Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word

Menu
Contact Us

The First Fruits Judging

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Hi D____,
Thank you for your questions.
You ask:
“what is the portent of the resurrection of Lazarus in the flesh?”
The answer is the same as it usually is; Lazarus’s resurrection in flesh typifies Christ coming in flesh and through Christ Lazarus’s resurrection in the flesh portends our ‘resurrection’ while yet in the flesh.
Being resurrected while yet in the flesh is what occurs inwardly in all of God’s elect:

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members [ as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

“As those alive from the dead” means ‘as resurrected.’ Here is the Concordant version:

Rom 6:13 Nor yet be presenting your members, as implements of injustice, to Sin, but present yourselves to God as if alive from among the dead , and your members as implements of righteousness to God.”

God’s elect are to live “as IF” they were resurrected from the dead. Here it is again:

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

So here they are combined:

Col 2:12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

But we are still in our flesh:

Gal 2:20 again: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

So we still have to remain “faithful to the end” in order to complete the passage through the second veil. Oh yes, we are seated with Christ “in the heavens.” But it is in “earnest” only at this time:

Eph 1:11  In whom [ in Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which [ Holy Spirit] is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

As far as you being Esau, I have no doubt that the publican felt the same way as he smote his breast and agreed with the self- righteous Pharisee about his own spiritual state.

Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [ are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [ his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

The publican felt just like he was Esau. But look at Christ’s assessment of this situation:

Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man [ the publican who felt like he was Esau] went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

It is not until you come to have the attitude you are right here expressing:  “I am of the Esau class, and am just pretty wicked” that God will even begin to work with you:
I tell you, this man [ the publican who felt like he was Esau] went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Isa 66:2 (b) but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

I dare say that you, right this moment, are in the best spiritual condition of your life. Keep that humble attitude, and “you will judge the world.”
Mike

Other related posts