Can a Christian have a demonic spirit in them that needs to be cast out?

According to the Bible, a Christian can be carnal (unspiritual in their behavior and thinking), a Christian can harden their heart, a Christian can commit sin, a Christian can be tempted and yield to Satan, a Christian can yield to the lusts of their flesh, but there is no example, instruction, or any hint anywhere in the New Testament of a Christian having a demonic spirit cast out of them – not a single text.

Christians have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13-14), and have been given authority over demons.

The authors of the New Testament epistles (the letters written to believers) address demonic influence in the lives of believers from the vantage point of repentance, instruction in righteousness, correction, sound doctrine, and submitting to God in obedience and faith. There is not a single time in which the authors of the New Testament epistles articulate the need for deliverance by having a demon cast out. The language is always that of articulating what God has done in Christ, and the Christian’s call to the obedience of the faith.

For example, Paul writes to the Corinthians describing them as carnal because of the envy, strife, and divisions among them. The Corinthians had all sorts of issues that modern day deliverance ministries would quantify as demonic activity in need of deliverance.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul gives a laundry list of sins prevalent among the Corinthians: quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder (2 Corinthians 12:20). Paul also addresses their indifference to sexual sin, irreverence for the Lord’s supper, and misuse of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Paul says the following regarding the Lord’s Supper:

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 ESV

Paul later tells them the following:

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:27-34

Paul never addresses the issues among the Corinthians from the position of deliverance from demons. Instead Paul addresses their sin, their carnality, their idolatry, and in his rebuke reminds them that they are the temple of God and that God will judge them if they do not judge themselves

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-16

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

The Corinthians needed correction and spiritual discipline. They had already been delivered from the power of darkness but now needed to learn how to live holy and godly lives because God would judge them if they did not serve him with reverence and godly fear. In fact Paul does not speak of casting devils out of any of the Corinthians. On the contrary, Paul expressed that he had delivered one of them over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so that their spirit could be saved in the day of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:3-5).

Paul had spiritual oversight of the Corinthians, and rather than casting the devil out of a believer living in unrepentant fornication, he turned them over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so they would call on God in repentance. The deliverance that a Christian needs is not that of having a demon cast out. It is that of repentance, renewing their commitment to God, renewing their minds, believing the truth, growing in faith, growing in grace, and growing in the knowledge of Christ.

With regards to any kind of oppression, depression, loneliness, fear, etc., among our fellow Christians, we are called to comfort the feeble minded and support the weak (1 Thessalonians 5:14) not cast devils out of them.

In 2 Corinthians 6 Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are God’s temple and not the devil’s.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; 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 Corinthians 6:14-18

Paul then tells the Corinthians this – Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 7:1

The Corinthians needed to understand that if they did not live for God in a manner that was reverent, God himself would judge them. Consider that Paul actually has to tell them that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed (1 Corinthians 12:3).

Throughout the New Testament we are given instructions regarding how we are to confront the devil. Never are Christians called on to cast out demons from other Christians. Instead, we are called to give no place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7) and resist the devil steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:7).

Those who go around doing deliverance on Christians are not promoting sound doctrine, nor are they promoting the truth in Christ according to the gospel.

Dear Christian, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit because you have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. God is your Father and you have been delivered from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. If you are struggling with sin, fear, or any other form of oppression, you do not need a demon cast out of you. You need time with God. You need to grow in your faith, grow in his grace, grow in the knowledge of his word, and seek to live a godly and pure life before God, and God will help you.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. ~ James 4: 7-10

Recently I came across an article in which the author claimed that all Christians believe in the doctrine of the Trinity and anyone who doesn’t isn’t a Christian, but a heretic instead.

Consider the plight of the person who had just cried out to God for forgiveness and has no idea about any doctrine regarding the Trinity. All he knows is his lost condition without Jesus and thus he cries out to the Lord for forgiveness and salvation. Is he not saved because he has no knowledge about the doctrine of the Trinity?

In the book of Acts we read about a group of believers who had no knowledge about the Holy Spirit until Paul ministered to them.

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost… ~ Acts 19:1-2

Notice that these disciples had not even heard about the Holy Spirit, so obviously they had no doctrine of the Trinity.

And he (Paul) said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. ~ Acts 19:3-6

Notice that these were disciples but they had yet to hear about the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul in no way discredits their faith in Jesus, nor does he attempt to persuade them to believe in Jesus. They had already believed the gospel John the Baptist preached concerning Jesus, and they had been baptized by John. If these disciples had died before Paul had gotten to them, they would have gone into the presence of the Lord because they had believed the gospel preached by John the Baptist – they had believed in Jesus!

Salvation comes through faith in Jesus and not through any doctrine of man.

I wholeheartedly affirm and believe in the divine attributes of God as revealed in the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, but I find many evangelicals have, at best, a very flawed understanding of scripture regarding the Godhead.

There is only one God, and he has a Son who is the Savior of the world, and he gives his Spirit to all who trust in him.

Lord willing, there will be more to come on this topic.

According to the Bible there is only one God and he has a Son, Jesus Christ.

In John 17, Jesus prayed the following words:

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. ~ v.1-5

When the New Testament is surveyed, the overarching truth which comes up again and again is that the One true God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ is his Son in the fullest sense of the word, having the same divine and eternal nature as the Father. In the text above, Jesus prays to the Father to be glorified with the Father’s own self which is the glory he had before the world was. Christ came from God and has always existed with God and in God. The apostle Paul refers to the deity of Christ as the mystery of godliness.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. ~1 Timothy 3:16 

Christ is one with the Father in spirit, being divine, and in his eternal existence having always been with the Father. Jesus came into the world from the Father, who is God.

In 1 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul declares, For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. ~ 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

Notice the language Paul uses: One God, the Father of whom are all things… and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things. This is consistent with Paul’s words elsewhere, that God created all things by Jesus Christ.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ… ~ Ephesians 3:8-9

According to Paul, the unsearchable riches of Christ were hidden in God from the beginning of the world. Christ is indeed the revelation of God’s person who dwells in unapproachable light and whom no man has seen (1 Timothy 6:16). Christ is the revelation of God’s person to fallen humanity. 

The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as the Son by whom God has spoken to us, by whom also God made the worlds. He then declares that Jesus is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. ~ Hebrews 1:3

In creation we see God’s outward handiwork, In Christ we see his inward glory and beauty – his love, his grace, his kindness, and his mercy. Christ brings us into fellowship with God and reveals to us his glory by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the One true God who gave his only begotten Son.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. ~ Matthew 10:19-20

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance… But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy… ~Acts 2:1-4; 14-18

In the texts above Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of your Father (God), and Peter interprets the Holy Spirit coming on the Day of Pentecost as God pouring out his Spirit. Over and over again, the Holy Spirit is referred to as God’s Spirit.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

He is also referred to as the Spirit of Christ.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ~ Romans 8:9

Consider Paul’s words to the Ephesians: 

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ~Ephesians 3:14-19

Paul bows in prayer before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is the Father to whom we pray through Christ. Paul says the whole family in Heaven and in earth are named from the Father. He then refers to the Holy Spirit as the Father’s Spirit: that he (the Father)  would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man…

Notice Paul’s expectation of the Father granting strength in our inner man by his Spirit is to this end – that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we be rooted and grounded in love, that we comprehend the love of Christ in all its vastness, and thus be filled with all the fullness of God.

In Christ the fullness of God is revealed. Through the Spirit Christ dwells in our hearts drawing us close to the glorious God who sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. In Christ, God is revealed to us. Through the Holy Spirit Christ lives in us. This is the fellowship of the mystery we are called into, and thus we come to know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. 

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

In 1 Corinthians 13:14 Paul writes, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

These words of Paul are often used to help make a case in support of trinitarian doctrine, but I don’t think this is Paul’s intent here. Instead, the communion of the Holy Spirit seems to be a reference to fellowship among believers because of the love of God and grace of Christ. Only two short verses prior to this statement Paul writes, “greet one another with a holy kiss.”

Paul’s teachings are filled with exhortations of unity among believers as the household of God.

In Ephesians 4, Paul tells the church at Ephesus to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ~ Ephesians 4:1-3

Paul then says, There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling… ~ v. 4.

Paul’s doctrine regarding the Holy Spirit has far more to do with Christ in us, and the unity of the saints than attempting to prove the triune nature of the Godhead. Consider for example, Paul’s words in Ephesians 2.

For through him (through Jesus) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  Now therefore ye (Gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. ~ Ephesians 2: 18-22

Paul is the only writer in all of scripture that gives us the concept that believers are corporately the body of Christ and the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. There are references to unity elsewhere in the New Testament but only Paul expounds on the church as the body of Christ in-dwelt by the Spirit of God.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. ~ Acts 5:38-42

In Acts 5 the apostles were beaten and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

Who does that?! Those who have yielded to the hidden work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

The apostles did not cry foul that they had been mistreated, but embraced the opposition from their religious counterparts, knowing that it is God who would establish their testimony of Jesus, and if their suffering shame for his name was part of the call, then so be it. This was the hidden work of the Spirit in the lives of the apostles who had no ambition to promote themselves, but only the Lord Jesus who had died and risen again and was now the reigning King at the right hand of God.

Too many are looking for the work of the Spirit on the surface (through the arm of the flesh and uncontrolled manifestations) rather than the hidden work of the Spirit within. 

As the Word of God is planted like a seed and grows within the heart changing us from within, even so it is with the work of the Spirit in our lives. 

When Jesus was with his disciples he said to them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he shall show you things to come.” ~ John 16:12-13

It was only a short time after this that Peter drew his sword to defend Jesus when Judas led a band of men to take Jesus into custody. Peter did not yet understand the power of the Spirit which Jesus walked in as he willingly journeyed towards the cross.

In due time he would understand. 

This same Peter, who had drawn the sword the night Jesus was arrested would later rejoice after being beaten because the Spirit had filled him.

After Pentecost, Peter learned to rely on the power of God which is real, genuine, and authentic. He no longer needed to draw the sword in the arm of the flesh. 

The hidden work of the Spirit had taken root in Peter’s life.

In Romans 15, Paul tells the Gentile Christians that they are debtors to our Jewish brethren (Jews who believe in Jesus the Messiah) because we have become partakers of their spiritual things.

For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. ~ See Romans 15:27

Being indebted is a reference to love and gratitude.

The salvation that God has provided through our Lord Jesus Christ has come through his covenant with Abraham and Abraham’s descendants. In scripture, the Messiahship of Jesus cannot be separated from his physical lineage to Abraham. Matthew gives us the genealogy of Jesus for this purpose and in Romans Paul links God’s promise in the gospel to Jesus as the seed of David.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead… ~ Romans 1:1-4

In Hebrews 2, the author of Hebrews declares concerning Jesus’s humanity: For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. ~ Hebrews 2:16

In the book of the Revelation, the heavenly messenger said to John, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. ~ See Revelation 5:5. And at the close of the book of the Revelation, Jesus himself declares, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” ~ Revelation 22:16

In Acts 7, Stephen preached the gospel before the Sanhedrin declaring how God fulfilled his promises through the death and resurrection of Jesus within the context of the narrative of the story of Israel. In fact, every gospel sermon in the book of Acts is wrapped in the story of Israel.

When Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “salvation is of the Jews”, it was within the context of seeking and worshipping the one true God. The one true God chose Abraham and his descendants to be his people forever and to make his name glorious and throughout the earth. The salvation that God has provided through his Son, Jesus Christ, cannot be separated from God’s call of Abraham and the story of Israel, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. ~ Romans 9:4-5

The mystery of Christ came through Abraham’s family and this is how salvation is of the Jews, Gentiles who are saved are grafted into Abraham’s family through Jesus the Messiah, and in this manner we are indebted to Israel. Whenever anyone separates salvation in Jesus from the story of Israel a false gospel is formulated. The gospel by which we are saved is forever united with God’s covenant to Israel which began with Abraham, for he established a testimony in Jacob ~ Psalm 78:5.

The God who has saved the Gentiles is the God of Israel, and for that we are to be indebted with gratitude and love.

In closing consider the words of Zacharias who prophesied by the Holy Spirit:

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. ~ Luke 1:67-79

The salvation which we have in Jesus Christ, has come through God’s covenant with the father of our faith, Abraham.

The apostle Peter tells us that besides the precious promises we have received, we are to with all diligence, add to our faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance (self control); and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. 

Peter then tells us that if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he who lacks these things is blind and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 

These are the things that matter with God. 

Peter then links these things to our election and calling. He says, Wherefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fail.

Think about that statement – you will never fail! This is fail proof Christianity. 

Peter then tells us the following regarding these things taking root and abounding in us: For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

This is what truly  matters to God. These are the things he wants in our lives. 

See 2 Peter 1:4-11

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you… ~ 1 Peter 1:14-20

Jesus redeemed us with his precious blood to make us holy in the sight of God. Being made holy is not merely a positional standing before God. Instead, it is real holiness whereby we serve God with a pure heart by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. In the introduction to Peter’s letter he describes the people of God 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 Peter 1:2

The sprinkling of the blood has to do with that which has been consecrated and set apart as holy unto God. Under the law of Moses the atoning blood was sprinkled on the altar, the people, the priesthood, the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy, and the mercy seat within the most holy place. The atoning blood purified all theses under Moses as types and shadows of the blood of Christ purifying us and making us holy in the sight of God.

We were chosen in the foreknowledge of God to be holy, and God himself fulfills this in our lives by the sanctifying work of his Holy Spirit and our obedience to Jesus and cleansing by his blood. In view of our call to be holy, Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed from our old life by corruptible things. Instead, we were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot…”

Unfortunately, there are some among the clergy (unscrupulous ministers) who do not teach sound doctrine about the blood of Christ. They teach as if it is a spiritual charm for blessings (often related to material possessions). Such twisting of the truth of God has led many into spiritual error.

According to the scriptures, Jesus shed his precious blood to save us from our sins and to reconcile us to a Holy God. Holy means sacred and set apart. Everything about God is sacred and he is to be reverenced by all who call on his name. In the text cited above, the apostle Peter says, if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear…

As foreigners sojourning through this life, we are called to live in godly fear. While we rejoice that we are loved by God and have received mercy and grace, we also reverence God because he is holy. When God’s love is coupled with godly fear and reverence the end result is a holy life that glorifies God.

This is the foundation for correctly understanding all that scripture teaches about the blood of Christ: God is holy, and we must be cleansed and purified from sin to stand in his presence. Without Jesus’s blood purifying us, and the Holy Spirit sanctifying us, we would have no fellowship with God, who is holy.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. ~ John 1:17

The law of Moses was national Israel’s covenant until Christ, through whom the new covenant has been established. The law of God (God’s ways – righteousness, truth, mercy, judgements, etc.,) is eternal.

The law of Moses was given to Israel as a tutor to teach them God’s law (God’s ways as mentioned above) and was the conduit of God’s law until Christ. Consequently Israel was under carnal ordinances (Hebrews 9:10) which were given to teach them the ways of God. These carnal ordinances were such things as the sacrificial system, the priesthood, the feast days, etc. These were all types and shadows pointing to Christ, and continued until the time of reformation when Christ fulfilled God’s law by giving himself as the offering for our sins and becoming our great high priest.

Because of Jesus we do not keep the ordinances instructed the law of Moses for the children of Israel in the Old Testament. We are not required to bring an unblemished goat to a temple in Jerusalem where an appointed priest offers it as a sin offering on our behalf. We simply look to Jesus in repentance when we sin, and his precious blood cleanses us from all sin because Jesus gave himself as the offering for our sins when he died on the cross.

The law of God requires atonement for sin. The law of Moses taught this lesson through the sacrifices and the priesthood, but Jesus fulfilled God’s law regarding atonement by giving his innocent life for our sins. Now there is no longer any need for the tutor (the law of Moses) to instruct us how to have our sins atoned for. Jesus has fulfilled God’s law and we come to Jesus for forgiveness and are reconciled to God through him.

The law of God is eternal and is now administered through the grace of Christ and not through the law of Moses (by the newness of the Spirit and not the oldness of the letter). The law of God administrated through the law of Moses was written on tables of stone. The law of God through Christ is now written in our hearts.

Recently, I have discovered that some Christians are advocating that profanity is not a sin. In response I would briefly like to say the following.

I was saved nearly 41 years ago at age 14. Before my conversion, I had a very filthy mouth. I was saved on a Thursday night before Easter, and when I repented and turned to the Lord there was such a deep cleansing of my soul from sin that I felt clean in a way I had never experienced before. The next day at school I only said one cuss word and I had a restraint in me to not cuss, and I repented from my heart. This was literally the first evidence of the work of God’s Spirit in my life changing my conduct that I remember.

The problem I have with any Christian justifying profanity is that it is a characteristic of our old sinful nature that Christ redeemed us from. We are instructed to put off the old man, and a trait of the old man of sin is filthy language (Colossians 3:8). Christians should be encouraging one another to put on Christ, to have wholesome speech, and to walk in the Spirit by exercising self control.

The persuasion that it’s OK to use profanity because of the culture we live in (as some argue) does not come from God. In the New Testament, the Corinthians lived in a culture where all manner of fornication was prevalent but Paul expected the believers at Corinth to put away such deeds since becoming saints. In fact, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for allowing fornication among them that not even the world around them participated in.

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. ~ 1 Corinthians 5:1

When the world has more of a conscience of what lines shouldn’t be crossed than Christians do, it’s shameful! The truth is, unbelievers know that profanity is wrong.

I have worked in construction and have been around plenty of filthy mouths. I can tell you that there are people in the world who use profanity (its just the way they talk even when there is no ill intent towards anyone), but when they get around a Christian who lives a Christ-like life many times they will be apologetic for their filthy mouth. Oftentimes they actually try to tone it down out of respect because they know it’s wrong and they know that God is a Holy God. 

Yet some Christians are now teaching other Christians that profanity is OK?! How did we get here?

We are instructed in scripture not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  When I consider the whole counsel of scripture regarding our words, our tongue, our mouth, our speech, etc…, it is abundantly clear that profanity is contrary to God’s will regarding how a Christian should speak. 

As Christians we live in a world where unbelievers around us are going to have unsavory language, but why would any Christian think that participating in such filthy talking would be a good way of evangelizing such people, yet this is an idea that some seem to embrace. God doesn’t use filthy talk to convict the heart of sinners. God works through that which is pure, and holy in his sight. This is Christianity 101, and I marvel that some Christians actually don’t understand this.

As Christians, we were saved from our sins by a Holy God, who has called us to be holy and to live godly. Godly people don’t go around using profanity to evangelize and engage with culture. The desire for profanity is from the lusts of the flesh and not the leading of the Spirit.

It is one thing for a Christian who in a time of weakness, sorrow, or being overly tempted, to say things he or she will later regret and repent of saying. It’s another thing entirely to endorse the use of profanity and to teach believers that it is acceptable with God to use such talk. It is not!

Honestly, I am baffled that this is even up for debate among Christians and needs to be addressed.