FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
THE FIRST
PRINCIPLES - XII
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward IAUE,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and
of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment.
ETERNAL
JUDGMENT - 1
From a purely doctrinal point of view, this topic is as
divisive in some circles as is the doctrine of baptisms. There is a significant rift in bible
scholarship over the length of time implied by the word translated “eternal”
in this foundation principle. “Aionios”
literally means “without ending OR beginning.”
It is forever in both directions of time. This concept creates a real problem for some
people; so they delve into tricky manipulations of words, definitions, meanings
and applications from the Old Testament all the way through the New Testament in
order to shape a doctrine with which they can be at peace. I
have no such need to be “tricky” in my understanding of this teaching because
it is not doctrine that interests me, here.
It is the revelation of the person of the Master, Yahushua Messiah.
The two schools of thought in this “rift” are that the
divine judgment referred to in this verse endures 1) forever throughout
eternity, and 2) for a period of time…an age; at the end of which age, they,
too, are restored to IAUE. The principal
fallacy I see in this 2nd thought is that the doctrine of eternal
judgment does not involve just one judgment.
There is more than one eternal judgment; and if one is temporary, then
all of them are temporary. If all are temporary, then the sacrifice of Messiah
is insufficient to accomplish what the Scripture testifies about it.
It has been said that the only thing that is “eternal” in the sense of being forever both in
the past and in the future, is IAUE. With that I would concur; however, that
simply means that the “eternal judgment”
referred to in this verse is and always has been within IAUE; and with that idea
I am quite comfortable. In fact, how
could we even conceive of a “divine” judgment being executed that was not
indeed eternal with respect to it having forever been resident within IAUE? If we fail to grasp that concept, then we
must conclude that IAUE is “shooting from the hip” throughout our time/space
continuum; always wondering what is going to happen next; always having to
adjust His plan to account for what we are doing “down here.” The fact is:
Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
There are two words that are used in the Greek text for
the “will” of IAUE. One is “thelema,”
which is His wish or desire. It is
disobedience to His thelema that constitutes sin on the part of man. The second word is “boulema,” which is IAUE’s unchanging
counsel. Man has no power to violate or disobey the unchanging counsel of IAUE.
When the will of man confronts the
boulema of IAUE, man’s will is overridden by IAUE. In the above verse, Paul tells us that IAUE
is working all things according to the counsel of His “thelema,” His wish or
desire. That tells us that even when we
are disobedient to His will, He is still in control. Our disobedience was and is already factored
in to His unchanging counsel.
With that revelation in mind, it is important for us to
recognize that IAUE has ALWAYS been in control of His creation. Nothing has taken Him by surprise. He is reacting to absolutely nothing; for all
that has happened and is happening has been and is on schedule. Even the fall of man in the garden of Eden
was on schedule.
Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of IAUE.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity,
not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of IAUE.
When Adam sinned, sin entered into the world and death by
sin. All of creation began to suffer the
pangs of death and decay. Paul says the
creation was subjected to this against its will. It was made subject to death and decay IN
HOPE. This was the playing field that
IAUE designed in order to bring children unto Himself. Even Adam recognized this. When Eve disobeyed IAUE’s one command, Adam
realized she would be lost forever, unless he did something about it. He, who
knew no sin, became sin for her, in order that she could be restored to the
righteousness of IAUE through his selfless act on her behalf. Adam went into the realm of death in order to
retrieve his bride. It is said of the “second”
Adam:
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew
no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of IAUE in him.
What does all of this have to do with the revelation of
the person of Yahushua Messiah through the teaching of eternal judgment? Let us look at the testimony of the Master
regarding this subject of judgment.
John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even
so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no
man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the
Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent
him.
IUAE has committed all of His authority to judge to His son,
with a view to that authority causing men to honor His son.
John 3:16 For IAUE so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
17 For IAUE sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son
of IAUE.
When Yahushua came into the word, he did not come to
judge the world; although, he testified that the Father had committed all
judgment to him. This first appearing of
Messiah was not to judge man; but rather to provide redemption to man…to make
it possible for man to stand before him in righteousness when it was time for
him to execute judgment.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of IAUE: and they that hear shall
live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the
Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him
authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not
mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Luke records for us the events of Paul’s preaching on
Areopagus (Mars Hill) to the scholars, judges and philosophers in Athens,
Greece.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance IAUE winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all
men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Between the first coming of Messiah and the second coming
of Messiah, the command to all is to repent.
The certainty of the coming judgment was demonstrated by the
resurrection of Yahushua from the dead.
He is alive. He is coming back;
and he is coming with the judgment of IAUE in his hand.
It is important to note the connection between resurrection
and judgment. We saw in last week’s post that the resurrection of the dead is
manifest in three separate events.
1
Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came
death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die,
even so in Messiah shall all be made
alive.
23 But every man in his own
order: Messiah the firstfruits;
afterward they that are Messiah's at
his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when
he shall have delivered up the kingdom to IAUE, even the Father; when he shall
have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1. Messiah, the
firstfruits – When Messiah rose from the dead and many of the saints who
had died also rose and were seen in the city by many.
2. Those who are Messiah’s
at his coming – Those who had obtained the righteousness of Messiah when he
returns.
3. Then comes the
end – Those who never received the righteousness of Messiah.
The execution of an eternal judgment coincides with each phase
of the resurrection of man. The
resurrection actually is a prerequisite for judgment. The Scripture tells us
that in Messiah shall ALL be made alive.
His life, death, burial and resurrection guaranteed a resurrection body
for all men, whether righteous or
unrighteous…in order that the judgment executed upon them can be either enjoyed
or endured forever.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance
of the will of IAUE.
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