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"Kingdom of the heavens"
bluzman:
Marques,
Thank you for your post. Before crash landing on Bible Truths, I never could understand or feel any of these things.
All that I could feel was a sense if absolute loneliness and betrayal. About the only thing that I don't feel guilty about is not
blaming God for any of my circumstances. At least I hope not. Many years ago I asked for knowledge and understanding.
Looking back over my life, I can now see how a little of both were given to me. Had I not gone through these things, I doubt very much I would be here today typing this note. Had I known then what that path held for me I would not have had the strength or the stomach
to go through all of past events. There is today and then tomorrow, hopefully. Each and every one of these experiences had their part to play in bringing or dragging me here. When Armstrong was exposed for what he wasn't, a modern day "apostle", I lost all faith and hope of ever seeing or hearing the Truth. I realize now that these people do, in the heavens of men's minds, place themselves between
Father and Son, motivated by power and greed. I see H. W. Armstrong as a destroyer of worlds, at least mine anyway. I can't lay all the blame on him or others like him as I played a good part myself in all of this. Now my eyes and ears are tuned a lot more to what I have experienced than to these daily occurrences. Some are able to understand these things sooner, and I say good for them. I now do understand a little about not being put through more than I can bear.
Peace, Bluzman
Kat:
At the time that Jesus Christ was on earth He repeatedly said "the kingdom of God/heaven is at hand."
Mark 1:14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
v. 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
It was at hand because Christ was soon to be offered and would return to the Father and send the Holy Spirit. Look at all of these Scriptures that states the Father and Jesus Christ/ Helper/Comforter/Morning Star will come to indwell the Elect in their lifetime on earth.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone should be loving Me, he will be keeping My word, and My Father will be loving him, and We shall be coming to him and making an abode with him."
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (KJV Comforter), that He may abide with you forever--
v. 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
v. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
This verse in Revelation tell us who "the Morning Star" is.
Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Luke 17:20 "The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
v. 21 nor will they say, "See here!' or "See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
v. 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
1John 5:1 Everyone who is believing that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God. And everyone who is loving Him Who begets is loving Him also who is begotten by Him. (CLV)
The parable of the wheat and the tares also speaks about the kingdom of heaven being like the field with the wheat with the tares. The wheat is the Elect that are living in this age.
Mat 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
v. 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
v. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
v. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
v. 28 He said to them, "An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, "Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
Mat 13:29 But he said, "No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
v. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.""'
But as Ray stated "To the degree that we have God's Spirit is the degree to which we reside in this Kingdom." This is the begettal that the Elect receive in this lifetime, the Spirit is working inside, but it's a process. Those that are destined to be the elect (and none of us know for sure who that is) will have the Holy Spirit deposited when God calls you to repentance and it will remain for the rest of that person life and it will grow as the process continues. Like what Ray said in the excerpt that Marques provided;
--- Quote ---God works in increments, He wipes out some of the trees and then He burns some of the grass… what is the trees and the grass? These are all things in us. We have islands, and mountains, and trees, and grass. All of these are belief systems and ideas and doctrines and philosophies of life and all these things. And they are all going to be burned out and broken down and destroyed. All of those seven seals, seven trumpets, seven plagues, they are all things that must happen in our lives.
--- End quote ---
It's like the Spirit is now working inside of the Elect preparing them and getting them ready for the first resurrection, but it is only a begettal now, a promise until Christ returns. At the first resurrection they will receive the full reward and fully enter the kingdom.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Heb 10:35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
v. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
v. 37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
v. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Just wanted to bring the Scriptures that I think would help in this discussion.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Amrhrasach:
Thank you.
Gary
Marky Mark:
--- Quote from: Horseman on August 05, 2009, 11:55:56 AM ---Thank you, Marques.
Allow me to re-phrase.
It appears based on Ray’s statement (and your posting) that we live “spiritually” in two “zones” if you will, ie: carnal and the kingdom of heaven. That’s what it appears to me, albeit, that assessment may not be correct.
Now, to review the contents of your post it appears that would be a correct assessment, as in, “increments”, “1/3”, “burned out”, “looking back”. Still carnal but moving toward full spirituality as God sees fit.
--- Quote ---So we have only a “portion” of God’s spirit at any one time...but not complete until the resurrection? In other words, we’re never truly ever spiritually “converted” while we remain on this earth?
--- End quote ---
And Romans 8:11 would be a spiritual match?[/color]
“Rom 8:11 and if the Spirit of Him who did raise up Jesus out of the dead doth dwell in you, He who did raise up the Christ out of the dead shall quicken also your dying bodies, through His Spirit dwelling in you.”
Key word: “dying” (not dead)
Gary
--- End quote ---
Gary,hope this helps some.
This would be a Spiritual conversion.
2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This would be being Spirit.
John3
8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Email to Ray...
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3888.0.html
Hello Mr. Smith,
Are we "born again" while we still live in our sinful flesh, or does this take place after the resurrection ? Thanks for your time.
Willie
Dear Willie:
I discuss this in greater detail in one of my Bible Studies posted on our Forum. There is but one word in the Greek manuscripts to represent "begotten," and "born." Numerous Scriptures tell us that we are given in this life, only the ernest or downpayment of God's Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). Furthermore, Jesus told Necodemus that when one IS ACTUALLY "born again" he is like the wind (John 3:3-8). Christians are not powerful and invisible as the wind is, in this life. From these two truths, we can establish that we are "begotten" of God's Spirit in this life, but we will not be "BORN of God's Spirit" until the resurrection to immortality (I Cor. 15:42-54).
God be with you,
Ray
Peace...Mark
Amrhrasach:
It does. Thank you Mark.
Gary
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