PROPHECY - SIGNS - NICE BIBLE STUDY!

[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Doers Of The Word
by A. Edwin Wilson

DOERS OF THE WORD

The book of James has long been an enigma to Bible commentators as well as teachers. Trying to reconcile justification by works, according to the epistle of James, with justification by faith, according to the epistle to the Romans, has left more than one Bible student hopelessly perplexed. Martin Luther, in seeking to emphasize justification by faith, declared the epistle of James to be "an epistle of straw" and said that it had no place in the canon of the Scripture.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:19-22). Here we see that there is a connection between the saving of the soul and the doing of the Word. Because of a failure to distinguish between body, soul and spirit, there is utter confusion in attempts to interpret Scriptures dealing with the salvation of the soul. The,: salvation of the spirit has to do with eternal life as a gift of God. The salvation of the soul has to do with the life of a Christian from the day of his salvation until the end of the time of his responsibility (which terminates either in death or the rapture), which life results in rewards or loss of rewards - to be manifested during the coming reign of our Lord over the earth for a thousand years.

I believe the key to the book of James lies in the expressions salvation of the soul (James 1:21) and saving a soul from death (James 5:19, 20). James is expounding upon the life one lives after he is saved, and such a life is dependent upon good works if one is to receive rewards. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:26, 27). Paul in Romans is treating of eternal life, which is a believer's present possession by virtue of his faith apart from works. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Here in Matthew 7:21, occupying a position of sovereignty in the kingdom of the heavens (the Millennial reign of the Lord over the earth) is dependent upon doing the will of the Father after one has been saved. To call Jesus "Lord, Lord" is impossible except one has the Spirit of the Lord indwelling him (I Corinthians 12:3). Therefore, we know that the ones to whom the Lord addresses Himself in Matthew 7:21 are saved. But having eternal life does not guarantee one a place of sovereignty in the kingdom of our Lord, that being granted only to those who do the will of the Father.

James, in chapter 1, verses 21 and 22, tells us that it is not sufficient to be a hearer of the Word (have eternal life), but one must also be a doer of the Word (possess good works) if he is to save his soul, that is, if he is to save his life as a Christian and have rewards which will be manifested at the appearing of our Lord and will prevail during His reign. When one is a hearer of the Word, he becomes a Christian. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). Good works come from doing and these good works earn the doers commensurate rewards. In the light of I Corinthians 3:14, 15 we learn that it is possible for one to be saved, to be a possessor of eternal life which can never be lost, and yet have no good works to his credit.
 
Throughout the New Testament the expression salvation of the soul has to do entirely with the saving of the life of a Christian so that he will not appear before the Lord empty handed and have all his works destroyed by fire, though he himself shall have eternal life and shall never perish. "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28 ).

I believe that once an individual sees that Romans treats of the salvation of the spirit (which has to do with eternal life) and that James treats of the salvation of the soul (which has to do with Christian living and subsequent rewards), such a one will not try to reconcile the books of Romans and James as meaning the same thing but will accept the fact that they treat of different subjects entirely and there is no conflict at all.

James 1:22: "But be ye doers of the word (Christian living), and not hearers only" (Possessors of eternal life). James says not only to become a Christian through hearing the Word but to become a faithful Christian by doing the will of the Lord.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Spirit, Soul And Body
by A. Edwin Wilson

SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:23).

Because so many people equate spirit and soul - making man a dichotomous being, which is according to the theory of evolution, rather than a trichotomous being, according to the Scripture - I thought it well to set forth some of the teachings of the Bible pertaining to the threefold being of man.

In Genesis 1:26a the word translated God is Elohim, which is plural, and in Hebrew means three or more. In Matthew 28:19 we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Matthew 3:13-17 we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are ample other passages of Scripture which confirm the truth of the Trinity of the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Since Elohim is a Trinity, for man to be created in the image and likeness of Elohim, he too must be a trinity. Since Jesus is Elohim manifest in the flesh, and since the whole Godhead dwells in Him bodily, and since He was made in the likeness of His creature (however, apart from sin), then He too must be a trinity, like man.

It is in I Thessalonians 5:23 that the Spirit of God brings out the truth of man's threefold being, spirit, soul and body; also Hebrews 4:12 distinguishes between soul and spirit. We would naturally expect spirit, soul and body in the Lord Jesus Christ to be distinguished. That is exactly what the Scripture teaches. When Jesus yielded up His spirit on Calvary's cross, His spirit went into heaven to God the Father (Luke 23:46). See also the same experience at the time of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:59). Ecclesiastes 12:7 also tells us that the spirit returns unto God who gave it.

At the time of our Lord's death His soul went down into Paradise, which is the restful part or the place of the redeemed in Sheol (Hebrew), or Hades (Greek), which was in the lower part of the earth where our Lord and the thief on the cross went, also where Lazarus and the rich man went, the rich man being in the part of the lost, whereas Lazarus was in the part housing the saved. See Acts 2:27, where the word hell should be translated "Sheol" in the Old Testament and "Hades" in the New Testament; see also Ephesians 4:9, 10.

At the time of the resurrection and, a little later, the ascension of our Lord, it would seem that Paradise and its inhabitants were transferred from the lower regions of the earth into the third heaven. See again Ephesians 4:8-10 and then note carefully II Corinthians 12:1-4, where Paul reveals that since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Paradise is in the third heaven.

The body of our Lord at the time of His death was placed in Joseph's tomb and there remained until the morning of the resurrection. Because His body was a sinless body it did not and could not see corruption. All other bodies, like that of Job, returned to the dust (Genesis 3:19; Job 10:9; 19:25-27; Ecclesiastes 12:7). Note also in John 11:39 that the body of Lazarus was in the process of returning to the dust.

Please note carefully from the above Scriptures that at the time of our Lord's death His spirit went to be with God the Father, His soul went into the Paradise side of Sheol or Hades, and His body went into the tomb in Joseph's garden.

I would also like to call your attention to the fact that in the temptation of our Lord, being tempted in all points like as we are, He was tempted in spirit, soul and body. In Matthew 4:1-4 He was tempted in His body to turn stones into bread to satisfy bodily hunger. In vv. 5-7 His soul was tempted to make a great display before man of His supernatural power by hurling Himself into space from the pinnacle of the temple. In vv. 8-10 He was tempted in His spirit to worship Satan rather than God.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Spirit, Soul And Body
by A. Edwin Wilson

Man too suffers from the threefold temptation to his spirit, soul and body. In man's spirit he is God-conscious; in his soul he is self-conscious; in his body he is sense-conscious. Man is not a simple being but a compound being of three constituent parts, spirit, soul and body; and Paul's prayer for man was that he might in his entirety be sanctified in the day of the Lord.

What is a soulish or natural man? He is one who is dominated by his soul. He is ruled by his own personal feelings, his own emotions, his own affections, his own passions, his own desires, his own likes and dislikes, his own will. Such a one is a soulish or natural man and he is unable to understand spiritual things because spiritual truths are spiritually discerned and the soulish man does not have spiritual discernment. His spirit must be born from above to have such discernment.

What is a spiritual man? A spiritual man is one who is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God, acting through the man's own spirit according to the Word of God. The spiritual man controls his own feelings, his own emotions, his own desires, his own likes and dislikes, and his own will, whereas the soulish or natural man is under the control of his emotions, desires, passions, appetites, etc. I Corinthians 2:14 expresses this truth very clearly: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," Here the natural man is the soulish man or the one who is under control of his soul rather than his spirit being dominated by the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 2:14 and 3:1 reveal three classes of men. First is the Natural or Soulish man - one who has not been born from above. Second, is the Carnal man - one who has been born again but is still a babe in Christ, being under the soulish impulses and not in submission to the Holy Spirit of God. Third is the Spiritual man - one who has been born from above and whose body and soul are controlled by the Holy Spirit of God working through man's spirit. The Holy Spirit of God does not present truth to our souls or bodies; that is, to our brain, reason, senses or intellect, but directly to our spirits.

Please note the following quotations from Expository Values in Thessalonians, by Dr. Harold J. Ockenga, former president of Fuller Theological Seminary, in referring to I Corinthians 2:14. "The soulish or natural man is contrasted to the spiritual man. The spirit of man holds communication with the unseen and is the seat of his God-consciousness. The soul is the seat of all affections, impulses, and is man's man-consciousness. The body links man to the material world and is the seat and instrument of his outward deeds and is the seat of his world-consciousness. Sanctification involves the whole man as is evinced by the words 'holy,' 'whole,' 'blameless.'"

Dr. A. B. Simpson in his book, The Holy Spirit, says, "The predominate characteristic of the natural or soulish man is expressed by the word 'soul,' just as the predominate characteristic of the new man in the New Testament is expressed by the word 'spirit.' The soul represents the intellectual and emotional elements that constitute man. The spirit represents the higher and the divine life which links us directly to God and enables us to know and to come into relationship with divine things."

Dr. R. C. H. Lenski in his Commentary on Hebrews says, "The soul (psuche) is the seat of the thoughts, emotions, feelings, desires, volitions and actions pertaining to our earthly and bodily existence. The spirit (pneuma) is the immaterial part of our being that was created and breathed into us by the breath of God and is therefore the real seat of all His gracious operations in regenerating and renewing us. In the unregenerate the soul (psuche) rules and the spirit (pneuma) is enslaved. In the regenerate this is reversed and the spirit (pneuma) is enthroned and the soul (psuche) is enslaved. Thus no longer are we ruled by our natural, earthly, sensual soul (psuche) but by our spiritual self (pneuma)."

Robert Govett in his Commentary on Hebrews says, "Scripture distinguishes between the three parts of man - 'spirit, soul and body.' The soul is the seat of the instincts and passions which we possess in common with animals. The spirit is the deeper and more immaterial portion with which we serve God. That animals have souls, see a correct translation of Genesis 1:20, 21, 30; Revelation 8:9; 16:3." (In these Scripture references soul is translated either "life" or "living.") The Scriptures can distinguish and separate the soul from the spirit.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Spirit, Soul And Body
by A. Edwin Wilson

A study of the three words, spirit, soul and body, in good lexicons will be very valuable. In the Hebrew the word for soul is nephesh, and in the King James translation is indiscriminately translated "life" and/or "soul." In the Greek the word for soul is psuche and it also in the the King James is translated indiscriminately "life" and/or "soul." In Latin the word soul comes from the word anima, or that which animates the body, and is usually translated "life." In Leviticus 17:11 we learn that the soul or the life, nephesh, is in the blood; hence the soul is that which gives life to our physical organization. This is true of animals as well.

The thought which stimulated my interest in the study of spirit, soul and body came to mind in the study of I Peter 1:9 where, in speaking of those who had already been saved spiritually, he mentions the end or a possible result of their being saved 'as the salvation of their souls, which manifestly were not saved, though their spirits had been saved. I encountered the same truth in James 1:21 where he speaks of the possibility of the salvation of the souls of those who had already been begotten from above.

Further study in the Word of God revealed to me that the moment individuals accept Christ as Saviour their spirits are born from above, they are saved eternally (see John 3:5, 14-16, also vv. 18 and 36). Romans 8:23 presents the truth that our bodies are not redeemed until the time of the resurrection and translation.

The question next arises concerning the salvation of the soul. Peter, in the first chapter of his first Epistle makes the salvation of the soul (the natural life) dependent upon faithfulness after one's spirit has been saved. James! 1:21 makes the salvation of the soul dependent upon laying aside the old I man and putting on the new man. Paul equates the salvation of the soul I with winning rewards (see I Corinthians 3:12-15). Also II Timothy 2:12, along with! Romans 8:16-17, makes the salvation of the soul depend upon suffering and I perseverance. The life that one lives after he is saved is what we might call the soul-life.

So many Christians today, while being deeply appreciative of the eternal security of the believer, vainly imagine that it makes no difference how they live. They seem to think that all Christians will rule and reign with the Lord, despite the fact that innumerable Scriptures attest the fact that positions of sovereignty in the coming kingdom of our Lord are determined by obedience, faithfulness, suffering and perseverance. The spirit is saved at the time of the new birth, the body redeemed at the time of the rapture and translation, but the salvation of the soul or the life of man is something dependent upon and determined by the individual himself as he seeks, follows and surrenders to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

To encourage Christians to live for the Lord after their salvation, the Lord has offered many rewards, including sovereignty over as many as ten cities. Despise not our Lord's offer of rewards, but strive diligently to attain to a place of honor in His coming kingdom. See Philippians 3:13, 14.

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:23).

In Hebrews 4:12 we also read, "". . . dividing asunder of soul and spirit." These verses along with others call to our attention that man is a triunity. God is a Triunity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Man was created in the image and likeness of God, and of necessity man must be a triunity. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). Man was formed from the dust of the ground; God breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Here again is the tripartite nature of man. In salvation, or in the study of salvation, we learn that each of these three parts of man is subject to salvation at different times and in varying aspects:

1. The salvation of the spirit. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden he died (Genesis 2:17). Since his body continued to live and his soul continued to live, it was his spirit which died; and the death of the spirit in an individual is separation from God. The Bible speaks of a person who is living and is unsaved as being dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). When he is saved he is spoken of as having been quickened, or passing from death unto life (John 5:24; I John 3:14), Other Scriptures confirm the fact that when one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he receives life (John 3:15, 16, 36). The truth expressed in the above quoted Scriptures brings to our attention that the new birth which takes place the moment one believes, and the spirit of man comes to life under the begetting power of the Word of God. In the language most commonly used, man is saved, This phase of salvation is eternal, irrevocable, indestructible, and it cannot be altered under any circumstances or conditions (Romans 8:38, 39).
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Spirit, Soul And Body
by A. Edwin Wilson

2. The salvation of the body. This does not take place at the time that the spirit is saved, but at a later date. The body has been purchased and the price was the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 6:19, 20). The down payment on this purchase has been made, but the body awaits its redemption (Ephesians 1:13, 14). While the body continues in this purchased yet unredeemed condition, there is the conflict between the flesh and the spirit (Galatians 5:17-21). This conflict is possible only in Christians. The one whose spirit is not born from above cannot do anything to please God. His very nature leads him only and always into things contrary to the will of God. "0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death"(Romans 7:24)? Here is the cry of a saved spirit in the unredeemed body calling for help and for deliverance.

When does salvation come to the body? The body is not redeemed until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:51-57). The unredeemed bodies of the Christians who have died are in the graves corrupting. These bodies must be raised and must put on incorruption. The saints who are living at the return of the Lord will be caught up and their mortal bodies will become immortal. Then and only then do we have the salvation of the body, (See Philippians 3:20, 21; I John 3:2.)

3. The salvation of the soul. The Scripture definition of soul is the English word life with all of its implications. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Leviticus 17:11). The word translated life in this verse is nephesh in the Hebrew. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach. The literal translation, therefore, is "the soul is in the blood," Jesus, then, poured out His soul for the atonement of souls (Isaiah 53:12). The soul being in the blood is at once seen to be the animating principle of the body of flesh, When a man is born from above and has the Spirit of God dwelling in him, the body then is torn betwixt and between, The soul, which is of the natural man and is in the blood, pulls man toward the world and the things of the world. At the same time the born-again spirit of man pulls him toward God and the things of God. This is the great conflict described so graphically in Galatians 5:16-26.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:25-27). The Greek word psuche (soul) is used four times. In verse 25 it is translated life. In verse 26 it is translated soul. Either is correct, but it should be translated all four times the same way. The Lord here is speaking to His disciples (verse 21). The life, or soul, which can be saved or lost, has to do with the rewards that Jesus will bring with Him. (See verse 27.) I Peter 1:9 speaks of the salvation of the soul when Jesus returns. Matthew 16:25-27 speaks of a soul being lost when Jesus returns. Luke 12:16-21 tells of a soul being lost when Jesus returns because it had been lived for self and not for God. Incidentally, verse 21 makes it clear that the rich, young fool was saved because an unsaved person cannot be rich toward God as was possible for this wealthy farmer. I Corinthians 3:15 tells of a man losing something because his life had not been lived for the Lord. The word here, translated loss, is exactly the same word in Matthew 16:26 translated lose, that is, lose his soul.

The only conclusion to which one can come is that the loss which a man sustains in I Corinthians 3:15 and in Matthew 16:26, is the soul; that is, to lose one's soul is to lose the rewards that will be brought by our Lord when He returns. These rewards are to be for the faithful and are to be enjoyed during the Millennial reign of Christ. Therefore, the salvation of the soul is something which is dependent upon man as he labors under the power of the Spirit of God.

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (II Peter 1:10). A brother can make his calling and election sure by living in such a manner that his soul, or life, may be saved. "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). It is the salvation of the soul, or the life, that is worked out with fear and trembling.

One of the tragedies of today is the fact that because of the ignorance of the Word of God, many people will go into His presence at His appearing with born-again spirits and redeemed bodies, but lives (or souls) forfeited because they did not live for the Lord.

Again, referring to I Corinthians 3:11-15, it is stated explicitly and emphatically that a person can be saved for eternity but have no good works (his life, or soul saved) for the Lord; and this will determine his place of service and honor during the Millennial reign of Christ. After the thousand-year reign of Christ, man (body, soul and spirit) redeemed and perfected, will enjoy the Lord forever.

Now, in order to help distinguish body, soul and spirit, consider the Triunity of our Lord. At His death, His spirit went to the Father (Luke 23:46). His body was placed in the tomb (John 19:38-42). His soul went into the paradise section of hades (Luke 23:43; Acts 2:27; Psalms 16:10 - see marginal reference on hell, sheol, and hades). At the resurrection of Christ, His body, His soul and His Spirit were reunited.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
The Salvation Of The Soul
by A. Edwin Wilson

THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL

"Now the just shall live by faith, but if he draw back MY SOUL shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto destruction but are of them that are faithful to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews l0:38, 39).

The above is a literal translation from the original Greek, and your attention is called to some differences between it and the King James translation. The words "any man" have been introduced by the King James translators as the subject of "draw back," but the "just man" is the subject. An unbeliever cannot draw back from living for the Lord, but a saved man can. An unbeliever cannot live for self and lose his rewards, but a saved man can. An unbeliever cannot appear at the judgment seat of Christ without any works of gold, silver or precious stones; suffer loss and be saved as though by fire, but a saved person can. The drawing back to destruction is not to eternal damnation but is to the loss of the soul which is so plainly revealed in Matthew 16:24-27.

When Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour comes for His own with His rewards, those who have chosen to lose their souls, or lives, for His sake shall receive rewards, but those who have chosen to save their lives, or souls, for themselves shall lose their rewards. The Christian cannot lose his salvation, but he can lose his rewards.

The saving of the soul is something future and is conditioned upon the behaviour of the individual himself. Eternal life is the gift of God and can NEVER be lost or forfeited; but the saving of the soul is distinctly set forth in the Bible, not as a gift, but as a reward to be earned by diligence, faithfulness and obedience to His commands.

Failure to distinguish between soul and spirit has caused many to err and make shipwreck of their faith - not that they are lost, but that they may experience the tragedy of having their spirits and bodies saved but their souls lost. Are not the soul and the spirit the same? By no means. The soul is the natural life of the man - the self life. It is the sum total of the experiences which pertain to the man himself - his own separate personality. It is the life he lives daily after he is saved. He can live for the Lord or he can live for the world, the flesh and the devil. Such a life can issue in rewards or losses. "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (l Pet.1:5). "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (l Peter 1:9).

The salvation to be revealed in the end time is that of the soul, unto rewards. "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (l Peter 1:17).

The fear of the Lord is to qualify and determine our walk. Paul said, "Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord (II Corinthians 5:11) we persuade men to watch and be found faithful." (This fear is manifest at the judgment seat of Christ.)

Peter says, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshy lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation" (I Peter 2:11, 12).
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
The Salvation Of The Soul
by A. Edwin Wilson

Consider the awful plight of the following unfaithful servants. (They are servants of the Lord and not lost people):

1. One whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).

2. One who was at the wedding feast but had no wedding garment (Matthew 22:1-14).

3. The five who having oil in their lamps were careless and did not carry an extra supply (Matthew 25:1-13).

4. The one who appeared at the judgment seat of Christ but had done nothing for the Lord (Matthew 25:14-30).

5. That servant who knew his Master's will but did it not (Luke 12:42-48 ).

6. Those who yield to works of the flesh instead of being led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:17-21).

Do not make the common and fatal mistake of confusing the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of His dear Son, the Kingdom of Light, and similar expressions with ETERNAL LIFE, for they are different. In all but a few exceptions all these expressions refer to and mean the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ; and all the above exhortations and warnings and promises pertain to Christians who now, in this lifetime, are granted an opportunity to qualify for a place in the Kingdom by being faithful and obedient.

The force of the above warnings is taken away by preachers and teachers who apply them to a group called "professors," when they are plainly addressed to believers. We shudder to think of their responsibility at the judgment seat of Christ because they have encouraged and promoted laxity of life by teaching and encouraging Christians to disregard the multiplied warnings given by God as listed above.

"For yet a very little while indeed, the coming one will come and will not delay, but my just one by faith shall live; and if he should shrink back my soul does not delight in him. But we are not of those shrinking back into destruction; but of faith in order to a preservation of life" (the saving of the soul - King James) Hebrews 10:37-39. (Emphatic Diaglott).
 
This particular passage of Scripture speaks of the saving of the soul. We also have the same expression in I Peter 1:9; likewise James 1:21. It seems strange that it is necessary to call to a Christian's attention that spirit and soul are not the same.

In I Thessalonians 5:23 the apostle Paul prays that the saints of Thessalonica might be wholly saved; that is, their spirits, their souls and their bodies. Hebrews 4:12 describes the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit by the Word of God. The salvation of the spirit takes place immediately and for eternity the moment an individual receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour (John 3:36). This verse emphasizes that belief produces present salvation for eternity, to use the words of John Wesley himself. The body is not redeemed or saved until the resurrection and translation (Romans 8:23).

The Salvation of the soul entails rewards for a life saved or lived in obedience unto and for the honor and glory of the Lord. That a life can be lost, though spirit and body are saved, is manifested by the following Scriptures: I Corinthians 3:15, where a Christian is saved as through fire but suffers loss because his life was not lived unto the Lord; Revelation 16:15, which describes the possibility of a Christian losing his garments (wedding garments - the robe of righteousness which is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can never be lost nor taken from us) if he is not watchful in keeping his garments. Revelation 3:11 speaks of the possibility of a Christian losing his crown, and if there is no crown there can be no reigning with the Lord. Matthew 25:28 tells of the loss of the talent by the one who did not use it and therefore does not enter into the joy of the Lord as He reigns. You will note in vs. 14 of that same chapter that this one-talent servant is called "his own." In Luke 19:24 the servant of the Lord who did not use his pound forfeited the pound and therefore was not appointed to reign over any city or cities. The reigning over a city has nothing to do with salvation at all but with rewards for faithfulness.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
The Salvation Of The Soul
by A. Edwin Wilson

Looking again to our original text, Hebrews 10:37-39, we note that the one under discussion is the just one (the believer). We note also that if the just one (believer) draws back, the Lord's soul has no pleasure in him. We also note in vs. 39 that the drawing back on the part of the just one (believer) is unto destruction. Since it cannot be the destruction of the spirit and has nothing to do with the body, it has to be the soul which is under discussion in these three verses.

We note in the closing part of vs. 39 that the just one can believe (be faithful) to the saving or salvation of his soul. One cannot draw back from salvation but one can draw back from the pilgrim life and live the carnal life as described by the Holy Spirit in I Corinthians 3: 1-3; that is, he continues to be a babe all his life.

The key expression of the book of Hebrews is "Let us go on to perfection"; that is, let us go on to maturity, a full grown man in Christ, not feeding continually on milk but going on to the meat of the Word - the meat of the Word in Hebrews being the truth and teaching pertaining to the kingdom and the possibility of Christians ruling and reigning with the Lord. The sincere milk of the Word has to do with the simple gospel message which is able to make one wise unto salvation; whereas the meat of the Word will enable one to qualify for a place of sovereignty in the kingdom.

Please keep in mind that in the kingdom there will be sovereigns and there will be subjects, the sovereigns being those who have won crowns, the subjects being those who are saved as though by fire.

Everywhere in Scripture that the salvation of the soul is mentioned it is referred to as a future event and is conditioned upon the life of the individual. For instance, in Matthew 16:24-27 a literal translation would be that whosoever "wills" to save his life shall lose it and whosoever "wills" to lose his life for Christ's sake shall find it. The saving of the life (soul) or the losing of the life (soul) is determined by the Christian's willing it. The word man in vs. 24 is in italics, which reveals to us that it is not in the original text and the people under discussion are named by the Holy Spirit as being His disciples; so that the word man should be left out, and if one is to be supplied it would have to be disciples: "If any disciples will come after Me..."
 
As you read this entire passage you see that the result of the loss or saving of the soul has to do with the rewards mentioned in vs. 27. The word translated life twice in vs. 25 and soul twice in vs. 26 is the same word in the Greek (psuche). Eternal life is the gift of God and can never be lost, forfeited, given up or taken from one; whereas the saving of the soul is dependent on man. The salvation of the soul comes at the end of our Christian life rather than the beginning and one of the goals of faith in Jesus is the salvation of the soul or rewards (I Peter 1:9).

In the above verse Peter writes of the "saving of the soul" to those who have already been begotten again (see vs. 3 of chapter 1). James writes in 1:21 of the saving of the souls of those who have already been begotten by the word of truth (vs. 18 of chapter 1). The new birth - being born from above - regeneration - is a past experience for all who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas the saving of the life or soul, which results in rewards, is a future experience which will be determined by the issues of the judgment seat of Christ.

In Philippians 2:12 Christians are urged to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." By so doing they will guarantee unto themselves the salvation of their lives and receive rewards. In II Peter l:l0 Christians are urged to give diligence to make their calling and election sure so that they will not stumble and lose their rewards but, according to vs. 11, will have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The salvation of the life (soul) of a Christian will guarantee unto such a one a place of sovereignty, honor, glory, with crowns and rewards in the kingdom of our Lord. The loss of one's life (soul) as a Christian will not result in the banishment from the heavens but simply in making him to be a subject rather than a sovereign. For further study you might consider Luke 12:42-48 where we have the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servants of the Lord. The last word in vs. 46, unbeliever, is to be literally translated, unfaithful. Also see Luke 13:30; Luke 14:1-11.

My own personal conviction, born of study of the Word, observation and prayer, is that the most treacherous teaching of too many Bible teachers is that Christians can live any way they want to and still rule and reign with the Lord.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
I Saw The Souls
by A. Edwin Wilson

I SAW THE SOULS

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth. And white robes were given unto everyone of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Revelation 6:9-11).

This expression of John, "1 saw the souls," calls our attention once again to the fact that according to the Word of God man consists of spirit, soul and body. According to Revelation 1:10; 4:2, John became in the spirit. Being transported to heaven in this spirit form he was able to see the souls of many of those beneath the altar. A careful study of the Scripture at the beginning of this article reveals a number of things relative to the soul.

1. Death does not end the existence of the soul.

2. The souls were visible.

3. The souls were conscious.

4. They remembered the past.

5. They knew the future would bring the vengeance of the Lord upon their enemies.

6. They wondered at the seeming delay of the Lord in vengeance.

7. These souls cried out to the Lord.

8. They were given counsel and encouragement by God.

9. They received and wore white robes.

10. They had tangible bodies. All this, remember, is in view of the fact that their bodies had returned to the dust and their spirits were with God the Father. It might be well here to call to mind once again that at the death of our Lord, His spirit went to be with God the Father in the heavens, His soul went down into Hades and His body went into the tomb.
 
In I Samuel 28:7-25 we have the incident of King Saul's seeking the woman that had a familiar spirit and who lived at Endor. It was his desire to contact Samuel because of the extreme difficulty in which Saul was involved. You will notice in this experience:

1. Samuel's soul came up from out of the earth (his spirit was with God the Father, and his body had gone back to the dust).

2. Samuel's soul was seen and recognized by this woman.

3. She described him as an old man covered with a mantle.

4. Saul perceived (recognized and understood) that it was Samuel.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
I Saw The Souls
by A. Edwin Wilson

The conclusion to which we come is that the disembodied soul of Samuel had a form and garments corresponding to that which he had upon the earth and was recognizable by such.

Notice also Luke 16:19-31. Here in the experience of the rich man, Lazarus and Abraham, all three are manifest in their soul experience. 1. The rich man's soul has a form.

2. He can feel the flames.

3. He desires water to cool his tongue.

4. Lazarus has fingers which the rich man thinks could touch his lips with water.

5. Abraham, Lazarus and the rich man all have eyes, ears, voices, because they see, hear and speak. We conclude then that these three manifest the fact that souls are tangible, possessing form and characteristics which were theirs before death.

In II Corinthians 12:1-4 Paul is in a condition which is much better than being in prison on earth but still not comparable to the final state. Paul could see and hear the things going on in heaven and was free from the gravitational pull of the earth which holds the natural man to the earth. In II Corinthians 5:1-10 we learn:

1. While here on the earth we have a tent-house or body.

2. When we are separated from this tent-house our souls being in heaven are without adequate covering for eternity but do have a form and some sort of a covering.

3. There is a longing to not be found naked when the Lord returns, at which time we will be clothed with our heavenly house or body.

4.In between the time that we are absent from this present tent-house and the time we enter our heavenly house, our souls possess a tangible form comparable to that of Samuel, Abraham, Lazarus, the rich man and the souls underneath the altar.

The study of these particular passages of Scripture should be conclusive in establishing the fact that the soul is a definite part of the human being but distinguished from body and spirit. In I Thessalonians 5:23, Paul prays for the salvation of the spirit and the soul and the body. The Word teaches that the spirit of an individual is saved the moment he is born from above through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the body is saved at the time of the appearing of our Lord - the resurrection and translation of the saints, whereas the soul's salvation is manifested at the judgment seat of Christ.

I conclude with Paul's prayer as recorded in I Thessalonians 5:23: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

TO BE CONTINUED....
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My Note: This is a partial repeat of several like notes I've placed throughout this study. This is a complex Bible Study on many difficult portions of the Bible. There will be agreement and disagreement  on various portions, and some may not be ready for a study this complex. Again, I ask you to do the following:  1) pray before you start your study sessions that the Holy Spirit will help and guide you;  2) put everything into context - both the writing of this author and all of the Bible Scripture References;  3) go slowly, carefully, and prayerfully. This is an excellent Bible Study, regardless of some areas of disagreement. The time and effort required to complete this study will be worth it. There are many excellent examples of rightly dividing the Word of Truth in this study, even if you end up with a difference on some issues with the author. Regardless, the Primary AUTHOR we are interested in is GOD and the HOLY BIBLE - HIS WORD! With these things in mind - ENJOY!

[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
The Kings Of The Kingdom
by A. Edwin Wilson

THE KINGS OF THE KINGDOM

"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:16).

When the Lord returns to the earth in all of His power and glory to establish His reign, He will reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is not just an expression of greatness and superlative degree, but is an actual statement of fact. Jesus the Christ, the King of the Jews, is also going to be King over all other kings. There are three segments of the Kingdom announced with definite rulers:

1. The national king - David, king of Israel: "But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them" (Jeremiah 30:9). ., And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it" (Ezekiel 34:23,24). ,. And David my servant shall be king over them" (Ezekiel 37:24a). And my servant David shall be their prince forever" (Ezekiel 37:25b). "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days" (Hosea 3:5).

2. The tribal kings - the twelve apostles: "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:27,28 ).

3. The municipal kings - faithful, qualified Christians: ., And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities" (Luke 19:15-18 ).

The above Scriptures set forth in no uncertain terms the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ will be the King over all kings. David will be raised up to be the king over the children of Israel. The twelve apostles will be raised up to rule, each over an individual tribe of the children of Israel; and then certain individual Christians, by virtue of their faithfulness and suffering with Christ, shall rule and reign with Him over certain cities. "No cross, no crown. No crown, no reign."

"Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (Matthew 19:27-30).

In the passage preceding this, the rich young ruler had asked Jesus what he must do if he would have life for the coming age (that is, the millennial reign of Christ), if he would have a place of honor and glory. The Lord told him that he would have to sell all that he had and give it to the poor - not to be saved but in order to rule and reign with the Lord, salvation being simply and solely by the grace of God. The young man turned away sorrowful, because he was a man of great possessions and, like Esau, would rather have "a bird in the hand" than "two in the bush "; he would rather have present physical, material blessings than future heavenly, spiritual blessings.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
The Kings Of The Kingdom
by A. Edwin Wilson

Peter said, "Well, Lord, we have forsaken all and followed Thee, and what are we going to get?" Evidently, the subject of rewards had not been in their conversation too often.and Peter did not understand, and would appreciate the fact that a fine young man like the rich ruler would hesitate to impoverish himself now for some future unknown blessings. So the question arose in Peter's mind, as in the minds of the other disciples. I do not think Peter was peculiar to his thinking. That is one of the standards by which the world judges: What does it pay?

Our Lord introduces the subject of the regeneration, which does not have anything to do with personal regeneration, salvation or conversion. The time of regeneration is the time of the restitution of all things; that is the time of the millennial reign, the millennial glory, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall return to the earth in power and in glory and establish that fifth world kingdom. Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome were the first four, and the fifth Kingdom is to be that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is for that kingdom that the whole creation is in great pain and travail, groaning, crying, yearning, when all things shall be made right.

Referring to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ returns in the day of the regeneration, the day of the restitution of all things, the day of His millennial glory, Jesus said' 'You apostles who have forsaken all and followed Me, shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Each of the apostles will be judging one of the twelve tribes.) Here we have introduced the subject of positions of sovereignty in the coming kingdom of our Lord.

Our Lord has spoken of four kinds of kings to be in the coming kingdom - literal kings, absolute, ruling and reigning. We have what might be termed the great international King - the King over all the other kings, the Lord over all the other lords - Jesus Christ Himself, described in Revelation 19 as the King of kings, the Lord of lords." Those expressions are not just degrees of comparison, nor simply superlatives; they are statements of fact: There are going to be many kings ruling and reigning, but Jesus the Christ will be the head King, the King over all the kings.

In Luke 1 the angel of the Lord told the Virgin Mary that of His kingdom there will be no end. Geographically, it will extend to the uttermost parts of the universe. Chronologically, there will be no end because it will be forever and forever. When Jesus the Christ came the first time, He came as God's Prophet, proclaiming the Word of God, past, present and future. It was as God's Prophet that He died, a sacrifice for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. Forty days later He ascended on high, where He sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. Ever since His ascension into heaven nearly two thousand years ago, He has been fulfilling the office of our great High Priest. When I sin or when any Christian sins, He is our advocate, He is our attorney, He is our lawyer, pleading our case before God the Father as we are accused by Satan, the accuser of the brethren.

At His first advent the Lord Jesus Christ did not enter upon His reign as King of kings, neither is He ruling and reigning now. Satan is the god of this age, he is the prince of the powers of the darkness, he is the head of the rulers of this sin-cursed world. That is what is wrong with the world today. But one day Jesus Christ will have finished His high priestly work and will return to the earth in justice, in righteousness, in power and in glory as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He will sit upon the throne of David, which was and will again be in the city of Jerusalem - a real, literal city, a real, literal temple, a real, literal throne, with a real, literal King, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will execute justice, dispense righteousness throughout the earth; and then we will have what is termed here the regeneration, the restitution of all things, the righting of every wrong, the cleansing of all uncleanliness, the casting out of all wickedness.

In the setting up of the kingdom and the establishment of power and authority under Him, never forget that to Him belongeth the praise, the honor and the glory. For when He returns it will be as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
David - King Of Israel
by A. Edwin Wilson

DAVID - KING OF ISRAEL

When the wise men from the East came into the city of Jerusalem they asked, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East and are come to worship Him." He offered Himself to Israel as her King; she rejected Him and His Kingdom. Put over His head on the cross was placed by Pilate, inscribed in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

Under Him is to be another king who will be the king over the twelve tribes of Israel. Consider Jeremiah 30:9, where the Spirit of God speaks of the restoration of Israel in a future day to her land, from which she will never be removed: "But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." In Ezekiel 34:22-24, God, speaking of the end of Israel, says, "Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.

"And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever" (Ezekiel 37:21-25). Hosea 3:4,5 describes the present position and condition of Israel: "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days."

David is their king. In all of these passages of Scripture, the Holy Spirit of God has designated specifically and in no uncertain terms that David is going to be raised from the dead to sit upon a throne. Jesus Christ, being the King of kings and Lord of lords, will also be the King over the house of Israel; but David, second in command to the Lord Jesus Christ, will have for his particular dominion the kingdom of Israel. David is the man of whom God said, "He is a man after My own heart." Saul was the people's choice for king, but David was the Lord God Almighty's choice.

In this coming kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, under Jesus Himself will be this national king, David, the king over Israel. The next group of kings will be what we shall call tribal kings, of which we read in our Scripture lesson - each one of the apostles ruling under David, who is ruling under the Lord Jesus Christ. Each one of these apostles shall be a king over a tribe of the nation of Israel.

The fourth and last class of kings are what we shall call municipal kings, ruling and reigning over municipalities. Our Lord said on one occasion to one of His servants, "I will make you ruler over ten cities." To another servant, "I will make you ruler over five cities." To another servant, "Thou shalt not rule over any city." I think one of the grossest errors of Bible teaching is that error which teaches that every Christian indiscriminately is going to have a place of sovereignty and rule and reign with our Lord, when nothing could be further from the truth. If there is anyone truth that is set forth in the Word of God, it is that to rule and reign with the Lord requires suffering for Christ's sake; to rule and reign with the Lord requires obedience on the part of the disciple; to rule and reign with the Lord is based upon our faithfulness to His commands in His service. It does not make any difference about the life of an individual as far as salvation is concerned, because that is by grace, and being by grace alone, works cannot enter in. But sovereignty and merited places of service are conditioned solely upon works, and they come as rewards.

Too long have rewards been neglected; too long have Christians been taught that all one needs to do and all that is required is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only will you be saved but you will have a great position of honor and glory in the coming kingdom of our Lord. All you must do to be saved IS "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But that does not guarantee to anyone a position of sovereignty in the coming kingdom of our Lord. And we shall reign with Him if so be we suffer with Him.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Twelve Apostles - Twelve Kings
by A. Edwin Wilson

TWELVE APOSTLES - TWELVE KINGS

Continuing our studies of the kings of the kingdom, I call your attention to Matthew 19:27ff, where the Apostle Peter had asked the Lord what he and the rest of the disciples were going to get out of serving Him. Our Lord did not rebuke him for asking this question. He never discouraged any word about rewards. Many Christians speak disparagingly of rewards, when our Lord has offered many; and anyone who speaks slightingly of rewards and who disdains rewards does that of something which is very dear to the heart of our Lord. Not only that, but a belief in, and a hope of rewards is absolutely essential to living a dedicated life. In Hebrews 11:6 the Spirit of the Lord says, "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. "Answers to prayer at various and sundry times are conditioned upon a belief in rewards.

In discussing the establishment of authority in the coming kingdom we have already noted that Jesus the Christ is going to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is not now ruling as King. He is our great High Priest now, interceding with God the Father on the behalf of Christians when they sin. He does not intercede for the lost but for His own people. But to profit by the intercessory work of the Lord Jesus Christ you must first accept Him as your Saviour; then He becomes your Intercessor, enabling you to live a life pleasing unto Him, for when you sin He intercedes with the Father on your behalf.
 
The first king of authority under the Lord is David, whom God will raise up to be prince over the house of Israel, or king over the nation of Israel. I think many err in their interpretation by making David to be the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God is very specific in Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea, telling us that God is going to raise up David to be their King and Jesus Christ to be their God.

Pay strict attention to Matthew 19:28, .. And Jesus said unto them (that is, His disciples), Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

There is delegation of authority in the coming kingdom of our Lord. In our government as we know it today we have three departments of state: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. In the government of our Lord there is a fourth established, and that is the religious aspect of the government. We have separation of church and state now and that must be, because Satan is the god of this age and therefore he is qualified to rule in matters of religion.

When our forefathers established as a constitutional right or prohibition, that churches were not to exercise authority in government, that also established the right or prohibition of the government to interfere in worship. In these days of so-called civil rights movements, one must keep in mind that civil rights are not religious rights, and that no official of government has any right under God to say who can or cannot worship anywhere, any time or with any people, except that it cannot be done in phases and places of absolute control of the government. One thing that God Almighty has established in this present day is that the government's civil rights and civil authorities are under the rule and dominion of Satan; but Christian rights and privileges are under the sovereignty of Almighty God.

In the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, civil and religious rights and laws will be under one Head, because the King over all kings will be a righteous King, a just King, a holy King, a merciful King - One who doeth all things well. I am in favor of the great Society. I am in favor of the New Deal, I am in favor of the Fair Deal. But what most people forget, if they ever knew, is that the~e can be no Great Society, nor New Deal, nor Fair Deal until we have a Man at the head of such a society who is absolutely impartial, absolutely righteous and just. The only One in all of God's universe who has qualified and can qualify is the Lord Jesus Christ. So we look not for any Great Society or New Deal or Fair Deal or any such Utopia until Jesus the Christ returns as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

After the Lord has established His kingdom with Himself as the King of kings and Lord of lords, He will elevate David to be the king over the house of Israel. Next under David will come twelve kings, each one ruling and reigning over one of the twelve tribes of Israel. These twelve kings, according to the Scripture of this discussion, are to be the twelve apostles.
If you are disturbed concerning who took Judas' place, be instructed that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself came from heaven and on the road to Damascus arrested Saul of Tarsus, called him and appointed him to be an apostle in Judas' place. The other disciples would not recognize him as such and I find very few Christian preachers and teachers of the Word today who recognized him as such. But the Spirit of the Lord through the Apostle Paul gives this answer in the first verse of Galatians: "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man)..." "It was no group of men who rolled a pair of dice to see who was going to be the apostle in my case, but I was chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ and by God Himself." I think that ought to settle once and for all Judas' successor.

These twelve apostles are going to rule and reign over twelve tribes. They will receive their authority from the Lord Jesus Christ through the first vice-regent, David. They will constitute a group of twelve kings, the apostolate, ruling over these twelve tribes.

In our concluding study of the kings of the kingdom, we will discuss municipal kings - an area in which you and I as Christians have the privilege, the opportunity and the right to qualify as kings to rule and reign with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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[nChrist]

Prophecy - Signs
Municipal Kings
by A. Edwin Wilson

MUNICIPAL KINGS

We read of municipal kings in Luke 19:11-27. There is a common error abroad among fundamental, premillennial, Bible believing Christians, namely that all Christians are going to rule and reign with the Lord, regardless of the life which they have lived. But I believe, according to the teaching of the Word of God, that some Christians are going to rule and reign over certain cities, but the majority of Christians are going to be subjects in the kingdom and they will be ruled over, rather than be rulers.
 
Consider our nation, the United States of America. I am a subject in this kingdom of the United States, but I have no sovereign power. There are men who have power - there are mayors over cities, police commissioners, United States marshals, governors; there are legislators, both in the Senate and Congress; there are members of various courts and cabinets. There are many, many individuals in the United States who have positions of authority, but I am simply a subject. The government of the United States and all governments of the world are established after some form or other of divine authority, because there is no power nor authority but that which comes from God.

Who are the Christians to rule and reign and who are the ones who will forfeit the right to rule and reign? Note Luke 19:11: "And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return." The Nobleman is the Lord Jesus Christ. "And he called his ten servants..." That is, He called ALL of the Christians - ten being the number of completion and perfection in its ordinal aspect pertaining to the earth. "...and delivered them ten pounds..." That simply means He called ALL His servants and delivered unto them ALL of His business. "...and said unto them, Occupy till I come." or, "Occupy while I am coming." He is in the process of returning and has been ever since He entered into the heavens. "But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned. . ." He is coming back. That is a certainty. "... having received the kingdom.. ." He has not yet received the kingdom; the kingdom has not yet been set up, has not been established; He is not now ruling and reigning as King. He is our great High Priest, interceding for His own. "... then he commanded those servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading." That symbolizes the judgment seat of Christ. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, everyone who names the name of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he hath done, whether it be good or evil.

"Then came the first saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities." This is a Christian who is going to reign over ten cities. That will be quite a kingdom - ten cities. Such an individual, a Christian, as described above - having been faithful in the task whereunto he was appointed and not having forfeited his birthright - becomes a king over ten cities.

There is not a Christian but who, under the power and leadership of God, by the grace of God, can qualify for a place of sovereignty in the coming kingdom of our Lord.

"The second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities." Here is one whose capacities may not have been as great as the first, one who may not have been quite as faithful, one who may have become involved with the things of the world, the flesh and the devil and therefore, failed to qualify to rule over ten cities but did qualify to rule over five cities. I would judge the same to be true of anyone whose pound gained three or two or one.

Vs. 20: "And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow." This servant typifies a Christian. Do not ever let anyone deceive you into thinking that this person is lost. It is recorded in vs. 13 that he called his ten servants. This individual is a servant of the Lord, therefore, a saved person.

In Matthew 25:14 we have the parable of the talents, which is comparable in many respects to the parable of the pounds, and here we read: "For the kingdom of the heavens is as a man travelling into a far country, who called HIS OWN SERVANTS, and delivered unto them his goods." Here it says, "". . . who called HIS OWN SERVANTS. . ." This is a double possessive. Not only were they HIS servants, they were his OWN SERVANTS. God does not delegate His authority to nor does He commission unsaved people to do His work in the spread of the gospel. The work of the Lord is committed unto the children of the Lord.

The servant with one pound is a Christian, but he is a Christian who did not do what the Lord commanded him to do. He is a Christian like so many today who do not believe in rewards; he is a Christian who said the only motive for serving the Lord should be love and therefore he did not do anything. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. And fear of disqualification, fear of forfeiture of the rights of primogeniture, fear of having no inheritance in the coming kingdom, fear of being beaten with many stripes as a servant who knew his master's will and did it not, fear of reprisal, fear of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth - all of these are experiences for Christians who have proven unfaithful in the service of our Lord. The one talent and the one pound servants of our Lord are the Christians whose works have all been burned but they themselves saved as though through fire.
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