The Glorious Everlasting life

:grndude:

there you go again LJ, next you'll be claiming the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are two different entities.

Let us continue the examples which Jesus Christ as the Son of Man set for us to follow;

He was obedient to the Father."Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb.5:8-9). And, "we through Him have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name"(Rom.1:5).

He humbled Himself.In like manner we are admonished to,"let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross"(Phil2:5-8). It is also required of us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

He feared God. "In the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear" (Heb.5:7). Our whole duty as man is to "fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecc.12:13).

He was completely dependent upon the Father.Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." Again He said, "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me"(Jn.5:19,30). In relation to us we are told, "I am the vine you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,bears much fruit;for without Me you can do nothing"(Jn.15:5).

He was led by the Holy Spirit.Jesus said,"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the work" (Jn 14;10). With regards to the believer,it is written, "However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come"(JN.16:13). It is "as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God" (Rom.8:4).

He overcame."For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."(Heb.4:15). We are told;"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne"(Rev.3:21).

Love was the motivating factor for all His works. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; And by this we know love, because as He laid down His life for us; and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (Jn.3:16,1Jn.3:16). Hence everything a believer does should not be based on law, command, or coersion, but by love."If you love Me keep My commandments."

Everlasting life which is the glorified immortal body is attainable only through the imitation of the life of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us,through "the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullnes of Christ" (Eph.4:13). We all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image (we have of Christ) from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2Cor.3:18).

The glory of the immortal body will vary just as the glory of the sun varies from the glory of the moon, and one star differs from another in glory.(1Cor.15:41-42).

The building code in constructing the immortal body -our spiritual house,God's holy temple is the law of righteousness, and the height of glory is imitating the life of Jesus Christ.

have a blessed weekend.

Lucius

Witgenstein said of religion that "what we cannot know we must pass over in silence".

Our main objective here on earth after we have been saved by Jesus Christ, is to help build the Spiritual temple of God.
We are God's fellow workers, we are God's field,we are God's building. We are to build on the foundation on which we all stand; and the Day will come when each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself (the spirit man) will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1Cor.3:13-15).

What will be that reward? The Prophet Daniel wrote, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life (immortality), some to shame and everlasting contempt" (disgrace, nakedness,abhorance) (Dan.12:2).

We are building God's spiritual temple, the choice is yours to build with durable materials or destructive materials.

Have a blessed day.
Lucius

We are told that the Lord knows those who are His, and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" or lawlessness. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but aldo of wood and clay,some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter (the onus is on the individual), he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (2Tim.2:19-21).

Are we going to make an effort to cleanse ourselves from being a vessel of wood or clay? By imitating the life the Jesus Christ?

The choice is yours.

Lucius

Our call of duty after receiving this amazing grace, and free gift of eternal life is to as Paul puts it,"My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you" (Gal.4:19). And the job of Pastors and teachers is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

have a blessed day.
Lucius

The main objective of the Christian life is not only to have one's name written in the Lamb's book of life, but most importantly to be part of the first Resurrection.

To be part of the first resurrection one has to overcome the flesh, the world, and satan just as Christ overcame."To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne"(Rev.3:21).Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (Rev.20:6).

But having one's name written in the book of life is only a guarantee to escape the second death. "Then death and hades (abode of the dead) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev.20:14-15).

Are you striving to be part of the first resurrection, the glorious everlasting life?

The choice is yours. Have a blessed weekend.
Lucius

For the glorious Everlasting life it is imperative that we know how to construct our spiritual buliding out of durable materials such as gold, silver, or precious stones.

Thank you, Lucius Joseph, for what you have written in this thread. I have learned a lot from it. God Bless You!

Another in-destructive building material for the construction of the spiritual temple is "HOPE", the reliance on God's blessings and provision, the expectation of future good.
The reliance on God's blessings and provisions produce immortality, because we will be steadfast in the faith. For, "If indeed we continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which we have heard, we who once were alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present us holy, and blameless, and irreproachable in His sight"(Col.1:21-23).

Hope produces purity, and therefore guarantees our immortality."Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1Jn.3:2-3).

Hope is the anchor for our souls. It is both sure and steadfast because of the immutability or the unchangeable of God's counsel and the impossibility for God to lie. We who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us, might have strong consolation that this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the viel, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb.6:18-20). We must be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work is us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Hope produces purity, patience, courage, joy, assurance, stability and immortality. Let us build our spiritual house with hope.
Remember, the reason for Christ's death and resurrection, and we having died and raised with Him, is that, "the body of sin might be done away with, and that we should no longer be slaves of sin; we therefore have to reckon ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Because we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died for us and rose again.
Have a blessed day.
Lucius

We seek immortality by seeking to live a charitable life.
A generous spirit towards others, and an unselfish benevolent concern for another's well being is another durable material we must use to build our spiritual house. We are admonished, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys"(Lk.12:32-33).

We build with this durable material by:
1. Bearing with one another's burden- and so fulfill the law of Christ.

2. Showing forgiveness- Instead of afflicting severe punishment on one who has offended us we ought rather to forgive and comfort the offender lest perhaps the individual be swallowed up with too much sorrow. We are admonished instead to reaffirm our love to the offender. (2Cor.2:1-10).

3.Helping those who are tempted- We are told,"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted" (Gal.6:1).

4.Encouraging the weak-We are told to, "Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to dispute over doubtful things" (Rom.14:1-15).

5. Not finding fault- We are admonished, "Judge not, that you be not judged, for with what judgment or condemnation you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck out of your eye, and look, a plank is in your own eye?" (Matt.7:13).

Humility, patience, kindness, compassion are all precious jewels to build our immortal house with, let us be busy in constructing our spiritual house.

Have a productive day.
Lucius

I also want to thank you, Lucius, for your writings. I am a believer, but you have given me more clarity and understanding. And true understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and the scriptures always gives me joy. Please, keep posting. You are a very good teacher. God bless you.

So if you have eternal life but not everlasting life you are bodyless?

mindless...oops sorry - couldnt help myself

Yes Caller ID 25583; Without everlasting life one is bodyless just like the angels. Jesus Christ before He became the Son of Man was also bodyless. "Therefore when He came into the world He said, sacrifice and offerings you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for Me" (Heb.10:5). Now in this body of Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Col.2:9).
Hence,those who do not construct their spiritual house will be found naked. "If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself (the spirit)will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1Cor.3:15).
Satan is jealous of our human body, this is why he is influencing and enticing so many people to corrupt and destroy it.

Our main objective in life after having received eternal life as a gift,and our eternal salvation (adoptions as sons, with our names permanently writen in the book of life)when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is to build our spiritual house.
"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this (house) we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life" (2Cor.5:1-4).

Have a blessed day.
Lucius

Only those who are in the first resurrection will possess immortality and be part of the ruling kingdom of God.The rest will form part of the nations who will be ruled by the kingdom of God and will have access to the tree of life for their healing. John wrote, " And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear and crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him" (Rev.22:1-3).

Our minds have not fathomed the vast difference between having an immortal house and being naked without the spiritual clothing. As it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1Cor 2:9).

Those who are not in the first resurrection are ,"like sheep they are laid in the grave;death shall feed on them;The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning (when resurrected); and their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling" (Ps.49:14). On the other hand God redeems the soul of the righteous from the power of the grave, so that death don't feed on them, and they don't loose their beauty.

I therefore urge my readers to seek glory, honor, and immortality in addition to eternal life.

Have a blessed day.

Lucius

To assure ourselves of inheriting the glorious everlasting life, we must continually offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

have a blessed day.
Lucius

The sacrifice of thanksgiving is the one and only precious thing that stands between the turbulent waters of legalism, and the calm, placid, and yet extreme toxic waters of liberalism.

We are warned to, "beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Because, we, being dead in our trespasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh, He has made us alive together with Him, having forgiven us all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Therefore (for this reason), let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ"(Col.2:8-17).

On the other hand, we are also warned saying, "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you, concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 3-4).

Hence we have legalism on one hand, and liberalism on the other.

Therefore,the state of equilibrium for the truly honest Christian in to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.

The sacrifice of thanksgiving is in the form of:-

a. Prayer, as it is written, "Let my prayer be set before you as incence, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Ps.141:2) see also Rev. 5:8, 8:3-4).

b. Worship; For we are admonished to, "Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).

c. Righteousness; We are instructed, "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Heb.13:16). And also, "Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord" (Ps.4:5).

These sacrifices should be offered in the spirit of humilty. "For the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart these O God, you will not despise" (Ps.51:17. It is said that, "the holy one dwells in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit" (Isa.57:15)

What are the requirements for the sarifice of thanksgiving?

Stay tuned.

have a blessed day.
Lucius

The requirements for a sacrifice of thanksgiving are:-

1. The Offerer must present his/her body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is his/her reasonable service(Rom.12:1).

A spiritual sacrifice is one of prayer, worship, or an act of righteousness. In every instance, the presence of the offerer in person is vital.

2. The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, whether it is prayer, worship, or an act of righteousness, must be of one's own volition. It is written, "When you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it of your own free will" (Lev.22:29). A sacrifice of thanksgiving should not be done because of obligation, law, coercion, or of necessity. It must be of the spirit, that is, of one's own will, out of love, and according to one's conscience.

3.The sacrifice of thanksgiving must be offered in sincerity and truth. That is, in accordance to the word of God. Sadly, most people misconstrued the concept or idea of, "one's own free will" to mean that they have the freedom to chose for themselves what, when, and how to do things for the Lord.
Unfortunately, this is not the case.Doing things of one's own free will. is the choice to do, or not to do, within the confines of the Law.

The condition "IF" is not, if you want, or when you want; but rather,"If you love Me", "If you obey My voice", If you believe Me. Signifying that, the condition/s has already been stipulated,and the if is, whether one wants to obey or disobey.

4. The Offerer must bring along words or gifts with him. He/she must not appear befor the LORD empty handed.

We are instructed to, "Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to Him, take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips" (Hos.14:2). The Offerer must bring along with Him, his confession,his prayer and supplications, songs of thanksgiving, and an offering. It is written, "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses; at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty handed.Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you" (Deut.16:16-17).

The only change to this old Testament principle, is a prescribed place of worship. Jesus said, "The hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father" (Jn.4:21). The principle now is, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matt.18:20).

5. A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving must be one which is acceptable before God. The quality and the presentation, must be one which is acceptable, and favorable to God. One should not offer the sick, the lame, the blind, the polluted, and expect God to accept it.This is evil.(Mal.1:7-9).
Neither should one present anything to the LORD at a time He has not specifically appointed. He has instituted specific times when one should appear before Him with their offerings. (see Exo 34.18-23, Deut 16:16, and compare with Isa. 1:12-15).

6.The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving should be offered in the spirit of "REJOICING." "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing" (Ps. 107:21-22). "Let each one give as he purposes in his heart,not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2Cor.9:7).

7. Pay your vows. Make sure that when we bring words with us to the LORD, that we fulfill it. We are instructed saying, "Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High"(Ps.50:14); and when a vow is made to God,"do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. It is better not to vow than to vow and not pay"(Ecc.5:4-5). When we have paid our vows we are promised,"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Ps. 50:15).

To consummate a perfect sacrifice of thanksgiving, which is our reasonable service, these seven ingredients should be applied in a holy, acceptable, and perfect way to God.

have a blessed day
Lucius