Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The Bible reveals that life for members of
the Christian brotherhood began in heaven.
Their origin is termed ‘from the foundation of the world.
“… And
those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the
Book of Life from the foundation of the world…” Revelation
17:8b
‘Those’ in the above verse are earth
dwellers without saving faith, i.e. their names have not been written in the
Book of Life.
Inasmuch as life for the Christian began in
heaven, their citizenship is likewise in heaven and the time the Christian
spends on earth is as a sojourn, where the earth is but a temporary dwelling
place.
“…For
many…whose end is destruction…who set their mind on earthly things. For (however) our citizenship is in heaven…” Philippians
3:18-20
“Beloved, I
beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war
against the soul…” I Peter 2:11
“…conduct
yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning, dwelling as resident aliens
in fear…” I Peter 1:17
“These…confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews
11:13
Due to the difference in origin of the
Christian and those who are not, there is tremendous conflict between those
whose citizenship is in heaven and just passing through, and those who claim
the earth as their permanent residence.
The latter category is classified as being in and of the world.
The authority over those of the world is substantially
different than the authority over those with heavenly citizenship. There will be no reconciliation between the
two and there will be war until the last days.
“I (Jesus)
have given them (disciples) Your word; and the world has hated them because
they are not of the world…I do not pray that You should take them out of the
world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not
of the world…As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the
world…” John 17:14-18
Jesus confirmed that the disciples were
aliens in the world. He asked His Father
to keep (preserve) and protect them from the ruler of the world, i.e. Satan
while they went about the Father’s business of sharing the gospel message. The ruler of the world will be defeated in
God’s timing.
“Now is the
judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” John
12:31
The ruler of the world has been given his
authority from God. He can only do as
allowed by his Creator. He does,
however, cause much trouble for the Christian aliens while they are on earth,
but his time is marked and his destruction sure. Christians are reminded of the enemy’s
limited power.
“You are of
God... and have overcome them (false teachers), because He who is in you is
greater than he who is in the world.
They are of the world…We are of God…” I John 4:4-6a
Therefore, there is great conflict between
those of heavenly origin and those of the world. Christians are told to obey their heavenly Father,
sojourn on the earth for a time, but not conform to the world’s norms.
“Do not
love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father
but is of the world. And the world is
passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides
forever.” I John 2:15-17
Note the similarity of the above with the
temptation Eve had in the Garden, i.e. ‘So when the woman saw…that it was
pleasant to the eyes…’
Thus according to the Bible, those whose
names were written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, and
those who were not, once again define the two categories of all mankind.
The present world war will continue to the
end of the age at the final separation of the warring parties.
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