Tag: death

Studies

Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith

Pete

For Our Admonition Part 7

“Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith”

Key Verses:  2Ki 4:18 – 4:28

We now continue with the events regarding the Shunammite woman (Click Here for earlier study).  This is the second mention in the Bible of death that will be followed by a resurrection to life. We will cover the death portion of the story and the mother’s response in seeking out Elisha this week and the details of the boy’s resurrection in our next study. There are multiple facets to the story with multiple characters and many spiritual lessons that all have applications to our life and our walk with God (1Co 3:21).

2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 

2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 

2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 

2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 

2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 

2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

This parable (Hos 12:10) is about a young one in the faith, one that has not yet been given dominion to die to this world and instead is overcome and dies spiritually.  This is all of us in our time.  Dominion over sin only comes by and follows our first being slain and overcome.  Thus, the first half of our witness for Christ ends in the wrong kind of death.

Rev 11:7  When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

The glorification of Christ in us requires that we first die, yet there are two aspects, the positive and the negative side of spiritual death (Heb 4:11).  First, we die spiritually and our overcome by sin and secondly as we are judged we are given the ability to rise up, overcome and begin to die to the lusts of the flesh.  Before we can reap the spiritual blessing of death to the flesh, we reap the wages of our sin (anything not of faith).

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death (spiritual death – negative type); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The bearing of fruit unto eternal life requires Christ to come again for judgment bringing the fire to chasten us and quicken us by grace poured out through our faith.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12  teaching (chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

As the Israel of God, our reaping of death via our sins gives Christ the occasion to come cleanse His Temple (1Co 3:16) and glorify His Name within us (Eze 36:23).  Christ (Elisha) returns a second time after we spiritually die to bring salvation from our sins.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Only then can we begin to die in the Lord, losing our life to this world and bearing the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11, Rev 14:13).  The Lord wastes nothing even using our evil for good in bringing salvation and teaching us righteousness (Jer 2:19).

Luk 5:31  … They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32  I came not to call the righteous, but (DEAD) sinners to repentance

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

The son is the woman’s offspring of her faith or said another way the renewing mindset growing within us (aka the new man).  The son comes to us by the prophesy of the Lord’s priests and prophets, in this case Elisha, a type of Christ, and representation of the Body of Christ in every age.  Faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17) the Word spoken by God’s Elect that imparts faith to those prepared to hear those words.

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

The child grew meaning the child matured spiritually and that led to an appointed day where the Lord begins seeking the occasion to come again to mature us even more.  He does this by causing us to err from His ways (Isa 63:17, Jdg 14:14) to reap the wages of  sin that lies hidden in our fleshly members.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The reaping of the Lord’s harvest comes at the end of the age (Greek word -AION) of us being carnally minded.  The angels of the Lord are the reapers meaning the Body of Christ which is the fire by which the man is harvested, and the old man is, was and will be destroyed.  Christ tells of this mystery in the explanation of the wheat and the tares.

Mat 13:40  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Mat 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We go out to this harvest with our “father” to the reapers.  The father in this parable and the woman’s husband is a representation of our old man (2Ki 4:14) that is tied to the law of the Gentiles (Rom 2:15).  This is whom we serve in our belief system that it is by our own works of the flesh by which we are saved.  Before we are given the mind of Christ (a spiritual mind) through the gift of God, we, are of the mindset of our father, the devil and naturally at enmity with the ways of the Lord (Gen 3:15, Joh 8:44).  This mindset has us eating and drinking unworthily reaping the resulting sickness and death.

1Co 11:29  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Co 11:30  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

Spiritually speaking, sleeping is the same as death.  Christ must come wake us out of our sleep (Eph 5:14) and He does this by the brightness of His coming.  When Christ comes again, unlike the first time He comes (Rev 13:3), there will not be any healing of the head wound.  The old mindset and head of our father the devil will be no more when we rise.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Nah 3:19  …. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous …

The Word we so eagerly embrace and begin eating turns bitter to our fleshly way of life (Rev 10:9), by shining light onto our sins.

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The son of faith is placed upon the knees of his mother where he dies at noon which is the brightest part of the day.  There is great significance in these symbols.  Knees are the largest joint in the body and in the physical are essential in our movement and stability.   When we apply knees spiritually (Rom 1:20) we can see they represent sound doctrine.  The knees of the church, the mother of Christ, is pure doctrine that supports and guides our walk on the narrow way.

Luk 8:21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

We come to see our state of spiritual death only when we abide in the bright light (noon day) that is Jesus Christ through our fellowship and interaction with His Christ.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

The hour is come for Christ to be glorified (in type and shadow) in this child of faith. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” 

2Ki 4:23  So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 

2Ki 4:25  And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 

 

The mother’s response is our correct response when our spiritual son falls into great trial and is sick and overcome in trespasses.  When we see ourselves as chief of sinners in need of repentance, we are told to run to the mountains that are “The Christ” casting all our care upon Him (1Pe 5:6, Psa 11:1).

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

Laying our son on the prophet’s bed in the upper room of the house is symbolism for us trusting in the Lord and His promises to raise up the dead.  This is resting from our own works and call upon the elders and those in the church for help.

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

It takes eating a lot of strong meat (bearing trials and chastening) to become mature (Heb 5:13) in the faith.  While we have faith, our faith is initially weak until it is tried in the fire where we buy the true spiritual gold (learn righteousness).

Rev 3:18  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Yet we fail first and call upon our “old” husband and lean back on our own carnal understanding.  The mindset of our old man will resist the mind of the Spirit (Rom 8:7) and questions why we would go to the Lord and expose our sins and faults.  Yet that is how we are healed and raised back to life.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much

The mindset of being under the carnal law (the husband) has us going to Christ only on prescribed days (Sunday, new moons and sabbath’s) when an offering to God was commanded (Num 28:11).  The Lord is not pleased with are rituals and Babylonian sacrifices, He wants our whole heart (Mat 22:37) and gets it by putting us through these trials of life and death.

1Pe 1:7  NLT These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 

Saddling [H2280] a donkey and riding to Elisha symbolizes us being bound [H2280] to our yet carnal and immature stage of our faith but where we are being humbled and coming to Christ lowly.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

A donkey or an ass is the perfect symbolism for our spiritual condition when we first come to The Christ.  We, as Christ, come riding our beast albeit one that is being humbled by trials and seeing the wages of our sin.  The scepter of the Word is bringing judgment as Christ (Shiloh) is come to the woman and her son and they are being saved and redeemed by judgment.

Gen 49:10  NKJV The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Gen 49:11  Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

The woman has many things right in coming to Elisha and laying her son on the prophet’s bed, yet she has to learn to glory in her tribulations.  Such is our learning process, as we doubt because the cost of our discipleship (everything) is coming due.

Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

It takes much experience of evil (Ecc 1:13) and most importantly our failure to learn this.

Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Elisha sees the woman coming and sends Gehazi his servant to aid and comfort her.

2Ki 4:26  (Gehazi) Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

The word Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and what is translated as “Well” in this story as the woman’s answers questions about her wellbeing.  This is the second time we see the woman claiming peace (it is well) in her life and life of her family when there is no such thing.

Jer 6:14  They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

Our Babylonian pride, learned over 70 symbolic years, does not allow us to disclose our faults and expose our nakedness to others.  Like Adam and Eve, we will seek to cover ourselves with the works of our hands not truly believing the Lord sees all and works all things.  In the presence of Christ all are being revealed in due time.

1Co 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God

We don’t easily admit that our faith has been overcome by sin and we are bearing the fruit of death.  We seek to hide this, but the Lord sees our heart, and nothing can be hid when we come into His presence.

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

We have not yet reviewed the other main player in this story who is Gehazi.  Gehazi represents a spirit of disobedience and gainsaying that is the conflict between the ways of God and the flesh.  The name Gehazi comes from two words H1516 and H2372 and means “valley of perception/vision”.  But a low point of vision represents an obscured view of truth where we seek to serve two masters.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

The lessons in this story are as much about Gehazi failures and his (our) ineptitude as it is about the actions of the woman whose faith is being severely tried.  Gehazi will soon be exposed for his spiritual impotence caught between the spirit and the flesh and faith vs. unbelief.  Gehazi is outwardly godly and religious, yet inwardly is a gainsayer and lover of pleasure (2T 3:1-3:5).  Gehazi cannot perform the greater works as he tries to serve two masters.  Gehazi is unable to raise the dead child later in this story (2Ki 4:31) and we learn from the story of the healing of Naaman, Gehazi’s true spiritual condition.

2Ki 5:20  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

Elisha confronts Gehazi on his sin and the problem is clearly identified.

2Ki 5:27  The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee (Gehazi), and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Gehazi is our mixed multitude state of being lukewarm trying to save our old life as well as gain the new.  Here in this story we see Gehazi commit another error by hindering those weak and struggling in coming to Elisha (Christ).  When the young in the faith struggle, those that are stronger are to bear their weaknesses and infirmities but by no means hinder anyone or every dissuade anyone from coming to Christ and casting all our care upon Him.  The unconverted disciples make the same mistake and we make the same mistake inwardly hindering the weak and the immature (the young) from coming to Christ (Elisha).

Mat 19:13  Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

We are to be patient and gentle with the weak, inwardly and outwardly, knowing everyone is exactly where they are written in the Lord’s Book from the beginning (Psa 139:16, Isa 46:10, Act 17:26).

The strong are to minister to the weak and needy; but do it only in a gentle and peaceable way (Gal 6:1).  The fact Elisha puts up with a “weak in the faith” Gehazi (within ourselves and without) proves his obedience to these commands.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Our preventing babes from coming to Christ and laying at His feet is much displeased by the Lord and a sign and a reason for us to examine ourselves.

Mar 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

We are guaranteed fiery trials to try our faith (1Pe 4:13).  None of disciples which are His Elect asked to be elected nor did we count the cost before accepting.  When the heavy trials come, we cry out to Christ not wanting to be deceived anymore and reminding the Lord what He already knows.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you….

Rom 10:20  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me

We are always reminded that the Lord works all things, even the failings and shortcoming in our walk and it is through failure we learn to do it the right way.  It reminds me of the old saying about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb.  He did not first invent the lightbulb, he first discovered 10,000 ways not to make a lightbulb.

Pro 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Next study Lord willing, we will finish this parable and look at the intimate details of what Christ (Elisha) does to revive us and how we are being brought back to life and given back to our spiritual mother.  We will begin with the failed efforts of Gehazi to first revive the child and later see Elisha enter in and perform the miracle of raising one to newness of  life.

2Ki 4:33  He (Elisha) went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.

2Ki 4:34  And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.

2Ki 4:35  He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Sincere questions and comments are always welcome.  You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

A Servant of Jesus Christ,  Pete

Articles

The Doctrine of Resurrection from the Dead

Ronel

These notes compiled from the teachings of the church elders

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

What is resurrection?

Resurrection is being raised from death and given life.

Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Joh 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Joh 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

What is death?

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally (G4561) minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh (G4561) are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 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.

Death is primarily a spiritual state when we have a carnal mind/disobedience and are doing the evil works of the flesh. There is also a physical state of death that God uses to teach us what spiritual death is about. The shadow and reality.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Christ calls death sleep because it is not a permanent state. He knows that Lazarus would be raised, so to Christ, Lazarus was just sleeping for a period of time.

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

The dead know nothing of life as long as they are dead. The physically dead do not know physical life, and the spiritually dead do not know spiritual life. It is important to understand that when a person physically dies, they are “asleep” with no awareness of anything until they are awakened (resurrected).

What is life aionios?

We have seen that an “aion” is an age or any period of time and “aionios” is the adjective form meaning “pertaining to an age”.

Thus, “life aionios” means life in this present age. The present age discussed in Scripture is our life in these physical bodies of flesh. So, what does it mean to have “life” in this current age of flesh?

Joh 17:3 And this is eternal (aionios) life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Knowing Jesus Christ and His Christ is to have life in this age. When you know Jesus Christ, you keep His commandments.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

So, when we are resurrected to life we go from doing the works of the flesh to obeying His commandments and bearing the fruit of the Spirit TODAY.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Resurrection in the NT:

We’re going to look at the explanations of resurrection in the NT. In order to understand what is being said, we must first realize that Christ’s Body is the people that He calls to be obedient to His commandments in this life.

Therefore, everything that Christ went through when He was here on earth, His “Bride” is going through as well.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Paul Explains Resurrection:

Rom 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

The word baptism in the Greek language means “to wash”, and this is done with the Word of God.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

It is by being washed by the WORD that we are killed that we may live. The Word of God is also a sword that kills us.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Before we can be resurrected, we first have to die spiritually. As we saw earlier we are already dead spiritually because we have carnal minds. If we are already dead how do we die again? When we are dead spiritually and carnally minded, we still have a way of life which the Scriptures call “walking”. We have to cease this old way of life, die to it, that we may be resurrected to a new life with a renewed mindset.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation (lived this way) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Leaving this old way of living life is how we are dying. This is the life we must leave that we may gain new life, to know Jesus Christ, obey Him, and bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (aionios).

Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

Joh 11:26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal (aionios) life.

The correlation between the Body of Christ and Christ himself continues.

Rom 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Rom 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Rom 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

So just like Christ was crucified physically, so we are being crucified spiritually. Just as He was raised from the dead, so are we being raised from the dead. The whole purpose of this process is to set us FREE from sin, and to give us new life that we may be obedient.

Rom 6:9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Once we “die” to our old way of life and repent, we are now heading in a new direction. Resurrection changes us from a natural person to a spiritual person, thus being able to understand spiritual things.

1Co 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 2:15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

1Co 2:16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

When we die, and are resurrected there is a COMPLETION in one sense and just a BEGINNING in another.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

When we are being resurrected “is, was and will be” (a process), Christ is now dwelling in us and we have His mind, this has been accomplished. Yet this is just the beginning of us being given life. We are now a new born baby (John 3:3).

Once we are born again, then we can see the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God?

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Col 1:27 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:

As we saw earlier in Gal 2:20, after being resurrected Christ lives within us. Being born again is another way of saying we are BEING resurrected. This is how we have HOPE that we will glorify the Father by being obedient, because Christ is going to do it through us. As we mature Christ increases and we decrease, so we are being resurrected.

This is a complete change in focus from our old way of thinking. This life is no longer to be spent thinking primarily about the RESURRECTION TO COME IN THE FUTURE, THE SHADOW, but rather to focus on OBDIENCE NOW (THE REALITY). We are now to live our lives to God. We hope for our CONTINUED resurrection and for the resurrection of all mankind, but we focus on what God is doing NOW TODAY.

Rom 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Rom 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.

Rom 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

After being given life we now have a new purpose, GLORIFYING the Father and Christ through OBEDIENCE.

Here is the contrast between life and death.

Rom 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification

When the Lord IS COME to raise us to life and we begin to lament the loss of our old life, it is important to remember the FRUITS that our old life produced.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 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.

Rom 6:20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Rom 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.

Israel complained as the Lord was leading them out of bondage and toward the promised land, just what we do for a season.

Num 11:4 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Here is what God is causing us to remember.

Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gal 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Resurrection is a wonderful way of explaining what Christ does to us because it reveals so clearly that we have nothing to do with the process. A dead person knows and does nothing. They have no part in their being brought back to life. This is true for us spiritually as well. Christ raises whom He chooses, when He chooses.

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

All of mankind will be raised from the dead and given life, but there is an order in which they will be raised from the dead. Christ first, then His Body, and then the rest are raised. This will be done in our own lives as Christ makes us spiritually minded, and it happens outwardly as Christ will make all of mankind spiritually minded. God uses those that He raises first to teach the rest of mankind the Truth and raise them to life as well at the appointed time.

1Co 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1Co 15:21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

The FAITHFUL are being used by Christ to judge the rest of humanity when the appointed time comes.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Everyone who is not resurrected spiritually in this life will be raised with a spiritual body from the dead when the time comes to be judged so they may be given a spiritual mind.

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The “lake of fire” is what Christ uses to destroy our carnal minds. And just as we all must be experiencing the destruction of our flesh inwardly, so too must we see this accomplished outwardly. This climactic event will bring all flesh to an end. At that time, there will be a general resurrection of every person that has ever lived. All who have ever lived, except for those who are in that blessed and holy… first resurrection, will be brought up to face a judgment called the great White throne judgment. All those that were raised spiritually during this life will be raised with a spiritual body to assist in judging those that are still carnally minded.

Now what happens at any judgment?

1Co 11:32 … When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

That is right; “when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord…” So, the lake of fire is God’s chastening of all of mankind along with the chastening of Satan and His angels WITHIN AND WITHOUT.

We cannot know for sure in this life that we are the elect and will be a part of the first resurrection, yet we are to STRIVE to be faithful to Christ.

Php 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Php 3:11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Php 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Php 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Php 3:15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

Php 3:16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Being a part of the first resurrection is more than just being born again and having a spiritual mind. The Lord must also give us the ability to remain faithful during our lives.

Mat 24:10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

Mat 24:11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

Mat 24:12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Mat 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Rev 17:14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

The people in the Old Testament were not raised from the dead spiritually during their lives because they were still carnally minded. They experienced physical events that were designed by Christ to later explain His Truths to those whom He has chosen.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

These things in the Old Testament are also called a “shadow” of things to come. A shadow is created when an object is obstructing light. The shadow is not the object itself, but rather a rough outline of its shape. When the Old Testament was written, Christ already ordained for the true resurrection to take place in the future, so that true event cast a shadow in the Words of the Old Testament. The people in the Old Testament lived in the darkness of that shadow, not able to see the Light (Christ) or understand what was to come.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Here is the shadow of being created a natural body. Those in the first resurrection experience the reality when we are born in bodies of flesh like Christ himself.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The only time you see dry human bones is when someone has died. When we are carnally minded, we are just like the Pharisees who were carnally minded and spiritually dead.

Mat 23:27 (NKJV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

The Lord raises dead, carnally minded men through allowing us to HEAR His Word.

Eze 37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

When we are dead (carnally minded), we do not know God. We are dry bones, dry means without water, which is the Word of God (Eph 5:26).

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Eze 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath (ach- H7307- spirit) to enter into you, and ye shall live:

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Eze 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Life is to know God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). You know God and Christ by hearing the Words of Christ.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We must have FAITH in Christ in order to really know him. Here is the prophecy of the Spirit being given on Pentecost (Acts 2:2).

Eze 37:7  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

Eze 37:8  And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

Eze 37:10  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Breathing upon the dead in Ezekiel is the same thing as the Holy Ghost (Spirit) filling the followers of Christ on Pentecost in Acts 2.

Who is Israel?

Rom 2:28 (YLT) For he is not a Jew who is so outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in flesh;

Rom 2:29 but a Jew is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.

Eph 2:22 (ESV) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Php 3:3 (ESV) For we are the [real] circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh

The true Israel, the true circumcision, the true Jews, they are the chosen ones of God.

Eze 36:23  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Eze 36:25  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Paul discusses the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Rom 6:17 (ESV) But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. God also gives his people fruit.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Eze 36:29 I will also save you from all your unclean nesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

Eze 36:30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

Prophecies of Christ’s Resurrection

Hos 6:2 (ESV) After two days he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

Hos 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

Psa 16:10 (ESV) For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. Psa 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Here is the fulfillment in the NT:

1Co 15:3 (ESV) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Luk 18:31 (ESV) And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.

Luk 18:32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.

Luk 18:33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

Act 2:25-33 (MKJV) For David speaks concerning Him, “I foresaw the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad; and also My flesh shall rest in hope, 27 because You will not leave My soul in Hades (grave), nor will You allow Your holy One to see corruption. 28 You revealed to Me the ways of life. You will fill Me with joy with Your countenance.” 29 Men, brothers, it is permitted to say to you with plainness as to the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne, 31 seeing this beforehand, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor would His flesh see corruption, 32 God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear.

We are given victory over death.

Hos 13:14 (ESV) Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

1Co 15:53-57 (ESV) For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 10 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What happens when we’re raised to life?

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Summary:

We are moving away from the shadow, the resurrection being “out there” to the resurrection being today, the reality if Christ is working with us in this age. As He increases more and more and we decrease more and more every day, we “see” Him more clearly.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Being resurrected today, is coming out of “death”, the state of disobedience to His Word, to sit with Him in the heavens ruling the nations within with a rod of iron and without at the appointed times.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.