|
|
|
|
DIVINE
ENCOUNTER(RENEWAL
FELLOWSHIP) P.O.BOX 3625, WARRI Delta State Nigeria, Africa TOPIC:
OUR
RESURRECTION HOPE IS NOT'RAPTURE' PART 2 TEXT: 1
THES. 4: 13‑18 THE
THREE CATEGORIES OF CHRISTIAN RISERS IN 1 THES. 4: 13-17 With the background laid in the part one of this
study, we can go on to examine the context of the text. A careful study will
reveal the fact that there three categories of Christians mentioned in this
passage that will have to experience the resurrection hope being discussed.
These are those who (1) 'SLEEP 1N JESUS (2)"ALIVE AND
REMAIN" (3) DEAD IN CHRIST. These
we hope to examine in the light of the Spirit of God as revealed in His word. THOSE WHO SLEPT IN JESUS. "But I would not have
you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them WHICH ARE ASLEEP, that ye sorrow
not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again , even so them also which SLEPT IN JESUS will God bring with Him
" 1 Thes 4:13. Kjv. Don't" be in any doubt, about those who fall
asleep" IN DEATH, God will just as surely bring with Jesus all who arc
"asleep" in "Him". Phillips ."We want you not to remain
in ignorance, brothers, about those who SLEEP IN DEATH; THOSE WHO DIED AS
CHRISTIANS; God will bring them to life with Jesus" NEB "those' who
have DIED IN JESUS', God will bring
with Him" Jb. '‑those who have fallen asleep (in death) THROUGH
JESUS; God will bring with Him'. Interlinear Trans. Now it is abundantly clear
that when we are talking about those who 'SLEEP lN JESUS', we mean those who lay
down their physical bodies but believing Christ. This is made plain when Jesus
taught the disciples this spiritual truth using the case of Lazarus 'death, when
He said "Our friend Lazarus has fallen ASLEEP, but I shall go and wake
him" The disciples said , 'Master, if he has fallen asleep he will
recover.' Jesus, however, had been speaking of his death but they thought that
he meant natural sleep. Then Jesus spoke out plainly: Lazarus is
dead‑"Jn. 11:11-14 NEB. So friends, this is the truth, to sleep in
Jesus means to die physically. Therefore,. the word of God says"we shall
not all sleep"(die physically) but we shall be changed " 1 Cor.15:51
Kjv. Stephen after praying for the people "fell asleep". Acts 7:60.
"Asa SLEPT with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.."
1Kgs. 15:24,compare 2 Chron. 9:
31,2 Kgs 13:13, 2 Chron. 12:16 etc. THOSE WHO ARE
ALIVE AND REMAIN" "For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are ALIVE and REMAIN unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep" 11'hes 4: I S. SO WHAT DO WE MEAN TO BE
ALIVE?" The Greek word is " zao"(used in 1 T hes.4:15,17, Rom
6:11,13,7:9, Rev. 1:18, 2:8) and it means : to live, life (time) a (live(ly),
quick as in 1 Pet.4:5. Acts. 10:42, 2 Tim 4:1, Heb.4:12. As used in the various
scriptures above, to be alive mean to come out of sin, to recover oneself from
the realm of unrighteousness, and not necessary because one is breathing and
walking about. Hence we read "Neither yield ye your members as instruments
of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO SIN; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are
ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, and your members as instrument of RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO
GOD" Rom. 6:13 Kjv. "Do not yield your members to SIN as instruments
of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as MEN WHO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FROM DEATH TO LIFE " RSV.
"So sin must no longer reign in your mortal body, exacting obedience to the
body's desires. You must no longer put its several parts at sin's disposal, as
implements for doing wrong. No: Put yourselves at the disposal of God AS DEAD
MEN RAISED TO LIFE" NEB. People of God,this is clear enough that, to be
ALIVE is to live in righteousness. This
is made clearer
in the story of tic 'prodigal sun'. LK. 15:11-32. In verse 17
we arc told
"when he came to himself " that is, he realised he must go back
to the father's house a realm of righteousness instead of wasting his resources
and living like a beggar (sin). In the word of the father (God) on seeing him
returning (all wandering sons of the father God living in unrighteousness)
" – this my son was DEAD, and
is ALIVE
(ANAZAO) again"
v. 24, 32. The
word Anazao means to recover life, live again, revive. This is too plain,
for this son 'came to himself' Men. l He became alive from "sin and
trespasses" Eph.
2:1 Thus is what
it means to be alive. Just as Paul " was ALIVE without the law once, but
when the commandment came, SIN
REVIVED, and I
(Paul) died"
(to the righteousness 'of God) Rom. 7:9. AND
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "REMAIN?" (1 Thes. 4:15,17).Again the word "Remain" is from the Greek word 'perilcipo' which
means to live around, i.e. (pass), survive remain. It is taken from the root
word 'LEIPO' which means to fail or be absent, be destitute (wanting), lack.
Thus simply means 'those who are Alive and Remain' are those who have not
attained to the fullness of God's righteousness as far as His life is concerned,
bearing ii mind that God intends that His people sanctified "spirit, soul
and body" IThes.5:23 Complete redemption for the whole man. But here are a
people who have known God but their living, character and conduct is still short
of that which is expected of them in God they 'remain'. Again the words of Jesus
to the Church in Sadis will make this plain' I know your WORKS; you have the
name of being ALIVE, and you are dead. Awake
and straighten what REMAINS and is on the point of death, for I have not found
your WORKS PERFECT in the sight of God", Rev. 3:1-2 RSV. "... I have found that what you are doing
is LESS than what my God wants". NCV. In other words, this church was
claiming to be all alive in God's righteousness without realising that they
where still walking below expectation in some areas they remained. So to be
alive and remain means one's inability to attain to the fullness of God's life
while in the flesh. Though a Christian,but with some short comings, no wonder
Paul said, he was "dying daily" in order to press towards the mark of
the high calling in Christ Jesus – perfection (maturity).' THOSE WHO ARE
DEAD IN CHRIST. 1 THES. 4:16. While it is true that there are instances where the
word "Dead" in the NT means a physical laying down of the body, e.g.
Jn 11 "44, Rom. 6"4, it is important to note that to be "DEAD IN
CHRIST" is completely different in experience as compared to being
"ASLEEP IN CHRIST" as explained above. While "Asleep in
Jesus" means a physical laying down of the body, to be "Dead in
Christ" means walking in newness
of life without any form of sin in the power of the Holly Ghost. The word says
"well then, shall we keep on sinning so that God can keep on showing us
more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Should we keep on shining
when we don't have to? For sun's power over us was broken when we became
Christians and were baptised to become a part of Jesus Christ; through His
death,the power of your sinful nature was shattered. Therefore, no one who has
become part of God's family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God's son,
holds him securely and the devil cannot get his hands on Him. Rom. 6:1-3,
1Jn.5:18 TLB. Simply put, to be "Dead in Christ" means living a holy
and righteous life where you can no longer practice sin. These are those who are
dead in union with Christ (Interlinear translation) compare Eph 2:6. Doing only
that which is pleasing to the Father. In other words you are "dead indeed
unto sin, but alive unto God through Christ our Lord" Rom. 6:11 KJV.
"For (as far as this world is concerned) you HAVE DIED, .and your (new,
real) life is HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD." Col. 3:3 Amp. These are the people
with minds completely centred on God. Col. 3:1. Though in the world, but out of
the world. So the three categories of people to partake of the resurrection hope
in the words of the Spirit are (1) those who sleep in Jesus (died physically as
believers) (2) those who are alive and remain (walking in God but still short of
total perfection in character and conduct) (3) those "Dead in Christ" ('those who are
totally being controlled by the power of the Holy Ghost, living a holy life in
thus present evil world). Gal. 1:4. To
be continued
OGAGA O.DAVID |
Send mail to ministry@notibutchrist.org with
questions or comments about this web site.
|