THE FIRST PRINCIPLES – XVII (The Word of Righteousness -1)

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FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES – XVII

THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - 1

Hebrews 5:5  So also Messiah glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of IAUE an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of IAUE; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Last week we ended with this comment:

We were created to do the will of IAUE.  If our lives are devoted to any other purpose,we should fear lest the grace to repent and be restored to the will of IAUE is forever denied us. This is not a game, this discipleship to the Master Yahushua Messiah. This is the time within which we demonstrate whether or not we are worthy to be made partakers both of his glory and of the glory of the kingdom of IAUE.

Christianity has fallen into such malaise that its adherents are oblivious to how far they are missing the mark of genuine discipleship.  They retain the right to rule over their own lives.  They ignore the need to hear and heed the voice of the Holy Spirit.  They have little regard for knowing and doing the will of IAUE, especially if it runs counter to their own will.  They have no fear of IAUE; in fact, they cannot really even comprehend a reason to fear Him. They are, however, exceedingly willing to have IAUE bless their coming and going, to meet their every need and to insure they do not have to suffer any measure or manner of hardship in this life.  Yes, I know that does not characterize all believers.  I call the ones it does not characterize, the 2-percenters. It is to the 2% of Christianity and for them that this entire blog was begun and has continued to this day.

There is so much that can be said regarding our opening passage of Scripture; but I will try to focus on the aspect that forms the basis for the conclusion of our study of the First Principles of the teachings of Messiah; but notice, first, in verse 7, that even the prayers and supplications of Yahushua, the Messiah, were heard and answered because he feared IAUE.  If the son of IAUE fears his own father, how much more should we learn the reasons to fear Him, and join him in this sacred attitude?

Hebrews 5:10 Called of IAUE an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

The writer would like to expand on his remarks regarding the order of Messiah’s high priesthood but knows he cannot.  It would be just so many words going in one ear and out the other.  Why?  Because his readers are “dull of hearing.”  Where else in Scripture have we seen this concept?

Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (See also, Acts 28:25-27)

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Notice the connection between a hardened heart and the inability to hear.  We covered this concept heavily in the Kingdom Heart series.  If the heart is not soft and pliable and responsive to the will of IAUE and to the voice of His Spirit, it becomes hardened in order to allow us to pursue our own selfish interests.  Our ability to hear the voice of the Spirit is directly proportional to the purpose of our heart to do the will of IAUE if and when and whenever we should hear and discern it.  Many believers do not want to be able to hear the voice of the Spirit because they know that once having heard it, they would become accountable for their obedience to it.

So, the writer to the Hebrews tells his audience that he cannot elaborate any further on the priestly order of Melchisedek because he knows they are hard of heart and dull of hearing.  How does he know that?

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of IAUE; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

He knows it because they are incapable of digesting the solid food of the Spirit; because they are still babes.

This word “babes” is an interesting word in the Greek.  There are three words in the Greek manuscripts that are rendered “children” in the New Testament.  They are, “nepios,” “technon.” and “huios,” and they represent stages of growth and development.  The nepios are the infants who cannot even speak, yet.  The technon are the juveniles who are growing but are yet in need of supervision.  The huios are the full grown adult sons who are qualified to work in their fathers’ business.  In the above passage, the Hebrews are referred to as nepios, non-speaking infants.  Oh, they can muster up enough noise to be heard and spin a tale or two; but because they are spiritually infantile, their chatter makes about as much sense as the unintelligible cries of a baby.  (There are many who are pastors of churches that stand every Sunday before their congregations and babble the unintelligible utterances of the spiritual nepios.  It is little wonder their congregations show no signs of maturing.)

This Scripture reveals that the primary thing that keeps believers as spiritual infants is their inexperience with “the word of righteousness.” Entire books have been written on the subject of righteousness; and yet most believers do not even know what it is.  We will discuss it in some detail, next week; but for now I want to remind you that revelation does not come as a result of study.  Doctrine comes from study; and though there is benefit in learning doctrine, it is revelation that changes your life.  Revelation, also, cannot be maintained without a commitment to pay the price for its possession.  If we fail in our part to be worthy of revelation, even what we have can be taken from us.  It can migrate into doctrine and become lifeless information.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XVI (Though We Thus Speak)

WBS.109

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XVI

 

Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from Elohim:

8 But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

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THOUGH WE THUS SPEAK

Last week, we ended with this comment:

Moving on to perfection may not be an option; but wisdom would compel you to try.

Last week, we focused on the message that followed the verses setting forth the elementary (first) principles of the doctrine of Messiah:

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 And have tasted the good word of IAUE, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of IAUE afresh, and put him to an open shame.

There have been many teachers since the resurrection of Messiah and the completion of the canon of scriptures we now call the Bible; who have attempted to suggest that this warning does not and could not apply to actual believers in Messiah. I have heard all manner of fanciful contortions of the clear instruction of this passage; even Greek scholars trying to explain that the word “IF” in this passage means, “IF it were possible, but it is not.”  Sadly, millions through the centuries have believed their lies, reinforcing their selfish lives to ignore the one clarion call given to all who would be called a disciple of the Master, Yahushua Messiah to DO THE WILL OF IAUE.

We must remember that this passage of Scripture is actually a command to receive the revelation of the person of Yahushua Messiah provided through these six first principles and move on unto perfection.  “…leaving the principles…let us go on.”  That this passage is given to those who are already believers is confirmed through the previous chapter’s explanation that the subject of this passage of Scripture pertains exclusively to those who have been disciples long enough already to have become teachers but who have remained babes.  

The reason for the command is obvious within the text.  The grace to repent may no longer be extended to the one who refuses to grow up; resulting in an unnatural thing that is worthy only of being cast out and burned.

Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from IAUE:

This is the writer’s way of repeating, “If you have been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift, have received the Holy Spirit of IAUE, have tasted the good word of IAUE and have experienced the power of the world to come,” and you have grown in grace, you are one who “receives blessings from IAUE.” You are not the people who are the subject of this passage of Scripture because you have walked in obedience to the will of IAUE.

Hebrews 6:8 But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Those who should have been teachers by this point in their walk but who are still babes are the subject of this verse.  They have experienced the enlightenment, the heavenly gift, the word of IAUE, the Holy Spirit and the powers of the age to come and have remained babes, following their own selfish wills and not obeying the will of IAUE.  Fruitlessness beckons cursing.  

Do you remember what Yahushua said to the fig tree that had not borne fruit? “No man hereafter shall eat fruit of thee forever,” and the fig tree dried up from its roots and died (Mark 11:14, 20).

Do you remember what the Master taught about bearing fruit?

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Do you remember what Paul said regarding the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit? He told the disciples in Galatia that if they would just walk in the Spirit, they would not walk in the flesh, producing the “works of the flesh.” Walking in the flesh produces an extensive list of wrongful behaviors. At the end of the list Paul said, “they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of IAUE.”

Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Fruitlessness, which is a condition of not continuing to grow in grace, accompanies cursing and burning. Clearly this was the concern of the writer of this book to the Hebrews.

There are four things that are primarily responsible for interfering with the “things that accompany salvation.”

1. The definition of salvation -  The prevailing definition of salvation which is responsible for the “unnatural things” that fill the churches throughout the world is “forgiveness of sins which results in going to heaven when one dies.”  The truth is, all men already are forgiven.  Messiah paid the penalty to obtain forgiveness for everyone.  The message of reconciliation is to tell the world that they are already forgiven (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).  Forgiveness of sin actually has very little to do with salvation.  Zecharias provided the only complete definition of the salvation that Messiah provided to man; and that was the freedom to be able to serve IAUE in holiness and righteousness for the rest of our lives, forever (Luke 1:67-79).  The message of reconciliation, of being forgiven already by IAUE, is simply the way men become aware of this salvation: freedom from all that has prevented us from realizing the very purpose of our existence: to do the will of IAUE

2.  Contemporary Christian theology -  “Your sins have been forgiven past, present and future.”  “Once saved, always saved.”  “Just ask Jesus into your heart to forgive you of your sins, to become your personal lord and savior, and you will be saved, and you will go to heaven when you die.”  All such doctrinal presentations are void of a basis in Scripture.  Yes, there are certain verses in the Scripture that would provide a Western man the opportunity to string together a belief system like this; but the Scripture was not written by Western men.  It was written by Easterners.  Westerners from birth are trained to relate to all of life from an empirical mindset:  A+B = C.  For example, “If I am a believer, and believers go to heaven when they die, then I am going to heaven when I die.”  Sounds simple enough, but it eliminates the larger picture of the teaching of Scripture that warns us regularly to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith; to exhort one another daily lest any be overcome by the deceitfulness of sin; to understand that those who do the works of the flesh have no inheritance in the kingdom of IAUE, that Messiah is made of effect to us only if we abide in Him, that we can fall from grace by trusting in something other than our relationship to Yahushua Messiah, that we become partakers of Messiah if we remain steadfast until the end, etc.  False Christian doctrine contents the believer that having once prayed what I like to call, “the magic prayer,” that secures for them a blessed eternal future.  The result is the total absence of the need to do anything other than what you want to do.  Obedience to the will of IAUE becomes absolutely voluntary and of no urgent necessity.  As long as you tow the line of what is expected of your outward behavior as a church member, no one really cares how you live your life.  You are going to heaven when you die.

3.  Stubbornness and rebellion -  Both are reflective of a life that is not humbled before IAUE to hearken unto His voice; to obey His will in all things.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath IAUE as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of IAUE? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of IAUE, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Self-will, pride, ego – these are the things that fill the heart of every unrepentant man on the earth.  He cannot help it.  It is in his nature.  We escape the nature of man by abiding in Messiah, by walking in the Spirit.  The Hebrew writer was concerned about the self-willed believers, fearing for them lest the grace to repent would no longer be made available to them. Stubbornness is standing one’s ground against obedience.  It is hardening the heart against hearing the voice of IAUE.  Rebellion is the rejection of IAUE’s right to rule.  Both of these sound hideous, but they are far more commonplace in the church than those who live in a manner that accompanies salvation.

4.  Satan – He is diligent in his efforts “to steal, to kill and to destroy” (John 10:10).  He ”goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  He desires “to sift us like wheat,” shaking our faith loose of its hold on the Master (Luke 22:31).  Most people do not understand this about Satan.  This destructive nature that defines the force behind all of his activity is how he was created. It is his job to try to attempt to tear down that which we build; and that which is built within us.  In essence, he is the winter and the wind to try our faith so we have the opportunity to see that it is more precious than gold.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master Yahushua Messiah, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Yahushua Messiah from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of IAUE through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Yahushua Messiah:

We were created to do the will of IAUE.  If our lives are devoted to any other purpose, we should fear lest the grace to repent and be restored to the will of IAUE is forever denied us.  This is not a game, this discipleship to the Master Yahushua Messiah.  This is the time within which we demonstrate whether or not we are worthy to be made partakers both of his glory and of the glory of the kingdom of IAUE.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.   

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THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XV (This We Will Do...IF)

WBS.108

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XV

 

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.

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THIS WE WILL DO…IF

Last week, we ended with this comment:

We do not have the luxury of living for ourselves any more.  The original sin was the rejection of IAUE’s right to rule; and that is the heritage of all who are IN ADAM.  Our restoration is in our acquiescing to Messiah’s right to rule.  How are we any different than those who are IN ADAM if our lives still reflect the same choice…that we have the right to rule our own lives and not obey the will of our Master?  Those who would be genuine disciples of the Master, Yahushua Messiah, must understand the revelation of the Messiah in this first principle of eternal judgment. He died that we might be dead in him and made alive in a new bloodline…one that is not condemned already; but rather, one that has been judged and found righteous.

Now that we have discussed all six of the “first principles” of the teaching about Messiah Yahushua, we need to revisit WHY these principles are important, and what comes next.

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of IAUE; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

The setting for Hebrews 6:1-2, the first principles, is a statement from the writer of this letter to the Hebrews that his readers need a spiritual diet of “milk” because they have not continued to mature as they ought. When, by this time in their walk in the Spirit, they should be teaching others, they have become in need of baby food, themselves.

Hebrews 5:13 For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

It is not a positive thing to be a babe in Messiah unless one is a newborn in Messiah. In the same way a newborn child survives on milk in the early stage of its life and eventually is weaned from milk to eating solid foods, so too should the believer become weaned from milk to a more solid diet in Messiah.  Every one that still “uses” (“metecho” – partakes of) milk when it is no longer necessary has regressed to a condition that is unnatural, undesirable, and even worse, not useful.  They become a liability to the Body rather than an asset.

The deficiency the writer identified as their root problem, the reason why they have regressed, is they lacked skill in “the word of righteousness.” (We will come back to this, later.)

The remedy to this problem is once more to lay the foundation securely once and for all, and then to move on from there. That is our setting for Hebrews 6:1-2, the foundational teachings of Messiah

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection…

The very first of the “first principles” was repentance from dead works.  The very first call of the gospel message was/is to repent. If one does not get passed this most basic requirement, it is impossible to live and walk in a manner that is pleasing to IAUE; and if we are not dedicated to that purpose, then Messiah is made of no effect to us.  We should look at these first principles in this way:

1. Repentance from dead works.  Got it?  Good.  Now, move on.
2. Faith toward IAUE.  Got it? Good.  Now, move on.
3. Teaching about baptisms.  Got it?  Good.  Now, move on.
4. Teaching about laying on of hands.  Got it?  Good.  Now, move on.
5. Resurrection from the dead.  Got it?  Good.  Now, move on.
6. Eternal judgment.  Got it?  Good. Now move on.

The writer of Hebrews is addressing believers who are in a very precarious state.  Today, Christian theology does not recognize the possibility of a precarious state for professing believers.  It fails to recognize many of the teachings of New Testament Scriptures in this regard; not the least of which is the next verse.

Hebrews 6:3 And this will we do, if IAUE permit.

We are not guaranteed spiritual growth and maturity simply because we prayed a “magic prayer” of accepting Messiah “into our heart.”  In fact, we are not guaranteed anything if we will not repent and forfeit our will to take up the will of IAUE, and to yield ourselves unto discipleship to Yahushua Messiah who will show us how to walk in the Light.

1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of Elohim which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yahushua Messiah.

Yahushua is the foundation.  There is no substitute for him.  Anything built upon a different foundation is irrelevant.  Anything built improperly upon the foundation of Messiah is a hazard.

It is not sufficient to have repented once; only to fall back into selfish living. To do this is to regress to a state where we need milk and not meat for our spiritual diet; and we become unnatural to the Body of Messiah. (Just imagine a congregation full of adults drinking milk out of baby bottles.)  We also bring ourselves to a place where IAUE may no longer extend grace to us to enable us to do His will.  This is not something we can take for granted.

I recall, as a young boy, hearing the older members of our congregation speaking of the zeal of a new convert, a young man in the military who was stationed in a nearby military installation.  This young man was unstoppable in his endeavors to bring others to Messiah; so much so that the older believers stood back in an almost air of contempt.  They actually said, “Give him a week or two and he will calm down and be like the rest of us.”  They could not relate to this young man’s zeal and fervor to do the work of the Master. He was not like the rest of them; which meant he did not fit in with the rest of the congregation.  Unfortunately, this young man’s zeal did not wane after two weeks, three weeks, not even four weeks; and when he finally offered himself up to become a member of the church…they voted NO, and rejected him as a member of the congregation.

I know this might sound like an isolated event; but the conditions for this attitude exist in almost every Christian congregation on the planet.  Why is this?  It is because Congregational Christianity embraces a basic catechism of denominationally sanctioned beliefs, then settles in for the long-haul, as it were, of living life in compliance with the expectations of the Christian culture; all the while living their personal lives however they see fit.  The foundation of Yahushua Messiah is never laid; thus they can never move on in him.  Instead, the entire congregation becomes an unnatural thing that disqualifies itself from the grace of IAUE.  If they will not repent and obey the gospel; there is no need to extend grace (the power IAUE gives that enables men to do His will.).

We can advance in Messiah only IF IAUE PERMITS us to do so.

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 And have tasted the good word of IAUE, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of IAUE afresh, and put him to an open shame.

The writer of Hebrews would not be discussing these conditions if they were not possible.  How many believers have you known (or possibly yourself) that have experienced the new birth in Messiah; and have received the Holy Spirit; and have experienced the gifts of the Spirit, and have received revelations from the voice of IAUE; and have drifted away into a passionless life where going to church on Sunday morning is the extent of your identification with Messiah?  All such people should be on their faces before IAUE in fear that He might no longer extend to them the grace to do His will.  Their lives put Messiah to an open shame.  The world mocks and scoffs contemporary Christians and Christian churches.  Why is this?  It is because the life of Messiah and the zeal of IAUE is not found there…they are just religious people, more of whom the world has no need.

Please forgive this crude illustration.  Contemporary Christianity is very much like the Masons, today.  Thousands upon thousands of men around the world join the Masons and work up to the third level (Master Mason); then they quit pursuing additional levels; because that third level is where everyone begins functioning as members of a fraternity where they all share something special in common.  It is only in pursuing the higher levels of Masonry do they ever discover the sinister nature of the organization to which they belong.  So too, Christians establish the most basic framework that helps them understand the Christian culture; then they stop pursuing the revelation of the person of Messiah.  They begin functioning as a social order that shares something in common.  They never press on to discover the wonders awaiting them in a life of momentary obedience to IAUE. 

Laying the foundation of the revelation of the person of Yahushua Messiah is mandatory; but that is only so one may begin building carefully upon that foundation.

1 Corinthians 2:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of IAUE, and that the Spirit of IAUE dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of IAUE, him shall IAUE destroy; for the temple of IAUE is holy, which temple ye are.

Moving on to perfection may not be an option; but wisdom would compel you to try.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.   

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THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XIV (Eternal Judgment -3)

WBS.107

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES - XIV

 

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.

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ETERNAL JUDGMENT – 3

Last week, we ended with this comment:

We are to be a people who are not just “IN HIM,” from a doctrinal position.  We are to be a people who manifest by our lives and actions that he is “IN US.”  Our union with Messiah is what makes us one with the judgment that he has already experienced.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

We have explained that the phases of the execution of eternal judgment are aligned with the phases of the resurrection.  The resurrection, more specifically, is two-fold: the resurrection of the just (the righteous), and the resurrection of the unjust (the unrighteous).    

The resurrection of the just has two parts.  First, there was the judgment associated with “Messiah, the firstfruits,” which occurred at the time Messiah was raised from the dead and many of the saints who had died were resurrected and seen of many in Jerusalem before they ascended to await the end of days. Their eternal judgment was executed upon Messiah; and they live eternally before IAUE in the righteousness of Yahushua Messiah.

Secondly, “those who are Messiah’s at his coming,” occurs when Messiah returns to take the throne of David and to rule upon the earth. Their eternal judgment, just like the firstfruits, was already executed upon the person of Messiah. To be “in Messiah” is to be judged already.  This is why we are referred to as “joint heirs” with Messiah.  We inherit what he inherits for we experience and are one with his judgment.

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahushua, and for the word of IAUE, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of IAUE and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Those who did not belong to Messiah but yet remain alive until the day of his appearing (and there likely will be millions upon millions) will be sifted to his right hand or to his left hand as sheep or goats based on their works.  The goats will be cast into the fire awaiting their eternal judgment; and the sheep will be privileged to experience the millennial rule of Messiah on earth.  The resurrected righteous (the firstfruits and those who are Messiah’s at his coming) will rule with Messiah over these masses who will constitute the nations in the millennial age.

Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The fact that Satan will be bound during the millennial reign will mean the unrighteous survivors who experience the millennial reign will not be antagonized and/or tempted to do evil by the devil; thus helping to secure a millennial peace on earth.

That brings us to the resurrection of the unrighteous at the end of the millennial age. That includes not only those unrighteous who have died and have been held in the fires of hell until that time; but it will also include all those who remained alive to experience the Messianic Kingdom. Just because they will be able to enjoy life on earth during the Messianic reign does not imply that any of them were righteous in Messiah or will have the chance to become righteous in him during the millennial reign.  None of them will be counted among the righteous. They will be counted as sheep based on their selfless and kind acts during their lives; but at the end of Yahushua’s millennial reign, it will be time for them to face their eternal judgment…one based on their having rejected the rule of Messiah before his appearing.

ENTER:  THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before IAUE; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is the resurrection of the unjust; or as Paul referred to it: “Then cometh the end.” You can almost imagine hearing the sound of a giant gong breaking the silence throughout the entire world communicating the commencement of something very somber and terrible. All of the unrighteous throughout human history will be brought before the Great White Throne. This judgment is not one of determining guilt or innocence; as that verdict has already been rendered. This is the execution of the judgment already secured.  Remember what Yahushua told Nicodemus?

John 3:17  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.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

All of mankind throughout human history were IN ADAM when Adam fell and forfeited the righteousness which was his birthright.  IN ADAM all men disobeyed IAUE and rejected His right to rule our lives. Because we were IN ADAM, all mankind is born condemned already (This is why Yahushua had to be born of a virgin.  Had he been born of the seed of man, he would have been born IN ADAM, and would have been born condemned.  This would have disqualified him from being our substitute and savior).  Messiah came to provide the possibility for man to be IN HIM instead of IN ADAM.  Only by being IN MESSIAH could man escape the judgment of the unjust.

So, here before the Great White Throne will stand all of those who were born IN ADAM, who never became a new creature in Yahushua Messiah…men, woman and children who by virtue of their birth were born unrighteous and who never experienced the great transfer of righteousness that Yahushua died to provide.  Their judgment will be called “the second death.”  The first death is what they experienced at their birth.  They were born separated from IAUE.  The first death was secured for them by their father, Adam.  The first death, however, was not without hope; for Messiah provided an avenue of escape from the eternal judgment of damnation. 

In the second death, there is no hope.  There is only the promise of eternal fire and eternal banishment, not only from the presence of IAUE, but also from the presence of any person whose lives were changed by Messiah and his righteousness.  It is a death upon death; an ignominy of ignominies; and it is forever.

Rightly understanding the timing or the details of these events, ultimately, is unimportant.  What is important is recognizing the role the Master Yahushua plays in the eternal judgments of man.  He died to provide us with the escape from the Great White Throne judgment.  The only way of escaping the judgment of the unjust was to provide a different “bloodline” from which to be born because all who descended from Adam were judged already.  Perhaps, now we can see and understand that it not just a “magic prayer” of asking Messiah to forgive us of our sins and to be our savior that matters.  We must be IN HIM.  We must be buried IN HIM, and our lives be born anew IN HIM, and our lives lived IN HIM, and our words and our works must manifest that we are IN HIM; and that is him who lives in us, now.  We must abide IN HIM and he in us.

We do not have the luxury of living for ourselves any more.  The original sin was the rejection of IAUE’s right to rule; and that is the heritage of all who are IN ADAM.  Our restoration is in our acquiescing to Messiah’s right to rule.  How are we any different than those who are IN ADAM if our lives still reflect the same choice…that we have the right to rule our own lives and not obey the will of our Master?  Those who would be genuine disciples of the Master, Yahushua Messiah, must understand the revelation of the Messiah in this first principle of eternal judgment. He died that we might be dead in him and made alive in a new bloodline…one that is not condemned already; but rather, one that has been judged and found righteous.

Next week: Moving on past the first principles.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.   

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