 |
|
|
"What about those instances in which a demon manifests in a Christian? In most cases the demon entered before the believer's conversion to Christianity, and the evil spirit continued to control some part of the Christian's life because the specific occult sin was never renounced. The demon claims squatters rights."
-- Bob Larson
|
|
| |
Dealing With the Elect and the Gentile
Posted on Monday, November 22 @ 06:46:19 PST by Virgil |
|
nate4onenation submitted: ""2 Peter 3:13-14 But based on His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwell. 14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for all these things, make every effort to be found in peace without spot or blemish before him."
This describes the new covenant of God with man. What needs to be discussed is the reason that there was such an important need for the elect, who were being brought in, to remain separate and "without spot and blemish" and for the Gentile to be included with them. I will start with the point of blamelessness.
It was faith that saved them. Faith was a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9) that came through revelation from the Spirit (1 Cor 2). They would not be made "perfect" until the parousia (Rom 8, 1 Cor 15, Heb 11), however they were to live lives separate from the world and be kept without spot or blemish. I believe these statements are the same. Being separate from the world would keep them without "spot or blemish." Timothy was told to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness" and have "made a good confession before many witnesses." Christ said that a believer would be known by his fruits. Paul declared that being in the Spirit showed in a man by his producing the fruits of the Spirit. Separation from the world was what kept them "without spot and blemish."
There were other ways in which believers were being showed as being separated from the world. In the case of baptism, it was being separate from the branches that were to be "cut down and thrown into the fire." In the book of Luke, at the story of Christ's baptism, John the Baptist related baptism and the producing of fruits "consistent with repentance." Baptism was an external sign that they were repenting. It was a sign of separation. Christ declared it was the way in which they were to "fulfill all righteousness."
"Luke 3:3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins...7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, 'Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruits consistent with repentance. And don't start saying to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
What is taking place here is not new to the preterist, but I do believe the understanding of the separation in repentance, producing the works of repentance and the Spirit, and the necessity of the absolute truth have been lost to some degree. The elect needed to be a separate entity from the world, or Judaism. The elect had to include the gentile for God to become "all in all." This was the result of the parousia, God becoming "all in all."
"1 Cor 15:28 And when everything is subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all."
Ephesians 1:23 states this same result in a way a little different. God was going to fill "all things in every way." Colossians clarifies what it meant to be "all in all" even more and also gives us a critical foundation to begin to understand the separation of the elect and the Judaizers and the inclusion of the Gentile.
"Col 3:1 So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."
This is speaking of the glory at the parousia. The glory that was to be revealed in them with Him is the revelation of the "sons of God," the true sons of Abraham (Romans 8:18-19, Gal 4:1-7, Eph 3:1-13). Why was this glorious? Because the revelation of whom the "sons of God" were to the world, would confirm and consummate the coming and permanence of the "ministry of righteousness" whose glory outshone that of the glory that was present with the giving of the "ministry of death" (Col 3). Paul said that they would reflect the glory with "unveiled faces." To be unveiled was to be revealed to the world. If Paul states that the literal veil Moses wore remained over the hearts of the Jew at the reading of the law, then this aspect of showing the glory of the "ministry of righteousness" without a veil would mean that the veil over the hearts would be lifted. The law represented the veil (Heb 9:8-9) and the removal of it proves the consummation of the "ministry of righteousness." Being glorified, lifted up, stood up, confirmed, as the only "sons of God," when those who hated and persecuted you and your Lord were removed, judged, enslaved, and killed, would indeed be a revelation to the world. It would indeed fulfill the idea that the "ax is ready to strike the root of the trees."
"5 Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices 10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the Creator."
Once again we see this aspect of the fruits of repentance and being separated. Because they were to be in the Spirit, separate from the world, they were to act separate from the world. It was the behaviors of the world, which would identify them as being "in" the world and would lead them into the wrath of God. They would be "cut off." The works of righteousness and fruits of the Spirit showed that the Christian, who were claiming the rights as heirs, according to their faith, were separated from the world. It is clearly important that those who would be proven the "sons of God," live lives worthy of the calling. Their "love" and works of righteousness would prove who the elect of God were. When the set apart elect, who had faith in Christ and claimed the rights as heirs, were left standing, it revealed the glory of the Lord and the "ministry of righteousness" to the world.
This is what Peter means when he speaks of honorble conduct.
"1 Peter 2:12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in case where they speak against you as those who do evil, they may, by observing your good works, glorify God in a day of visitation."
Here Peter discusses the need for separation through works of repentance and actions consistent with the fruit of the Spirit. If there was a separation to occur, a vindication of on group and a judgment of the other, and this would be witnessed by the world, then it was of extreme importance that the Gentile witness the difference in their fruits. For the Gentile to see those who acted uprightly in the face of adversity, persecution, and violent scrutiny, would cause them to glorify the Lord in that day. They would "see" the true Messiah when the Christian they had witnessed living uprightly, was vindicated before the eyes of all men. The vindication received would prove who the "sons of God" were and by the Christian remaining blameless, the Gentile witnesses would be compelled to glorify God as well.
"Col 3:11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all."
In no better words could the meaning of "all in all" be revealed to us. When God set apart His elect in righteousness, through a "baptism of repentance," in faith, and then vindicated them in that time we know as the destruction of Jerusalem, that is how the glory of God was revealed. The "sons of God" received the confirmation of their adoption in AD 70. The glory of the "ministry of righteousness" shone on the faces of those who were redeemed when the elect was confirmed holy and their consciences were made perfect. The claim of having Abraham as an earthy father was proved to be an illegitimate claim when it was the elect of the Jew and the grafted in Gentile who were remaining. This knowledge brought the perfect clarity Paul desired when God revealed Himself to them "face to face." His intentions, character, and plan for man was confirmed. His promise of "eternal life" through the blood of Christ was proven true when His word of returning in that generation came to fulfillment. Ultimate vindication, pure freedom, perfect clarity, relief from persecution, perfect confidence, and a perfected conscience is what the Christian expected and received in AD 70.
Romans eleven gives the picture of the elect in the process of God becoming "all in all." Paul is discussing the sons of Abraham and their claim as the "sons of God." In chapter nine he declares, like John the Baptist, that being a Jew does not give automatic claim to inheritance. He says that "neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants," because it is "the children of the promise are considered the seed." This means that the true Israel are those Jews who pursued righteousness by faith (Rom 9:30-33). Likewise, those who were being called "heirs" included the Gentile (Gal 3).
"Rom 11:11 I ask then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their stumbling brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. In view of the fact that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if I can somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15 For their being rejected is world reconciliation, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches."
This inclusion of the Gentiles was going to be a means of making all Israel (all the elect who would be set apart by faith) jealous and they, as a whole (all the elect), would turn to God. The idea that "all Israel" would be saved does not change the condition laid upon salvation; faith. In fact, the identity of Israel was conclusively shown to be those who were of faith (Rom 9). Being of the bloodline of Abraham did not make them secure as an heir (Luke 3).
Here the necessity for the inclusion of the Gentile into the promise of Abraham is shown in making God "all in all." When confirmation of the "sons of God" came to the elect, which included Jew and Gentile, it showed God as "all in all." If the firstfruits were shown to be holy, the whole batch would be holy. If the root (Christ) was proven holy, then the whole batch (the elect of Jew and Gentile) was also holy. Christ's return in judgment proved that the "sons of God" were those who were set apart. Those who received the "baptism of repentance," who lived by the "fruits of the Spirit," who lived in the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ," who were being taught and believed in the "ministry of righteousness," were the ones who were proved the true "sons of God." It was they who received the "freedom of God's children," it was all the elect, which was "all creation" who groaned for the "adoption." It was the Jew and Gentile of the elect who were vindicated, proving that God was "all in all."
The fact is that Christ was going to be revealed to the world. They would "see" this revelation when they knew that the Christian remained and the Judaizers were killed, enslaved, judged. It sealed the "end of the age" and brought in the "age to come," forever and ever, Amen!
God Bless
Nate"
|
| |
|
^^Go to Top -  E-mail to Friend -  Print -  View PDF -  Subscribe -  Comments RSS
Re: Dealing With the Elect and the Gentile (Score: 1)
 by Sam on Monday, November 22 @ 17:02:32 PST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Nate,
Your rather clear and pointed article is, in my opinion, definitely on the right track. I will continue along this line of reasoning in my II Corinthians articles. It is surely a breath of fresh air when I witness another person "getting it." A truly systematic Preterism should be able to incorporate the present evil age and the age to come in which we currently live. And, if you view is correct, God has spoken about "us" as well, and who we are, and not just to "them" thousands of years ago. This dictum is a true saying: the Bible was not written directly TO us, but was written FOR us today. Our Father did not leave us who live in the age to come without direction, Scripture and history.
Samuel Frost |
[ To reply to this, please login or register ]
- by nate4onenation on Tuesday, November 23 @ 07:04:22 PST
- by Zorro on Wednesday, November 24 @ 21:24:24 PST
Re: Dealing With the Elect and the Gentile (Score: 1)
by Zorro on Wednesday, November 24 @ 11:46:37 PST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Election pertains strictly to those Jews in that generation who would come to belief and be saved from God's coming wrath in 70AD. To apply it to the gentiles is nonsensical since God's wrath did not sit on them in the first place.
The problem it creates is this: now you must prove that God meant to destroy everything, not just Israel. Why call oneself a preterist when one can't let go of dispensational fantasties. Elect gentiles! Van Impe loves that one! |
[ To reply to this, please login or register ]
- by cncpc on Sunday, February 13 @ 11:25:05 PST
Re: Dealing With the Elect and the Gentile (Score: 1)
by DavidF on Wednesday, November 24 @ 12:23:19 PST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hi Nate:
This is very good news. The focus of Preterism seems to be on Josephus’ story about the rejection (killing) of the Judaists, but the glory of God was also to reveal that the “obedient” Christians are the true heirs of His Kingdom. Thank you for explaining the important aspect of vindication for the Christian at A.D. 70.
At that time the world observed the Christian‘s “good works” and glorified “God in a day of visitation." They realized that God substantiated the Christian claims and disproved the Judaist.
The opposite dispensationalist story is frightening to think about. If Christ has not returned then the Christian is NOT confirmed in His status yet, and he cannot claim the freedom, confidence, clarity and perfected conscience that you mentioned!
If the Judaist has not yet been judged and cast out of authority then neither is the Christian verified as a child of God. For two thousand+ years we are still waiting for God to show the world that He has taken His endorsement from the Judaist and given it to the Christian, because only “When the Messiah…is revealed, then you also will be revealed [as His children] with Him in glory [taking part in His authority]."
Praise God that He steadfastly leads the Christian into truth, and away from dispensational muddle.
DavidF
|
[ To reply to this, please login or register ]
- by Zorro on Wednesday, November 24 @ 17:33:40 PST
- by DavidF on Monday, November 29 @ 10:40:41 PST
| 
|
