Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ [of Messiah]: (Ephesians 4:13)
Perfect members of a perfect Body are being formed. A perfect Man is being created by the ministries imparted by the ascended Jesus. It is the one new Man.
As Adam and Eve were one, so the Lamb and His Wife are to be considered one new Man.
The one new Man is the eternal house, the eternal temple, the habitation, the dwelling place, the resting place, the tabernacle of God.
The eternal Temple of God is constructed from the Cornerstone, Christ, and also from the additional stones being formed and cut to size.
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (I Peter 2:3-6)
The Zion out of which the Deliverer will come and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, according to the Scriptures, consists of the chief Cornerstone, the Lord Jesus, and also the living stones who are being formed as an integral part of Himself.
The one new Man is the eternal house of God, the place of God's rest forever. It is the holy city, the new Jerusalem. It is the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom coming from Heaven, the kingdom of priests that will rule the nations of saved peoples on the earth forever.
There is no temple in the one new Man, in the new Jerusalem, for God and the Lamb are the Temple of it. The Throne of God and of the Lamb are in it and the nations of the saved will walk in the light of it.
Eventually the entire creation will become part of the one new Man so that every saved creature reveals in himself the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be no more "sea" of people who are not part of the one new Man.
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)
There is a place of rest in the one new Man for every person whom the Lord our God has called.
In my Father's house are many mansions ["abodes," as in verse 23]: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
The house of the Father is the one new Man. Our Lord Jesus went to the cross, and then ascended to Heaven and sprinkled His blood upon and before the Mercy Seat of God so each of us may become an eternal part of the one new Man.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
One New Man, #2
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
"To make in himself of two (Jew and Gentile) one new man."
The above statement was written by an Orthodox Jew!
The context of the one new Man includes the description of the eternal house 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 2:20-22)
The one new Man is the habitation of God through the Spirit, of which habitation the Lord Jesus is the chief Cornerstone.
Who is the one new Man?
The "twain," of Ephesians 2:15, refers to the saved "Gentiles in the flesh" and "the commonwealth of Israel."
The one new Man is created in the Lord Jesus: "for to make in himself of twain one new man."
The one new Man is made in Christ and remains in Him as part of Him, being created in Him and not being in any sense outside of Him. If something is formed inside of a person and remains eternally in that person, and the person receives the addition as part of himself, then the new creation becomes an integral part of the individual.
The one new Man is Christ and all who are part of Him, whether a Jew or Gentile by natural birth.
The one new Man is Christ-Head and Body-who is to appear and remove ungodliness from Jacob, and also to bring justice to the nations of the earth. The one new Man is the eternal Servant of the Lord.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1-4)
For as the [human] body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ [Messiah]. (I Corinthians 12:12)
The Lord Jesus is the supreme Lord and Head of His Church. His Church is His Body, His fullness.
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22,23)
The Body, the fullness, of Christ is being built through the ministries given to the Church by the ascended Christ.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ [of Messiah]: (Ephesians 4:13)
To be continued.
______________________________________________________
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
"To make in himself of two (Jew and Gentile) one new man."
The above statement was written by an Orthodox Jew!
The context of the one new Man includes the description of the eternal house 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 2:20-22)
The one new Man is the habitation of God through the Spirit, of which habitation the Lord Jesus is the chief Cornerstone.
Who is the one new Man?
The "twain," of Ephesians 2:15, refers to the saved "Gentiles in the flesh" and "the commonwealth of Israel."
The one new Man is created in the Lord Jesus: "for to make in himself of twain one new man."
The one new Man is made in Christ and remains in Him as part of Him, being created in Him and not being in any sense outside of Him. If something is formed inside of a person and remains eternally in that person, and the person receives the addition as part of himself, then the new creation becomes an integral part of the individual.
The one new Man is Christ and all who are part of Him, whether a Jew or Gentile by natural birth.
The one new Man is Christ-Head and Body-who is to appear and remove ungodliness from Jacob, and also to bring justice to the nations of the earth. The one new Man is the eternal Servant of the Lord.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1-4)
For as the [human] body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ [Messiah]. (I Corinthians 12:12)
The Lord Jesus is the supreme Lord and Head of His Church. His Church is His Body, His fullness.
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22,23)
The Body, the fullness, of Christ is being built through the ministries given to the Church by the ascended Christ.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ [of Messiah]: (Ephesians 4:13)
To be continued.
______________________________________________________
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Thursday, February 24, 2011
One New Man
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
In 1985 we were privileged to participate in the annual celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as conducted by the International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem. While we were there we were interviewed by a radio station. According to our recollection, questions similar to the following were raised during the interview:
In what way are you (Christians) celebrating the feast of Tabernacles?
Will the way you celebrate the feast of Tabernacles replace the traditions of Judaism?
Will Christianity replace Judaism?
Some convictions that had been growing in our mind previously are as follows:
The Christian Church and the people and land of Israel are on a converging course. They will become one when Christ is crowned King on the Throne of David in Jerusalem.
The people of Israel are not to become Gentiles; rather, the Christians are to become members of Israel, not by naturalization procedures but in the Spirit of God.
Christianity is not a religion separate from Judaism. In the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal life and substance are given to the forms and hopes of Israel.
Because of these convictions we were able to give what may have been a more satisfactory answer to these difficult and significant questions than otherwise would have been the case.
As we continued to ponder the issues that had been raised, the three original questions increased to eight:
1. In what manner did we Christians keep the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem during the 1985 celebration?
2. Will the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles replace the Jewish traditions?
3. Why can we say that Christianity is not a religion separate from Judaism but that in the Lord Jesus, eternal life and substance are given to the forms and hopes of Israel?
4. In what way are the Christians to become members of Israel?
5. At what point and in what manner will the Christian Church and the land and people of Israel converge?
6. In what way will the nations of the earth come up to Jerusalem and keep the feast of Tabernacles? Will the Egyptians, the English, and the Chinese come up to Jerusalem each year and dwell in booths for a week, meditating on the God of Israel?
7. What does the feast of Tabernacles have to do with establishing Christ on the Throne of David in Jerusalem?
8. Precisely what is the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles? The feast of Tabernacles is one of the types and shadows of the Old Testament. What is the substance of this important symbolic observance?
The answer to these eight questions (and to every other question we can think of) lies in the one new Man.
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that 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: But now in Christ ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:11-15)
To be continued.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
In 1985 we were privileged to participate in the annual celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as conducted by the International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem. While we were there we were interviewed by a radio station. According to our recollection, questions similar to the following were raised during the interview:
In what way are you (Christians) celebrating the feast of Tabernacles?
Will the way you celebrate the feast of Tabernacles replace the traditions of Judaism?
Will Christianity replace Judaism?
Some convictions that had been growing in our mind previously are as follows:
The Christian Church and the people and land of Israel are on a converging course. They will become one when Christ is crowned King on the Throne of David in Jerusalem.
The people of Israel are not to become Gentiles; rather, the Christians are to become members of Israel, not by naturalization procedures but in the Spirit of God.
Christianity is not a religion separate from Judaism. In the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal life and substance are given to the forms and hopes of Israel.
Because of these convictions we were able to give what may have been a more satisfactory answer to these difficult and significant questions than otherwise would have been the case.
As we continued to ponder the issues that had been raised, the three original questions increased to eight:
1. In what manner did we Christians keep the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem during the 1985 celebration?
2. Will the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles replace the Jewish traditions?
3. Why can we say that Christianity is not a religion separate from Judaism but that in the Lord Jesus, eternal life and substance are given to the forms and hopes of Israel?
4. In what way are the Christians to become members of Israel?
5. At what point and in what manner will the Christian Church and the land and people of Israel converge?
6. In what way will the nations of the earth come up to Jerusalem and keep the feast of Tabernacles? Will the Egyptians, the English, and the Chinese come up to Jerusalem each year and dwell in booths for a week, meditating on the God of Israel?
7. What does the feast of Tabernacles have to do with establishing Christ on the Throne of David in Jerusalem?
8. Precisely what is the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles? The feast of Tabernacles is one of the types and shadows of the Old Testament. What is the substance of this important symbolic observance?
The answer to these eight questions (and to every other question we can think of) lies in the one new Man.
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that 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: But now in Christ ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:11-15)
To be continued.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Role of Righteous Behavior, #3
And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: (Galatians 1:2)
Let us return to the second verse of the first chapter of Galatians in order to determine to whom Paul was writing. We discover that Paul was writing "unto the churches of Galatia."
Therefore Galatians 5:19-21 above is speaking of those who have received Christ.
Not only had the Galatians received Christ but they also had received the Holy Spirit.
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2)
Consider the implications of what Paul has stated here. "You have received salvation through Christ. You have received the Spirit of God. You are not to go back under the Law of Moses. I am travailing until Christ is formed in you so you will begin to experience and manifest the power and glory of the new covenant.
"However, let me exhort you along this line: You are to cease, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the practices of lust and violence that characterize the unsaved. You are to stop your adultery, your fornication, your worshiping of idols, your wrath. If you do not, you shall not inherit the Kingdom of God!"
It is clear from the writings of the New Testament that if we do not begin to show the righteousness of Christ in our daily behavior we are not being saved at all. We hold the ticket but we are refusing to get on the ship.
What does it mean to be saved through grace by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?
It means to come to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Then we are to keep coming boldly to the Throne of God so we may obtain the Divine power and wisdom we need in order to live as a Christian should.
If we do not put on the Lord Jesus Christ and then make no provision for our flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, we are not a Christian at all. We are professing Christ but not possessing Christ. If the fruit of righteousness is not beginning to appear, if the new creature is not coming forth, salvation is not working in our life.
If someone says to a Gentile Christian, "You must keep the commandments of the Lord if you would enter the Kingdom of God," his answer will be, "I am not under the Law but under grace." What he means by this, although the statement is taken from the Scriptures, is unscriptural. He means that he does not have to live righteously in order to go to Heaven because God has forgiven his sins "by grace."
He ought to say, "I am not under the Law of Moses but under the law of the Spirit of God, and the righteousness of the Law of Moses is ascribed to me as I follow the Spirit." Then he would be scriptural (Romans 8:4).
The formation of the image of Christ in us requires time for its achievement. Each day we must press forward, through the Holy Spirit, into increased godliness of behavior.
We can know today if we are being saved. We are being saved if the Spirit of Christ is working in us and we are turning away from the world.
If the Spirit of Christ is not producing in us the aspects of the Kingdom of God, which are, righteousness, holiness, and obedience to the Father, we are not being saved at all. We have a head knowledge of Christ. We have assented mentally to the facts of the Christian salvation.
But we are not being saved!
Salvation is not belief. Salvation is transformation! (from A Study Guide for the Book of Galatians)
______________________________________________________
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Let us return to the second verse of the first chapter of Galatians in order to determine to whom Paul was writing. We discover that Paul was writing "unto the churches of Galatia."
Therefore Galatians 5:19-21 above is speaking of those who have received Christ.
Not only had the Galatians received Christ but they also had received the Holy Spirit.
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2)
Consider the implications of what Paul has stated here. "You have received salvation through Christ. You have received the Spirit of God. You are not to go back under the Law of Moses. I am travailing until Christ is formed in you so you will begin to experience and manifest the power and glory of the new covenant.
"However, let me exhort you along this line: You are to cease, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the practices of lust and violence that characterize the unsaved. You are to stop your adultery, your fornication, your worshiping of idols, your wrath. If you do not, you shall not inherit the Kingdom of God!"
It is clear from the writings of the New Testament that if we do not begin to show the righteousness of Christ in our daily behavior we are not being saved at all. We hold the ticket but we are refusing to get on the ship.
What does it mean to be saved through grace by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?
It means to come to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Then we are to keep coming boldly to the Throne of God so we may obtain the Divine power and wisdom we need in order to live as a Christian should.
If we do not put on the Lord Jesus Christ and then make no provision for our flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, we are not a Christian at all. We are professing Christ but not possessing Christ. If the fruit of righteousness is not beginning to appear, if the new creature is not coming forth, salvation is not working in our life.
If someone says to a Gentile Christian, "You must keep the commandments of the Lord if you would enter the Kingdom of God," his answer will be, "I am not under the Law but under grace." What he means by this, although the statement is taken from the Scriptures, is unscriptural. He means that he does not have to live righteously in order to go to Heaven because God has forgiven his sins "by grace."
He ought to say, "I am not under the Law of Moses but under the law of the Spirit of God, and the righteousness of the Law of Moses is ascribed to me as I follow the Spirit." Then he would be scriptural (Romans 8:4).
The formation of the image of Christ in us requires time for its achievement. Each day we must press forward, through the Holy Spirit, into increased godliness of behavior.
We can know today if we are being saved. We are being saved if the Spirit of Christ is working in us and we are turning away from the world.
If the Spirit of Christ is not producing in us the aspects of the Kingdom of God, which are, righteousness, holiness, and obedience to the Father, we are not being saved at all. We have a head knowledge of Christ. We have assented mentally to the facts of the Christian salvation.
But we are not being saved!
Salvation is not belief. Salvation is transformation! (from A Study Guide for the Book of Galatians)
______________________________________________________
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Role of Righteous Behavior, #2
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, . . . . (Galatians 2:16)
Paul's meaning-and nowhere is his thinking more clearly presented than in the Book of Galatians-is that we cannot be saved by the works of the Law of Moses. Now that Christ has been offered on the cross, the Law of Moses has been fulfilled. We are not to add circumcision, dietary laws, and the observance of days to our redemption. We have been redeemed by receiving God's offering, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is true also that an individual of virtuous behavior cannot excuse himself from the cross of Calvary on the basis of his own goodness. The only righteousness God will finally accept, whether imputed (assigned by faith) or demonstrated by righteous behavior on our part, is the righteousness that flows directly from the Virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ.
All of our lasting righteousness comes from Christ.
This is correct thus far.
However, the common understanding of today has gone far beyond the above statement. The meaning today of "we are not saved by works but by grace" is that there is no critical necessity for attempting to serve the Lord. It is held that the laws of the Kingdom, such as the Sermon on the Mount, were only given to show us we cannot save ourselves but must have a Savior. (Now it is being claimed that the Sermon on the Mount and the other commandments of the Lord were addressed only to Jews, so great is the current deception!)
Paul was speaking about freedom from the works of the Law; but we have included freedom from godly behavior.
The current teaching is that Christ came to forgive our sins and bring us to Heaven. We ought to try to behave in a godly manner "because we love Jesus," but we are "saved by faith alone" and our behavior cannot affect our standing with God.
This is an incorrect interpretation of the meaning of Divine grace. Such an abomination never entered the imagination of Paul or any other man of God. We believe that this error of interpretation has rendered the New Testament writings, including the four Gospels, irrelevant as well as incomprehensible. It has destroyed the testimony of the Christian Church.
We can quickly show from the Book of Galatians that Paul never taught that the only purpose of the laws of righteousness present in the Scriptures, the rules of godly behavior, is to show us our need of a Savior. The laws of righteousness, of the Kingdom of God, are to be kept. If we do not keep them we will not enter the Kingdom of God. The keeping of them is the Kingdom of God.
Notice carefully:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness [immorality], idolatry, sorcery, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
Consider the above passage.
Is the passage speaking to unsaved people or saved people?
Obviously it is speaking to saved people, to those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ. Unsaved people cannot inherit the Kingdom of God by refraining from the works of the flesh, so the passage has no meaning to the unsaved. The unsaved need to hear only of the redemption that is by faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Paul's meaning-and nowhere is his thinking more clearly presented than in the Book of Galatians-is that we cannot be saved by the works of the Law of Moses. Now that Christ has been offered on the cross, the Law of Moses has been fulfilled. We are not to add circumcision, dietary laws, and the observance of days to our redemption. We have been redeemed by receiving God's offering, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is true also that an individual of virtuous behavior cannot excuse himself from the cross of Calvary on the basis of his own goodness. The only righteousness God will finally accept, whether imputed (assigned by faith) or demonstrated by righteous behavior on our part, is the righteousness that flows directly from the Virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ.
All of our lasting righteousness comes from Christ.
This is correct thus far.
However, the common understanding of today has gone far beyond the above statement. The meaning today of "we are not saved by works but by grace" is that there is no critical necessity for attempting to serve the Lord. It is held that the laws of the Kingdom, such as the Sermon on the Mount, were only given to show us we cannot save ourselves but must have a Savior. (Now it is being claimed that the Sermon on the Mount and the other commandments of the Lord were addressed only to Jews, so great is the current deception!)
Paul was speaking about freedom from the works of the Law; but we have included freedom from godly behavior.
The current teaching is that Christ came to forgive our sins and bring us to Heaven. We ought to try to behave in a godly manner "because we love Jesus," but we are "saved by faith alone" and our behavior cannot affect our standing with God.
This is an incorrect interpretation of the meaning of Divine grace. Such an abomination never entered the imagination of Paul or any other man of God. We believe that this error of interpretation has rendered the New Testament writings, including the four Gospels, irrelevant as well as incomprehensible. It has destroyed the testimony of the Christian Church.
We can quickly show from the Book of Galatians that Paul never taught that the only purpose of the laws of righteousness present in the Scriptures, the rules of godly behavior, is to show us our need of a Savior. The laws of righteousness, of the Kingdom of God, are to be kept. If we do not keep them we will not enter the Kingdom of God. The keeping of them is the Kingdom of God.
Notice carefully:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness [immorality], idolatry, sorcery, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
Consider the above passage.
Is the passage speaking to unsaved people or saved people?
Obviously it is speaking to saved people, to those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ. Unsaved people cannot inherit the Kingdom of God by refraining from the works of the flesh, so the passage has no meaning to the unsaved. The unsaved need to hear only of the redemption that is by faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Role of Righteous Behavior
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1,2)
In several of our writings we have emphasized what we believe to be an important understanding of the new covenant, concerning the relationship of works to grace and faith.
In many instances Paul pointed out that we cannot be declared righteous by our own works, only by placing our faith in God's righteousness that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many devout, distinguished teachers of the Scriptures over the past one hundred years have preached and taught that an individual cannot save himself by behaving according to Christian principles. He must receive God's righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no human being who can go through life without sinning on numerous occasions. The Scripture declares that the soul that sins shall die. If a human sins one time he shall die. The Divine scales of righteousness will register an imbalance. Sin has been committed. The inviolable Word declares that death must follow. There is no waiving of this law.
Only through the blood of Christ can our sins be forgiven, can the scales of Divine righteousness be brought back into balance. This is why no person can please God apart from receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot redeem ourselves. Only the blood of Christ can cancel the guilt of the sins that we have committed. This is the teaching of the holy Scriptures. It is the foundation of the Gospel of Christ. Let God be true and every man a liar.
But a serious problem has arisen. The teachers of the Scriptures have misapplied this foundational truth by overemphasizing it, by not balancing it with the greater part of the writings of the New Testament. The greater part of the writings of the New Testament do not emphasize the forgiveness of sins that comes to us through the blood of our Lord Jesus. Also, the four Gospel accounts have little to say about salvation by grace.
What, then, is the substance of the four Gospel accounts and the writings of the New Testament?
One of the main topics-perhaps the main topic-is righteous behavior along with holiness toward God. The Kingdom of God is revealed in righteous, holy, and obedient behavior. Apart from such behavior there is no Kingdom of God.
We are of the opinion that one of the main reasons for the current neglect of the many passages of the New Testament that set forth the role of righteous behavior in the Christian discipleship is a misunderstanding of such verses as Galatians 2:16. Notice the opening clause:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, . . . .
There are several such statements, particularly in the early chapters of Romans. Not enough attention has been paid to the meaning of these statements, that is, to the manner in which they are related to the New Testament emphasis on holy and righteous personality and behavior.
As a result of our simplified interpretation, there has arisen an overemphasis on the doctrine that "we are not saved by works but by grace." This statement is scripturally correct. The problem is what we mean by works; for what we mean by works and what Paul meant by it are very different. The difference is affecting adversely the manner in which Christian people are behaving in our day.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
In several of our writings we have emphasized what we believe to be an important understanding of the new covenant, concerning the relationship of works to grace and faith.
In many instances Paul pointed out that we cannot be declared righteous by our own works, only by placing our faith in God's righteousness that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many devout, distinguished teachers of the Scriptures over the past one hundred years have preached and taught that an individual cannot save himself by behaving according to Christian principles. He must receive God's righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no human being who can go through life without sinning on numerous occasions. The Scripture declares that the soul that sins shall die. If a human sins one time he shall die. The Divine scales of righteousness will register an imbalance. Sin has been committed. The inviolable Word declares that death must follow. There is no waiving of this law.
Only through the blood of Christ can our sins be forgiven, can the scales of Divine righteousness be brought back into balance. This is why no person can please God apart from receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot redeem ourselves. Only the blood of Christ can cancel the guilt of the sins that we have committed. This is the teaching of the holy Scriptures. It is the foundation of the Gospel of Christ. Let God be true and every man a liar.
But a serious problem has arisen. The teachers of the Scriptures have misapplied this foundational truth by overemphasizing it, by not balancing it with the greater part of the writings of the New Testament. The greater part of the writings of the New Testament do not emphasize the forgiveness of sins that comes to us through the blood of our Lord Jesus. Also, the four Gospel accounts have little to say about salvation by grace.
What, then, is the substance of the four Gospel accounts and the writings of the New Testament?
One of the main topics-perhaps the main topic-is righteous behavior along with holiness toward God. The Kingdom of God is revealed in righteous, holy, and obedient behavior. Apart from such behavior there is no Kingdom of God.
We are of the opinion that one of the main reasons for the current neglect of the many passages of the New Testament that set forth the role of righteous behavior in the Christian discipleship is a misunderstanding of such verses as Galatians 2:16. Notice the opening clause:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, . . . .
There are several such statements, particularly in the early chapters of Romans. Not enough attention has been paid to the meaning of these statements, that is, to the manner in which they are related to the New Testament emphasis on holy and righteous personality and behavior.
As a result of our simplified interpretation, there has arisen an overemphasis on the doctrine that "we are not saved by works but by grace." This statement is scripturally correct. The problem is what we mean by works; for what we mean by works and what Paul meant by it are very different. The difference is affecting adversely the manner in which Christian people are behaving in our day.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #19
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2,3)
God has prepared for us a city, and it is a "heavenly" city-a city founded on the Rock, Christ.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)
Abraham, and the patriarchs and prophets, are in Heaven with God. Yet, they have not attained the object of their pilgrimage:
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (Hebrews 11:39)
"Received not the promise."
They are in Heaven above; yet it is written that they have not received the promise.
What, then, is the promise? The promise is the spiritual counterpart of the land of promise. The spiritual counterpart of the land of promise is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God, of Heaven, is the filling of the saints with the fullness of the Glory of God in Christ, including the resurrection of the body. This is the "city that hath foundations."
All the saints, those of the old covenant and those of the new covenant, will come into the resurrection and into the Kingdom together.
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40)
"Made perfect."
In order for the new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven, the "city that hath foundations," to be perfect, every inhabitant of it must be made perfect.
The central theme of the Scriptures is the forming, through the Lord Jesus Christ, of the new Jerusalem, the Tabernacle of God, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of God-the Kingdom from Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven is God in Christ in the saints performing the will of God. This is the nature of the new Jerusalem.
The external environment, the Paradise in which the Kingdom of Heaven is located, has little glory of its own. Paradise reflects the Glory of God in Christ in the saints. The glory of Paradise, of Heaven, is being formed today wherever Christ is coming to maturity in a human heart.
The new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven, is the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because this is so, the new Jerusalem, as well as being a glorious external city the nations of the earth will be able to behold and visit, is a symbolic portrayal of each victorious saint.
Abraham was in the land of promise all the time. We too are closer to "home" than we understand in the present hour. The relationships we are forming now may be-to the extent they are of the Lord and perfectly joyous-relationships for eternity. We are not referring to flesh and blood relationships. The relationships of the future kingdom will be infinitely stronger than flesh and blood relationships.
We shall reap then what we are sowing now.
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Let us serve the Lord Jesus now and enter the Kingdom, preparing ourselves for the new world of righteousness that soon is to come to the earth. (from The New Jerusalem)
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
God has prepared for us a city, and it is a "heavenly" city-a city founded on the Rock, Christ.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)
Abraham, and the patriarchs and prophets, are in Heaven with God. Yet, they have not attained the object of their pilgrimage:
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (Hebrews 11:39)
"Received not the promise."
They are in Heaven above; yet it is written that they have not received the promise.
What, then, is the promise? The promise is the spiritual counterpart of the land of promise. The spiritual counterpart of the land of promise is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God, of Heaven, is the filling of the saints with the fullness of the Glory of God in Christ, including the resurrection of the body. This is the "city that hath foundations."
All the saints, those of the old covenant and those of the new covenant, will come into the resurrection and into the Kingdom together.
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40)
"Made perfect."
In order for the new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven, the "city that hath foundations," to be perfect, every inhabitant of it must be made perfect.
The central theme of the Scriptures is the forming, through the Lord Jesus Christ, of the new Jerusalem, the Tabernacle of God, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of God-the Kingdom from Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven is God in Christ in the saints performing the will of God. This is the nature of the new Jerusalem.
The external environment, the Paradise in which the Kingdom of Heaven is located, has little glory of its own. Paradise reflects the Glory of God in Christ in the saints. The glory of Paradise, of Heaven, is being formed today wherever Christ is coming to maturity in a human heart.
The new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven, is the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because this is so, the new Jerusalem, as well as being a glorious external city the nations of the earth will be able to behold and visit, is a symbolic portrayal of each victorious saint.
Abraham was in the land of promise all the time. We too are closer to "home" than we understand in the present hour. The relationships we are forming now may be-to the extent they are of the Lord and perfectly joyous-relationships for eternity. We are not referring to flesh and blood relationships. The relationships of the future kingdom will be infinitely stronger than flesh and blood relationships.
We shall reap then what we are sowing now.
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Let us serve the Lord Jesus now and enter the Kingdom, preparing ourselves for the new world of righteousness that soon is to come to the earth. (from The New Jerusalem)
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #18
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
The Kingdom of Heaven, the rule of God, is being formed in us. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory. It is what we are becoming in Christ that will make it possible for us to appreciate, enjoy, and maintain Heaven. The external environment of Paradise is wonderful. But the external environment is as nothing in importance compared with the nature of the inhabitants.
Where Christ is-there is Heaven though it be the plainest of surroundings. But where Christ is not, that could never be Heaven though it were the most glorious of external surroundings. If such is the case (and we are certain every true saint would agree with this), then what we are longing for is not mansions, or diamonds, or parks, or fountains, but the Presence of God in Christ in the fullness of revealed glory.
When we pray for God's Kingdom to come to the earth, aren't we really praying for Heaven to come to the earth?
Therefore the essence of Heaven is relationships: our relationship to God and to those around us. The glory of the new Jerusalem is that God and the Lamb are there, and also that every one of the inhabitants is filled with the Presence of God in Christ. There is no sin or self-seeking there.
The humblest of cottages is Heaven when God and the Lamb are there and when the inhabitants are filled with the Presence of God in Christ and rightly related to one another.
It is written of Abraham that he was looking for a city of God, for the new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:9,10)
Notice that Abraham was in the land of promise, the site of Jerusalem, during the years of his sojourning. But it was to him a "strange country."
So it is true that the earth, which is the location of our sojourning, will be given to us for an inheritance. Christ will return with us and reign over the nations of the earth. But in the present hour the earth, to the victorious saint, is a "strange country."
We are looking for the city of God. The city is not here now, it is in Heaven above. But one day the city of God will be located on the earth. Then the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Then the nations of the earth will go up to Zion to be taught the righteous ways of the Lord. There shall be singing and dancing in that day!
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The Kingdom of Heaven, the rule of God, is being formed in us. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory. It is what we are becoming in Christ that will make it possible for us to appreciate, enjoy, and maintain Heaven. The external environment of Paradise is wonderful. But the external environment is as nothing in importance compared with the nature of the inhabitants.
Where Christ is-there is Heaven though it be the plainest of surroundings. But where Christ is not, that could never be Heaven though it were the most glorious of external surroundings. If such is the case (and we are certain every true saint would agree with this), then what we are longing for is not mansions, or diamonds, or parks, or fountains, but the Presence of God in Christ in the fullness of revealed glory.
When we pray for God's Kingdom to come to the earth, aren't we really praying for Heaven to come to the earth?
Therefore the essence of Heaven is relationships: our relationship to God and to those around us. The glory of the new Jerusalem is that God and the Lamb are there, and also that every one of the inhabitants is filled with the Presence of God in Christ. There is no sin or self-seeking there.
The humblest of cottages is Heaven when God and the Lamb are there and when the inhabitants are filled with the Presence of God in Christ and rightly related to one another.
It is written of Abraham that he was looking for a city of God, for the new Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:9,10)
Notice that Abraham was in the land of promise, the site of Jerusalem, during the years of his sojourning. But it was to him a "strange country."
So it is true that the earth, which is the location of our sojourning, will be given to us for an inheritance. Christ will return with us and reign over the nations of the earth. But in the present hour the earth, to the victorious saint, is a "strange country."
We are looking for the city of God. The city is not here now, it is in Heaven above. But one day the city of God will be located on the earth. Then the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Then the nations of the earth will go up to Zion to be taught the righteous ways of the Lord. There shall be singing and dancing in that day!
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The New Jerusalem, #17
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Romans 8:36)
"Believe in Jesus," it is taught, "and your troubles are over. You will go to Heaven."
If we place our faith in Jesus we are saved-saved to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, not saved to go about our business until we die and go to an external Paradise.
Sometimes a person's troubles begin when he places his faith in the Lord Jesus.
Jesus was (and is) a stern Preacher. He did not tell people He would make them happy. Rather, He warned them to repent because of the coming of the rule of God into the earth.
We do not receive Christ in order to be happy in this present life. We receive Christ because it is God's will we should do so. We do what is right in the sight of God whether or not we enjoy the consequences. This principle holds true for eternity.
God is not obligated to please us although He does so on numerous occasions. But we are obligated to serve God-even to death if need be. Any other attitude is nothing more than the rebellion of the last days prophesied by the Lord Jesus and Paul.
We saints know there are pleasures forever at God's right hand. Therefore we are not moved. We esteem being disgraced because of our trust in Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of the world. We suffer much tribulation. When we die physically we shall enter rest in the Presence of Christ. We shall await in Paradise the Day of Resurrection.
Imputed (ascribed) righteousness is not a device whereby we are enabled to enter a land of delights on the basis of forgiveness. Imputed righteousness is a legal maneuver that assigns the righteousness of the Law of Moses to us so we can follow Christ without condemnation.
If, after having been set free from the Law of Moses through the righteousness of Christ, we continue to walk in sin, there no longer is a sacrifice that avails for us. We are disobeying Christ. We are walking in willful sin. Although we name the name of Christ we shall reap death; for the wages of sin is death whether committed by Christian or non-Christian. The fruit of sin always is death.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:15)
The above verse was written to Christian Jews and it applies both to Christians and non-Christians.
Christian grace does not waive the principle that sin results in death. Rather, Christian grace forgives us and enables us to overcome sin and self-will and enter eternal life.
Concept 1: grace does away with the law that sin results in death.
Concept 2: grace forgives us and enables us to overcome sin.
These two concepts are worlds apart, the first leading to destruction. Yet, it is our impression that the first concept is held by the majority of "fundamentalists." We ourselves adhere to the fundamentals of the Christian faith but we subscribe to the second of the two concepts.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
"Believe in Jesus," it is taught, "and your troubles are over. You will go to Heaven."
If we place our faith in Jesus we are saved-saved to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, not saved to go about our business until we die and go to an external Paradise.
Sometimes a person's troubles begin when he places his faith in the Lord Jesus.
Jesus was (and is) a stern Preacher. He did not tell people He would make them happy. Rather, He warned them to repent because of the coming of the rule of God into the earth.
We do not receive Christ in order to be happy in this present life. We receive Christ because it is God's will we should do so. We do what is right in the sight of God whether or not we enjoy the consequences. This principle holds true for eternity.
God is not obligated to please us although He does so on numerous occasions. But we are obligated to serve God-even to death if need be. Any other attitude is nothing more than the rebellion of the last days prophesied by the Lord Jesus and Paul.
We saints know there are pleasures forever at God's right hand. Therefore we are not moved. We esteem being disgraced because of our trust in Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of the world. We suffer much tribulation. When we die physically we shall enter rest in the Presence of Christ. We shall await in Paradise the Day of Resurrection.
Imputed (ascribed) righteousness is not a device whereby we are enabled to enter a land of delights on the basis of forgiveness. Imputed righteousness is a legal maneuver that assigns the righteousness of the Law of Moses to us so we can follow Christ without condemnation.
If, after having been set free from the Law of Moses through the righteousness of Christ, we continue to walk in sin, there no longer is a sacrifice that avails for us. We are disobeying Christ. We are walking in willful sin. Although we name the name of Christ we shall reap death; for the wages of sin is death whether committed by Christian or non-Christian. The fruit of sin always is death.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:15)
The above verse was written to Christian Jews and it applies both to Christians and non-Christians.
Christian grace does not waive the principle that sin results in death. Rather, Christian grace forgives us and enables us to overcome sin and self-will and enter eternal life.
Concept 1: grace does away with the law that sin results in death.
Concept 2: grace forgives us and enables us to overcome sin.
These two concepts are worlds apart, the first leading to destruction. Yet, it is our impression that the first concept is held by the majority of "fundamentalists." We ourselves adhere to the fundamentals of the Christian faith but we subscribe to the second of the two concepts.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Monday, February 14, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #16
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (Romans 7:4)
The purpose of imputed (ascribed) righteousness is to free us from the Law of Moses so we can enter the Kingdom without condemnation. The grace of Christ does not give us a ticket to a place called Heaven; rather, it frees us from the condemnation of the Law so we can give our attention to entering Christ, to entering the Kingdom of God. The believer who is waiting to die in order to enter Paradise is missing the whole point of redemption. We enter the Kingdom now. We do not have to wait until we die.
The New Testament does not employ the phrase, "go to Heaven." Rather, it uses the phrase, "enter the Kingdom"; or, "inherit the Kingdom."
It is important to speak as the Scriptures speak. The phrase "go to Heaven" gives us a misleading concept of the nature of salvation. We cannot go to Heaven until we die, but we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven while we are alive in the flesh. There is a practical importance attached to using the scriptural terminology.
Many people because of this misleading concept are waiting to go to Heaven when they should be seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We do not earn the Kingdom by our righteous deeds; rather, we are made fit for the Kingdom by becoming a new creation in Christ.
One central assumption of current Christian theology is that our physical death accomplishes for us what we were unable to achieve in life. Our physical death changes us from a weak believer to a spiritual giant.
This assumption is misleading.
A review of what the Scriptures say on the topic will reveal that dying physically does not change our personality into the image of Christ.
What we are, we are. Dying physically releases us from the weariness of our fleshly body. To a saint such as the Apostle Paul, dying physically was the greatest of blessings. He was released, through physical death, from weakness, pain, imprisonment, fatigue, grim surroundings. He was brought into the Presence of Jesus, into Paradise. But what Paul was, Paul continues to be-an ardent follower of the Lord Jesus.
When a weak believer dies, he or she continues to be a weak believer. Faith does not come by seeing Christ. Satan and his followers could see God. They knew God existed. But they had no faith or trust in God. What we are, we are. Physical death does not change what we are.
Physical death is an entrance into marvelous joy for the individual who has served Christ faithfully.
Physical death presents a whole new set of problems to the believer who has wasted his life on the things of the world.
No person is made a saint, a follower of Christ, an overcomer, by dying physically. This assumption, which is included in the concept that salvation is a ticket to Heaven, is without foundation.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The purpose of imputed (ascribed) righteousness is to free us from the Law of Moses so we can enter the Kingdom without condemnation. The grace of Christ does not give us a ticket to a place called Heaven; rather, it frees us from the condemnation of the Law so we can give our attention to entering Christ, to entering the Kingdom of God. The believer who is waiting to die in order to enter Paradise is missing the whole point of redemption. We enter the Kingdom now. We do not have to wait until we die.
The New Testament does not employ the phrase, "go to Heaven." Rather, it uses the phrase, "enter the Kingdom"; or, "inherit the Kingdom."
It is important to speak as the Scriptures speak. The phrase "go to Heaven" gives us a misleading concept of the nature of salvation. We cannot go to Heaven until we die, but we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven while we are alive in the flesh. There is a practical importance attached to using the scriptural terminology.
Many people because of this misleading concept are waiting to go to Heaven when they should be seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We do not earn the Kingdom by our righteous deeds; rather, we are made fit for the Kingdom by becoming a new creation in Christ.
One central assumption of current Christian theology is that our physical death accomplishes for us what we were unable to achieve in life. Our physical death changes us from a weak believer to a spiritual giant.
This assumption is misleading.
A review of what the Scriptures say on the topic will reveal that dying physically does not change our personality into the image of Christ.
What we are, we are. Dying physically releases us from the weariness of our fleshly body. To a saint such as the Apostle Paul, dying physically was the greatest of blessings. He was released, through physical death, from weakness, pain, imprisonment, fatigue, grim surroundings. He was brought into the Presence of Jesus, into Paradise. But what Paul was, Paul continues to be-an ardent follower of the Lord Jesus.
When a weak believer dies, he or she continues to be a weak believer. Faith does not come by seeing Christ. Satan and his followers could see God. They knew God existed. But they had no faith or trust in God. What we are, we are. Physical death does not change what we are.
Physical death is an entrance into marvelous joy for the individual who has served Christ faithfully.
Physical death presents a whole new set of problems to the believer who has wasted his life on the things of the world.
No person is made a saint, a follower of Christ, an overcomer, by dying physically. This assumption, which is included in the concept that salvation is a ticket to Heaven, is without foundation.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The New Jerusalem, #15
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. (Psalms 87:6)
But the people who live there are the most important aspect of the city. Those people are being formed now. We have been born into the new Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem has been born in us.
We are to allow the Holy Spirit to create Christ in us, to create the Kingdom of Heaven in us.
When Christ is in us the Kingdom of Heaven is in us. When we are in Christ we are in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When Christ has been formed in us, when the Kingdom has been formed in us, we are eligible to inherit the fullness of the glory of the external kingdom. This will take place when the Lord Jesus appears from Heaven.
If the Kingdom of Heaven is in us we will inherit the Kingdom when the Lord comes. But if Hell is working in us, then we are fit only to enter Hell.
It is not possible for an individual in whom Hell is living to enter the holy city of God. But through Christ the Hell can be thrown out and the Kingdom formed.
The Kingdom is being formed in the present hour.
There is an internal aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven. The internal aspect is being formed in us now. There is an external aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven. The external aspect is being formed in Heaven in the Presence of Almighty God.
Those in whom the Kingdom has been formed will be clothed with the external glory of the Kingdom when the Lord Jesus comes from Heaven.
The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are one and the same. There is but one Kingdom.
Those who are Jewish by race have first right to the Kingdom. (It is the new Jerusalem!). But many Gentiles have been added during the Christian Era. The current teaching that portrays a Gentile (spiritual) kingdom in Heaven that is separate from a Jewish kingdom on the earth is false and misleading, and anti-Semitic. There is only one Kingdom of God, of Heaven, and it is destined to rule on the earth.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the Temple of God, the perfected Christian Church. These terms refer to the Kingdom that is from Heaven, the Kingdom that one day will govern the nations of saved people on the earth.
There is no evidence that either John the Baptist or Jesus of Nazareth preached two different kingdoms-one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles. There is but one Kingdom of God, and it is from Heaven and is of the Spirit of God-the Spirit that came down from Heaven.
All the parables of Jesus give us insight into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The grace of God forgives us so we have the right, the authority, to enter the Kingdom, to enter into righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God, operating through Christ, is the Life, the wisdom, the power of the Kingdom of God.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
But the people who live there are the most important aspect of the city. Those people are being formed now. We have been born into the new Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem has been born in us.
We are to allow the Holy Spirit to create Christ in us, to create the Kingdom of Heaven in us.
When Christ is in us the Kingdom of Heaven is in us. When we are in Christ we are in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When Christ has been formed in us, when the Kingdom has been formed in us, we are eligible to inherit the fullness of the glory of the external kingdom. This will take place when the Lord Jesus appears from Heaven.
If the Kingdom of Heaven is in us we will inherit the Kingdom when the Lord comes. But if Hell is working in us, then we are fit only to enter Hell.
It is not possible for an individual in whom Hell is living to enter the holy city of God. But through Christ the Hell can be thrown out and the Kingdom formed.
The Kingdom is being formed in the present hour.
There is an internal aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven. The internal aspect is being formed in us now. There is an external aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven. The external aspect is being formed in Heaven in the Presence of Almighty God.
Those in whom the Kingdom has been formed will be clothed with the external glory of the Kingdom when the Lord Jesus comes from Heaven.
The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are one and the same. There is but one Kingdom.
Those who are Jewish by race have first right to the Kingdom. (It is the new Jerusalem!). But many Gentiles have been added during the Christian Era. The current teaching that portrays a Gentile (spiritual) kingdom in Heaven that is separate from a Jewish kingdom on the earth is false and misleading, and anti-Semitic. There is only one Kingdom of God, of Heaven, and it is destined to rule on the earth.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the Temple of God, the perfected Christian Church. These terms refer to the Kingdom that is from Heaven, the Kingdom that one day will govern the nations of saved people on the earth.
There is no evidence that either John the Baptist or Jesus of Nazareth preached two different kingdoms-one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles. There is but one Kingdom of God, and it is from Heaven and is of the Spirit of God-the Spirit that came down from Heaven.
All the parables of Jesus give us insight into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The grace of God forgives us so we have the right, the authority, to enter the Kingdom, to enter into righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God, operating through Christ, is the Life, the wisdom, the power of the Kingdom of God.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Friday, February 11, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #14
Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. (Luke 13:18,18)
The Kingdom of Heaven is a seed that is planted in our heart. The Kingdom of Heaven is as leaven that works in us until we are filled with the presence and ways of the Kingdom.
God is creating Heaven, Paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven in us, so to speak. It is not only that we go to Heaven but that the life and ways of Heaven are formed in us. There is an external kingdom and then there is an internal kingdom. The internal kingdom is the most important.
The God of Heaven reaches out His arms and gathers us in. Then He fills us with His Life until we are like Himself.
The truly righteous person longs to live in the Presence of the Lord Jesus.
The "Christian" person who is filled with spite, lust, gossiping, hatred, drunkenness, covetousness, and every other work of the flesh is anxious not to be punished when he or she dies. But in the heart of such there is no true longing for the Presence of the Lord Jesus.
The sinner finds his own "paradise" on the earth in the company of others who like himself are filled with the ways and life of Hell. He would be miserable in the true Paradise of God, just as the saint would be totally miserable were he forced to spend eternity in the company of sinners.
The saint has chosen the ways of God and God will bring him to Paradise. The sinner, whether or not he has "accepted" Christ, has chosen the ways of darkness. If he does not repent, God will place him in the darkness. God cannot be mocked. Whatever we sow we shall reap.
It is not true that we must wait until we are perfect in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
God reaches out and gathers us in. Then God works in us to drive out of our personality all that is not in keeping with the righteousness and holiness of the Kingdom. This is how we enter the Kingdom. If we cooperate with the work of the Spirit of God in transforming us we will inherit the fullness of the Kingdom. But if we do not, we will be cut out of the Vine. Jesus taught us this.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (Matthew 13:47,48)
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him [the man who was among the wedding guests but who was not attired properly] hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:13)
Will there be a day in which a glorious holy city will appear that people can see? Yes, there shall indeed.
There is a city that has a wall of jasper and gates of pearl. There is an external kingdom.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The Kingdom of Heaven is a seed that is planted in our heart. The Kingdom of Heaven is as leaven that works in us until we are filled with the presence and ways of the Kingdom.
God is creating Heaven, Paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven in us, so to speak. It is not only that we go to Heaven but that the life and ways of Heaven are formed in us. There is an external kingdom and then there is an internal kingdom. The internal kingdom is the most important.
The God of Heaven reaches out His arms and gathers us in. Then He fills us with His Life until we are like Himself.
The truly righteous person longs to live in the Presence of the Lord Jesus.
The "Christian" person who is filled with spite, lust, gossiping, hatred, drunkenness, covetousness, and every other work of the flesh is anxious not to be punished when he or she dies. But in the heart of such there is no true longing for the Presence of the Lord Jesus.
The sinner finds his own "paradise" on the earth in the company of others who like himself are filled with the ways and life of Hell. He would be miserable in the true Paradise of God, just as the saint would be totally miserable were he forced to spend eternity in the company of sinners.
The saint has chosen the ways of God and God will bring him to Paradise. The sinner, whether or not he has "accepted" Christ, has chosen the ways of darkness. If he does not repent, God will place him in the darkness. God cannot be mocked. Whatever we sow we shall reap.
It is not true that we must wait until we are perfect in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
God reaches out and gathers us in. Then God works in us to drive out of our personality all that is not in keeping with the righteousness and holiness of the Kingdom. This is how we enter the Kingdom. If we cooperate with the work of the Spirit of God in transforming us we will inherit the fullness of the Kingdom. But if we do not, we will be cut out of the Vine. Jesus taught us this.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (Matthew 13:47,48)
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him [the man who was among the wedding guests but who was not attired properly] hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:13)
Will there be a day in which a glorious holy city will appear that people can see? Yes, there shall indeed.
There is a city that has a wall of jasper and gates of pearl. There is an external kingdom.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #13
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. (Isaiah 42:3)
We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. (Song of Solomon 8:8,9)
There are passages that appear to imply some believers who are spiritually weak and sickly will be strengthened in the age to come.
But it should be pointed out that there are many other passages that state those who know the Lord's will and do not do it shall be beaten with many lashes. If we are lazy we will be thrust into outer darkness. If we neglect our salvation we will not escape. If we are lukewarm we will be vomited from the Lord's mouth.
The Scriptures and history are clear that to whom much has been given, of him will much be required (consider the suffering of the Jews!).
Most of us Christians are aware that the peoples of the world will be punished severely. Those who sin against God will experience tribulation and wrath.
What is not as commonly understood is that the strongest of the New Testament (and Old Testament) warnings against sin are not directed against the nations but against Israel, against the Lord's people.
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:29-31)
"The Lord shall judge his people."
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (II Peter 2:20)
The Christian Gospel has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is the new Jerusalem. It is a city, a holy city.
Perhaps this is fairly well understood by Christian people. What may not be as clearly understood is that not only are we to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but the Kingdom of Heaven must enter us.
There are people who profess Christ but in whose heart are the ways of Hell. Such cannot possibly enter the new Jerusalem. Those who are filled with Hell will enter Hell. Those who are filled with the Kingdom of Heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus explained that the Kingdom does not come as an external Paradise, a land of delights into which untransformed people can bring their unrighteousness.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20,21)
"The kingdom of God is within you."
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. (Song of Solomon 8:8,9)
There are passages that appear to imply some believers who are spiritually weak and sickly will be strengthened in the age to come.
But it should be pointed out that there are many other passages that state those who know the Lord's will and do not do it shall be beaten with many lashes. If we are lazy we will be thrust into outer darkness. If we neglect our salvation we will not escape. If we are lukewarm we will be vomited from the Lord's mouth.
The Scriptures and history are clear that to whom much has been given, of him will much be required (consider the suffering of the Jews!).
Most of us Christians are aware that the peoples of the world will be punished severely. Those who sin against God will experience tribulation and wrath.
What is not as commonly understood is that the strongest of the New Testament (and Old Testament) warnings against sin are not directed against the nations but against Israel, against the Lord's people.
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:29-31)
"The Lord shall judge his people."
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (II Peter 2:20)
The Christian Gospel has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is the new Jerusalem. It is a city, a holy city.
Perhaps this is fairly well understood by Christian people. What may not be as clearly understood is that not only are we to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but the Kingdom of Heaven must enter us.
There are people who profess Christ but in whose heart are the ways of Hell. Such cannot possibly enter the new Jerusalem. Those who are filled with Hell will enter Hell. Those who are filled with the Kingdom of Heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus explained that the Kingdom does not come as an external Paradise, a land of delights into which untransformed people can bring their unrighteousness.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20,21)
"The kingdom of God is within you."
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #12
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:15)
But if the Christian salvation is not the bringing of us to Heaven but is our placement in the Kingdom of Heaven according to our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, and if being saved by fire means we shall enter the realm of bodiless spirits without spiritual clothing of any kind, suffering rebuke (and perhaps much worse) at the hands of an angry Christ, unable to have fellowship with the redeemed spirits who have served their Lord, being held in contempt by those around us, then we who were careless did not deceive God after all. Our behavior was unfaithful and we were paid off in kind.
We were saved from destruction through the prayers of our relatives, or for some other reason known to the Lord; but we forfeited our right to our inheritance as a son of God.
If we are hoping to be saved as by fire we are taking a terrifying chance with our eternal destiny. What if we are not saved after all?
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)
Notice the contrast: either we believe to the saving of our soul or else we draw back to destruction.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)
The inference from the above verse is that if we do not overcome we will not inherit all things, God will not be our God and we will not be God's son. To overcome is to emerge a victor in the struggle to conquer the love of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and self-will. It is to defeat all enemies that come against us in the fight of faith. It is not speaking of the careless, lukewarm believer who knows he ought to serve the Lord but cannot find the time or strength to do so.
There is more to the Kingdom of God than "being saved," being delivered from the Lake of Fire. There is more to inheriting the Kingdom of God than receiving "God's riches at Christ's expense," no matter how much that idea may appeal to our self-love.
We ourselves must be worthy of the Kingdom of God.
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:5)
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
There are some passages of Scripture that appear to suggest the believers whom Christ deems worthy of His acceptance, but who are "bruised reeds," will be "healed" by the Lord at a later date.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)
"With healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up."
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
But if the Christian salvation is not the bringing of us to Heaven but is our placement in the Kingdom of Heaven according to our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, and if being saved by fire means we shall enter the realm of bodiless spirits without spiritual clothing of any kind, suffering rebuke (and perhaps much worse) at the hands of an angry Christ, unable to have fellowship with the redeemed spirits who have served their Lord, being held in contempt by those around us, then we who were careless did not deceive God after all. Our behavior was unfaithful and we were paid off in kind.
We were saved from destruction through the prayers of our relatives, or for some other reason known to the Lord; but we forfeited our right to our inheritance as a son of God.
If we are hoping to be saved as by fire we are taking a terrifying chance with our eternal destiny. What if we are not saved after all?
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)
Notice the contrast: either we believe to the saving of our soul or else we draw back to destruction.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)
The inference from the above verse is that if we do not overcome we will not inherit all things, God will not be our God and we will not be God's son. To overcome is to emerge a victor in the struggle to conquer the love of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and self-will. It is to defeat all enemies that come against us in the fight of faith. It is not speaking of the careless, lukewarm believer who knows he ought to serve the Lord but cannot find the time or strength to do so.
There is more to the Kingdom of God than "being saved," being delivered from the Lake of Fire. There is more to inheriting the Kingdom of God than receiving "God's riches at Christ's expense," no matter how much that idea may appeal to our self-love.
We ourselves must be worthy of the Kingdom of God.
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:5)
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
There are some passages of Scripture that appear to suggest the believers whom Christ deems worthy of His acceptance, but who are "bruised reeds," will be "healed" by the Lord at a later date.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)
"With healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up."
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The New Jerusalem, #11
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7,8)
The Scripture declares that what we sow in this life we shall reap in the Day of Judgment.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (Romans 2:6)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)
Some will be saved as was Lot without receiving an inheritance.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:15)
What does it mean to be saved by fire?
Of one thing we are certain: it does not signify there will be sinners or self-seeking individuals in the new Jerusalem. That would be contrary to the express statements of the Scriptures.
It means, no doubt, that the person will not be thrown into the Lake of Fire; for the Scriptures refer to the Lake of Fire as the second death, not as a place of chastening.
We are not speaking now of people who are eternally doomed but of individuals who are saved but whose works have been burned up. Jesus spoke of lashes, some receiving many and some few. These are believers who have lost most of their personality. They will be governed and helped by the stronger, as is true today. They are not part of the ruling priesthood of the Lord. God has found good in them, but they will enter the new world without an inheritance. They will not have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God.
The person who is saved by fire does not receive the rewards of the overcomer. He does not receive the glory and authority of the Kingdom of God. None of his works have stood the test of fire. His spirit will be saved in the Day of the Lord, but he is naked in the spirit realm. He may be punished with "lashes." He will not hear the Lord Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Consider Lot. He was saved from destruction for the sake of Abraham. All his possessions (he owned much livestock) were destroyed. His wife and sons-in-law were destroyed. He was left with two incestuous daughters. His offspring were Moab and Ammon-the despised of the Lord.
Because of our tradition that salvation is a transfer of us to a land of delights, being "saved by fire" is thought of as entering Paradise even though we did not live according to the Scriptures. What does it matter if our works on earth are burned up as long as we "go to Heaven"?
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The Scripture declares that what we sow in this life we shall reap in the Day of Judgment.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (Romans 2:6)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)
Some will be saved as was Lot without receiving an inheritance.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:15)
What does it mean to be saved by fire?
Of one thing we are certain: it does not signify there will be sinners or self-seeking individuals in the new Jerusalem. That would be contrary to the express statements of the Scriptures.
It means, no doubt, that the person will not be thrown into the Lake of Fire; for the Scriptures refer to the Lake of Fire as the second death, not as a place of chastening.
We are not speaking now of people who are eternally doomed but of individuals who are saved but whose works have been burned up. Jesus spoke of lashes, some receiving many and some few. These are believers who have lost most of their personality. They will be governed and helped by the stronger, as is true today. They are not part of the ruling priesthood of the Lord. God has found good in them, but they will enter the new world without an inheritance. They will not have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God.
The person who is saved by fire does not receive the rewards of the overcomer. He does not receive the glory and authority of the Kingdom of God. None of his works have stood the test of fire. His spirit will be saved in the Day of the Lord, but he is naked in the spirit realm. He may be punished with "lashes." He will not hear the Lord Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Consider Lot. He was saved from destruction for the sake of Abraham. All his possessions (he owned much livestock) were destroyed. His wife and sons-in-law were destroyed. He was left with two incestuous daughters. His offspring were Moab and Ammon-the despised of the Lord.
Because of our tradition that salvation is a transfer of us to a land of delights, being "saved by fire" is thought of as entering Paradise even though we did not live according to the Scriptures. What does it matter if our works on earth are burned up as long as we "go to Heaven"?
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Monday, February 07, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #10
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:16)
Notice the prayer of Paul (above) for "the saints that are at Ephesus."
And then for the "churches of Galatia":
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)
Paul does not write to the saints that they should make a profession of belief in Christ so they can enter Heaven when they die. We suppose the New Testament writings are filled with such admonitions, but they do not appear even one time.
Rather, Paul exhorts the saints continually and consistently that they must walk in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God so they can inherit the Kingdom of God.
Notice the following:
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)
"Hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
"The kingdom of Christ and of God."
This was written to the saints and faithful in Christ (Ephesians 1:1)
Never is the emphasis on dying and going to Heaven. It always is on inheriting the Kingdom of God.
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)
"Shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."
"The kingdom of God."
The issue is that of inheriting the Kingdom of God, of making our eternal home in the new Jerusalem. When Paul writes to the saints he cautions them, as does John in the Book of Revelation, that only those who behave righteously will be permitted to enter through the gates into the city.
But what about the believers who are spiritually weak, being ignorant of God's ways? They believe Jesus is Christ and that He died for their sins. Yet they have not been taught concerning the Kingdom of God.
It is not possible they can abide in the Presence of God's Glory in their untransformed state. There is neither sin nor self-seeking of any kind in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the new Jerusalem. If the Lord Jesus deems them worthy of salvation, they will be instructed in righteousness.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. (Isaiah 54:13)
That which defiles never shall be permitted to enter the new Jerusalem. If we are not clear on this point we are in deception. The new Jerusalem includes no unchanged personalities who are there by the Lord's mercy. All the inhabitants are holy. All know the Lord from the least to the greatest. All are righteous in behavior. All are obedient to God the Father and to the Lamb of God, Christ.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Notice the prayer of Paul (above) for "the saints that are at Ephesus."
And then for the "churches of Galatia":
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)
Paul does not write to the saints that they should make a profession of belief in Christ so they can enter Heaven when they die. We suppose the New Testament writings are filled with such admonitions, but they do not appear even one time.
Rather, Paul exhorts the saints continually and consistently that they must walk in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God so they can inherit the Kingdom of God.
Notice the following:
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)
"Hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
"The kingdom of Christ and of God."
This was written to the saints and faithful in Christ (Ephesians 1:1)
Never is the emphasis on dying and going to Heaven. It always is on inheriting the Kingdom of God.
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)
"Shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."
"The kingdom of God."
The issue is that of inheriting the Kingdom of God, of making our eternal home in the new Jerusalem. When Paul writes to the saints he cautions them, as does John in the Book of Revelation, that only those who behave righteously will be permitted to enter through the gates into the city.
But what about the believers who are spiritually weak, being ignorant of God's ways? They believe Jesus is Christ and that He died for their sins. Yet they have not been taught concerning the Kingdom of God.
It is not possible they can abide in the Presence of God's Glory in their untransformed state. There is neither sin nor self-seeking of any kind in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the new Jerusalem. If the Lord Jesus deems them worthy of salvation, they will be instructed in righteousness.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. (Isaiah 54:13)
That which defiles never shall be permitted to enter the new Jerusalem. If we are not clear on this point we are in deception. The new Jerusalem includes no unchanged personalities who are there by the Lord's mercy. All the inhabitants are holy. All know the Lord from the least to the greatest. All are righteous in behavior. All are obedient to God the Father and to the Lamb of God, Christ.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The New Jerusalem, #9
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Our minds are transformed as we meditate in the Scriptures and as the Lord keeps on sending us Divine guidance and help. The Glory of the Lord is revealed to us in many different ways.
The Holy Spirit reveals our sins to us and removes them from us as we confess them and forsake them.
The Spirit leads us into the suffering of Christ. As we endure the humility, the thirst, the pain of the cross, our self-will is broken and the Lord Jesus ascends the throne of our heart.
Christ has been born in us through the Spirit, and through the Spirit is being brought to maturity in us. Also, the Father and the Son come through the Spirit and dwell in the new inner man who is being formed in us.
We are being changed into Christ's image from glory to glory, command upon command, rule upon rule. We are being changed eternally and are being brought into eternally inseparable union with Christ and the Father. There is a new creation. God is making us new so that our entire personality is of Himself.
These are the means through which we are made fit to enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem.
There are no other means of making us fit for citizenship in the holy city-absolutely none!
A profession of correct doctrine does not make us fit to enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem. Dying and passing into the domain of bodiless spirits does not make us fit to enter in through the gates into the new Jerusalem.
Only those who do God's commandments have a right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city, and it is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be changed from obeying sin and self to obeying God.
There is no Scripture that states we enter through the gates by grace, by mercy, by forgiveness, or by "faith" in the sense of a doctrinal position of belief. Although it is believed commonly that we shall enter the Kingdom of God by grace, there is no Scripture to support this notion. We enter the Kingdom of God by being born again, by being transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (into Heaven as it is put commonly but unscripturally) only by being changed to the point where we are walking in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God, where and when does such conversion to righteous behavior take place? For it is obvious many churches are not striving mightily to achieve righteous conduct. Rather, the emphasis is on being saved by "grace."
It is clear we must be transformed by the Lord before we are eligible to receive the Glory of the Lord.
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest [pledge] of the Spirit. (II Corinthians 5:5)
"He that hath wrought us."
God is preparing us now so we will be in a position to inherit His Glory.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Our minds are transformed as we meditate in the Scriptures and as the Lord keeps on sending us Divine guidance and help. The Glory of the Lord is revealed to us in many different ways.
The Holy Spirit reveals our sins to us and removes them from us as we confess them and forsake them.
The Spirit leads us into the suffering of Christ. As we endure the humility, the thirst, the pain of the cross, our self-will is broken and the Lord Jesus ascends the throne of our heart.
Christ has been born in us through the Spirit, and through the Spirit is being brought to maturity in us. Also, the Father and the Son come through the Spirit and dwell in the new inner man who is being formed in us.
We are being changed into Christ's image from glory to glory, command upon command, rule upon rule. We are being changed eternally and are being brought into eternally inseparable union with Christ and the Father. There is a new creation. God is making us new so that our entire personality is of Himself.
These are the means through which we are made fit to enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem.
There are no other means of making us fit for citizenship in the holy city-absolutely none!
A profession of correct doctrine does not make us fit to enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem. Dying and passing into the domain of bodiless spirits does not make us fit to enter in through the gates into the new Jerusalem.
Only those who do God's commandments have a right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city, and it is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be changed from obeying sin and self to obeying God.
There is no Scripture that states we enter through the gates by grace, by mercy, by forgiveness, or by "faith" in the sense of a doctrinal position of belief. Although it is believed commonly that we shall enter the Kingdom of God by grace, there is no Scripture to support this notion. We enter the Kingdom of God by being born again, by being transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (into Heaven as it is put commonly but unscripturally) only by being changed to the point where we are walking in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God, where and when does such conversion to righteous behavior take place? For it is obvious many churches are not striving mightily to achieve righteous conduct. Rather, the emphasis is on being saved by "grace."
It is clear we must be transformed by the Lord before we are eligible to receive the Glory of the Lord.
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest [pledge] of the Spirit. (II Corinthians 5:5)
"He that hath wrought us."
God is preparing us now so we will be in a position to inherit His Glory.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Thursday, February 03, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #8
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
But now we have died and are in the realm of spirits. What will God do with us? He will evaluate us ("it is appointed to men once to die, and after this the judgment") in terms of what we are, not in terms of the doctrine we profess to believe. What we are, we are, and God will place us where we belong.
We shall be judged according to the manner in which we have behaved on this earth. In the day of resurrection we shall receive the good we have practiced or the evil we have practiced (II Corinthians 5:10).
Notice it does not state, in the Book of Revelation, that we shall not enter the new Jerusalem unless we accept Christ as our Savior. Rather it declares that we shall not enter the new Jerusalem unless we are free from the works of unrighteousness and uncleanness.
Christ did not come to save us in our sins. Christ came to save us from our sins. There is a difference between being saved in our sins and being saved from our sins.
Notice also that the Scriptures do not emphasize the concept of going to Heaven. We may assume they do but they do not. A glance through a concordance will confirm that the idea of eternal residence in Heaven is not often presented.
Rather, the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, emphasize the godliness of the saints, the rule of the Kingdom of Heaven-especially in the earth.
The distinction between the rule of the Kingdom of God and going to Heaven is important. It may be true that the current deplorable condition of the Christian Church is due to the prevailing ignorance of the nature of salvation. Salvation is the Divine program for establishing the Person and rule of God in the personalities of the elect, not the transfer of unchanged human beings from the surface of the earth to an area set aside in the spirit realm, in the domain of bodiless spirits.
The Christian redemption is the transformation of people from the image of Satan to the image of Christ, not the transfer of people from the earth to Heaven. Salvation has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, not with our removal to the place termed "Heaven," although there certainly is a place called Heaven.
If salvation is the removal of our sins and self-centeredness rather than our removal to another place, how is our cleansing accomplished?
As we have pointed out, dying and passing into the spirit realm will not accomplish our sanctification. Being in the spirit realm, in fact, in the very Presence of God, did not prevent Satan or his angels from sinning, from rebelling against God. Sin and rebellion originated in the spirit realm.
What, then, is the Divine means of transforming our personality so we can enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem?
Transformation comes only through the Lord Jesus Christ. First of all, our sins must be forgiven through His blood. If we truly receive Him in the beginning of our profession and abide in Him continually, His blood keeps on forgiving us. By the one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified, those who live in Him and walk in Him at all times. This is the normal Christian life.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
But now we have died and are in the realm of spirits. What will God do with us? He will evaluate us ("it is appointed to men once to die, and after this the judgment") in terms of what we are, not in terms of the doctrine we profess to believe. What we are, we are, and God will place us where we belong.
We shall be judged according to the manner in which we have behaved on this earth. In the day of resurrection we shall receive the good we have practiced or the evil we have practiced (II Corinthians 5:10).
Notice it does not state, in the Book of Revelation, that we shall not enter the new Jerusalem unless we accept Christ as our Savior. Rather it declares that we shall not enter the new Jerusalem unless we are free from the works of unrighteousness and uncleanness.
Christ did not come to save us in our sins. Christ came to save us from our sins. There is a difference between being saved in our sins and being saved from our sins.
Notice also that the Scriptures do not emphasize the concept of going to Heaven. We may assume they do but they do not. A glance through a concordance will confirm that the idea of eternal residence in Heaven is not often presented.
Rather, the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, emphasize the godliness of the saints, the rule of the Kingdom of Heaven-especially in the earth.
The distinction between the rule of the Kingdom of God and going to Heaven is important. It may be true that the current deplorable condition of the Christian Church is due to the prevailing ignorance of the nature of salvation. Salvation is the Divine program for establishing the Person and rule of God in the personalities of the elect, not the transfer of unchanged human beings from the surface of the earth to an area set aside in the spirit realm, in the domain of bodiless spirits.
The Christian redemption is the transformation of people from the image of Satan to the image of Christ, not the transfer of people from the earth to Heaven. Salvation has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, not with our removal to the place termed "Heaven," although there certainly is a place called Heaven.
If salvation is the removal of our sins and self-centeredness rather than our removal to another place, how is our cleansing accomplished?
As we have pointed out, dying and passing into the spirit realm will not accomplish our sanctification. Being in the spirit realm, in fact, in the very Presence of God, did not prevent Satan or his angels from sinning, from rebelling against God. Sin and rebellion originated in the spirit realm.
What, then, is the Divine means of transforming our personality so we can enter through the gates into the new Jerusalem?
Transformation comes only through the Lord Jesus Christ. First of all, our sins must be forgiven through His blood. If we truly receive Him in the beginning of our profession and abide in Him continually, His blood keeps on forgiving us. By the one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified, those who live in Him and walk in Him at all times. This is the normal Christian life.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2011 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
The New Jerusalem, #7
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11)
Let us think for a moment about what happens to us when we die.
First of all, our physical body is removed from us. Our body goes into the earth or sea, there to await the day of resurrection.
Since the lusts that guide us into sin reside in our flesh, it is possible that after death we are free from them: from gluttony, immorality, drunkenness, occult practices, murder, and so forth.
Yet, this may or may not be true. After all, these sins are spiritual in nature and origin. We have no Scripture to prove that we leave our sins in the grave with our flesh. In fact, Sundar Singh, Dr. Ritchie and others have written that the sins that drive people follow them into the realm of spirits. The adulterer is driven mad by his lust. The thief attempts to steal the valuables of the spirit realm. The murderer is ready to attack those who come near him. A chilling thought!
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:14,15)
From the Book of Genesis through to the last chapter of the Book of Revelation the emphasis is on righteousness of conduct. By no means does the grace of God that is in Christ alter in any manner the fact that it is the righteous who will dwell in glory with God while the wicked are assigned, with others of their kind, to eternal torment.
There is a wall around the new Jerusalem. The purpose of a wall is to keep out of a city what is not desirable. If sin were not possible in the world to come there would be no need for a wall around the new Jerusalem. Sin always is a possibility among creatures who possess a will of their own. The glory of the new covenant is not only or primarily that it forgives our sins but that it re-creates us through Christ so we choose not to sin.
We see, then, it is not enough for God to forgive our sins, He also must transform us so we will choose not to sin. Otherwise we might rebel against God in future ages, as Satan and his followers, who also were in Paradise, rebelled against God in past ages.
As we have stated, we put off our flesh when we die physically. We pass into the spirit realm. Except for the loss of our body, our personality is intact. What we are, we are. We have not lost our will. We have not gained faith, or trust in God, or patience, or courage, or righteousness, or obedience. If we are lukewarm toward Christ we still are lukewarm toward Christ. If we do not trust God we still do not trust God. If we prefer the glitter and glamour of the places where sinners assemble, that preference still is in our personality. Nothing has happened to remove it.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Let us think for a moment about what happens to us when we die.
First of all, our physical body is removed from us. Our body goes into the earth or sea, there to await the day of resurrection.
Since the lusts that guide us into sin reside in our flesh, it is possible that after death we are free from them: from gluttony, immorality, drunkenness, occult practices, murder, and so forth.
Yet, this may or may not be true. After all, these sins are spiritual in nature and origin. We have no Scripture to prove that we leave our sins in the grave with our flesh. In fact, Sundar Singh, Dr. Ritchie and others have written that the sins that drive people follow them into the realm of spirits. The adulterer is driven mad by his lust. The thief attempts to steal the valuables of the spirit realm. The murderer is ready to attack those who come near him. A chilling thought!
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:14,15)
From the Book of Genesis through to the last chapter of the Book of Revelation the emphasis is on righteousness of conduct. By no means does the grace of God that is in Christ alter in any manner the fact that it is the righteous who will dwell in glory with God while the wicked are assigned, with others of their kind, to eternal torment.
There is a wall around the new Jerusalem. The purpose of a wall is to keep out of a city what is not desirable. If sin were not possible in the world to come there would be no need for a wall around the new Jerusalem. Sin always is a possibility among creatures who possess a will of their own. The glory of the new covenant is not only or primarily that it forgives our sins but that it re-creates us through Christ so we choose not to sin.
We see, then, it is not enough for God to forgive our sins, He also must transform us so we will choose not to sin. Otherwise we might rebel against God in future ages, as Satan and his followers, who also were in Paradise, rebelled against God in past ages.
As we have stated, we put off our flesh when we die physically. We pass into the spirit realm. Except for the loss of our body, our personality is intact. What we are, we are. We have not lost our will. We have not gained faith, or trust in God, or patience, or courage, or righteousness, or obedience. If we are lukewarm toward Christ we still are lukewarm toward Christ. If we do not trust God we still do not trust God. If we prefer the glitter and glamour of the places where sinners assemble, that preference still is in our personality. Nothing has happened to remove it.
To be continued.
We extend permission to make as many copies of this essay as you need, in both paper and electronic formats. Please include the following statement of copyright:
Copyright � 1997-2010 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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