Tag Archives: justified

Who Are Overcomers?

23 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible Study, Spiritual

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Overcomers

…I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ ~ Revelation 21:2-4, NASB

In the above verses, the apostle John describes overcomers’ heavenly state of existence that is achieved only by Christ’s true Bride, who figuratively (metaphorically) is depicted as the New Jerusalem. However, what too many believers fail to understand is that Christ’s Bride is both the New Jerusalem—the place where She will live—and Christ’s adorned Wife who is without spot or blemish.  

Biblically speaking, very often a people and a place are presented as interchangeable. When we consider everything the Word of God says about Christ’s Bride, it becomes obvious that who and what the Holy Spirit inspired apostle John to describe in the above verses is the collective Bride of Christ who is the New Jerusalem, as well as the saints who emanate the eternal features of The Father’s glorious and holy heavenly city. In other words, Christ’s Bride is a sacred place and a sacred people.

Because the whole Word of God depicts the Bride of Christ as both a place and a people, it is time for all believers in Christ not only to comprehend but also to accept the following truths that rarely are taught or preached in modern-day churches. These untaught and unpreached truths, which by no means are all-inclusive, are as follows:

ONLY overcomers are saved AND sanctified reborn believers who conquer the flesh, the world’s systems, and Satan (see 1 John 2:15-17 and 1 John 4:1-4 [present world-system], Romans 7:15-25 and Ephesians 2:1-3 [desires of the flesh], 1 Peter 5:8 and James 4:7-10  [Satan]). Put differently, only true believers in Christ—in whom the Holy Spirit lives, fills (baptizes), and is sanctifying—will be the successful overcomers spoken about in the Word of God. The reason this entire statement is true is because all believers in Christ are promised eternal life BUT believing is more than giving intellectual assent to His Existence or His Redemptive Work. Believing also means Christ’s Ekklesia (His One Body of Believers or One Community of Faith Believers) is His collective Bride who uses everything He gave to Her to help Her become His saintly Overcomers. That is why the Word of God describes Christ’s saintly Overcomers as follows:

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who receive the right to eat from the Tree of Life in God’s Paradise (Revelation 2:7).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who don’t receive the second death or Lake of Fire final judgment (Revelation 2:11).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who receive some of the hidden manna (Revelation 2:17).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who receive a white stone on which their new names are written—names only overcomers know (Revelation 2:17).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who do deeds that please Christ until the end. They receive authority and power to rule over the nations with Christ (Revelation 2:26).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers whose deeds please Christ until the end. They are the ones who also receive the morning star (Revelation 2:28).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who receive white garments, and they are the ones whose names are never erased from The Book of Life (Revelation 3:5).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers whose names Christ confesses before Father God and before His angels (Revelation 3:5).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who become pillars in God’s Temple on which Christ writes The Father’s Name and His new Name (Revelation 3:12).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who receive the right to sit with Christ on His Throne (Revelation 3:21).

 

  1. Overcomers are the saintly believers who inherit a world free of sin, diseases, pain, crying, and mourning. They are God’s people whom He lives among (Revelation 21:3-4).

 

 

By now, it should be evident that believers who call themselves Christians, Christ followers, and so on, but are not seeking to obtain the abovementioned overcomers’ heavenly state of existence will not receive everything Christ’s saintly Overcomers are promised. If believers, the ones who call themselves Christians, Christ followers, and so on, are not transforming into The Bride of Christ whose daily saintly living consistently resembles Christ’s lifestyle, they will not receive everything Christ’s saintly Overcomers are promised.  

Put differently, ordinary believers—people who are saved, reborn, and justified but who have not, with the help of the Holy Spirit’s progressive sanctification process, conquered the flesh, the world’s systems, and Satan (which are overcomers’ righteous deeds that please Christ)—will not become Christ’s saintly Bride who is adorned for Him (The Bridegroom).  Instead, they will be the end-time Tribulation’s surviving Wheat who do not receive glorified bodies.

As the end-time Tribulation’s surviving Wheat, these ordinary believers will not be Christ’s saintly Overcomers who are able to eat the fruit from The Tree of Life. They also will never wear white garments, never receive any manna, never receive their individual white stone upon which each overcomer’s new name is written, never sit with Christ in His Throne, never reign with Christ, never have their names confessed before Father God and His angels, never become pillars, never inherit an uncorrupted everlasting world, and never will always be in Father God’s Presence.

A word to the wise should be sufficient. Shalom . . . . .

Fearing End-Times Signs vs. Fearing the State of Your Spirit, Soul, and Body

10 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Spiritual

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

...Preoccupied With End-Times Signs

 

 

 

So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. ~ Philippians 2:12, AMP

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them. ~ 2 Timothy 3:1-5, AMP

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’ ~ Matthew 7:21-23, AMP

 

 

Too many professed believers in Christ are resting on their laurels—are living like they are satisfied with their past achievement (salvation), so much so that they refuse to consider additional effort from them is necessary. They have assumed that their salvation automatically made them the Bride of Christ—made them saintly Overcomers. As a result, they either overlooked the Scripture that commands them to work out their own salvation, or they read and studied said Scripture but concluded it does not pertain to them.

Maybe when we who claim to be believers in Christ finally get it right—finally understand that Christ isn’t coming back for any “church,” but rather He is coming back for His genuine Bride—we’ll begin to cooperate with His Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform us into Christ’s victorious Bride—into the saintly OVERCOMERS who have been faithfully and obediently defeating their flesh, defeating this world’s corrupt systems, and defeating the lying devil. Only then will we start using, and keep using, what time we have left on this planet to prepare for Christ’s coming instead of wasting our time being preoccupied with end-times signs.

There are numerous videos in which believers list all the things that are happening in this world that correspond with prophetic end-time signs. The truth is that the signs in those videos are pure HYPE (fear used to excite us and motivate us into being ready for Christ’s return—used as nothing more than some preachers’ forms of emotional blackmail). Because the people who are unnerved by the presented signs will more than likely spend too much time studying and interpreting the Scriptures that have end-time signs in them, they will overlook the Scriptures that tell them how to get right with God. As a result, they will end up doing all the wrong things they THINK are the right things that will get their spirit, soul, and body SANCTIFIED, but the things they will be doing only will obtain them “forms of godliness.”

There is a big difference between fearing the end-time signs and then taking action, and fearing the state of our soul, spirit, and body to the degree that we start choosing to do what we should have been doing to get the proper results God always wanted us to obtain. This truth is why those of us who know the signs of the end times and can recognize the ones that are happening right before our eyes already will have determined that we don’t want Christ to come back and say to us—I know you not; depart from me you workers of lawlessness (you folks who act wickedly by disregarding My Commands; see Matthew 7:21-23). Instead of staying busy seeking more and more information about end-times signs that only temporarily frighten us into wanting to live holy and righteous lives, we will stay busy preparing for Christ’s return. That is to say, we will focus on the main thing, which is happily surrendering our whole soul, spirit, and body to Christ so that His Spirit can make us Christlike.

When we are thinking, speaking, and doing the things Christ thought, spoke, and did, we will be living Christlike. The more Christlike we become the more we will know that we are His true Bride—His Overcomers—the saints He is coming back to rapture before the Tribulation Period begins. Selah . . . Shalom . . . . .

BTW: Just because we are saved believers our salvation doesn’t mean we are living like reborn, saved, justified, filled with the Holy Spirit, and being sanctified in spirit, soul and body (becoming fully Christlike) believers who will be glorified in our bodies when we are raptured. We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, which means we must continually work to bring our sanctification to fruition by faithfully choosing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s Sanctification Process, AND we must revere Father God by continually showing Him that we love Him too much to offend Him by disobeying His Commands (see Philippians 2:12). Selah . . . Shalom . . . . .

Two Biblical Proofs Favoring Pre-Tribulation Rapture

04 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by in Bible Study

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proof Positive

Avraham approached and said, ‘Will you actually sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Maybe there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you actually sweep the place away, and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are there? Far be it from you to do such a thing — to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Shouldn’t the judge of all the earth do what is just?’ ~ Genesis 18:23-25, CJB

For God has not intended that we should experience his fury, but that we should gain deliverance through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who died on our behalf so that whether we are alive or dead, we may live along with him. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, CJB

In necessary things unity; in uncertain things freedom; in everything compassion. ~ Unknown Author; most often misattributed to Augustine

God help us all who call ourselves Christians, for even in a time such as this we still remain unable to become ONE. We primarily are divided by doctrines, issues, and practices. As a result, we who profess to be Your holy and righteous sons and daughters, joint-heirs with Your only begotten Son (Jesus the Christ), frequently end up treating each other like notorious enemies instead of like venerable brothers and sisters in Your Household of Faith.

There continues to be too much arguing among followers of Christ Jesus over doctrines, issues, and practices that neither are crucial to the Gospel of Christ nor to how anyone obtains eternal life (how someone is saved). Christians’ most commonly debated doctrines, issues, and practices include, but are not limited to: the Rapture, the Millennium, the Earth’s Age, Life on Other Planets, Food and Drink, Female Pastors, Observing the Sabbath vs. Worshipping on Sunday, Speaking in Tongues, Performing Miracles, and various legalistic Do’s and Don’ts (like going to the movies, dancing, smoking, drinking, playing cards, wearing makeup, and so forth).

How horrible our arguing with and our mistreatment of Body of Christ members must look to the unsaved world. No wonder the masses of lost souls in today’s world are not coming to Christ Jesus. Why would any of them want to be a part of this current 21st century body of believers who vehemently disagree with each other? These quarrelsome believers not only refuse to tolerate but also choose not to be civil to their brothers or sisters in Christ Jesus who think differently about things that usually have nothing to do with a person’s salvation nor with the Gospel of Christ!

If we agree on the essentials, yet disagree on the non-essentials, then let us learn how to agree to disagree without becoming/being disagreeable (unloving, compassionless, coldhearted, intolerable, argumentative, hostile, inhospitable, bad-tempered, grouchy, snarky, sarcastic, stubborn, nasty, offensive, unpleasant, unfriendly, rude, legalistic, insulting, disrespectful, and the list goes on). Let us learn how to remain loving, caring, and kind to each other. After all, one of the most crucial lessons Christ Jesus taught is this one: “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:35, MSG).

Having said that, let me say this: Because I know that the Rapture is one of the most commonly debated doctrines, I would like to share, strictly from a general theological perspective, two biblical proofs favoring a pre-Tribulation Rapture. Not only do I find these proofs to be two of the best but also I agree with them, as do so many theologians, countless other followers of Christ, and even copious churchgoers. For this reason, I am certain that numerous individuals who will read this blog entry probably already know these proofs, and I equally am certain that various other individuals who will read this blog entry neither had read nor had heard of these proofs before now. My hope then is that the end result of having read this article will be that those readers who didn’t believe will have come to believe what so many present-day followers of Christ already accept to be true about the Bride of Christ’s pre-Tribulation Rapture.

Biblical Proof Number One—from the Old Testament:

Anyone who believes that there is a radical and ESSENTIAL difference between the righteous and the wicked should agree that God knows the difference, and  he or she should agree that God is the One who makes the distinction between those who are “righteous” and those who are “wicked.” Additionally, anyone who believes that there is a radical and ESSENTIAL difference between the righteous and the wicked also should agree that righteousness and wickedness are exact opposite spiritual (heavenly vs. hellish) characteristics, which is why God never wanted His righteous children and the world’s wicked persons to mix.

Furthermore, since God knew there would be a nonstop righteous vs. wicked battle taking place on this Earth, that is why He had some undeniable proof of His timeless pattern of Judgment placed in His Word. Biblical proof number one, therefore, is that God does not judge His truly righteous believers with the world’s very wicked unbelievers. This biblical pattern is most noticeable in the Scriptures describing the time of Noah, and it continues to become more evident throughout the rest of the Old Testament. God’s pattern of Judgment also is found in the New Testament, especially in end-times verses. That’s why there really can be no denying that God clearly is represented throughout the Holy Bible as a righteous Judge who pronounces Judgment that always is correct and fair.

For example, in the Old Testament, Abraham, who is one of Noah’s after-the-Flood descendants, knew quite well that God never would judge the righteous with the wicked, and that is why Abraham doesn’t shy away from reminding God of His existing Judgment pattern. Abraham says to God:

…Will you actually sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Maybe there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you actually sweep the place away, and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are there? Far be it from you to do such a thing — to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Shouldn’t the judge of all the earth do what is just? ~ Genesis 18:23-25, CJB

The point here is that it had been established before Noah’s day that God is a just and righteous Judge who only punishes (pours out His Wrath only upon those whom He has judged as) the wicked, and then only AFTER He has removed (separated) the righteous from mingling with the wicked. Righteous Noah, his sons, and his sons’ wives were saved from God’s 40 days and 40 nights of the falling rain Flood Judgment, while God poured out His promised diluvial Wrath upon all of the Earth’s wicked inhabitants, as well as upon the Earth itself!

As already mentioned, this pattern of God’s Judgment runs all through the Testaments. Of course, there always is an exception, and the exception that must be noted here is that, although there are many New Testament verses that chiefly emphasize God’s Judgment, there is NO mention of God’s Judgment in the New Testament passages considered as Rapture passages. This observation leads to the second biblical proof.

Biblical Proof Number Two—from the New Testament:

Since there is no mention of God’s Judgment in the New Testament’s Rapture verses, then it is decidedly possible that the Rapture of the Bride of Christ happens at a separate time from when God judges and then punishes the Earth and the left-behind wicked, many who are followers of the Antichrist, with His fiery Wrath. The apostle John writes:

Then I saw another sign in heaven, a great and wonderful one — seven angels with the seven plagues that are the final ones; because with them, God’s fury is finished. ~ Revelation 15:1, CJB

Apostle John most assuredly is describing the last Judgments—the last of God’s judiciary righteous Judgments issued against the left-behind ungodly (His Wrath or Fury). The apostle also is describing God’s righteous Punishment for committed crimes His enemies are guilty of (His Wrath or Fury). Without doubt, these seven plagues (seven bowl judgments) are the last of all of God’s promised righteous end-times Punishment (His Wrath or Fury).

All the same, it must be noted here that apostle Paul says when Christ Jesus died on the Cross, His atoning sacrifice not only had made the gift of eternal life (Salvation) available, but also He had saved (rescued, delivered) believers from God’s end-times Judgments and Punishment (outpouring of Wrath). In other words, so that God’s righteous would not experience any of His end-times Wrath, Christ Jesus’ sacrificial dying absorbed it ALL. Thus, biblical proof number two is Christ Jesus already took the Wrath of God in place of God’s Household of Faith believers—bore the FULL brunt of God’s Wrath for the Body of Christ, also known as the Bride of Christ (both saved Christian Jews and Gentiles). Apostle Paul writes:

…you turned to God from idols, to serve the true God, the one who is alive, and to wait for his Son Yeshua, whom he raised from the dead, to appear from heaven and rescue us from the impending fury of God’s judgment. ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10, CJB

~ and ~

For God has not intended that we should experience his fury, but that we should gain deliverance through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who died on our behalf so that whether we are alive or dead, we may live along with him. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, CJB

The point here is that it already had been established before Christ Jesus’ day that God still is a just and righteous Judge who only punishes (pours out His Wrath only upon those whom He has judged as) the wicked, and then only AFTER He has removed (separated) the righteous from mingling with the wicked. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Lord’s righteous Bride first will be saved (rescued, delivered) from any part of God’s seven years of the end-times Tribulation Judgments, after which God then will pour out all of His promised fiery Wrath upon all of the Earth’s left-behind inhabitants!

The bottom line is this: As it was in Noah and Abraham’s days, so will it be in these current last days. God will NOT have His spiritually renewed, saved, and reconciled back to Himself sons and daughters endure any of His prophesied end-times Judgments and Punishment that are reserved for His and Israel’s enemies. There is absolutely no way that God could explain or defend why He would let those individuals, whom the beaten and crucified Christ Jesus’ Blood has justified as righteous, and whom the mighty workings of the Holy Spirit completely has sanctified as holy (sinless), go through any of the seven years of the end-times Tribulation. That is why the Bride of Christ will NOT be in the Tribulation Period!

Once again, the two biblical proofs favoring a pre-Tribulation Rapture for the Bride of Christ are that God never would judge His righteous when He judges the wicked, and Christ Jesus already has emptied God’s full cup of Wrath so that born again, saved, justified, and fully sanctified followers of Christ would never have to experience any Wrath of God. AMEN!

For a detailed explanation about God’s Wrath, please read my blog entry Lost In Translation.

Stop Living Your Life Out of Position: You’re Seated with Christ in the Father’s House

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Spiritual

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Seated in Heavenly PlacesNow his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’  Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.  But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ~ Luke 15:25-32, HCSB

All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ…. ~ Romans 8:14-17, HCSB

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In loveHe predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ~ Ephesians 1:3-8, HCSB

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ~ Ephesians 2:4-8, HCSB

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. ~ Ephesians 2:13, HCSB

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. ~ 2 Peter 1:3-4, HCSB

 

On the surface, the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son is about God’s unconditional Love and Forgiveness, as well as about God’s redemptive Grace and Mercy. Underneath the surface, however, are many layers of rich meanings. Because the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son is not as cut-and-dried as many Bible teachers would have people to believe, there are way too many truly born again and saved believers in Christ Jesus who have missed the deeper meanings of this parable.

Oh most believers understand why the younger son is described as the prodigal son—the one who, in a carelessly extravagant fashion, wasted his inheritance, but very few of these believers understand that far too many of the world’s born again and saved believers behave just like the prodigal son—just like the son who stayed with his father (see the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32). That’s right! Only a few of today’s believers understand that both sons are prodigals—both sons are reckless and imprudent. Furthermore, since in said parable Christ Jesus is speaking to the proud, judgmental, self-righteous Jewish Pharisees and Scribes, there is no doubt that they (the Jewish Pharisees and Scribes) also would have seen both sons’ behavior as being offensive to their father!

Definitely the younger son does an unspeakable thing—he makes a disrespectful and shocking demand. He asks his father for the inheritance that wouldn’t normally be his, until after his father had died. Basically, because he asks for his inheritance while his father is still alive, the younger son is saying to his father: “I wish you were dead.” Thus, from the start, this younger son’s condition is visibly lost (he’s horribly destitute), so much so that by the time he gets his inheritance and leaves home, there is no denying that, spiritually speaking, he is leaving unsaved (dead spiritually)!

Similarly, the older son also does an unthinkable thing—he accuses his father of treating him unfairly, and he criticizes his father for giving so much of his riches to his wayward son. The older brother also behaves as if he is much better than his younger brother, so his destitute condition also is seen from the start. The older prodigal son’s attitude undoubtedly is extremely negative: he is arrogant, self-righteous, critical, harsh, and domineering. Therefore, he too is lost, even though he stays home (he’s at home and, spiritually speaking, born again and saved, but so out of touch with his father). More important, he’s apparently more concerned with the work he has been doing for his father than he is concerned about the work his father, who represents Father God, already has DONE for him; thus, he is estranged (spiritually separated) because of his attitude.

Put differently, most believers understand that like the first Adam who sinned/rebelled against God, when he recklessly abandoned his condition and position, the younger son in the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son also recklessly abandons his condition and position. Indeed, because of the sin in this younger brother’s life, it takes him running out of his earthly inheritance before he recognizes his life’s destitute condition—it takes becoming financially poor before this young man is forced to realize that as long as he remains in a faraway territory or physically separated from his earthly father, who, as previously mentioned, symbolizes the loving, forgiving, merciful, gracious, and more than abundantly rich heavenly Father God, he (the younger prodigal son) would continue to have no riches, no deliverance, no healing, no hope of reconciliation, and no future glory. In other words, the younger brother now recognizes that he not only is physically poor but also spiritually poor (his destitute condition)! Additionally, he also realizes that he is both physically and spiritually out of position—physically separated from his earthly father and, thus, spiritually separated from his heavenly Father (spiritually dead; spiritually lost).

As for the older prodigal son, once again, most believers fail to recognize or understand that to some degree, like the first Adam, the older brother also recklessly abandons his condition and position! Though the older son stays with his earthly father and continues to help him build up his estate (symbolically, helps Christ Jesus build up God’s Kingdom), by working in the field (laboring in the vineyard as a born again and saved believer, so to speak), inwardly, the older brother is blind to the fact that he too is far away from home (out of position) and blind to the fact that he is also experiencing a destitute condition (unaware that he is spiritually carnal; spiritually immature; spiritually in need of an attitudinal adjustment). In other words, because the older brother isn’t being changed from the inside out—isn’t being changed from his spirit to his soul to his body—so that he could reflect the level of spiritual maturity that he should have been achieving by staying with his father (by being a born again and saved child of God), he ends up displaying a negative attitude (negative thinking and/or feelings)—he is angry, argumentative, arrogant, selfish, unforgiving, and joyless (cf. Luke 15:25-29). Furthermore, his stinking attitude is presented in contrast with his father’s positively sweet-smelling attitude, which is loving, peaceable, gentle, humble, selfless, kind, compassionate, forgiving, and joyful (cf. Luke 15:31-32).

Consequently, the Lord describes the older prodigal son as being disobedient, since he refuses to leave the field and enter back into his father’s house, even though he knows that is his father’s will. There can be no doubt, then, why the father, who comes out to meet his younger son who is returning home (the son who once was dead but now is alive), also has to go back out to meet his older son in the field. He goes to his older son so that he can plead with him to rejoice along with him over his younger brother’s return. The picture here is of God’s born again and saved older son who, because of Christ Jesus’ sacrifice, and because of God’s Grace and the Power of His Holy Spirit, has inherited the Father’s estate—has inherited ALL the riches of God’s Grace, which God has lavished on him—YET he is not behaving like he has inherited his Father’s true Nature (His merciful, gracious, loving, forgiving, holy, righteous character, and so forth).  In a nutshell, this older brother is being depicted as someone who neither shows his earthly father nor his earthly brother genuine love, kindness, or compassion, which, spiritually speaking, also means he is treating Father God and His Offspring the same way!

Lastly, this older brother is described as a believer in Christ Jesus who is unfaithful, primarily because he doesn’t understand what he already has inherited. In other words, because he doesn’t have a clue about how rich and blessed he already is, and therefore NEVER utilizes the abundance that always has been at his disposal, his unfaithfulness ends up diminishing the value of the work he has done. The point here is that  although he stays with his father (although he never loses his relationship with his father), he has chosen to live spiritually out of position—has chosen to live spiritually estranged from his Father, because he hasn’t chosen to live a Christlike life! The reason why all of these statements are true is that, once again, in the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son, the earthly father symbolizes the heavenly Father, who has given each and every born again and saved son and daughter His Spiritual DNA and lavished on each one of His children ALL of the riches of His Grace!

It is important to note here that neither the younger nor the older brother’s behavior is unique. According to Scriptures, when the first Adam recklessly and imprudently sinned, he also recklessly and imprudently deserted his condition—he lost his God given spiritual DNA (Divine Nature and Authority, along with his God-given Power, Will, spiritual gifts, dominion, and so forth). That is to say, the first Adam immediately was introduced to his destitute condition—he instantly learned that he was spiritually poor. Moreover, when the first Adam also recklessly and imprudently abandoned his priestly and kingly position, he immediately not only outwardly lost his priestly and kingly dominion on Earth but also inwardly his spirit lost its seat in heavenly places. In other words, because of the original sin, Adam became spiritually dead—spiritually separated from God.

Consequently, every person born thereafter of earthy parents has come into this world positioned in Adam and having his same destitute condition. To be exact, every born alive human being immediately receives Adam’s imputed sin nature, which results in an immediate spiritual death. This means that as a lost soul (as a prodigal son whose inner spirit has not been born again and, thus, has not received the gift of Salvation by Grace (by God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense; see 2 Peter 1:3-4) through Faith in Christ Jesus, he or she also neither will have God’s DNA (Divine Nature & Authority) nor His Will, Power, spiritual gifts, and etc. Additionally, because he or she hasn’t received Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ, this Divine Truth is why every person’s inner spirit also will remain spiritually dead (will be spiritually separated from God). This all means that before each believer could become Christ Jesus’ disciples and Father God’s sons, his or her dead spirit first had to be rejuvenated—first had to be born from above by the Power of the Holy Spirit!

Once believers’ individual destitute condition changes from being spiritually lost sons (spiritually dead, impoverished, lacking, hopeless, hurting, sick, and etc.) to spiritually reborn Sons (or Huios, in the Greek language, which means Father God’s Offspring), this change will mean that at the very moment when the gift of Salvation is received that is when believers also receive Father God’s Spirit of adoption (their heavenly Sonship). Furthermore, because of the Lord’s imputed righteousness (Him making believers’ individual spirit or heart spiritually righteous or justified), these born again and saved believers’ position in Adam (being spiritually separated from God, because of Adam’s imputed unrighteousness or sin nature, which everyone receives at birth) also changes to their position in Christ Jesus.

In essence, because of Christ Jesus’ righteousness, which also is God’s righteousness that believers are accredited with the moment they receive Salvation, they now have been presented as if they had never sinned; they have entered into a royal relationship with God. Their royal relationship means that not only are they His Sons but also His priests and kings. Moreover, they have received eternal life; they have received the indwelling Holy Spirit who subsequently infills them; they have received God’s DNA (His Divine Nature and Authority, as well as His Will and His Power); they have received spiritual gifts; and they have received so much more, all because of God’s GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense; cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4).

Now even though Christ Jesus’ sacrifice, God’s Grace, and God’s Holy Spirit (Power) have dealt with born again and saved believers’ sin nature that was in their old heart (old spirit), which means their old sin nature no longer can rule them (they no longer can be a slave to sin), because they have died to sin (cf. Romans 6:2; 6; see also Ephesians 4:20-24) and now are free from sin (cf. Romans 6:7), the sad truth is that way too many born again and saved believers’ individual condition remains destitute! Like the older prodigal son, within their souls is a vile attitude—an attitude that is carnal, negative, and rebellious. As a result, too many born again and saved believers live their lives out of position; that is to say, they are NOT living like the priests and kings they have been raised up in Christ Jesus to be.

In other words, where EVERY believer’s condition and his or her position in Christ Jesus are concerned, his or her old nature’s rulership is never the issue. Every born again and saved believer absolutely has been conditioned (reborn) and positioned (justified) in Christ Jesus, which means the Lord has removed EVERY believer’s sins and his or her sin nature from his or her human spirit. Put differently, Christ Jesus’ shed blood didn’t just cover every believer’s sins and sin nature. His shed blood actually eradicated every man and every woman’s sins AND his and her old-man nature (sin nature), and this means that each believer now has a new-man nature—he and she now is a brand new creation. Therefore, the sins he or she might commit, after being born again and saved, are not because his or her reborn spirit has been separated from God again. No, no. What is happening, when a born again and saved believer sins, is that this person is being disobedient and unfaithful to his or her day-to-day relationship with the Lord.

Look at it this way: Even though every believer has a new holy and righteous nature (new heart or new spirit), his or her mind and body haven’t been thoroughly changed (successfully reprogrammed). As a result, he or she still will have some of his or her old wrong and/or sinful values, beliefs, and practices, which need to be transformed. In a nutshell, every believer’s leftover sinful thinking and sinful behavior also must experience a metamorphosis, in order to be rid of the residual stinking thinking and ungodly behavior that, more often than not, have kept him or her from becoming more Christlike.

Until this metamorphic process is completed, many believers’ relationship with the Lord regularly is influenced more by their individual unregenerate, lacking complete reprogramming soul (mind, will, emotions, conscience, affections, personality, desires, imagination, and so forth). Unlike their born-again spirit, which daily is influenced by the indwelling and infilling Holy Spirit, every day their soul is influenced by their body’s external surroundings, primarily everything that stimulates the five senses—everything their body feels, tastes, sees, hears, or smells. Because believers’ soul and body have not become instantly transformed, nor instantly saved, these Divine Truths are why God gave believers His Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit gradually could sanctify or transform believers’ old stinking thinking, old desires, old emotions, old flesh, and so forth, to Christ’s thinking, desires, emotions, and lifestyle.

The point here is that while all believers are protected from eternal judgment/punishment (see Romans 8:1), too many believers’ individual spirit, soul, and body are not becoming wholly sanctified (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Because so many believers do not realize that when they were reconciled back to God (justified) they received a brand new identity in Christ Jesus, they spend much of their spiritually born again and saved lives in a condition and a position that do not represent their new identity. From the Lord’s description of the older prodigal son, and from the apostle Paul’s description of believers in the “church” at Corinth, which perhaps is the best example of believers having received their condition and position in Christ Jesus but they aren’t living in accordance with their condition and position, some believers today can see that too many professed born again and saved believers also do not operate in all of the riches of God’s Grace, which He has lavished on them!

For sure, even though the spiritual condition of all believers is perfect (their individual “spirits” are completely holy), instead of them living their day-to-day lives in a Christlike manner, they end up having a relationship with their Father God that is based on their work for Him instead of based on their Love for him (see Luke 15:29);  they are quarreling/feuding among themselves (see Luke 15:28-30; 1 Corinthians 1:11); they are carnal or fleshly (see Luke 15:28-30, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3); they are arrogant or puffed up (see Luke 15:28-30, 1 Corinthians 4:18); they are failing to judge the immorality within their fellowship community (see 1 Corinthians 5:1-5), and they are guilty of not holding everyone in their fellowship community accountable, but rather were suing believers in secular courts (see 1 Corinthians 6:7).  In essence, like the older prodigal son and the “church” members in Corinth, too many of today’s believers are angry, argumentative, arrogant, selfish, unforgiving, and joyless. Additionally, they neither show their heavenly Father nor His children true Agápe love, kindness, or compassion!

The Good News is that, while many believers in Christ Jesus might not function with all of the riches of His Grace (their total spiritual inheritance), the result of which is that they end up reflecting to a lost world their imperfect and sinful soulish condition that ultimately leads to these believers living out of position, they never will lose their relationship with God. Why won’t they lose their relationship with God, when they become estranged because of their spiritual condition and spiritual position? The Divine reason is that every believer in Christ Jesus, no matter whether he or she behaves carnally or spiritually, shares eternal life (John 20:31; 1 John 5:11-12), shares the Lord’s imputed righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9), shares the election of Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:1-2), shares the destiny of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:16-17; Romans 8:23; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 2:11), shares the Sonship of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 3:26), shares the heirship of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:16-17; 1 Peter 1:4-5), shares the priestship of Christ Jesus (Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Peter 2:5-9), and shares kingship or the eternal Kingdom of Christ Jesus (2 Peter 1:10-11; Revelation 1:5-6). The sad news is that, even though all true believers, whether carnal or spiritual, will make it into Heaven, many of them will get there looking and smelling like they barely escaped through fire (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:15), instead of looking and smelling like the priests and kings their identity in Christ Jesus says they are.

The bottom line is this: In order to understand fully the deeper meanings of the Parable of the Lost Son/Parable Son, it is important to know the structural unity between the chapter (Luke 15) and the parables that are in this chapter. It is important to know that the chapter begins and ends with grumbling—the initial grumbling comes from the Pharisees and Scribes, and by the end of the chapter the grumbling comes from the older son in the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son. Additionally, it is important to know that the three parables in this chapter are parallels—they are analogous to one another. In other words, although each parable can stand alone, it is obvious that Christ Jesus is teaching that these three parables in this 15th chapter of Luke are meant to be heard or read as individual components that are part of a complex whole. Put differently, there is no doubt that each parable not only edifies but also, to some degree, is being edified by the other two parables. That’s why it also is important to know that in each of the three parables, the crisis is not at the end of each parable but rather near or in the middle. This last point means that the focus in the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son is on the grumbling son!

Having said all of the above about Luke 15’s structural unity, it should be obvious, then, that the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son is a contrast between the son who visibly is lost (in a faraway territory) and the son who is lost at home. Furthermore, based on context, which means based on the two parables preceding the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son, the visibly lost younger son, to some degree, is like the one sheep in the Parable of the Lost Sheep (see Luke 15:3-7). The lost sheep and lost son both have wandered off (gone astray; recklessly deserted their condition and position), which is why Christ Jesus is saying in these two parallel parables that just like the lost younger prodigal son is subject to his new environment (position), and as a result eventually begins to consider himself worthless and damaged (condition), the lost sheep also is subject to its environment (position) and, as a result, definitely could damage its wool or be harmed in other ways, which no doubt would diminish the sheep’s value (condition). These truths are why a good shepherd always will search for every lost sheep so that he can reconcile and restore it, especially since a sheep doesn’t know how to search for its shepherd or its sheepfold!

On the other hand, Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd, also is saying that He definitely would search for every lost prodigal son/sheep who not only recognizes that his destitute condition is because he is out of position but who also has begun seeking the Lord for reconciliation and restoration. That is to say, unlike the lost sheep who wouldn’t know how to get back to its shepherd or sheepfold, once the lost younger prodigal son recognizes his unrighteousness (condition) and recognizes that because of his unrighteousness he is absolutely unsaved and spiritually dead (lost his position; separated from God), he eventually would know where to find his Savior (Good Shepherd). Then too, as it is in the Parable of the Lost/Prodigal Son, just like Father God and/or the Good Shepherd/Savior would recognize every lost sheep/lost prodigal son from a far off, the lost sheep/the lost prodigal son also would recognize his heavenly Father and/or his heavenly Good Shepherd/Savior from a far off. In the parable’s younger prodigal son’s case, he also would realizes that his father, who symbolizes Father God, has been looking for him, too.

There can be no doubt that Christ Jesus is giving an example of God’s Divine Grace—Christ Jesus is confirming that from eternity Father God ceaselessly has been searching for His wandering sheep/prodigal sons, and that He eternally has been waiting for them to believe, repent, and receive His Salvation gift. In other words, God has known from eternity that every one of His prodigal sons not only would realize that he was lost (that he has wandered down the wrong path), has become disoriented, confused, and/or has been turned around, but also God knew that every one of His prodigal sons would realize that he needs to return to his Father, where he not only could receive reconciliation and restoration but also where he would see how joyful his Father is, when the Father sees his son coming from a far off.

In contrast, the older son who is lost at home is, to some degree, like the coin in the Parable of the Lost Coin, which is lost not because it has wandered off nor because it lost some of its value. For sure, similar to the older prodigal son, who is lost because of his own unfaithfulness, the coin is lost because of the woman’s unfaithfulness (see Luke 15:8-10). Without doubt, the coin in the Parable of the Lost Coin could be seen as a valuable part of that woman’s dowry, which means that losing even one coin not only suggests that her stewardship has been unfaithful but also that her unfaithfulness definitely would bring shame to her family. Thus, because that coin is very valuable to this very poor woman, the coin’s worth is why, when she loses it, she uses great effort to find it.

However, the main difference between this woman’s unfaithfulness (poor stewardship) and the older prodigal son’s unfaithfulness, his reckless desertion of his spiritual condition and position, is that while she had not been a “good” steward, she rectifies her error by faithfully searching her house thoroughly until she finds the lost coin, which apparently is an essential asset! Since the older prodigal son never realizes how rich and blessed he is—that everything his father owns is at his disposal—he resents what his father has given to his younger brother instead of appreciating and focusing on everything his father has given to him to use. Put differently, the older lost prodigal son never values the spiritual riches of God’s Grace, because if he had he would have put forth an effort to find out what those riches are and/or how those riches can be put to good use for him, as well as for his Father’s benefit and the benefit of others.

Then too, not only has the older brother failed to see the value of everything his father already has put at his disposal, but also he has failed to realize the value of his brother’s repentance and return. This latter truth is why he doesn’t go to his father. His father has to come to him to bring about restoration and reconciliation. The point the Lord is making with the lost coin and the lost older prodigal son is that God not only puts forth great effort when it comes to recovering lost souls (the younger prodigal) but also He gives His Offspring (the older prodigal) an extremely valuable inheritance to use in the here and now: His Grace’s riches. Therefore, those recipients who do not use the riches of God’s Grace not only are unfaithful stewards but also reckless and imprudent sons.

For these above reasons, believers in Christ Jesus need to know that it is not just the unsaved, unbelievers who are prodigal sons—prodigal sons because they are guilty of wasting their natural inheritance on lewd, crude, rebellious living. Too many true believers also are prodigal sons, because they are wasting their spiritual inheritance by not taking advantage of, never utilizing, the immeasurable spiritual riches of God’s Grace that are at their disposal!

The Good News is that it doesn’t matter whether someone is visibly lost (unsaved; spiritually dead and wandering in faraway territories) or whether someone is lost while at home with God (lost child in the household of Faith). The Divine Truth is that God has placed a great value on every spiritually lost and spiritually sick soul who willingly comes to Him by Grace and through Faith in His Son (Jesus the Christ)—the younger prodigal son. Additionally, God also has placed a great value on every spiritually unfaithful and contentious believer, so much so that He kindly corrects him or her so that he or she also will see (via His Holy Spirit and His Word) his or her true identity and relationship (condition and position) in God’s family—the older prodigal son. Once we who are like the younger and older wayward prodigal sons repent and turn to God with either a contrite reborn heart/spirit or a repentant renewed mind, we both are welcomed back home. 

As a final point, it is obvious that NOT every believer in Christ Jesus clearly understands that when he or she became born again and saved he or she also was raised up with Christ Jesus to sit in heavenly places. Then too, NOT every believer in Christ Jesus clearly understands that each truly born again and saved believer spiritually has been elevated to the position of a royal or kingly priest. In other words, NOT every believer in Christ Jesus clearly understands that he or she now not only is spiritually seated in heavenly places as a priest AND king but also he or she is a heavenly king and priest living a natural experience on Earth. That’s right! He or she is in two realms at the same time!

As Heaven’s kingly priest on Earth, each believer has been given Christ Jesus’ authority—the authority to pray, sing, worship, and or preach; the authority to function as an ambassador, apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, or teacher; the authority to cast out demons and lay hands on the sick so that they will be healed; and the authority to rule and reign in his or her assigned spiritual domains (spiritual jurisdictions), which are where each believer has been sent by God to establish Heaven’s rule on Earth—where he or she has been sent to bring God’s Kingdom and His Will down to Earth, just like they are in Heaven.

Furthermore, since every believer is seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, this Divine Truth also means that as a kingly priest every believer’s privileged closeness to God definitely provides each son and daughter with ample opportunities to offer up spiritual sacrifices—praises to Father God. Then too, as a kingly priest, every believer’s privileged closeness to God in Heaven also most assuredly provides each son and daughter with clear instructions that go with his or her position as a priest on Earth, which include but are not limited to him or her keeping his or her temple holy, receiving vision from Father God, speaking blessings to others, and teaching others.

Equally true is that, as a kingly priest, each believer’s privileged closeness to God in Heaven not only provides him or her with a crystal-clear understanding of his or her spiritual orders but also guarantees him or her that he or she will be supernaturally outfitted with the appropriate spiritual weapons he or she needs to fight his or her spiritual battles on Earth (EVERYTHING each kingly priest needs to invade, to occupy, to influence, and to manifest the Kingdom of God’s dominion on Earth, as well as EVERYTHING each kingly priest needs to be able to acquire provisions, which he or she is to generously share with others. In other words, each kingly priest is to share the wonderful riches of God’s Grace with others via his or her good deeds (see 1 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 13:15-16).

To conclude, believers in Christ Jesus are supposed to be reflecting in this Earth their kingly priest supernaturally privileged identity, which they received once they became heirs with Christ Jesus—joint-heirs to the Kingdom of God (see 2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 13:15-16; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; 1 Peter 3:15; Revelation 1:5-6). Once again, the main reason why way too many true believers in Christ Jesus are not living according to their royal or kingly priest position in Christ Jesus—the primary reason why they are not living in accordance with their priestship AND kingship—is because they have deserted their position. Now this desertion EITHER is because they do not understand what their position in Christ Jesus means (they know little to nothing about their riches of God’s Grace or spiritual inheritance already at their disposal, and they know little to nothing about their right and responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices, or their right and responsibility to rule and reign, or their right and responsibility to discipline one another), OR they know and understand their position in Christ Jesus but have decided to abandon their priestship, preferring instead to worship sensational “religious leaders.” Likewise, they know and understand their position in Christ Jesus but have decided to abdicate their kingship, preferring instead to serve worldly systems, in this case, secular governments.

These above reasons are why it is time for prodigal believers who behave like the elder son in the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son to stop living their lives on this Earth out of position! A word to the wise should be sufficient! Amen.

 

For additional information about believers’ spiritual DNA, please read Our Spiritual DNA: Divine Nature & Authority.