Manifestation Of The Holy Spirit / Part 7

Series – October 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Manifestation Or Marks Of The Holy Spirit Versus Imitation In The Church – Part 7

Notes On Warnings By Peter, Paul And John
The first generation of Christian leaders fulfilled their God-given mandate as apostles and prophets of the New Testament. They laid the foundation on which the Church is built (Eph. 2:20-22) and warned about counterfeits that would soon appear. In fact, even during their ministry the enemy opposed them through all kinds of attacks, trying to stop them or wipe them out. When he failed in this, he changed tactics and tried to corrupt the new testimony, whether by imitation or through counterfeits. “False” represents the main idea of those attacks, which continue in our days (2 Cor. 11:3,13,26; Gal. 2:4; Rev. 2:2; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 4:1; 1 Tim. 6:20).

Peter’s Warnings And Encouragements
Having suffered, Peter identified in his first epistle with believers who suffer opposition and attacks in this world where the Prince of Peace is rejected. In 2 Peter 1, the apostle encouraged all generations of believers to become morally as the first generation was in character, owning the Lord’s authoritative presence among them (Mt. 18:20). Peter’s special authority remains valid and sufficient for the whole church period (see Eph. 3:1-12; Col. 1:24-29).

In view of the training of every generation of believers, Peter listed eight God-given resources for spiritual formation: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-7). These are needed for spiritual growth (3:18) and the testimony to continue until the Lord’s return. Peter did not establish a council or hierarchy with official status to transfer authority through apostolic succession from generation to generation, nor is there one. He focused on the Lord’s greatness and expectation of His return, drawing our attention to Him and the perfection and sufficiency of God’s Word (1:16-21).

In chapter 2, Peter solemnly warned the believers about false teachers who secretly bring in destructive heresies, or beliefs. Using biblical terms but reinterpreting them, they confuse and deceive. They are to be recognized by their denials of God’s truth, licentiousness, greed and corruption. Although they deny the Master1 – if not in words, then surely in deeds – they have great success and a vast following (v.2). During His earthly ministry the Lord warned about false christs and false prophets (Mt. 7:15, 24:11,24; Mk. 13:22; Lk. 6:26). They would introduce a counterfeit testimony even though the law severely condemned such counterfeiters. The enemy even mobilized false witnesses to accuse Christ, leading to His condemnation and execution. The same happened to Stephen, the first martyr in church history (Acts 7).

The Lord had foretold that after His departure His testimony on earth would be under attack throughout the time of His heavenly ministry. The false teachers Peter wrote about are noticeable by what they deny, not by what they affirm – they don’t affirm anything scriptural. At times, in very subtle ways, they do this as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15), denying basic truths and God-revealed mysteries. Peter gave a few examples of what false teachers deny:

• The creation of the various species and the allowance of variations within the species. Instead, they teach evolution of the species from lower to higher life forms through long periods of time.
• The divine inspiration of the Word, meaning the verbal, plenary, or full and complete, inspiration of the inerrant Word of God. Instead, they come up with all kinds of alternatives and counterfeits.
• The Holy Trinity – the mystery of the triune God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) in one divine person and yet three, always being and acting in unity and harmony.
• The person of Christ: God and Man in one. He is the eternal Son, true God and forever “in the form of God” (Phil. 2:6 NKJV), and yet since the incarnation and the virgin birth, truly and forever Man. He is not an apparition, meaning some supernatural appearance or ghost, nor is Jesus as some blasphemously say, “half God–half Man” or other such theories. Although not able to comprehend this divine mystery, by faith we affirm Christ to be fully God and fully Man:
• The greatness of His person: the Angel of the LORD and at the same time Yahweh (YHWH).
• The reality of miracles in the Old Testament, then abundantly during His earthly ministry and in Acts.
• Christ’s sufferings – which are an exhaustless subject for meditation and worship – before the cross, anticipating the cross and leading to the cross, including the three hours under the hand of man. They also deny the three hours of darkness when He suffered various and unfathomable sufferings under the hand of God. As Man, He was forsaken of God. Being the eternal Son, the Father was always with Him: mystery of mysteries! These fundamental truths are being denied in very subtle ways.
• The value of Christ’s shed blood and His substitutionary death, denying that the work on the cross was finished and that a holy and righteous God, who is light and love, was fully satisfied by it.
• Christ’s bodily resurrection; salvation by grace through faith; the eternal punishment of the doomed.

These are important truths, but denied by the false teachers, forsaking “the right way” (2 Pet. 2:15).

Peter warned the believers to be on the alert for false teachers as they would surely come. He also showed that God preserves a remnant according to His grace, which does not set aside man’s responsibility to maintain God’s truth. Therefore, the apostle unmasked the unrighteousness, corruption and rebellion of the false teachers. Peter warned his readers about the moral conditions which would mark mockers in the last days of the testimony of the grace period (2 Pet. 3).

Paul’s Warnings And His Own Example
In Acts 20, Paul concluded his message with solemn warnings about false teachers who would come from outside as well as from within. “After my departure savage wolves will come in among YOU,2 not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend YOU to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build YOU up and give YOU an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (vv.29-32). Throughout Paul’s writings we find numerous references to such attacks or dangers, some very early in the Church period (Gal. 1:7). Paul’s example and warnings are in tune with the Lord’s appeals to watch and His predictions about the enemy’s efforts to undermine His work (Mk. 13:35-37; Mt. 13:25-30). They are needed and sufficient for today.

Paul, to the contrary, affirmed that he was speaking the truth and not lying (Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 11:31; Gal. 1:20; 1 Tim. 2:7). “By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness ... For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ ... For I am jealous for YOU with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed YOU to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so YOUR minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if YOU receive a different spirit which YOU have not received, or a different gospel which YOU have not accepted – YOU may well put up with it! ... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Cor. 6:7, 10:4-5, 11:2-4,13-15).

John’s Warnings And Christ’s Signs
John’s gospel presents a selection of seven miracles the Lord did during His earthly ministry. An eighth miracle was His resurrection from the dead, and a ninth followed. Many people followed Christ because of the miracles, without being inwardly changed (Jn. 2:23–3:3). The miracles John described are signs with life-changing effects. If one would receive Him with a repenting and believing heart (7:16-17), there would be no need for signs and wonders.

The desire for miracles is caused by the fact that people reject the Word of God, just as the Lord had said, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Lk. 16:31). In His discipline God allows people to follow their own ways and thoughts, as the enemy misleads them by his counterfeit signs and wonders (see Jn. 5:43).

The miracles the Lord worked were genuine and authentic, designed to strengthen those who truly believe. As such they are sufficient for all times and accepted by faith. Here are some miracles to consider:

1. Water into wine. During the wedding at Cana the Lord changed water into wine. He was the Guest who became the Host, which confirmed His greatness to those who believe (2:1-10).

2. Healing of the nobleman’s son. The official’s son in Galilee symbolizes Israel’s state of unbelief and spiritual death. Yet, the father believed the Lord’s word as did his house; the son was restored. This illustrates what God has in mind for Israel (4:46-54).

3. Healing a paralytic. The paralyzed man represents Israel’s condition. His helplessness emphasizes the need for resources of mercy and power found only in the Son, the true Healer (5:1-9).

4. Feeding of the 5,000. The Son of Man brings life into a scene of dearth and death. Ultimately, lasting blessings can only come based on His death and resurrection (6:5-14).

5. Walking on the water. The One who controls the winds and seas will lead His earthly people all through the great tribulation, to bring them to the scene of God’s millennial blessings. Meanwhile, in the day of grace, He provides for and protects us, His Church (vv.15-21), as we rely on Him.

6. The man born blind, healed. For this, a work of God was needed, not only for man but also in man (9:1-7). The man born blind represents the blindness of Israel (Isa. 53:1-3) and of the human race in general. Only the rejected One – “that Man,” as the Jews called Him – can open the eyes. This is true during the church age now (consider Acts 26:18) and will be in the near future for the Jewish remnant, restored Israel and the nations (Isa. 33:17, 35:5).

7. The raising of Lazarus. The power of the Lord who is the resurrection and the life is manifested, giving life in resurrection where death reigns (Jn. 11:1-44; see Rom. 1:4). Israel will be resurrected as a nation (Ezek. 37). “The resurrection and the life” (Jn. 11:25) is one of the seven compound names He has as Yahweh in John’s gospel.

8. His own rising from the dead. This is the foundation of our blessings and relationship with our Lord and the family of God (Jn. 20:1-22). Because of Christ’s resurrection, His earthly people will bring numerous Gentile nations into the blessings of the millennial kingdom (Jn. 21:1-14), when they will share the joy that Christ introduced as He changed water to wine.

9. The 153 fish. The Lord provided a meal for His disciples before they brought in this large haul of fish (Jn. 21:1-14). As just stated, this illustrates the abundance of blessings of His millennial reign. Notice that the meal was the background of Peter’s public restoration (vv.15-22).

The resources displayed in His signs may already be spiritually enjoyed by all believers associated with the Son of God – the Firstborn among many brethren.

John listed seven discourses and seven “I am” statements in his gospel to lead people to believe that Jesus is the Christ as well as the Son of God. By believing in His name individuals will have eternal life (20:31). These details help all who trust in Him to enjoy eternal life, for all our resources are in Him who is all-sufficient and has demonstrated His sufficiency through those signs.

John’s first epistle was written, among other reasons, that those who do believe may have the certainty of having eternal life (1 Jn. 5:13). With this background, John confirmed that believers have sufficient resources because of what God has given them (2:21,27), while he warned them about false spirits and false prophets (4:1). John’s ministry shows that the resources believers have are permanent, sufficient and everlasting. They are beyond the enemy’s power to corrupt, take away or destroy.

In a similar message, Peter sounded the alarm about false teachers who can succeed only where there is dissatisfaction, opening people up to false signs and wonders. On the other hand, Mary of Bethany did not need signs and wonders to find all that she needed in the Lord, for she responded to His greatness (Jn. 12:1-3). May we be like her!

ENDNOTES
1. In contrast to them, obedient believers are vessels fit for the Master’s use (2 Tim. 2:21).
2. Many versions do not differentiate between singular you(r) and plural you(r). For this article, the small capital text indicates the plural.

By Alfred Bouter

Look for a part 8 of this Series next month.