In the thirteenth chapter of John, we may read of how Christ washed the feet of His disciples as a demonstration of what they ought to do. On the surface it may appear to simply mean that we ought to regularly wash each other’s feet in a foot washing service with humility. I believe that here Christ was not simply demonstrating something we should do on the outward, but was teaching us of the relationship the brethren must have toward each other; He was teaching the principle of servant-hood.

As Christ said to them “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet”, He was essentially commanding them to be servants one to another.

At the same time it is also equally important that all believers allow themselves to be served by the brethren as Peter was warned by Jesus “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

This is how the body of Christ operates. Each believer must make themselves a servant to the brethren and each believer must partake of the servant-hood offered by the brethren.

Here we see the dependence every born again person has upon the body. No one can function at their best while being independent of their brothers and sisters in the Kingdom. It is no wonder the writer of Hebrews urged us …

Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

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There are many who have made themselves a very comfortable living from selling books, videos and tapes on their own interpretation of the book of Revelation. In their publications they will always be very detailed about events that stimulate imaginations and emotion and thereby make good entertainment, and it’s always the same events.

However, there is one verse in the very first chapter, which although it is so full of spiritual truth, is so seldom given attention to.

Revelation 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The first thing that is evident here is John’s humility.

I have met some who will not fail to introduce themselves without using their title of reverend, pastor, bishop or apostle. To them, it is important that when people meet them, they understand their “superior” position and standing within their denomination.

Yet here in Revelation 1:9 we are introduced to John who is an apostle and was the beloved of Christ because of his closeness to Christ. In introducing himself, he did not feel it needful to remind us, the readers, of his position or prominence but rather introduced himself to us as our “…brother, and companion…”

If only there were more believers who were so aware of their unworthiness before God that they dare not feel deserving of any glory of their own by their perceived position and prominence.

God’s people need a heart that seeks to glorify one only, the Lord Himself. This was the heart of John. John could have referenced himself as one of the original twelve apostles, the beloved of Christ or a performer of miracles, but he would only identify Himself as our brother.

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Time and time again man has tried to formulate his own method of entering into the Kingdom of God.

In Genesis 11 we observe men building a tower that might reach into the heavens, however this resulted in nothing but confusion.

In the book of Acts we find Simon the sorcerer offering money to purchase the gift of the Holy Ghost, however his attempt was met with Peter announcing his state of spiritual death when he said “thy money perish with thee”.

A study into the history and current state of what is considered Christendom reveals groups who have attributed entry into the church with practices such as christening, water baptism, sacraments, ordinances and adherence to manmade creeds and doctrines all to put your name on a membership role. The result of this has been a scattering and division of God’s people.

All of man’s attempts to pave his own way into the Kingdom of God have resulted in confusion, division and death.

For the soul that is seeking a genuine and true salvation experience, there is much that could leave them confused and even deceived. Praise be to God who has given us the answers in His Word which is more certain than man’s words as we read in…

2 Peter 1:19-21
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

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Many people are confused about the death that came from eating from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Therefore they have little understanding of the life provided by the “tree of life”.

If we are confused we know with certainty that “God is not the author of confusion”. Confusion then can only be as a result of either being unsaved or the thoughts and imaginations of man have muddied the pure crystal clear water that comes from the throne of God and flows through the Church of God.

Consider the point that God created Adam both physically and spiritually with the power of choice as we read in…

Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God told Adam that in the day he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil he would “surely” die.

We know that Adam did eat from the tree by his own confession in…

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

The question then is, what kind of death was God speaking of? Was it physical death, spiritual death or both?

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Filed under: Category The Daily Desk | Tags: by Gil Reitsma
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Almost everybody teaches and believes that when Adam was created he was to live forever. They say that his sinning frustrated God’s plan and caused physical death to come upon mankind.

It is important that when statements are made like this that we think and meditate upon what is truly being said.

If we are to believe that Adam was created to live forever physically then also we would need to accept that the world, the universe; the whole and physical creation was intended to remain forever.

I have said many times that we must not add to or take away from the Word of God. We must not attempt to read between the lines or allow our imaginations to run riot. We must simply accept what the Bible says.

Jesus Himself said this in….

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The earthy was always going back to the void of nothingness from where it came from, but the spiritual is to remain forever.

If the earth was initially created to last forever then Heaven as our home is no more than an afterthought. Rather than singing songs and longing for Heaven we ought to mourn at the loss of the Earth!

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By now we should understand the nature of man and that there is no adamic nature within that causes a person to sin. It is the carnal or flesh nature, the nature which ultimately seeks to please self, that leads to sin. Sin is the result of a man or a woman choosing THEIR OWN way above God’s way. This understanding should help us to answer the question:

“is there more than one spiritual baptism?”

Firstly, let’s define a spiritual baptism.

A baptism is a cleansing. When John baptised the Israelites in the wilderness he was carrying out a type of cleansing that the priests would practise under the Old Testament.

When God laid out the blueprint for the tabernacle and ordinances to Moses, He commanded them to make a laver, that is a washbowl, for the priests to wash in when they ministered the sacrifices.

Exodus 30:18-21
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

This cleansing was of the outward. They washed their hands and their feet that they might not die, but you will notice their hearts were not washed or cleansed in this process. This is because the Old Testament ordinances pertained to the outer man. It was a type or shadow of what Christ would fulfil in the inward man at His death and resurrection.

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Last week we learned that the doctrine of original sin is not taught in the Bible but was formulated in the minds of man.

The very first person to coin the phrase “original sin” and teach it as doctrine was Augustine of Hippo, a Roman Catholic of the 4^th and 5^th century AD. This doctrine has since been used by many to teach other false doctrines, including the doctrine of sanctification as a second work of grace.

It is believed and taught by many that every child was born with original sin. It is taught that original sin is an evil nature within the heart which drives a person to sin outwardly in their words and actions.

Those who teach original sin, teach that following a person’s salvation, there will be an indefinite period of time in which they will war against this wickedness within. For this reason, they must seek a second work called sanctification, which removes this sinful nature and allows one to live a life free from temptation.

Last week we could clearly see that our sin cannot be blamed upon a sinful nature. God did not create us with an evil nature within, but rather created us upright. Let us be reminded of…

Ecclesiastes 7:29
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

To believe in the doctrine of original sin, is to believe that God has made man depraved and evil. This would not agree with the Word of God which tells us we were made upright.

Many proponents of the doctrine of original sin would ask “if there’s no sin nature to drive a person to sin, then what does drive a person to sin?” The answer to this can be found in understanding the nature of man.

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When presented with any teaching and doctrine we must ask ourselves “Is this what the Bible teaches?” If we find it is not founded upon the scriptures, it then helps to know where the doctrine originated from and for what purpose.

Many men and women have formulated doctrines, teaching them to be Bible truths, however they were simply for the purpose of justifying their sinfulness or preaching that which will “tickle the ears” of the hearers.

The doctrine of original sin, also known as inbred sin, inherent sin, sin nature and the adamic nature is widely taught to form the basis of other false doctrines.

The general belief of original sins says every child is born with a nature within them that favours sin and wickedness. Everyone who comes to the understanding of the commandments of God rebels against God as they are driven by this sin nature. It is believed that this sin nature makes a person essentially evil and wicked until it is purged.

It is taught by many that the baptism with the Holy Ghost, subsequent to the work of salvation, cleanses a person from this original sin and only then are they able to live victorious lives above sin.

The first question we must answer is “Is the doctrine of original sin founded upon the scriptures?”

As we saw before, the doctrine of original sin teaches that man is essentially evil in nature from birth and this wickedness must be later purged from him. It is believed by many that every parent passes down to their offspring a sinful nature as though it is inherited in the genes. The Word of God tells us the exact opposite.

Ezekiel 18:19-20
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Not a single child has ever received a sinful nature or even the reward for sin from his parent. No child has ever been tainted in their nature from birth because of their parent’s sin. Every child was born upright in the sight of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 7:29
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

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We have probably all heard a person use the phrase “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” and at some point you may have used that phrase yourself. Today I challenge you to find that exact phrase anywhere in your Bible.

I can assure you, you will never find that phrase in the Bible. The reason for this is that there is no baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you do a thorough search of your Bible you will find there is only a baptism WITH the Holy Spirit.

Now to many this may seem like a trivial matter. Many may believe that the difference between “the baptism OF the Holy Spirit” and “the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit” is only in the wording and not in the meaning. However, there is a big difference between the two words “of” and “with” and how they are used in the English language.

If I said that you were with me that would mean you are in my company or presence. However if I said that you were of me, that would mean that you came from me and I own you. To confuse the words “of” and “with” in that sentence would cause much confusion.

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I pray that as we continue to learn about the subject of salvation that we may understand that salvation is perfect and is complete the moment it is granted to a soul. There remains no second work to complete the soul after they are saved.

Last week we could see that the disciples, during the time of Christ’s ministry upon the earth, were living under the salvation of the Old Testament. They could not partake of the salvation of the New Testament until the Testator had died.

For this reason it is not sound doctrine to compare our salvation today with the salvation of the disciples before Christ’s death and resurrection.

After Christ’s death and resurrection, the salvation of the New Testament was introduced and offered to mankind. All that were saved from that time forth were given the wonderful salvation of the New Testament. This is the only salvation that could be received.

The salvation of the new covenant is one that not only forgives and blots out sin, but gives the recipient the power and strength in the Holy Ghost to forsake sin forever and live victoriously. What a wonderful life in Christ we have available to us!

When God opened up the new covenant to mankind, the salvation offered under the old covenant was no longer available. It would no longer suffice to sin yearly and then make amendment by bringing an animal as a sacrifice for the sins.

Jesus Christ had become the sacrifice for sins and left the comforter, the Holy Ghost, to be our strength that we might not fall into sin again. The salvation of the Old Testament was no longer on offer.

Hebrews 10:7-10
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Notice that Christ TOOK AWAY the first covenant, that he may establish the second. The first covenant was taken away. At the establishing of the second covenant, the salvation of the New Testament, the first was gone.

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