Here are some of the biblical definitions that every believer should know:

In this section, we will define each biblical term associated with the Scriptures. The definition is based on the complete context in which each of these terms is used, including the original language used in the original writings, not a translated version of the Scriptures.

To be born again: This is a term used in Scripture to describe the experience of a change in spiritual nature that occurs when Christ becomes a person’s Lord and Savior. Members of the Body of Christ, or the Church, are the first to experience this miracle, which was promised to the nation of Israel in Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:25-26, but God’s divine program with the Church was included in that promise. Why is the Church not mentioned in the Old Testament? Because it has nothing directly to do with the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament. The Church is based on a different divine program than the Jews are based on as a nation; they are two different divine programs, but the Church program will benefit the Jewish people if they follow the guidelines set forth in the Church program. This is where most people get confused and begin to mix the guidelines of these two different programs, and they end up with a false doctrine. The biblical text clearly shows that the differences between the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church are three different ethnic groups, as stated in Romans 9:24-26; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11, etc. What exactly is being born again? It It is the experience of receiving a new nature, that is, the divine nature of God, as stated in 2 Peter 1:4. Without this new nature, no one can be called a “son of God.” Why is this so? Because, from a biblical perspective, the spiritual nature of a being determines to whom a person belongs. Adam was called “son of God” according to Luke 3:38 before he committed a sinful act that changed Adam’s spiritual nature, and so Satan became God to Adam and everyone else whose spiritual nature was spiritual death according to 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31, 40; 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 3:8. The new nature removes any claim of ownership from spiritual death, sin, and Satan, and gives God the right to work on the complete transformation of any person who receives it [Matthew 13:38; 1 John 3:10]. Satan and his forces have no claim on a born-again person as long as that person abstains from a sinful lifestyle [Romans 6:12-14]. The experience of being born again is when God replaces a person’s sinful human spirit with a new spirit of His own divine nature. Where does Scripture say this? The whole concept is scattered throughout the Scriptures, as is every biblical doctrine. In fact, every biblical doctrine is extracted from the various passages scattered throughout Scripture. The first person to use the term “born again” was Christ Himself in John 3:3-6, and even there Christ did not explain the entire process of being born again. Why did Christ not explain it? If you notice the language that Christ used, Nicodemus was lost in what Christ was saying in using the term “born again,” and he and the others would be even more confused if Christ explained it in more detail. But Christ explained in the key element to understanding the biblical language, when He said in the same conversation with Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” [John 3:3]. The word “see” in this particular passage means “to understand or perceive,” and this is in the context of “the kingdom of God”. The perception of a person without the new nature is clouded by the sinful nature, and therefore he or she is unable to understand how God works, as stated in Ephesians 4:17-18; Acts 26:17-18. Most believers lack the proper knowledge of what it really means to be born again. This is due to the church’s lack of commitment to teaching the Word of God, and it is reflected in the behavior of believers. If you ask a believer what the Scriptures say about being born again, he will tell you that it is a change of life, but he doesn’t know the biblical meaning. So I will save you the trouble and tell you what it means, not only in the literal sense of the biblical context, but also in the actual experience. In the biblical context, being born again is when a person receives a “new spirit” after receiving Christ as Savior. God literally replaces the human spirit, which is an act that only God can do; it is a miracle. Why is it a miracle? Because the human spirit was replaced with a new one, and at that very moment the human spirit and the soul of that person were separated and then joined together in the blink of an eye. The language used in Ezekiel 36:26 does not mean “mend or patch your human spirit,” as many people tend to think; rather, the prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, “A new spirit will I put within you. And what does the New Testament say about the new inward state of believers? Paul, inspired by the same Holy Spirit, said, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” [2 Corinthians 5:17]. I am sure you are trying to think through these scriptures and their implications and are confused, which I am not at all. Why is that? Because we tend to question everything with our reason, intellect, and mind, of which Scripture says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” [1 Corinthians 2:14]. I can imagine people like Nicodemus trying to reason out the biblical truth that Christ said about the need to be born again in order to “understand or perceive” the kingdom of God [John 3:1-15]. Being born again is a miracle performed by two divine agents: These are mentioned by Christ in the following passages: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” [John 3:5-6]. The “water” in this passage is a symbol of the “Word of God” in Ephesians 5:26, which is the incorruptible seed in 1 Peter 1:23-25. Hebrews 4:12 shows the power of the Word of God to “divide” the spirit and soul of each person, especially when it comes to the miracle of being born again: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit”. The other divine agent who works together with the Word of God is the Holy Spirit, as Christ said in John 3:5. I’ll show you how God designed the miracle of being born again from a biblical perspective. The person who preaches the Word of God is the sower, whose task is to sow the incorruptible seed in the heart of man, as Christ said in Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11; Matthew 13:19. Once the seed falls into the heart of a person and he or she believes in it by confessing Christ as Lord, as stated in Romans 10:9-10, then these two elements unleash the power inherent in the Word of God in union with the power of the Holy Spirit, and the combined work of these two divine agents brings about the miracle of being born again. It happens so quickly that the person who receives it doesn’t realize what has happened. Now, this new spirit, which has the divine nature of God, begins to work in that person so that no sinful acts are to be followed by that person, and it is here that the inner conflict that Paul refers to in Galatians 5:16-17 begins to occur. Is it impossible for God to perform such divine intervention when a person is born again? Of course not. In fact, the miracle of being born again is one of the most powerful acts God can do to change a person’s life, yet most people ignore the entire process by which it is performed.

What is the percentage of people who identified themselves with this experience? Very few, and yet Christ said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” and “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” [John 3:3-5]. Without this experience, no one can claim to be saved or transformed, nor can anyone claim to understand the way God works. Why is this so? Because everyone’s problem with having a relationship with God is their sinful nature [Romans 3:23; 5:12; 1 John 1:8-10], which can only be changed by receiving Christ as Lord and allowing God’s power to change the spiritual nature as described in Ezekiel 36:25. I do not believe that anything written in the Word of God is too complicated to understand, as many people believe. This is something invented by men who try to make sense of the biblical text and get confused in the process, and even some believers have adopted such beliefs. It is a poor excuse invented by lazy people who don’t understand the language of Scripture because they are filled with too much human reasoning and paganism. Christ said, “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” [John 14:26]. The same God who gave wisdom to one of the wisest men on Earth, Solomon, can He not give you even more wisdom now that you have received His divine nature? Solomon with all his wealth, women [wives and concubines], his fame, etc., he never experienced a being born again. In fact, Solomon became so corrupted by all these things, especially his women, that he came to the point of hating his life, as he said in Ecclesiastes 2:1-17, “Therefore I hated life”. The following passages explain how and why God saved us, so look at the language used in them so that you can understand the meaning of being born again and salvation itself:

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration [From the Greek word “paliggenesia” which means “new birth, reproduction, renewal, recreation, regeneration” and is used only twice in the New Testament, here in Titus 3:5 and in Matthew 19:28. The meaning in these two passages is not the same, for in Matthew 19:28 it refers to the “renewal of all things” by Christ in the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. In Titus 3:5, however, it refers to the “being born again” that is given when salvation is accepted], and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 

There is no basis in the Scriptures to say that God does not want you to know what the Scriptures say. There is no greater teacher than the Holy Spirit, and yet people have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and remain ignorant of what God has said in His Word. Being born again is the greatest experience anyone can have if he or she opens his or her heart to God’s Word.

The Body of Christ: This is a biblical term used in Scripture to describe those who are participants in the divine program established by God after the resurrection of Christ; it is also known as “the Church”. The term “body of Christ” refers to those who have received Christ as Savior and have been born again as a result, and each member of that body has been assigned a specific function in that same body. The idea behind the parallelism between the physical body and those who make up the Church is the unity of the Church, in which each member is to function as the physical body functions. This is not an identity term, nor is the term church, for these are merely a way of conveying a parallelism in which it should function. Every time a parallelism is used in reference to the actual thing, it is with the idea of conveying the functionality of what is being used as being reflected in what is being compared. Are the members the actual body of Christ? Of course not, but they should function in unity and connection with one another as the physical body functions. Paul used the functionality of the physical body to reflect the same idea, which is unity in carrying out what the head wants to accomplish [1 Corinthians 12:12-14]. The parallelism of the physical body in relation to each believer also points to the equality of each member, even though there are others with the same function, as in the case of fingers, hands, legs, and so on. Each has its own function and interaction with the rest of the body [1 Corinthians 12:15-17]. How does a believer become part of the Body of Christ? He or she must first experience being born again, and at that moment he or she is engrafted into  the Body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is the divine member that produces both the miracle of being born again and becoming a member of the Body of Christ. Where does Scripture say this? Christ mentioned the Holy Spirit along with the Word of God as the divine agents that produce the miracle of being born again in John 3:5-6. Paul refers to the Holy Spirit as the divine agent that engrafts the believer into the body of Christ, as stated in 1 Corinthians 12:13, “by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body”. The word “baptized” is used in conjunction with “to be immersed or plunged” into the body of Christ. The word “baptized” in 1 Corinthians 12:13 cannot mean “immersed in water” because Paul said, “baptized into one body. Apart from the word “baptized,” how can we tell that Paul is referring to immersion into the body of Christ? Because of the whole context of the passage, which refers to the members of the body of Christ. Also, water baptism is only a symbol of being born again, not of being made a part of the body of Christ. Sometimes water baptism is done after one is born again, and sometimes it is done days or months later, but being engrafted into the Body of Christ happens immediately after one is born again. There are people who were born again and never had the opportunity to be baptized in water, does this mean that these people were not part of the Body of Christ? Of course not. Remember that the terms “the Body of Christ” or “the Church” are a way of identifying the divine program that refers to the period between Christ’s resurrection and the Great Tribulation. This means that once the Body of Christ is raptured, the terms “the Body of Christ” or “the Church” will no longer be used to refer to God, because God will set up another divine program called “the 24 elders,” as seen in Revelation 4:4 and others. The Great Tribulation program cannot begin until the Church program is completed, when the Church is taken out of the way, as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, and then other divine programs will begin, such as the divine program with the Jewish people, the salvation of the Gentiles who will be beheaded by the Antichrist in the Great Tribulation period [Revelation 6:9-12; 7:9-17; 20:4], and so on.

The Scriptures: This term refers to the divine writings in which God spoke through godly men inspired by the Holy Spirit, as stated in Acts 3:18; 2 Peter 1:21; Mark 12:36; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Hebrews 3:7; etc. The Scriptures contain the biblical record of past events, such as the creation of all things as stated in Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:10; Proverbs 16:4, etc. The record of the rebellious scenario that took place when Lucifer and his followers rebelled against God, as stated in Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Genesis 1:2; Jeremiah 4:23-26, etc. Also the prophetic scenario in which God will bring salvation to the Gentile nations [Isaiah 42:6-7; 49:6; Luke 2:32; Acts 26:23; 1 Peter 2:9] after the rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish people, as stated in John 1:11; Acts 13:46; 18:6; Matthew 15:24, Romans 10:19-21; etc. The Greek word used for “book” in the New Testament is “biblion,” which means “a written volume or roll, a scroll, a piece of parchment on which something is written,” as in Luke 4:17; John 21:25; 2 Timothy 4:13; Revelation 6:14, etc., and is even used for a divorce certificate, as in Matthew 19:7. The Scriptures are a group of different scrolls written in different languages, in different cultural contexts, in different political systems, and so on. Today, the Scriptures are organized in a more systematic way, which makes them easier to search, and this system is not the same as in the case of the original writings. As believers, we are advised to search the [original] Scriptures, as Christ said in John 5:39, so that we can know who God really is. Each book of the Scriptures contains a specific message that conveys a specific purpose, whether it is prophetic, historical, spiritual, admonitory, etc. Each of these is intended to have a specific effect on anyone who reads it. The results will depend on the action taken by the person who reads it. Christ said that the Holy Spirit would teach and guide us, as stated in John 14:26; 16:13-14; and Paul refers to the same idea in 1 Corinthians 2:10-13. God had a specific purpose in writing His divine Word, and that purpose is accomplished when the Word is believed and acted upon. The book of Isaiah states this divine purpose embedded in the Word of God [Isaiah 55:10-11; 45:23; 46:10], as do other books [Ephesians 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:12], and when the written Word is acted upon, results are obtained, as stated in Mark 11:23-25; James 1:6; Psalm 37:4.

Ministerial Gift: Also known as a ministry, office, or calling given to members of the Body of Christ. Let us develop this section by answering a series of questions. Who gives the ministry or ministerial gift? Christ is directly involved in the giving of these ministerial gifts or callings, as stated in Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:5, 28-29. What will determine what ministry or calling God has given me? It will depend on the purpose for which God has called you, which is essentially in unity and harmony with each ministerial gift or calling, but when it comes to a specific purpose, it has a unique set of characteristics. For example: The spiritual gifts given to each ministerial gift or ministry will function according to the purpose for which it was designed. Allow me to elaborate on this point for the sake of clarity on your part: Let’s say you are called to perform the ministerial gift or the office of the prophet, the main set of spiritual gifts designed to function in the office of the prophet will be fully operative in you. What are these major sets of spiritual gifts associated with the office of prophet? The gifts of revelation, which are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and spiritual discernment, which are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, but it doesn’t stop there, then there are the spiritual gifts of oral expression which are also listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and these are, prophecy, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These 6 spiritual gifts are fully functional in the believer who has the calling as a prophet. There may be the involvement of other spiritual gifts, but not in the capacity as these 6 spiritual gifts will be displayed by a believer who has such a ministerial gift. It is these variations that make each ministerial office unique, for it will display every aspect of what God has designed for it. The same is true of each ministerial office, which no one can duplicate because it was given for a specific purpose. For this reason, it is very important that you know what God has called you to do. Can a person give me a ministerial gift? Absolutely not. God can use another ministerial office to “confirm” what God has already given you. Where in Scripture does it say this? I will give you a biblical event that confirms this. In Acts 13:1-3, Paul and Barnabas were sent to carry out the true ministry, the ministry of apostleship. Now look at what happened in the calling of Paul and the whole process that unfolded over time. Acts 9 tells us that Paul had an encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, as recorded in Acts 9:1-18. Then, we found Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:1-3, where they were confirmed in the true ministerial calling. Here is the kicker: Who confirmed these two men and sent them out? Was it one of the apostles? No, they were all in Jerusalem. We have just turned a few pages in the Scriptures and immediately think that a few years have passed, when the reality is different. Did you know that at least 20 years passed from chapter 9 to chapter 13 of the book of Acts? What were Paul and Barnabas doing during that time? They were working on mastering all the spiritual gifts so that when the Holy Spirit saw fit to call them in Acts 13:1-3, they would be ready to be sent out. Did Paul know what God was calling him to do? He certainly did. But as he developed his knowledge and ministry experience, this divine calling took shape in his life. God calls you, then He prepares you, and when you are ready, He sends you. What happens to a believer who has not fulfilled his divine calling? He or she will not be rewarded, according to 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:7; Revelation 3:11. Another way to confirm your ministerial calling is through the nature of the ministerial office you have received from the Lord. I have never heard of such a thing? You may not have heard of this because no one teaches these biblical doctrines, or because you lack the proper knowledge. Either way, it is affecting thousands of believers and will continue to do so. One thing I’m sure of is that you may not have heard it, but you have felt it. You see, after being born again, every believer begins to be drawn to what God has called him to do, but if that believer does not grow spiritually, the new nature will begin to fade along with the ministerial nature until you are drawn away by other things. What happens then? You begin to imitate others and even get involved in ministries that God never called you to do. At some point, you are so vulnerable that others can easily influence you to get involved and start doing things. The worst thing that can happen to a believer is for someone else to give him the ministerial office that person has. Paul warned us against taking over someone else’s ministerial work as stated in Romans 15:20; 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, especially verse 10. So what should I do? Be diligent to seek directly from the Lord what He has called you to do, which will be confirmed by another ministerial gift, as long as that ministerial gift is sent by the Holy Spirit, as happened in Acts 13:1-3. One of the things that can be used to confirm that something is from God is the peace of the Lord, as stated in Colossians 3:15. God will never cause confusion when it comes to confirming anything that comes from Him [1 Corinthians 14:33]. It is important that you ask the Lord to confirm your ministerial calling, so that you don’t waste your time doing something that God did not intend for you to do. It doesn’t matter how long you have to wait, don’t rush into something that is driven by your emotions. This will help you in the long run. One last thing in this regard, whatever you begin to do, you must develop “consistency” because if you don’t, then you will begin to deviate or move on to other things and this will create a cycle in which you will never be able to get back on track.

Water Baptism: This is one of the two ceremonies recommended in Scripture for every born-again believer, the other being the Lord’s Supper. Many different people have written their own opinions on these two subjects, and they have created many different false doctrines. As believers, if someone presents us with something that is not in accordance with Scripture, we should reject it. But how can you know the difference if you don’t know the Scriptures? We have to find out what God said about it [John 5:39] in the full context in which He said it. Some religions, such as the Catholic Church, have twisted the meaning of the biblical text and created false beliefs, but this is to be expected from these religions because they are blinded by their sinful natures, which influence their beliefs.

Let us define what the biblical meaning of water baptism is. According to the biblical order in which the Word of God designed salvation, a person must first be born again before water baptism can take place. This means that without the experience of being born again, water baptism is useless, no matter who performs it. However, ignorance of this biblical fact has led millions of people to practice something that is not based on the biblical guidelines established by God in His Word. This is because men have distorted the biblical meaning of water baptism, as well as other biblical meanings. If water baptism is to be given after being born again, at what age can it be given? This depends on the age at which the child becomes aware of his or her own actions and decisions. There is no biblical reference to indicate at what age a child can be responsible for his or her own actions, except when he or she shows signs of losing his or her innocence. At that point, the gospel must be presented to him or her, and depending on his or her decision, salvation will be accepted or rejected. If the child or person willingly receives Christ as Savior, as the gospel requires, he or she will be born again and can then be baptized in water. Why is it necessary to be born again and baptized in this order? Because water baptism is an externalization of what has taken place in a person who has been born again. When a person is immersed in water and rises up, he or she is testifying before witnesses that he or she has died with Christ and risen to a new life, that is, the new life in Christ. What happens if a believer is not baptized in water and then dies? Nothing will happen because water baptism is only a representation of what the person has experienced inwardly. Water baptism neither saves nor condemns. Religions, such as the Catholic Church, have invented false beliefs, such as the salvation of the soul through water baptism, so that they can control their followers through these pagan practices, which have nothing to do with what the Word of God says about it. If water baptism does not save or condemn, why do we have to do it? It is recommended that we do it, just as we publicly confess Christ. The same is true of other biblical ordinances such as the Lord’s Supper, which is a representation of Christ’s sacrifice for us as stated in 1 Corinthians 11:24-26. What about the part of Mark 16:16 that says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved”? If this passage says that salvation is based on water baptism, then it calls into question the salvation of thousands who were not baptized before they died. But what exactly is the meaning of this passage? What is the biblical order in which a person is saved? When we answer this question, we will know the meaning of Mark 16:16. According to John 3:3-5, Christ Himself said that a person must be born again: “see” in verse 3, which in the biblical context means “understand or perceive,” and then in verse 5, Christ said “enter”. So being born again is the key element in these passages.  There is no mention of “water baptism” here, but there is mention of another baptism that takes place almost immediately after being born again, so the two are intertwined. Allow me to give you one passage where this explanation is made: “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” [1 Corinthians 12:13]. Just so you don’t think I’m making this up, look at the language that Paul used from 1 Corinthians 12:12 to 1 Corinthians 12:27, what is the subject matter of these passages? The mention of every believer as a member of the “body of Christ,” right? Now that that is clear, look at what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body”. Does he say “baptized in water”? Of course not. This passage has to do with the experience of being born again, in which the same Holy Spirit who fulfills Ezekiel 36:26, “A new spirit will I put within you,” comes after we receive Christ as Savior. At that moment, the same Holy Spirit also “baptizes” us into the body of Christ. The word “baptized” is used in the sense of “immersed” in the body of Christ, so that anyone who experiences being born again becomes a part of it. How do we know this? Because Paul associates the word “baptized” with “into one body,” and from 1 Corinthians 12:12 to 1 Corinthians 12:27, the same idea is maintained throughout. In the New Testament guidelines, being born again is the most important step anyone must take to enter heaven. The other steps, such as water baptism, ministerial gifts, spiritual gifts, etc., remain the responsibility of each believer as long as he is still in the physical body. To what end? To determine what kind of reward the believer will receive at the judgment seat of Christ, as stated in Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10. Salvation does not guarantee any kind of reward, but it does guarantee entrance into Paradise as long as the believer abstains from a sinful lifestyle, as stated in Hebrews 12:14; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:21, and obeys the Word of God. Do I have to take a class to be baptized? No. It will help you to know the significance of the step you are taking, but this can be done fairly quickly. There is no record in Scripture that a believer must attend classes for 6 months to be baptized in water. According to the biblical record, people who accepted Christ as their Savior were baptized immediately, as recorded in Acts 8:12; 36; Paul was baptized after three days because he had been fasting and after receiving healing of his eyes and being filled with the Holy Spirit [Acts 9:17-18]. Cornelius and his household received the gospel through the preaching of Peter, and all the Gentiles who were gathered received not only the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but also water baptism, as recorded in Ac 10:44-48. A woman named Lydia and her household were all baptized after hearing the Word of God through Paul, as recorded in Acts 16:14-15. etc. The implication of Mark 16:16 refers to the “baptism” into the body of Christ, which is performed by the Holy Spirit.

Salvation: This is a term used in reference to the “gift” that God gave to man through the sacrifice of Christ. The Greek word used for “gift” is “dōron,” which means “a present, a gift,” and this word is used in Ephesians 2:8, which has the implication of “a sacrifice”. It can also mean “”an offering given in the temple for the care of the temple and those who needed it,” as recorded in Luke 21:1. The word “dōron” is associated with “sacrifice” regardless of its usage. There is another Greek word that is used for “gift” which is “charisma” which is used in reference to the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” in 1 Corinthians 12:9-10. Although both words mean “gifts,” their usage could be different, and this is determined by the full context in which they are used. The difference between the two words is that the first one means “sacrifice,” although it is used to refer to “donations, offerings, gifts, presents,” whether for the support of the physical temple or for the needy, and it was placed in the treasury. It can also be used to refer to God’s sacrifice of His Son for the salvation of every man, as stated in Ephesians 2:8. The second word means “a free benefit, a gratuitous gift,” and it is used in a variety of ways, for example, in Romans 5:15-16 it is used as Christ was an offering for our sins, but the same Greek word is used in reference to the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” in 1 Corinthians 12:9-10. Be sure to check the usage of each word and apply its meaning in its original full context, for if you fail to do so, you will distort the biblical meaning that God intended in His Word. Sometimes the translations of the original may not accurately reflect the original meaning, and for this very reason we must make sure that the application you are given to any passage of Scripture is in harmony with the context in which it was written. Please refrain from applying a meaning that satisfies your own reasoning, because the Word of God does not have to agree with your mind, reason, intellect, or emotions, as many people tend to do. On the contrary, your mind, your reason, your intellect, your will, and the emotions that dwell in your soul must be renewed in order for you to experience transformation, as stated in Romans 12:2, and also all of these must be subject to the obedience of Christ, as stated in 2 Corinthians 10:5. This is the biblical order in which we must do everything now that we are in Christ, not the other way around as when we were in the sinful world. The term “salvation” is used in reference to the salvation of the soul from the eternal punishment that awaits all who die in the sinful nature. When a person receives this salvation, it does not mean that the person cannot lose it, for it is given conditionally, that is, as long as the person abstains from a sinful lifestyle. Where does the Scripture say that it is conditional? For example: In John 15:6, Christ used the word, “If a man abide not in me,” what would happen to that man according to the passage? Christ went on to say, “he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned”. The Greek word used for “abide” is “menō,” which specifically means “to be permanent. What are the only elements that can corrupt a believer? Sin. What is the wages of sin? Death, according to Romans 6:23. If you are offended because I said that salvation is conditional, then it is because there is something you are involved in that can compromise your salvation; otherwise, if your life is without a sinful lifestyle, then there is nothing for you to be offended about. The people who hide sinful deeds are always the ones who get upset when I talk about abstaining from sinful deeds, which is clearly in line with what Scripture says on this subject, such as Hebrews 12:14, “and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. One more thing about what Christ said in John 15:6, the Greek word used for “cast out” [as a branch] is “ballō exō,” which in this passage means “to cast out,” and where did Christ say that this branch would be cast out? He said, “cast them into the fire, and they are burned”. Who was cast into the fire? the branches that were withered. Who represents the branches? every person who has been made a part of the Body of Christ, that is, after being born again. Do you still believe that salvation is not contingent on living a sinless life? I suggest that you diligently search the Scriptures for the truth about this, and may God help you.

What does the salvation of my soul mean after I am born again? Well, passages like James 1:21 that refer to the believer’s soul mean that all the remnants of the past life must be put away so that nothing remains to interfere with the purpose for which God has called us. The Greek word used for “save” in James 1:21 is “sōzō,” which means “to save, to deliver; to keep safe and whole.” In James 1:21 it is used as a verb meaning “to keep from being lost,” which is the same context in which Christ also used it in Matthew 16:25; Mark 3:4; 8:35; etc. It’s the same Greek word used for healing as in the case of the woman with a hemorrhage for twelve years in Mark 5:23, but the word has a different meaning determined by the context in which each is used.

The glorified body: This is the body that God has promised to everyone who will live forever in the City of God. I’m going to go back to the beginning, which is Genesis, to explain certain things that relate to the purpose for which God created man, and then you will have a clearer picture of the purpose of having a glorified body. Genesis 1:26 says that God created man in His “image and likeness,” but then Genesis 2:7 gives more details about how God created man. The physical body was created from the “dust of the ground,” while man’s spirit and soul came directly from God when He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul,” according to Genesis 2:7. This detailed description does not give us the purpose behind God’s creation of man in this way until we read Genesis 2:17, where God warns Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God knew that if He created Adam with an immortal body, Adam would fall into the same sinful state as Lucifer and the fallen angels, who are lost for all eternity because of their immortal bodies. So instead, God gave Adam a temporary body so that Adam could be tempted by Satan, and if Adam had failed [which he did], Adam would not have been lost forever. Adam sinned, and as a result, he and all others became slaves of sin and death, as stated in Romans 5:12-21; 6:23; James 1:15. God’s purpose in creating man is beyond our limited understanding, and God revealed it not only when He inspired men to write the biblical text, but even more so when He sent His Son, as stated in John 1:18. When Adam sinned, Satan took control of him, and perhaps that was what caused Adam and Eve to go and try to eat of the tree of life, which would have doomed Adam and Eve forever, as happened to all the fallen angels. God knew that Satan would try to cause Adam to fall into eternal damnation, just as Satan was lost. Where in Scripture does it say this? Genesis 3:22 says, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever”. Adam could have eaten from the tree of life and lived forever in a sinless state if he had only heeded the warning God gave him in Genesis 2:17. This is the same tree of life that the people who remain obedient and faithful to the Lord at the end of the Millennial Kingdom will have at the end of the 1,000 years, and they will have rejected Satan’s temptation to rebel, as will many people who will also come out, but will be deceived by Satan as stated in Revelation 20:7-9. The people who will eat of the tree of life are the same ones mentioned in Revelation 21:24; 22:2, 14, and all of them will live on Earth for all eternity, and God’s purpose will be fulfilled with them, just as it would have been with Adam and his descendants. Although they will live on Earth, they will not be able to live in the City of God, for they will only be allowed to come from time to time to worship God and His Christ. Where is this written in the Scriptures? In Revelation 21:9 to 27, the City of God, the New Jerusalem, is described in detail, and in the description it says, “And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it” [Revelation 21:26]. Who are “they” in this passage? In verse 24 of the same chapter says, “the nations of them which are saved”. These nations have remained obedient to God from the moment they were allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom, and they will never be moved from their obedience. For this very reason, God would allow them to eat of the Tree of Life, and they would live outside the New Jerusalem, coming from time to time to worship God and see the beauty of God’s city. To live in the New Jerusalem, it is necessary to have a glorified body because of the composition of the New Jerusalem. What does this mean? It means that only beings with heavenly bodies can withstand the energy that moves through the New Jerusalem. In other words, the glory of God that will be fully displayed in the city will be absorbed by the materials and every living thing that resides there, and any foreign body can only endure what God allows it to endure. In fact, when God’s glory is fully manifested, it will infuse all of its surroundings with the same glory. This is the same glory that Moses asked God to display before him, and what did God tell him? Let me share the passages with you and look at the language used by Moses and then by God: “And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory” [Exodus 33:18]. And then God answered to him, “And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” [Exodus 33:19-20]. God is not saying that man cannot see Him, as many people have suggested; rather, God is responding to Moses who asked to see God’s glory in full display as it is displayed in the New Jerusalem, of which God said, “For no man shall see me and live”. Paul spoke of the same glory in which God dwells in another language. Look at the depth in which these passages express the glory of God when it is fully displayed:

“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16

This is the same point made when Moses asked God to show him “His glory” in Exodus 33:18, and God’s answer was, “For no man shall see me and live,” as stated in Exodus 33:19-20. Paul even answered the question of when God would show His glory in all its splendor for all to see: “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” [1 Timothy 6:15].  That is why Scripture repeats many times that “no unclean thing” will enter the City of God, as it says in Revelation 21:27:, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life”. If any unclean person were to enter the third heaven, he would be immediately destroyed by the light that comes from the glory of God. That is why God kept the Old Testament saints in Abraham’s bosom, because they had to be redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice in order to be worthy of entering the paradise of the third heaven. However, there are two men in the third heaven who have been raptured to be before the throne of God, and they will have to return with the physical body and die, as it is written in Hebrews 9:27, and after that, man will receive a glorified body. Who are these two men? Elijah [2 Kings 2:11] and Enoch [Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5], who were literally caught up into heaven. There is a specific purpose for which God took these two men to heaven, such as the power of God to protect a man from any harm from any of the physical laws that were created and established by God when He created all things. The glorified body is capable of absorbing God’s glory when it is fully displayed in the New Jerusalem. The Scriptures give us some description of what the glorified body can do, although the details are quite limited. For example: Christ eats and drinks after His resurrection, as recorded in Luke 24:41-43 and John 21:13; Acts 10:41. The glorified body will absorb all the physical elements it consumes, so there will be no waste as there is with the physical body. Christ said that the glorified body would consist of “flesh and bones,” as recorded in Luke 24:39, but this must be understood in the context of a different composition than the glorified body. Paul refers to the human body as “flesh and blood,” which, according to 1 Corinthians 15:50, “cannot inherit the kingdom of God”. Why is this? Because no flesh can stand up to the glory that comes from God, as 1 Timothy 6:16 says. Any person who is born again and keeps away from any sinful lifestyle could receive a glorified body when Christ comes to rapture all those who are alive when these events take place, as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. There are other inherent abilities that the glorified body will have, and in God’s time, we will find out.