Tidbit #8
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
By Tom L. Ballinger
Jan 29, 2016
The Tidbits mentioned in this article are highlights from Plainer Words Online …From the Beginning of the Creation, Parts I – V. Before the beginning of creation, there was nothing! Nothing existed—save only God.
THE DEEP
“Or, Who shall descend into the Deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)” (Romans 10:7).
The Deep—the thought expressed, highlighted by the yellow (above), is a proverb for accomplishing the impossible. Also, The Deep is vast space, expanse, or an abyss. It might refer to the vast expanse of waters at the beginning of the Creation from which the Earth was created (Psalm 104:6, Proverbs 8:28).
Figuratively, the “deep” means that which is profound or mighty; the great judgments of God (Psalm 36:6\, 92:5; Rom. 11:33). Or,“the deep things of God.”
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10).
“The deep” = the water at the beginning of the Creation.
THE EARTH CREATED
The earth was created out of water - “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2).
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters” (Gen. 1:6).
And the earth was submerged in the deep, then God said, let the dry land appear, and it did; and God called the Dry Land – EARTH.
(9) And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together
unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. (10) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:9-10).
The Bottomless Pit—Strong’s # 12= “abussos – the deep, the abyss (Revised Version). The abode of the dead and evil spirits (Romans 10:7). The Bottomless Pit cf. Luke 8:31, Revelation 9:1-2, 11; 20:1.
The Six-Days of Creation was to benefit mankind in every way possible—in plainer words, God created a Perfect Environment for His Creatures. This is evidenced by the length of life of man prior to the Universal Flood.
AGES OF PRE-FLOOD PATRIARCHS
1. Adam 930 years old when died (Gen. 5:5)
2. Seth 807 years old when died (Gen. 5:8)
3. Enos 905 years old when died (Gen. 5:11)
4. Cainan 910 years old when died (Gen. 5:13)
5. Mahalaleel 895 years old when died (Gen. 5:17)
6. Jared 962 years old when died (Gen. 5:20)
7. Enoch 365 years old when God took him (Gen. 5:23)
8. Methuselah 969 years old when died (Gen. 5:27)
9. Lamech 777 years old when died (Gen. 5:31)
10. Noah 950 years when he died. He was 600 years old when the Flood came, and died 350 years later (Gen. 9:29)
MANY ANGELS LEFT THEIR FIRST ESTATE
Jude 6
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day”
Many of Heaven’s angels chose to leave the domain in which they were to populate. They were attracted to the beauty of the daughters of men during the Days of Noah.
“That the sons of God (i.e., the fallen angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (Gen. 6:2).
God discerned the angels’ desire to go in unto the women of the Earth. He warned them that if they left their first estate and “wifed” (a new word coined) the human females, they would become like men and pay a price—DEATH.
‘I [God] have said, Ye (angels) are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes” (Psalm 82:6-7) because of leaving their first estate. They became visible and mortal. The fallen angels impregnated the daughters of Eve whom they chose to intermarry.
Their offspring were giants, “Nephilim.” The giants were “half-breeds,” which is to say, they were half-angel and half- human. Their intermarriage, an “utterly unnatural union, violating God's created order of being, was such a shocking abnormality as to necessitate the worldwide judgment of the Flood” (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary.)
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Gen. 6:4).
Because of this co-mingling, wickedness was “great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his [the half-breeds] heart was only evil continually” (Gen.6:5). This evil condition grieved the LORD, and He said, “… I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them” (Gen. 6:7).
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8).
Eight human beings were saved alive on the Ark when the Flood came; Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives. Plus,every creature that possessed the breath of life.
“And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (Gen. 6:17).
These unholy marriages may have begun soon after the Six Days of the Creation. Birth control was not practiced by mankind or the Nephilims. The population on the Earth exploded between the fallen angels and the daughters of Eve.
HUMAN-KIND WAS TO MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth” (Gen. 1:27-28).
Two factors were at work in populating the Earth. One - was Adam, Eve and their descendants bearing offspring, and Two - was the fallen angels and their uninhibited ravaging of the Earth’s females.
By the time God was going to destroy every person and everything He created, there were only eight people on Earth who had a pure pedigree. That is to say, Noah and the seven members of his family were not tainted by the mixture of Nephilim’s DNA.
The Earth had 75% more land mass before the Deluge. There were no oceans before the Flood. The Earth would accommodate many millions more inhabitants that it would after the Universal Flood. When the Flood abated, oceans were formed in all of the deep depressions in the Earth. After the Flood, 75% of the Earth’s surface was water. To this day, it still is.
The Firmament (Raqiya) was positioned approximately 11 miles above the Earth. It was a Canopy encasing the Earth. The Canopy was a frozen bubble around the Earth—it was in crystalline form (ice frozen in thin sheets), pure, and translucent. It is estimated to have been 20 feet thick (see “Panorama of Creation,” Page 47).
Beneath the Earth’s surface was what we’d call a Nuclear Reactor. It moderated the temperature between the Earth’s surface and the Canopy. When God rendered judgment upon the Earth, He then uttered His voice and the Earth melted (Psalm 46:6). The Earth’s crust was fractured and the scalding hot waters of the great deep spewed as high as 60,000 feet and began melting the Canopy. The water fell as rain for forty days and nights.
“And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died” (Gen.7:21-22).
Everyone on Earth died, except the eight who were saved alive—to wit, Noah and his wife, and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their three wives.
WAS GOD MERCILESS FOR CAUSING THE DEATH OF ALL MEN?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
How many men died in Noah’s Flood? The Bible doesn’t give us a number of how many died in the Flood. All of those who drowned were mixed with the blood-line of the fallen angels─ the Giants, i.e., the Nephilim, and the Rephaim (mighty men, men of renown). The world was populated with an impure line of humanoids (part human and part angel). Those who perished in Noah’s Flood were not true descendants of Adam and Eve. They were “hybrids;” the result of crossbreeding between humans and angels—the result was a race of “half-breeds.” They died “like men” (Psalm 82:7). This crossbreeding was a Satanic project to destroy the “Seed of the woman (Jesus Christ)” (Gen. 3:15) Who is to crush the serpent.
In Conclusion of Tidbit # 8: Some “brave souls” have ventured to come up with a calculated estimate of how many died in the Flood. Sunandshield.blogspot determined one billion died; www.godlikeproductions.com estimated 7 billion died; Wordpress—the scienceguy reckoned 10 trillion drowned in the Universal Flood.
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that” (Genesis 6:4).
Tidbit #7
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
By Tom L. Ballinger
Jul 16, 2015
Dear Plainer Words Friends,
Within the reach of my desk is a shelf that holds my old well-used Bibles from days gone by. Sometimes when I take a break, I will take one of the old Bibles I used when I taught Bible Classes at the Berean Chapel in Mobile. These Bibles are like my old friends. I enjoy holding them and opening them up to some old Truths I had treasured. They feel as warm and cozy as a loving little kitten!
The Bibles I used were wide-margin Oxford University Press Authorized King James Versions. In these Bibles, there are 16 ruled-line pages for Notes before the Title Page and 14 ruled-line pages at the end the Map section.
The student, or teacher can use the wide-margins and ruled-line pages for valuable notes in their study of the Scriptures. I made extensive use of these. I used Rapidiograph pens with India ink to make permanent notes in my Bibles. I made notes so, as I taught, I had the next verse for the class to turn to. The chain of references was penned in India ink beside the verse in the margin. If I wanted to remember to make a comment about the verse, I’d have it printed in the margin.
A few days ago, I picked up oldest friend, Vintage 1965, and began to “wet-thumb” my way through the Psalms. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. I “wet-thumbed” my way through a number of the Psalms, and when I turned to the 139th Psalm, I stared with concurrence at what I saw. What I had written was the conclusion I reached after my study of the text. Here is what I saw written in the margin next to Psalm 139:16.
ABORTION
IS TO KILL
Four versions of Psalm 139:13-16 follows:
Psalm 139:13-16 (KJV)
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16 (New International Version)
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16 (New King James Version)
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Psalms 139:13-16 (New American Standard Version)
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
I have never published a Plainer Words Study on this subject. I see the Scriptural evidence points to the fact that God sees a person in the womb at every stage of development. I see this as being easy to believe based upon the above.
~~THE END~~
Tidbit #6
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
By Tom L. Ballinger
May 18, 2012
Why does the Authorized King James Version use the terminology ─ "Holy Ghost?"
Answer: It is only the King James Version of the New Testament which uses the term "Holy Ghost." It occurs 90 times in the KJV. The term "Holy Spirit" occurs only 7 times in the KJV. There is no clear reason as to why the KJV translators used Ghost in most places and then Spirit in only a few. The exact same Greek word, "pneuma," is translated "ghost" and "spirit" in the KJV in different occurrences of the words. By "ghost," the KJV translators did not intend to communicate the idea of "the spirit of a deceased person." In 1611, when the KJV was originally translated, the word "ghost" primarily referred to "an immaterial being."
With recent Scripture translations, "Spirit" has replaced "Ghost" in most instances. Some of this came about because words don't always hold their meanings. In the days of Shakespeare or King James, "ghost" meant the living essence of a person. As we look back, we see that "breath" or "soul" was often used as synonyms of "ghost." During these times, "spirit" normally meant the essence of a departed person or a demonic or paranormal apparition. As the English language evolved, people started saying "ghost" when speaking of the vision of a dead person while "spirit" became the standard term for life or living essence, often also for "soul." With slight exceptions, "ghost" and "spirit" changed places over the 400 years since 1611.
Tidbit #5
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
July 19, 2011
THE ANCIENT OF DAYS
The name ─Ancient of Days ─ is found in the Seventh Chapter of "The Book of Daniel." It is mentioned three times. This title is commonly believed to be a Personal reference of God as Father, or as God Himself. The idea that Daniel saw God as the Father may seem to be right, inasmuch as we read in Daniel 7:13 that the Son of Man came to the Ancient of Days. Many believers see in this context—the Father and—the Son.
THE CAST OF TWO CHARACTERS:
THE ANCIENT OF DAYS AND THE SON OF MAN
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him" (Daniel 7:14)
This lends confirmation to the conventional "wisdom" of many that the "Ancient of Days" is God Himself, and the Son of Man is Jesus Christ.
However, the Man seen in the night vision is ONE LIKE the Son of Man, NOT THE SON OF MAN HIMSELF. It is a man LIKE the Son of Man; likewise, it can be said that the Ancient of Days is One that is portrayed to be God Himself.
A few comments are in order before we look into a particular vision that Daniel had. His Book was one of Dreams and Visions. The Lord spoke to Daniel by means of, and through, dreams and visions. He experienced the dreams and visions of major prophecies. He was, at times, transported into the arena in which great events were taking place in the spiritual realm of the heavens. At times, in his visions and dreams, he even interacted with the angels. He was given supernatural ability to interpret the dreams of others and he was empowered to read and interpret the Handwriting of God, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN which was written on the wall of Belshazzar's banquet hall (Daniel 5:25-28).
In Daniel 7, it should be noted that the scenes, described, are mostly in the invisible spiritual realm in the heavens. The heavens are populated with God's heavenly hosts and Satan's fallen angels.
The scenes that play out in Daniel's dreams are dramas in the heavens. That part of the drama which will take place on the earth, humanly speaking, will not be seen as Daniel saw it. Daniel saw four beasts that were fiendish in appearance, troubling to behold, and wildly grotesque. Should we dream Daniel's dream, we would call it a nightmare.
The four beasts in Daniel Chapter 7 are four kings. What Daniel sees are spiritual representations of these kings. These are how God will see them. Since He looks upon their hearts, He sees them as being grotesque because they are desperately wicked. When these kings show up on earth, the first one will not look like a lion with eagle's wings, the second will not look like or have the appearance of a bear with three ribs in his teeth, the third king will not look like a leopard with four heads and four wings on its back, nor will the fourth king appear as a dreadfully powerful and strong creature with iron teeth and ten horns on his head.
The men of that age will see these as handsome creatures. But, to God, they are as fierce beasts of the wild.
Each of the four kings will have great influence over the turbulent masses. They will be the quintessential politicians of their time – they will be flatterers who promise peace and prosperity. But, inwardly, they are ravenous wolves (i.e., wild-beasts). They will be the embodiment of evil, and it's as if when the Lord looks at them, they have the appearance of the beasts described in Chapter Seven. These creatures (beasts) in the heavenly realm represent their counterparts in the earth in the consummation of that Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God.
In the progress of time in Daniel Chapter 7, we read of "the Ancient of Days" in the three following verses:
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire" (Daniel 7:9).
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him." (Daniel 7:13).
"Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom" (Daniel 7:22).
"The Ancient of Days" is the expression used in reference to the LORD (Yahweh). The vision in Daniel's mind was inspired by the LORD. What Daniel saw was not the Eternal LORD Himself, but an aged man in whose dignified and imposing form, the LORD reveals Himself. In plainer words, God showed Daniel, in the night dream, an old man; not that God is an old God but the vision of an elderly man who inspired, in that day, dignity and respect. Age inspired veneration and conveyed the impression of majesty. This impression is heightened by the robe He wore which was white as snow, and by the appearance of the hair of His head which was like pure wool, and, also, by the flames of fire which are seen to go forth from His throne.
The expression used in references to God in Daniel (Dan. 7:9, 13, & 22) is not intended to suggest the existence of God from eternity. It was the venerable appearance of old age that was uppermost in the writer's mind. (Compare Ezek 1:26).
We have a Plainer Words Bible Study on the Book of Daniel. It is in Eleven Parts. We have taken a fresh look at the book. We have laid aside the writings of the prominent expositors of "The Book of Daniel" and have "plowed new ground." It is suggested a study be made of "A Fresh Look at Daniel" as found in the Plainer Words web site:
Click:
http://www.plainerwords.com/artman2/publish/2008/A_Fresh_Look_at_Daniel_-_Part_1.shtml
(This is a Publication of Plainer Words)
Tidbit #4
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
January 26, 2011
COMPLETE IN CHRIST
The following thoughts were written sometime ago and we refer to it quite frequently. We must never grow careless of being "complete in Christ."
"As a believer, I am complete in Christ. I died with Christ to the worldly way of looking at things. Being complete in Christ, I am not compelled to live by the rules, creeds and precepts of worldly Christianity, which insist on self-abasement and a voluntary humility which is the result of a vainly puffed-up mind. Being complete in Christ, I am not subject to church ordinances. Those who submit to such ordinances openly display their incompleteness. Self-imposed restrictions have, indeed, the outward appearance that popularly passes for wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion, humility, and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the fleshly nature. The fleshly mind of incomplete Christians think by not doing this or that, they improve their stature as Christians. Those who believe that Christ Jesus has done it all are those who rest, comfortably, in the fact that they cannot add one cubit to their completeness. They are filled to the fullest. In Jesus Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. And Colossians 2 informs me that I am in Christ and; thereby, I am complete, or perfect in my standing before God. All because of the unmerited favor bestowed on all who believe present truth. I no longer fret over my standing in Him. I am no longer occupied with my good works or lack of them—in plainer words, my focus is not upon myself. Therefore, I am free to be occupied with God Himself."
"My spiritual pursuit is to increasingly know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, that in resurrection, I might attain a prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
The question Christians should ask themselves; "Am I complete in Christ?" If so, the believer should acknowledge it.
(This is a Publication of Plainer Words)
Tidbit #3
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
October 15, 2010
In operating a business, we continually emphasized that—BASICS BUILD BUSINESS! Business is built upon fundamental "Building Blocks." If the building blocks of a business are not held fast, goals are not reached, profits are not reaped, and there is no confidence in Management. Likewise, there are BUILDING BLOCKS in Bible Study which, if not followed, results in confusion, loss of confidence in Scripture, stunted Christian growth, and most alarming of all—ERROR!
We call these BUILDING BLOCKS THE GOLDEN RULE FOR BIBLE STUDY.
The Bible student must ask these questions when reading a passage of Scripture:
- WHO IS speaking?
- TO WHOM is the speaker speaking?
- ABOUT WHAT is the speaker speaking?
- WHEN WAS it spoken?
Remember the profound and sage advice written by Dr. Ethelbert W. Bullinger in his landmark treatise, "How to Enjoy the Bible" (September 1907, Page 65). He said the following:
"While the Word of God is written FOR all persons, and FOR all time, yet it is as true that not every part of it is addressed TO all persons or ABOUT all persons."
Or, it could be said another way:
While ALL of the Bible is FOR YOU, it is not all TO YOU, nor is it ALL
written ABOUT YOU.
These are the building blocks of Bible Study that should be laid down in order to enjoy the Bible.
(This is a Publication of Plainer Words)
Tidbit #2
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
September 20, 2010
THE GLORIOUS APPEARING
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing [epiphaneia] of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)
As members of the “Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23), we look to Titus 2:13 as our great HOPE. However, we should be sure that we are NOT looking for two events as the verse suggests.
We need to recognize that the figure of speech, “Hendiadys,” appears, twice, in this one verse. One of the “Hendiadys” relates to the Hope mentioned. We are NOT to be looking for two Hopes which would be:
(1) that blessed hope, and
(2) the glorious appearing
A “Hendiadys” is where two nouns, in this verse, are joined together by the conjunction “and.” The two nouns are in the same case; thus, indicating that one thing is in view. We are not to look for two hopes. It needs to be recognized that a “Hendiadys” occurs in the verse which means—TWO THINGS ARE MENTIONED, BUT ONLY ONE THING IS MEANT. (See Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, by E. W. Bullinger, P. 669). Or, as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “Hendiadys:”
“the expression of an idea by the use of usually two independent words connected by ‘and’ (as nice and warm) instead of the usual combination of independent word and its modifier (as nicely warm) “
Hendiadys is pronounced as “Hen-die-adas.”
Our Hope is the glorious Appearing. Taking into consideration the “Hendiadys,” the idea of the phrase is—Looking for that blessed hope; that is to say, the glorious Appearing.
Ephesians 4:4 corroborates this when speaking of the Unity of the Spirit: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.”
The ONE HOPE of our calling is the APPEARING; that is to say, the EPIPHANEIA. This glorious Appearing is the phenomenal event which brings to an end, the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Grace ends, and Government begins, i.e., the Kingdom of God.
Another “Hendiadys” occurs in the latter part of the verse:
“the Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Here, One Person is meant, not two: the Appearing of the great God; that is to say, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
This identifies the GREAT GOD as our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
Consider this Link for the expanded Truth on the Glorious Appearing:
http://www.plainerwords.com/artman2/publish/2008/The_Epiphaneia_Phenomenon_printer.shtml
(This is a publication of Plainer Words)
Tidbit #1
From the Bible
("Tidbit" - A Choice Morsel of Food)
What and When Is Christ's Day?
Very little is written about the future "Day" when there will be a world-wide acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father. The diligent student has the responsibility of identifying "The Day of Jesus Christ" in the purposes of God. Let this tidbit be a starting point in the understanding of "what" the Day of Christ is and "when" it dawns.
The Lord Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:56; "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My Day: and he saw it, and was glad." Jesus Christ said that Abraham saw (i.e. perceived) His Day. How did Abraham "see" His Day? God revealed Christ's Day to him; hence, Abraham saw the Day of Jesus Christ, by faith, and was "glad." The Bible student ought to "see" Christ's Day and be glad.
Notice Paul's references to the Day of Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 1:8
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:5
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:14
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:10
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
Philippians 2:16
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
The Day of Christ begins with His Appearing [the Epiphaneia], which is to say, His Kingdom [Basileia] (2 Timothy 4:1) and the blazing forth of the glory of the great God, even our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This is when the hope of the calling of the Mystery is realized. This is when our faith gives way to sight. This is the next event on God's prophetic clock. This is when Christ Jesus, in His role as the Head of the high calling, convenes [calls into session] the Ecclesia (Church), which is His Body. As the Great Convoker, He, alone, calls His Ecclesia into session. This marks His assumption of sovereignty over the nations. Those who have been memberd into "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" will, either, be raised out from among the dead, or will be changed from mortal to immortal, and will take their place, or station, in His Government.
For over two-thousand years, Christ has, silently, been building His Ecclesia (Church). Ever since Acts 28, He has been calling and choosing those who are to be revealed as members of this present body of believers who are to be "called on high." He is, silently, calling and building His Ecclesia on the grounds of Present Truth. The religious "Christian world" is unaware of this. Most Christians believe He is actively building the visible church, and they are unaware that the visible church is the work and contrivance of men.
The outstanding characteristic of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head is that the Lord Jesus Christ holds all of the Preeminence! (Col. 1:18). He shares this with no man!
(This is a Publication of Plainer Words) |
