by Dora Van Assen
IN ADAM ALL ARE DYING
Oh, but you say, "I believe all this but I am dying!" Yes, we are all dying in The First Adam, but in Christ, The Last Adam, all are being made alive (vivified) never to die again. The ALL that are dying in The First Adam is the same ALL being made alive in Christ. There is no other all. ALL is ALL, an equation - ALL EQUALS ALL. 1 Cor. 15:22.
It is ordained of God that all die in the First Adam - whether AWAKE OR ASLEEP. "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleeep, (be put to repose), but we shall all be changed!....and the dead shall be raised INCORRUPTIBLE and we shall be changed." 1 Cor. 15:51-52. Changed means to be made different, into another form or realm. The awake and sleeping both are changed. "Now we all with uncovered face, mirroring THE LORD'S GLORY, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit." 1 Cor. 3:18. This work is being done as we steadily behold the face of the Lord, as our own face. This is seeing, FACE TO FACE.
"Our conversation (conduct-behavior) is in heaven (our spiritual-mental realm) from whence we also look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change (transfigure) our vile (humilated) body," or (CONFORM it to the body of HIS GLORY) Phil.3:20-21 KJV & LCNT. Conform means to correspond in form and character, this coming of Christ, awakening our minds, is changing our character; which is changing our behavior, and will also change our body - bringing it into conformity with His Glorious Body. This old house will dissolve into the very structure of the New House. It is ordained of God that the Old must be swallowed up BY THE NEW into the Life of God. "Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also has given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 2 Cor. 5:4-5. We have the First Fruit of the Spirit as an earnest (down payment or guarantee) of God's promise that His Word, The Living Incorruptible, deathless SEED of Christ, in us cannot fail. It will swallow up death and change us into His Immortal Life. He only has immortality, therefore He only can give it to us; and in fact, He has already given us the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT as a free gift. If this can die - part of God can die. This is impossible. Therefore our inheritance as co-heirs in Christ is sure. Rom. 8:17. "Christ in you our hope of Glory!"
"According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil 1:20-21. I believe Paul came into a perfect stata of full surrender unto the will and purpose of God. He came into a rest and quietness in the center of his own being. This is the prayer of silence. Whatever happens is O.K. He wrote to Tiimothy, his son in the Gospel, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give to me at THAT DAY; and not for me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. 2 Tim 4:17. The appearing of Christ in His saints is in a certain period of time, ehich Paul calls, 'THAT DAY'. Paul expected to be there, sharing in the glory of this long awaited event; together, even with those who were remaining in their natureal visible body. They would all, visible and invisible, meet together in the Spirit of The Lord, and be changed together in the Spirit of The Lord, and be changed together. 1 Cor. 15:51-52, 1 Thess. 4:9-11. Paul expected Christ to appear in him, that is in his body; and that he would receive a crown of rightiousness togethr with all others of all ages who love His appearing.
Paul did not expect to lose out in any way by falling asleep in Christ. As it was written in his script, and laid out in his course. He ran a good race and finished his course. What more can anyone do? Praise God! No one can add one step to his life journey in this earthen body. Luke 12:25. A cubit is a measure - the length of a forearm from shoulder to tip of the fingers, about 21 inches. Who wants to be 21 inches taller? This is speaking of our life span here on earth in the flesh.
For anyone IN CHRIST, the passing of this outer body is not the loss of their life. Hear the words of Jesus, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who is believing in Me, even if he should be dying, shall be living! And everyone who is living and believing in Me, should by no means be dying for the EON. This is, he shall be raised and be alive here on earth, in a REDEEMED VISIBLE BODY to reign with Jesus Christ in His Kingdom, for the eon! Compare John 11:25-26 with Luke 20:34-38. In Luke, Jesus calls "for the eon," that world or that age. Those who attain unto "that world" are called, the Sons of the Resurrection. Even though Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus knew he would die again. But He promised Martha that they would be raised in 'THAT DAY' of His appearing. 2 Tim. 1:12-14, 4:8. Jesus asked, "Do you believe this? I do! I expect to be in that appearing with all the saints in the Body of Christ. I know I have passed from death into the Life of Christ, regardless of what happens to this physical body. Christ is my Life. Christ lives in me - we are One! Christ has his being and nature IN ME, AND I IN HIM. His Life is ever on going, ever becoming. He is the Ever Becoming One - THE I AM.
Christ has given us His Life, He is now giving us His Life, and will continue to give us His life, whether in or out of the body. Christ overcame death while the body of The Man Jesus was lying in the tomb. Christ preached to the SPIRITS of those who died in the flood in the days of Noah. 1 Pet. 3:18-20. He opened the prison house of death. He took away the key. Hear His own words of victory: "I AM HE THAT LIVETH, AND WAS DEAD: AND BEHOLD, I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, AMEN: AND HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH." Rev. 1:18
FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINETH US, BECAUSE WE THUS JUDGE THAT IF ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEN WERE ALL DEAD; AND THAT HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THEY WHICH LIVE SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO HIM WHICH DIED FOR THEM AND ROSE AGAIN.
A wonderful truth is revealed in this scripture. That when that one man died, He died for all - not only all mankind, but for all creation. All Visible and Invisible Things. When He died, then all these things were also dead. But Praise God, when He arose all creation also arose with and in Him! Now we who are awakened or enlightened to this truth are no longer to live unto ourself, but unto Him who died and rose again in our behalf. He did this for our sake so He could give His Life not only for us, but TO US and IN US. There is no more death. Death has been destroyed by giving all life, whether they know it or not. 'FOR ALL LIVE UNTO HIM'. Luke 20:38. We may even deny Him, but He cannot deny HIMSELF. He came to bring life and that more abundantly.
COMFORT YOURSELF IN THIS TRUTH
"TAKE NOTICE! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep (in death), but we shall all be changed (transformed).
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the (sound of the) last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead (in Christ) will be raised iimperishable (free and immune form decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).
For this perishable (part of us) must put on the imperishable (nature), and this mortal (part of us, this nature that is capable of dying) must put on immortality (freedom from death)
And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the scripute that says, death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory."
O Death, where is your victory? O Death, Where is you sting?
Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercised its power (upon the soul) through (the abuse of ) of the Law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (making us conquerors) through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethern, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord), knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or to no purpose)."
1 Cor. 15:51-58 Amplified
May God Bless You With Love,
Dora Van Assen
No comments:
Post a Comment