I thought I would list my teachers...
E. W. Bullinger
Taught me how to understand the Bible with his book called How to enjoy the Bible.
John Sanders
Opened my eyes with his book called The God Who Risks.
Gregory Boyd
Shed a lot of light as did John Sanders with his book called God at War.
Andew Farley
Taught me a lot about our sin nature with his videos on the Perfect You...
https://youtu.be/bOtcjkVJLl8?si=qhn3YB_a9PBBxmGy
Andrew Wommack
Taught me how to walk in the spirit with his videos on Spirit Soul Body...
https://youtu.be/wXJD2vwYW8Y?si=PMitqW-XrSmpH6E3
I have gone beyond the thinking of most in the biblical field and so I'm considered outside of their reach. A loner, an outcast, the filth of the community, or if you will... a heretic.
Psalms 27:10
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
I thought I would list Wierwille's teachers...
There was no audible talking from God or gas pumps covered in snow in July. Wierwille learned how to rightly divide the Scriptures from the book called How to enjoy the Bible by E.W. Bullinger. I have a copy.
After Wierwille graduated from B.G. Leonard's Gifts of the Spirit class he began teaching a similar class that he initially called Receiving the Holy Spirit Today, but soon changed it to Power for Abundant Living (PFAL). He later expanded it into a teaching series, including a foundational, intermediate, and advanced class.
He learned about the "law of believing" from E.W. Kenyon which is not biblical.
John A. Lynn wrote it this way... "We were very involved in that ministry for the better part of 20 years, serving in a variety of teaching and leadership positions. We were taught a staunchly non-Trinitarian Christian gospel, but one that viewed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as at best suspect, and at worst idolatrous."
Who killed JFK...
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-killed-jfk/id1714611578
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. A high SNR means the signal is clear and easy to detect or interpret, while a low SNR means the signal is corrupted or obscured by noise and may be difficult to distinguish or recover. SNR can be improved by reducing the noise level. Steve Jobs had an 80/20 Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) while Elon Musk is believed to operate at 100 percent, tolerating virtually no noise.
Both leaders used this principle of focusing intensely on critical tasks and eliminating distractions—Jobs for simplicity and design, Musk for fast execution and innovation to achieve groundbreaking success in their respective fields. In my case I have applied it to my ability to stay focused on walking in the spirit to the end that I'm right inside the spirit as close as I can get right in the face of Jesus Christ.
John 14:12
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;
"believeth on me" is referring to the movement of his attributes, characteristics, and authority.
I have studied the attributes and characteristics that describe the resurrected Christ because the entire New Testament is about him and this Christian doctrine is taught in the Epistles. I teach what we have in the resurrected Christ so we can stay focused on walking in the spirit to the end that we are right inside the spirit as close as we can get right in the face of Jesus Christ. It's an online book that I think cannot be all that bad since I mention the word "Jesus" 434 times and the word "Christ" 842 times in a paper that has 157 pages. And you can view it here... https://walking-by-the-spirit.com
Christians can be close to the Christ...
The spirit of Christ is very much involved in communication with those of us who are called to have fellowship with Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
We can stay focused on walking in the spirit to the end that we are right inside the spirit as close as we can get right in the face of Jesus Christ. The religious folks believe putting on the new man is doing the Word. My Bible scholar friends see what I see... that it's our new created nature and that what can be put on is behavior. Now the word "fellowship" means a partnership according to E.W. Bullinger and the scholars I'm friends with. But others see the same partnership but also find the word "fellowship" used in the context of a good six other places in Scripture indicating a relationship with Jesus Christ. I am plugging into that vine... www.walking-by-the-spirit.com/if-you-ask-me-anything-in-my-name
Christians can be close to the Christ. We are not flawed, fallen, broken, and helpless. My newest addition to what I will share with the world... www.walking-by-the-spirit.com/note-on-romans-7
Paul did not teach about the word "water" or the words "water baptism" in any of the Epistles. Mentioning the word "water" or the word "baptism" is not a teaching on water baptism. The baptism of John was ministered to Israel and does not apply to the Christian. The word "baptize" means immersed and for the Christian that means in the spirit.
Start here if you want to learn what Paul did teach which mostly deals with the word "fellowship" that means a partnership according to E.W. Bullinger and the scholars I'm friends with. This word "fellowship" is used in the context of a good six places in Scripture indicating a relationship with Jesus Christ. I'm plugged into that vine... www.walking-by-the-spirit.com/if-you-ask-me-anything-in-my-name
My teachers taught me I was a sinner and that Romans 3 tells me this... that there is none that understandeth, none that seeketh after God, and none that doeth good, no, not one. That our mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, our feet are swift to shed blood, and destruction and misery are in our ways.
And then one day I read verse 9 and said wait a cotton pickin minute. Verse 9 opens up the context with Jews and Gentiles. Not Christians.
Romans 3:9
...for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Data for Richard
I will post here when I have something that I think you would enjoy reading...
1 Samuel 2:12
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
Holy Smokes... they were the sons of the High Priest.
“people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.” These words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; and Luke 12:10 are very direct: “every” sin and blasphemy will be forgiven except one, a sin he referred to as “blasphemy” or to “speak against” the Holy Spirit. The definition of “blasphemy” includes slander, speaking against God, or verbal abuse, and it's clear from comparing the above two verses that Christ is defining blasphemy as “speaking against” something.
Jesus said there is one form of blasphemy against God that will never be forgiven, and he was referring to a specific blasphemy, not just speaking against God in general. Many people have at some time been angry at God due to the horrific circumstances of this fallen world, and many have spoken very harshly about God and or to Him. In fact, it's safe to say that most people have even cursed at God, and yet when they ask for forgiveness, He forgives them. The same is true of other kinds of sin. Many people sin horribly against God but are later forgiven. But there is a blasphemy that will not be forgiven.
What we learn from the scope of Scripture is that the blasphemy that cannot be forgiven is a person saying, and truly meaning in the depths of their heart, that Satan is the true God. The Bible reveals that the Devil can have “children” that is, people who have a unique relationship with him that makes them different from other sinners whose sins can be forgiven. People who are children of the Devil have sinned in such a way that they are no longer redeemable, that is, they cannot be forgiven, and it's not possible for them to be saved. The world is full of sinful people, and some of those sinners do very horrible things. Nevertheless, in the spiritual world, there is a difference between people who sin and can be forgiven and people who cannot be forgiven because in their heart of hearts they have taken the Devil as their god and have become his “children” and are true enemies of righteousness.
The Bible has much evidence of the “unforgivable sin” which leads to the everlasting death of the individual who commits it. 1 John 5:16 (KJV): If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. This verse reveals the same basic truth Jesus spoke about: there are sins that are “not unto death” and there is a sin that is “unto death.” The Word of God directs us not to pray for those who have committed the sin unto death because they cannot be forgiven.
Scripture shows a link between the unforgivable sin and those referred to as “children of the Devil.” When speaking to some of the religious leaders, Jesus said “You are of your father the Devil” (John 8:44 NASB). These leaders were in a different category than “regular” sinners like the prostitutes and tax collectors, whom Jesus never referred to as “children of the Devil.” Jesus always reached out to sinners like prostitutes, tax collectors, and even the thief on the cross. He actively tried to win them to salvation and to living a life of righteousness. In contrast, there is no evidence Jesus attempted to evangelize those he referred to as being fathered by the Devil. Instead he told his disciples “Leave them alone! They are blind guides” (Matthew 15:14). Jesus’ teaching does show us that a person can be “religious” and be a child of the Devil, but upon examination, it can be seen that the person’s so-called religion is hurtful, oppressive, and contradicts the heart of God.
The apostle Paul also encountered a child of the Devil. Confronting the false prophet Bar-jesus, he said by revelation: “You are a child of the Devil and an enemy of everything right” (Acts 13:9-10). Paul confronted many stubborn, sinful, hard-hearted people on his journeys, but this was the only man he called a child of the Devil. The fact that the text tells us that Paul was filled with the holy spirit when he spoke alerts us to the fact that this was not just his opinion, but came from the Lord. Those people who commit the unforgivable sin become children of the Devil.
Interestingly, there is a lot of folklore about people who “sell their soul to the Devil.” The folklore usually goes something like this: a person wants something really badly, like money, power, fame, or love. So the Devil comes to him and says “I will give you what you want at a very reasonable price—your eternal soul.” The person, blinded by desire, makes the deal with the Devil and then at the end of his life has to go to “hell” with no chance of “heaven.” Most folklore has some basis of truth in it, and this folklore is no different. Throughout history, many people have sensed that, in contrast to the majority of sinners who are simply caught up in their sin, some people are truly evil to the core and are somehow connected to evil spiritual forces, and many of those people are indeed “children” of the Devil, just as Christ said.
Some people so strongly lust for what they want that in their heart they make Satan, or one of his many fronts or idols, their “true” god and provider, and thus become his “children.” These self-centered people turn to Satan in order to quickly gain their desires, and in so doing turn away from the true God. The Bible does not describe exactly what a person does to become a child of the Devil, but it gives us some important information. Because Christ categorized it as a form of blasphemy, we know it is something that is said, either audibly or by speaking to oneself, but it cannot simply be saying, “I hate God” or “I love the Devil” or something such as that. It has to be fully believed in the heart as well as in the mind. From what we see in Scripture, it occurs when someone completely turns away from God, and confesses and believes in their heart that Satan, or one of his many forms—such as money, power, fame, or love—is the true “god” by being their sustainer, provider, or the “lord” of their life.
The Bible makes it clear that committing the unforgivable sin is a decision of the heart, not just something people say or act out without being heart-committed to it. The world is full of many kinds of egregious sinners—murderers, rapists, and much more—who later repent and get saved. That includes many people who dabble in the black arts, magic, spells, divination, and such. We know from Acts 19 when Paul was in Ephesus that many of the people who had been involved in magic got saved (Acts 19:18-20). Although some people are frightened that because of the sins they have committed they might not be able to be saved, the scriptural evidence is that if a person wants to be saved, or is concerned about not being saved, then they have not committed the unforgivable sin. The people in the Bible who had committed the unforgivable sin, such as Cain, the religious leaders Jesus was talking to in John 8:44, or Elymas the sorcerer, had no desire to humble themselves to God and get saved. In contrast, Simon the sorcerer got saved despite his background in magic arts because he had never made a heart commitment to Satan (Acts 8:13).
In the context of the unforgivable sin, it is important that Christians understand “god” in its more basic meaning of sustainer, provider, something that is worshiped or idealized, and something considered of supreme value. To blaspheme God does not mean one has to believe that the Devil is actually the Christian God and Father. Nor does it mean a person has to know that the Devil is a fallen angel who opposes the true creator God. To commit the unforgivable sin a person only has to truly take the Devil or one of his fronts as his own true god and provider. For example, it is unlikely that the Pharisees who were children of the Devil had taken “the Devil” per se as their god, but rather that they so highly valued their prestige, power, and position that they had in their hearts made that their god, and in doing so completely turned away from the true God and turned to the Devil via one of his fronts.
The unforgivable sin can be committed by believing and saying in your heart that Satan or one of the forms he hides behind and supports is the true sustainer, provider, or object of supreme value in one’s life. No doubt that was what Satan was asking Jesus to do when he offered him all the power of the world if Jesus would worship him (Luke 4:6). The Devil was not asking Jesus to think that God did not exist or that Satan somehow was, in fact, God, but rather that Satan would be Jesus’ true sustainer and provider, the true god of his life. The Devil wanted Jesus to become a child of his, which would have been the ultimate coup, but to do so Jesus would have had to “worship” the Devil, not just in form, but in the depths of his heart.
It's not specifically stated in Scripture what happens to a person spiritually, mentally, and physically when he becomes a child of the Devil such that he is unable to repent and be saved. We have no way of knowing what actually happens, but one possibility is that when a person commits the unforgivable sin, a demon enters them and gains access to, or perhaps even takes control of, the portion of the brain that controls freedom of choice, and the demon continually blocks the person’s ability to repent. It's also possible that the Devil could neurologically rewire part of the person’s brain. The Devil has the power to alter the genetic characteristics of plants and animals (Genesis 3:16-17), and so genetic manipulation is not beyond his ability. The Bible has a lot to say about the people who have committed the unforgivable sin and become God’s enemies, and it can be found throughout the Scripture. Cain committed the unforgivable sin and was a child of the Devil and so were the sons of Eli the High Priest (1 Samuel 2:12).
Some people who have greatly sinned or been very angry with God are afraid they have committed the unforgivable sin, so it is worth repeating that if a person desires to repent and follow Jesus then they have not committed that sin. In the Bible, the children of the Devil are enemies of God and they reflect the Devil’s nature. They are envious, murderers, liars, and show no genuine godly concern for humankind (Genesis 4:8-9; 1 John 3:12). They lead people away from God and into idolatry or false systems of worship (Deuteronomy 13:13); they rape, murder, and instigate wars (Judges 19:22-28; 20:11-14); they blaspheme God and the things of God (1 Samuel 2:12-17); they lie (1 Kings 21:10, 13), and they resent godly leadership and work to weaken it (1 Samuel 10:27; 2 Samuel 20:1); they sow division (1 Samuel 30:22; 2 Chronicles 13:7). They do the works of the Devil (John 8:44) and try to pervert the ways of God (Acts 13:10), and they work to make it hard for people to obey God (Matthew 15:3-9; Luke 11:46). Children of the Devil will never repent, so believers should follow Christ’s guidance and leave them alone. In contrast, if a person wants to repent and follow Jesus, they are not a child of the Devil.
The Greek noun "blasphemy" blasphēmia (#988 βλασφημία), and the verb blasphēmeō (#987 βλασφημέω) are transliterated (not translated) from the Greek into English as “blasphemy.” “Blasphemy” in English has a different meaning than blasphēmeō and blasphēmia do in Greek. In English, “blasphemy” is only used in reference to God. It's insulting God or a god, insulting something considered sacred (like defacing a cross or statue of Jesus) or falsely claiming to be God or a god in some way. However, in Greek, blasphēmia and blasphēmeō did not have to refer to God or a god, but were common words that were used of someone speaking against another, slandering or insulting them. The primary meaning of them as they were used in the Greek culture was showing disrespect to a person or deity, and or harming his, her, or its reputation. In the honor shame society of the biblical world, that was even more heinous an act than we would think of it today because honor and reputation were at the very core of societal status and were the basis of all social interaction.
A Note On Romans 7
I have had a number of Christians tell me about Romans 7 when I tell them I do not believe Paul taught about a “sin nature” for the Christian. Romans 7 tells us right up at the top of the chapter that Paul is talking to those who are into or know the law. And then the context of the whole chapter is how we can see it’s all about Israel and their Law and how they toy with their flesh.
What Paul talks about in the seventh chapter of Romans is what occurs to the believer who still thinks the Law applies to them. They end up spiritually dying by the commandment and realize that the commandment does not produce life. The war is with their flesh because they are still believing the Law has power over them.
The eighth chapter of Romans is where it explains how we overcome this whole issue by living in the spirit and being dead to the Law. We cannot live by faith in what Christ has done for us and still think our obedience to written laws are necessary. To do so takes away from the perfect work of Christ and places salvation and righteousness back in our own hands. Romans 8 states “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin…”
The interpretive key is to read Romans 7:14–25 as part of Paul’s larger argument rather than beginning with the question “Is this Paul before or after he became a Christian?” Paul is describing the predicament of the person under the Law confronted by Sin. Notice the vocabulary: “the law is spiritual” (Romans 7:14), “I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14), “sin that dwelleth in me” (Romans 7:17), “bringing me into captivity to the law of sin” (Romans 7:23), and “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).
That condition should be compared directly with what Paul has just said in Romans 6 and immediately says in Romans 8. In Romans 6:14 he tells us “sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” In Romans 6:17–18 they had been “servants of sin” but had now been “made free from sin.” Yet the “I” of Romans 7 says “I am carnal, sold under sin” and describes himself as being brought “into captivity to the law of sin.”
Then Romans 8 supplies the resolution: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” because “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). So the rhetorical identity of the “I” of Romans 7:14–25 is describing the condition from which Christ provides deliverance, and not simply establishing the normal permanent condition that Christians should find themselves in.
And yes, there is a very real element of inability in the passage. Paul says: “I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” But we need to ask why he cannot. Paul’s argument is not merely “Human beings have a sinful nature and therefore everybody throughout history is constitutionally incapable of doing good.” His argument concerns the relationship between Law, Sin, and Death.
Paul says “I had not known sin, but by the law” (Romans 7:7), “sin, taking occasion by the commandment” produced transgression (Romans 7:8), and the commandment that was “ordained to life” was “found to be unto death” (Romans 7:10). Sin used the commandment to deceive and kill (Romans 7:11). That is why Paul concludes: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” And the answer is: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” because Christ is the answer to that covenantal predicament.
Romans 8 explains the deliverance and this is why the question should not be was Paul saved or unsaved when he felt this way in Romans 7. Paul is constructing a theological argument about the predicament of those under the Law: the Law itself was holy and good, but sin exploited the commandment, producing condemnation and death. The Law could identify and condemn sin, but it could not liberate its subjects from sin’s power.
This explains why Romans 7 cannot simply be lifted out of its first-century covenantal setting and turned into a timeless psychological description of how Christians have a sinful nature and therefore unable to see themselves as the righteousness of God in Christ. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In Romans 7 Paul is explaining the very Law–Sin–Death problem that Romans 8 says Christ has delivered us from. And this is why Christians can be close to the Christ because the spirit of Christ is very much involved in communication with those of us who are called to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).
Some Thoughts On Sin
Ephesians says we have already been forgiven.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
These verses say we already have the forgiveness of sins and that we have already been forgiven. They do not say we have been forgiven for some sins, but still must do something to gain God’s forgiveness for other sins. Many think 1 John 1:8-10 refers to other sins that were not forgiven. But the above verses don’t say that. They just say we have the forgiveness of sins and have been forgiven.
Colossians says the same truth.
Colossians 1:14
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 2:13
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Romans says we are dead to sin and freed from it.
Romans 6:2,7
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
1 Peter tells us the same.
1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
How can it be said that we are dead to sins and freed from it if God is holding certain sins (the ones we haven’t confessed yet) against us? That doesn’t sound like dead to sins to me. 1 John seems to say I must do something to get cleansed of my unrighteousness. The Church Epistles say I don’t have any unrighteousness. That I have been made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Church Epistles say I have that righteousness before God as a gift (Romans 5:17) because Jesus Christ paid for my sins.
If it were true that any given sin would cause us to be “out of fellowship” with the Father, causing us to be in a state where He does not hear, or answer our prayers, and that the only way to get out of that condition is to confess our sins. Then doesn’t it seem like that would be important to know? What else could be any more crucial for the born-again believer to know? Why is it then that confession of sins is not discussed in Romans, the foundational book of doctrine? Why is it that confession of sins is never once so much as alluded to in all the seven Church Epistles? Confessing our sin to God is never mentioned ANYWHERE in God’s Word relative to the grace administration other than 1 John 1:9.
This whole doctrine of “broken fellowship” and the need to confess our sins to get back “in fellowship” and explaining away clear verses that say we have been forgiven, made free from sin, and made righteous is all based solely on one verse. Ephesians 4:32 says “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” It does not say even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you for the sins you committed before being born again, but not for the ones after until you confess.
Acts 13:39 has a piece of interesting information.
Acts 13:38-39
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
“Justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” What was it that people could not be justified from under the law of Moses that they can now be justified from Jesus Christ? The verse in Acts tells us. It is all things. The children of Israel could be forgiven for any one thing or a number of things, but as Hebrews shows, they did not have a one-time sacrifice that justified them from all things. 1 John 1:9 is not directed to born-again believers in reference to restoring their severed relationships with the Father. Let’s look at the opening verses of 1 John.
1 John 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
First, we should notice there is a “we” and a “you” here. The “we” are not the “you” and the “you” are not the “we.” These are two different groups. John is addressing people who do not have “fellowship” with him and with the others he is associating with. The word “fellowship” is translated from the Greek word “koinonia” and its meaning is far removed from anything most people associate with when they think of the English word “fellowship.” John is not saying that others sometimes have “koinonia” with him and sometimes do not. He is saying they do not have it. Also, John states categorically that he has “koinonia” with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. John is not addressing born-again believers who sometimes walk with him and sometimes do not.
The meaning of the word “koinonia” is better communicated in modern vocabulary by the word “partnership.” The masculine form of the noun “koinonos” refers not to the partnership but to the partners in the relationship. This word is usually translated in the (KJV) as either “partner” or “partaker.” The verb form of “koinoneo” communicates the act of becoming a partner. So in 1 John 1:3 the Apostle states that he has a partnership with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. He shows that he is writing to people who do not have a partnership with him. He is writing to them so that they will. John is not addressing born-again believers at this point. He is addressing people who need to become partners with him and with the Father and with Jesus Christ. We should also consider the phrases “walk in darkness” and “walk in light.”
1 John 1:5-7
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship [koinonia: partnership] with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship [koinonia: partnership] one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
We walk in the light when we have the light of Jesus Christ. We walk in darkness if we do not have the light of Jesus Christ. And this has nothing to do with how nice we are or are not. If we say we are in a partnership with God, but we do not have the light of Jesus Christ to walk in. Then we lie and do not the truth. If the “walk in the light” is a matter of one’s perfect walk. Then the blood of Jesus Christ that has cleansed us from all unrighteousness is dependent on one’s perfect walk. Do you really want to go there? The “walk in the light” is referring to the one who has the light, and not the perfection of that person’s behavior.
Most people think of sin as doing bad things, and certainly that is one thing the word “sin” can mean, but it isn’t the only definition. The Greek word commonly translated “sin” (and the one occurring in the above records) is the noun “hamartia.” The verb form is “hamartano” and means to miss the mark, to wander from the law of God, that which is done wrong, and I might add to be broken. Adam and Eve were created to have the spirit of God. A dog was created to function without the spirit of God and so dogs are normal in the way they function. But humans are missing something and therefore not complete if we do not function with the spirit of God. It would be considered broken if it were a car that was missing a part because it would be incomplete since it would be missing a necessary part. It had to be the spirit that Adam and Eve gave up that caused them to be broken, to have missed the mark, and to deliberately do such a thing was considered sin.
The Greek word “koinonia” translated “fellowship” in the (KJV) means “to have a share in.” The Greek word “hamartia” translated “sin” in the (KJV) means “to be without a share in.” These two are set in direct contrast in chapter one. People either have a share in God or they do not. Those who have not accepted the light of Jesus Christ do not. If they will acknowledge that they have no share in God and accept God’s son. Then God will cleanse them of their unrighteousness. In chapter 3 of 1 John, we see that whoever does not have a share in God is of the devil. This cannot be talking about born-again believers who do something bad.
And I know the word “fellowship” invokes mind pictures of hanging out, singing by the fire, long talks, morning coffee together, and such like things. While these all may be very wonderful… they are not what “koinonia” means. The masculine form of the noun derived from “koinos” is “koinonos” and it refers to people or a person who have something common between or among them. The adjective describes the condition of commonality. The masculine form of the noun refers to one who has a share in common with someone or something. The feminine form of “koinonia” refers to the common share, i.e. the partnership.
The Greek word “koinonia” is translated in the (KJV) a number of different ways such as fellowship, communion, communication, distribution, contribution, and to communicate. It’s never translated as “partnership” though in each of its 20 occurrences the idea of a common share is apparent. The share in common is not necessarily between two or more individuals who each share in some entity. The share in common might be the share that an individual has in whatever. He shares in common with whatever the entity is. “Partnership” is just the best word I can think of to communicate the meaning of “koinonia” in 1 John 1. “Partakership” would communicate accurately, but it’s obviously awkward and requires inventing a new English word.
See Appendix A and C that follow the footnotes of the online book called “Stephen Full Of Faith And Power” to read more on the subject of sin.
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
The written Word of God is made to shine with the glory of the divine presence of God through His wonderful Son Jesus Christ, because the one great subject of the whole Word of God is Jesus Christ.
The Son of the living God is the master key to understanding God’s heart of love, the written Word of God, the Christian walk, and those Scriptures that pertain to power. I would like to note that I have become very aware that in the biblical field there is a vast difference between someone who has been “educated” on a subject versus someone who can do the subject successfully. Just because a person has studied a subject doesn’t mean they can do it. A student who has been educated on a subject has only proven they can be a student successfully. They have not proven they can do the subject. With that in mind I set a goal to discover how to fellowship with Jesus Christ.
John 15:5
Jesus said “without me ye can do nothing”.
Jesus commissioned his disciples and sent them out as representatives. They already knew him well enough to have had a rock-solid relationship with him whereby they could represent him as an ambassador. We talk all day until the cows come home on how it’s Christ in us the hope of glory, and that the power of the holy spirit is born within us, thereby making us able body believers. But nobody seems to be talking about us being in Christ to the end we know him well enough to represent him on the Earth. We must first know someone well enough to be able to have a working relationship with them before we could represent them. I’m very interested in 1 John 3:6 that says “whosoever abideth in him” because the Greek word [meno] translated “abide” often deals with being in him, which I’m very concerned about when it comes to walking in Christ, which I believe is the same as walking in the spirit. To be in him or to abide in him deals with remaining or continuing to be present. To dwell, live, and be within him to the end that we are operative in him by his divine influence and energy. And therefore I was able to begin having a relationship with both Jesus Christ and the Father. E.W. Bullinger, defines the word “fellowship” in the following verses as an act of partaking, sharing—i.e., in participation.
1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 John 1:3
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Therefore, victory in the Christian life is as simple as renewing our minds to who we are and what we have already received in Christ. It’s not the struggle of two natures inside of us. We will continue to struggle with sin if we see ourselves as old sinners saved by grace. And so it’s also true we will manifest the change that took place in our new nature when we understand we are not old sinners saved by grace. Thus, we act like being part of the senses world when we see ourselves as being part of the senses world. We act like being part of the Christian world when we see ourselves as being part of Christ—i.e., in our born-again spirits. I believe God gave us a new nature when we are born again and that this is what the apostle Paul taught.
John 4:24 says God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. And so this is why I’m so concerned with not only having fellowship with God, but also being able to do it in the spirit. We undergo a miraculous exchange at the center of our being once we have the spirit of Christ. Who we were in Adam is no longer there. We become a new person because we are now a child of God who is in Christ. The key event causing this exchange is a death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. This miraculous exchange is not figurative or symbolic, but literal and actual. The spiritual part of every Christian has literally and actually been crucified, buried, and raised with Christ. The fact that this occurs spiritually and not physically doesn’t make it any less real. So what happens to the old self that was in Adam? The old self is entirely obliterated once the spirit of Christ enters the Christian.
Jesus spent time telling his disciples about the new relationship he would have with them after he would be resurrected (John 14:1-4, 18, 28; 16:5-7, 16). For example, he told them they could ask him for things, that he would not leave them as orphans, and he would now call them “friends” not servants. One of the clearest points of Scripture that supports prayer to Jesus is John 14:14. Jesus taught “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” The manuscript evidence supports the word “me” in John 14:14 being in the original text. Modern textual scholars have concluded that scribes left the word “me” out of the text or changed “me” to “the Father” and this explains why “me” is not in the King James Version because the manuscripts used in making the King James did not have the word “me” in it. However, the weight of the manuscript evidence supports the word “me” being original, which is why almost all modern versions include it. Jesus telling his disciples that they could ask him for anything after his resurrection certainly fits with the scope of Scripture, since Jesus knew that he was about to be given great authority as the Son of God. Jesus telling his disciples they could ask him for things after his ascension is clearly seen in both Acts and the Epistles.
Another reason to have fellowship with Jesus and be able to ask him for stuff is because he’s now both Lord and Christ (Acts 10:36; Romans 10:12), and the very essence of “lordship” is being in charge and running things. That is why the Greek word for “Lord” was used for rulers, landowners, and heads of households. Jesus is Lord because he is God’s “right-hand man” and is directly in charge of the Church. To be able to do that job, God gave him all authority in Heaven and on Earth (Matthew 28:18). In order for Jesus to be our “Lord” in any meaningful sense of the word, we have to be able to communicate with him and ask him for stuff. And this is why it is written that we should have “fellowship” with him “…and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). The word “fellowship” in the Greek is [koinōnia] and it’s used in several different ways in the New Testament. Fundamentally, it refers to a close association involving mutual interests and sharing; a close relationship characterized by involvement and sharing (Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3).
Jesus told his followers they are his “friends” [philos] (John 15:13-15). He emphasizes his point by saying that slaves and servants do not know what the Lord does, but friends do. What Jesus said has huge implications for Christians, because Jesus has opened the door for us to be “friends” with him. One of the hallmarks of genuine friendship is that we can ask friends for things. It’s quite inconceivable that Jesus would say that those disciples who followed him would be his “friends” but could not be in touch with him. Regular and intimate communication is part of friendship, and it makes perfect sense that we can ask our Lord, Head, Shepherd, and Friend, for whatever we need.
The Greek word [koinōnia] translated into English as “fellowship” has sometimes been defined as “full sharing” which has been more fully explained as “intimate joint participation.” In the Scriptures where people “fellowship” with each other, we can sometimes clearly see there is intimate joint participation. For example, in Acts 2:42, the people were meeting together, eating together, praying together, giving their possessions to one another, and following the Apostles’ teaching. In a similar vein, Galatians 2:9 says that James, Peter, and John extended the “right hand of fellowship” to Barnabas and Paul, meaning they jointly and fully shared things among themselves. Also, 1 John 1:3 shows that John told the disciples all about Jesus so they could have “fellowship” intimate joint participation with John and the other Apostles who had seen the Lord. In contrast, light has no “fellowship” with darkness because there’s no intimate joint participation (2 Corinthians 6:14).
Fellowshipping with Jesus Christ deals with “knowing” him (Philippians 3:8, 10). In Philippians, Paul wrote about knowing Jesus, and there is a huge difference between “knowing about” Jesus and actually knowing him. Paul did not just want to “know about” Jesus. In fact, he said he counted any position he could claim in the world to be just dung compared to knowing Christ. Really knowing someone involves personally interacting with the person. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine how we could really “know” Christ without personal interaction with him. Christians can personally interact with the Lord Jesus Christ, via the gift of the holy spirit, and part of that interaction certainly includes feeling free to ask him for stuff.