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remodel or make over this build–
ing-this world-this civil ization.
Its foundation is faulty- that of
Satan. Its superstructure-its sys–
tems of government and legal sys–
tems of law and justice, its systems
of faulty and materialistic educa–
tion, its religions, its social systems
and customs- all its superstruc–
ture-is faulty, producing discon–
tent, unhappiness, contention, com–
petition and strife leading to vio–
lence and destruction, anguish, suf–
fering, poverty and death. Those
are the supporting columns and
beams of the superstructure of the
building that is this world. Jesus
did not come to reform this
world- to bring a "spiritual reviv–
al' '- to pray for it or to save it or
any of its ways.
The Church is the start- the
embryo- of an entirely NEW and
DIFFERENT BUILDING.
Jesus caBed those God has chosen
to draw OUT from among this world
and its ways. Those called out must
continue to live on the same earth.
They are taught evento be subject to
its governments over them; not to
OBEY when that would mean disobe–
dience to God, but to be subject- if
necessary, even to whatever penal–
ties they impose.
Why the Church Age?
Since Jesus founded the Church–
the foundation of the coming wor ld
of God-more than 1,950 years
have passed. One might wonder,
WHY these more than 1,950 years
of the "church age," befare estab–
lishing the KINGDOM?
God's purpose is to choose and
call certain ones out from the ways
of Satan's world, and train them to
become teachers and rulers
when
God sends Christ back to earth as
KrNG of kings and LORD of lords to
rule, teach and convert all who then
shall be willing. AJI who have lived
in this world and become set in its
wrong and evil ways must be taught
the right ways of God.
Those converted and finally saved
in the Church shall be kings and
priests and given power to rule and
teach all others (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21;
5:10). For this nearly 2,000 years of
training, J esus has been High Priest
and head of the Church, in heaven
supervising his Church.
On Christ's return in supreme
40
power and glory, Satan shall be
removed from earth's throne. Jesus
Christ wi!J sit on the throne of
David ruling over Israel and also on
the THRONE OF THE EARTH , now
still held by Satan.
Church to Be Ready
The Church shall have been made
ready for her stupendous responsi–
bility of rulership under Christ, by
the time of his return as KING of
kings and LORD of lords.
What, then, is the real PURPOSE
of the Church? WHY did Jesus
found the Church? Was it to repair
the superst ructure of the faulty and
decadent BUILDING to which 1 have
likened this present evil world?
Was it to "save" by conversion this
sinning world of Satan? And was it
to become divided into many divi–
sions or branches, Orthodox,
Roman Catholic and Protestant?
The whole professing "Chris–
tian" world has been deceived. All
nations have been deceived. The
ninth verse of Revelation 12 states
this emphatically and plainly.
God started his supreme mission
and PURPOSE of reproducing him–
self through the first human,
Adam. But to become a begotten
child of God, so that he might, on
acquiring the spiritual character of
God, be BORN into the divine FAMI–
LY OF GOD, Adam was required to
make a choice. He chose apostasy,
rebellion, self-righteousness mixed
with evil-the way of the kidnap–
per of the potential family of
God.
God said plainly to Adam, that
on the disobedience of taking the
forbidden fruit, he would surely
die. His temporary existence ran
out and he died after 930 years.
Study Ephesians 2:1-2. Satan, as
prince of the power of the air,
actually works JN-within-the
natural born children of Adam.
Satan worked within Adam's first
son, when he slew his brother Abel.
All Adam's children have sinned.
AJI, up to those living today, DIE.
But, it was decreed at the foun–
dation of this world- at the time of
Adam's sin- that as in Adam all
should die, so in Christ, the second
Adam, the same ALL should be
brought back to life through resur–
rection from the dead.
The tree of LIFE was closed to all
humanity until Christ the SECOND
ADAM. He was born of his mother,
the virgin Mary, of the Adamic
human family. But her son Jesus
was fathered, not by MAN, a son of
Adam. But by GoD. As a son of
GOD, the tree of LIFE was opened to
him. But as a son of MAN, he, like
the first Adam, was required to
make a CHOICE!
Satan tried to destroy him as an
infant, but God moved to prevent
that. Then, at about age 30, befare
he could preach a word of God's
message, the gospel, Satan attacked
him head-on. In this temptation
(Matt. 4:1-11 ), Jesus made his
choice. He rejected Satan's tempta–
tion and way of life. He chose
God's way, according to the Scrip–
tures. He defeated Satan, com–
manding him to depart from him,
and the defeated Satan slunk away.
JESUS HAD QUALIFIED TO REPLACE
SATAN ON THE THRONE OF THE
EARTH! Thus, as Jesus said in Mark
1:15, the time was fulfilled and the
kingdom of God was at hand.
The SECOND ADAM had passed
the test. He had overthrown Satan.
He had qualified to replace Satan
on earth's throne and to RESTORE
THE KINGDOM OF ÜOD.
Sin and rebell ion had started
with the one man, Adam. Righ–
teousness and obedience leading to
PEACE now started with the one
man, Jesus Christ. He was the
BEGINNING-THE FOUNDATION–
of the altogether NEW "build–
ing"- the new world- the new civ–
ilization- the WORLD TOMORROW!
He said he would build his
Church. His Church was that new
building- that new civilization–
that new world, in embryo. .
Jesus started it off by calling his
12 disciples. But each of them now
had to CHOOSE between the tree of
LIFE and the satanic tree of human
good and evil. One of the 12 failed.
But Jesus said the Church would
never die. The rains would fall
(Matt. 7:24-27), the floods would
come, the hurricanes would blow,
but this NEW house built on the
salid rock foundation would AL–
WAYS STAND!
Jesus did not say "churches."
Paul said they would all "speak the
same thing"- no divisions. Where
is that C.hurch today?
(To be continued)
The PLAIN TRUTH