Articles

The Doctrine of Resurrection from the Dead

These notes compiled from the teachings of the church elders

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

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

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

What is resurrection?

Resurrection is being raised from death and given life.

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

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

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

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

What is death?

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

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

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

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is life aionios?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resurrection in the NT:

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

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

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

Paul Explains Resurrection:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the contrast between life and death.

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

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

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

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

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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

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

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

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

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

Here is what God is causing us to remember.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now what happens at any judgment?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who is Israel?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul discusses the fulfillment of this prophecy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prophecies of Christ’s Resurrection

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

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

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

Here is the fulfillment in the NT:

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

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

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

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

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

We are given victory over death.

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

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

What happens when we’re raised to life?

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

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

Summary:

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

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

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

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

 

Articles

Carnal Questions That Demand Answers

 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? 

When we are first exposed to the truth that God is sovereign and is actually causing ALL THINGS, yes even our very sins; we go crazy with all kinds of carnal questions.    This is quite natural and the process of learning the truth of God’s ways takes time.  It takes time for us to grow into knowledge of the grace of God and understanding His ways.  The ways of the Lord are far far different than the ways of  the natural man and indeed we at first think the truths of God’s word as foolishness.

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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.

We really have no appreciation for these verses until much time has passed and we have our carnality burned out of us.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The purpose of this post is to address a couple of those “carnal questions” as a follow-up to my post on God being responsible for evil in this world. Paul speaking of the true gospel and the salvation of all by faith thru grace was viciously rejected and scorned by the religious of his day. It has not changed my friends, these are experiences and the words of the Lord that we as God’s Elect will live in our appointed times. By preaching the salvation of all men nobody is suggesting or encouraging anyone to continue to do evil and engage in sin. Yet we like Paul, a type and shadow of all God’s Elect,  will be slandered and accused of doing just that.

Rom 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
Rom 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
Rom 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
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.

God’s Elect will never say any such a thing about sin. It is a false accusation that will come to all of God’s Elect. What we do say is that without the intervention of Christ into our inward heavens we have no chance of obeying God in the weakness of sinful flesh. We will speak the truth that when we do fall into sin or stumble that it is the Lord working that sin in us for His good pleasure and purposes.  That is the truth so very few are given to receive.  But what do the Scriptures plainly teach.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Isa 64:8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

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.

While we are still abiding in Babylon, the harlot apostate churches of men that promote another jesus we will not be aware of our sinfulness.  The fact that we are still blind, wretched and naked is far removed from our spiritual vision.  We are blind as bats until the Lord opens our eyes and causes us to see and to hear His word.  We won’t know any of this until our day of judgment arrives and we are given eyes to see the abomination that is causing desolation and our need for a Savior is made perfectly clear to us.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

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

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (You, me, the old man within all mankind)

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.

While we are blind and held captive in Babylon, we will fool many that similar to us have the outside of the cup cleaned but inside are still full of dead men’s bones, walking in spiritual death and separated from God all the while claiming to know Him.  We may know him in the flesh but at this point we do not know Him in the Spirit.  Those that claim to be in the truth and teachers of the blind, are those for whom Christ saves His harshest rebuke.

Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

It is indeed by grace we are saved and not of our works or any delusion of our free will choosing God. God’s Elect will even be falsely accused of exalting themselves for merely speaking the truths that were GIVEN to them. Such is the narrow way and part of the cross we carry in our times.  We are not better than anyone, all men are sold under sin.

Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

But we do have one thing they do not have and that is the gift of faith.  This is indeed GIVEN to very few and with that gift comes the gift of spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of God’s words.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Without further ado let’s look at the questions.

Question #1 – Let’s just live it up and sin like crazy

The first question of the carnal mind is that if all men are going to be saved, why don’t we just go ahead and live it up to the fullest. Let’s eat, drink and be merry is our most immediate thought.  I can’t tell you how many times this has been asked by those that believe the Lord is going to torment most of His creation forever without end.  An obvious rebuke of such carnal mindedness is to challenge the person asking this question why do they say they love God if they don’t have an overwhelming desire to obey Him?

Luk 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

At the end of the day, the love of God has a definition and that definition is based on obedience.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

When we ask these questions we do not understand or believe God’s plans for the ages and the purposes and function of the Elect. Yet without going into that in this post,  the primary causation we ask this carnal question in our walk is that we do not yet understand what God’s grace really is and its function.  We have yet to learn that grace is what chastens. Grace is what scourges us. Grace is the righteousness judgment of God against all our ungodliness.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching (Chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

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 word translated TEACHING in Titus 2:12 is the greek word paideuo and it means TO CHASTEN. So sure when we are chastened we learn so the word teaching is not that far off, but it does obscure the real meaning and waters down the point.

G3811
ðáéäåṍù
paideuō

Total KJV Occurrences: 13

chastened, 3
1Co_11:32, 2Co_6:9, Heb_12:10

chasteneth, 2
Heb_12:6-7 (2)

chastise, 2
Luk_23:16, Luk_23:22

chasten, 1
Rev_3:19

instructing, 1
2Ti_2:25

learn, 1
1Ti_1:20

learned, 1
Act_7:22

taught, 1
Act_22:3

teaching, 1
Tit_2:12

So we learn when we are taught, and we are taught when we are chastened. That is the function and purpose of grace, it is how we are CAUSED to obey God in due time.

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

Being scourged is not fun. Yet that is what we are told the Lord does to every son He loves and receives unto Himself. We saw it above but it needs to be pounded home thru thick carnal minds.  EVERY SON God loves is scourged and that is actually a blessing because the old man must be killed for the new man to come forth.

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

So when you understand all men are saved and if true faith has come to you, then judgement has fallen upon your house. You are now under grace and not the law.

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?

When this happens in our life, we will not take the attitude of let’s eat, drink and be merry. We will quickly learn that we indeed reap what we sow. DO NOT BE DECEIVED.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

We will learn, be taught, when we are caused to sin and then God bring judgment upon us and we are scourged with great trials and afflictions.

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

Grace MAKES us obey God in the appointed times.  It is how the old man is put away and the new man arises.

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Once we know this and God’s ways, we should not think it strange when these trials come.  We should count them all as joy, knowing their purpose.

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:

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

That is the purpose of the furnace, it is the purpose of the afflictions, that is the true grace of God in action. That is how the old man is decreases and the new man is increased in us. This is how the beast is destroyed by the fire that is the word of God.

Isa 48:10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Act 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Let’s keep in mind that fire is the WORD of God.  Fire is what saves us (baptism of fire) when it work in us and burns the sin and inequity out of our hearts and minds.  We are saved BY THE FIRE, yet Babylon teaches us salvation means avoiding the fire.  All men will be purified by the fire that is God’s word in the appointed times, which is our ordained day of judgment.  When grace is poured out upon us thru faith,  the old man is not going to make it much longer.  No man or beast can stand.

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.

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 beast is no match for Christ and will be destroyed by the fiery grace of God.  So we will learn to truly tremble at the word of God, knowing of His absolute sovereignty. So the carnal reasoning that we will say let’s just go ahead sin so grace may abound is flawed. That is the last thing God’s Elect will be doing or teaching to anyone. We will learn that when we sin, the Lord simply turns up the heat. The Lord will simply ratchet up the grace dial and will keep on doing it until we get it. Eventually, we will learn to fear God and will be given the faith to stop sinning. That is how it works friends and it is a long process.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

I guarantee you will not have the attitude of let’s sin so grace may abound once you are given ears to hear and eyes to see. When you understand free will is strong delusion you will be crying and sighing over all the abominations and sin committed in your spiritual house. Because you know this is against the commands of the Lord and you have the certain expectation of ongoing fiery judgment, there is no escape, we reap what we sow.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (IE GRACE POURED OUT UPON YOU), which shall devour the (inward) adversaries (of sin and rebellion)
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

When you truly understand grace, then you will begin to be taught the fear of the Lord.  You will know that the Lord will have vengeance and you will get away with no sin.  If you sin, the dial on the furnace is simply increased.  Oh thank God for these wonderful works of God to the children of men,  they will teach you to fear God in due time.

Deu 4:10  Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

These verses above from Hebrews 10 are used by many that are blinded to the truth of the salvation of all men. These are used to support the lie of eternal hell but what this is speaking about is the righteous judgment of God and that is the way we are saved. Understanding that salvation is the method we are delivered of our sins, meaning we no longer commit them and are given power to rule over sin is key. God’s plan has never changed, it was always the way we are to be redeemed and remade into children of the most high God.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments (MUCH CHASTENING GRACE, MUCH SCOURGING OF THE OLD MAN):

It is this process of having God’s wrath poured out upon our sins and inequities, i.e. GRACE that chasten, that teaches….. that we learn the fear of the Lord. We won’t learn this until we are in the midst of God’s Elect and the chastening grace of God’s judgment is upon His house. Knowing these truths about grace will eliminate any carnal thoughts that we might as well eat, drink and be merry.  It is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Now let’s consider a second yet related question our carnal minds focus on when hearing of God’s truths.


Carnal Question #2
– Then Why Does God Find Fault

The second carnal question is why does the Lord judge us and bring punishment upon us when He is the one that is causing us to sin.  Since He is the Potter and we the clay, why does He still find fault with us when we stumble? A very good questions which demands an answer and one we best know to walk the narrow way.

This section of Romans 9 addresses this question and provides the proper answer. We are told the Lord has mercy on some and hardens the hearts of others against His ways and His word.  Why does He then find fault since nobody is resisting God’s will. God’s will is being done all the time, we truly are the works of His hands.

Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

The Lord has a method to His seeming madness.  As I wrote about in the post Who Is Responsible For Evil,  our purpose in this life is to learn good and evil, that is a necessary step to become like God.

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

When we complain and grumble to the Lord about what He is doing in our lives, we are contending with God.  He knows what He is doing and we need to have faith and to believe and know that whomsoever will wait on the Lord will not be ashamed in the end.  He will be faithful to His promises and will indeed finish the good works He has started in this age in the lives of His Elect.  We all like JOB will contend with the Lord but it is thru these very contentions that we will be judged and will learn the truth.

Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

To convert us from carnal Christians to the new man that walks in the Spirit a lot of lies have to be burned out of us.  We have to learn that the Lord really is the Lord and that we of ourselves can indeed do nothing.  This is such a pivotal verse I often cite and I do hope you are beginning to get it.

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.

The real answer on why God finds fault is so He can bring judgment upon us.  It pleases Him to crush His sons, in the flesh and to destroy the old man and carnal nature of the first vessel made from the clay.  The Babylonian lie of the fall of mankind also is blown up by the truth of knowing and believing the Lord really is the Potter and has a two step process in store for all men.  The Lord has to cause your ears to be open to hear it.

Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Jer 18:5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jer 18:6  O house of Israel (God’s Elect)  cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

So Paul continues in Romans 9 and tells us the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and the old man is destroyed and the man brought forward.  This is the purpose of God finding fault.

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Lord of Heaven & Earth

The purpose of God finding fault is to bring judgment and the purpose of judgment is to teach us His ways and to reveal Himself to us and remake us so that we are partakers of His Holiness.

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. 

Flesh and blood is not entering into the kingdom of God.  Experiencing fiery grace is for our profit just as this Scripture tells us.  It must go and thus the requirement for all of us to be remade and go through the fiery judgment of God against our flesh.    During this process, we are going to learn that being Lord truly means He is the Lord of all things and most certainly the inward heavens and the earth that represent each of us lumps of clay made of the earth.

Deu_4:39  Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Perhaps you can begin to apply these physical words in the spirit and look inside where the kingdom of God actually resides.

Isa_66:1  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

1Ch_29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

This process of judgment starts with the house of God (the Elect or the House of Israel etc) but all men will in due time learn righteousness when judgment is fallen upon them.

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?

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.

It is a good thing the Lord finds fault, otherwise we would not learn His ways.  Think about how a child in the natural learns or we learn on the job.  We learn by doing, by making mistakes and being corrected.  It is no different in the spiritual.  When we fall down and sin, the Lord brings chastening which is judgment and that comes in the form of afflictions and tribulation.

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

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

These judgments of the Lord bring afflictions to the old man and are necessary to destroy the beast and our carnal nature that puts, ME MYSELF and I as numero uno, all the while we claim to serve the Lord.  What will help align all Scripture is your coming to see that judgment is good, very good. It is the process by which we are changed into the likeness and image of Christ. Without it we could never learn obedience and let’s remember how we learn obedience.

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

Psa 119:7  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Christ, meaning His Body, the Elect;  all learn obedience by the things we suffer. This is the mystery of how Christ is formed in all men in their appointed time.  It starts with the Body of Christ filling up in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of the church.  This comes about by judgment and that is why the Lord is in the fault finding business, to teach us.  This is a great mystery, a secret that few are given the spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear yet it is right in our Bibles.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whoever said the finished works of Jesus Christ on the cross means you don’t have to suffer and die is a liar and knows not the Lord.  Anyone telling you about a rapture and that you are saved from God’s judgment is blind as a bat.

Judgment is good, very good, sweeter than honey and it is how the new man is formed and the old man is decreased in all of us.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Judgment is how we learn the fear of God and this is what causes us to obey in due season.  So God finding fault with us and bringing judgment is a very good thing.   Psalm 119 has many verses that tell of this mysterious truth.

Psa 119:39  Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

Psa 119:66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

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

With God’s judgment, comes afflictions and these are designed to benefit the new man.  Those wise in the ways of the Lord will come to see how the Lord works His mysteries and brings forth Christ in us thru much tribulation and afflictions of all kinds.

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Psa 119:76  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

We may not know it now or feel joyful now in the midst of our trials and afflictions when our Loving Father brings His wrath and fury against our sins and wicked nature.  One day though we will be able to look back, once salvation has come to us and be very glad the Lord loved us enough to bring His wrath and anger against our sins. I just saw this gem over in Psalms.

Psa 90:15  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Which also reminds us of what the purpose of this life is all about.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Some of these things are hard to understand at first so please ask if you have sincere questions.  The scriptures are not broken, they tell this wonderful truth from Genesis to Revelation.

The only way to come to know the Lord is thru the process of judgment. I have written extensively on this topic but if you will just search for the phrase “know the Lord” or “know I am the Lord” you will see the context is always, 100% of the time, the old man within us, the beast that all flesh is, being judged by having the wrath of God poured out upon us.

Pressing Onward To the Highest Calling of God

So I hope you can now understand the purposes of the Lord in finding fault when we sin and stray from His ways.  Even though He is the one causing it and working that in our lives;  it is by the process of Him bringing judgment upon us that we learn His ways and become like Him, knowing good and evil.  The Lord works evil for good and that really is the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and we learn good and evil.

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

All men will go thru this process.  The only thing that separates the Elect is that we will be judged in this life while still in fleshly bodies.  We will experience our death to the old man and carnal mind first.  We will then be in the first resurrection and will be used to bring the rest of mankind thru the process of judgment at the second resurrection.  It is a very good thing that we are judged now, it is far better than being judged later with the rest of the world.

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, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Far greater honor to be a priest and king of the Lord and to rule and reign with Him for the Millennium Reign and then be the judges of the world and bring the knowledge of Christ to all mankind.  That is why we press onward and upward for the higher calling of God.  That is why we as God’s Elect depart from inequity and strive to not be disqualified for such a great reward.  Here are three scriptures that speak of the critical role and function given to the very few that are God’s Very Elect.

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?

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (all mankind in the end)

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.

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

Your brother in Christ,  Pete