UNDERSTANDING GOD’S TIMELINE FOR MAN (PART 1)
(The Gospel of John)
In the last issue of ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, we presented a timeline for man, and the order in which certain events will take place. As you read this article, please use the timeline to aid in understanding the order of the events, and to help yourself in better understanding scripture. It is the hope of the author that over the next two issues, you will come to understand why verses that seem to contradict, are in reality, the same verses that harmonize God’s word. When scripture now says that a man “is not justified by works”,
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
yet it also says that a man “is justified by works”, you will be able to defend your Christian faith and God’s word. (1 Thes.5:21)
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
A MESSAGE FOR THE UNADOPTED CHILD
Have you ever been part of, or known someone involved in the adoption process? It goes something like this: the child visits homes until they find one that is suitable for them. They then do all the paperwork, and pay for all cost in the adoption process . Of course this is foolishness; we all know that the parent involved does all the work. It is the same with God (He has done all the work), and it is His gift to us. Now a gift is free; a gift is given with nothing expected in return. No amount of work can purchase a gift. It is 100% free. As a child in the adoption process, you are helpless to do anything but accept what has been done for you. What would the parent say to the child if he worried himself about paying the parent back for adopting him? He would probably say, “You are my child, and will always be my child, but I do expect you to obey the rules of my house.”
Once you have been adopted, you are a child forever, regardless of whether you are good or bad.
2 Timothy 2:19-20 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
Though we are a child forever, this does not mean that our father will not punish us for disobedience.
Hebrews 12:5-6 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
It is here that we will begin to understand what that gift is, and how to receive that gift.
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Now our common sense should tell us that God’s word is written to God’s people.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
But we must ask how is it that a person becomes a “child of God”? Though all scripture is written for the child of God, there is one book in the bible that places most of its emphasis on this one subject. This book is “The Gospel According To St. John”. The book of John has five main issues we want to look at:
- That God put Himself into flesh (Jesus Christ, Son of God, The Word).
- That God (Jesus) was sacrificed for the sins of all people (Our Savior).
- That by believing (having faith) on Christ sacrifice (that he took our punishment upon Himself) we become a child of God.
- That a child of God receives the gift of eternal life when they believe and will never be cast out and will never perish.
- That a child of God will be raised up on the resurrection at the “last day”.
The Message of John
For many, the next few subjects will be familiar territory; but I ask your patience for those who may be reading that are unbelievers.
- God became a man
The gospel of John begins like this:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Our first question would be, who is the ‘Word’? Whoever this ‘Word’ is; they would be God. John does not take long to answer the question for us.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
It is Jesus Christ. the only begotten Son of the Father.
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.)
If ‘The Word’ is Jesus Christ, and ‘The Word was God’, then Jesus Christ is God.
“We don’t use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers, and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself.” ………. “ If he is a clever enough carver, he may make a statue which is very like a man indeed. But, of course, it is not a real man; it only looks like one.”……. “Now that is the first thing to get clear. What God begets is God; just as what man begets is man. What God creates is not God; just as what man makes is not man.”
THE JOYFUL CHRISTIAN (by C.S. Lewis)
- A) God created man (Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;)
- B) Man begets man (Genesis 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:)
- C) God begets God (Hebrews 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?)
Though Isaiah tells us that there is but one God:
Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
scripture lets us know that this ‘one God’ consist of three distinct persons.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
OTHER VERSES PROVING THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
Jesus claimed to be God (John 10:30, John 14:8-11)
Disciples believed Jesus was God (John 20:26-28, 1 John 1:1-2)
Jews believed Jesus was claiming to be God (John 5:18, John 10:30-33)
Jesus in the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6, 1 Corinthians 10:9)
(For more information on this subject, please read [Seek Ye First / Issue 1]“Who Was Jesus?”)
- Jesus is our Savior
It is very simple:
- a) We are sinners
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
- b) God has no sin
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
1 Peter 2:21-22 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- c) Sin must be punished
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
- d) There must be a sacrifice for our sins, and Jesus Christ was that sacrifice
We need to understand that as sinners, we can neither die for others sins, or for our own sins.
John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Gods nature is to punish sin, and that can only be satisfied by a sinless sacrifice. Therefore God Himself became a man to die for the sins of all men.
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Word of God says that there is but one savior; and that ONE SAVIOR IS JESUS CHRIST!
Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.
Titus 1:3-4 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus became sin for us; therefore when He was crucified, our sin debt was paid in full to God the Father. We have but one thing to do; believe.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
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 God in him.
- Becoming a Child of God
As we mentioned earlier, a child in the adoption process is helpless to do anything but accept what has been done for them. Jesus has paid the full price for our sins, and all we need to do to accept this gift is to “believe”.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
John 3:14-16 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Many men would ask Jesus what work was needed to be done to become a child of God. But a child does not need to do work that has already been done for them. As humans we want our life to be put upon a scale, so that God will weigh our good against our bad. No amount of our own good works can ever make us a child of God. We need only to believe upon God’s finished work on the cross.
John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
(John 2:23, John 4:39-42, John 4:51-53, John 8:30, John 10:41-42, John 11:45,
John 12:10-11, John 12:42-43 )
John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
- As a child of God, you will never be cast out and you will never perish.
Now that you are a child of God, we must ask the question:
What is this gift I receive when I believe?
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The gift of God is eternal life, and not only that, you will never be cast out and you will never perish….NEVER!!!
- As a Child of God, you will be raised up on the resurrection at the “last day”.
Now that you are a child of God, and now that you have the security of knowing you have eternal life, the question arises: Does not my body die and perish?
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
The answer is YES; your body does die and your body does perish. So what is it that God is referring to when He says you will never perish? We know that even the body of Jesus did suffer death; but isn’t it here that we find our promise?
Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Why did the apostles of Christ fear death while Jesus was still living, yet after his resurrection, they were willing to die for what they believed?
Hebrews 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
They were afraid of death, and were in bondage to that fear because they did not know what to expect when they died. So when they saw that death had no dominion over Jesus, they understood the power of God through resurrection. If Jesus suffered the death of the body and was now alive, then no matter what man could do to their body, the fear of death (to the body) no longer kept them in bondage. So we see that our outward man does perish (for a while), but our hope is in the resurrection power of God. It is therefore at the resurrection, that we receive a body which shall never perish.
2 Corinthians 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Notice Jesus’s words to his disciples:
Luke 21:16-18 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Jesus warned his disciples that many of them would be put to death. Now when a person dies, their body will perish, along with the hairs of their head; yet Jesus tells them, that though your body perish, I am able to resurrect you, and every hair that you had on your head, will be restored. So we can see that the promise of eternal life and never perishing comes at the point of resurrection and not when the body dies.
You can destroy God’s temple (Isaiah 44:28, Matt. 24:12, 2 Thes. 2:4); you can destroy God’s people (Luke 21:16-18); you can even destroy God’s word (Jeremiah 36:20-32, Exodus 34:1), but God has the power to resurrect that which man destroys. So we ask again; if our body does perish at death, then at what point in God’s timeline do we receive the promise of never perishing and never being cast out? It is of course at the time of resurrection. And when does this resurrection take place?
John 6:39-40 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
If you will look on your timeline, you will notice that at the moment you believe, that you are assured of being raised up at the resurrection on the last day, which is also the second resurrection. It is at this point in which we have the promise of never being cast out and never perishing.
John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Martha had a certain knowledge and was sure that Lazarus would be resurrected on the “last day”. (i.e. eighth day, first day, second resurrection, Great White Throne Judgment)
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
If you as an unbeliever reject this gift of eternal life, you also will be raised up; but as an unbeliever, you will be cast into a lake of fire to be tormented day and night forever and ever.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
So here is our conclusion to John’s gospel. Believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior, and you will be raised up on the resurrection at the “last day” and you will never be cast out, and you will never perish. This promise should bring much joy to your life, especially knowing that all the work has been done for you. You are now an adopted child of God, and are part of the household of God. The promise of resurrection should release you from the bondage of fearing death or what man can do to you. Praise God for the mercy and grace of God through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Conclusion
As we conclude, let me give you some meat to chew on until the next issue. If you will notice on your timeline, there is period of time that is not accounted for. You may ask what I am referring to. (Please refer to timeline) If you have a promise of being raised up on the last day (The last day begins at the end of the seventh day), yet Jesus Christ comes back at the end of the sixth day (This is the beginning of the seventh day), then there is a question to “What are we to do with the seventh day?” If we are promised the second resurrection, then “What are we to do with the first resurrection?” If the Great White Throne Judgment is to determine whether you are a child of God or an unbeliever, then “What are we to do with the judgment seat of Christ?” In Issue 3, as well as future articles, we will begin to ponder all of these questions as the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth.
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
(Warning: All quotations from authors are only for the purpose of showing that other men throughout history have held similar beliefs. Those authors beliefs as well as the beliefs of myself should NEVER REPLACE the study of the Holy Scriptures. I encourage all men to lay the books of other men aside and to receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God….and the Spirit of Truth will guide you into ALL TRUTH)