Studies

Exposing the Millennium Reign Doctrine – Part 2

This is a continuation of a study series.  For part 1 of this series Click Here

“Fire From Heaven Destroys All Flesh”

Exposing the Millennium Reign Doctrine – Part 2

 

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

We are learning to look within and not without to see what the Lord is doing and where He is focused.  Thankfully, the Lord is opening our spiritual eyes to see the carnal lusts we so easily ran after in being deceived into believing false doctrines on the end times and particularly the so-called Millennium [1,000 year] Reign.  We learn spiritual truths by our first erring in truth, being seduced by false Christ’s who bring false doctrine to tell our flesh what it likes to hear.

Mar 13:22  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

Our flesh desires to profit and be blessed for our walk with Christ.  Yet we are learning more each day, that is not the Lord’s plan.  His kingdom is not of this world [Joh 18:36] and we need to repent of these lies and desires that had us looking down upon others less blessed than ourselves.  This experience of evil is shown us in the Scriptures through the experiences of the chosen disciples who moved onward to maturity in time.  Christ speaks about death but our self-absorbed focus is what is in it for our flesh.  What do we gain the carnal mind will be asking.

Luk 9:44  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 

Luk 9:45  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. 

Luk 9:46  Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 

Luk 9:47  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 

Luk 9:48  And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 

Those in Christ will be ministering meekly to babes, they won’t ever be lording over men.  Not now or in the age to come as the Lord changes not [Heb 13:8].

The entire book of Revelation is speaking of things the Lord is working within us when our appointed day and hour for judgment is at hand.  It is not “out there” in the future, it is happening in the kingdom of God which is the hearts and minds of those the Lord has appeared the second time for salvation [which day is today for the Elect in this age]. His appearing and all these acts being lived out or kept is the greatest blessing that will fall to every man when their time is come.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep [live them] those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings [lives them out] of the prophecy of this book

The further we walk with Christ and He pulls us further upward in Spirit, the greater the gulf between us and the carnal world.  The greater truth we have been given to see will be mocked and ridiculed as foolishness by those on the other side of this great gulf.  Our understanding of the Lord’s absolute control over who is spiritually blind, deaf or dumb, has been sharpened by our recent trials with former brethren.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

The exposing of the outward Millennium Reign doctrine removes a giant plank from our spiritual eyes.  Our discipleship for Christ comes not with special rewards and privileges other than being the first group of men to be blessed to know the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.  Our flesh loves the idea that the outward world would bow before us and we would be exalted over the entire human race. This verse has never been brighter as it plainly tells us that our flesh profits nothing:

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.

Our walk with the Lord is an unprofitable walk for our flesh.  That life is being lost in order to gain a new one in Christ.  We work and toil because we love God as the Holy Spirit grows in our hearts [Rom 5:5] doing our reasonable service knowing we are unprofitable servants [Luk 17:10, Rom 12:1].

We are fleeing this carnal idolatry that has us puffed up, thinking more highly of ourselves over the rest of mankind.  Our blessing is not to rule the outward, but it is to rule inwardly in His kingdom and be the first group of men [the second harvest] to sit with Him in heaven having dominion over our earth [our spiritual bodies].  Drinking the wine of the New Testament is both the blessing and the event that is destroying our flesh as we partake of His death inwardly as we become living sacrifices for one another.

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 

We all first follow Christ for the carnal benefits, being fed of the fishes and loaves, being filled with knowledge but not truly having faith which is the work of God within us.  We first pursue Christ for the carnal gains to the old man.

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 

Our blessings from the Lord are not outward, they are inward and come forth from the Kingdom of God.

The true Christ, the living Word, is unattractive to flesh.  Learning there is no carnal benefits and the elect in this age will not be lording over men in an outward physical world will cause many to depart and walk no more with the Lord.  Many are offended in hearing the truth that their flesh is not being blessed and there will be no carnal profit to our walking with Christ and following Him to death.  These truths winnow down the flock and separate the true disciples of Christ from the false as it truly is a few that shall endure to the end.  It is a hard saying, offending all carnal to know there is no profit in this walk for flesh.

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 

Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 

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. 

Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

The Millennium Reign doctrine is just another variant of a “prosperity gospel” of Babylonian orthodoxy that teaches the Lord is blessing His people in the flesh.  As we have grown to see, it is only through death that new life comes forth.  Any outward flesh blessing or carnal gaining gospel is no gospel at all.

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 

The Scriptures do not tell us the details of how the Lord will bring an end to the outward world and bring about a cessation of physical life.  Reverting to the letter, forgetting that all “My Words are Spirit” has led many to make up their own private interpretation of these signified words and verses [Rev 1:1, Rev 1:3] regarding the end of the carnal age which is the destruction of the old earth [spiritual land] within us.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth [G1093], and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Not only are all these words and events “signified”, but they have also always been shortly to come to pass in every generation since John wrote them.

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 

We have many things to relearn rightly dividing the Word, as the leaven of an outward Millennium Reign is removed from our spiritual eyes.

The death the Lord focused on doing away with is being carnal minded. That is the last enemy to be destroyed, not physical flesh.  The Lord is not bound by physical flesh and considers those not alive in physical flesh to be “sleeping” rather than dead.  The focus of Revelation 20 is not on the outward and the physical. The focus of His spiritual words is inward and speaks to the destruction of Satan and his messengers, our carnal thoughts with fire.  This is the death and the one having power over death that the Lord is intent on destroying in these verses.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh [acting carnally] cannot please God.

The works of the devil is this carnal mindedness that works in all flesh.  Those works and that death is destroyed when Christ comes a second time to redeem us from sin.

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works [carnal mindedness – death] of the devil. 

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 

Our Lord’s appearing in our hearts and minds … IN HEAVEN …, brings the spiritual fire that destroys and consumes our carnal mind.  That is what the signified words for fire consistently represents in the Bible and it changes not when we get to Revelation 20.  Fire is the Spirit of God, it is His Word which is, was and will be burning up all things that defile us in the day we are given to hear those words.

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire. 

Eze 22:31  Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD. 

When the Scriptures speak about the outward physical earth, the Greek word Kosmos or G2889 is used that is almost often translated as the “world”.

G2889, κόσμος, kosmos

Total KJV Occurrences: 188

world, 185

adorning, 2

world’s, 1

It is the outward world [G2889 – kosmos] that Satan promises us we will be given to rule over if only we will bow and serve him,

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world [G2889 Kosmos], and the glory of them; 

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things [THE WORLD] will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

It is the carnal mind, the mindset of death, of the devil, that has us twisting the Scriptures to seek gain and exaltation over other men.  This is not the way of the Lord whatsoever!  The Lord seeks to serve, not to rule over men outwardly.  His words and deeds are the examples we follow.  Christ withdrew from carnal followers when they were about to force Him to be their king.

Joh 6:15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Seeking to gain the whole world [kosmos] is the work of the carnal mind and is a sure-fire way of remaining lost in this age.  It is a huge deception we have mercifully been delivered from.

Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged [profited], if he gain [rule over] the whole world [G2889 – outward “kosmos”], and lose himself, or be cast away? 

Desiring the world and to rule over it, is loving the world which is following Satan and his temptations.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world [G2889], the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world [G2889]

The word G1093 or “GE” on the other hand represents “the earth” and is also spoken of as “the land”; representing the spiritual land promised to spiritual Israel.

G1093, γῆ, gē

Total KJV Occurrences: 243

earth, 188

land, 33

ground, 18

country, 2

earthly, 1

world, 1

 

Having dominion over “our earth or land” is salvation and that is what comes about via the three-day process of the Lord working righteousness through judgment in our personal earth in the appointed times for all.

Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth [G1093]

The Lord comes to save men by destroying their first earth, not the outer world of kosmos, but their carnal existence [end of their carnal age] with fire.

Luk 12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth[G1093]; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 

We do not pray for the world [Joh 17:9] which is speaking of the world or Kosmos.  Yet we are to pray for the earth and for overcoming to come upon our earth.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth [G1093], as it is in heaven. 

It is not in the plan of God to profit the flesh/carnal mind by giving physical rulership over the whole world [G2889 –the Kosmos].  This physical rulership is an insidious lie of the evil one [Luk 4:5-7] designed to entice the many called who bow and serve Satan unknowingly.  The profit to our new man is the death and destruction of our beast and false prophet in the lake of fire within us.

Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Spiritual Fire Falling from Heaven Consumes the Carnal Mind

Fire being poured out on the earth in Rev 20:9 is spiritual speak for judgment being poured out upon our carnal existence [mind and body] that is the earth.   Our salvation comes by way of the destruction of the first Temple [the land, the earth] and that BY FIRE from heaven.

1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy [with spiritual fire] for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

Spiritual fire from heaven remakes a new earth wherein dwells righteousness, which is our obedience to Christ.  The new earth is the result of our reigning with Christ in Spirit for one day, which is the same as 1,000 signified years which ushers in our day of the Lord bringing the spiritual fire and heat that destroys death [the carnal mind] in us and remakes a new heaven [mind] and a new earth [walk/deeds].  Peter spoke in similar spiritual language as John.

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 

2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 

2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth [G1093], wherein dwelleth righteousness

The Lord is not a liar nor a hypocrite.  He strongly rebuked the disciples when they wanted to call literal fire to consume unbelievers.

Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 

Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 

Luk 9:56  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them 

Literal fire “killing” [same Hebrew word as smite] all of mankind, would make the Lord’s covenant with Noah [mankind] a false promise.  The Lord spoke to Noah and said He would never again smite all living on the physical earth.

Gen 8:21  And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 

Many have first erred in not looking to the Lord, but instead seeking profit and power over men as a reward for following Christ.  It is from such an exalted place men concoct all kinds of abominations including burning God’s creation with literal fire.

Jer 32:33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. 

Jer 32:34 But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it. [=Abomination of desolation standing in holy place]

Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Any doctrine that makes God a liar and contradicts His example is coming from the evil one who roams our earth seeking whom he may devour [1Pe 5:8]. The Lord burning His creation with literal fire has never come into His heart.

Jer 7:30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. 

Jer 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

We now know that any teaching that takes Revelation 20 literally, is a false doctrine as it turns our Lord into a monster doing the very abominable acts He forbids.  Literal fireballs killing all mankind on the kosmos is another strong witness that the entire teaching of an outward Millennium Reign is built on a house of lies.  This false doctrine is a repackaging of the Babylonian false doctrine of eternal hellfire that the more blessed Elect get to avoid.  It is high time to awake out of our sleep and receive His instruction in our minds and hearts (the high place) and stop looking out there.

Walking by faith includes accepting we don’t know all the details about the end of the world and how humanity will cease to exist.  Our focus needs to be put back on things of the Spirit within the Kingdom of God.  The new man will be reigning over our earth [the promised land] as as a result we will be gaining dominion over sin as our carnal mind is being destroyed with spiritual fire.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth [G1093 GE, not the kosmos]

Our time to reign over the inner earth is now as we die with Him to death which is the Second Death.  To do so, we suffer the destruction of our old way of life and thinking.

2Ti 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Lord willing, spiritual fire is falling from our heaven right now.  This fire is destroying the old man, the first man Adam, the flesh in all of us.  This makes way for the second Adam, the Lord from heaven to emerge.

1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth [G1093 – GE], earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 

This fire from heaven is putting to death our carnal mind and devouring the spirit of Satan within that is roaming our inner earth.  The result of this fire falling is a remaking of a new heaven and a new earth and consuming up of the spiritual sea that is our flesh.  Getting past the chapter break we see the blessed result.

Rev 21:1  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 [the carnal mind, flesh, the deep where Leviathan dwells]

The Lord and all the apostles warn His people of many deceivers who will come to them as angels of light and put our focus “out there” in the world.  Lord willing, our eyes are being turned back inside of ourselves, into the Kingdom of God where we are being diligent in watching and working the work of God.  It is there we shall seek the treasures in heaven and learn to follow the Lord.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

We are not told how the outward earth comes to an end.  That was never the intent or subject of Revelation 20.

Next week we will look at the verses [Rev 20:9-10] specifically regarding the destruction of Satan in Part 3 as we further brighten our spiritual vision and ensure we completely remove the lie of an outward Millennium Reign.

Part 3 of this study series can be found by CLICKING HERE  

Part 1 of this study series can be found by CLICKING HERE

 

Articles

Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning

“Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning”

For the first time in my life, I have gotten much experience in buying and burning firewood.  It’s a good lesson and reminder for things we already have been given to know in the Spirit.   The major workings of the Lord are not seen with physical observation (Luk 17:20-21), yet they are revealed in His physical creation.  This is a major revelation once you are in the Truth and have your heavens opened to such a great understanding.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the [physical] things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the [physical] worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Using the physical to ascertain things in the Spirit is a useful and needed tool for us to study the Scripture and grow in the knowledge of the Truth.   Our primary way of learning the deep things of God (assuming we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see) is comparing spiritual to spiritual across the Old and New Testaments (2Ti 3:16, 1Co 10:11, Hos 12:10)

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

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

One can take anything in the physical and outward world and with the mind of Christ, apply many spiritual truths and principles thus proving the macro truth of Romans 1:20. In this study, we are going to look at physical fire and apply its traits and characteristics in the physical to the truth of how the Lord works in the Spirit.  At a bare minimum, this study should help refute the lie of an eternal hell where God burns his own creation alive forever and without end.

What is Physical Fire? Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in a chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products (gases, ash, etc.)

This is interesting because it is the positive of spiritual fire that is the Word of God and that fire is making a quick work in making major changes within us that comes with much spiritual heat and light.

God’s Word is fireThe fire is what is remaking us from a natural firstborn Adam into a son of God via the process of our judgment.

Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Having our old “natural” way of life burned up is not pleasant to our flesh and its desires, yet it is necessary for us to be saved and made partakers of His Holiness.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Men and our flesh are likened unto trees and wood in Scripture.  In the negative meaning (as the word is two edged – Heb 4:11), trees and wood symbolize our physical life and life of being carnally minded.  That is what God’s fire is making combustion within our day of judgment.

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

Joe 1:19  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. 

Eternal hellfire along with the delusion of free will is one of the biggest lies of orthodox Christianity and the “other jesus” billions know and worship.  The Lord’s fire is what is saving us and burning up the wood that represents our flesh and carnality.

Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Psa 89:46  How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Eze 5:4  Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

The question of how long is also answered in Scripture.  It takes as long as God has ordained for every man as our entire lives have been predetermined (Psa 139:16).  But we know the fire of judgment by the Word (Psa 19:9, Rev 1:3, Joh 12:48) will eventually go out when its work is finished and we have learned (been perfected) righteousness.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Sodom and Gomorrah are not still literally burning in an eternal hell.  God’s spiritual fire worked its work and destroyed the sinfulness and the sinful city which is its purpose yet today in saving all men.

Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities …..

What is needed for fire to combust?  Typically, physical fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and a fuel source (i.e. wood).  The presence of these things is not enough, as combustion requires a spark and a heating of the wood to its ignition temperature.  The heat needed to spark a fire can come from lots of different things for instance:  a match, focused light, friction, or even lightning.

The Spirit of God is the oxygen (the air, the wind) that fuels His Word and is sparked to life by the many wonderful works of God to His children.  The Lord who works all things (Eph 1:11) is the one who creates the sparks in our spiritual life and brings the trials that raise the temperature that burns up the wood and impure metals within us.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (spiritual match)

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance (match)

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (spiritual friction)

Burning wood creates smokeSmoke is a symptom of a burning fire and contains the trapped gases along with other organic matter.  These are pollutants which are then driven away by the physical or spiritual winds that are God’s judgment by the Word.

Hos 13:3  Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

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:

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Little pieces of wood burn quicker and faster than big pieces:  A fuel’s size also affects how easily it will catch fire. A larger fuel, such as a thick tree, can absorb a lot of heat, so it takes a lot more energy to raise any particular piece to the ignition temperature. A toothpick catches fire more easily because it heats up very quickly. Chopping us up and burning our carnal mind results in fiery trials which come in all shapes and sizes according to what is needed.  In the same way, the Lord gives us stripes (judgment) according to the size of the log (sin and carnal-mindedness) needing to be devoured.

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The Lord starts us out dealing with the small stuff before He moves on to the big stuff needing to be burned up.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The hardened parts of our wicked heart will take a hotter fire than the small sins.  The Lord truly knows how to deliver the new man (the godly) out of those temptations.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

The harder the wood or the more of it, the hotter the fire:  Fire burns hotter when the wood is hard or there are lots of it.  Here in South Africa, the best wood for braii is arguably Namibia hardwood.  The Lord knows how to dial-up the heat in our lives accomplish His work in us by fiery grace.  Our hardened rebellious hearts take a hot fire to burn the “I, me and my” out of us.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Eze 24:9  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Eze 24:10  Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

Softer wood burns easy and quickly and there are some issues the Lord works that require much less heat and anguish than others to purify our heavens and our earth.

Dry wood burns best and green wood is difficult to burn:  The Lord prepares us to be burned in His fire by drying us up of good works and draining us of confidence in our flesh.  The Lord promised there would always be seasons on the earth (Gen 8:22) that are used to prepare the wood for further chastening.  The best wood is seasoned wood that has been prepared and dried out waiting it’s time to be burned in a fireplace or a stove.

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

 Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jud 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Truly wet wood will not burn:  Two different perspectives I will mention on this criteria as there are always two sides to the Word, it being a double-edged sword.  In the negative sense, water or wetness is associated with the flesh and our walking by that mindset.  When we are still wet with that mindset, we have not been prepared for judgment and the Word of God is not yet burning up our old man and we remain carnal beasts.

On the other hand, when we are full of the Spirit, drenched in God’s rain which is His doctrines the fire does not harm us.  Those raised in the first harvest of men (the second harvest of the three) will be the completed new man and have the fullness of the Spirit and hence there is nothing left to be hurt by the Lake of Fire has already been through that in this age.

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

The new man who stands on faith abides in the fire and is never hurt.

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Fire generates heat which warms us physically and also warms us up spiritually and helps get us through the non-fruit producing seasons of life.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Fire generates light in times of darkness to show us the path and bring others that need help to us.

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Mat 5:14  Ye (My disciples, the Body of Christ) are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Heb 1:7  And of the angels (messengers) he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Flame color indicates relative temperature: Generally speaking blue and white flames are the hottest which ties wonderfully to the symbolism of colors in Scripture.   Blue symbolizes the things of God and the goal of our going through the fiery process now and in turn becoming a fire to save others.

Isa 10:17  And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day(the day of the Lord)

When the fire is truly intense there will be blue flames present.  In the same vein, the goals of achieving the righteousness of Christ (white linen) is only found in the fire of judgment with white also being an indicator of a very hot flame.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

More air equals a faster burning and hotter fire:  A poorly burning fire is usually solved quickly by giving it more air (oxygen).  Our measure of faith (Rom 12:3) and infilling with the Spirit of God is all of the Lord’s determination. Only the Lord had the fullness of the Spirit in a clay body (Joh 3:34).  Yet we can look forward to growing in our anointing as we mature abiding in the Holy City (The Body of Christ) waiting for the fullness to come (Rom 8:23).

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We should welcome the fire and seek it knowing it is what hastens the coming of the Lord within us more each day Lord willing (2Pe 3:11-13).

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

To keep our fires burning and grow in the power of God, we need spiritual air to tap into the power the Lord has given to His Christ (Joh 20:21)

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

A fire goes out when the wood is consumed:  The fire of God is used for good to remake us into sons of God.  Our God and Heavenly Father is inseparable from His Word which is consuming our wood (carnal mindedness) more each and every day

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

The wood won’t be gone fully until the clay vessels are gone. Hence we persevere.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

The priests of God in the making (Rev 5:10); we are the bearers of the Lord’s fire and work to keep that fire burning always in the temple of God which temple each we are.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is the Lord’s temple that the altar resides and where His fire will be forever burning.  It has nothing to do with the lie of eternal hell.

Lev 6:12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

Lev 6:13  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

The residue of a wood fire is ash: Ash is a very fine dust particle that has many good uses.  Physical ash is an unburnable mineral that is very useful in fertilizing gardens, trees and promoting new life.  Interesting that ash is also used in making soaps that clean and purify us, controlling foul odors (landfills), and even deter and kill insects.  All of this has great spiritual significance when we apply Romans 1:20 to what the Lord is doing with us in this age where judgment is now fallen (1Pe 4:17).

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (losing your life), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

I have even learned the hard way that ash retains its heat for a long time which in the Spirit is very positive in our ability to minister and help others when we are humble and our selfish lives have been burned up.

It is after our life is sacrificed, the wood has been burned that we are given new garment that is white as the ashes of wood burned in the fire.

Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Fire is made up of many burning pieces of wood:  It is difficult to light and keep burning a single piece of wood.  But if one puts multiple pieces in building his fire, the fire will burn much longer and more consistently.  This brings to mind the truth that the Body of Christ is being made into a spiritual fire right now in this age as the first to be judged.

Zec 12:6  In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

The cloud of many witnesses (Heb 12:1) and the infolding fire are one in the same description and vision of the Elect (Body of Christ) who are being made into saviours.

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Oba 1:18  And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

As we come thru the fire, we become saviours who in turn will help save others including all mankind in the lake of fire.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

It is the Body of Christ who will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

We saw just some of the attributes of physical fire and how that reveals how the Lord is working things in the Spirit. One could take virtually anything in the physical world and deduce much about the ways of the Spirit.  But they are going to need to be prepared of the Lord, we cannot give the gift.

Pro 20:12  The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

I hope this study stirs your memory and recollection of these spiritual truths.  As winter comes to those in the northern hemisphere, making a fire and watching the wood burn can become a time of reflection and examination of ourselves and all the good works the Lord is doing to the children of men.

Isa 66:15  For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

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:

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

Articles

Leaving The “Eternal Judgment” vs The Day of Judgment

“The “Eternal Judgment” vs The Day of Judgement”

Studies by teachers combined into one study by Ronel.

What are the milk doctrines?

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.

These six milk doctrines are simply the beginning of our walk and not the end nor the result of the end of our walk. However, it is an extremely vital step in us to “beginning” and “progressing” towards the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. We are taught these doctrines in the orthodox churches of the world, all denominations.

We are told to go beyond the milk doctrines:

We are to begin to mature to the point where we are, as Paul was, in that we press towards the mark of the prize of the High Calling in Christ Jesus. There is a reason we must do this, and it is to obtain the righteousness of Christ, because anyone living on milk and not starting to digest solid food will quickly die.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

(NIV) Heb 5:13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

(NIV) Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

We leave and move past those things which result in spiritual death but are the beginning of life to those who mature past them. The focus of today’s study specifically is moving past the doctrine of “eternal judgment” and maturing into the life which is Jesus Christ. As always, let’s leave the Scriptures to teach us and not go above that which is written on the subject. Let us also study to show ourselves approved, a workman not needing to be ashamed.

 1Co 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and [ to] Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Define “Eternal Judgment”, first, look at the word “eternal”:

ETERNAL – IS IT REALLY ETERNAL? Our modern English word eternal means WITHOUT a beginning and WITHOUT an end. In the Holy Scriptures, the Greek word is aionios and the corresponding Hebrew word is olam. The root for aionios is the noun aion. The English equivalent of the Greek word aion is eon or age. It is defined as a PERIOD OF TIME. A period of time has a BEGINNING, when the age began, a MIDDLE or DURING the age, as seen many times in the scriptures, and there is an END of the time or age, where the age is ended. Examples of this:

The New King James states it correctly: 1Co 2:7 (NKJV) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

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

1Co 10:11 (NKJV) Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

To conclude: “Aionian” judgment means AGE-LASTING, pertaining to a period of time; when will judgment begin if it is “eternal”? When will judgment end if it is “eternal”?

Now, look at the second word “judgment” i.e. “eternal judgment”:  It is the Greek word G2917, “krima”

G2917

κριμα

krima

Total KJV Occurrences:28

judgment, 12

damnation, 7

condemnation, 5

avenged, 1

condemned, 1

judgments, 1

law, 1

Let’s read several verses to see the meaning of this word:

Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Rom 3:8 And not [ rather], (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Ti 5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

1Co 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Jas 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Luk 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

We are first banished, confined or imprisoned in chains in a realm that is known as “death” (age lasting condemnation/damnation), banished in trespasses and sins, even as all in Adam (flesh) are first held in death. This is the necessary first step before the true judgment of God/Day of Judgment begins in our lives, according to this Word and principle;

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

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

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

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.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

This is all one and the same thing in the Spirit, as being in darkness, abode of “hell”, in disobedience committing sins as it is written:

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries!

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Peter reminds us for whom and where this darkness and blindness is in the Spirit.

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh [you and I in our time and season!] in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, [when we all had doctrine of ‘freewill’ in our hearts] they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

So being chained in darkness, in death, banished in a spiritual realm called “hell”, walking after the flesh is the pre-requisite for all judgment of God. It is also at that time, while we were dead in trespasses and sin that the gospel is first preached to us, and the Word of God is preached while we dwelt under the shadow of death that is our old ministers and pastors under the Law in the orthodox Christian churches.

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

Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The fruitless works of darkness:

Being in death produces the fruits and works of death.

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.

o eternal judgment, one of the milk doctrines, is really “age abiding damnation and or condemnation” which has a beginning and an end and everything in-between! If we are His, the Lord and “His Christ” come to save us from this condition so that true judgment can begin, righteous judgment in our Day of Judgment.

It must be known from early on that ALL God’s ways are judgment, bringing His creation into a process of time, an age in which we are continuously under judgment. Our Day of the Lord!

Let us now ask who is the Judge in this Day!

There is only one Judge who is bringing all judgment and verdicts through one Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

All that the Father of spirits does is through the only begotten son, one Lord Jesus Christ/Living Word and “His Christ”;

1Co 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Is that authority and judgment independent of the Father? Is being “given” a position, an office of judgment suggestive of doing what one wants, judging out of one’s own ideas, principles, and own witness? The Lord answers us:

Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; [why is it just?] because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

True judgment begins in our Day of the Lord, where is this place of judgment:

Age lasting judgment takes place wherein the Judge comes, which is within God’s people now in these bodies of clay.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The Son has been committed all judgment, and when He comes to the realm of our time, in this earthen body of clay of our minds and hearts, then judgment is said to begin. The Lord comes into the darkness of our fleshly hearts in great Light, for a period of time. From when He begins until judgment is finished in us, is what is scripturally known as “age-lasting judgment.” Since the flesh cannot abide ‘forever’, the judgment is for an appointed period of time.

Order of Judgement:

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

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

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; [the Head] afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming [His Body].

The rest of uncalled mankind and the great multitude gathering unto Christ in the flesh will be judged at a later judgment day called the great white throne judgment. The flesh, imprisoned in a very dark place called hell, or Greek ‘Hades’, in Hebrew ‘Sheol’, are all fallen into the deep pit to be redeemed and judged at a later time, which in the mind of Christ. The masses all sleep the sleep of ‘Death’.

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, THE COMING OF THE JUDGE:

Jesus Christ has been committed all judgment. So at His appointed time, He comes within his chosen, His firstfruits to do only one thing …

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

The Lord brings a sword and fire to carry out judgment.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness

Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Judgment by Christ with his glittering sword and consuming fire begins in His elect, now!

 1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come [the age is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

How is Christ’s judgments accomplished in us?

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

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, [WHY?] that we should not be condemned with the world.

1Co 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

1Co 4:4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

You and I have been sleeping before judgment comes upon us.

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

When the judgment of the Lord does come, we are awakened from our sleep in “hell”, place of disobedience, by being given a good chastening, a reprimand, a reprove, a rebuking, an affliction – just about anything in the hand of the Lord to wake us up out of this deep sleep of death. Chastening is a major part of this righteous Judgment of the Lord, but our flesh does not like this at all. To qualify as sons and daughters of God, chastening and scourging are a necessity that we may be partakers of all that is in God through the appointed Judge, Christ Jesus.

Heb 12:5-8 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, [unto the end!] God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, [all, me] then are ye bastards, and not sons. [But not all men are being chastened, judged of the Lord in this age.]

Being exercised with chastening of the Lord is what produces the fruit of righteousness in us. It produces this fruit because we must first know what is being judged within us, what defilements are being scourged, burnt by fire and destroyed by the sword.

Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mar 7:22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Once judgment begins, we therefore are chastened and we begin to live godlier lives in this age, not just in the future sometime, but now TODAY.

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

Tit 2:12 teaching [G3811, paideuō: chastening] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [Greek in this present age]

It is PUNISHMENT to the flesh, an age-lasting punishment because our flesh is being destroyed by the sword and burnt with the Fire that is God Himself throughout the time/age we are being judged.

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: [Greek aonios, age-lasting punishment] but the righteous into life eternal.

“Into everlasting punishment” is into the Fire that burns throughout all the ages.

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart From me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, [Greek aionios, age-lasting fire] prepared for the devil and his angels:

Who is and what is that Fire that will judge and chasten us throughout the ages?

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

This is the age-lasting punishment to our flesh and ungodly ways …

The outcome of Christ’s judgment within us:

Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

The Lord has an end goal in His judgments of our ungodly ways. He has been commissioned by the Father to bring us to Him, all ONE in Him, to the realm of life and righteousness. This is the age-lasting purpose of Christ, and it is through these judgments that we are being saved from this ungodly world within our hearts, and be redeemed from darkness and death that is our flesh. It is through age-lasting Judgment, the chastening fire of God, that we are being saved from sin that dwells within our flesh Also the water of His Word is washing us to be a chaste virgin without spot or wrinkle.

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

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

Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The outcome of all judgments of all time:

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

We are learning to discern between spiritual good and evil. It is through this age-lasting judgment we ourselves, are being delivered and is being delivered from our great enemy sin, that dwells within us, that we can live fully in the Spirit, as the prince of this world with all its false doctrines and deceptive ways of living Godly lives is and will be cast out of our hearts as the Judge, Jesus Christ, is coming and increasing in us. Once evil spirits such as hypocrisy are being cast out of us day by day, and our old man is perishing in the process, those few that are being overcome of the Holy Spirit of God are being ordained as judges of the second group of men, of those that are currently still being reserved in the darkness of “hell” where we once were dwelling and dwells from time to time. We do not judge without but within ourselves and within the Body of Christ and in the ages to come we will judge the masses that are in deep sleep now.

1Co 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. [that Old Man of sin within us all].

1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

There is an age to come during which all those that are not being judged at this time will be judged by Christ through his Body, the elect of all ages, so that righteousness will rule everyone.

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.

The Reward of being judged now:

Apart from reigning and ruling with Christ, we receive a new family, those who do the will of God, the true sons of God. It is such a wonderful thing for brothers to dwell together in unity. We dwell in UNITY because we all have the same mind of Christ (Psa 133:1).

Luk 18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,

Luk 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

What is our reward in this life for losing our old life?

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.

Christ is a strong man to protect us.

Isa 32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

Luk 11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

The new world of righteousness and Truth to come is now here in down payment earnest form in our hearts if Christ the Judge is being revealed in us. Knowing that there is an age to come, and if we are judged to be faithful, we shall reign and be judges with Christ and it should be a great inspiration for all walking this road.

Conclusion:

The outcome of all God’s judgments through the Lord Jesus Christ is for us to come to learn righteousness and in doing so we bring honor to the Son and to the Father. It is not just the firstfruits that will be bestowed this honor of knowing and doing righteousness, but all men in due time.

But it is through this judgment that God will make a way even to all our lost ones, uncalled or still walking after the flesh, in the age to come through us. God will bring everyone home, to Himself!

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

All will be brought home through age-lasting Judgment by the Fire of God’s Word, which is the means He has devised to fetch His banished, His dead sons, those poor with no goods and spiritual substance, the Lord’s prisoners in the flesh.

 Ezr 7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Our King, Jesus Christ, is not slack nor does He has any fault in Him. He will bring us all unto Himself, not willing that any should perish, but all should be created new through His chastening fire of age-lasting judgment which we live now!

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

As God’s elect are given mercy through God’s judgments, in due time when judgment is committed to us, we will be returning the favor so to speak, and do likewise unto our neighbors and have mercy in judgment, bringing others into the righteousness and mind of the Father. Mercy in judgment makes the heart glad over merciless judgment. Age-lasting Judgment by God’s consuming Fire however produces righteousness that triumphs over merciless judgment. For this cause, the apostle James admonishes us to:

Jas 2:12 (NKJV) So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

Jas 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.

Suffering and Judgment in this age:

We, as Christ did, learn obedience by the things which we are suffering. Suffering with Christ is indicative of judgment being on the House of God in US. We learn by experience of both suffering and judgment from Christ who went through it first in the same flesh we have. Out flesh suffers the same as Christ’s flesh but in down payment form.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Heb 5:8 and 9 tells us that we learn obedience through suffering, and when we suffer we learn obedience, our faith being tested as gold tried in the fire. It is the Father THROUGH Christ doing these things IN US.

1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We should not be suffering as evil doers – murderers, thieves or busybodies in other men’s matters, but we need to be suffering as Christians. That judgment on us as “Christ likes,” which is what Christian means (Christ- like), results in obedience.

Obedience is something that comes from suffering. It is a direct spiritual result. How can that be? We read it earlier. It is obeying Christ, being obedient to what Christ would have us do.

 (KJV) Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

(BBE) But solid food is for men of full growth, even for those whose senses are trained by use to see what is good and what is evil.

(GNB) Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.

(LITV) But solid food is for those full grown, having exercised the faculties through habit, for distinction of both good and bad.

It is through the very act of SIN, the very act of committing SIN that we learn to be obedient. We learn what is right from wrong because through the sins we commit we learn what NOT to do any longer; thus, we learn obedience because we are judged with a big spanking from the Father. As parents, do we not discipline our children for doing what’s wrong? Do our children not learn what is wrong from doing it and being JUDGED of it? In essence, the Lord takes away our full bottle of milk in His own timing and starts to give us solid spiritual food.

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The words here translated as ‘chastening’ should say ‘teaches’ or ‘teaching’, and when we are loved by our Father we are shown the error of our ways, we are shown judgment which Lord willing is NOW on our house, the House of God. Christ was made sin and that flesh that Christ was made into had to be judged and done away with.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [ to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Suffering and Judgment = Acknowledgment and Obedience:

We suffer because we are being judged, and this all builds up to us ultimately acknowledging our sovereign Father as our Head and saying, “Nevertheless, Thy will be done” as is what Christ prayed to God the Father when His flesh did not want to be judged. After all, when we are disciplining our physical children it simply results in our children acknowledging that what we told them they need to be doing and that they must do otherwise it will result in certain actions on our part if they do not obey and do as we say. Ultimately, we do it or should be doing it because we LOVE them, and how much more do we believe that our Father loves us when we are going through the sufferings He has prepared for us? That is exactly what we are told why we are being taught obedience through the things we suffer:

Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [ us], and we gave [ them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened [ us] after their own pleasure; but he for [ our] profit, that [ we] might be partakers of his holiness.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

If Christ Himself had to endure judgment on His flesh, how much more do we need to endure judgment on our flesh which is sin in and of itself but also how much more will we have to endure judgment because of the very sins we are committing. We are by nature children of wrath, and that is why we go past the milk doctrines of Christ and move on towards maturity. The more sin we commit, the more there is to be judged.

When sin no longer has dominion over us, then it is not something that we need to concentrate on. Indeed, it is VERY important to consider and repent of immediately, but it is NOT our master anymore. Our old masters demand our full attention “or else”, but when we have those masters no longer, we give attention to our new master, our new Head, Jesus Christ.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Christ came to do the Will of His Father and fulfilled that Will by “learning obedience by the things He suffered”. We, too, must be willing servants to only do His will and not our own. We are being made ready to pick up our cross and follow Christ to death and that on a daily basis. God wants His whole sacrifice, His true tithe paid in full daily.

We have seen in the Word that as children we will be living on the milk of the Word of God as we start off on our spiritual walk with the Lord. However, we are moving past those things which we all have been taught week after week in the orthodox Christian churches that we all have come from and is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 6, specifically the milk doctrine of “eternal judgment”, which is really “age lasting damnation and or condemnation”, one of the six milk doctrines, a period of disobedience and spiritual death.

True Judgment, age abiding judgment, is a process continuing for the rest of our earthly lives if He is working with us now, and resulting in us learning obedience because of the things we suffer from that judgment. We have periods of eternal judgement i.e. “age lasting damnation” even in our Day of Judgment in other words periods of disobedience because the Lord burns out our sins little by little and not everything at once. We are always being judged in these clay vessels, we never arrive in this life.

If we endure these teachings, we are considered sons. Take comfort in knowing that we all have to endure these same judgments at the appointed time of our Father and His judgments are just. So “Mystery Babylon, the mother of Harlots”, is being judged within us daily! This is Good News!

Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (judgment)

(ASV) Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

(ASV) Rev 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.

(ASV) Rev 18:21 And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.

Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous [ are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true [ are] thy ways, thou King of saints.

“Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee” is a witness that the key to harmony is only possible with the true witness of Christ’s life within us.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Studies

Baptisms Part Two

Click Here for Part 1 of this study

Notes by the elders

  RECAP, WATER BAPTISMS, FIRST BAPTISMS:

There are two types of baptisms, the first baptism (water) is always the SHADOW of the TRUE spiritual baptism into Christ, into His DEATH. We are to move beyond this first baptism to move unto maturity being baptized by Christ Himself. Shadows of the first baptism in the OT include; the flood of Noah; the crossing of the Red Sea; the crossing of the river Jordan. Crossing the Jordan, is the same as crossing the flood of Noah or crossing the Red Sea. The typical baptism of the OT (shadows) is done with water and do nothing to change our hearts within. Being baptized into Moses is being likened to “the festival of Passover” where we accept Christ, as the Son of God, as our Passover Lamb, and accept that He died for us. We still do NOT know that we have to die WITH HIM, bearing our cross daily.

Just on a side note, the Holy days or Festivals of the Jews are also spiritual shadows which points to “good things to come” and although all of these festivals are being fulfilled in Christ, it is wonderful “looking back” to see how they are being fulfilled in different stages of our walk and are still being fulfilled in our lives today as we mature towards the mind of Christ.

This first baptisms are a necessary baptism because we live by every Word of God (Matt 4:4) and all righteousness IS and must be fulfilled in us.

The baptism of John, the Baptist in the NT, is preparing the way to Christ. It is the baptism of repentance and is also a shadow pointing us to Christ whilst still under the schoolmaster. It is accompanied by signs and wonders (outward gifts) and have the appearance of a “spiritual baptism” but we still have many idols of the heart and our “tongue and doings” are against the Lord. It is likened as the “festival of unleavened bread “as we start putting sin, whether physical sins (our doings) or in our minds (our tongues) out of our lives but we still have many things we are not being able to hear and Christ IS NOT come yet.

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner (barn); but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The doctrine of water baptisms whether it be the OT shadows as mentioned above or the baptism of John is: …… after we accepted Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, we begin to put sin out of our lives, our tongues and our doings. So we see that the festivals of Passover and the Days of unleavened Bread are being fulfilled during this season of our walk. These baptisms point to and prepare the way for Christ to come.

Later in the study, we will see how we MATURE/MOVE ON to “die with Christ”, our Passover Lamb and keep the “festival of unleavened” bread with sincerity and Truth from the HEART.

1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

THE SECOND BAPTISM/THE FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST:

This baptism/washing cleanses the threshing floor of the HEART from all its secret, hidden faults and great transgressions within. It enters our hearts and judges us and change us from within.

Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

“The festival of Pentecost”, namely the feast of firstfruits, is the day we are being born again (ongoing) and is the beginning of the Church “is, was and will be” WITHIN and without. Pentecost typify us, who are the spiritual first fruit seed (Jas 1:18).

When the Holy Spirit is being given to us within, the work of Truth and grace begins. We are now progressing to the point where we are being capable to receive the chastening and tribulations which are being endured by every mature son of God (Heb 12:6-8).

It is the beginning of THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT in the lives of all who is being part of this “firstfruits of His harvest”.

Judgement begins at us and we are being matured through FIRE. This is the shadow of the “festival of trumpets”. We are being judged first out of our own mouths according to our idols (Ezekiel 14) since our “Day” begins and ongoing until the end.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We are the “seven priests blowing the seven trumpets” in the battle against Jericho (Jos 6, Rev 8:11). Trumpets is calling us to make war, it is a spiritual battle against the man of sin within and without at the appointed time. It is the judgement of sin in our daily lives, we are the first to go to war., a struggle between life and death. The beginning of judgement is what this festival signifies.

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Jer 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Upon hearing the trumpets, we afflict our souls which is typically the next festival, the “day of atonement”, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice dying daily being impaled with Christ. It is a fast and our souls are afflicted because as He is so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Our afflictions are for the Church (Col 1:24), His Body, and also for all of humanity.

2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

The death of the cross is being borne by both Christ and “His Christ” as an atonement for the people. Dying daily with Christ is the Good News and the message of the Gospel. It is the man child (Truth of Christ’s doctrine) within us that “is seated with Christ in the heavens”. This is symbolic of the first resurrection in down payment form.

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

As we mature and Christ increases in us, all of these festivals are being fulfilled in CHRIST. We start obeying immediately from the HEART as we gain dominion over our sins but at first, we also have the “festival of tabernacles” within us which is a spiritual shadow for the millennium where we are not obedient, knowing the Truth, our obedience is lip service. Satan is bound at this time, but yet we have hardened hearts and stiff necks, trying the Lord. It is the occasion the Lord seeks to judge us, the mixed multitudes of nations within and without at the appointed times. This festival symbolizes the millennium.

Jer 17:23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

As Satan is getting released to deceive us for a short period of time, we are typically trying to wrest the judgement of Christ away, this is typically the “last great day” following the feast of tabernacles and Christ COMES “is, was and will be” and destroys the man of sin with the brightness of His coming and destroys “death (state of disobedience)” within “is, was and will be”, a process until the end for us now and a future event for the world out there.

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

When the Father is “all in all”, we are in the Lord’s REST and we enjoy the fruit of the Spirit which is:

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

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

As the Lord increases and we decrease, we OBEY from the Heart as being mature children in Christ. All shadows are being fulfilled in Christ as we move unto maturity.

We will Lord willing, look at these festivals in detail in weeks to come. We know we keep the spiritual Sabbath which is Christ (Heb 4) when we are DOERS of His Word.

WHO WILL BE DOING THIS BAPTISM OF FIRE?

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

As He IS, so are WE (1 John 4:17). We are doing this baptism of fire.

WHAT TYPE OF SINS IS BEING WASHED/CLEANSED FROM THE HEART?

Mar 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us … [what sins?]

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

ALL men will be cleansed and be baptised by the Lord in due time and in order (1Jn 2:2). Very few people are the chosen elect of God undergoing this baptism in the Spirit “this day”. If we are not being washed by the Lord at this time, He has no part with us, and we will not be heirs and partakers of His FRUIT or His RIGHTEOUSNESS until the appointed time of judgement to come.

Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

WHAT IS THE CLEANSING?

Soaps and hyssop are some of the Old Testament Words used to tell us of what washes and cleanses us (Lev 14:3-4, Jer 2:22). These are all pointing to the Holy Spirit of God, Fire, and Living Water, that is, the WORD of God.

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner (barn); but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

This prophetic Word from the mouth of John the Baptist is nothing but exaltation and edification [Luk 3:18] of the Spirit to those it is given to understand.

WHAT IS THE UNQUENCHABLE FIRE?

Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; [fiery baptism!] and what will I, if it be already kindled (happening now)?

Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

WHAT FORM ARE “MY WORDS”?

Christ Words are SPIRIT.

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

“My Words” are also WATER by which all is being made clean and white as snow.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water [… by physical water? No… but…] by the word,

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

 THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY WE ARE BEING CLEANSED:

Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

This Word is symbolic of His BLOOD, His Spirit, by which WE are being cleansed from our self-righteous filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

Heb 9:14 (NKJV) how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

HOW IS THIS BAPTISM OF THE LORD ACHIEVED?

It is the forsaking of all things of the flesh. This is the cleansing process, a death of the flesh process: the vessel that contains all sins, the BODY OF SIN is done away with, and we are attaining freedom from sin as He increases and we decrease.

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

As babes IN Christ, we become partakers of the Lord’s own baptisms. We saw earlier that in order that all righteousness be fulfilled, the Lord was first baptised by John the Baptist. The Lord however does not regard this as baptism in the Spirit, and HE later shows us His TRUE baptism, which we are being baptised with in “our day of the Lord”.

Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with? They say unto him, We are able.

Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

The drinking of the CUP of baptism is seen in the deep distress and agony prior to the eventual death of the flesh of Christ:

Mat 26:37 (NKJV) And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Mat 26:38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

Mat 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup [of baptism with Fire] pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Luk 22:42 (NKJV) saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup [of baptism with Fire] away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Luk 22:43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

Luk 22:44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Being “baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with” is what is scripturally known as “being baptised into His death. BAPTISM LEADS TO THE DEATH OF THE FLESH.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into his death?

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

As we learned in our second study “Faith towards God”, this death process is not an instantaneous event in our lives that happens in a few seconds but is a “dying daily” process of baptism. Through this process, a new nature is being birthed and raised in us, a newness of life and we are being caused to come out of the dominion of inward, secret sins and many false doctrines so that the inside (our hearts and minds), and the outside (our works) are being cleansed day by day.

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

END PURPOSE OF BAPTISM

As Peter came to see after the issue with Simon, the Sorcerer, being physically water baptized does not convert the heart of any man. Simon was still as carnal as any Gentile of the land after John’s baptism. Peter came to see that true baptism that converts the heart is when “fiery trials” come upon us, the unquenchable consuming FIRE of God, the pure WATER, the Holy Spirit of God, all one and the same WORD OF GOD.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; [his baptism by fire] that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

This is the only baptism which saves us from our sins and produces a good conscience toward God.

1Pe 3:18 (MKJV) For Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;

1Pe 3:19 in which also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

1Pe 3:20 to disobeying ones, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared (in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water);

1Pe 3:21 which figure now also saves us, baptism; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

Heb 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

CONCLUSION

It is by means of death that the life of Christ is being manifested in us. This baptism from heaven is fulfilled in us by dying daily. It is the Spirit that profits. All earthly baptisms “without a man” (Mar 7:15-23) are of no value in the conversion of the heart and producing the fruit of the Spirit in us. The Father has no pleasure in those carnal ordinances imposed until Christ comes to us in the Spirit. The first earthy/ shadow in the wisdom and tradition of men is taken away so that the spiritual baptism by the Spirit of God can be established (1Co 15:46). The first has and produces no glory because there is a spiritual baptism which is more excellent in the sight of God. For this reason, in keeping the singleness and unity of the Spirit, there is only ONE BAPTISM:

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Eph 5:26 That he [Jesus Christ] might sanctify and cleanse it [the church, his Body/ wife… you!] with the washing of water by the word,

The end purpose of that one baptism is …………

Eph 5:27 That he might present it [the church, his Body/ wife… you!] to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Unless we are mature we are not able to bear the “meat” of the Word.

Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

SUMMARY:

Physical water is “without a man”, and does nothing to a man’s heart, either good or bad. This is what Christ tells us concerning things that “are without a man”:

Mar 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Likewise, “there is nothing from without a man” that can cleanse a man, but “the things that come out of a man, the fiery Word of God “from the heart” (Mat 18:35)], those are they that [cleanse] the man”. Here is how God’s fiery Words cleanse us from within:

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The fire are the trials that God puts us through to cause us to obey His Word, which is also symbolized by fire.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

Jer 23:29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

The Spirit of God is given to us that we may understand the Truth of God through our daily TRIALS and His WORD.

Joh 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

It is only through God’s Spirit opening our eyes to the Truth that we come to see the Truth. It is God’s Spirit that makes us a “spiritual man” and gives us the mind of Christ more and more as we mature in the Spirit.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

BEARING MUCH FRUIT IN THE DAY OF THE LORD:

Maturity is not being achieved when we hear the Word of God only. Our old man has to continue to decrease, and Christ in us has to continue to increase. This is by the will of the Father (Eze 36:30).

Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Our understanding has to bear fruit, but we are not able to do this unless we abide in Him. We abide in Him by meditating on His Words day and night (Jos 1:8).

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

We also abide in Him through fellowship with His Body (1 John 1:3).

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Knowing the members of the Body of Christ and serving them is the same as knowing and serving the Lord Himself (Joh 13:20).

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

No matter how much we know, or how much fruit the Lord has produced through us, as long as we are in this flesh and blood which cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Co 15:50) and we should never think that we are already perfected, we are being perfected.

Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We are only given the down payment of the Spirit unlike Christ, who has been given the Holy Spirit without measure (Joh 3:34). We still live in this corruptible body (1Co 15:53) that we need to die to daily, enduring to the end, “being saved”.

Eph 1:13 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,

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Growing up into Him includes the growth of our love for His Body (Joh 13:34).

1Th 3:12 (GNB) May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you.

1Th 3:13 In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him.

Hos 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. Hos 6:2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.