Hi Darren,
1Co 15:46 But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. (RSV)
We are now living in the 'church age' when the world is blinded. The church only sees the physical, they are not having their eyes opened to the spiritual. All are deceived by Satan and can not know the truth, not until God removes their blindness and that is only the few at this time.
Rev 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
This age is only for training a few to be prepared to serve with Christ to bring the 'many' to salvation in the next age/Lake of Fire/White Throne Judgment, when Christ rules the earth.
http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D4.htm ------------------------
"For if we would judge ourselves [now] we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned [later] with the world [later in the Great White Throne Judgment]" (I Cor. 11:31-32).
"For the TIME IS COME [now] that judgment must begin at the House of God..." (I Pet. 4:17).
"...for the time is at hand" (Rev. 1:3 and 22:10).
There can be no argument against the fact that God's Elect are to "bow their knee" NOW in this Church age or we will find ourselves in the next age when, "Because He has appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness..." Acts 17:31). During our calling, we stand before the Judgment of Jesus and give an account daily of the works done in our flesh. How do we actually do this? Paul instructs us: "For if we would judge ourselves..." (I Cor. 15:11:31). This is how we are to be judged.
http://bible-truths.com/lake12.html --------------------------------
FOR YOU SEE YOUR CALLING BRETHREN
Isn’t it strange that there are whole categories of people who are not even called in this church age (I Cor. 1:26)? And only a very few of those who are called, are finally "chosen." They are, of course, chosen for a grand and glorious purpose.
v
COUNTING THE COST
God has already outlined a training course for those who would be Sons and Daughters of God. It involves a whole lot more than just enunciating a phrase of faith in Jesus. Acknowledging Jesus as your Saviour is certainly the starting point, but it is far from the complete requirement for those who would reign with Jesus as Judge, Lord, Priest and King. Here are just a few of the things that God requires of us. There are, of course, dozens, even HUNDREDS more declarations and admonitions to those who would become manifest Sons and Daughters of our God and Father:
- "LOVE your enemies, BLESS them that curse you, DO GOOD to them that hate you, and PRAY for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you [Why?]; that ye may be the children [Greek: ‘SONS’] of your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:44-45)!
- "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
- "For I say unto you, That except YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in NO CASE enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).
- "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let Him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME" (Matt. 16:24).
- "Jesus said unto him, You shall LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40).
- "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall ENDURE UNTO THE END, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24:12-13).
- "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31).
- "Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
- "COME OUT OF HER [Mystery Babylon the Great and all of her evil teachings], My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4).
- "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. IF YOU ENDURE CHASTENING, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye illegitimate, and not sons" (Heb. 12:5-8).
- "Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 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" (I Pet. 4:12-13).
- "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it BE TRIED WITH [SPIRITUAL] FIRE, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:7).
- "LOVE NOT THE WORLD [that is the social system of this world, we are to love the people of the world], neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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" (I John 2:15-16).
- "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: but be ye transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:1).
- "But Jesus called them unto Him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But IT SHALL NOT BE SO WITH YOU: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [servant]" (Matt. 20:25-26).
- "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each ESTEEM OTHER BETTER THAN THEMSELVES" (Phil. 2:3).
- "Let this MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:5).
- "SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God. RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you. DRAW NIGH to God, and He will draw night to you. CLEANSE your hands, ye sinners; and PURIFY your hearts, ye double minded" (James 4:7).
- "REPENT ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).
- "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE" (Phil. 1:29).
- "But I say unto you, That ye RESIST NOT EVIL: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39).
- "Then said Jesus unto him, PUT UP AGAIN YOUR SWORD into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. 26:52).
- "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" (Rom. 8:13).
- "WALK IN THE SPIRIT, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).
I know that it sounds overwhelming that we should actually live by all of these commandments. And actually, there are many more like commandments in God’s Word. How are we to perform all these impossible tasks? Well certainly not by our own will and power.
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God is preparing the few now in this age and they will serve with Him for the great task of bringing the many to salvation in the next age. Christ spoke in parable, because He had a message for the Elect, they can understand these parable by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But to the rest of the world it is only a story that they try to understand literally, because they are blinded in theis present age.
Mat 13:11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Mat 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
mercy, peace and love
Kat