THE SEED MUST DIE And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. John 12:23-25 Tonight I want to give a little exhortation regarding how important it is that we die daily. Referring to His soon coming death, Jesus said: Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. This is (in my view) the greatest and most important kingdom principle in existence, yet very few of today s Christians have any idea what it really is or how to apply it to their lives. Of course, the first and most obvious meaning of Jesus words are meant to be applied to Himself. The Lord is the seed and the head of a completely new human race. He is the beginning of a human race that is both human and divine. He is the second or last Adam (I. Cor. 15:45). This is why, when talking to the angel of the Church at Laodicea, he refers to Himself as...the beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14). Those who do not know how to rightly divide the Word of truth mis-interpret Jesus description of himself in this passage to mean that he is a created being, just like the angels. They don t understand that Jesus wasn t saying he is the beginning of the first creation, when God created the heavens and the earth. He was saying he is the beginning of God s new creation. Just as a natural seed cannot produce life unless it falls into the ground and dies, so Jesus had to die and be raised from the dead before God s new creation could be re-produced. After applying the principle of death and life to himself, he turns around and says the same principle applies to those who want to be part of that new creation: He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. In other words, those who seek to save their temporal lives (comfort and security) will loose eternal life. But those who are willing to risk or lose their temporal lives for Jesus sake, will find life everlasting. Commenting on this verse, Martin Luther said the sense of the meaning is: He that loveth his life more than the doing the will of God shall lose it eternally; but he that hateth his life (in comparison of the will of God) shall preserve it. Those who go through life putting their desires, their comfort, their security and their wills before the desires and will of God for them will not inherit the kingdom. They will not find new creation life because they refuse to let go of their old creation life. No part of the corrupt old creation is going to be part of the new creation man. This is what Paul is telling us when he speaks of the resurrection of the body. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, I. Corinthians 15:50-51 -1-
The term flesh and blood is a reference to the old creation. The old creation body must either die or be changed before it can enter the new creation resurrection. Why? Because the old creation body is not only corruptible, it has been hopelessly corrupted. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption. Corruption must be cleansed or put to death before it can inherit incorruption. This is why Paul calls the human body a body of sin (Rom. 6:6; 7:24). Corruption literally dwells in the blood of the human body. Just as we must all receive a new body that is flesh and bone (Lk. 24:39) before we can fully enter the new creation, so our souls (our will, our emotions, our desires, our personality) must also be made new. A corrupted soul cannot inherit the new creation any more than a corrupted (flesh and blood) body can inherit it. When Jesus said: He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal he wasn t saying every single believer must be crucified physically or die a martyr s death. He was saying that every believer must turn away from (lay down) his old creation life, in order that he might be made a new creature in truth and reality. Jesus didn t lay his life down so we wouldn t have to lay ours down. His death and resurrection did not circumvent or annul the most important law of the kingdom. He laid his life down to enable us to lay our life down. This is why Paul said: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:12-13 Jesus had to die, be raised from the dead, and then ascend to the Father before the Holy Spirit could come and indwell God s people. In John chapter sixteen the Lord said: But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you (vrs. 7). We know the Holy Spirit was active in the lives of Old Testament saints, but there is a distinct difference between His work under the Old and New Covenants. The Spirit did not permanently indwell Old Testament saints. But when Jesus sent the Spirit after his ascension, it came to dwell in us forever. Thus, Paul says that if we through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live. When he says we shall live he means we shall walk in new creation life on the soul now, and eventually in the body as well. New creation life is resurrection life. Of course, many people in false religions mortify the deeds of the body. Roman Catholic Monks in particular have been famous for abusing themselves with whips and do forth, as a way of putting the flesh to death. But mortifying the deeds of the body only produces new creation life if it s done through the Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is showing us how to mortify the deeds of the body, then than that mortification will produce resurrection life in us. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: Colossians 3:4-6 -2-
In Colossians chapter three, Paul again links death and life. First he gives the promise of appearing with Jesus when he returns. Then he lays out the cost of being able to appear with the Lord. He says Jesus must become our life: When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. How does Christ become our life? By mortifying our members that are upon the earth. As our life dies, His life comes forth in us. Those who refuse to mortify their members will experience the opposite of life. They will experience the wrath of God, which comes on the children of disobedience. The Scripture is very clear and there s no getting around it there s only one way into new creation life and that s by putting that old creation life to death. The more the old life is put to death the more the new creation life can come forth in us. If this is the case, why have so many people been deceived by this false gospel that says all we have to do to be (and remain) saved is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is because there are places in the Scripture where it seems to be saying the only thing a person must do to be saved is believe. However, there are just as many other passages which say that if a person does not follow Jesus, obey Jesus, loose his life, take up his cross daily or turn away from sin, they will not and indeed cannot inherit the kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, these two kinds of statements are so clear, you could easily think there are actually two (opposing) gospel messages in the New Testament! Instead of rightly dividing the Word of truth, instead of understanding how the two messages actually compliment one another, what preachers have done for centuries is emphasize those verses which say all you have to be saved is believe, while ignoring (or explaining away) the passages which say we must follow and obey Jesus, lay down our (temporal, old creation) lives, turn away from sin and so forth in order to be saved. Then they proceed to force this one-sided view of redemption on all of Scripture. This is why most preachers and teachers say that Paul is talking about the unsaved in Romans chapter eight, when he refers to those who live according to the flesh, are carnally minded, or have their minds set on the things of the flesh, or those who are in the flesh and those who walk after the flesh. Listen to what Paul says about these things and then decide whether the interpretation given to his words by famous church leaders is true. First he says: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 Who is Paul talking about in this passage? Is he contrasting the condition of believers and unbelievers; or is he contrasting two possible conditions of a believer? Robert Hilden says: In the preceding verse the Apostle contrasts the dispositions and practices of believers and unbelievers; here he contrasts their opposite states and conditions. These two states of carnal and spiritual mindedness include and divide the whole world. All men belong either to the one or the other. They are either in the flesh or in the Spirit; in a state of nature or in a state of grace. For to be carnally minded is death. This is the awful state of the carnal mind the mind of the flesh without faith in Christ, and -3-
renovation of the Spirit of God. It is death spiritual and eternal...all by nature being in this carnal state, are dead in trespasses and sins. Let those whose minds are set on the things of the world consider this fearful saying, that to be carnally minded is death, and let them look to Jesus the Savior of the guilty, through whom alone they can escape condemnation. Romans 8 Commentary Online According to Mr. Hilden, genuine believers are not carnally minded and they do not mind the things of the flesh because these things produce eternal death and a genuine Christian cannot experience eternal death after they have been justified. Charles Hodge says the idea Paul was trying to get across is more than:...just that seeking the things of the flesh leads to death, but that an unspiritual mind, which reveals itself in the desire and pursuit of unspiritual objectives, is death. Death, of course, means spiritual death, the absence and the opposite of spiritual life. It includes alienation from God, unholiness, and misery. On the other hand, the mind controlled by the Spirit is that state of mind which is produced by the Spirit and which reveals itself in the desire and pursuit of the things of the Spirit. This state of mind is life and peace. This is where the true life and blessedness of the soul lies. As this is the case, there can be no such thing as salvation in sin, no possibility of justification without sanctification. If we share the spiritual benefits from Christ s death, we also share in His life. If we died with Him, we live with Him. This is pertinent to the apostle s main purpose in this chapter, which is to show that believers can never be condemned. They are not only delivered from the law and justified by the blood of Christ, but they participate in His life. They have the mind controlled by the Spirit [which] is life and peace. Romans Commentary online Can you see the presumption in this scholars reasoning? Since he is convinced the main purpose of Romans chapter eight is to prove doctrinally that believers can never be condemned, it must follow that Paul is contrasting believers with unbelievers. Believers are not only delivered from the law and justified by the blood of Christ, but they participate in His life. Their minds are controlled by the Spirit which results in life and peace. Conversely, the mind of the unbeliever is controlled by the flesh, so it constantly seeks to satisfy the flesh and the result is eternal death. Another scholar named Alan Carr says: In this verse, Paul is stating a fact! If you have a carnal mind (a mind focused on the things pertaining to the flesh) you are dead! He is not talking about a potential, he is merely stating an equation. To have a carnal mind means you are lost and dead {Eph. 2:1, 2, 3-note}. However, to have a mind that is focused on God and things above is to prove that you are indeed saved by grace and walking in the Spirit! It is a genuine indicator of the state of the soul {Col. 3:1-note, Col 3:2-note, Col 3:3, 4-note}. While the primary focus of this verse is the here and now, the future is also in view! To possess a carnal mind means that you are lost in sin and will eventually find -4-
yourself in Hell forever separated from God. On the other hand, to be controlled by the Spirit is evidence of an eternity that will be filled with life and peace in the presence of the Lord in Heaven some day! Mr. Carr is as blunt as he is honest. According to him, if we have a carnal mind (being focused on the things of the flesh and this world) you are lost and on your way to eternal damnation, no if s and s or but s. Conversely, having a spiritual mind (being focused on God and things above) is proof that we have been born again. Please notice that like Mr. Hodge, Mr. Carr equates the mind that focuses on spiritual things with being controlled by the Holy Spirit. After describing the way the sinner lives and things, he says: On the other hand, to be controlled by the Spirit is evidence of an eternity that will be filled with life and peace. Eternal Security preachers are notorious for reducing man s Free Will to the point that it doesn t even exist. As it turns out the only reason the spiritually minded person is spiritually minded is because the Holy Spirit is controlling his mind for him! Adam Clarke says: For they that are after the flesh - And here is the great distinction between Jews and genuine Christians: the former are after the flesh - are under the power of the carnal, rebellious principle; and consequently relish the things of the flesh - the things which appertain merely to the present life; having no relish for spiritual and eternal things. But they that are after the Spirit - They who are regenerated, who are born of the Spirit, being redeemed from the influence and law of the carnal mind; these relish the things of the Spirit - they are spiritually minded, and pass through things temporal, so as not to lose the things which are eternal. And this, which in these apostolic times distinguished between the carnal Jew and the spiritual believer in Christ, is the grand mark of distinction between the nominal and the real Christian now. The former is earthly minded, and lives for this world; the latter is spiritually minded, and lives for the world to come. This interpretation is somewhat confusing when realize that Mr. Clarke was (supposedly) one of the few scholars th of the 18 Century did not believe the lie of Eternal Security. Yet he s talking just like any common OSAS teacher. According to him, Paul was contrasting the saved and the unsaved when he said people can walk after the flesh or after the spirit. Albert Barnes says: For they that are after the flesh - They that are under the influence of the corrupt and sinful desires of the flesh. Those who are unrenewed do mind the things of the flesh. They are supremely devoted to the gratification of their corrupt desires. But they that are after the Spirit, who are under its influence; who are led by the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit. This verse is for the purpose of illustration, and is designed to show that the tendency of religion is to produce as entire a devotedness to the service of God as people had before rendered to sin; that is, that they would be fully engaged in that to which they had devoted themselves. As the Christian therefore, had -5-
devoted himself to the service of the Spirit, and had been brought under his influence, it was to be expected that he would make it his great and only object to cherish and cultivate the graces which that Spirit would produce. According to Mr. Barns, a genuine believer will be so totally committed to Jesus, as a result of his renewed state, there will be no desire in him to walk after the flesh or set his mind on the things of the flesh. The influence of the Holy Spirit will be so great in the life of a genuine believer, he will be able to resist what little temptation is left in his flesh to walk after it. Once again you can see the primary force that keeps the believer from walking after the flesh is the Holy Spirit. The person s will is not even in the equation. The book of Romans, and particularly Romans chapter 8, is very important to Eternal Security preachers because it contains so many statements that seem to prove OSAS. One church boils it down pretty good in the beginning of an article called The Greatest Chapter In The Bible. The writer is the pastor of the church. What is the greatest chapter in the Bible? Psalm 23? John 15? Revelation 5? While all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable, certain sections stand out as especially used by God over the centuries, particularly the book of Romans. Listen to what great expositors have said about this book: Ray Stedman: the most powerful human document that has ever been penned. John Piper: Which of us, who has tasted the goodness and glory of God in this great gospel, does not count the book of Romans precious beyond reckoning?... there is no greater exposition of the Gospel of God than the book of Romans. Donald Grey Barnhouse: Every movement of revival in the Christian church has been connected with the teachings set forth in Romans. And within Romans, what is the greatest chapter? Opinions differ, of course, but most will answer, Romans 8. Think of these familiar verses: 1) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? -6-
38) For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Isn t it time for you to study Romans 8 and apply these great truths to your life? Link The Greatest Chapter in the Bible? A Study Guide for Romans 8 by Coty Pinckney Notice that the passages that are considered the most important passages in the Bible are those that seem to endorse the lie of Eternal Security, when cut off from the rest of the council of God s Word. And of course, this pastor will not quote the King James version of Romans 8:1 because the King James doesn t say there is no condemnation for those who are simply in Christ. It says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ and who, while being in Christ do not walk after the flesh. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 Before Paul discusses the actual difference between walking after the flesh and walking after the Spirit, he makes it clear that he is talking to believers. To those who are in Christ Jesus he says, there is no condemnation for you as long as you do not start walking after the flesh. OSAS theologians and scholars are so obsessed with protecting and defending their religious delusion of Eternal Security they had no problem cutting the second part of Romans 8:1 out of practically every other version of the Bible. Now, let s read the rest of what Paul says in Romans 8 about those who mind carnal things and those who mind spiritual things and we will see that Paul was not contrasting believer with unbelievers in this passage. He was contrasting the choice the believer has. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:5-21 After describing the mind that walks after the flesh and the mind that walks after the spirit, Paul says: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. -7-
Is there any doubt regarding who Paul is talking to? He said therefore BRETHREN; we do not have to live after the flesh. We can live after the spirit. We have a choice! Then he said, if YOU (believers in Rome) choose to live according to the flesh YOU will die (spiritually and eternally). However, if YOU (believers in Rome) put to death the deeds of the body, YOU will live eternally. It s very clear that Paul believed and taught that Christians have a choice whether they are going to walk according to the spirit or walk according to the flesh. The Holy Spirit does not control us! God does not force us to walk in the spirit. We have to make that choice and we have to make it every day. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-2 (1) Again, Paul makes it clear he is talking to believers. He is warning us that if we do such things we will not inherit the kingdom of God. You should hear some of the crazy excuses OSAS teachers come up with to deny the clear meaning of Paul s words in this passage. They will do anything and say anything in order to avoid the truth of God s Word. No lie is to far-fetched or too stupid for them to use. (2) Why will we not fulfill the lusts of the flesh if we walk in the Spirit? Is it because we no longer have any lusts? No. Is it because we are so under the control of the Holy Spirit that the lusts that remain have no power to tempt us? No. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfil the lusts of our flesh because the Holy Spirit will be present to warn us or check us when some lust is tempting us. Moreover, He will help us overcome that lust if we fight against it with all our might and call upon Him to help us. (3) There s a constant striving of the spirit in us and the lust that dwells in us. That struggle is continual. It never stops; it never let s up. We can t take a few hours of, or a day off, or a weekend off and take a nice rest from the battle because these two powers that are inside of us never rest. They are continually warring against each other 24/7, 365 days a year and we must constantly choose which side we are on. (4) What s missing from the list of the works of the flesh? How about self will? Do you know that one of the biggest delusions people are in when they come to us for help is that they think they are doing God s will all the time, when in fact, the truth is, they hardly ever do God s will. They walk in total deception regarding who s will they are obeying. Not walking after the flesh is basically the same thing as falling into the ground and dying, in order to come forth in kingdom life. Regardless of what kind of lingo we use whether it s laying down our lives, falling into the ground and dying, taking up our cross, dying to self or walking after the spirit the concept is the same. We must -8-
stop following the desires and ways of the old man. We must deny our old selves all the carnal, worldly, fleshly and sinful things it s lusts after. When it comes to laying down our lives, there is no rule book we can follow. Dying is an individual thing between us and Jesus. Each person must be led by the Holy Spirit with regards to exactly what needs to be put to death and how to do it. We have to mortify our lives and our bodily members through the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. This is where things really get interesting because it s possible to die in one area of our life and experience a certain level of new creation life as a result, while at the same time, being ignorant of the need to die in other areas (or refusing to die in other areas). Depending on what kind of issues we re dealing with, the death coming from the areas of the old life that we haven t yet laid down can eventually start overtaking the life we are experiencing because of the things we have laid down. This is where things get dangerous. Many times the loss of our new creation life is so gradual we don t realize what s happening. We don t lose any of our Bible knowledge or the doctrine we have learned. We still pray. We still listen to our Christian music. We still listen to our favorite Christian ministers. We still engage in all the things that are so familiar to us. There s no dramatic change in our religious routines or practices. Yet, our new creation life is being slowly drained from us. The flesh is getting stronger and the spirit is getting weaker. This is why it s so important that we don t confuse things like Bible knowledge, or correct doctrine, or answered prayers, or having the anointing, or any of the accouterments of Christianity with new creation life. Yes, we need correct doctrine and a good knowledge of the Bible. Yes, we need to pray. Nothing can replace these things. But these things do not produce new creation life. Life is the result of death. The more we die, the more new creation life we experience. The less we die, the less life we will experience. Even though many acknowledge this reality, somehow they remain blind to many areas of their lives where God is asking them to die. They go for year, never really progressing in the faith because of their unwillingness to die in some area and the sad thing is, they keep learning and praying and doing Christian things. They don t even realize they have stopped growing. Even worse, they don t realize they are regressing in the spirit until something horrible happens and they re forced to go to God and seriously inspect the condition of their hearts. Walking after the flesh is not just doing all the wicked things Paul mentions in the book of Galatians. We walk after the flesh when we do our own will, rather than God s will in situations. There are many areas of blindness in our lives and they can be very simple things like: -9-