Living in Heaven...

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When we accept the call of God and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are seated with Christ in Heaven, far above all other lords and powers. While our soul and body remain on the earth, our spirit is in Heaven. Heaven is all around us, although our tradition places Heaven far beyond the stars. This is why it is difficult for us to picture ourselves at the right hand of God in Christ.

(8/21/2011). Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6,7)

So our personality is divided, part of being risen with Christ and seated with Him on the highest of all thrones, and our body and soul being confined to the earth.

I believe this will be true to a certain extent after we die. While our spirit remains in the holiest place with Christ, and our body is in the grave, our soul, our conscious identity, will be placed in an environment , either in a school or community where we fit, or else in the new Jerusalem itself.

No matter where our conscious soul is, our spirit remains with Christ at the right hand of God in Heaven. That is the way it is now, isn't it? Our conscious soul is aware of its position on the earth, while our spirit has been raised with Christ to the right hand of God in Heaven.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 11:22-24)

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20,21)

Now comes the big question: Once having been placed on the highest of all thrones, can we ever lose our position? The modern teaching is, never! However, the Scriptures teach otherwise:

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Revelation 3:11)

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:20-22)

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, (Romans 8:13)

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21)

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 3:3-7)

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men. (I Corinthians 6:9)

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." (II Peter 2:20-22)

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5—NIV)

Do you not know the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders Nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (I Corinthians 6:9,10)

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; That each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, Not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; And that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (I Thessalonians 4:3-7)

Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:28-30) But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said. "Open the door for us!" But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you." Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:10-13)

The above verses were written to Christians. And there are more! Of course, many Bible teachers state we can ignore them safely because we are "saved by grace." The voice that is saying this said the same thing a while back to Adam and Eve: "You shall not surely die"!

The minister who curries favor with his listeners in order to gain their allegiance will go to be with the debtors when he dies. This is why Jesus said the steward is wise when he changes what is owed. When he dies the debtors will receive him into the eternal habitations. It is a fearful thing to die, enter the spirit world, and have nowhere to go!

How often have you heard the verses above preached? It is probable that you have heard that God loves us so much His salvation is unconditional. No matter what you do, once you "accept Christ" you can never lose your salvation. You do not have to endure to the end to be saved. This last sentence actually is in the footnotes of my Bible! It is clear that in numerous instances the Gospel preaching of our day is not scriptural. Now I would like to say why I believe we have departed from the Scriptures; and also point out the likely consequences of our departure from the words of the Apostles of the Lamb.

First, why is today's preaching so tremendously out of balance, with God's "love" being emphasized and God's warnings to sinning Christians being largely ignored? The reason is, churches and pastors are judged on the basis of how many people attend the services. As long as this invalid measure of quality and success is employed, ambitious pastors and teachers will not teach the New Testament as it is written.

I think if God's leaders would start preaching cross-carrying obedience to their flocks, and include the warnings given by the Apostles, their followers would go to another church that would curry favor with them. But it might also be true that God would send genuine revival because His Word was being honoured!

There is no doubt in my mind that the philosophy of Humanism has heavily infiltrated the Christian churches of today—and not just in America.

The reason the New Testament is not being taught, as I see it, is that churches are judged by the numbers of people in attendance. Any sincere man or woman of God would realize the number of people in a building is not a true measure of the worth of what is being taught. But the farce goes on ....

And now to the consequences. Although the Spirit informed me several years ago that the world leadership would move from the Western nations to the Eastern nations, and much blood would be shed during this period, I still was startled to read in current periodicals of the decline of Europe.

The Prime Minister of England is bewailing the recent flare-up of vandalism, not connecting this, I suppose, with the fact that England, as well as America and other Western nations, are turning away from God. Neither America nor England is associating the current financial problems with God's withdrawal of support.

I don't believe our political leaders will ever associate the financial distress with our leaving the Gospel. In addition, God is raising up enemies against us, a classical biblical sign of God's displeasure with His people. Nor will the Christian leaders realize that it is the perversion of Paul's teaching of grace that is befuddling the political leaders.

More and more the national leaders will look to the United Nations to solve the problems of the world. As I wrote years ago, the Christian church will join with the Antichrist government to attempt to bring peace and safety to all the peoples of the earth. In the end, however, the Antichrist government will turn against the great religious Babylon, the False Prophet, of which Christianity will be a part.

Was it C. S. Lewis who remarked that you never see two dragons occupying the same territory? It is obvious, to any thoughtful, prayerful person, where the world is heading. I know many will attempt to slow this movement by political means, but they will not be successful. Out of this human travail will emerge the Kingdom of God. God's wisdom and power shall prevail at last.

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