Mary is blessed (Lu 1:28, 46-47) among all women and deserves our respect and reverence, but not to be worshipped. She is not more perfect than Adam & Eve, as “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. She needs salvation as all of mankind. But, to be chosen by God, for him to dwell incarnate in her virgin womb is “once in a lifetime” blessing.

More important though is the realization that she was a “surrogate” mother of Jesus. There was never an egg from Mary or sperm from anyone else’s in the conception of Jesus. Christ came “from above” (John 8:23) along the genealogy of Adam and kingly/priestly line.

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).

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.

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

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

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”.