This needs more editing, but I wanted to post these thoughts and verses.
John 6:28
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, “And shall come forth; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
“Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those who
had been given the right to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been
beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God, and
who had not worshiped the Creature or his statue, not accepted his mark on
their foreheads or their hands. They had come to life again and now they reigned
with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. (The rest of
the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed
and holy are those who share in the First Resurrection. For them the Second
Death holds no terrors, for they will be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years.”
Daniel 2:1-2
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth
for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as
never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And they that be wise shall shine as the
brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the
stars for ever and ever.
When Do We Rein Over the Earth?
Now, we reign over the sin nature by walking in the Spirit,
but we do not reign over people and nations in the governmental sense. This
order is important because the enemy always picks up on a truth, something that
God is doing, and/or about to do, and attempts to usher in his version by
distorting it just a little bit. Jesus was tempted to take his throne as well
instead of submitting Himself to God, and we are being tempted to do it right
now. This deception is full of man’s thoughts, ideas, and ways and if we are
sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we will detect that something is just a little
bit off. That is the Spirit discerning unrighteousness and alerting us to
deception. Listen to the something is off feeling.
The governmental reign of believers over the earth is a
truth, but it is a truth that comes in a specific time, and not before. Christ
must return, the dead will rise, mortality will put on immortality, and then we
shall reign with him. The Bible calls this the “day of redemption.”
Now, we do have dominion over sin and death, to the degree
that we can believe on His promises, but
over the earth and governmentally, no. This distinction is exactly the same
temptation that Christ faced in the wilderness when Satan offered to give him the
world. The church is facing this same temptation right now. The call to take
the helm of nations and to take some righteous dominion of the earth is exactly
what the Antichrist will tempt God’s people to do. Satan is a deceiver, and he
is quite good at it. He comes offering peace, help, and godly prosperity; He
makes it look good, and even godly. The most effective Satanic temptation seem
good and right, let’s not forget that.
“But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the
dead, and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again
someday. Death came into the world because of what one man (Adam) did, and it
is because of what this other man (Christ) had done that now there is the
resurrection from the dead. Everyone dies because all of us are related to
Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death
results. But all who are related to Christ will rise again. Each, however, in
his own turn: Christ rose first; then when Christ comes
back, all his people will become alive again.”
Now, some repeat the demonic doctrine that Jesus came
already! Paul says that we have been given a downpayment, and await our full
redemption which is at the “day of redemption.” That is a future day, and now
we have the “seal” guaranteeing our full redemption. The day of redemption is
at his second appearing, which the church is to look for, to “hasten”, to long
for, and live for so that we are not found sleeping when he returns, lest we be
caught unaware. We are to watch for this day will all diligence, hope, which is
what it means to receive the end of our faith. We think of the end of our faith
as dying to go to heaven, but that is not the end of our faith.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed
for the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30
Redemption in the Greek (#629) is “apolutrosis” release effected by
payment of ransom, redemption, deliverance.
The payment was made, we have been given the Holy Spirit, a
guarantee of a future full release on the day of redemption.
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up,
and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Jesus is speaking of our full redemption which He brings to those
who are patiently waiting for him who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb
and the word of their testimony.
Luke 21:28
“These signs” refer to verses 25 & 26 where he speaks of
the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and the people fearing as they watch all
that is coming onto the earth. My Dake
commentary says that “look up” means to “watch with outstretched neck.” It
makes me think of watching for a loved one to come through the gate at the airport,
or watching for a funnel cloud bearing down on your town, or a wife and
children awaiting the imminent homecoming of a man from military service.
Romans 8 ends with this full redemption that the whole
creation is groaning to see. We often think of the verse about the Spirit
quickening our bodies in the context of healing, which is applicable, but the
actual verse is assuring us that we too will rise like Christ did, and we can
rest assured that no matter what happens, God will fully redeem us in the end
and destroy all corruption of death. Christ rose, and we will rise too, for we
have His Spirit in us.
“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first
fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23
We are in a waiting stage right now. We await the full
redemption of the body, when “this mortality will put on immortality.” He goes on:
“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not
hope: for what a man seeth why doeth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that
we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” V.24
“For our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it
may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby
he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:21
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:14-16
Right now, we await with faith and patience the redemption of the
purchased possession. This happens on the day of redemption, when Jesus comes
back for his bride, just as he said that he would. So we must watch for that
day. It will be proceeded by perilous time and Satan will attempt to snuff out
the truth with lying signs and wonder, false teachings, false prophets, and a
church that has fallen into gross error. Stay awake! Be aware of your
adversary. Have your lamps full of oil and burning for the Lord, hastening,
looking, and watching for His return. Then, we shall reign with him over the
earth.
Down Payment
The Holy Spirit that administers the Kingdom of God on earth
right now isa downpayment until the return of Christ in the “day of redemption”
when we receive the full inheritance. When Christ appears, the dead will rise,
and those who are still alive will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Then,
we will reign with Christ!
Until then, we have to contend with bodies that are still
under the corrupt influence of sin. We have to overcome the evil one by faith,
and we have to bury our loved ones. Our spirits
are alive because of Christ, but our bodies are still dead because of sin. (Romans
8:10) This is followed by the promise of the same resurrection experience that
Christ had.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise
of his glory.” Ephesians 1:14
We are living in the time of the down payment. Earnest is “arrabon”
and means, money, pledge; or first-payment. It guarantees that we will be fully
redeemed when Christ returns and our bodies are raised from the dead, so that
if we are alive, we shall never die, and if we are dead, we shall live. This is
what Jesus meant when he made that declaration to Martha. Martha focused on the
coming resurrection, but Jesus was saying yes, you are right, and that life
that will raise you and your loved ones from the dead is Me. I am that Life!
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doeth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 2:2
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself
even as he is pure.” V:3
Paul said it then, and it applies now regarding those who
deny the coming resurrection as receiving the end of our salvation and the
reign of the saints on earth: “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things!”
“I tell you this, my brothers: an earthly body made of flesh
and blood cannot get into God’s kingdom. These perishable bodies of ours are
not the right kind to live forever. But I am telling you this strange and
wonderful secret: we shall not all die, but we shall all be given new bodies!
It will all happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last
trumpet is blown. For thee will be a trumpet blast from the sky and all the
Christians who have died will suddenly become alive, with new bodies that will
never, never die; and then we who are still alive shall suddenly have new
bodies too. For our earthly bodies, the ones we have now that can die, must be transformed
into heavenly bodies that cannot perish but will live forever.”
1 Cor 15:51-58
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