Book 1 of Musings Moving Toward the Goal

Egypt is a type of our spiritual bondage in the kingdom of Satan, in the world. The journey through the Wilderness of Sinai is a type of our struggle to learn the ways of the Lord and to overcome our love of the world and our love of sin and self-will. Canaan is a type of life lived in the center of God's will in the fullness of eternal life.

It appears there is a basic understanding of the nature of salvation that needs to be renewed in Christian thinking. It has to do with the fact that salvation is a process, a program, a discipleship that occurs over a period of time.

The teaching of today suggests salvation is a ticket: "Accept Christ and you will go to Heaven when you die."

But what are we to do during the period of time between our accepting Christ and our death? I think in many instances it is being treated as though it were an open-ended period, without clearly defined structure or goals.

The goal is assumed to be eternal residence in Heaven. This goal, which is found neither in the Old Testament nor in the new, may have been derived from the philosophy of Gnosticism. According to Gnosticism, the material world is considered evil, and the goal is found in the spirit realm.

This is not at all a scriptural viewpoint.

According to the Scriptures, the goal of salvation will include our residence on the earth in a superior bodily form.

The journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan is one of four major types of redemption.

It probably is generally agreed that Egypt represents the world system.

I think Christians would not object to the idea that the journey through the wilderness portrays the Christian discipleship. However, I don't think Christians realize how specific this pilgrimage was. It was not an open-ended wandering. It was a Spirit-led journey toward a specific goal.

God led them by means of the cloud by day and the fire by night. God showed them when to make camp. God indicated to them when they were to move on.

God did not lead them along the caravan route, a much shorter way to Canaan. God deliberately led them down through the Sinai Wilderness so they would not face the hostility of tribes living at better locations.

The Jew learned many lessons along the way.

It was during this time that they were given the Law of Moses and the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Also they were instructed as to their marching order.

The events that transpired in the wilderness took place for our benefit, according to the New Testament. We learn much about the Lord and His ways from reading of the experiences the Jew had in the wilderness.

There was nothing open-ended about this period! Neither is there anything open-ended about what happens to us after we come to Christ for salvation.

After we accept Christ, every moment of our life is designed by the Lord. The problems and temptations of each day are carefully orchestrated.

In fact, our life was planned from the beginning of the world. We were foreknown and predestined to be changed into the image of Christ; chosen to be revealers of the Glory of God.

But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased To reveal his Son in me so I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, (Galatians 1:15,16)

We may not have realized it, but God knows exactly what He is doing.

The idea of God choosing people from the beginning of the world to reveal His Glory may not sound very democratic, but it is what the Bible teaches.

We are so filled with humanistic philosophy we cannot accept some of the ideas presented in the Bible! We are trying to make the Bible fit human reasoning.

It may be true that the biggest problem in human thinking, an error that makes much of the Bible irrelevant, has to do with the objectives God has in mind. I have written a great deal about this subject - the goal of salvation.

The goal toward which God is moving us accounts for every episode of our life. The goal is twofold: first, that we might be in the moral image of Christ; second, that we might be dwelling in untroubled rest in the Person and will of God. This is where Jesus is - in untroubled rest in the Person and will of the Consuming Fire. He wants us to be there with Him forever.

Once we are in the moral image of Christ, and dwelling with Him in the Father, then we are eligible and competent to perform the numerous Kingdom tasks - roles that are waiting for those who can occupy them. One major role is that of being a member of the Bride of the Lamb. Another role is that of being a member of the Body of Christ. Another is that of being a brother of Jesus Christ. Another very important role is to be a living stone in the eternal Temple of God.

And there are many Kingdom roles and tasks other than these.

This is why we go through the experiences that we do. We are not being tossed about by random forces. Every event of all history works together for one major purpose - to fashion God's elect into the image of Christ and to bring each one into the rest of God, the rest of flowing with the Life of God.

Today the goal of our salvation is presented as that of going to Heaven after we die. There we will live in a splendid mansion. We will be in the midst of unimaginable affluence, having access to an unlimited supply of gold, diamonds, and other forms of monetary wealth.

What will we do there for eternity? Who knows or cares!

The point is we will have retired from the earth. No more problems, cares, sickness, death. We can do anything we want; eat anything we want; sleep all day if we want to.

Compare this with the scriptural vision of Jesus Christ and His warriors descending from Heaven and driving wickedness from the earth. After Christ is crowned King in Jerusalem He will send His victorious saints throughout the world so those who have been saved of the nations will have people who care for them and will rule them with justice.

The saints will have numerous problems as they cleanse the earth of Satan and his forces. But the events of their life on earth have prepared them to face pressures, temptations, and problems. They have lived in prayer on the earth and now they will continue to live in prayer.

Can you see there is a relationship between what is happening to us now and our future destiny?

The difference between the traditional vision and the scriptural vision is stark. Will Christians ever be taught the scriptural vision while living on the earth? I do not know. I am not even certain they will be taught the scriptural vision after they die. Maybe they will go to their mansions and pass the time with their friends. I would not be at all surprised if this is what happens.

But there are on the earth, and have been throughout history, people who walk with the Lord. Like Anna and Simeon in the Temple with the Baby Jesus, for example, or like the father and mother of John the Baptist.

The churches reach out and millions of people are converted.

From these millions there may come forth fifty who walk with Christ and know what He is doing.

It doesn't take many! These are the victorious saints. To them has been given the creation of God. They shall appear with Christ and inherit the earth. In fact, they shall inherit all things!

Perhaps if more believers understood the issues we are facing they would be more zealous in serving the Lord. Maybe if they realized there are thrones of glory waiting for those who care enough to follow Jesus each day through every kind of difficulty they would be more diligent.

Or maybe the desire to press through the million and one problems that face us at all times is a gift from God. That may be a fact. Yet, who knows what God will do for any individual who sets himself or herself to walk with God!

We leave Egypt, the Antichrist world system, by being baptized in water into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

After that our task is to follow the Holy Spirit. This is not an open-ended walk! Every day the Spirit has a curriculum He sets before us. We have to be really determined - especially in America - if we are to turn away from the distractions of life and keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

It isn't easy.

Do you remember Demas? He was an associate of the Apostle Paul. How would you like to be an associate of the Apostle Paul? Would you stick with him throughout his numerous trials and sufferings?

Demas didn't! Can you imagine? Demas was with the Apostle Paul, and turned away to the things of the world. Maybe he saw a racing camel he coveted, or perhaps an unusually fine tent. Or maybe one of the girls that served in the local heathen temple. Demas forsook Paul, having loved this present world.

Things of tremendous worth are purchased at a tremendous cost. We desire to sit on the highest throne with Jesus Christ. This is the promise to the victorious saint.

Do we imagine we are going to slide through life, attend church, sing a few hymns, and then be placed on a throne of such size, authority, and power it cannot be comprehended in the present hour?

We are going to "rule and reign with Christ," we say. Have we any idea what we are talking about? Is God a fool that He would place immature, self-seeking, faithless, silly people on the mightiest throne of all?

No, God is not a fool. We are if we imagine such a ridiculous circumstance.

Our journey throughout life in this world is a time of instruction. Either we miss the point and bounce from one problem to another, or else we seek Christ diligently each day in order to determine His will for us.

Those who put their hand to the plow and then look back are not fit for the Kingdom of God, and certainly will not be assigned a high rank in the Kingdom.

God has His victorious saints, and I think they can be found in every Christian group. Some day they will be drawn together and the light from them will shine from the East to the West. Then the world will believe the God of Heaven is the One who has sent Jesus Christ into the world.

You can be one of the Lord's mighty men, if you so choose. But you will have to turn away from unnecessary involvement in the world system. You will have to overcome through Christ the lusts of your flesh. And you will have to forsake your self-will and self-centeredness until Christ becomes All in all in your life.

And don't expect other Christians to bless you or encourage you, because they very well may turn away from you and gossip about you. Let them play their religious games, but you press forward in Christ with all your strength!

You can do it, and Christ will help you. But there isn't much time left in America, so you need to act now.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Rev 3:21)

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