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| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ( A ) WITHOUT CHRIST The apostle Paul asks a self-evident and self-answering question in his second letter to the Corinthian Christians. In the 13th chapter, Paul asks; 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? - 2 Cor. 13:5 Paul is posing a question to the Christian concerning the matter of self examination and the issue of the reprobate condition. Not because he himself does not know the answer, but rather, Paul knows the answer and couches that answer within the question. Thereby he wants the Christian to reason out and think about the question that is asked. And the question answers itself. Reprobate people are people in whom Jesus Christ does not live and reign. As opposed to the born-again person, the Christian, in whom Jesus Christ does live and reign. The reprobate is separated from the life and authority in Christ, this is just the opposite for the Christian. The born-again person has fellowship with Christ, there is a relationship and a Lordship of Christ in the life of the born-again person. Whereas the reprobate does not have this in their life. This is an important distinction as the scriptures will reveal. Since according to the instruction of scripture, the reprobate means a person in whom Christ does not live, then how exactly is it that Jesus Christ does not dwell and reign in the reprobate person? That is to say, by what means or what is the reason for the condition and state of the reprobate. Paul again answers this question in other letters, one of which was written to the Roman Christians and in another letter to Timothy. In his letter to the Christians at Rome, Paul states; 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. - Romans 1:28-32 Notice the cause and reason for why God gives a person over to a reprobate mind. The reason is because the person has chosen not to retain and keep God in their knowledge. The cause is simply a deliberate rejection of God in the persons� life which therefore also means a rejection of Christ in the persons� life. This conclusion of Paul to the Roman Christians therefore perfectly agrees with his self-answering question that he posed to the Corinthian Christians which revealed that the reprobate person does not have Jesus Christ inside them. Christ is not dwelling, fellowshiping and reigning on the inside of the reprobate person simply because such a person is nothing more than someone who deliberately chooses to reject God. Rejecting God is the same as rejecting Jesus Christ. But there is another interesting bit of detail which Paul gives in the above verses of Romans. Notice the descriptions which Paul uses concerning the reprobate person in verses 29-32 and then take a look at Pauls� description of reprobate people in his 2nd letter to Timothy ( similarities noted in yellow and underlined ). In Pauls� 2nd letter to Timothy, he writes these words; 1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. - 2 Timothy 3:1-8 It is quite interesting that the descriptions of reprobate people in Romans chapter 1 match many of the descriptions of the reprobate people in the last days as outlined in Pauls� letter to Timothy chapter 2, ( similarities noted in blue and underlined ). Moreover, take particular note of verses 5 and 7 and 8 of 2 Timothy. In verse 5, Paul states that these wicked, reprobate people have a form of godliness when in reality they actually deny the very power of godliness. ( See also Titus 1:16 ). Verse 7 of 2 Timothy describes the reprobate person particularly clear. Such people, in spite of all of their knowledge gathering, are yet never able to arrive at and obtain the knowledge of the truth. Verse 7 matches the description of the reprobate in Pauls� letter to the Roman Christians due to the fact that such persons do not like to retain God in their knowledge. Also, verse 7 matches the description of the reprobate person who does not have Jesus Christ living on the inside of them as revealed in Pauls� question to the Corinthian Christians. The scriptures in Romans 1:28 states that people who are reprobate are in that condition because such people do not like to retain God in their knowledge; 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; - Romans 1:28 That being the case, then consequently such people would certainly never be able to obtain the knowledge of the truth. Simply because God and His Word is truth. To reject the one is to simultaneously reject the other; 4. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. - Deuteronomy 32:4 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8. And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. - Zechariah 8:7-8 4. Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. 5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. - Psalms 25:4-5 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. - Psalms 25:10 17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. - John 17:17 In addition to this, Jesus Christ is also truth; 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. - John 14:6 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: - Ephesians 4:21 Thus the scriptures clearly provide the evidence to show that the reprobate rejects God in their knowledge which then also results in such people never being able to obtain the knowledge of truth. Truth is who Jesus Christ is and therefore, as the apostle Paul reveals in his letter to the Corinthian Christians, the reprobate person is someone who does not have Christ, the Truth, living in them. The apostle provides a very clear, descriptive profile of the reprobate mind and why people become reprobate. Then in verse 8 of 2 Timothy chapter 3, Paul gives the Old Testament example of two reprobate men; 8. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. - 2 Timothy 3:8 Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses. This verse reveals that these two men not only knew who the man Moses was, but they also knew who the God was whom Moses served. The two reprobates would then also have known the truth and the faith of that God whom Moses served. Again, take note of the descriptive words used to describe these two reprobates. Jannes and Jambres were men who resisted the truth which fits the description of reprobate people whom Paul writes about in Romans 1:28 because such people do not like to retain God in their knowledge. Therefore, 2 Timothy 3:8 further describes Jannes and Jambres as men of corrupt minds. Thus, these two men who resist the truth and chose to reject God which resulted in their having corrupt minds reveals that such persons were reprobate concerning the faith. All this to say that Jannes and Jambres knew the God of Moses. Yet they rejected God, His faith and His Truth. Therefore, when those two men withstood Moses, that meant that they were also withstanding the God whom Moses served and worshipped. They had corrupt minds and were reprobate concerning the faith. Whose faith? The faith of Moses which was the faith whose very foundation was the God who Moses served and worshipped. These words of Paul sound very much like the people written about in Romans who knew God and deliberately chose to reject that God and His knowledge from their minds which resulted in such corrupt people becoming reprobate ( Romans 1:18-27 ). And finally, as Paul instructs the Christian in verse 5 of 2 Timothy chapter 3, it is from such reprobate people whom we, ( the Christian people who are not reprobate, the people in whom Christ does truly live and have Lordship ), should turn away. As the scriptures will further reveal, reprobate people, like their father the devil, are capable of appearing to be light, good and holy. Such people have a deceptive yet convincing form of being godly and appearing to be Christian when all the while such people really have no life nor fellowship with the Living God who is our salvation. The apostle provides another clear and revealing insight into the reprobate person in the book of Ephesians; 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20. But ye have not so learned Christ; 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. - Eph. 4:17-24 Notice the characteristic terms which Paul uses. Vanity of the mind, a darkened understanding, alienated from the life of God because of ignorance in them, blindness of heart, people who are past feeling and therefore have given themselves over to lasciviousness and corrupt due to deceitful lusts. All of these reprobate qualities fit the characteristic patterns of the reprobate as established by Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, Romans chapter 1 and 2 Timothy chapter 3. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A - Without Christ B - Reprobates & good works C - Reprobate prophets D - Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes E - Gods' Word |
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