Ray has taught us that if something is true that the more you study a particular truth the more evidence you find that indeed it is true. In the same way if something is false, the more you study the more truth you find that it indeed is false. I had being doing some studying on the firstfruits as Jesus is the first of the firstfruits and that we are also of the firstfruits (after Christ) and that unlike the Babalonian system we came out of just consigns the whole harvest to burn in literal fire but rather that the whole harvest (of humanity) will eventually come in. The primary verse on this of course is
1 Cor 15:22-24 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 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.
I have seen it argued before that yes, Christ alone is the firstfruits and then we (the elect) are the harvest and that the 'Then cometh the end' has nothing to do with a further harvest. Well, this morning I came across another scripture that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that we too, are of the firstfruits.
Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (kjv)
Jas 1:18 Because he was so minded, he hath brought us forth with a word of truth, to the end we should be a sort of firstfruit of his creatures. (rot)
Jas 1:18 In accordance with His will He made us His children through the Message of the truth, so that we might, in a sense, be the Firstfruits of the things which He has created. (wnt)
Jas 1:18 In accordance with His deliberate purpose He brought us into being by means of the word of truth, resulting in our being a kind of first fruits of His creatures. (wuest)
This is so wonderful to me because this shows that if we are of the firstfruits of his creation then obviously the rest of humanity are not forgotten about or assigned to eternal torture. And if we are of the firstfruits then this proves that there is larger harvest coming as well. This is just one of those things I've never seen before and this morning it jumped off the page at me.