Today we will begin a series of studies on the subject of ordinances and their relevance to us in the dispensation of the New Testament. This study will also require us to understand the purpose of the Old Covenant and the reality of the New Covenant.

Ordinances are outward traditions or ceremonies. Every religion in the world practises ordinances. The ordinances that we would be most familiar with include water baptism, communion and feet washing. The question that we are going to study over the coming weeks is “are ordinances to be practised in the Church of God?”

There is much confusion surrounding the subject of ordinances in regards to which ones should be practised, how often we should do them and how they should be carried out. If you look at water baptism for example, you will notice there are so many different methods that people follow; some practise full immersion, some sprinkle with water, some practise it privately in a backyard swimming pool or baptistery, while some believe it should be done in public. This is only the beginning of the confusion!

Where there is confusion on a topic, there is always division. It is confusion that has resulted in thousands of different denominations within Christendom. If we all understood the Word of God as we should, we all should be in agreement and therefore in one body. God’s people have been separated because of confusion.

This is why it is so important that we study to show ourselves approved unto God. More than simply using our mental faculties (which are given to us by God for use in study of His Word), we must also allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to us and lead us into the revelation of the truth.

Where we see confusion around a particular subject we ought to realise that there has been too much of man’s influence on it and not enough submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly tells us that God is NOT the author of confusion but of peace (1Cor 14:33). It is man’s thoughts, ideas and words that lead to confusion. As we study this subject we must submit ourselves to Word of God with the Holy Spirit as our teacher.

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Firstly we will notice here that it is the indwelling Holy Ghost who teaches us all things. This is why the disciples did not always understand what Jesus said – because while Christ was dwelling WITH them, He was not yet IN them. This is why He also said to them…

John 16:12-13
¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Jesus was telling them that they did not have the capacity to understand everything He wanted to say to them, however they would be able to understand at a future time after they receive the Holy Spirit, who is here titled the Spirit of truth.

The other thing we may note from John 14:26 is that it was promised that the indwelling Holy Ghost would bring all things to their remembrance. The word “remembrance” used here is not referring to memory or brain power but to understanding. The baptism with the Holy Spirit in the work of salvation does not improve our memory (as much as we would like it to), but it does give us understanding of the Words of Christ.

We may see this in action in the book of Acts.

Acts 11:15-17
¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
¹⁶ Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
¹⁷ Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

Peter was explaining to the other disciples how the words which Christ spoke to them about ten years earlier came to life and he understood the spiritual reality. Peter never forgot those words; the difference was that now he understood them. We will study those verses in greater detail when we look at the subject of water baptism, however the important thing for us to understand now is that the understanding of Christ’s words came after Peter received the Holy Spirit.

It was needful for the Spirit to bring the understanding because before Christ’s coming the world was in darkness, meaning the world had little understanding of spiritual truth. Truth is represented by light in the Bible eg. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).

Jesus Christ, the way, the TRUTH, and the life came to reveal Himself, or to reveal the truth in a dark world.

John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

All who do not believe in Christ, which is all who are not born again are in complete darkness. When we are born again the indwelling Holy Spirit puts us into the Kingdom of light which is the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

How were we translated into this Kingdom?

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Again, it was through the baptism with the Holy Spirit that we were put into the body, the Church, the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of light. Therefore it is the Holy Spirit that brought us to the light.

Because nobody was born again before the day of Pentecost, nobody had the full revelation of the truth. Old covenant believers, including the disciples, were not converted until the day of Pentecost which is the day when the Holy Spirit was given. Prior to that day, they were still saved however they only had the salvation of the Old Testament, which was imputed salvation.

The imputed salvation of the Old Testament was a token. A token is a symbol representing something that is real. A token can be used to represent a sum of money for a particular product or service.

For example, there was a time when milk tokens were used as a type of payment for the milk delivered to your door. When money was left at the door to pay the milkman for his delivery, some mischievous children would steal the money from the neighbours’ door steps and spend it at the shops on sweet foods.

To work around this problem, tokens were introduced where the consumer would purchase milk tokens and would leave the tokens on their doorstep to represent their payment for the milk. Children were not so keen to steal the tokens because the only thing they could purchase with them was milk which was much less appealing to them than the lollies they could only buy with real money. So from this you can see that although the tokens were not real money, they represented the payment for the milk so that a person could receive it.

The only payment for sin is the blood of Jesus Christ. His blood had not yet been shed, therefore those under the Old Covenant could not provide the true payment for their sins. Instead they had the blood of animals as a token which represented the blood of Christ.

When Christs’ blood was shed on Calvary, those that were under the Old Covenant were able to exchange their tokens for the blood of Christ that they would receive the salvation of the New Covenant. This is how we may understand that while those living in the dispensation of the Old Covenant were certainly saved, they were not born again with the Spirit indwelling them until the REAL payment was made – the blood of Christ.

It was THEN that the disciples were able to receive the revelation that comes from the Spirit of God.

I realise we have not specifically dealt with the subject of ordinances in this introduction. However I believe we have laid a foundation to help us see the importance of the Spirit of God giving us the understanding that the disciples needed to understand the relevance of ordinances in this dispensation.

Those who are unsaved today do not have the Spirit of God, and so they try to understand God’s Word from an earthly level based on their own experiences. In so doing they add to God’s Word and take away from it.

When we have the Spirit of truth to lead and guide us into the truth, we will not need to add to God’s Word or take away from it. The Spirit will bring the understanding that we need so that it would all fit perfectly and bless our souls. Let us determine that as we continue in this study, we will allow the Holy Spirit to teach us all things.

Filed under: Category The Daily Desk | Tags: by Gil Reitsma