Basic HTML Version
zle, made up of thousands of parts
that, for understanding, must be
put together "precept upon pre–
cept; line upon line ... here a little,
and there a little" (lsa. 28:9-
1O, 13). And it requires the addi–
tion of the Holy Spirit to the
human mind to put this spiritual
"jigsaw puzzle" properly together.
Even then it requires time, dili–
gence, patience.
1
have not been
able to give this "what and why" of
the Church to the reader al! at once
briefly. I want fully to reveal the
MYSTERY!
WHAT, then, IS THE CHURCH?
Why
"Firstfruits"
It is that body God has specially
called out of Satan's world. It is a
body called for a very special pur–
pose- to be trained to become
rulers and teachers when God does
set his hand to convert the world.
To be enabled to rule and teach the
world with and under Christ.
It
is
also necessary that they be first
converted from human into actual
God Beings, members of the divine
God family. That explains why
they are repeatedly called the
"firstfruits" of God's salvation
(Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:16; Rev.
14:4). The day of Pentecost was
originally called the Feast of First–
fruits, picturing the Church being
called and trained for their special
mission prior to the time when God
will open salvation to the world.
Let it be clearly understood that
the time has not yet come when
God has opened the tree of life to
Satan's world. Rather than open
the tree of life to Satan's world,
God has selected those predestined
to be specially called that they
might be prepared as kings and
teachers, being actual God Beings
under Christ when God does open
the tree of life to the whole world.
That will be the time when, as in
Joel 2:28, God shall at last pour out
his Spirit upon all tlesh.
The New Testament passage
that incorrectly reads "Now is
the
day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2) is
quoted from Isaiah 49:8 where it is
"a day of salvation," not
the
day of
salvation. The Greek text also does
not have the word
the.
It
was
inserted by translators who were
deceived into believing this is the
only day of salvation for everyone.
June
1986
The very truth that the Church
is not called merely and only for
salvation-not merely to "make it
into the kingdom" as so many have
expressed it-is plainly affirmed in
the parables of the pounds and of
the talents.
Parable of the Pounds
In the parable of the pounds (Luke
19: 11-27), Jesus is pictured as the
rich young ruler going to God's
throne in heaven to receive the
kingdom of God . He gave to each
in the Church a pound, repre–
senting a portion of God's Holy
Spirit. This illustrates that we must
grow in the Spirit, or in grace and
knowledge, during the Christian
life. When Christ returns to earth,
having received the kingdom and
being already crowned, he shall call
those of the Church to an account–
ing.
Th~
one who has multiplied
the portion of the Holy Spirit
received (has grown and developed
in grace and knowledge) by ten
times over, shall be rewarded by
being given rule over ten cities. He
who qualified by spiritual growth
and development only half as much
shall reign over five cities as bis
reward. Remember we shall be
the seed in Matthew 13:1-9. But
Jesus' disciples did not understand
the parable. They questioned Jesus
(verse 10) , asking why he spoke to
the multitudes in parables. To his
disciples, called out of the world to
a special commission, Jesus replied,
"It is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heav–
en, but to them it is not given."
Here is another example showing
God is not now calling the world to
understanding and salvation. Jesus
spoke to the uncalled world in par–
ables to hide the meaning (verse
13). He explained the parable to bis
called disciples (verses 18-23).
Sorne who are called in this Church
age hear the Word of God when
preached, but do not understand,
and Satan catches away that which
was sown in their hearts. Sorne
receive the truth when preached
with joy, but Iack the depth of
mind and character; when persecu–
tion comes, they are offended and
turn away. Others hear and initially
respond, but are so encumbered
with earning a living and pleasures
of the world they produce no
fruit- like the one who received
the one pound but did not grow in
spiritual character and knowledge.
rewarded according to
our works or spiritual
growth, but salvation is a
free gift. But what of the
person who thought he
"had it made into the
kingdom" without spiri–
tual growth and develop–
ment? He shall have tak–
en away from him that
first portion of the Holy
Spirit-he shall lose the
salvation he mistakenly
thought he had . HE
uring bis human earthly
ministry,
J
esos announced
the future kingdom of God.
He taught and trained his
apostles as he proceeded.
SHALL NOT MAKE IT INTO
THE KINGDOM! He
W
AS NOT
CALLEO MERELY FOR SALVATION,
BUT TO QUALIFY to rule and teach
under Christ in the kingdom, when
God does open salvation to all on
earth.
It
is well to note that it will
not be opening salvation to those in
Satan's world.
lt
shall then be
Goo's world-the world tomor–
row.
The parable of the talents (Matt.
25) emphasizes the same truth.
Parable of the Sower
Also the parable of the sower and
But, of the others called out of the
world and into God's Church, sorne
produced spiritual fruit 100 fold,
sorne 60 and sorne 30. They are
saved by God's free grace, but in
the next life in God's kingdom,
shall be rewarded or given positions
of responsibility and power accord–
ing to their works.
That means according to fruit
borne. And fruit borne means more
than regular Bible reading, prayer,
church attendance or volunteer
church duties.
It
means "the fruits
of the Spirit" as explained in Gala-
23