repentance and confession there would be no forgiveness; judgment would be certain. And so for America!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
