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By Mark Farquharson
Spiritual Resurrection
In part 1, we looked at being raised from death the resurrection of the body, but there is another form of death, spiritual death. Also refer to as figurative death or state of death. Those who do not have faith in Jesus Christ are in a state of death, a condition of death, whether they are actually physically dead or physically alive. The ones spiritually in Christ are in a state of life, they are spiritually alive, whether they are alive or have died, they are still in Christ.
Those in Christ Already Spiritual Resurrected
1 John 3:14 "We are aware that we have proceeded out of death into life, for we are loving our brethren. He who is not loving is remaining in death." {CLV}
Here in 1 John the brethren have proceeded out of death into life. That is the brethren have had a spiritual resurrection. They were dead spiritually, in a state of death, but now they are alive spiritually. Someone who is chosen, predestine, will start of in a state of death, but sometime during their life, they will proceed out of death into life. That is they will have a spiritual resurrection. Those who are not loving are remaining in death, even thou they are physically alive. Unbelievers while they are still alive are counted as being figuratively dead, they have not proceeded into life.
Those who are called but not chosen, will come into the light, but they will not have a spiritual resurrection. They will stay in a state of death, not proceeding into life. For the one who is called but not chosen, their light will fade, and they will go back into the darkness. There are warnings in Ephesians 5:6-21, for those who are in the light. For more on the light refer to my article: “Light of the World”
1Timothy 4:1-2 Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of false expressions, their own conscience having been cauterized;" {CLV}
Some have withdrawn from the faith, they have given heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons. These are the ones that have been called, but not chosen, they were in the light but they go back to the darkness.
Colossians 2:10-11 And you are complete in Him, Who is the Head of every sovereignty and authority, in Whom you were circumcised also with a circumcision not made by hands, in the stripping off of the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ." {CLV}
Colossians 2:12-15 Being entombed together with Him {Christ} in baptism, in Whom you were roused together also through faith in the operation of God, Who rouses Him from among the dead, you also being dead to the offenses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He vivifies us together jointly with Him, dealing graciously with all our offenses, erasing the handwriting of the decrees against us, which was hostile to us, and has taken it away out of the midst, nailing it to the cross, stripping off the sovereignties and authorities, with boldness He makes a show of them, triumphing over them in it." {CLV}
Ephesians 2:4-5 yet God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) {CLV}
Christ vivifies us together jointly with Him. This indicates that being vivified here means being saved, those that are Christ’s, the chosen, the true believers, have been saved by grace. Vivified here then refers to ones spiritual resurrection, and those that have been spiritual resurrected, are in Christ. However in other places in the bible where vivify is used it can be talking about something else. This can result in confusion, I myself have been confused by this.
“vivifies us together” comes from the Greek word suzoopoieo. Meaning to reanimate conjointly with (figuratively): - quicken together with {from Strong numbers}.
“vivified” comes from the Greek word zoopoieo. Meaning to (re-) vitalize (literally or figuratively): - make alive, give life, quicken {from Strong numbers}.
That is vivified, or vivify, means make alive, which can be figurative or literally. Used here meaning to be made alive spiritually, from being dead spiritually, but not a physical resurrection. In part 6, I show a different use of the word.
Those in Christ Seated in the Celestials
Ephesians 1-3 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to all the saints who are also believers in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, {CLV}
The true believers in Christ Jesus, are said to have “every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ”.
Ephesians 2:4-7 yet God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. {CLV}
Here in Ephesians we see that those who are Christ’s are seated among the celestials {heavens}. They are not actually seated among the celestials, they are seated “among the celestials, in Christ Jesus”. They are seated there because they have been spiritually born again, they are spiritual in Christ who is actually in the celestials.
When someone who is in Christ, dies physically, they are still spiritually in Christ, and are therefore seated “among the celestials, in Christ Jesus”. However they have not been raised from the dead, but they are viewed as being alive.
The Two Births
There are two births for everyone, the first is the physical birth, the second is the spiritual birth. When someone proceeds from death to life, when they have a spiritual resurrection, they have a spiritual birth, but not a physical resurrection.
Jesus talks about the two births:
John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said to him, "Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten anew, he can not perceive the kingdom of God." Nicodemus is saying to him, "How can a man, being a veteran, be begotten? He can not be entering into the womb of his mother a second time and be begotten!" Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten of water and of spirit, he can not be entering into the kingdom of God." That which is begotten by the flesh is flesh, and that which is begotten by the spirit is spirit." You should not be marveling that I said to you, 'You must be begotten anew.'" {CLV}
Begotten: Born Begotten by the spirit is spirit: born of the Spirit is spirit
Nicodemus at first does not understand, and thinks incorrectly that Jesus is talking about being born physically again. Jesus corrects him, Jesus is actually talking about a spiritual birth. No one will be born physically again, reincarnation is totally untrue, check out the article that explains that to find out more: "Reincarnation"
Water Baptism is NOT the same as Spiritual Birth:
It is important to note that when Jesus says “begotten of water and of spirit”, what he is talking about is two actual births, one physical and one spiritual. People wrongly think that when Jesus mentions water, that he is talking about being baptism in actual water. Nowhere in this passage of scripture is Jesus talking about water baptism, or being baptised in water. You don’t have to be baptised in actual water to enter into the Kingdom of God. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with water baptism. If you feel you should be baptised, then that is your choice, and you should do it. However if you don’t see the need, then there is no need for you to be baptised in actual water.
But Jesus mentioned water? Yes correct, He did mention water. The child in the womb is surround by fluid, this is the water Jesus is referring to. For He said begotten, that is born of water, not baptized in water.
Jesus says: “That which is begotten by the flesh is flesh”, Being born physical.
And: “that which is begotten by the spirit is spirit.” Being born spiritually.
"Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten anew, he can not perceive the kingdom of God."
How many times does someone have to be “begotten anew”? one time, and one time only.
Note I stated that you do not have to be baptised in actual water, but you do need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, when this happens you are born spiritually. This is very different to being baptised in actual water. When you obtain the Holy Spirit then you have been baptised in the spirit, and you have been born of the spirit. But you do not need actual water for that. A water baptism will not get you baptized in the spirit. More on this later.
Everyone to be born Spiritually
Everyone will be born spiritually at some point, most after they die, but some before. The ones who are Christ’s get spiritually born, before they die. When they are physical resurrected at the return of Jesus Christ, they will then gain entry to the Kingdom of God. The unjust, who are not spiritually alive when they are resurrected at the Great White Throne Judgement, will become spiritually alive during their time in the Lake of Fire. They will get born anew spiritual at that time. Each persons time in the Lake is different, once they gain spiritual life, they will not then move into the kingdom. It is once they gain immortality that they will gain entry to the Kingdom of God, which is sometime after they have been born spiritually. More on this later.
All true believers are justified when they are spirituality born again, but that is just the beginning, and over time they will come to sanctification, the renewing of the mind. All true believers are the First Born, that is after Christ who is the Firstborn.
Baptizing in Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:11 For I {John}, indeed, am baptizing you in water for repentance, yet He Who is coming after me is stronger than I, Whose sandals I am not competent to bear. He will be baptizing you in holy spirit and fire, {CLV} Also Luke 3:16
The “I” here is John the Baptist, he was baptizing people in water. John the Baptist mentions someone that is coming after him, who is stronger than him. This person was Jesus Christ, who would be baptizing people in holy spirit and fire.
However Jesus never baptized anyone in holy spirit while He was on the earth. How do I know this? The Holy Spirit do not come until after Jesus went to heaven.
Acts 1:4-5 And, being foregathered, He charges them not to be departing from Jerusalem, but to be remaining about for the promise of the Father, "which you hear of Me, seeing that John, indeed, baptizes in water, yet you shall be baptized in holy spirit after not many of these days." {CLV}
Jesus after his resurrection from the dead told the apostles not to departing from Jerusalem, but to remain about for the promise of the Father. This promise was being baptized in holy spirit. That is the apostles had not yet be baptized in holy spirit. Soon after He told them to not to depart, He departed himself.
Acts 1:8-11 But you shall be obtaining power at the coming of the holy spirit on you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in entire Judea and Samaria, as far as the limits of the earth." And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes." And as they were looking intently into heaven at His going, lo ! two men stand beside them in white attire, who say also, "Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." {CLV}
After telling them not to depart, but remain for the promise, Jesus departed from the earth and went to heaven. Thus Jesus never baptized anyone in Holy Spirit while He was on the earth.
Acts 2:4 And they are all filled with holy spirit, and they begin to speak in different languages, according as the spirit gave them to declaim." {CLV}
After not many days the apostles were baptized in holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, which is covered in Acts 2:1-41. It was not just the apostles who were baptized in holy spirit on that day.
Acts 2:41 Those indeed, then, who welcome his word, are baptized, and there were added in that day about three thousand souls." {CLV}
The scriptures inform us that about three thousand people were baptized in that day, the day of Pentecost. Thus after Pentecost, when someone proceed out of death into life they were born of the spirit and baptized in holy spirit. They could not proceed back to death. However this is different to coming only into the light. A person can come to the light, but not be spiritual born. If they are not one of the chosen then they will proceed back to the darkness.
The Disciples and those of the Faithful before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Penetecost
However the scriptures seem to indicate that the disciples had already had a spiritual resurrection, had they?
Matthew 8:21-22 Now a different one of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to come away and entomb my father." Yet Jesus is saying to him, "Be following Me, and leave the dead to entomb their own dead." {CLV}
Luke 9:59-60 Now He said to a different one, "Follow Me! Yet he said, "Lord, permit me first to come away to entomb my father." Yet He said to him, "Let the dead entomb their own dead. Yet you, coming away, publish the kingdom of God." {CLV}
Here in Matthew & in Luke Jesus said, “leave the dead to entomb their own dead.” How can a physically dead person entomb someone who is dead? Clearly he meant that they were in a state of death, but not physically dead. Let those who are spiritually dead, entomb their own dead. This seems to indicate that the disciples of Jesus had already had a spiritual resurrection. What is clear is that Jesus considered those who did not follow him to be dead, which means that he considered the disciples to be alive. Of course they were alive, for if not, they would not have followed him. They cloud not follow him in a spiritually dead state. However they had not been baptized in holy spirit at this point. They had not received the holy spirit.
The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost {Acts 2} which was in the same year that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
Today when you become spiritually alive, you are born of the spirit, then you are baptized in holy spirit. It is only the chosen who will be baptized in holy spirit before Jesus returns. However this was not the case before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Before the coming of the holy spirit, those who were spiritually alive did not have the holy spirit inside of them.
There is a difference between being just called and being chosen. After Pentecost those who were chosen would at some point in their lives be come spiritually alive and baptized in holy spirit. However those who were just called would come into the light, but then the darkness would temped them back. They had not be born of the spirit, they had not been baptized in holy spirit.
Getting back to the ones that followed Jesus before the coming of the holy spirit. Yes these ones were spiritual alive, but they could fall back into the darkness, back into a state of death. This is what happened to Judas Iscariot. He would not have been able to follow Jesus if he was in the darkness, if he was in a state of death. Thus he was in a condition of life, however he was tempted, and went back to the darkness, back to a state of death and then he killed himself.
The other disciples stayed in a state of life, and were baptized in holy spirit at Pentecost. Thus after that they could not fall back in to the darkness, they could not go back to a state of death.
Before Pentecost there were other faithful apart from the disciples, these were also spiritual alive.
The Special Case of John the Baptist
Luke 1:13-15 Now the messenger said to him, "Fear not, Zechariah, because hearkened to is your petition, and your wife Elizabeth shall be bearing you a son, and you shall be calling his name John." And there will be joy for you, and exultation, and many shall be rejoicing at his birth, for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord. And wine and intoxicant may he under no circumstances be drinking, and with holy spirit shall he be filled while still of his mother's womb." {CLV}
John the Baptist before he was even born was filled with the Holy Spirit while still of his mother's womb. Thus he did not need a spiritual resurrection for he was already spiritually alive. He was born of the spirit while still in the womb.
What of those who had Faith before Jesus came?
What of the Old Testament saints as they are called? Moses, Noah, Elisha and all the others that are known as the Old Testament saints. The ones that have faith, but missed out on being baptized in Holy Spirit?
Just like the disciples, they at some point in their lives became spiritually alive. They could not have done what they did with out being spiritually alive. But do they miss out on the kingdom at the judgment, because they are not baptized in the spirit? They need to be baptized in the spirit to get into the kingdom, that is correct, however that is the wrong question. Who said that at the Judgement they would not be baptized in the spirit? Just because they were not baptized during their lives it does not mean they are not baptized at the Judgement. When they are resurrected from death, they will be part of the resurrection of the just. At the point of resurrection from death they will be baptized in the spirit, thus at the judgement they will have been baptized in holy spirit and have access to the kingdom. Their names will be on the scroll of life, they have an allotment.
In Old Testament times the holy spirit did come to some people. This was to perform certain tasks. Once the task was done, it could leave the person again. The person was not baptized in holy spirit, the spirit was in them to do the task. If someone is baptized in holy spirit, then the holy spirit will never leave them.
However those who were spiritually alive before the coming of Jesus Christ, could be tempted back into the darkness, just like Judas. They could go back into the darkness, back into a state of death.
Copyright © M J Farquharson 2009-2011, 2016 & 2017
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