Christian
What's in a Name?

For many years I have deplored the careless way that the term "Christian" is being used. It was my earnest desire that someone would do something which would help to remedy this unfortunate situation. It seems that since no one else has volunteered that God has laid it upon my own heart to spread this truth to all who will receive it. I feel that it is a message from God. It, therefore, becomes my duty to share it with everyone who uses the great name "Christian". This is not a compilation of quotes from the great books of the past. I am not aware of anything even remotely similar that has been printed. I am keenly aware of my inability, but God's word is like a fire within which attempts to leap out an give light unto those who walk in darkness.

You will probably read some things in this treatise which surprise you at first glance. This is precisely why such an article needs to be written - because so many false theories are in vogue. I ask your prayerful and as unbiased opinion as God can help you to have. I believe that the premise of this treatise is proven herein logically, etymologically, and Scripturally. May God receive all glory, honor, and praise. He has promised to use our weakness to manifest His strength. Probably this present work will not be very popular with many because of the lack of stories or illustrations. I have attempted to use the Scriptures because they alone afford proof. We regret that sometimes repetition becomes a necessity, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isa. 28:10), but this is the process of human learning. There fore, I have repeated, reiterated, and restated. The King James Version of the Bible has been used for quoting, for the most part.

Sometime I have changed the reading. "Which" has become "who" when speaking of a person. I have capitalized the terms referring towards. If people do not understand the true meaning of the words being used they become as useless as foreign words. Those of us who desire to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ must recognize these perversions and by sound practice restore these words to good usage. Counterfeit meanings for words must be removed from circulation just as counterfeit money be if we are to keep our monetary system.

We have read many articles of various sizes and descriptions which purport to give the meaning of the term "Christian", but we are not aware of a single one which given the Scriptural meaning. There have been those who have recognized its meaning but they consistently used it according to the popular misuse of the day. This kind of misuse of Biblical terms caused the Psalmist to lament, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps.11:13). While neither men nor devils can destroy God, they can destroy the people's knowledge of God by false teaching. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge", saith God (Hos.4:6). Spiritual truth, in order to be useful, must be understood (at least in a measure) and believed from the heart. The great Biblical term "Christian" has suffering so much from friends and foes alike that both the understanding and faith of many people have been depreciated until the knowledge of God has been destroyed in their lives. Thank God, there is something that the righteous can do. We can deny the error and teach the truth by tongue, pen, and way of life. We believe that there is no power that can defeat the truth when it is faithfully proclaimed and beautifully displayed in the lives of changed human beings. This present study is very important, for it becomes what we say, what we do, and what we are. If we are to understand the meaning of the word "Christian", we must first understand some of the ways in which it is misused. Often, especially on some foreign fields, the term "Christian" is associated with the Caucasian stock, or, more specifically, with the people of the United States who are of European origin. This standard, while widely held among the people of the United States, is so utterly ridiculous that even Jesus of Nazareth, The Christ of God, could not qualify as a "Christian"! Great harm has come to the cause of Christ because Christianity has been identified with the white race. Many heathens consider religion to be a tribal and ceremonial matter rather than a personal and spiritual relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ. Since the missionaries have been white men, they have falsely concluded that all white men are Christians. There is, however, a great deal of difference between being white on the outside and being white on the inside. We can readily see how greedy, deceitful, and lustful white men have made the missionaries' task much more difficult. Diplomats, politicians, prospectors, soldiers, merchants, and others have displayed a poor brand of ethics to the heathen, and Christianity has received the blame, even though many of those men would not profess faith in Christ. One outstanding example of such harm being done is in the life of Mohandas K> Gandhi, the great Indian leader. He read the life and teachings of Jesus and said that he believed that Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, especially, were superior to any other, but all sermons, sinful living, and a bent to amusement within the visible church cased him to refuse the Savior of men. We wonder how many times this could be multiplied. Multitudes have been destroyed by those professing to be Christians.

A great number of people in the United States consider themselves to be Christians because they believe that the U.S. is a Christian nation. While the U.S. is predominantly Protestant, it is far from being a Christian nation. In the Scriptural sense, there is not a "Christian nation",however, the United States may come closer to being a Christian nation than any other. The U.S. is considered a rich nation because there is much wealth here, and there are many wealthy people, also. While there are probably more wealthy people in the U.S. than any other country, there are millions of people here who are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. Likewise, there are probably more Christians in the U.S. than in any other nation of the world, but there are also multitudes of people who could not be considered "Christians" b the wildest stretch of the imagination. In fact, there are many who are so far from being Christians that they are really gross sinners. According to former F.B.I. Director, J. Edgar Hoover, crime has increased four times as fast as the population in the U.S. in the decade since 1950. Some sources list seven million as alcoholics in the U.S., with an ;increase of a half million a year. We are assured by the Scriptures that no drunkard shall inherit eternal life, and they certainly could not be Christians. Prostitution, illegitimate births, and other illicit sexual practices are increasing. The United States is not a "Christian" nation, but it is salted with Christians. A recent visitor from Japan observed that, while the people of the U.S. have Christianity as their religious background, there are but very few who are, personally, Christians. Man of the "blessings of civilization", falsely so-called, are really the indirect result of this Christianity in our background. Since our country was founded upon certain principles from Christ's teachings, we have such things as the Lord's Day for rest and worship. In spite of the fact that we have inherited this blessing because of our background, Americans are wasting this valuable day on sports, pleasure, and commerce. Honesty, truthfulness, temperance, justice, etc. are respected and practiced by many non-Christians, who have been influenced by the ethical content of the Gospel, especially in the teaching in their early lives. However, being "good" according to the standards of men, and being a Christian are poles apart.

The Jews held the false theory that they were accepted of God because they were children of Abraham. John, the Baptizer, refuted this false teaching, and called some of them a "generation of vipers" (Matt.3:7). He warned them, "And think not within yourselves, We have Abraham for or father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" Matt.3:9). He warned them to repent and to "bring forth therefore fruits meet (i.e., fitted) for repentance" (v.8). Only righteous living after repentance proves that it was genuine. The Jews also taught that Abraham stood at the gate of hell to keep any of his posterity from entering there. to illustrate how false this idea is Jesus told of a rich man, who, after death, found himself separated from Abraham in a place of fiery torment. Paul, too, condemned this false teaching that all the descendants of Israel through Judah were the spiritual children of God. in his Epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote: "For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God" (Rom.2:28-29). Being the people of God requires more than the proper family background, the correct creed, a special nationality, or a specific color of skin. Jesus Christ "hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (i.e., between God and ourselves) (Eph.2:14). He tore down the barrier for all men, for Paul declares, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's,then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"(Gal.3:28-29). Even the chosen people of god, the Jews, are not superior in Christ. It is certain that American Gentiles are not Christians because of their race.

Some would identify a Christian with a church member. Every Christian should be a member of some local congregation, and every church member should be a Christian, but this ideal is too often far from the fact. Our churches are clogged with the worldly minded even the vile. These kinds of people may be members of a visible church, but they certainly are not members of the Church which is "body of Christ" (1 Cor.12:27; Eph.3:6). Most of the adult population in the U.S. are members of some church. Nearly two-thirds of our entire population are church members. It should be self evident that there are not nearly so many Christians in the U.S. as there are church members. Too much has been of church membership in recent years and too little has been said for Jesus Christ. Many thousands have been made children of the church, but have not been children of God. We need to be reminded that a convert is not a Christian. The scribes and Pharisees made many converts, but Jesus said unto them: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more that child of hell than yourselves" (Matt.23:15). There is a great deal of difference between winning a person to our religious group and winning a person for Christ. Blind leaders may produce lost church members, but no Christians. Sinners in the church are much harder to win to Christ than sinners outside the church, for they must first be convinced that they are lost.

Jesus said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matt.7:16, 20). Many members of our churches are trusting in church membership, while they have no love for God or spiritual things and very little love for their fellow man. Many are like the hated publicans, for they love only those who love them, and salute only their brethren. The ministry is largely responsible for this situation, for they have often been more interested in numbers and popularity than in winning men from sin. Church membership is a matter of convenience, providing both a fellowship with other believers and a field in which to labor. One cannot be assured that his name has been inscribed in "the Lamb's book of life" merely because it is on some denominational roll. Denominations, as we know them, were foreign to the New Testament, but divisions soon began to develop because of geographical, cultural, linguistic, and doctrinal differences. Concerning these doctrinal differences, Paul wrote, "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you" (1 Cor.11:19). Some denominations are built upon false doctrine. False doctrine is usually Biblical doctrine wrested out of proportion. A member of a group which teaches false doctrine has very little chance for salvation. Their doctrine is a curse to him, but his very presence is an encouragement for them to continue to teach such doctrine. Paul wrote concerning such: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Tim.3:13). This business of seducing others rebounds until they, in turn, deceive those who deceived them, A false teacher finds that his converts become a Frankenstein monster which will aid his destruction.

There is the false theory that a person is a Christian if he calls himself one, or belongs to the proper denomination. The idea that a person is a Christian merely because he claims to be one is very ridiculous, for it denies the very possibility of hypocrisy. It says, in effect, that a person cannot lie about being a Christian. The theory that "Christian" is the proper name for all the followers if Christ is absurd. There are many names used in the Scriptures to designate the followers of Jesus Christ. Each term has its own sphere of use and its own meaning. While their meanings are usually related, none are exact synonyms. The term most used in the Gospels is "disciple" which means "learner". It is not synonymous with "Christian", just as "an egg" is not synonymous with "a chicken" and "iron ore" is not synonymous with "steel". The chicken comes from the egg and the steel comes from iron ore, just as a Christian comes from a disciple. A person must first be a disciple before he can become a Christian.

The title "Christian" should be claimed only with a degree of reluctance. This is not because it is not a good title. It is the highest title that a human being can own, and should not be claimed lightly. Some are tempted to believe that if they call themselves "Christian", it will enhance their character, but the opposite is true if they falsely claim the title. a person doesn't become a Christian merely because he call himself by that high title, just as a person doesn't become a king merely by claiming the title. we are aware of two men who called themselves "doctors" and practiced medicine for several years without a license. When it was learned that they did not have the proper credentials, each was then convicted of practicing medicine without a license. Those who masquerade as Christians do not have the proper credentials. Those who assume a title which they do not own are guilty of fraud. We come to the first reason why we should be cautious in this matter. If we call ourselves a Christian when we are not, we lake ourselves a hypocrite, and do great harm to the cause of Christ. Lying never improves one's character, even though he may be making a claim to something good. Most people should not call themselves Christians because it would be untrue. a person who professes the name of Christ, assume also, the responsibility to live like Christ (1 John 2:6). The second reason why we should not lightly call ourselves "Christian" is because the self assumption of the title is without Scriptural precedent. This may mean but little to many people, but a person who is seeking to please God is careful about both the implicit and the explicit teachings of the Scriptures. The Bible has many hidden meanings. A casual reading will not yield the deep truths of the Bible. We are urged, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim.2:15). The implied teachings of the Scriptures are no less the teachings of the Scriptures than are the apparent teachings. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim.3:16-17). the term "Christian" is used only three times in the Scriptures, and never as a personal testimony. That is, the Scriptures contain no incident in which a person claims that he, personally, is a Christian. How different from this day when so many both call themselves Christians and demand that others do so, also.

The third reason why we should be cautious about professing to be Christians is that it is difficult to claim this title in humility. To demand the title "Christian" for ourselves is both presumptuous and proud. It is much more becoming on our part to allow others to say that we are Christians, rather than say it for ourselves and demand that others so likewise. We are not trying to discourage people from testifying to the grace of God in their lives, but usually a lesser word than "Christian" would be better understood and would bring more glory unto the eternal Father. Many people find much fault with Scriptural terms such as "perfection" and "holiness", but lightly demand that others call them "Christians". Something is wrong in a person's reasoning when he claims the title "Christian" frivolously, and refuses to touch the terms "holiness" or "perfection" with a ten foot pole. While these three terms are basically synonymous, "Christian" means "Christlikeness". Is Christlikeness to be considered a lesser thing than holiness or perfection? Was not Christ both perfect and holy? Christlikeness implies both perfection and holiness, since Christ was, and is, both perfect and holy. If texts are needed to prove that Christ is both holy and perfect, you may find them in Revelation 3:7 and Hebrew 5:9 among many others. There is a rash in the church right now of giving degrees and titles to men. The Pharisees had the same disease for they loved to be called "Rabbi" in the marketplace. If you could own the title of "King", it would not be as significant as being called "Christian". However, the wise man advised, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips" (Pro. 27:2). We are reminded along this line of Napoleon, who, when he was about to be crowned by Pope Pius VII, snatched the crown and placed it upon his own head. There are some who cannot wait until others see their first fruit and proclaim them to be Christians, they must snatch the title for themselves. We do not wish to be interpreted to mean that no one should profess to be a Christian, but only those who can claim the title in humility are Christians.

Today the term "Christian" is commonly and popularly used as an adjective, but it is never used as an adjective in the Scriptures, but is always a noun. We often read and hear of a "Christian Year", "Christian education", "Christian Theology", "Christian society",etc. In fact, it seems to have gotten to the place where some people want to place the tag "Christian" on just about everything. Can you imagine a year being Christlike? While the term "Christian" is now widely accepted as an adjective, it is impossible for it to modify certain words. The majority of these terms are misnomers. Even what has been referred to as the "Christian Church" in history has usually been much less than Christian. would that we had a Christlike "society" or "theology"! In the language of some people, unwittenly, add to this snowballing effect.

"Christian" has also been used as an adjective in such terms as "Christian perfection", "Christian Holiness", and "Christian Purity". Here, especially, we do not wish to be misunderstood, for while we find ourselves in complete agreement with the doctrines behind these terms, we do not agree with the terms themselves. We do not object simply because "Christian" is used in these terms as an adjective, but because in each case the two words means substantially the same thing. They are synonyms, and therefore it is redundant to use them together. This oversupply of words is like describing a person as a "fat chubby" man, or, as a "skinny thin" man, or, as a "wealthy rich" man, or, as a "feeble weak" man. These are examples of the poor use of English. We believe that you can see this in the terms that we are discussing if we overdo it a little more and use the term "Christian Purity Holiness Perfection". You can see immediately that this is overdone, and so is the use of any of these two words together. We have inherited the term "Christian Perfection" from John Wesley, who in turn borrowed it from William Law. While the idea behind this term is Scriptural, the term itself is rooted in the monasticism of the Roman Church. The idea behind the monastic orders was that there were two kinds of Christians. Laymen, who lived normal lives, married, and raised children were considered to be Christians, but only the monks were considered to be "perfect Christians". Probably many people who might be inclined to defend this term very ardently, are not aware that its origin is not in the New Testament, but in the monastic orders. the New Testament always uses these terms separately.

Our objection, however, goes much deeper than the fact that it is a redundance to use two or more of these terms together, for they convey the impression that a person may be a "Christian" and still be impure, unholy, and imperfect. This further obscures the meaning of the word "Christian" and offers a place to hide for those who wish to claim to be Christians and still oppose holiness. They say, "I am a Christian, but I am not sanctified". They have been encouraged, to a degree, to continue in this popular error by those who use unscriptural and poor terminology to teach this great truth. We have many times heard and read of "carnal Christians", but never in the Bible. There is such a thing as "carnal believers", but there never was, never will be a "carnal Christian". I must apologize for even repeating the term for the sake of discussion, for the whole idea is repugnant to anyone who loves Christ. Many of our great holiness classics need to be corrected on this score. We have often heard preachers urge "Christians" to be sanctified. The preacher is to be commended for urging people to be sanctified, but his poor choice of terms causes much confusion. The opponents of holiness of heart correctly reason that if a person is a Christian, he doesn't need to be sanctified; he is sanctified. A Christian is "perfect in Christ". Concerning Jesus, Paul wrote, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom: that we may present every man perfect in Jesus" (Col. 1:28). A Christian is holy in Christ, "Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification (i.e., holiness), and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30). A Christian is pure, "even as He is pure" (1 John 3:3). This purity comes through the baptism with the Holy Ghost, which is received by faith. When Peter was questioned at the Jerusalem council for having baptized the household of Cornelius, he defended his action by stating: "And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and the, purifying their hearts by faith." (Acts 15:8-9). Their hearts were made pure by the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

Also, the term "Christian" is never used in the New Testament with a modifier. We often hear the term "born-again Christians". The new birth does not make a person a Christian, but it is an absolute essential if we are to become Christians. The expression "born-again Christians" is not only a poor use of the English language and without a Scriptural precedent, but it does the very thing which it seeks to avoid. It gives some credence to the claim that a person might become a Christian without the birth from above. All Christians have been born from above, and to use the expression "born-again Christians" sounds as though a person might be a Christian without being born of the Spirit. The new birth is the first step toward becoming a Christian, but it, in itself, does not make a person Christlike. In some circles the word "real" is used to modify "Christian". Imagine speaking of "real Christians"-as though there were some other kind of Christians! Using the adjective "real" implies that there at least might be "unreal Christians". Could you imagine speaking about "real" apples, or cars, or chairs, or shoes, or water, etc? When we talk about shoes, we take it for granted that they are "real" shoes. False advertising is largely responsible for this kind of farce of language. One storekeeper advertised "jumbo gallons" of ice cream until the court ruled that he must cease and desist from using the word "jumbo" since all U.S. gallons are the same size. One radio advertiser placed great dependence upon the ignorance of his customers when he advertised "genuine simulated diamonds" for only $2.98. "Simulated" means "imitation", and those "diamonds" were "genuine" imitations. A peddler was selling apples at a very low price, but when he produced a basket, it was only half of a bushel. He insisted that it was really a "little bushel", when the housewife declared that it was not a bushel. This kind of distortion of language is carried into the ridiculous by the expression "Christlike Christians". Could you imagine un-Christlike Christians? And yet-we are in sympathy with the idea behind this expression, for un-Christlike people are freely called "Christians" in so many circles. This is more than a slander against Christianity; it is defamation of character and blasphemy against The Christ, Himself.

II. The Meaning of the Term

The Hebrew form of this name is usually transliterated as "Joshua", which is a contraction of "Jehoshua", or "Jehoshuah", and, literally means "Savior", or "help of Jehovah". Joshua, son of Nun, (called "Oshea" in Num.13:8,16) was one of the twelve spies sent to inspect the land of Canaan. It was he who finally led the Israelites into Canaan. He is the first person in the Scriptures who is called by that name. "Joshua" has been Hellenized (i.e., changed into Greek) into "Iesois", which has been Anglicized into "Jesu", "Jose", "Josue", or "Jesus". Others, who bore this name, who are mentioned in the Scriptures are "Joshua" the Bethshemite, the high priest and son of Josedech, "Jose", the son of Eliezer, "Jesus", the father of the sorcerer, Elymas, "Jesus", called Justus, besides "Jesus", Who is called the Christ. Another name, a title, or an address is often used to distinguish this latter Person from all others of the same name. "Lord", "Christ", "Son of God", "of Nazareth", and "the Mediator" are some of the titles which are added to the name "Jesus" for purposes of distinction. However, in the Gospels and the Acts, "Jesus" is often used alone because they were written, as a whole, primarily about Jesus of Nazareth, Who is called "lord" and "Christ". In Acts 7:45 and Heb.4:8, the words translated "Jesus" in the King James Version of the Bible speaks really of Joshua, son of Nun. While the name is significant of the power of Jehovah (i.e., Yahweh), it is not, in itself, proof of Deity. It is used more than three hundred times in speaking about the Son of God. The followers of Jesus have not been widely called by this name. "The Society of Jesus", a monastic order of the Roman Church, was founded by Ignatius of Loyola in the Sixteenth Century, has been commonly called "Jesuits". All other groups, of which we are aware, which use the name "Jesus" in their title use another of His titles, also.

Peter said that that same Jesus was made Lord. Here we find a paradox, for he was the Lord of heaven and earth "in the beginning" (Gen.1:1; Jn.1:1). He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings; His name is every other name, but it is not an acquired glory, for His glory was with the Father before the world began. Jesus began at Bethlehem, but He, as Lord, created all things, for John tells us: "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any things made that was made" (Jn.1:3). The Son of God became the Son of man at Bethlehem, and, therefore, was given the human "Jesus". He laid aside His eternal name and took an earthly name, just as an adopted child loses his family name and receives a new one. So completely did He humble Himself that He fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy: "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa.53:2). Paul put it this way: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation (i.e., emptied Himself), and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil.2:5-8). He became Jesus to die for the sins of men, but He was Lord from time immemorial. He gave up His Lordship to become a citizen of earth, just as a king must give up his throne if he becomes the citizen of another country. He, Who was God, became a man that He might redeem men from sin.

"Lord" in English signifies "a ruler" or "governor". "Yahweh" or "Jehovah", a Hebrew word often translated "Lord", means "self-existent", and is the proper name of the Hebrew Deity. "Adonai" is another Hebrew word which is usually translated "Lord" for it means "the lord" or "the master". When it applies to Deity, another name is used in conjunction with this title. "Awdone" is a Hebrew title of respect denoting "absolute control". It applies to God as the Owner and Governor of the whole universe, but often it is used as a term of respect to apple to men. the Greek term "Kurios" is used in the New Testament as a title for Jesus of Nazareth. While Jesus gave up His claim to Lordship to become a man, He reclaimed the title "Lord" in its fullest sense at His resurrection, for once again He is the great inhabiter of eternity and is alive forevermore. God made Him, Who had humbled Himself unto death on the cross, Lord once more, but this time it was eternal. While "Lord" is used several times in the Scriptures to apply to His followers. Both "Adonai" and "Kurios" are used many times in the Scriptures applying to humans, but the Church has made little use of the term "lord" to apply to themselves. "Lordites" and "Lordians" are unknown in the Church. They have been content to allow Jesus to be the "one Lord". Neither a derivation from "Jesus" nor "Lord" has been popularized to designate the followers of Jesus.

The third name which is commonly used to delineate the Son of God is "Christ". Its Hebrew counterpart is "Messiah", which has been Anglicized into "Messiah", and means 'the Anointed One". It is usually used in the Old testament as a prophecy of the Son of God Who was to come. However, it is used also to apply to mere human begins, such as Cyrus, king of Persia (Isa.45:1). Daniel, the prophet, speaks of "the Messiah, the Prince" (Dan.9:25), in reference to the One Who was to come. Usually the Hebrew word is translated "anointed" rather than "Messiah". The Greek word is "Christos", and is so translated in the Septuagint in the nearly forty references where the word "masiah" is found. In John 1:41, we find both the Hebrew and the Greek words used when Andrew tells his brother, Simon, who is later called Peter, "We have found the Messias, which is being interpreted, the Christ". The woman at the well of Sycar told Jesus, "I know that Messias cometh, Who is called Christ . . . " (Jn.4:25). The English word "Christ" is not a translation changes from the Greek, but is rather a transliteration. A translation changes as idea from one language to another, but a transliteration changes only the sound from one language to another. It means to spell the same sound in a different alphabet or language.

People who held the offices of prophet, priest, or king were anointed with oil as a symbol of the presence and blessing of the Holy One of Israel. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, for He Lights, empowers, and lubricates in the spiritual realm, much as oil does in the physical realm. Prophets were anointed to speak for the Lord. When God was ready to take Elijah home, He commanded the Elisha, the son Shaphat, should be anointed in his stead. While Saul, the son of Kish, was anointed primarily as the king of Israel, he was promised by Samuel: "And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them (i.e. the prophets), and shalt be turned into another man" (1 Sam.10:6). In the case of David, we note that when Samuel had poured the horn of oil upon his head (as the Holy Spirit was poured upon believers in the New testament at the great Pentecost and on other subsequent occasions), the Scriptures state: "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward" (1 Sam.16:13). David was anointed as king, but he was also a great prophet as many of his Psalms will attest. Jesus was not only anointed as a Prophet, but he became the Great Prophet. Peter reminded the Jews of this truth, when he said, "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you for your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, who will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:22-23). We must hear this Prophet in all things - or be destroyed.

Kings were anointed to rule for the Lord. A king had the authority to tax people and the responsibility to protect them. We have already mentioned how the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David, were anointed. Both had the power of prophecy, also. Saul lost his gift when the Spirit of God let him, but many of David's prophecies concern the Christ and were fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Both Saul and David were anointed primarily as king; their gift of prophecy seems to be secondary. This is not to say that David's prophecies are secondary, but rather that his first duty and prime concern was as king. David was anointed when he was still a youth, but it was many years before he replaced Saul as king of Israel. Jesus, too, was anointed, with the Holy Spirit, some time before His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey for His inauguration as King of the Jews. In fact, most of the Jews never received Jesus as their King, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He authority to become the sons of God . . ." (Jn.1:12) . When an individual pledges allegiance to Jesus as King, he becomes part of the kingdom of God. (i.e., God rules in his life). Only those who recognize Him as Lord of their lives are pleasing God. Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that soeth the will of My Father Who is in heaven" (Matt.7:21). Of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus said, "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say and do not" (Matt.23:3). This is hypocrisy - to say but not do Jesus is more than the "King of the Jews" (Matt.2:2); "He is Lord of lords, and King of kings . . ." (Rev.17:14). He is "the blessed and only Potentate . . ." (1 Tim.6:15), declared Paul, for He is "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and only wise God . . ." (1 Tim.1:17). His name is above every name and every knee will bow to Him and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord, but some will be too late to claim Him as their King and inherit His kingdom. He is the King of kings, but is he King of your life?

Several men in the Bible held two of these important offices of prophet, priest, and king. Both Saul and David were kings and prophets. Abraham and John (the Baptizer) were both prophets and priests. (Abraham was a mediator before the Aaronic and Levitical priesthoods were established). A man could not be a true priest and a king both for the priests were to be from the tribe of Levi while the kings were from other tribes. In the absence of both judge and king, however, the high priest was the highest authority in Israel. This is illustrated at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. Although the high priest was anointed only as a priest, he was the highest ruler in the land when there was no king in Israel. Some of the powers of a king were withheld from him, however. Only in Jesus of Nazareth are all three offices combined. He is Unique, for He is the true Prophet, the Great High Priest, and the King of kings. When Jesus returned form His temptation in the wilderness He went to His home synagogue where He read from the Prophet Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Lu.4:18-19). He declared that that saying was fulfilled in their sight that day. This is equivalent to saying that He was "the messiah" or "the Christ". the least that could be made of it is that He claimed to be one of the anointed of God. The Jews had looked for centuries for the Messiah Who was promised by the Old Testament prophets. Now Jesus claimed to be that Messiah.

When did this anointing take place (viz. when did Jesus of Nazareth become the Christ)? Peter told the disciples who were assembled awaiting the baptism of the Holy Ghost, "the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John . . ." (Acts 1:21-22). While He began His ministry after John's baptism , the most significant fact of that great event was the descent of the blessed Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove while the voice of God said, "Thou art My Beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased" (Lu.3:22). It was while He was praying that "the heaven opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon Him . . ." (Lu.3:21). John had applied the water according to the ceremony described in Leviticus chapter 8. Jesus was not of the house of Levi, but His cousin John was a priest and he was performing the ceremony to make Jesus a priest because He had reached the age of thirty years (Num.4:3,23,30,35,39,43,47; 1 Chro.23:3). God transcended the act of John which was legal, ceremonial, and secondary in importance, by opening the heavens and anointing Jesus with the Holy Spirit. The bodily form of the Dove and the voice from heaven were of great benefit to John and the people who stood by.

When Peter was preaching unto the house of Cornelius, he stated that they, too, knew the word of peace through Jesus Christ (i.e. the Gospel) which was preached unto the children of Israel "after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devils: for God was with Him" (Acts 10:37-38). God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and power after the baptism of John. The Greek word meta which is translated after denotes participation and succession. God participated in the ceremony with John by anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit succeeding John's ceremony. There can be little doubt the "the anointing of God" and "the descent of the Dove" are one and the same experience to Jesus. It was this anointing that commissioned Jesus with power to do good in return for evil and to deliver those oppressed of the devil. Only by the power of God can Satan be expelled. C.I. Scofield, among others, has taught that demons can be cast out be self-reformation. This warped view is taken because they wish to deny the plight of backsliders which is so plainly taught in the Scriptures. Jesus said:

To teach that this is self reformation is very near to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, if, indeed, it is not. We believe that the unpardonable sin is the ascription unto Satan the blessed work of the Holly Spirit. Exorcism is always the gracious act of God. Men cannot expel demons from others or themselves; and Satan will not, for his kingdom is not divided. The Greek word exelthai which is translated "is gone out" is an aorist passive subjunctive verb. Being an aorist verb, the action is completed. The unclean spirit is not going out - it is already out. The passive voice indicates that the unclean spirit (the subject of the sentence) had nothing to do with its going out - - it was put out by Someone else. Devils can only be cast out "by the Spirit of God" (Matt.12:28). Self-reformation could never empty, sweep, nor garnish the soul, but the Holy Spirit both can and does, leaving us ready for the infilling of His Presence in a second work of grace. In summary we note, that the Lord is eternal; Jesus began at Bethlehem; and, He was anointed (i.e. made the Christ) at His Baptism.

Since "Christ" means "Anointed"; "Christian" which is derived from the word "Christ" should have a related meaning. And it does. It means "Christ-like" or "little Christ". Since Jesus became "the Christ" by an anointing from God; how could we be Christ-like without a similar anointing? God anointed Him with the "Holy Ghost and with power", but men are prone to either ignore this anointing completely, or to substitute men's ceremonies in its place (viz. water baptism, church membership, ordination, pouring on oil, etc.). Many deluded thousands are trying to be like the perfect Christ in their ow power (or rather weakness) and self-righteousness (which is as filthy rags, in God's sight). These are probably the most miserable people on earth for they know none of the joy of salvation. they know what they should do, but they are not a perfect salvation which sets them free. Jesus' promise to every son of Adam is: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (Jn.8:36). Thank God for a salvation which makes us "more than conquerors" (Rom.8:37) "with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet.1:8). There are three words used in the New Testament which are translated "anoint". Murizo appears only once in Mark 14:8, and means "to anoint with aromatics". Aleipho means "to anoint in homage, medicinally, festally, or in embalming the dead". Chrio, from which we get our word "Christ", is always used in a symbolical and religious sense. It was this last word which was used to describe the anointing which made Jesus of Nazareth "the Christ of God". We are to receive the same kind of anointing with the Holy Ghost. Some ask, "Can a person be anointed with the Holy Ghost in this day?" Why should this day be any different that any other day to a changeless God? He says, "For I am the Lord, I change not . . ." (Mal.3:6). We read concerning Jesus Christ, He is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever" (Heb.13:8). Peter said to the seekers at the historical Pentecost, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (acts 2:39). Dare anyone say that God calls us to be less than Christians?

However, we need not expect the Holy Spirit to descend upon us in the form of a Dove. the same Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus in the upper room to anoint them, but He came in "cloven tongues like as of Fire . . ." (Acts 2:3). We once asked a prayer meeting group in Tennessee why the Holy Spirit came to Jesus in the form of a Dove, but to the disciples in the form of Fire. One lady replied, "He didn't need it". Exactly so. The disciples needed the fiery baptism, but Jesus did not. he had no carnal nature to be burned out; He had no cold heart which must be set afire with love for both God and man. His anointing was in the form of a Dove which is symbolic of harmlessness, purity, and fidelity. We have been told that a dove has no gall (i.e. bitterness - Acts 8:23), and that they are so grieved over the loss of a mate that they sometimes die of a broken heart. The post has said:

Jesus sweat great drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. It has been said that this indicated a broken heart. Doves are noted for their mournful songs as well as their harmlessness. The harmless Jesus did not defend Himself against His tormentors, but rather prayed for them and wept over their sinfulness. The disciples, on the other hand, had worldly ambition, carnal pride, and unnatural fear which had to be destroyed. Their hearts needed set aflame so that they could love all men as Christ did.

In the Old testament, the anointing was done with "the holy anointing oil". We are told, in Exodus 30:22-33, both how it was to be compounded and how it was to be used. Its use was not only symbolic of the approval and presence of Jehovah, but was prophetic and emblematic of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant. The holy anointing oil was expensive. Only "the finest spices" were to be used according to The American Translation of the Scriptures. The Douay Version says that they were to be "prime and chosen". Spices, in themselves, were expensive, but these were to be the best spices available. The holy anointing oil was to be made of five hundred shekels of pure myrrh, two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet cinnamon, two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet calamus, and five hundred shekels of cassia with an hin of olive to give fluidity. Each of these spices are symbolic of the work of the Holy Spirit when He anoints the life of a believer with His Presence. Myrrh is used as a medicine, a cleanser, a perfume, and for embalming. It was one of the valuable gifts which the Magi brought to the infant Jesus. Sweet cinnamon stimulates the heart, invigorates, relieves, and warms. It is used in certain candies and has a sweet, spicy taste which imparts warmth to the mouth, throat, and stomach. Sweet calamus emits a fragrant smell and has a very sweet taste. It is used in the richest perfumes, in sweetmeats, as a stimulant, and as a caminative. Cassia has great purgative qualities as a medicine. It is fragrant to the smell, and the bark produces a fine oil. According to some sources it grew only in India in ancient times which would have made it even more costly. Olive oil is used as a cosmetic for both the skin and hair, as a food, as medicine, and as fuel for lamps. It is a lubricant, and retained the odor of the spices since it does not evaporate as readily as most other liquids. Not only was the holy anointing oil expensive because each of its ingredients was popular and useful, but large quantities of each substance were used. The myrrh and the cassia were to be of equal weight - a little more than forty-eight pounds each. The cinnamon and the calamis were half as much. Andhin is a little more than one-third gallons.

The use of the holy anointing oil was exclusive, for God gave certain specific commands and restrictions concerning its use. Unto Moses, He said: And the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its foot And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office "And thou salt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all its vessels, and the candlestick and its vessels, and the altar of incense. (Ex.30:26-28, 30).

It was to be the only oil used for the purpose of anointing. There was to be no substitution or imitation made of this holy anointing oil. It was not to be poured upon man's flesh; it was not to be poured upon a stranger (the margin says :"one that is not a priest"0; and, it was to be used throughout their generations. In other words, the holy anointing oil was to be used as long as Israel existed, which will be as long as this old world remains. Men seek exclusiveness diligently. they wish to have something, know something, or be something that others cannot. This desire manifests in ridiculous clothing, grotesque houses, cars, and furniture, affected manners, and especially in membership in organizations to which "others" cannot belong. The anointing with the holy oil was exclusively for the servants of God. This brings us naturally to the discussion of the third reason for the use of the holy anointing oil.

Most of all, the use of the holy anointing oil was expressive. The Bible is replete with metaphors, allegories, parables, similes, symbols, and types. The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The New Testament was written in Greek, or at least the oldest available manuscripts are in Greek. while Greek is a very expressive language - one of the best on earth - it is not the language of Heaven and therefore, is grossly inadequate to really convey God's thought to men. Any experience that man has with God can only be explained to other men in the language which these men understand. John Saxe's poem of the six blind men who went to "see" an elephant is indicative of the kind of struggle which human begins have when seeking to fathom the Infinite Being. We can really only learn small segments of truth about Him and these we can only explain in our own feeble language. This gives rise to many figures of speech and to many types of comparison. Even John, the Revelator, sought to use this method to describe the glories of Heaven. Words failed to do the task, so he was forced to use a system of negatives to seek to express what he saw. He could not use comparison, for Heaven was like nothing that he had seen before, so he used contrast instead. He had seen tears flow like fountains form the eyes of children, youth, and adults but, behold, he saw no tears within the gates of pearl of the New Jerusalem. Death has said, "There'll never be crepe on the door knob". Sorrow, suffering, crying, and pain all failed to answer muster for this glorious City. There were no sinners present for "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev.21:8). There was no temple, no sun, no moon, no night, and no curse. These things were quite familiar to John, as they are to the whole human family, but since they were not to be found in the New Jerusalem John found that his language was inadequate to express what he really saw.

Many of the figures and ceremonies of the Old Testament are in reality a prophecy of a truth which has its fulfillment in a spiritual sense in the New Testament. Such is the case of the holy anointing oil, for its use was a prophecy and a symbol of the anointing of the Holy Spirit which should some in the last days". It bespoke of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in its fullness. The ingredients used in the holy anointing oil are expressive of the work of the Holy Spirit when He anoints a believer with Himself.

(1) He purges - myrrh, calamus, and cassia are all used as purgatives. Christ-likeness is a state of purity, and everyone that has the hope of Christ's coming again to make us like His own body "purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (1 Jn.3:3). the anointing with the Holy Ghost cleanses the believer from all sin and dross.

(2) The Holy Spirit also perfumes - each of the spices used in the holy anointing oil have a pleasant smell and the olive oil helps to retain the smell. It is unthinkable that a Christian souls smell like a smokestack or a brewery, but in a spiritual sense, a person who is anointed with the Holy Ghost will be like a fragrant flower in his community. Jesus is referred to in prophecy as the Lily of the valley and the Rose of Sharon. These flowers are noted for their fragrance as well as their beauty. A Christian, like these flowers, smells good. Like the spices, he gives forth a pleasant odor even when he is beaten and misused, but a hypocrite emits a horrible stink. A Christian, like these spices, perfumes the very hammer that bruises him.

(3) The Holy Spirit preserves - myrrh, especially was used to embalm the human body in former days. Oil, also, is a good preservative for it keeps air away from the substance which it covers. The Holy Spirit preserves Christians in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

(4) The Holy Spirit illuminates - olive oil was used in lamps. The Holy Spirit burns within the Christian's life, shining through his countenance and illuminating his path. The foolish virgins, like a lot of present day believers, were satisfied with the lighting of their lamps or regeneration. They were called "foolish" by the Master only because they did not take extra supply of oil with their lamps. Emptied of the evil spirit, but not filled with the Holy Spirit. Men call this wisdom, but God calls it foolishness. "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Pro.4:18), but only as the Spirit of God shines through him.

(5) He lubricates - the anointing of the God's Holy Spirit greatly reduces friction and division within His Church. A car will not run long without oil, and a church will not run well without the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

(6) He stimulates - joy of the Lord is the Christian's strength. God has promised that His followers should run through a troop and leap over wall. A Christian rejoices "with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet.1:8) because the Holy Spirit has brought him the fullness of joy.

(7) He warms - the Presence of the Risen Christ cause our hearts to burn within us. Many people have the experience backward for they have a hot head over a cold heart. Christ gives us a warm heart and helps us to keep a cool head.

(8) He relieves - mistakes, failures, insults, trials, temptations and abuses are all soothed by the Comforter, The comfort of the Holy Spirit relieves the soul just as the oil and wine relieved the bodies of the wounded.

(9) He feeds - the ingredients of the holy anointing oil are used in many kinds of food. Just so, the Holy Spirit feeds the soul of a Christian on the riches of God's Word. That soul delights itself in the fatness of the Oil of God.

The persons who were anointed with the holy anointing oil are expressive kind of persons that God anoints with His Holy Spirit. The only persons were to be anointed were kings, priests, or prophets. All believer are "kings an priests unto God" under the New Covenant (Rev. 1:6). Paul exhorted the Church at Corinth, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophecy" (1 Cor. 14:1). Moses cried, "...Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" (Num. 11:29). God has moved to answer that heart cry by pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh. Jesus promised His disciples, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Paul described a prophet as one who "speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortion, and comfort" (1 Cor. 14:3). Saul prophesied among the prophets after Samuel has anointed him with oil, and those who anointed with God's Holy Spirit witness to other men. Moses was quite right-it is the Lords' Spirit upon the Lord's people which makes them prophets. Through Joel, God promised the blessing of Pentecost, saying, "And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:18). It is not for "strangers from the covenants of promise" (Eph. 2:12 and Ex. 30:33). Only the Lords servants and handmaidens are eligible for the anointing with the Holy Ghost. Only believers (i.e. servants of God either male or female) are candidates to become Christians. Strangers were not to be anointed with the holy anointing oil.

God commanded Moses, saying, "Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate (sanctify-margin) them, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office" (Ex. 30:30). The Hebrew word which was translated "consecrate" by the translators of the King James Version is the same word which is correctly rendered "sanctify" in verse 29, and "holy" in verses 10, 25, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36 and 37. Consecration is an act which can only be accomplished by the person himself. No one can consecrate for you. When a person consecrates, God sanctifies. It is as incorrect to speak of consecrating for another as it would be to speak of learning for another. "It will be readily noted that "I'll learn you" is incorrect, while "I'll teach you" is correct. Teaching and learning are one process; both take place at the same time. Consecrating and sanctifying are one process for God always sanctifies when we consecrate. You will note that the anointing with the "sanctifying" oil accomplished in a ceremonial way the making of them "most holy" (v, 29). Only this qualified them to minister as priests for God. This was prophetic of the time when the "priests of God" under the New Covenant should be sanctified by the grace of Jesus Christ, in an actual and literal manner because as children of God by the new birth or adoption (whichever figure you desire to use) they had consecrated their all unto Him. Every sanctification is an act of both man and God. This is why we are instructed, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you" (Lev. 20:7-8). This statement seems paradoxical in nature. A clearer translation might read "Consecrate yourselves...I am the Lord which sanctifies you". This is always the process.

"Anointing" implies "authority" and "power" while "sanctify" means "purity" and "separation". Jesus received authority and separation, but His disciples needed purity and power to be like Jesus. Both the furniture of the tabernacle and the priests were to be anointed with the holy (qedesh) anointing oil which ceremonially made them holy (qedesh). It was expressly forbidden that the holy anointing oil should ever be poured upon the flesh. The word "flesh" is sometimes used in the Scriptures to signify the carnal nature. This "fleshly" nature must be destroyed from the believer's heart before the Holy Spirit will take His abode in the heart. Saint Paul wrote, "So they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8). This statement has been the text for a great deal of false teaching. The next verse clears up the false theory that no human being can please God. It explains , "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom. 8:9). The common translation is very apt to confuse the English reader for word sarx is translated "flesh" nine times, "carnally" once, and "carnal" once in the first nine verses of this chapter. Let us translate it: "For the mind of the flesh is death" (v. 6), "Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (v. 7). The "mind of the flesh" is interested in worldly things; it cannot be interested in spiritual, eternal, and heavenly things for it is fleshly. The Agnostics sought to located sin in the body; they were wrong for it is in the mind. God will not anoint the fleshly, carnal, or worldly mind. How can we free ourselves from this mind which is not subject to Gods law? "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). It is simply a matter of permitting God, the Holy Spirit fill us. Man is naturally sinful but he is made holy by a miracle of God.

The holy anointing oil was not to be imitated. Those who try to act like they have God's grace when they do not are a curse to truth and righteousness. A hypocrite pays homage to truth by trying to imitate it. An imitated anointing may have plenty of jump and holler but it is extremely light on purity and power. A self-inspired zeal damns rather than blesses. An unctionless sermon destroys its hearers by lulling them to sleep in a false security and dulling their consciences to spiritual truths. Paul said, "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life" (2 Cor. 32:6). God has not been found making two snowflakes or leaves alike, and He certainly isn't going to make two Christians alike. The desire for imitation has robbed men of one of their greatest assets, individuality. A person who seeks to imitate a Christian makes two errors. First, Christianity is spiritual rather than physical. Second, the Divine Presence produces the Christ-like life, not vice versa. Virture is the repression of evil tendencies; holiness is the expression of God's Presence.

Nahab and Abihu were sons of Aaron. They were anointed as priests to minister before the Lord, but like many liberal churchmen of today they offered strange fire (i.e. a false, self-inspired zeal instead of the fire of the Holy Spirit) before the Lord. Their names are prophetic of the unholy zeal which is demonstrated in the present age. Nahab means "liberal" and Abihu means "He is my Father" or "God is my Father". The "liberal" teaching of today is that "God is our Father" and that we are all "children of God". These ideas are completely false, but nevertheless they are widely taught. Nahab and Abihu were destroyed when the fire from heaven came down. They could not stand in the Presence of the Lord, "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). Their imitation was the source of their damnation. Had the fiery baptism of the Holy Ghost burned out all the dross, and purified them as gold and silver are purified, their offerings would have been acceptable to God. Their deaths were a prophecy against those who were once Spirit anointed, but to gain power, popularity, and wealth they have switched to the "liberal" view of the Bible and spiritual things. They are aware that it is a lie, but with great zeal they run up and down the streets to gain church members. They substitute ritual, education, natural ability, and hard work for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but all of these are failures in spiritual things. They not only damn the souls of those who listen to their silly patter but when they offer this "strange fire" they, themselves, become a spiritual corpse.

Peter wrote concerning such teachers, "while they promise them (i.e., their heavers) liberty, they are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is brought in bondage" (2 Pet.2:19). Anyone who has experienced a spiritual birth knows that the days of miracles are not over for the new birth is a miracle of the first rank. Men espouse such theology for "dollarship" not "scholarship". They sell their influence, self-respect, and the souls of men (including their own) for a little more money. This is difficult to understand. for there are dozens of fields where they could make more money and have more popularity than the ministry. They are under the delusion of the devil. This thing called "modernism" is really "madernism". A person has to be mad to believe it. It isn't new or modern at all, for it is as old as Celsus. The archeologist's spade is proving the Bible's historical statements; the Dead Sea Scrolls and other manuscript finds have greatly strengthened the fundamental position of theology and an experience of grace would prove that God is still the same today. Praise God!

The furniture which was anointed with the holy anointing oil is expressive of the means of grace which God has provided for His people. The anointing oil was used to anoint the tabernacle of the congregation, thus signifying, just as the tabernacle moved with the children of Israel in the wilderness, God goes with His people. He is not stationary, but mobile. Jesus Christ became the fulfillment of this type, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (Greek - had His tabernacle) among us... (Jn.1:14). Jesus promised that He would continue with His disciples in the Person of the Holy Spirit, when He said, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (Jn.14:23). This He speaks concerning the Comforter Whom He promises His disciples "may abide with you forever" (Jn.14:26). He is necessary in every area of the believer's life. Jesus promised, "And when He is come, He will reprove the worlds of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (Jn.16:8)? Also, "he will guide you into all truth..." (v.13). And, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judo, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Paul explained how the Spirit helped the believer's prayer life, saying, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom.8:26). With the Psalmist, we proclaim, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble"(Ps.46:1).

The tabernacle was divided into two rooms called the "Holy place" and the "Holy of Holies" or the "Most Holy Place". A thick veil separated the two rooms. The court around the tabernacle was surrounded by a linen fence which could be drawn up on the east end so that people might enter. There was only one entrance to the tabernacle. This was on the east side of the Holy Place. Between the entrance of the court and the entrance of the Holy Place stood the altar of burnt offerings. The first requirement to worship God is forgiveness of sins. An Israelite offered first his sacrifice as a token and sign of repentance. Jesus became our Sacrifice, the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sins of the world". Nearer the tabernacle stood the laver and its foot. The Israelite was ceremonially cleansed by the sprinkling of water and we are justified "by the washing of regeneration" through Jesus Christ. The first room of the tabernacle contained the altar of incense (a type of feeding the Word of God, the Scriptures), and the candlestick ( a type of the light of the Holy Spirit within the believer's soul). This room and its furniture depict the carnal state, or the justified state. It is described as "a worldly sanctuary" in Hebrews 9:2. The regenerated still have worldly or carnal tendencies in their hearts. The altar was overlaid with brass. Brass is an alloy, usually made of copper and zinc. It is a mixture. It is not pure. Brass is symbolic of impudence. A justified person has a mixed disposition. He is a civil was, "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" (Gal.5:17). This cannot be a description of a sinner, for a sinner has not the Holy Spirit who seeking to please God. A carnal person is apt to be very brazen, and may loudly declare that he "got it all atoonce". The justified experience, like brass, takes lots of polish and must be renewed often to keep fresh. One gentleman, who called himself a "Christian". told the writer that he repented at his bedside every night! This is even lower than the carnal state. The show bread was to feed the priests and was a testimony of God's care and provision. It must, however, be changed every week or it would become hard and mouldy. The candlestick was gold but it must be kept lighted by human agencies. Just so, the justified experience comes from God but man must work hard to keep his lamp burning brightly.

Behind the second veil was the second sanctuary called the "Holy of Holies" or the "Most Holy Place". There was no entrance to this room except from the Holy Place. It could be compared to the sanctified state for one must enter from the justified state. This is not to say that a person loses his justified experience when he is sanctified. Far from it, he solidifies and enhances his first experience with the Lord. What justified person would not desire to be closer to God, to more completely obey Him, and to more perfectly love Him? Into this last room the high priest went alone once a year only with the blood of a sacrifice, "which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people; the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet manifest..."(Heb.9:7-8). Justification saves us from sin as an act; sanctification saves us from sin as a nature; but even the sanctified need the blood of Christ save us from the sin of ignorance. Only glorification will ever remove from us our errors or infirmities. Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest, entered into the Most Holy Place with His own blood providing a complete cure for all sin, whether it be actual, original, or of ignorance.

The sprinkling of the blood of bulls and goats sanctified only to the purifying of the flesh, but when Jesus Christ was crucified a perfect grace was provided through His shed blood and torn flesh. While the offering of the blood of bulls and goats did sanctify, ceremonially, it takes the blood of Jesus to purify the conscience from dead works to do the perfect service of the living God. This is the difference between the Old Testament sanctification and the New Testament sanctification, In the Old testament, it was ceremonial and symbolic. It usual meaning was "to set apart". "dedicate", or "consecrate", but the New Testament meaning is usually to "make holy", "purify", or "cleanse". It is actual and experimental in nature. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the conscience. The gifts and sacrifices which the high priest offered "could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience" (Heb.9:9), and certainly no one else, but not so with Christ, "For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Heb.10:14). People are sanctified by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Only those who are entirely filled are entirely sanctified, for a person, place, or thing is holy only in exact proportion to his relationship to the Holy One of Israel. In the Old Testament, mountains, days, places, and things were sanctified because they were dedicated to His use, and/or occupied by His presence.

The Holy of Holies contained the ark of the covenant or the ark of the testimony. It was a box made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The top, or mercy seat, had two cherubim of gold knelling facing each other with their wing tips together. Inside the ark were the two tables of the Law or the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod, and a golden pot containing an homer of manna from the wilderness. The ark was symbolic of God's Presence, and when it was missing from the congregation of Israel, they feared that God was not with them. Therefore, the priests carried the ark with Israel into battle and on their journeys so that God might be with them. Once the Philistines stole the ark, killing Hopni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli. When Phinehas' wife bore a child she named him "Ichabod", which means "the glory is departed". "And she said, The glory is departed form Israel: for the ark of God is taken" (1 Sam,4:22). The Ten Commandments were carried in the ark as a reminder that they were to keep God's Law and a symbol of the time when they would be written upon tables of flesh (i.e., the heart). Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever" (Jn.14:15-16). The Feast of Weeks (Old testament), or Pentecost (New Testament), was a commemoration of the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. On the celebration of this great festival, fifty days after Christ (The Paschal Lamb) was slain, the Holy Spirit came in answer to Christ great High Priestly prayer (Jn.17), to fulfill God's promise, "I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and the shall be My people" (Jer.31:33). It was no accident that the baptism of the Holy Ghost came on the anniversary of the giving of the Law. The sanctified have God's laws written on their hearts and in their minds. They are living epistles of the grace of God, "written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart" (2 Cor.3:3). The anointing of the ark signified the spiritualizing of the commandments of God. God writes His commandments in our hearts by the anointing with the Holy Ghost. "He will guide you into all truth"; "He will show you things to come"; and, "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (Jn.16:13, 14:26). God's anointed keep the inward law of holiness. Modern Pharisees still quibble about ceremonies and accuse God's chosen people of sin, but God condemns not His anointed ones who mind the inward law.

Aaron's rod was a symbol of God's power, "wherewith thou shalt so signs" (Ex.4:17), was the promise of the Great "I AM". It was changed into a serpent, and devoured all the rods of the wise men and sorcerers of 'Egypt, which had been changed into serpents, also. Jesus took the form of a serpent (i.e., sinful man - Matt.3:7; 23:33) so that He might be the Cure for sin, for "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up" (Jn.3:14). The rod caused the ten plagues to come upon Egypt, opened the Red Sea for the Hebrews and closed it on the Egyptians, provided water, etc. It was a symbol of God's protection and chastening. This dead rod budded and bore fruit as a sign that God was with Aaron. Just so many useless lives could bear fruit if anointed with the Holy Spirit. God is present in the anointed life. When Jesus died upon the cross, the veil of the temple was rent in two from thetio to the ottom and there gave access to all believers in to the Holy of Holies. We are admonished, "Having therefore, brethren, boldes to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the House of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. 10: 19-22). The priests in the Old Testament entered into the Holy Place after having been sprinkled with water and anointed with oil. Their approach to the Holy of Holies was only through the high priest and that only once a year, but the New Testament priests (i.e., all believers) are urged to enter the Holy of Holies, "in full assurance of faith" (i.e., sure that they are justified by faith and have faith in the promises of God to sanctify them) and dwell there.

The court is symbolic of the experience of regeneration; the Holy Place depicts the justified life (i.e., the life of Christ); and, the Holy of Holies represents the Spirit-filled life (i.e., Christian). There are four things that we would like to mention about the Holy of Holies which are significant of the Christian.

First, there was unity in the Most Holy Place. The Ark, the Mercy Seat, and the Cherubim were all one piece of furniture and within the ark were the manna, the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and Aaron's rod which budded. There is a great difference between unity and union. Men want union; but God demands unity. A Christian is one with himself for the carnal mind is gone and he is no longer a double-minded man; he is one with all other Christians for self is crucified and God's will is supreme;and, he is one with God for he loves the things which God loves and he hates the things which God hates. Men say, "Join our church and we will all be one", but Jesus says, "Sanctify them... That they all may be one...".(Jn. 17:17-21). The Scriptures teach : "For both He that sanctfieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb. 2:11).

The second characteristic of the Holy of Holies was the shekinah glory of God which lighted the room. Neither sunlight nor artificial light were allowed in the Holy of Holies. The Sun of Righteousness in His effulgent glory sheds light within the Christian's heart, while the justified person is greatly dependent upon human help to light his soul. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn. 1:5). When Moses spoke to the Lord on the mount, he came down with his face shining so that men could not bear to look upon him except he wore a veil. Jesus has commissioned us as "the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14), and he told us to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven: (Matt. 5:16). But ours is but a reflected light. The Source and Giver of light is the One Who said, "I am the light of the world" (Jn. 8:12). The sanctified mind both better understands and better reflects God's grace. Paul said, "...for whatsoever doth make manifest is light" (Eph. 5:13). God shines through the Christians life to bring light to the world. His light came from obedience to God. John said, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 Jn. 1:7).

The third significant thing that we notice about the Holy of Holies is separation. Some people say that sanctification is only a "setting apart". Jesus did not use the word in any such sense, for He prayed for His disciples to be sanctified, but stressed the fact that they were not of the world (i.e., they were already set apart from the world), even as He Himself, was not of the world. A justified person is not of the world; he is separated from sin. The word that is translated "church" in the New Testament is ekklesie. It comes from two Greek words - ok, which means "out", and klesia, which means "called ones". Literally, the Church is made up of the "called out ones" (i.e., those who have responded to Gods call to come out of the world ). It is true, however, that while believers are separated from the world, Christians are separated from the world to a greater degree. "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you" (Jas. 5:8). A justified person has the remains of sin, a worldly nature, which remains in them until it is cleansed by the infilling with the Holy Ghost. A drowning person may be rescued from the water and be far up on the shore, but he is not completely saved until the water is pumped from his lungs. As the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies was separated from all other people and separated unto God, just so are all believers who enter by faith separated from all sin and to holiness. Paul urged Corinthians to be separated from unbelievers, unrighteousness, darkness and idols. He wrote, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no the unclean things; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

The fourth characteristic of the Holy of Holies is purity. Every article which was constructed for the purpose of remaining within the most Holy place was either pure gold or overlain with gold. It had a golden censor (or , probably the Greek word might more correctly be translated altar). the ark of the covenant which was overlaid with gold and had two golden cherubim on top, and within the ark was a golden pot to keep the manna which was kept as a symbol of God's provision. Gold is symbolic o f purity. Gold is first mined and washed. This is expressive of justification. As the gold is dug from the earth, so "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (Psa.40:2). As gold is washed, so He hath "loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Rev. 1:5). After this, the gold must be refined. Jesus came to "sit as a refiner of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness" (Mal. 3:3). The fire of the Holy Ghost will destroy the carnal impurities from the heart of a justified person and he shall be pure in heart. God promises His faithful ones that He "will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried..." (Zech. 13:9). The trial is necessary. Job said, ".. when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). The Holy Place had a brazen altar; the Holy of Holies had gold.

The use of the holy anointing oil is significant of the anointing which we receive from Jesus and the things which He does for us, and in us, and through us. God's gifts are never for show or self-esteem, but for use in service to our fellow man to the glory of God. Only those who had been washed were candidates for the anointing with holy oil. This is symbolic of the inward washing received "by the washing of regeneration" (Tit.3:6). Only those who have been washed from their sins by Jesus' blood can receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This anointing was given to Israelites only, never to strangers. Strangers are typical of sinners (i.e., those who are not born of God). Paul described the state of a sinner before being justified in Ephesians 2:12: "That at the time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world". In verse 11, he makes it plain that his readers were "Gentiles in the flesh". but they had become children of Abraham by faith. God had promised Abraham, "In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal.3:8). All believers are children of God by faith and heirs according to the promises. He is an heir to the anointing of God if he will but receive it. Paul tells how Jesus dies upon the tree; "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal.3:14). Christ died that Gentiles might be justified by faith as was Abraham, and they are justified that they might be anointed with the Holy Spirit. The anointing is not for strangers but for those who are Jews by faith.

The court, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place were all anointed with the holy anointing oil. It was the same anointing oil, for the same Holy Spirit convicts, justifies, sanctifies, and keeps. The difference is in the figure of things which were anointed. The articles in the Holy of Holies were of greater significance than those of the court and the Holy Place. A doll and a baby may be dressed with the same clothing, but the clothing is of more significance when on the baby because of the greater value of the baby. When a priest entered the Most Holy Place, the court extended completely around him still. When the apostle urged believers unto holiness, saying, "Wherefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection..." (Heb.6:1), he was urging them forward in grace, not backward or out of grace. A person who is sanctified is completely surrounded by his justification. It is established and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and the person moves into the center of God's will and glory as far from the world as it is possible to get in this life.

A Christian is one who is anointed, not with the anointing oil, but with the Holy Ghost as a definite second work or grace. A supernatural birth always precedes the anointing with the Holy Spirit. Jesus had a supernatural birth before He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and so must we. His birth was different from ours because, physically, He was born without the help of an earthly father. Our supernatural birth is spiritual in nature, but the same Holy Spirit Who was responsible for His physical birth is responsible for our spiritual birth. We might better understand the meaning of the word "Christian" if we were to spell the suffix acrostically. That means:

CHRIST
I (is)
A (all)
N (now).
Then, if I belong wholly to Christ
CHRIST,
I (myself)
A (am)
N (nobody).

"I die daily" but "Christ liveth in me". This, Praise God, is the Christian's experience.

III. The Manifestation of the Term

Since the word "Christ" means "Anointed", "Christian" means "one who is anointed like Christ". He was anointed "with the Holy Ghost and with power ..." (Acts 10:38). If we are to be like Him, we must be anointed "with the Holy Ghost and with power ...". Jesus was not baptized with the Holy Ghost for baptism implies "cleansing" or "purifying". This He did not need but His disciples did. Jesus was "anointed" with the Holy Ghost, for this implies "consecration", "setting apart", and "authority". The Greek word chrio, which is the root word from which we get our word "Christ", has a symbolic and religious force which means "to comsecrate to God by anointing". It is used to describe the anointing of Jesus in Luke 4:18, Acts 4:27, 10:38, and Hebrews 1:9. But in 2 Corinthians 1:21, Paul claims the anointing for himself and others by saying, "Now He who establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God". God anoints men with the same Holy Spirit with Whom He anointed Jesus. The Hebrew idea of "anointing" encompassed both "power and authority".

The writer of First John affirmed that at least some of his readers have the "anointing from the holy one", and that they were Divinely led because of that experience. some had apostatized, but there was no need for remaining ones to do so. John encouraged them by saying: "But ye have an unction (Greek - anointing) from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (I Jn.2:20). Some have concluded that since verse 18 is addressed to "Little children" that they were all new converts, and that since some of them had the "anointing from the Holy One" that all new converts have the anointing of God. this kind of logic is very poor. There are many assumptions and presuppositions necessary to reach such a conclusion. There are several loophlles in such an exegesis.

1) To assume that John meant the same thing when he said "my little children" (3:18) as Paul did when he addressed the Corinthians as "babes in Christ" (I Cor. 3:1), is assuming too much. even if the expressions were exactly the same, they were written by two different men and must be read in their proper context. Henry Clay Morrison has said, "A text without a context is usually a pretext". the context clearly proves them to be entirely different. Pauls "babes in Christ" were yet carnal, but John's "little children" were anointed with the Holy Spirit, if he was addressing the same group in 2:20 and 2:27 as he was in 2:18, 2:28, 3:7, etc.

2) It was wrong to assume that because they were addressed as "children", they were in a poor spiritual state. Even Paul did not use the term in such a way, for him we find him writing unto the same Church at Corinth: "brethren, be not children in understanding: habit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men" (I Cor. 14:20). Jesus compared childlikeness to a good spiritual state, when he said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). forgiveness and humility are two virtues which little children display.

3) John used terms of endearment to address his readers which Paul did not use. He called them "fathers", "young men", "beloved", and "little children" in this First Epistle. these terms could apply to their physical state, their spiritual age, of their spiritual state. we can see no reason why it should be assumed that they were newly converted and were not sanctified. Even a new convert and a child, physically, could be filled with the Holy Spirit. A doctrine that denies this is teaching growth, not grace by faith.

4) The possessive pronoun "my' which is found in some manuscripts in 3:18 adds more evidence that it was a term of endearment and tenderness used by John to address his new converts. We see no reason for supposing that it is intended to be a description of their state of grace, or if it were that it is a term of degradation.

Whatever he meant (and we believe that it implies that there were new converts), there were some who had received the anointing of the Holy Ghost, for John wrote in 2:27: "but the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is not a lie, even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him". We shall hurriedly compare this experience to one that Jesus promised His disciples and the one that they received at the historical Pentecost. he promised that the Comforter would "abide with you forever" (Jn. 14:16); "he will guide you into all truth" (Jn. 16:13), and "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (Jn. 14:26); he is "the Spirit of truth" (Jn. 14:17, Jn. 16:26); and we are sanctified through the truth (Jn. 17:17). we do not believe that John meant to imply that a Spirit filled man knew everything about everything, but that the Holy Spirit within him accepts all truth as it is presented and rejects all falsehood. the devil nature in the sinner does just the opposite. The best safeguard against being drawn into heresy is to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. It will prove of more value than university degrees, Scripture study, or even prayer. Degrees often engender pride and substitute men's foolishness for God's wisdom; scripture study can even be misguided and devil inspired. The anointing of the Holy Spirit alone will lead us into all truth.

Paul urged the Church at Phillippi, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). we cannot have His brain, but we must have his mind. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church, "but we have the mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2:16). Paul exhorted the Philippians to follow Christ's example of humility by saying: "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind," (Phil. 2:2). When God's commandments are written upon tables of flesh (i.e., the heart of a believer), and the Holy Spirit is at home in the soul, every knock of temptation will be answered by the abiding Holy Spirit, and every inclination to do wrong is immediately rebuked by a pure conscience. If you wish to know the Bible, the only safe teacher is the Holy Spirit, Who inspired it. This does not mean that He will never speak to us through the lips and pens of men, for this is the way He often speaks, but men's teaching should not be taken wholesale without regard to the "mind of the Lord". He, who would be taught of the Holy Ghost, must have a spiritual mind for "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 Cor. 2:14).

Experimentally, a person is a "Christian" when he receives the "anointing" of the Holy Ghost from God as a second work of grace. There are many reasons why it must be a second work of grace, but we will mention only one here. Jesus said concerning the coming of the Comforter, "Even the Spirit of truth, Whom the world cannot receive..." (Jn 14:17). The experience is for believers only. Often we hear a preacher calling "Christians" to sanctification. This is incorrect. "Christians" are already sanctified. "Believers" should be urged to be sanctified but not "Christians", for the same anointing which made them Christians sanctified them. They are synonymous terms, although their meaning are not exactly the same. It is wrong to call "Christians" to sanctification. This kind of reasoning implies that a person may be "Christ-like" but still carnal. John Wesley once called carnal believers "half-Christians". While this aims at the truth, it is still incorrect. The term "carnal Christians" is a misnomer, and is a slur on Christ. He never was carnal and never shall be. Those who are carnal are not yet "Christians".

Anything that is true in our relationship to Christ must be historically and Scripturally true. We must be dubious of experiences and revelations which have no Scriptural precedent. Historically and Scripturally, only those who were filled with the Holy Spirit were called "Christians". The term appears only three times in the New Testament, and, of course, none in the Old Testament. All of these are after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The term "Christian" does not appear in the Gospels for there were no Christians before Pentecost. The disciples were converted but they were not anointed. In Acts 11:26 we read: "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch". Some have concluded, wrongly, that "disciple" and "Christian" are synoymous terms. It means that those who were "ler\arners had become "Christ-like". It does not say that there were no Christians before that time, but that they had never been so designated. We know of only two disciples that we are sure were at Antioch at this time. One was Barnabas, of whom we read; "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and faith: and much people were added unto the Lord" (Acts 11:24). There is no question about his experience with God. He had received the anointing with the Spirit of God. The other disciple that we are sure was present at Antioch was a new convert called "Saul of Tarsus", who became the Apostle Paul. He was converted on the Damascus Road on his way to arrest and persecute the followers of Christ. Annias was sent unto him in Damascus, who, when he had come in unto Saul, said" "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, hat thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 9:17). Either God sent Annias on a mission of failure, or else Saul was filled with the Holy Ghost. We know that he was filled for he wrote, preached, and testified concerning the experience. We do not know who else was at Antioch, but these two were Spirit-filled men.

It has been intimated that the name "Christian" was given unto the disciples by sinners as a mocking slur. The Greek verb chrematizo suggests that the term had a divine origin. It is used only nine times in the Scriptures. Let us consider its use in each case. The word or phrase used to translate the verb chrematizo is underlined in each case.

Matthew 2:12: "And being warned of God in a dream that they (the wise men) should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way".

Matthew 2:22: "But he (Joseph) heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee".

Luke 2:26: "And it was revealed unto him (Simeon) by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ".

Acts 10:22: "And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all nations of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee (Peter) into his house, and to hear words of thee".

Acts 11:26: "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch".

Romans 7:3: "So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adultress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is no adultress, though she be married to another man"> Hebrews 8:5: "...Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle...".

Hebrews 11:7: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house...". Hebrews 12:25: "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven".

We believe that it is evident in seven of the nine cases where this word appears, either from the text or from the context, that God did the instructing in one form or another. In Rom. 7:3, we believe that the sense is more than that "she shall be called an adulteress" by her enemies or by people in general.Surely the impetus which would make such such a woman so styled comes from God Himself. Men will call her "an adultress", it is true, but they will do so because Jesus taught, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (Matt. 19:9). It is evident that she is first and foremost Divinely condemned. The translators and lexigraphers have used words to imply that the instruction came from God in most of the cases in point. This leaves only Acts 11:26 as questionable, and we feel that consistency demands that an accurate interpretation would read something like this: "And the disciples were Divinely called Christians first at Antioch". If it were given in derision, which we deny, it was so by Divine Appointment.

The word "Christian"appears the next time in Acts 26:26, where it reads: "then Agrippa said unto Paul, almost thou persuadest me to become a Christian". This translation from the King James Version is not exact. Literally, it reads, "In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian". Many teach that Agrippa firmly resisted Paul's preaching and mocked his efforts with sarcasm. While this interpretation might be possible, it seems very unlikely. If it were given in sarcasm, it should end with wither a question mark or exclamation mark. It would then read either: "Do you expect to persuade me to be a Christian in such a short time?"; or, "Thou would persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time!" Neither of these are permissible translation. There is not a manuscript which has a question mark at the end of this sentence. In the latter instance the verb would be in the imperative, which it is not. We believe the correct sense is found in the King James Version, and that he was really affected by Paul's preaching so that he nearly believed that Agrippa was sincerely convicted and he urged him to become "altogether such as I am, except these bonds" (Acts 26:29).

No matter what interpretation is given this passage, it does not change the meaning of the word "Christian". It is evident that Paul was recommending the complete Gospel to Agrippa, not merely the new birth. He had not given him the kind of weak doctrine which is so popular today. Paul declared that Jesus commissioned to go to the Gentiles, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in Me" (Acts 26:18). The forgiveness of sins encompasses the opening of their eyes (conviction); turning from darkness unto light (conversion) and from the power of Satan unto God (exorcism and regeneration). These are but different facets of the first work of grace. Note that there is just one verb "to turn". No person can turn from darkness without turning from the power of Satan, and no person can turn unto God without turning unto light, for "God is light", and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn.1:5). This is a solid experience of justification, but Paul did not stop there for he preached a second work of grace to him also (i.e., sanctification or the anointing with the Holy Spirit). After the forgiveness of sins which includes conviction, conversion, exorcism, and regeneration comes sanctification. It is subsequent to the new birth and it is received by faith in Jesus Christ. It is to the sanctified that Jesus promises an inheritance (i.e., heaven and eternity).

We believe that "sanctification", "the baptism with the Holy Ghost", and "the anointing with the Holy Ghost" are basically synonymous. We believe that the words are used interchangeably in the Bible. Jesus promised His disciples that He would pray for them that they might receive another Comforter, if they would keep His commandments (Jn. 14:16-17). When He prayed to the Father on their behalf, He asked the Father to sanctify them (Jn. 17:17), making it quite clear that they were already believers and were not sinning. He stresses the fact that they were not of the world in verses 9, 14, and 16. He does not ask the Father to receive them for they have received Him and He has received them. He asks that they be kept from evil. They were glorifying Christ and convicting the world of sin. The Comforter is the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26) and the disciples were promised His baptism (Matt. 3:11; Acts 2:1:5). When He came, He came "from heaven" (Acts 2:2); He fulfilled Joel's prophecy that God would "pour out" His Spirit (Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29); Peter said that He was "shed forth" (Acts 2:33); He had "fallen upon" none of the converts at Samaria until Peter and John laid their hands upon them (Acts 8:16); He "fell" and was "poured out" upon Cornelius while Peter was speaking (Acts 10:44-45); Peter told the Jerusalem Council that He "fell on" the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:15); He "came on" certain disciples at Ephasus (Acts 19:6); He i "shed abroad" in the Christians heart (Rom. 5:4); and, He is"shed on" us abundantly (Tit. 3:6). The holy anointing oil "was poured" upon the head of the high priest as a symbol of anointing of the Holy Spirit. He was commanded to be holy for God said, "for I the Lord do sanctify him" (Lev. 21:10,15). Thus, by preaching sanctification by faith, Paul had preached the anointing of the Holy Ghost unto Agrippa. He knew what a Christian was and was correctly using the word when he addressed St. Paul.

The third, and last, instance where we find the word "Christian" in the Bible is in 1 Peter 4:16, which reads: "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf". Peter addressed his readers as: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ..." (1 Pet.1:2). "As obedient children", they are urged to be "holy in all manner of behavior, Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (Pet. 1:14-16). The present imperative verb in verse 16 does not mean that they are to "become" holy, but, rather, that they are to remain or continue to be holy. They were already holy and they were admonished to continue in that state. Using another term of reference, Peter again in verses 22-23 points to the fact that they were Christians, when he said: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever". When Peter was explaining why he had baptized the household of Cornelius, he used "the baptism with the Holy Ghost" and "heart purity" as synonyms, by saying, "And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He Did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:8-9). The Greek verb anagennemenoi, which is translated "being born again", is a aorist middle participle. An aorist participle means that the action took place before the action of the leading verb. Thus, it means, "having been born again beforehand", they had afterward purified their souls by obeying the truth. The heart is made pure in a second work of grace. Peter told them that they were "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people..." (1 Pet.2:9). However, as is nearly always the case, some had not received that space. Just as a sermon cannot apply to everyone in the congregation, equally, so some of Peter's readers, at least today if not in the first century, were unsanctified. These he addressed as "righteous" in 3"12 and "followers of that which is good" in verse 13. He advised and urged them, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Pet.3:15). They were urged to get the experience not in spite of, but because of, the persecution which they would have to endure. He intimated that the righteous shall only scarcely be saved, but that there will be an abundant entrance for the "partakers of the Divine nature" (1 Pet.4"18; 2 Pet.1:4,11). The righteous (i.e., justified) will be saved only by walking in all the light that he had and being sanctified in the hour and article of death.

To those who are "partakers of Christ's sufferings" (1 Pet.4:13), and are "reproached for the name Christ" (v.14), Peter said, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf" (1 Pet.4:15-16). The justified person usually received little persecution because he is too much like the world, he is too weak to stand it, and God gives him the protection due an infant. Hypocrites suffer for their own sins, but Christians suffer because their holy loves are so Christlike that they are a rebuke to those who live in sin. If we live differently from the world, the world will notice it. James wrote, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jas.4:4). "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him" (1 Jn.2:15). We should love the souls of sinners but we must not be partakers with them in their evil deeds. Some one has wisely said, "In the day that thou shakest a base fellow's hand with complacency, thou makest thyself a base fellow". The key is association without fellowship. Paul puts it succinctly: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph.5:11). To those that he addressed as "Christians", Peter said, "the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you" (1 Pet.4:14). The preposition translated upon is the same Greek word used in Matt.3:16, to describe the anointing of Jesus, saying: "and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon Him". Prepositional arguments are not very strong, but at least what evidence there is is in favor of the position that the "Christians" to whom Peter wrote had an experience parallel to that which Jesus had which made Him the Christ.

The term "Christian" is of little value unless it is manifested practically. Many people seek to divorce experience and conduct. A holy character and conduct is indispensable to the profession of Christlikeness. A Christlike experience produces a Christlike life. Paul said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil.1:21). Thus, he testified that his life was filled with Christ that it was like Christ living over again. This is a very strong statement, but not an isolated one for we find similar statements elsewhere. Paul also said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal.2:20). "Christ liveth in me" - this is Christianity. Christians live unto the Lord, not to please themselves or others, but Him. To Timothy, Paul wrote: "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in behavior, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim.4:12). A person can be Christlike regardless of age, sex, circumstances, or station. He recognized the problems of youth,but stressed the grace of God. "Flee also youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Tim.2:22). Sin has great power, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom.5:20). He admonishes, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Phil.2:15). This is a large order - there is no room left for sin and failure. If we find ourselves weak, thank God, "He giveth more grace" (Jas.4:6). A person must have some grace before he can receive "more grace". A Christian lives entirely different from sinners in a practical, moral, and spiritual sense.

Jesus' teachings are equally pain. Before His crucifixion, He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father" (Jn. 14:12). He was preparing His disciples for the descent of the Holy Spirit. He promised that they would do greater works because He would send the Holy Spirit to anoint their lives and give them both authority and power to glorify God. "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will send Him unto you" (Jn.16:7). was His promise. He came to live within and work those weak disciples so that they might do greater works than Jesus, Himself. We would not dare to suggest such a thing if it were not Christ's plain teaching. They did such marvelous works as raising the sick who only touched their shadows, but their greatest work was that of soul winning. The sanctified apostles excelled in this most important duty. A perennial revival followed them and multitudes were swept into the kingdom. It was through the power of the Risen Christ that such things were done, for He is the Unigue and Real Christ, and Christians are only copies of Him, All of our righteousness is imparted for His glory and by His grace. He chooses the gifts which He wishes to give unto different individuals so that they might be the most useful in His kingdom. A holy life brings more glory to Christ than any other gift. This He gives freely to all who will allow Him to anoint them with the Holy Ghost.

We sometimes hear people say, "I'm a Christian, but I'm not perfect". They usually explain that they don't live above sin. Could you imagine a person being "Christlike" but not sinless! Was He not sinless? God did not intend for us to fight against sin in our own strength. He has promised us the victory, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech.4:6). It is impossible to please God without His power and grace. "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ (i.e., professes to be a Christian) depart from iniquity" (2 Tim.2:19). Jesus saves us from but not in our sins. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked" (1 Jn.2:6). Christ walked without sin; anyone who professed to be a Christian assumes the responsibility of walking as Christ walked. The idea that there are imperfect "Christians" is repugnant to the Scriptures as well as to common sense. Sin and righteousness are mutually exclusive. A man may say that he abides in Christ and still sins, but God says that that is impossible and we would rather believe God than men - especially when the men admit that they are sinners! John wrote: "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 Jn. 2:4). There is no difference between our standing with God and our state of life. "Whosoever abideth (present tense) in Him sinneth (present tense) not: whosoever sinneth (present tense) is not seeing (perfect tense) Him, neither knowing (perfect tense) Him" (1 Jn.3:6). The Greek perfect tense indicates a present state as a result of a past action. Thus, anyone who is now sinning does not now know Him, nor see Him as a result of their sins. They may have known Him in the past; they may know Him in the future; but now their sins have separated them from Him and this condition stands as long as they sin. "Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not...". A person cannot abide in Jesus and sin at the same time. This does not exclude the fact that he has sinned and may sin in the future, but now he is not sinning if he abides in Jesus. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 Jn.3:8). Some men add the word "hatitually" to this passage to confuse the issue. With John Wesley, we say, "I read it not". It is not there. Adding this word only makes the context foolishness. How many times must an act be repeated to be "habitual"? No matter where you divide between "habitual" and "occasional", you must divide on a single unit. The only sensible place to divide is between zero and one - not between nine and ten, or ninety-nine and a hundred. A person who commits no sin is righteous; a person who commits some sin is a sinner? How many times does a person have to commit murder to become a murderer? How many banks must he rob to become a robber? The answer of course is "One". One murder makes a person a murderer and one sin makes a person a sinner. "Little children, let no one lead you astray: he that does righteousness, is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that does sin, is of the devil; because the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 Jn.3:7-8).* The Greek verb which we have translated "does" is poieion, a present active participle. A present participle speaks of action which takes place at the same time as the leading verb. Thus, if anyone convinces you that you are righteous while you commit sin, he leads you astray (i.e., deceives you). It is not "habitually" for the Greek verb is used many times throughout the New Testament to describe an act that happened only once. It is a physical impossibility for a person to be short and tall at the same time. It is a financial impossibility for a person to be both rich and poor. It is a moral impossibility for a person to be both honest and dishonest. It is a spiritual impossibility for a person to be both a child of God and a sinner. He may be a moral sinner, but he is a sinner nonetheless. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (do) sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 Jn.3:9). Sin always brings spiritual death. A person cannot be both dead and alive, spiritually speaking as well as physically speaking. "In this the children of God are manifest (that they do not sin - v.9), and the children of the devil (that they do sin)..." (1 Jn.3:10).

Jesus said unto the man that He had healed by the pool of Bethesda, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (Jn.5:14). To the woman taken in adultery, He said, "Go, and sin no more" (Jn.8:11). It is surprising to see how many people class themselves with the Pharisees who brought this woman to Jesus. to them He said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (Jn.8:7). Just because those Pharisees were sinners, it does not follow that Christians are sinners, or that all men are sinners. Jesus gave more than friendly words of advice, good suggestions, or worthy goals. Both of these saying are imperative; they are commands, He provides grace to fulfill.

Do you call yourself a "Christian" when you know that you are not? Get the experience or cease at once! Alexander, the Great, asked a careless and untidy soldier what his name was. The soldier replied, "Alexander, sire", he was told, "Either change your name or change your habits". This advice is doubly good to those who profess the worthy name of Christ. How base to profane it as some do! We hear people speaking of being a "good" Christian, as though it were possible to be a bad one. The grace of God teaches us, that "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present world" (Tit.2:12). None of this teaching that we will be righteous when we get to heaven. We will be holy here or we will never get to heaven. It is written of the Son of God, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows" (Heb.1:9). God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit, Who brings gladness, because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. God anoints His followers who love righteousness and hate iniquity with the joy of the Holy Ghost. The world is amazed at those who have a joy in spite of their troubles. They are called "fanatics" but they are Christians.

Do you call others "Christian" when we know they are not? There is no such thing as a "carnal" Christian, or a "sinning" Christian, or a "bad" Christian. Holiness fighter have sometimes been designated as "Christians", but they are not. Paul promises that men will come in the last days, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Tim.3:5). The word translated "power" here is the same one used to describe ability given those who are anointed with the Holy Ghost in Acts 1:8 and 10:38. Jesus was anointed with "power" but men deny this grace today and yet call themselves "Christians". We perjure ourselves, displease God, and damn others if we call men "Christian" who have never received Spirit's anointing.

It is small wonder that certain people oppose a second work of grace for it has been preached unto them in such a garbled, twisted terminology that they believe that the whole idea is unscriptural. Thank God, it is both Scriptural and reasonable. Only those who, like Jesus, receive a spiritual anointing after a supernatural birth are Christians. Someone may say, "You are splitting hairs". No such thing, for there is just as much difference between a "believer" and a "Christian" as there is between "justification" and "sanctification". They are not the same and it is a perversion of the Scriptures to seek to make them the same. Peter said concerning the writing of Saint Paul that "they are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:16). A garbled Gospel is no Gospel at all, and if error destroys the teacher, so does it the hearer who believes it. Theologians of today manufacture words to suit their own purposes and then spend volumes to explain them. Here is a God given Biblical word which is gloriously expressive when the dust of the dark ages is shaken from it. Let us be done with its misuse and perversion. Let us use the word - but correctly.

Some would try to make a "Christian" lower in the spiritual realm than a "disciple". How completely unthinkable! It is the highest title on earth. A disciple is only a learner, but a Christian is the finished product. Those who refuse the discipline of the Church are to become unto us "as an heathen man and a publican" (Matt. 18:17). How should we treat an heathen man or a publican? Certainly not as a brother n Christ, but as one to win to Christ by prayer, testimony, and exhortion. Many church members could correctly be designated by their denominational name, but they are not Christians and should not be so called. "Holy and reverend in His name" (Ps. 111:9). Paul wrote of the power of God unto the Thesalonians, "That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thes. 1:12).
Amen.

Some say, "Such an experience is impossible today". If you want the wisdom of the Holy Spirit (which you cannot have without the Holy Spirit), we have good news for you. James wrote, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him" (Jas. 1:5). While there is human, carnal, and devilish wisdom, this is not the kind which God gives and James is talking about. He explains, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, the peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (Jas 3:17). After the disciples had received the anointing of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he told the inquirers, "All of you repent unto the remission of sins, and let each of you (who has repented) be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.* For this promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38-39). It is possible for us to have the same kind of experience. It is more than possible, it is necessary. The Christian's experience is made of equal parts of profession and life, but the anointing must come first. Let God anoint you with the Holy Ghost if He has not already! Amen and amen.

I. The Misuse of the Term