Be led by the Holy Spirit - Part I

First of all, is there such an exhortation?  Yes, the closest ones are these:

Gal 5:16-17 - 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Amplified Bible - 16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). 17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

Romans 8:13-14 (KJV) - 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify {put to death} the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 8:1 (KJV) - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The above are New Testament (NT) passages, are there any from Old Testament (OT) on this?  Yes, but because in OT, the Holy Spirit did NOT function as the spiritual Emmanuel (God with us), like He is doing in the NT, we find instead, reference to be led by the LORD; to me, it is on the same theme.

We will NOT look at Moses, how he was led by the LORD, because he was in a unique season where the LORD travelled with the people, and he, Moses, could appear before the Tabernacle where God was, and had the LORD speak directly to him.  Rather, we will look at another character, David, and as a short contrast, his predecessor, King Saul.

In the OT, we find David, the man God said to be after His own heart, was always wanting to be led by the LORD.  We can see his expressions of this, in a number of his psalms (which we will see below).

One of the reasons King Saul was replaced by God with David was that the former turned away from being led by the LORD.  In those days (OT), the common way the LORD led was by the mouth of His prophets, who were well-schooled in the laws of God, have learnt the ways of God.  One such prophets, then was the prophet Samuel.  He was the one who anointed Saul as King over Israel (and later David, too), because the Israelites insisted on a man-king when the LORD was already their King.  We see the LORD’s anger when Samuel turned away.

1 Sam 15:1-3; 9-13; 19-23 - 1Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret {become grieved} that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” {Samuel speaking, to Saul} 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 …. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.

Acts 13:22 - After removing Saul, he {God} made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'

Ps 16:5 (by David) Amplified Bible - The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.

As opposed to King Saul, David was humble, and had truly chosen the LORD as his Lord, chosen to have the LORD decide his fate all the time.  He believed in his LORD, and was ever defensive of the good name of the LORD. 

When the Philistine giant, Goliath, challenged the army of King Saul, David, then still a young lad, stood up against Goliath.  In 1 Sam 17:26, we read what David said,“….Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  We know the story; David fought Goliath, in the name of the LORD, and killed Goliath with a sling and a few smooth stones.

To David, whatever the LORD decided as to his life, he would embrace it – “The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.”  David was a shepherd boy, looking after his father’s flock, had to fight off wild animals which attacked the flock; later, he worked for King Saul, was his harpist, was the King’s commander; and then when he did extremely well in the army, King Saul persecuted him, and wanted to kill him; he had to run, and became fugitive even in the land of the enemy, the Philistines. 

David was careful to keep the LORD’s laws and commandments, although there were occasions of failure, but held no ill-feeling towards the LORD, even when the LORD decreed death to his first son from his adulterous affair with Bathsheba.  He, when convicted through the words of the prophet Nathan, waited upon the LORD to see if the LORD would relent from His decree, but when God did NOT, He accepted it, and moved on, after 7 days, letting NOT the “bad patch” which was a result of his own failure (a serious one, too – triple violations of the 10 Commandments), to affect his steadfastness towards the LORD.

Portion, cup and lot, they all speak about the same thing, David’s abandonment to the LORD; accepting whatever the LORD would decide for him: in little (shepherd boy or on the run) or in much (as king), in low position (shepherd boy) or in high position (as king), in troubles (pursued and persecuted; his own son, Absalom revolted against him, even) or in peaceful times (David did have peaceful times, as King), in failures (covetousness, adultery and murder from encounter with Bathsheba) or in successes (David could have killed King Saul when the latter came after him, but he did NOT [he understood Saul was King put up by God]).

We can see David’s steadfastness from this declaration of his, in Ps 16:8 – “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”  David said (Ps 16:7), “I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.”  He said he praised God who counselled him, his heart instructed him in the night seasons; what did he mean; how was he counselled or what was this “his heart instructed him in the nights”?  In the OT, counsel from God came through the written laws of God and the prophets of God (additionally, in Moses’ time, from enquiry before the Tabernacle, from God).  Ps 119:9-16 (which I believe the author was David), gave us the clue:

9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

David took the laws and words of God to heart, and have himself constantly be reminded of them, to that He would NOT sin against God, even in the dark or difficult seasons of his life.

David, we could read from the psalms, he had this posture of wanting only God’s ways, even when he was in troubles or afflictions of life:

Ps 5:8 - Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way level (straight and right) before my face.

Ps 27:11 - Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain and even path because of my enemies [those who lie in wait for me].

David took God’s words and laws to heart, and was completely given to them, and so, lived a righteous life (albeit, with some failures). David made another declaration:

Ps 37:23-25 Amplified Bible - 23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. 24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him. 25 I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread.

David said a righteous (v25) man, the LORD delights in his ways.  The Amplified Bible said God busies Himself with the man’s every step! [Note: the NIV translated this wrongly as “the man delights in God’s way”] For such a man, his steps are ordered (directed and established) by God.

We now come back to our times, NT times.  Today, as given at the outset of this article, NT scriptures exhort us to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Except for Jesus, all the other significant characters in Scripture, put in, by God, as examples for our benefit were NOT perfect at all.  Secondly, from our own life, and from day to day dealing with fellow believers, really, I cannot see how it can be that any preacher could claim that upon (entry into) salvation, one attains perfection.  I hope these preachers are NOT suggesting they are themselves the perfect ones, the Jesuses!

Some believers do enjoy higher favour in certain areas of their lives, compared with some others.  For example, one may have an example of a sin bondage that he once had, but has completely been broken by the Lord, and he has no more struggle with the sin, even when he comes into temptation.  But is he completely free from all allures of the fallen world?  I doubt there are any believers who managed to live a completely sinless and struggle-free life all the time.  Scriptures are showing that the draw to go back to the “vomit or mud” is very real. 

Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” 2 Pet 2:22

The Apostle Paul also gave us the picture of the struggle, tug-of-war, that still goes on, in the life of a believer.  The sinful nature or carnal flesh (or just called flesh, even) or what I called Iniquity or Sin (or agency of Satan), on the one hand, is still trying to get us to go back into the fallen world ways, when on the other hand, the Holy Spirit whom God has put to indwell us, trying to have us to work with Him on our sanctification.  As can be read from the NT scriptures (given at the outset), the desires of the flesh and those of the Spirit are opposing.

We have seen for the OT people of God, what they had to do, to be led by God, in righteousness – hid the words and laws in their hearts, meditated on them, obeyed them and lived by them; and then on top of that, they would heed the prophets’ words for them. 

How different is it for us, NT believers?  Do we have to treat the Word and commandments of God like David did? My answer is yes.  We still need to take in the Word and commandments of God into our hearts, meditate on them, obey them, and live by them.  What about this verse:

Heb 8:10 - This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

This verse does NOT mean 1) now, we just do NOT need to hear, read, or study the Word; 2) God will take a pen and write it all down for us (the entire Bible) into our mind and heart, so that it is all there, ready for use by us; 3) it obviously does not mean you don’t have to listen to the teachers standing behind the pulpits or that you don’t have to go to church anymore, to hear from anybody anymore; and 4) the New Covenant is without laws and commandments.

This Heb 8:10 scripture text, a re-quote of Jer 31:33, is a dual context prophecy, and so, the author of Hebrews used it as the “far prophecy” (the “near prophecy” referred specifically to the house of Israel). 

Now, as used in OT, it (God writing laws into hearts and minds) can be said as almost metaphorical, and there many verses in OT alluring to this metaphorical use.  For the NT, although my belief is that it is no longer metaphorical in its use, the bringing about of the laws of God into our mind and heart, is NOT to be understood, literally like “God to write them in, nothing to do with us”; in fact, it is on top of what OT people, like David, would do with the laws; it added a dimension which previously was largely from external, today, is internal; and by that I mean, the function of the indwelling Holy Spirit, in this area.

What I am saying is therefore, we still have to take in the Word and commandments of God into our hearts (through hearing, reading and studying the Word), meditate on them, obey them, and live by them.  It is on top of that, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit who is “The Tutor”.  Now, the understanding of how it all works is this:

Consider the metaphor of you, the knowledge in Science text books (for e.g.), and your tutor.  When you have NOT the tutor, you do all the reading and understanding on your own; you get all of those knowledge with understanding into your mind (and heart).  Now, that you have a tutor, it does NOT mean you do NOT have to read and understand the knowledge from the books, but it is that you still do all of that, read and understand; but if you are in doubt, you have the tutor who has better knowledge and understanding then you (that is why he is your tutor-right?!), to help you. 

The tutor does NOT read for you and understand for you; the onus is on you to read and understand, even though the tutor, and if he is good one, he will guide you along, correct you when your understanding is off; and he will teach you when you ask him.  If you ignore him, then he cannot really help you, can he?  Say, you have to take an exam, your tutor is NOT the one taking the exam; you are.  He won’t take the exam for you.

The idea of a tutor tutoring you is so that you are able to get what is outside of you, the knowledge in the books, and the understanding that is NOT yet had, into you, better; so that you can do what you have to do with them, subsequently.  Of course, a tutor’s role included briefing you on how to use what you have gotten into your mind, properly, like examination-taking.  And so, he would test you, too; give you some test papers to do.  And then at the end of the day, what you gotten into your mind (and heart) is yours to keep, and to use.  When the tutor is satisfied with you for specific areas, it indicates you have mastered it; he would leave you to “operate” those.  If you are humble, you still know that you could err, and you would humbly go by the tutor to check if what you intend to do, is the best thing to do.

What I am trying to say is that the indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to do the job of “hiding God’s word in our hearts, so that we may NOT sin against God” (Ps 119:11), better, more excellently.  But it is still we have to work with the Holy Spirit on this.  This Holy Spirit is NOT just our particular subject tutor, but is the Tutor of our life.

We are the product of God’s creation.  The Holy Spirit came from the “manufacturer of us” (God).  The Word or Scripture is the manufacturer’s manual on us; how we are to operate.  In the OT times, the Holy Spirit made visits, but in NT, the Holy Spirit is with us, indwelling us.  It is now a more intimate setting, yet, you and I have to work with the Holy Spirit, be led by Him.  He knows best, for He is from the manufacturer, part of the manufacturer, and is the manufacturer, God.

Satan, too, had put “a tutor” of his own, in men; this, according to how the apostle Paul said of “him”, he resides in the flesh.  He is, who I called, Iniquity (or Sin); scripture referred to “him” as flesh or sinful nature.  This Satan, he came from the house of our manufacturer (God), too; but he was driven out, and he has come to create havoc with us.  He knows what is in the manufacturer’s manual, the Bible, and he would try to get us to operate outside of the true prescription by the Bible.  He would even exploit and twist and turn what is written in the manual, to deceive us. What he wanted of us, is the corruption of us, the pinnacle of God’s creation, and if possible, our destruction.

That is why the scriptures given at the outset of this article, all talked about the flesh or sinful nature or Iniquity (agency of Satan, and therefore, of Satan)’s desires are antagonistic to those of the Holy Spirit.  So, the exhortation is that we are to listen to and be led by the Holy Spirit, and NOT to the flesh.

John 10:10 gave us the contrast: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The thief in the verse is referring to Satan or “typing” (type for) Satan.  The “I” there, is Jesus.

To sum it all, it is necessary we be led by the Holy Spirit; we must want to be led by the Holy Spirit, so that we are NOT led by the flesh.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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Salvation as Justification and Sanctification

I have NOT often used the word, sanctification, because some Christian factions used that same word, but gave it very different meaning; today I will use it.

Salvation is to be understood as comprising Justification and Sanctification. 

Justification

You get justified at the time that you enter into Salvation (or get converted or said the Sinner’s Prayer).  What that means is that you are forgiven of all your past sins, including the Original Sin.  Technically, I don’t favour talking about present sin, although it is common to read it used, and I ended up sometimes, putting it in, too.  It is either one has sinned or one has NOT.  When one has sinned, it is past. 

Scripture did talk about all our sins are forgiven us, at our entry into salvation.  My understanding is that as stated above, the all does NOT cover FUTURE sins.  FUTURE sins have NOT happened and so, could NOT have been forgiven by God at your entry into salvation, which could be some donkey years ago.  We can expect that post-entry (into salvation) when we confess the sins we have committed, to God, He is just and faithful to forgive us, and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

John 3:16 said that God so loved us that He gave His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, so that we may have eternal life.  The Gospel is God’s love for men.  He loved you and He acted by giving His Son to die for us.  Why His Son had to do that, die for us, essentially explains what Justification is all about. 

Scripture said the penalty for sin is death.  In other word, a sinful man is already on a death-row; and he cannot say, “I will die for another; say, spare Anthony, I will die in his place”.  He cannot, because he, himself, is supposed to die, anyway, being on the death-row.  Everyone is a sinful man.  Why?  Because everyone has “inherited” the Original Sin, and so, everyone is born sinful, and so, none can pay for the penalty of sin, for another.  Only a sinless life can do that, using his life to pay for another, so that, that another, can be free. 

Jesus Christ being the Son of God in Heaven was sinless, and He was holy, for God and the Godhead is holy.  No one can say God have NOT loved him; God has loved him, for God had given, and the Son, Jesus, had agreed, to come to die to atone for the sins of him; and we know Jesus did come and did die crucified, for the Salvation of men. 

God has loved; He sent His Son.  The Gospel is a love story.  Now, you have loved Him back when you came into salvation.  Your entry into salvation was the very first act of love on your part; you have loved Him back, by obeying God, to receive the Justification.  I will NOT elaborate here, but the kinda of love of God is love unto righteousness.  To understand this God’s kinda of love, read: ‘Ahab love – love unto righteousness

So, the very first thing God did, to have you and I able to come into the love story, loving, was to have us justified.  When you are justified, you are once again righteous.  Men were created righteous, but men became unrighteous, because of the Fall in the Garden of Eden.  When you were unrighteous, you could NOT love God rightly, and you really could NOT do any works, pleasing God (short of Him still counting righteousness to you, despite you NOT meeting up to the righteousness and holiness of God.  The concept of God counting righteousness to people was found in the OT, because the people then had NOT, the kind of justification that we are now [since Christ’s death and resurrection] having).  That was why, generally speaking, it would be as Isaiah put it down, that all the works of the people were as filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). 

I, however, if I can, I will discourage pastors hitting their congregation with such harsh words like “ALL their works or deeds are as filthy rags”.  No, with Justification by Christ Jesus, it is NOT necessarily that ALL the works of a believer is as filthy rag to God.  It is however right to highlight that if we get ourselves into all kinds of sins and bondages, our works may NOT please God; for one thing, our motive of works could be no longer pure.  For one thing, God wants you and I to work on our problem with sins and bondages, even as we serve.  If we ignore our sinful condition, he is NOT pleased. 

It is NOT that you and I cannot serve at all.  God NEVER expects perfect ones, or He will have no one to serve or to do the works.  God is after the heart-condition of a believer.  But please, you cannot argue “my heart-condition is alright with God”, when you want NOT at all, to be of good works, and want NOT to resist sins and the Devil.

Is that all, just Justification will do?  After Justification, can I just ignore God, and then when the time comes, God comes to bring me to Heaven to live with Him (the people without Justification, to Hell)?  No, you can’t.  You and I cannot ignore the Sanctification portion. 

For in-depth discussion of atonement (when atoned you are justified), read under propitiation heading in this article: What about propitiation, forgiveness, and appropriation?

Sanctification

Before the Heaven, there is the Sanctification portion, and that is the Salvation Journey, or what Isaiah called it as Way or Highway of Holiness, which we have to journey on (Isaiah 35:8-10; this, a dual context prophecy). Yes, when you were justified, you entered into the Kingdom of God, but that phase of the Kingdom is the earthly phrase.  Sanctification is the will of God for believers.  1 Th 4:3a – “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified”.

Sanctification is about this earthly phase of the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God has invaded the world, and when you were justified, you became part of the contingent living out and perpetuating the Kingdom here, in the world.  The Greek word for sanctification is G38 – hagiasmos.  G38 is often translated as holiness (Rom 6:22 [KJV], 1 Th 4:7 [KJV], Heb 12:14 [KJV]).  The word, saint, comes from the Greek word, hagios - G40.  When a sinner enters into salvation and is justified, he is called a saint; and a saint is to undergo sanctification.  If one does NOT want to be sanctified, he has to ask himself if effectively he is wanting to be back as a sinner.

You and I were from the world (fallen world) and therefore, were once sinners; and there are 2 things upon our justification that we are committed to do:

1) We to go through the sanctification process before we are ready to go the motherland, Heaven, to live with God.  The world is NOT the motherland, it is a “conquered land”, and we are the army of God in this conquered land.

2) We as active soldiers of the Kingdom are to expand, and as well as citizens of the Kingdom by our living, to influence others to embrace, the rulership of our God.  No physical violence, however.  In this respect, we have to understand that just like one country conquered another country, the conquered country is NOT fully “kingdomised” until all the people accept and embrace the laws and prescription from the Victor King.

Both the items above are proceeded by God in parallel, meaning at the same time.  We are being sanctified and we are to be engaged in the “kingdomization”.  So, in sanctification, we are being prepared for going to the motherland, Heaven, to live with God, and at the same time, serving God engaging in good works, in Kingdom expansion in the world.  So, sanctification is about being made holy, and sanctification is about being set apart in service for God.

Many preachers argue that sanctification is by God.  I am NOT saying it is NOT, yet it is when we are in step with God (that means we have to follow and so, obey), operating within His will and desires, that we can be sanctified, by God.  It is NOT that there is no part on the part of men, being all God’s part.  The correct perspective is given us in Phil 2:12-13.

Phil 2:12-13 - 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

It is clear from this Philippians text that we have to work out our salvation; and it is also clear that we are to work with God, for it is God who, through His Holy Spirit, works in us to will and act in such a way or in things, that will go towards fulfilling His good purpose (the use of conjunctive “for” was meant to link what came after it, to the fear and trembling; the notion is that wow, God [The God] wanting to carry out His purpose through you, and therefore it expressed the truth of it is God making initiations in us to will and act to bring about good to us and to others). Eph 2:8-10 stated that we are saved by grace for good works. 

How are we being sanctified?  In brief, it is when we living according God’s ways as prescribed by the Word and being led by the Holy Spirit.  The ways of God include both the prohibitive prescription/commands as well as directive prescription/commands.  One may NOT see the prohibitive commands as leading to good works, but they collectively do works for our sanctification.  By that, I mean, we are, for example, asked NOT to lie; NOT to lie may NOT be seen as a good works, but in abstaining from it, we are learning to live righteously and it works towards our holiness.  Prohibitive prescription/commands generally go towards “to righteousness unto holiness”, like it is being used in this text (Romans 6:19):

Amplified Bible - 19 I am speaking in familiar human terms because of your natural limitations. For as you yielded your bodily members [and faculties] as servants to impurity and ever increasing lawlessness, so now yield your bodily members [and faculties] once for all as servants to righteousness (right being and doing) [which leads] to sanctification.

KJV - 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Directive commands generally go towards good works, and when we work with God on them, we produce fruit unto holiness.  Romans 6:22 (KJV) reads “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”

In Scripture, there are actually 2 classes of fruit, NOT one, as is wrongly understood and preached by some preachers (especially the overly grace ones, for they shunned works); there is the fruit of the Spirit which we are to develop, and these are given us in Gal 5; and there is the fruit from our good works.  Sanctification should result in both, but you and I have to work with God.  But why; why NOT God just zap us holy?

It is because you and I are still with our volition.  God does NOT remove our volition even after we have entered into salvation and are justified and technically speaking, we belong to God; Scripture said God has bought us already with the life of His Son, Jesus Christ.  So, why NOT the removal of our volition so that we cannot but obey Him, cannot but obey all commands, prohibitive or directive prescriptions and all?

It is because if God does that, we will NOT be capable of true love towards God.  Is it NOT true, when you have no choice, there can be no love to talk about.  Those who truly know love, understand that first of all, love is a choice (and it is a commitment).  You and I have made that choice, to love God, at our entry into salvation (if you still have NOT realised that, today, realise this, and today, ratify this choice, that you are committed to love God).  We have to continue to love Him, even as we would like Him to continue to love us and so, we have to continue to choose to be sanctified.  But why?

Because we are loving God in sanctification, for prime moulding “tool” in sanctification is obedience. Truth is NEVER passé; “The ones who love me, obey my commands (John 14:15), and the ones who obey me, are the ones who love me (John 14:21a)”.  What God wants is NOT just you have loved Him (have entered into Salvation), what God wants include you continue to love Him.  Wanting to continue to love God is wanting Sanctification, and wanting Sanctification is wanting to continue to love God, for Sanctification prepares us to go to live with Him, eventually, in Heaven. 

Imagine with me, remembering that the Gospel is a love story, is this right?: Say, “I love you” and kiss, and then go away into the “no music no sound” mode, and still hope to “wed” successfully and live happily ever-after, in the forever blissed place.  Another way of looking at it: I say, she is a mermaid, you are man, you must learn how to swim.  God is holy, you and I got to acquire holiness.

I will say as I often said of, 1 Pet 1:15-16, the text is NOT directed at God Himself, but at us; it is that we are called to be holy.

Amplified Bible - 15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. 16 For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

We are being called to be holy IN OUR CONDUCT AND MANNER OF LIVING.  It really isn’t referring to imputed righteousness or holiness.  It is about how we live.  Is there a part on the part of men?  Of course. If there isn’t, and that would mean it is all God’s part, and that would mean God is saying a thing that is superfluous (God telling Himself what He is to do!).  We have a part, and that part is that we have to work with God to be sanctified, so that we grow in holiness. 

Heb 12:14 Amplified Bible - Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.  Don’t you love God, and so, want to see God?  Don’t you think going Heaven will lead to you seeing God?  Therefore, don’t you think you need to work on your holiness, with God, so that, as Romans 6:22 (quoted above) said, “the end everlasting life”?


Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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Is Satan a reality?

It is surprising, at least to me, to read of many surveys showing up as many believers do NOT believe in the reality of Satan.  Many believers do NOT believe Satan as a real being.  Some just believed him as the personification of sins.

Satan was and is real. Even today, he is around, working away, with his minions of fallen angels known as demons.

Honestly, Satan was mentioned in Scripture often enough to be ignored.  For those who believe NOT there was and is a Satan, they are really alleging (a) the Bible is fictional, since it talked about Satan, when there was or is no Satan; or

(b) Satan is to be understood as personification of something, and the closest fit is sins.

I am one who keeps reminding myself and others that whatever theology and doctrines of the faith, they must be formed from Scripture, NOT from our experiences.  Our experiences testify to the truth of Scripture.  Experiences devoid of scriptural support are to be viewed with more than a pinch of salt, so to speak.  As a minimum, what is observed must NOT contradict the Word.

So, first, we consider if there is an extra-biblical basis to argue for the reality of Satan and his demons.

I have lived more than half a decade, and that is a long time, and I must say, “Time has flown me by.  How I wish I am in my twenties again!” Of course, that is fat hope.  I have seen and involved myself in deliverance work.  Demonization and demon-possessions are real. 

There are enough manifestations that are clearly non-medical or NOT due to natural sicknesses.  NOT all symptoms and manifestations can be accounted for, purely through science, unless we take science to be inclusive of demonization and demon possession.  Some of the manifestations included opposition to God, violent reactions to declaring of the name or blood of Jesus, and the manifestation of supernatural strength, or people slithering on the floor like a snake.  For example, a normal sized woman in manifestation needed half a dozen men to hold her down on the floor! 

These demonization and demon-possession are NOT curable by scientific medicine.  Some of the stubborn demons are NOT easily persuaded to leave “what they considered as their home or abode”.  In Christian deliverance ministry, we break the hold of the demons, bind them and cast them out. When people are “cleaned” out, the “after person” is different from the “before person”; if the person has the “stoned” appearance, he would no longer have that; he would appear fresh and alert once again.

Some people said that the so-called Satan or demons are some force, but they are NOT like gravity or magnetism which is impersonal forces.  These are NOT simply some impersonal forces which we can remove, and the person(s) would be well.  The evil or evil-being is NOT some impersonal force, that if it affects you, it will affect me, likewise.  No, the evil-being interacts with intellect and will; and so, it could “latch” on to you and even possesses you, but it may NOT do so, with me, because of the difference in the “spiritual state” of my intellect and will, at the time.  

Deliverance ministry experiences have scriptural basis; and we read of Jesus’ own deliverance episodes in Scripture.  Then there were also the disciples’ experiences recorded for us.  The manifestation of supernatural strength can be found stated in Mark 5:1-4.

Was Satan merely a personification of sins, in Scripture?  Meaning, was Satan merely sins talked about like a man or being, given speech and attributes of a personal being?  There are just too many places and verses very simply addressing Satan as a personal being.  If Satan we argue, on personification ground, as NOT a being, then we may as well also say the same for God - isn’t a being either!

Jesus, for example, addressed Satan as a personal being.  For one thing the Lord recognized him.  Jesus, before He was born as a man, when He was with the Father in Heaven, had seen him in Heaven!  Jesus said in Luke 10:18 that He saw Satan being cast out of Heaven.

In the last of the 3 temptations Satan did on Jesus after the latter’s 40 days and 40 nights fasting, he, Satan, said this, ““All this {the world} I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”” And Jesus replied him, (Matt 4:10): “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

The above exchange between Jesus and Satan does NOT look like Jesus was talking about some impersonal force or a mere personification of some evil, does it!  Elsewhere, in John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11, Jesus addressed Satan as “the prince of this world”

Then there were the Apostles who also addressed Satan as a personal being. The apostle Paul called Satan the “god of this world” or “god of this age” (2 Cor 4:4) and the “ruler of the kingdom of the air” or “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). Additionally, Paul also wrote this: “The Spirit clearly says that in latter times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:1-2).

In 1 John 5:19, we read the apostle John said this: “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” The verse is a “pair”, we, the children of God; the world under the control of Satan.  So, God and Satan are being viewed by John in like-perspective – God a being, Satan, too.

In Revelation 12:9 we read this: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Thus the way Satan was depicted in Scripture, he sure was/is NOT some impersonal force or a mere personification of evil.

Who then is Satan?  These verses in Scripture gave us an idea of who Satan is:

1.   Job 1:6-12 - 6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

We don’t know when this has happened, but it was probably a long, long time ago (in the OT time).  The interesting thing here was that, then Satan was still allowed to come before God, but it is NOT conclusive from the brief mention, that the scene was in Heaven. 

By the way, this account of testing on Job did NOT conclusively say that Satan have to ask God for specific permission to do anything towards any man!  Briefly, it was God who suggested Job to Satan, and it was that Satan knew there was a God’s hedge (protection) around Job; the permission was specifically that, God got to remove His protection; without which, Satan just could NOT test Job or act against him.  Is it every one of us, believers, has the same hedge, and Satan cannot test or act against anyone of us?  My answer is no.  In a while, we will see a scripture saying whom he can devour, Satan will try to devour, meaning some are easy, some are difficult, and some he can touch, NOT.

2.   Gen 3:1-5 - 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The serpent here was referring to Satan.  How do we know?  We infer it from Rev 12:9 (“that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan”).

Rev 12:7-9 reads: 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

This Revelation text tells us that there was a war in Heaven. My own belief is that although the Book of Revelation is prophetic of the future, this text of Rev 12:7-9 was a flashback, meaning the war broke out a long time ago in Heaven, and in that war, Satan fell from Heaven, to earth, with his angels with him.  Jesus witnessed this fall of Satan when He was still in Heaven with the Father; in Luke 10:18 we read Jesus saying, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”  After the fall from Heaven, Satan and his angels (about 1/3 of all angels) (thereafter, after the fall, called demons), reached a point of no return; for the salvation to come, did NOT and would NOT include Satan and the demons; salvation was and is only for men.

3.   Matt 4:1-11 - 4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

The above is the account of the Devil tempting Jesus.  Many people often forget when it happened.  When did it happen?  It happened after Jesus was water-baptised, and filled with the Spirit without measure (for Jesus, it happened as one event – water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit), and after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.  Why do I point this out specifically?  Because I want people to see the Devil and his minions are a reality even for the believers.  Jesus then a man, was water-baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit, and fasted even (so, he should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit), yet the Devil still tempted Him.  Why do people want to suggest that the Devil and his minions won’t tempt you or test you, and if possible, devour you!

4.   1 Pet 8-9 (KJV) - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

This text tells us what Satan or the Devil is up to, on earth, even concerning the believers.  Yes, the text was directed at believers (look at the preceding verses and you can see it there).  Satan is seeking whom he may devour. He does NOT need to ask God for permission to come against you, although God knows.  God does NOT necessarily stop Satan from tempting you or even acting against you; rather we are told to resist the devil, and remain steadfast in the faith.

5.   Eph 6:10-18 - 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

This exhortation by the Apostle Paul is a rehash of what the Apostle Peter said, which we saw in 1 Peter above.  Again, the words were meant for believers.  The Devil and his minions are a reality, even for the believers (don’t listen to preachers who tells you they are NOT! They are wrong!).  Paul was saying here, that there are things we need to do, although it is NOT to say that God cannot put a hedge around you.  Again, there is no idea of the Devil has to ask for specific permission to come against you.  Preachers who argue for this, are wrong; the stage has gone beyond that – God and Satan are at war; and we are caught in it, and you should know which side you are on!

6.   Luke 22:31-32 (KJV) - 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

This text had given rise to some insisting that Satan has to ask the Lord/God for permission to test/tempt/act against a believer.  All the text was saying was that Jesus was privy to knowing Satan wanted to test Peter (sift Peter as wheat), and that He, Jesus, prayed that Peter’s faith would NOT fail. 

Even if indeed Satan asked God, it is to be understood in like vein as that understood (if you correctly understood it) of Job’s testing by Satan, i.e. that there was a “hedge” around Peter, and Satan challenged God to remove the hedge.  Ultimately, it is the test of faith that will either shame or glorify God; and that was and is what Satan is challenging God in, with regard to men. 

From this text and that of Job’s testing (from the book of Job), it is imperative that believers to know that we cannot put all responsibility for faith, back to God, even though God does give supernatural faith (gift of faith); there is the faith that we are to have, which will be tested and challenged by the Devil.

7.   John 10:10, the words of Jesus Himself contrasting Satan and Himself - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I {Jesus} am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The thief is pointing to Satan, and it can include any of those who work for or further his (Satan’s) purpose.

8. John 8:44 - Jesus also told us some of the characteristics of Satan. Christ said he was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him, and that when he speaks he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

9.   Rev 20:1-10 - 1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time…

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This is the destiny for Satan at the end.  The salvation plan will save only men, NOT Satan and the demons.

10.               Satan’s own falling into Iniquity - Isaiah 14:12-14;  Eze 28:11-19

Isaiah 14:12-14 - 12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon {most sacred mountain of the Canaanites}. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Satan was Lucifer. This is a “dual context” passage: On the surface, it was referring to the king of Babylon as presented in his pride, splendor and fall; beneath or behind, the power behind the evil Babylonian king. No mortal king would claim his throne was above God’s or that he was like the Most High; the power behind, was Lucifer, Son of the Morning.

Apart from referencing the Babylonian king, the passage marks the beginning of iniquity/sin in the universe and the very fall of Satan himself.  There is another passage that will add some more to our understanding of this fall of Satan – Ezekiel 28:11-19 -

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.

Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.

So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. 19 All the nations who knew you    are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Again, this is a “dual context” passage: On the surface it is addressed to the "king of Tyre", beneath/behind, it went beyond the king to the one who is behind the evil king. This passage is also a “dual prophecy” passage; there was a near prophecy of what was to happen to the evil Tyre king, at the same time, there was and is a far prophecy about Satan, his final end which is yet to happen; to take place after the final judgment (Rev 20:7-10).

What both the above texts about Satan were also trying to say is this: That we succumbed to Satan’s workings, we may end up taking after Satan, and become his underling; and we are furthering his aims, against God.  Evil kings, particularly, are used by Satan in this manner bringing nations low. Satan is the principality behind the powers of this corrupt worldview system.

This Ezekiel passage reveals to us that Satan was once an anointed guardian cherub or an anointed arch angel.  Mortal kings are guardians, and they could be used by Satan to front-shadow him. Satan was most magnificently created – he was “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” Pride was what led to Satan’s downfall. Because of pride, Iniquity became found in him.

Where is the pride? Isaiah 14:12 tells us what Satan coveted - "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High." Note the repeated “I will”; that is the pride.  Satan wanted to be like God, no longer want to be God’s servant; that was rebellion.  Iniquity was then replicated in Man, through Adam and Eve, by Satan, appealing to the same pride – “be like God”; Gen 3:5 - "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Summary
Is Satan a reality?  Yes, he was and is a reality, to both non-believers and believers, for the world is under his control (1 John 5:19).

Who then is Satan?  He was once called Lucifer, the most magnificent (seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty) guardian angel (a cherub) God had created, most beautiful and were blameless in his ways until Iniquity/Sin has come to be found in him. 

Lucifer became evil when Iniquity/Sin entered and consumed him, and he fell because of pride.  The moment Iniquity/Sin or Wickedness got hold of him, Satan’s wisdom became corrupted.  His wisdom and therefore, his ways no longer is godly or holy (Eze 18:17).  Satan wanted to be like God (“I will make myself like the Most High.”); that’s was rebellion.  War broke out in Heaven, and Satan and about 1/3 of the angels fell from Heaven.  On earth, Satan, as the ancient serpent tempted the first Man, Adam and Eve, and replicated Iniquity/Sin into Man, and Man became fallen too.

Satan took hold of the world and continued to perpetuate his “sour grape” opposition to God.  John 10:10a said it all – he came to steal, kill and destroy, men.  With the Fall in the Garden of Eden, men are counted with Satan, and would, unless they come into the Salvation Plan through Christ Jesus, end up going to the same place that Satan (and his demons) are destined to go – the burning lake of fire of Hell.  Satan has led the world astray; and through Jesus Christ, we can come back and be reconciled to God, and have eternal life, the end phase of which, is to live with God in Heaven, eternally.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

Comments are welcome here. Alternatively, email them to me @: high.expressions@gmail.com Or just email me your email address so that I can put you on my blog (new entry) notification list. To go back to blog main page, click here.