The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Judaic-Christian Salvation, #14

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (Revelation 19:19)

The Lord is coming to compel obedience. Today the Lord Jesus invites us to do His will. Tomorrow He will command His will and those who rebel will be destroyed out of the earth.

What of those who return with Him? They will not be the lukewarm believers. Rather, they will be the overcomers. Only the conquerors will be raised in the first resurrection and given back their bodies. They will be given back their bodies so that they can work with the Lord in compelling obedience in the earth. Obedience has been perfected in them and now their responsibility is to compel obedience in the earth.

The remainder of the elect, and the nations of the earth, will not be raised from the dead when the Lord returns, according to our understanding. Only those who are qualified will be raised to meet the Lord, the purpose being that they may work with Him in the development of obedience in the earth.

If it is true that the nonovercoming members of the churches are to be raised at the coming of the Lord it will not be to the same state of glory experienced by the victorious saints. Otherwise the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation would have little significance.

It is our opinion that if all the Jews and Christians were raised at the coming of the Lord and given back their bodies so that they could live once more on the earth, there would be enormous confusion just as there is now. Many believers are walking in spiritual confusion and disobedience today, and to give them eternal bodies would magnify throughout the creation the problem of rebellion.

The First Resurrection From the Dead

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 God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

We believe that only those in whom obedience to God has been perfected will be raised when the Lord returns. They will rule the nations with a rod of iron. No person is qualified to govern the nations of the saved with a rod of iron until he himself is governed by the iron of the discipline of the Spirit of God.

... To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,.... (Revelation 2:7)

To eat of the tree of life is to gain immortality in the body. To those who have striven to overcome sin while in their present sinful body will be given a body that loves righteousness. A body that loves righteousness is one of the greatest rewards of all. Herein is the saying fulfilled, he who is faithful in the lesser will be entrusted with the greater.

To be continued.