Monthly Archives: October 2015

Who resurrected Jesus and why?

by fact-s.net

As proof that Jesus is the Messiah, he was resurrected in 3 days and 3 nights (Matt. 12:40 ). Similarly in John 2:18-21 “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” Read also Matt 16:21; Matthew 26:61; 27:40;Mark 14:58; Mark 15:29; Acts 6:14

Also, while it is true that his resurrection gives the “adulterous generation”(Matt. 12:39; 16:4) proof that Jesus is the Messiah, the reasons for his resurrection may even be more far-reaching. Aside from being a proof, the following verses give us an inclination as to why:

Rom. 5:6-10″For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
The preceding verses show that the purpose of his death is to reconcile us to the Father since “all sinned“, as in:

Rom. 3:23-26“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Jesus, being dead means exactly that… dead completely, not alive. And, without him being resurrected or be alive he would still be dead and would not have received the promise by the Father of the Holy Spirit to in-dwell in us, meaning “saved by his life” (Rom.5:10).

And, John 16:7 is clear that Jesus has to be resurrected, be alive, to go to the Father to get this promise of the Holy Spirit and subsequently to dwell in us. Notice, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
As to the question who is that God who resurrected Jesus? Was he the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit? In New Testament times, when the word “God” is mentioned, it refers to the Father to differentiate it from Jesus, the Son of God (the Father). Consider then the following:
Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.”
The apostle Peter stated in his first sermon on the Day of Pentecost: “This Jesus, God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32). Subsequently, in Acts 3:15, he told his audience that they had “killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses”.

The apostle Paul also testified in Acts 13:33; compare verse 37: “God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus”. Continuing now in Acts 17:31“Because He [God] has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man [Jesus] whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead”.

Ephesians 1:20 ” …he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,”

But what about John 2:19; see verse 21 also when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple [referring to His body being slain], and in three days I will raise it up [implying His resurrection]”. If Jesus meant by this that He would come back to life on His own, he contradicted other testimonies. Rather, after God the Father brought life back to him while in the tomb, He would stand up and “raise it up” himself from his lying down to then get out from the grave.

Similarly, the same mechanism will apply to us. The Spirit of God gives power. The Father gives the Holy Spirit that brings about life. And by so giving that spirit of life, this is the power we will then be resurrected with. As Paul tells us, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he (the Father) who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:11, NRSV).

Clearly, it was God the Father who did it as promised by him to YHVH/Creator before the foundation of the world and before the latter incarnated into man-Jesus. The “faith of Jesus“, as referred to in Rom. 3:22, Gal.2:16, 3:22, and Phil. 3:9, is faith “in” someone. There is nobody else to whom the Son can defer to (I Cor. 15:24-28) but to his Father who knows everything(Mk. 13:32). This faith “of” Jesus is faith “in” his Father who he knows will deliver everything he promised. Everything was planned by the Father and was/will be executed by his Son(I Cor. 8:6). They are “one” as they are together in everything, as we will be “one” with them(Eph. 4:6).

Faith vs belief, hope,wishful thinking and trust?

by fact-s.net

 Faith vs belief, hope,wishful thinking and trust?

My understanding on this subject is referenced in Heb 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The original Greek for faith is “pistis” which means assurance; substance/”hypostasis” or support;hoped/”noieo” or considered/understood; evidence/”elenchos” or proved.

From the above original derivations, one sees the context has symmetry and that “faith/pistis” is consistent with proof; something real, present and seen; not future as in hope or wishful thinking. Paul differentiated faith from “hope” in Rom.8:24 “…hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” Salvation is future and hoped for as in “the hope of salvation“(I Thessalonians 5:8).

Faith without proof is dead and can only be proven or shown with “works“(James 2:14-26). Faith in Jesus means proof or evidence of Jesus and his power. Being the Creator YHVH (factual, evidentiary, faith or pistis), he can deliver what he promised to us, from whence we believe and  hope to receive actual salvation in the future when we are changed from “mortality to immortality in a twinkling of an eye” (I Cor. 15:51-53). Notice that the personhood and historical reality of Jesus served as the evidence, the anchor, assurance and substance of our hope. Having faith means having proof or evidence from which one derives conviction/assurance, to believe and hope that promises will be fulfilled. Faith in the Father means proof of the Father, his existence, All-powerful, that being so, in itself is evidence that he can deliver on his promises.

The faith of Abraham is evidence-based as he was talking to EL SHADDAI/YHVH/pre-incarnate Jesus himself. He knew he helped him in wars against enemies, that this person is Almighty and can deliver what he promised. While our faith is essential for salvation, the initiating event is the faith “of“ Jesus in the Father, without which, our own faith is meaningless and ineffective . Jesus has faith in the Father because as YHVH Creator of Genesis, he was with the Father from the beginning; a definite proof.

Summary

Because of evidence or substance of things hoped for, i.e., faith(pistis), we base our conviction/assurance. We then believe and trust that what Father God and YHVH/Logos/Jesus promised, they will fulfill.  The apostles did not just “trust“, believe or hope because of lack of proof/evidence. They saw the resurrected Christ and miracles he did.

They did not just believed willy-nilly. In fact, they were skeptical at the end, abandoned and marginalized him as others before him, who claimed “messiah” died at crucifixion and did not resurrect. Peter “denied Jesus 3 times” and Thomas has to touch him for proof. They found evidence, by his resurrection (as he prophesied while with them), that he was what he claimed to be and will fulfill his promise to them, that they believed and trusted.  Faith in God, of all those promised to people and before the apostles, were evidence-based. Then they believed in his promises and trusted in him. Faith is not hope nor wishful thinking or trust. Rather, it is evidence-based and substantive, i.e., can be substantiated with facts.

So, every time we see the word “faith/pistis” in the Bible, take that as meaning fact, proof, evidence, assurance and not belief, trust nor hope. When the Bible says “have faith” it means have “substance…evidence” of and about God through the “eyes of witnesses” , human or divine witness like Jesus, the only witness of the Father. Moreover, faith is given by God as in:

Romans 12:3

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (NIV)

God bless 🙏👍

Original post: October 27, 2015

Reposted: 3/31/19

Will the Anti-Christ be a Muslim?

by fact-s.net

To begin with, an anti-Christ is an adversary. And the ultimate adversary is Satan.
1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Revelation 12:9 – And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Also, an adversary can be smart and be an antitype, a fitting substitute to the real one. In fact, the end times antichrist that comes onto the scene prior to the second coming of Christ, will be a man who will sit in the Temple and institute the Temple rituals.
2 Thes 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”

This man is described in Daniel 7:8,20,21,24,25 …”I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

These ten horns are ten kings and represent the ten toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar described in Daniel 2. At the time of these ten horns/toes, a little horn will appear and “pluck out” 3 of the 10, leaving 7 horns, and this is the 8th and was the 7th beast.

From the preceding, it appears that it does not matter whether the “man of sin”, the “end-time beast” is a Muslim or not. Rather, whether the man fits all the descriptions.

Is the parable of talent referring to good works needed to get to heaven?

by fact-s.net

Regarding Matt. 25:14-30, the short answer is, Yes they are required.

But, these good works must not emanate from us. They should not be “our” works per se, like atheists doing good. But works or “fruits” that come through the Holy Spirit that we merely expressed through and shown by “our works”.

As such, no one will boast (Eph. 2:9). By faith of Jesus, it took his death and resurrection for us to receive (Jn. 14:16) the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is a great gift, by the grace of God, to have and we must show “fruits of the Spirit”(Gal. 5:22-23).

Any good work that anyone can do by himself is as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and not consistent or reliably sustainable as our “flesh is weak”(Matt.26:41).
Eph. 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Notice the example of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane:
“He withdrew about a stone’s throw and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done'” (Luke 22:41-42). Matthew records Jesus as making his request of the Father twice: “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken away from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'” (Matthew 26:39) and “He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done'” (Matt. 26:42). Mark records his prayer in a positive way, “‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

While not “his will”, he expressed the “will of the Father” through his works empowered by the Holy Spirit. Similarly, we are the “vessel” through which the “fruits of the Holy Spirit” will be manifested. The “fruits/works” are of the Holy Spirit, even if we did those “works” ourselves.

Beware, we might be cut off as in:
Matt. 7:19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Dan. 4:14 “He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches”

See also Matt. 3:10; Lu. 3:9, 13:7; John 15:2, 6;

We need to be overcomers, as in Rev. 3:5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life

Is being a good person enough for one be saved?

by fact-s.net

Doing good works, i.e., following the Law, is not a monopoly of God-fearing people. Rom.2:4 “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.”(NLT). Even people from godless societies, like atheists, do good to their neighbors. Goes to show that good works can be done by anyone, if they so choose.

But, even our ultimate good works and what maybe the very best to us may not necessarily be so, as far as God is concerned. Notice how the prophet Isaiah included himself in:
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (Isaiah 64:6). The word filthy is from Hebrew word iddah, which literally means “the bodily fluids from a woman’s menstrual cycle.”

It is God who defines what is good and pleasing to him. In the narrative offering of Esau and Cain:
“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:3-5).
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh” (Heb.11:4).

Notice that both gave an offering but Abel was by faith, and Cain was not. His offering was rejected because it was offered according to his own presumption of what is best for him that is acceptable and pleasing to God. The “fruit” that he sacrificed for, turned out to be as “filthy rags” because it was not by faith. This narrative suggesting the “righteousness of faith” and not of works.

Similarly, the narrative in Genesis about Adam to become like YHVH,(to be His body/church) had to come not from Adam’s work by himself eating the forbidden fruit. That “oneness with YHVH” can only be achieved, not through man-Adam but through the faith and work of the second-Adam, the man-Jesus.

In summary, good works, i.e., righteousness, is defined by and has to come from God. In fact, the fruits of the Spirit require that they had to come from the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. We could not receive this promise of the Holy Spirit unless by grace and faith, through the death and resurrection of Christ. In Eph. 2:10 and 2 Cor. 3:5, the expression of these fruits of the. Holy Spirit as in “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”.
There is only one way for anyone to be saved, and that is through the sacrifice of one person, the Creator YHVH, who incarnated to Christ Jesus, as in “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Calvinism, 5 points/TULIPs

by fact-s.net

On the 5 points of Calvinism, please consider my personal position on each one of them:

1. Total Depravity – The consequence of sin is eternal death. And this extends to all humanity since the sin of Adam, with eternal death as punishment, was imputed to all human beings (Rom 5:12-13). Even a newborn that did not sin yet, has eternal death as a consequence of sin. Not anyone’s particular sin but all sin “devolved” from that specific sin of Adam in the book of Genesis. Whether or not there were people before Adam’s creation (according to anthropologist) is immaterial, as imputation still goes back to Adam’s sin. Also, this imputation commenced/was counted when the Law was given to Moses, even when “sin occurred before the Law“(Rom. 5:13); not unveiled until then so that sin will be amplified and defined (Rom. 5:20). This imputation to one man was done so that death of one man, i.e., man-Jesus, will also be imputed to all mankind. There is no other person’s death but Jesus’ that this consequence of sin can be paid for (Rom. 5:6-21). Indeed, a total depravity. See also, Rom. 3:10, Gen. 6:5, Jer. 17:9.

2. Unconditional Election – Election and predestination are unconditional and planned for all by God from the beginning. His love covers all. He planned this even before anyone of us did anything right or wrong. Jesus was the unconditional election before he or any other human did “any works” While that is so, the end-point or outcome of these is still dependent on man’s free will and response. Free will defines the right choice of man-Jesus to follow to become the “Son of God” and for Lucifer to become an adversary, Satan. And so it does for any man.

Romans 8:29-30 , 9:11, Eph.1:4-6,11-12, speak of a group of “predestinated, called and justified”, from where God provides the “chance” to be “glorified” or “saved“. There is that “chance” being given that will result in and bear out “firstfruits” at the “first resurrection” to start the Millenium. And, there is a “chance” to be given after the Millenium that will result in “latter fruits”. This is their 1st chance and not about “second-chances” but a matter of “election”. There is a “timetable“, for everyone, as in Eccl. 9:11 “for time and chance overtake them all“. And these “chances” are referring to the time of offering the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. With the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the person given that chance still have to choose, whether to follow the will of the Father or not. Even Jesus has shown free-will in the garden of Gethsemane to follow the Holy Spirit, (in-dwelling in him from river Jordan,Matt. 3:16), as in “not my will but yours“( Lu.22:42;Matt. 26:39); so, should we all who are called, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. From these groups that had “election, predestination, calling” and “justification” given “unconditionally” through Christ, will come out the “firstfruits” and “latterfruits” depending on their “oneness” with God.

3. Limited Atonement – The Creator YHVH who incarnated to “man-Jesus”

(anthropos) died for the remission of all mankind’s sin and atoned for all. Atonement is for everyone and is not limited by God, except for the “time appointed” by himself. However, it is limited by each person, (at appointed time of in-dwelling of Holy Spirit) depending upon whether he/she believes in this atoning sacrifice of Jesus. It is also limited to those who are “called” at a particular timetable; those partakers in the first resurrection, then those in the second resurrection. This is the context of Matthew 1:21,John 10:11,17:9, Acts 20:28,

4.Irresistible Grace – this is a gift that is so supreme and sublime that will not be “forced down our throats“. Grace was given before the foundation of the world as planned. But, while given to those predestined, called and in-dwelled to open the spiritual “blindness and deafness”, it can be resisted when it is already in-dwelling, i.e., after given. The Father wants “free will” and Jesus as an example in the “garden of Gethsemane” knew this all along, could have resisted it but, instead, concurred willingly with “not my will” but “his will”. If the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, given as a gift by grace, can not be resisted then where is “free-will”? And, why the need to “persevere and overcome” the pull of the flesh?

5. Perseverance of the Saints – They have to. Otherwise, no reward of immortality/ salvation. But not all will “persevere“. In fact, even those written in the “book of life” and have been “predestined“, “elected“, “called”, “justified” can still be removed from that “book” as in Rev. 2:19. We need to endure, to be saved, as in, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”(Matt. 10:22). NB. “…shall be..”.

Summary

When humans were created, they were the best of all creation such that angels rejoiced(Job 38:7). But, while “perfect” at creation, humans as flesh-composed, are incomplete and therefore “weak”. Jesus at Gethsemane proved this to himself 3 x before he rejected “his will” and followed “his Father’s will”.

Adam in Genesis was created perfectly but just like the best of any human, he was “incomplete/weak” to attain his goal of “being like him“(God). Predictably, by his “own works” he tried but failed in his goal because he did not have the “Helper” to empower him to overcome. This narrative in Genesis was written for us to understand the principle of “election, predestination” that it would be the “chosen man-Jesus“, the first man (captain/trailblazer)who was predestined to have the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, which occurred in the River Jordan.

Adam’s sin and death were counted to all; such is “total depravity“. And this, so that one man, “anthropos-Jesus“‘ death, will also be counted for reconciliation with the Father. Jesus is the “only way, truth and life” and no other human could do this, as appointed, an “unconditional election”. Atonement of sins are for all and unlimited by God; for all at their appointed times, at which time man has to choose to follow the in-dwelling Holy Spirit or not. Grace was given out of love, “irresistible” as far as appointed time for Holy Spirit to in-dwell and do”spiritual hearing/seeing“, “predestination/calling”. But this spirit can be resisted( Acts 7:51).

To attain or reach the goal of “immortality/salvation”, and be a spirit-composed member of the “body-of-Christ” the “God-kingdom”, one has to persevere, overcome voluntarily by using this “power of the Holy Spirit” to be guided on actions to take so that the works are “fruits of the Holy Spirit“, not from your own “so no one can boast”

God Bless🙏😇

Original list:10/14/15

Hyperlink version posted 3/15/19

Critique is welcome at foundationacts@yahoo.com.

Since God knew that Adam would sin and Satan would be an Adversary, why create them at all? Also, why not create another Adam?

by fact-s.net

The creation of an angel Lucifer that turned to be an “adversary” (Satan) is known to an all-knowing YHVH. While Lucifer was created perfect, he had a choice: to follow God or be an Adversary . Similarly, he knew that Adam, with his ability to choose, would sin because his flesh-composition is “weak”, i.e., no spiritual wisdom to choose between good and evil. Why not create another Adam? Actually, the “other Adam”, to whom the hope was anchored on, has been created in the person of “man-Jesus” (anthropos) as in Rom. 5:14″…the figure of him that was to come.” But, it begs the question, why then create them in the first place?

Their creation is part of an overall plan to have a “new creation” of “sons of God” that are “one” with and “like” YHVH. The presence of both man and Satan is important. From a man, God will create “sons of God” and therefore needed to be created as an “image” or “temple/tabernacle”, being temporary until the in-dwelling of the Spirit of God. As a man(anthropos) that was created perfect, yet incomplete until the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit at rivers Jordan, Jesus chose correctly to be guided by the Holy Spirit. He then fulfilled the “hope” and trust of the Father in him for the sake of mankind. In the same vein, Satan, being a Deceiver and Tempter, is needed for man to develop the “mind of Christ” i.e., “wisdom” to choose, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, what is good over evil.

This plan from the book of Genesis is the “gospel of the kingdom of God”. Consider the following verses:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.…I Cor.12:12-13

“For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.…”Rom. 12:4-5

“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Col.1:18

“…concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,…”Rom. 1:3-4

“…But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” Heb. 2:9-10

In summary, creation of man and Lucifer(who became Satan) is consistent with the plan from the beginning. Their creation is necessary to achieve God’s goal. Salvation from eternal death requires mortals to be changed to immortals. And this, through a process that means a Passover has to be killed for “remissions of sins”. Resurrection of man-Jesus has to occur as we are to be “saved by his life” which enables him, being alive, to receive the “promise of the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 16:7) from the Father. Jesus can then send the Holy Spirit to in-dwell us for “renewing of our mind”(Rom. 12:2) into the “mind of Christ”(,I Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5). God the Father is creating “the mind and body of Christ” with many members, Jesus the head of that “body” and “bringing many sons to glory”. All spirit-bodied as the “Son of God” and “one” with him, and by extension, “one” with the Father. All in the “kingdom of God”.

Original post: 10/13/2015

Is Christianity unique?

by fact-s.net

It is unique because of one vision: the “new creation” as in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

This is the future “coming of the kingdom of God prophesied in:

Daniel 2:44
“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

Daniel 7:18
‘But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.’

But before reaching this goal, let it be clear that God is the creator of all living and non-living. He created spirit-beings,i.e., angelic beings.

Then, in Genesis 1 and 2, after non-living things like the planets were created, the plant kingdom was created,; afterwards the animal kingdom, all following the law of Genetics to beget “after their own kind”. This, signifying his inclination to create his own kind

Thereafter, God said, “let (us) make man after (our) image”. N.B. No “us” nor “our” in the original Hebrew. Contextually, it says, let man be like me, the Creator YHVH.

What was being created was not a “human kingdom” nor adding to an angelic species, but a God-kingdom, meaning “like YHVH the Creator”,i.e., spirit beings much different and higher than angels(Heb. 2:1-18)as the future world will not be subject to angels again.

To be like YHVH is not “by works”, not by “our works”. Adam thought wrongly and acted on this assumption by “eating the fruit” and was driven off the Garden of Eden. He was not allowed to “eat the fruit from the tree of life” because he sinned. Adam was not the “man” to do this but the “man-Jesus”, as in 1 Timothy 2:5 – “For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”

Same was the fate of Nimrod who liked to “reach” on his own into God via Tower of Babel. Similarly, the successive kingdoms emanating from the “image of Nebuchadnezzar” (Dan 2) are gone and the 12 toes from this image will be destroyed as prophesied and taken over by the “stone” that field the whole earth(v-35).

However, the creation of this “God-kingdom” had to start with “an image”, i.e., a template, a temporary “mold”(Isa.64:8) to continue to work on until the “final product” is finished (Jer. 18:1-4). What the Creator God has started, He will finish. More importantly, though, is that, YHVH THE Creator, is the same person who incarnated to man-Jesus. He is the “same, yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). He is the “Alpha and the Omega”(Rev.22:13), the “beginner and finisher” (Heb. 12:2) of our faith.

A template is a “temple” that God himself can “dwell into ” as he does not “dwell in temples made by (human) hands (Acts 7:48; 17:24).

The ” tent”, “tabernacle” ” 2 temples in Jerusalem were types of the “true temple” that God will eventually dwell into “by the Spirit”.

This Spirit, however, will not be sent until after the resurrection of the man-Jesus. His death was imputed to mankind as penalty for sin of Adam in Genesis, for remission of sins (Heb. 9:22; Matt.26:28).But we “are saved by his life”(Rom. 5:10), i.e., after Jesus’ resurrection, (when he is alive) would he be able to receive the Spirit (Jn. 16:7) and be sent to us for in-dwelling. This occurred in Pentecost and since then this Spirit has been getting into those called to be “firstfruits” for development into the “body of Christ”.

We are being “transformed” spiritually to have the “mind of Christ” (I Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5-11). And for those who are alive at the time of his second coming, their bodies will be changed from mortality to immortality. Those “firstfruits” who died, will be resurrected with spirit-bodies.

We will be in Christ, our Elder Brother and Head of the Church, and together be “higher than angelic-kind”, like man-Jesus as incarnate was lower than angels, but now higher than them.

The preceding makes Christianity unique with a foundational basis on the Rock, Jesus Christ. As a creator, Word in John 1:1, Jesus as YHVH created all. Now, he is creating his family, his “body”, a “new creation”, all under the Father but in the same “kingdom of God”.

Why not create humans in heaven instead of on earth?

by fact-s.net

Heaven is a place where “spirit bodies/beings” can live, like God and angelic beings. Humans, being flesh, can not survive there. Our composition is limited.

Earth is needed for us to live, grow and develop. Much like having a “uterus” where a zygote( fertilized egg) can survive before coming out of the womb after generally 9 months and live. We need “time for every season”Eccl. 3:1-8

Similarly, humans need time on earth to develop and receive the Holy Spirit for “spiritual development”, before being “changed in a twinkling of an eye”(I Cor. 15:52), becoming “spirit-composed bodies” at resurrection.

Salvation Series 6, Where?

by fact-s.net

Salvation Series 6:Where?


In the preceding Salvation Series 5 When? and Salvation Series 4 How?, we learned that we are actually saved when we become “a new creation“, all “sons of God” and “one” with Jesus as Son of God and by extension “one” with the Father, as “one” divine family. This is the “gospel of the kingdom of God“, not kingdom of plants, animals, humans, and not even that of the angelic species, but a “kingdom of God”.

The last question in this Salvation Series of 6, is where is our destination, our abode at the time of salvation?

Milllenium and First Resurrection:



Consider the following verses showing that those with “spirit-glorified-bodies“ in the 1st resurrection will “meet the Lord in the air and so shall always be with the Lord”, to reign “for a thousand years”(Millenium) after the battle of Armageddon(Revelation 16) and the beast and priest were killed in Gehenna fire.

I Thes. 4:15-17 “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.…”

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years …Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, 6).

But, still it begs the question, where? This first resurrection will be simultaneous with Jesus’ return on earth as the “firstfruits” will meet him in the clouds as he was coming down. And, they will descend on earth in Israel. 

 Luke 21:26-27 “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”  



Additionally, the following quotes clinch the place to be on earth after the Nebuchadnezzar/Babylonian kingdom and subsequent kingdoms that came out of her were destroyed at the battle of Armageddon, with Jerusalem as the center of government at the Millenium:

“ Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest † till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: : and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.”(Daniel 2:31-45). 

Notice that all these are “kingdoms” on earth and will be consumed and replaced by God’s kingdom on earth.

Battle of Armageddon: Revelation 16:12-21 …”And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”

Here, it is clear that this battle will be on earth.

Then, after the Millenium on earth, the following will come:
1. Second resurrection: Rev. 20:5 “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed”.

2. Satan will be released after having been chained for a thousand years during the Millenium (Rev. 20:2).
Revelation 20:7-10, “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Read also the prophecy against Gog and Magog are in Ezek. 38-39.

Notice, that those in the 2nd resurrection are flesh-composed, but not “glorious bodies”. This was prophesied in Ezek. 37:1-14, “The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

Notice that the “breath of life/psyche” will enter those resurrected/reconstructed flesh-bones before coming to life; then the Spirit of God will be put in them who believed (faith) for “sanctification” and when they “bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit“ then thy will be changed to “glorious-immortal spirit-composed bodies “ to live forever. 
Read also, Job 19:26-27″Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me! ” Notice that Job did not partake of the “first resurrection” and by extension other patriarchs of old, as they will still be “flesh-composed” at the “2nd resurrection”.

These are people, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc, who had faith which was counted (as an example) for righteousness but did not receive the promise at that time. They will be given the promised Holy Spirit to in-dwell in them, “bear fruits” and be changed from mortal to immortal for life eternal. Some will dwell in the promised land of Israel while some will be in other lands. As prophesied, “It shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:1-5). Note: they will not participate in upcoming war of Gog and Magog

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:1-10).

But, there will be those in the second resurrection who will continue their disobedience and fight God in the last Battle of Gog/Magog. Gehenna fire is a consistent final judgment for the evil ones. It will eternally end the life of the unrepentant disbelievers, whether in the Battle of Armageddon or in this battle against Gog and Magog. The body and breath of life/psyche/spirit of man, will suffer “eternal death” from which there is no resurrection. Notice Matt.10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell(Gehenna not hades). Also Lu.12:4-5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no † more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell(Gehenna, not hades); yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” On the other hand Satan and those unrepentant angels, being spirit, will live “tormented” for eternity.

New heaven and earth :

After all these things that will come to pass, a new heaven and earth will be created and the Father comes down to live with us.
“ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:1-8)

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)
Summary

Jesus will come down from heaven and rule on earth with his “firstfruits“. The “latterfruits” will join them to rule thereafter, but still on earth. A “new heaven and earth” will be created as the old passed away. Indeed, the Father will come down from his previous abode and will dwell with us on the “new heaven and earth“.
Original post: October 4, 2015

Revised and posted:February 20, 2017