Page 2968 - Church of God Publications

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the Church
(Continued from page 13)
and substituted its own gospel
about the person of Christ.
Jesus was born as a human, to
become a King, ultimately to estab–
lish the kingdom of God, ruling the
whole earth with the government of
God! But that rule required more
than the individual Jesus. The king,
president, prime minister or ruler
over every nation governs with and
through a more or less vast organi–
zation of others who rule various
phases and departments under him.
Likewise, Christ must have an
organized government with numer–
ous others trained and qualified to
rule under him. Jesus said,
"1
will
build my church" (Matt. 16:18).
The Church was to consist of many
to be caBed out of Satan's world to
be taught and trained for numerous
governmental positions under
Christ when he comes to rule over
all the nations.
Jesus-Splritual Savior
Jesus carne also as spiritual Savior,
to save God's people in their due
time from their sins, that they
might be born into the very divine
family of God (Matt. 1:21).
Remember, the tree of life, sym–
bolizing the Holy Spirit, had been
cut off from mankind at tl}e founda–
tion of the world after the sin of
Adam. What the world does not
understand is that the Spirit of God
was cut off from humanity as a
whole until the second Adam actual–
ly removes Satan and restores the
government of God .on the earth.
As for humanity as a whole, it was
appointed at the time of Adam's sin
for humans once to die and after
death, by resurrection, shall come
the judgment (Heb. 9:27).
The Holy Spirit was not given to
the people of ancient Israel. Since
God called and raised up prophets
for a specific purpose preparatory
to the salvation of humanity, it was
necessary, in order for them to per–
form their called function, that an
exception be made and they be
empowered by the Holy Splrit.
In the same nianner since God
through Jesus was now calling out
bis Church for a specific function
preparatory to the establishment of
bis kingdom and government over
16
all nations, it was now necessary
that the · same exception be made
for the Church and that they be
empowered by the Holy Spirit.
God emphatically did not em–
power the prophets with bis Spirit
merely for the purpose of giving
them salvation. Likewise, God did
not call saints out of this world
merely for their salvation and
entrance into bis kingdom. Other–
wise God would be a respecter of
persons to have called the few of bis
Church at this time, while refusing
to call others to salvation.
If
God is opening salvation to the
few in bis Church only to give them
salvation, while he excluded the pre–
ponderance of the world as a whole
untillater, then God certainly would
be a respecter of persons, discrimi–
nating against the world as a whole.
Jesus said plainly no man can come
unto him except God the Father
draws him (John 6:44). A proféssed
Christianity believes precisely the
opposite. This false Christianity
teaches that God is calling and try–
ing to save everybody in this present
time.
If
that were so, then Satan is
certainly winning a great victory
over God. For the overwhelming
majority of mankind know
little or nothing about
Christ or salvation
through him.
fessing traditional "Christianity" to
this fact (11 Cor. 4:4). Satan has
deceived the entire world, includ–
ing a professing traditional "Chris–
tianity" (Rev. 12:9).
Neither professing Christians nor
their scholarly theologian leaders
today comprehend the major
PUR–
POSES
for which Jesus Christ carne!
Why Jesus Came
Jesus did not come to save Satan's
world while Satan sits on the
throne deceiving them. Jesus will
save the world at bis Second Com–
ing, when Satan shall be put away.
Why, then, did Jesus come more
than 1,900 years ago? Not to rule,
not to reign over all nations, not to
save the wor1d wbile Satan still
rules over them.
His human birtb was the arriva1
of the "second Adam." He had
come 1) to qualify, where the first
Adam failed, to replace the former
archangel Lucifer on the throne of
the earth, ruling with the govern–
ment of God. He had come 2) to
announce the future establishment
of the kingdom of God and teach
that prophetic good news (gospel)
to bis chosen future apostles. He
he Church of the New
A Time·Order for
Salvation
God's master plan calls
for offering salvation and
eterna) 1ife to every per–
son ever born, but bis
plan calls for doing that in
a time-order.
Testament is entirely
different and has an entirely
different purpose than the
"Congregation of Israel."
Those called out of the
world and into the Church at this
time are called for a specific pur–
pose and a specific work. This spe–
cific work is to make possible the
spiritual training to aid in the con–
version of humanity as a whole.
They are called at a time when they
are persecuted and fought against
by Satan and by various organiza–
tions in the world. The rest of the
world will be called at a time when
Satan is removed and they are
aided and helped by Christ and the
saints then made immorta1 in the
kingdom of God.
Satan has blinded the minds of
the unbelieving world and the pro-
had come 3) to take on himself, as
our direct Creator, the penalty for
our sins by bis death on the cross–
that we might share in that world.
And he had come 4) to be resur–
rected from the dead by God, mak–
ing possible eterna! God-life for the
people of God and, after bis Second
Coming, for all who are willing, of
all humanity who have ever lived on
this earth. And he had come 5) to
establish God's Church, to be
trained to rule under him.
Mea"'whlle, Satan's Rule
Meanwhile, for 4,000 years since
the first Adam, the wily and evil
The
PLAIN TRUTH