Christ Jesus Has Obtained Victory Over Death

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

Death has taken every man. It is the common enemy of all life on the earth. When sin entered the world and death by sin, the world and everything in it began it’s descend toward decay and death. Everything, whether plant life or animal life or human life, will find it’s end in death. Anything with an earthly origin will eventually die. Nothing is eternal that can be seen. Death is the grand and undefeated enemy of life on the earth.

What is remarkable however, is that men have the ability to be enslaved to the fear of death and yet live as though it will never happen. So either in denial of their impending defeat by death or in acceptance of it, men spend their lives seeking to obtain fame, power and riches. Any obtainment of these things is often celebrated and emulated by their fellow men. They are seen as victorious in this life, though they will eventually die. 

The world glories in substandard victories that still result in death. “The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet 3:10). There is really no victory to speak of if, in the end, death has the final triumph. If small victories are not a prelude to this greater victory - over sin and death - then they are distractions; a sort of idol accepting the praise of men. Where men glory in their temporary, earthly accomplishments of obtaining power, prestige and riches, they have fallen prey to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1 Jn 2:16). Power prestige and riches are not inherently evil but when they are not willingly forsaken for eternal life they are a pitfall. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mt 16:26)? There has got to be something more, something lasting, something eternal. And, by Christ, there is!

“But NOW is Christ,” a man, “risen from the dead!” In accomplishing the salvation of man, Christ defeats this arch foe, death. He defeated death in rising from the grave “no more to return” (Acts 13:34) and when He comes again death itself shall be swallowed up in victory and the grave shall release it’s inhabitants. As a result of this good news, our hope extends beyond the grave. Our lives are lived by faith and patience. In preparation for a greater work we make the most of our time during our stay on the earth. The fear of death has given way to the hope of the resurrection.

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. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

Believers are subject to bondage by living in fear of death. The threat of death cannot prevent them from living unto God. Like “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” they know that their God is able to deliver them from death but even if He doesn’t they will not cave to the threats of men (Dan 3:17-18). For, the grave is only a temporary dwelling. All of the men of earth will stand on that last day and look back to the earth and say, “You can have your tomb back, I need it no longer.”

The Gospel of the Resurrection - Part 15

A WORD FROM THE HOMELAND

10-20 minute messages concerning the world to come, the Christ that will bring us there, and the glorious inheritance of the saints

The Gospel of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Part 15

"The Vanity and Hopelessness of Life Without a Resurrection"

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raise up Christ; Whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith in vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 
(1 Corinthians 15:13-19)

Work Out Your Salvation

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Your salvation, and specifically, the better things that accompany it (Heb 6:9), must be worked out. That is, it must be brought from the inside out; a sort of manifestation of a hidden reality. Salvation involves an inward change orchestrated by a new birth (1 Pet 1:23), the implanting of a new heart (Ezek 36:26) and the indwelling presence of the Godhead (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 3:16). Paul calls upon the brethren, here, to work that change out. He is saying, "Let that inward salvation come out in demonstration." Peter says it this way: "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Pet 1:10). And that is accomplished, he says, by adding to your faith and making sure godly characteristics are in you and are abounding (2 Pet 1:5-9).

He goes on, "for it is God who is at work IN YOU." God is not just at work for you, or on you or around you, but IN you. What He is doing inwardly must make its way out for in this way the light that is in you shines bringing glory to God (Mt 5:16). When God's inward enlightenment of man seen by others, He is glorified. It is a manifestation of His work in making them righteous. For "he that doeth righteousness is righteous" (1 Jn 3:7). God's work in salvation is an inward operation that, when demonstrated in the lives of men, shows the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places (Eph 3:10). All of heaven sees and declares that the only wise God is a mighty Savior.

So what is His work in you? His work IN you involves both willing and doing. He is producing IN us a "willing" to do righteousness but that willing must work it's way out into "doing." Here we become workers together with God in the sense that we are laboring together with God to produce fruit that is befitting a good tree. We are working OUT what God is working IN. This is accomplished by denying ourselves (Mt 16:24), forsaking the lusts of our flesh (Rom 13:14; Gal 5:24; 1 Pet 2:11; 4:2), bringing our bodies into subjection (1 Cor 9:27) and being led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8:14). This must be done with ardent zeal. It must be done in fear and trembling of failure.

If you are saved it is because God is working for you and in you. Now, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling - God will be glorified in this.

Slain Saints

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held" (Revelation 6:9)

Persecution is a Sure Thing for Believers. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12). As Jesus said, "If they persecuted Me they will persecute you" (Jn 15:20). But the persecution of believers is not a new thing. Even the prophet Isaiah testified of a time when the "truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey" (Isa 59:15). The waywardness and depravity of the world is clearly seen in that it speaks evil of those who turn from evil and harms those who cry out for justice.

Be not deceived, this warfare and hardship for the children of God is normal and this common participation among saints is encouraging. While the particulars may vary, the experience does not. Desiring godliness means suffering evil. Believers are thus exhorted, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world" (1 Pet 5:8-9). The saints of God have had a target placed on their back after the devil and his cohorts were plundered in the cross. The devil has been cast down "to make war with the remnant" of the children of God "which keep the commandments of God, and the have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev 12:17). It is because of this relationship to Jesus that Christians are subject to persecution. "If ye were of the world," Jesus said, "the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (Jn 15:19)...and "all these things they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him that sent Me" (Jn 15:21).

The souls under the altar are a vision of them that are slain for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus but there are more to be added to their number (Rev 6:11). There are more to be "counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41). There are more to "fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ" (Col 1:24). There are more precious souls that must "continue in the faith" for "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). And as they continue in the faith they demonstrate that though they are being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, the life also of Jesus is manifest in their mortal flesh (2 Cor 4:11). What a fellowship!? (Php 3:10).

Temporary Sufferings, Eternal Glory. Persecution is only "here and now." Glory is "there and then." Knowing that the ages to come and the exceeding riches of grace are for eternity equips the believer to endure suffering with faith and patience. For, "if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim 2:12). It is our suffering with Him that qualifies us for our being "glorified together" with Him (Rom 8:17). Paul's desire to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings and to be made conformable unto His death was in view of attaining unto the resurrection of the dead (Php 3:9-11) where he would obtain his incorruptible reward.

Seeing the souls under the altar is confirmation of their acceptance in heaven. Furthermore, as we continue in the revelation we will see that their cries are heard and that vengeance is the Lord's - He will repay. John's diligence in recording what he saw and heard provokes great courage in those who hold the testimony of Jesus firm until the end. They know that others have gone on before them and that they will have fellowship with the great cloud of witnesses who with Moses chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb 11:25).

Will you be among the number of them who through faith "had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment?" Will you be among the souls that "were stoned...sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword...wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented...wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth?" These are they "of whom the world was not worthy" and "all these" have "obtained a good report through faith" (Heb 11:36-39). Faith enables men to stand against opposition. Faith looks past the persecution to the glory to be revealed. Faith considers the acceptance of God and not the rejection of men. By faith men suffer for righteousness and inherit the promises.

Strangers of This World. The world opposed the word of God and those who preach it. The souls under the altar confirm this. The world and heaven are in direct conflict. Foolishness is demonstrated by all attempts to feel "at home" here or to be friends with the world. "We are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 Jn 5:19). "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jas 4:4). God will not be one of two masters. He will not remain where He has to compete for prominence. "The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy" (Jas 4:5) and will not allow a man to love God and love the world at the same time. No one can be friend of the world and a friend of God.

Those of faith have always considered themselves to be strangers and pilgrims here. They are in search of a better country, that is an heavenly. They readily refuse the things which would hinder them from obtaining that country and all things contradictory to it. For this cause the world has always persecuted them. For, "they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot" and therefore "[speak] evil of you" (1 Pet 4:4).

Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael nearly lost their lives because they refused to do what everyone else was doing - and bow to an idol (Dan 3:12-13,15,17-20). Like Jesus (Jn 7:7), Zechariah testified of the works of the people and was killed for it (2 Chr 24:20-21). Stephen called the Jews to account and was promptly stoned (Acts 7:54,57-58). John the Baptist, the greatest among men born of a woman, was killed lesser men born of women (Mt 14:1-12). Just as the world hated these brethren because they testified against it's works, so all preachers of righteousness will be hated by the world when they testify of it. However, it is these slain saints that have the last word. Justice will be served and they will be rewarded according to the promise of their King.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecuted you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)