Chapter Seven
God’s eternal purpose has always been for mankind to become a part of the rulership established to rule over His created order. It, creation, was never to be ruled over by angels, fallen or otherwise. Therefore, all creation shall finally begin to see God’s first-fruits coming into their appointed place of rulership. Note and remember that this position was purposed by God Himself. In this present age, as well as in ages past, instead of assuming his intended dominion over creation, man has become a slave held in bondage by death and the influence of a fallen adversary. For this reason, the eternal Son of God appeared in history to dwell upon the earth. This appearance was as Jesus the man became a seed through sacrifice. This sacrifice, willingly given, provided a way of escape for mankind from that place of bondage. This means that man can now have access to God’s presence and an entrance into man’s intended glory and rulership.
Jesus the man, after His resurrection was exalted in glory to God’s right hand and authority. Here He occupies this position of dominion with the full intention to finally include overcoming mankind. This inclusion points to the truth that all things shall be put in subjection under their (Christ and His many member body) feet.
Heb. 2:6-9,
“But one in a certain place testified, saying, what is man, that Thou art mindful of Him? Or the Son of Man, that Thou visits Him? Thou made Him a little lower than the angels; Thou crowned Him with glory and honor, and didst set Him over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man”.
Just who is this man that shall have dominion and authority over the world in this next coming age? By carefully beholding God’s word and the world events going on around us, we should know that the coming age of fulfillment is even now upon us. In Rom. 8:29 we are shown,
“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren”.
The ones whom He did foreknow means “to get to know beforehand”. Thus, a people in whom God knew beforehand are to stand up in this coming age, the age that is upon us now. These shall declare, through manifestation, the nature and rulership of God. It is these who are predestined, those foreordained ones, because of receiving and accepting knowledge. These are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. To be conformed means “that this people shall be fashioned like unto the firstborn Son”.
This word “conformed” is used here by Paul when declaring the fullness of being conformed.
Phil. 3:21,
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself”.
Who then is this man? Could it be only those mature one’s who put on the nature of God. That is, a changing of the soul realm, to become the body of Christ, the first-fruits of the harvest, becoming God’s dwelling place.
Heb. 2:10-11,
“For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren”.
Therefore, unto those called one’s who mature into the nature of Christ, and because of God’s covenant with obedient men; they shall become a ruling company of people. These shall be found with the government of God manifesting from them because of this nature change. We must realize that the government of God is not of us, but it is of God who flows through us because the Adamic nature is now dead. Meaning, our life is now only as Christ has He flows from us.
1 Cor. 1:26-30 states,
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world [age] to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world [age] to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world [age] and things that are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”.
“Righteousness” is a legal term taken from the courts as it is God’s judicial determination to right every wrong, Righteousness is His gift to the guilty which removes all condemnation and puts them into a state of justification. This points to full acquittal from all charges against them. “Sanctification” is a symbol taken from the pattern temple and showing a need for cleansing from pollution. It includes a renewal by the power of the Holy Spirit which allows acceptable living before God and points to our ultimate perfection in His presence. “Redemption” is taken from a background of slavery and debt. This speaks of freedom and final deliverance from all aspects of sin, including the resurrection of the body.
These first-fruits, the ruling sons, the body of Christ shall be raised up to rule in the kingdom of God as they cast down the adversary from his usurped place of the power of the air, the spiritual realm. These shall likewise arise to put death under their feet, for this ruling body of Christ shall reign until all enemies have been cast down.
1 Cor. 15:25-26,
“For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”.
Rev. 20:4,
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”.
And it is for this cause that the Sons of God, His first-fruits shall stand up. They shall rise to their inheritance to rejoice in their victory over all the enemies of the kingdom of God.
2 Cor. 4:16-18,
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man parish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.
Scripture reveals for us that the firstborn Son, the Christ Jesus, is but the beginning of God’s purpose in creation.
Rev. 3:14 shares,
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God”.
So, when we talk about the many member body of Christ, is not these many sons the “new creation” in which Jesus is but the beginning? Is the “new creation” but the renewed Adam creation or could it be a “new creation”? In Christ, His death and resurrection for us, and our identification with Him by faith, makes the existence as a new creation possible. As our focus remains upon Him, our relationship with Christ affects every aspect of our life.
2 Cor. 5:17,
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”.
“In Christ”, with the world “in” denoting “being or remaining within, with the primary idea of rest and continuance”. Therefore, our life is in Him as we are passed away from the old Adam man to be birthed into Christ. A place of rest and continuance while remaining within Him. The world “new” from above has the meaning of “fresh, of a newer quality or character”. “Creature” speaks of a new creation. A human being restored to favor through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
Rom. 5:10-11.
“For, if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved because of His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement”.
In considering the new creation man, it becomes very evident that none of the old Adam’s race, that is Adam’s nature and his life-style will enter into the rulership of the new world. The resurrection body will not be subject to death, it will be beautiful and perfect; it will have unlimited capabilities unknown to us in this present age and it will be adopted for life in the spirit realm. A spiritual body does not necessarily mean that it is an immaterial body, but one that is adapted to the realities of the age to come. The resurrection body will be our very own bodies but changed. Note that what is sown is that which is also raised.
1 Cor. 15:50,
“Now I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption”. That is to say that flesh and blood simply speaks to us of a mortal human body which does not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Book of Isaiah is filled with tremendous promises speaking of God’s desire and His ability to redeem and restore His people. Even though Israel walked away from God and His ways, yet the Lord in His gracious mercy many times brought His people back to Himself and He healed them. These same promises are for us today as God faithfully gathers His people for this day. These same promises are for us today as God faithfully gathers His people for His appearing. (Read Isa. 43:1-7).
God is truly raising up His first-fruits people today as He foretold and promised. We are more and more realizing that the Old Testament writings were written for the benefit of a generation that was to come, that is this generation.
Psalms 102:18,
“This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people who shall be created shall praise the Lord”.
This is the new nation referred to in Matt. 21:43, Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof”. This is pointing to spiritual Israel, the true sons of Abraham, the first-fruits body of Christ. These are also those who do not reject the kingdom of God as it comes forth through God’s first-fruits people who gather in the rest of the harvest.