I disagree, the context of the message is towards false prophets. The prophesying, casting out demons, and miracles were outward deceptions of their true inward nature. This situation reminds me of a Steve Martin movie called Leap of Faith where Steve Martin plays the role of a scam artist preacher who swindles money out of people by performing fake miracles. He was a liar, a cheat, and a thief, and an atheist. I believe these are the type of people Jesus is referring to. In some ways they are similar to the Pharisees who outwardly appeared to be righteous and holy but inwardly they were heartless, cruel and selfish.
Dear BNR32FAN,
The people you described are not Christians and have not received the Early Rain of the Spirit. In other words, they have not been "called out from the world". The believers in the verse are believers who have received the Early Rain but are still under Satan's deceptions. The reason they are rejected is because they are still under Law. They are combining their own "works" with "faith". That is the only sin that leads to death.
Paul's conversion is the pattern we all will follow to be saved. Here is a quick summary of the pattern Paul laid down:
1Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
In order to understand this “pattern” (type), we must spiritually understand the steps of Paul’s conversion as recorded for us in
Acts 9:3-19.
This first set of verses show Paul’s time of being Called Out from the world. This is the Early Rain of the Spirit.
Acts 9:3-9 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
These first events which happened to Paul
symbolize the process that we all must go through to be “called out from the world” (enter the Church).
When an individual is Called Out from the world to follow Christ, Christ will come to them suddenly and without invitation. We do not have the free will ability to choose Christ as is commonly taught. If Christ does come to us in the present age, it will be a spiritual event that happens within us (
Luke 17:21). Christ cannot be seen with human eyes.
When Christ spiritually comes to an unbeliever and gives them the Holy Spirit, they immediately fall to the earth just as Paul did. The new believer has risen up out of the
sea of humanity to dwell upon the earth. The “earth” symbolizes the new believer’s carnality which still remains.
Since the new believer is still carnal and spiritually blind, they cannot recognize the “voice” that calls to them. They must rely on being told who the voice is. After being told that the voice is the voice of Jesus, Paul answers back to Christ as “Lord”. Since scripture says that no one can call Jesus “Lord” but by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
(1Cor 12:3), we know that this event happening to Paul is the Early Rain of the Spirit (
1Cor 12:3). Paul calls Him “Lord” but lacks the ability to know Him for himself. Christ remains hidden from Paul’s understanding, just as He remains hidden to all who experience the Early Rain of the Spirit.
Paul then asks Christ “what wilt thou have me to do”? Because Paul remains carnally minded, he believes that he must “do something” to earn the Lord’s favor. The Lord answers him by saying to arise and go into the city. The “city” represents the Great City which is Sodom and Egypt. Once in the city, someone (ministers of Satan) there will tell him what he must do. At that point, the new believer becomes deceived and “falls away”.
From verse 7, we see that no one with Paul experienced what Paul did. This visitation by Christ is only for the person who has been “called out”. It is a spiritual event and happens “within” Paul.
After Paul stands up and opens his eyes, he “saw no man”. This blindness of Paul’s represents his spiritual blindness. Scripture goes on to say that Paul had to be led by the hand. This explains why a new believer readily follows the false doctrines presented to them in the church (the blind leading the blind). The new believer has no ability to follow Christ for themselves.
After Paul arrived in Damascus, verse 9 says that Paul remained blind and did not eat or drink for 3 days. Paul’s time of spiritual blindness and inability to eat the true bread from heaven or to drink the New Wine causes him to fall prey to Satan’s deceptions. He quickly “falls away” from faith and returns to “works” (
2Thes 2:3). Because he rejects approaching Christ by faith alone, he commits the sin that leads to death. Now his new spiritual state is worse than his first when he was an unbeliever. He has become a Man of Sin under Satan’s influence.
This second set of verses below represents Paul’s conversion.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.
Here we are told that Paul is “chosen” regardless of His current fallen away state and that Paul will bear Christ’s name to the world. All of God’s Chosen vessels will likewise bear Christ’s name to this world.
In verse 17, Christ (symbolized by Ananias) comes to Paul a second time and heals his spiritual blindness and gives him the Latter Rain of the Spirit. Because Paul’s blindness is healed, Christ “appears” to Him. Paul no longer needs to be told who Christ is because he can now see Christ for himself. Paul can now start eating “meat” (truth).
Once Paul receives his nourishment from Christ, the brightness of Christ’s appearing (truth) destroys Paul’s religious carnal nature (the Great city Babylon/Sodom/Egypt/earthly Jerusalem) which taught him to approach God through Works of the Law.
Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Now that the Great City is destroyed within Paul, Paul is empowered by the Spirit to walk by faith in Christ (the New Wine/Blood of Christ), the true and narrow pathway that leads to God. He can now begin drinking the New Wine. The Man of Sin is now dead and a child of God is born.
Joe
