Spiritual I.D.

The First Rephidim Missionary Baptist Church is thankful that you have been directed to worship with us.  We believe that we are just a part of the people who have been drawn together through the call to salvation by the power of Jesus through the Holy Spirit in the building of His Church.  Jesus tells us in Jn. 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”  Also 1Pet. 2:9 says, “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We fight the fight of faith against an enemy that we cannot see, Eph. 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Keeping in mind that this world is not our home, we believe that the choice was made before the earth was made, Eph. 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”  From this we are to understand that the call to salvation, or, the being chosen by God are for God’s purposes.  See also Rom. 8:28.  We are chosen soldiers in God’s army to fight the fight of faith against Satan and his army.  But we were chosen “before the foundation of the world”, so that when this part of our assignment is over, and we have kept the faith we can return and stand before God “holy and without blame before him (God) in love (Jesus).”  

As we all know, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”, Rom. 5:12.  This verse is describing the spiritual occurrence that took place through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden where we suffered spiritual death through being separated from God, being driven out of the Garden.  This state of being dead is described in Eph. 2:1, “And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins.” 

We are to understand that the fall of Adam in the Garden was not a failure on God’s part nor a victory for Satan, even though he thought so.  But we are told in Rom. 8:20, “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope.”  The being “subjected [the same] in hope,” is the same as what is stated in Eph. 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”  This is saying that those who were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, before the fall of Adam, that were one with God, will have a chance to become one with God again through the gift of salvation, through Jesus Christ.  This is why to be saved means we become a member of the body of Christ, who was God in flesh.  To that people God says, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding”, Jer. 3:15. 

Even if you don’t agree with this teaching, please consider it for a moment.