K
kevin hobby
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Zenas said:
...The early Church knew that most of the warnings given throughout Scripture were not relevant to salvation by grace through faith, but rather, reigning with Christ in The 1,000-year Kingdom. Belief in a literal Millennium continued for several centuries after the apostles. "This view was widely held in the Early Church and was expounded by the Church fathers Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian" (Collier's Encyclopedia, 1993, "Millennium"). Origen was the first person on record to promote the allegorical explanation and Augustine (354-430), who originally believed in a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ, identified the Church with the Kingdom of God and maintained that the millennial age had already come. He advanced the theory that the millennium had actually begun with Christ's nativity...
When God, subsequent to revealing "Israel is my son, even my firstborn", decreed that "all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die", The passover lamb was then given to "all the congregation of Israel" and "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel" were to kill the passover lamb "in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses", concerning which blood, God proceeded to state,"when I see the blood, I will pass over you" "And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they" then, only after they had applied the blood by faith, "it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt" and "all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
...There was a land out before them, but many of them fell in the wilderness, on the right side of the blood, though short of the goal of their calling...
In like manner, God has decreed that "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" and "the wages of sin is death", hence, "it is appointed unto men once to die" and "Christ our passover" who was "not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" was crucified by "all the house of Israel" (as is stated by Peter: "all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" Acts 2:36) and in the evening He "yielded up the ghost" on "about the ninth hour" (3:00 PM Roman time). Therefore, because "the wages of sin is death" and because "it is appointed unto men once to die", "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many". In other words, And as it is appointed unto men once to die (because they have sinned), but after this the judgment: (in this manner, thus) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many (even though He had not sinned, because His death was substitutionary). Death has occurred, blood was shed, "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot". Accordingly, an individual today, can elect to either keep this appointment with death themselves, or to apply the Blood, by faith, of the Lamb Who has kept the appointment on their behalf, because "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again". The firstborn must die, one way or the other. Then, only after an individual has applied the blood by faith and they "who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ", is the individual to go out from the land of Egypt and to be buried in the Red Sea and to be raised on the eastern shore to walk in newness of life with a goal out ahead, there is "a better country, that is, an heavenly" to which the "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling" are called and if we are "children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together", for "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory". The sufferings proceeded the glory, therefore, Christ, "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame", likewise, "unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake", "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution", so, we are to "rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy", because, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him", but "if we deny him, he also will deny us", so it is manifest that we are to "continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God". This is why "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus" can say "unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ", "we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer". Further, we are beseeched to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" and in relation to "all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God", because "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God", futhermore, "ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory", Who, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal (aiōnas) salvation unto all them that obey him", so, "if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings", therefore, "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" and as it is promised, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches".
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