ONE OF TEH GREAT MYSTERIES

ONE OF THE GREAT MYSTERIES (This message is not for the faint of heart)

                “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” John 5:28, 29

                Jesus was speaking in the above text and He was talking about the resurrection of the dead, a subject that was well known to all of God’s people almost from the beginning of time. Enoch spoke of a coming judgment as mentioned in Jude 14, 15, which, of course would require a resurrection which probably means that the hope of the resurrection was passed down from Adam.

                Job, who lived most likely somewhere between the flood and Abraham spoke of this hope saying: “And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is flayed, yet with my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold and whom my eyes shall see and not another…” Job 19:25-27a.

                Abraham looked for a city whose Builder and Maker was God and that was long before Moses patterned all things in the tabernacle after their living realities in heaven. Martha stated the common knowledge of the Jews just prior to the resurrection of Lazarus when she said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

                So, given the fact that the resurrection of the dead was common knowledge in Israel from the beginning of time, why did Paul say: “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed?” Why did he call it a mystery?

                This mystery was hinted at by Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. After the vision had disappeared Jesus warned His disciples saying; “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen FROM the dead.” Mark 9:9b

                And Mark 9:10 tells us saying: “And they seized upon that statement. Discussing with on another what rising from the dead might mean.” In other words, resurrection OF the dead was common knowledge, but Jesus had mention being resurrected FROM the dead.

                We tend to miss little things like this not realizing that there is a huge difference between resurrection OF the dead and resurrection FROM the dead. In the resurrection OF the dead, everyone is raised, whether good or bad and a judgment then ensues in which it will be determined what fate will await the ones raised. This is the general resurrection and as near as I can tell, it is described by Jesus in John 5:28 and in Revelation 20:11-15.

                In this discourse we are told of a great white judgment when the books are opened and everyone is judged according to their deeds. The book of life is also opened and the chapter closes out by saying: “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” This occurs after the 1000 years is over.

                However, in Revelation 20:4 we see a group of people who have come through the tribulation who have not taken the Mark of the Beast. It says that they come to life and reign with Christ for 1000 years. This is said to be a part of the first resurrection and then verse 5 tells us that the rest did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.

                But this special group that makes it through the tribulation and is included in the first resurrection is not the whole of the first resurrection. For Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 15:51-53 saying:

                “Behold I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall all be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality.” That special resurrection of beheaded saints in Revelation 20 was not caught up to meet the Lord in the air, but simply came to life and reigned with Christ on earth for 1000 years.                  

                But now we have to go to 1 Thess. 4 to get a more complete picture of the first resurrection which is a resurrection FROM the dead and not the resurrection OF the dead. Paul says:

                “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God; AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

                Here we must make note that this is a resurrection FROM the dead and not the resurrection OF the dead in which all who are in their graves will come to life. This text specifically says that it is only the dead in Christ who will rise at this resurrection and we who are still alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

                But this leaves us wondering just who those people are at the end of the 1000 years whose names are written in the book of life? Could it be made up of all who kept faith in the resurrection before Jesus came to die for our sins? Could it be that they were reckoned as righteous even though they never attained to the righteousness of one in whom the Spirit of Christ would later dwell?

                It says that they were judged by their deeds, whereas those who are in Christ are not judged by their deeds, but by the righteousness of Christ. “For by grace are we saved through faith and not that of ourselves for it is the gift of God… not of works lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8-10

                In the Christian era, it is not our righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ that qualifies us for salvation in the first resurrection. But Paul throws a wrinkle into this thought to which the false grace people would do well to pay attention. Beginning in Phil.3:8 Paul tells us:

                “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish in order that  I may gain Christ and may be found in Him, not having  righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH; IN ORDER THAT I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

                Here is that word “FROM” again. Jesus was raised FROM the dead and Paul now hopes to attain to this same resurrection “FROM” the dead.

                Now, what Paul says next is rather disturbing, for in verse 12 he admits saying: “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:12-14.

                Man, O man, O man that just doesn’t sound a bit like today’s Gospel of a huge crowd of happy-go-lucky Christians that all get saved in total simply because they believed in Jesus at one time or another. In other words, the first resurrection and catching away of the Bride is only for the wise virgins whose lamps were filled with oil and ready for His coming. She has been preparing herself as a bride adorned for her Husband. She has washed her robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. She has clothed herself in fine linen bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev. 19:8

                Back in Phil. 3:17-20 Paul urges us to follow his example (Of pressing forward toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus) to observe those who walk in (the apostle’s pattern.)

                And then Paul goes on to say in verse 18: “For many walk of whom I often told you and now tell you even in weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

                I have been urging this message for some time now. There is no such thing as casual Christianity. Through the cross we are cut off from the world and through the resurrection we are born again into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. And according to Romans 8 and elsewhere throughout the New Testament, we are to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to live by the Spirit, for it is only those who live by the Spirit who are sons and daughters of God. Romans 8:14

                This is by no means a casual walk… and unfortunately today about 90% of the church maintains only a casual Christian life. They have not been cut off from Satan’s kingdom. They have not died to the Law in order that they may live unto Christ by the power of His resurrection. Paul tells us in Galatians that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. And by this He is not lowering the standard, but raising it.

                Jesus raised the standard as well when He told the people that unless their righteousness far exceeded that of the Pharisees they could not enter the kingdom of heaven. The law, while it identifies sin can in no way produce righteousness in us. We must be born again. We must be born of the Spirit and we must then live by that Spirit of Christ until we are transformed into His image. Eph. 4:13

                If the church today was filled with people who were actually living by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by the weakness of the flesh, there is no way that America would have fallen to its present state. If one Man, Jesus changed all of history by His life on earth, imagine what would happen of 10 or a hundred million people fully living by the power and Spirit of Christ could do.

                The fact that the church of our day has become Laodicea is to our shame. We have the form but no power. We have lamps but no oil. And sadly, we somehow think that we are all going to be raptured out of here without seeing persecution or tribulation. But for the vast majority of Christians that expect to be zapped out of here Jesus says, “I counsel you to buy of Me Gold tried in the fire.” Rev.3:18 Jesus is also calling His people out of Babylon (The world system) we cannot be a part of the world or to live by its precepts. We must live by the Spirit and die to the world.

                I once talked about crying out to God and someone responded saying, “You don’t need to cry out to God… just believe.” Listen friends, I know how much flesh is in me. I know how much carnal nature still stands between me and the Spirit. I know how much of me is not yet dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. Like Paul I cry out in anguish, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of this death?” Romans 7:24

                And that is also why I love Romans 8 so much. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death, for what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. “Rom. 8:1-4 And here again, this lack of condemnation comes only as we live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

                Paul is not telling us to try harder to keep the Law, or even to be perfect for that matter. What he is telling us however is that we must walk by the Spirit: “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

                Unfortunately however, the Laodicean church, even though they believe in the Spirit; are not living by the Spirit. They deal mostly in theoretical Christianity… forever talking about what we should do, and what we should be and how much we should love each other, but many are not seeking the power of the Holy Spirit to do so. We are carnal Christians. Whatever small attempts we make to please God, we make in the flesh. We satisfy ourselves that we belong to the right church or keep the right day, or we don’t kill, lie or steal and we hope for salvation on the basis of that, but only the righteousness of Christ can save us. So we say “I am saved by grace! Hallelujah! But that righteousness does not become ours until we die to this world and are truly born again into the kingdom of Christ at which time His Holy Spirit comes into us and we begin to live by His power and not by the power of the flesh.

                The Christian life is not difficult… it is impossible! Unless we are truly living by the Spirit of Christ we are just fooling ourselves. We are not born again and we are not saved… and millions upon millions of Christians are living under the delusion that they are saved even though they live life in the flesh just like everybody else. The only difference is that they attend church once a week. We are being offered a supposed new birth without death… a bloodless, spiritless religion with just enough hype and emotion on one hand, or just enough law keeping to make us feel like we are saved and yet we have no idea how to live by the Spirit, or how to actually overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

                I know this is a shot between the eyes, but it is the Gospel as the great preachers of past revivals preached it. Edwards, Finney, Wigglesworth and others preached true repentance and they lived by the Spirit so much so that when they walked into a roomful of total strangers, many would fall on their knees and ask what they must do to be saved. The spirit of God was so strong on these men of God that it changed every room they walked in to.

                This is what God wants to yet produce in His remnant people. This is the message that will bring about the last great revival because as Revelation 14 tells is, it is a call out of Babylon. It is the everlasting Gospel telling us to fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment has come. It calls us to worship Him as Creator. It warns us not to take the Mark of the Beast for indeed there is a hell to come. If we are to give this final message with power, then we must live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

                So in short there are two main resurrections at the end of time: One is a resurrection FROM the dead that involves those who are in Christ. This is the resurrection to which Paul longed to be a part, so much so that he counted everything before Christ as rubbish and leaving all else behind he pressed toward the mark of His high calling in Christ Jesus. There is nothing casual about this resurrection FROM the dead and our catching away (Rapture) to be with Christ. If Paul said that he had not yet attained to this resurrection, but that he was leaving all behind to pursue it, then how can we glibly say today that everyone who calls himself a Christian is just going to be raptured out of here?          

                There is a rapture to come alright ,where those who are fully in Christ, dead to the world and living by the Spirit, having put away everything that encumbers them, are pressing toward the mark of their high calling in Christ Jesus. These are described by Jesus as the wise virgins who had oil in their lamps and who were ready for the marriage feast.

                The foolish virgins represent those believers who are not living by the Spirit. They are not ready for the marriage. They have not matured enough to reign with Christ for 1000 years, but will take place in the general resurrection of the dead when all who are in their graves will come forth, those who have done good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. So do you want to be in the first resurrection or the last resurrection?

                John says in Revelation 20:6: Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

                Friends, much of what the church currently teaches about the second coming of Christ and the rapture amounts to not much more than fairytales. We have not discerned between the resurrection FROM the dead and the resurrection OF the dead and so there is no urgency or determination today to die to the world and to live fully unto Christ by His Spirit which He gave to us for that purpose.

                The Holy Spirit was not given for parlor games and goose bumps. He was given to us to empower us to be transformed into the image of Christ… to live by the same Spirit that Jesus Christ lived by and to overcome the world.

                So we are either allowing the Spirit of Christ to judge, refine and purify us now on a daily basis, or we are going to be refined and purified by the coming tribulation in which our faithfulness will be tested maybe even to the death.  To those Jesus says, “Be faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life.” Rev. 2:10

                There are two churches listed in the last days: Philadelphia and Laodicea. To Philadelphia is given an open door and a promise to be kept from the hour of testing that will come upon the whole world. But to Laodicea, is given a warning that because of their lukewarmness they are in danger of being spit out of Christ’s mouth. They are counselled to buy gold tried in the fire, white garments to cover their nakedness and eye salve to heal their blindness. They are not totally lost at this point for they can still repent and invite Christ in and they may yet overcome, but it will be in the heat of the tribulation and the Mark of the Beast.

                I reckon I will lose a few people with this message, but I can’t sit back and listen to the careless message that is being preached today that is not preparing a Bride for Christ. When the rapture comes and the tribulation comes, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, not that Christ was unable to keep them from this hour, but because they never really entered into His salvation plan by truly dying to the world and being truly born again into His Kingdom. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom that must yet be preached. Both Jesus and John the Baptist announced it rightly when they said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” “He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. “ Rev. 3:22

                Let me point out that none of this is done by the works of the flesh. It is the work of the Spirit of God in our lives. In fact, it is only in this way that we can truly enter into His rest for we must rest from our own works even as God did from His.  Grace is the power of God unto salvation and it is the Holy Spirit that produces His fruit in us. It is, in fact easier to be saved than to be lost, but we must die to this earthly realm and we must truly live by the Spirit of Christ. He is the only name given among men whereby we must be saved. But faith is no couch potato. Faith runs the race to win.