WORLDS

“THE THREE WORLDS AND THE THREE HEAVENS” 2 PET. 3:6-13 – Part 6

“..: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly me…..
We have spoken of the condition that prevailed in the days of Noah which has extended to our Days, They were “ eating and drinking”..meaning they were full of self-gratification and indulgences .
But what is responsible for this, you may wonder? Listen “We know that, we are children of God and that ALL THE REST
OF THE WORLD AROUND US IS UNDER SATAN’S POWER AND CONTROL” (1 Jn. 5:19.tIb) “… The spirit that
worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Therefore “… all that is in the world (system of man) The LUST
OF THE FLESH (cravings for sexual gratification etc), and THE LUST OF THE EYES (greedy longings of the mind)
and THE PRIDE OF LIFE (confidence and assurance in one’s own resources or in the ability of earthly things)these
do not come from the Father, but are from the world (itself). 1Jn. 2:16 AMP.
Therefore the natural man without God’s mind is “… spiritually dead … drifting along on the stream of this world’s ideas of living and obeying its unseen ruler who is still operating in those who do not respond to the truth of God” Eph. 2:1, Philips.

3-word-and-3-heavens---dr-david

In addition to this, the world is still directly under the influence of the law, without realizing that it is not obeying the law that can save us from ourselves, but rather our faith in the promised seed, Christ.
“Well then, why were the laws given? They were added after the promise was given to show men how guilty they are of breaking God’s law.
But this system of law was to last only until the coming of Christ, the child to whom God’s promise was made…” Gal. 3:17-19 TLB.
But men in their political and religious zeal have not still seen this, and the need to embrace the grace in the Son for total liberty in the world.
Now, all of these attitudes and character, outside of God, is what is called “the image of the earthy” 1 Cor. 15:47a, 48a, and 49a. Jon. 3:31.
This earthly nature is summed up in Rom. 8:5-8.
“ For those who are according to the flesh and controlled by its unholy desires, set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh… Now the mind of the flesh (which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit is death-death that
comprises all the miseries (sickness, poverty etc) arising from sin, both here and thereafter… (That is)…because the mind of the flesh-with its carnal thoughts and purposes-is hostile to God; for it does not submit itself to God’s law… so those who are living the life of the flesh – catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature -cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him “AMP.
So the heavens (controlling factors) and the earth (people in their earthly nature) which are now, by the same world are kept in store, reserved unto FIRE AGAINST THE DAY OF JUDGMENT and PERDITION OF UNGODLY MEN” 2 Pet.3: 7
Once again, it is evident from the above fact that, the present human ways of life are evil because his ways and thoughts are not godly. But that since “God in Christ” is the saviour of ALL MANKIND, (2 Cor.5: 19, 1Tim. 2:4, Lk. 3:6, Ps. 65:2, 1Jn. 2:2, 4:14). He has ordained in His Programme to get the lost man back to Himself by having the factors of man’s enemy in their mind and spirit dealt with as by fire. Col 1:21, Eph. 2:12, 4:18, Mal. 3:1-3

SO WHAT IS THE MISSION OF CHRIST ON EARTH AND WHAT IS HE SAVING US FROM?
“Therefore, since we are now justified-(believers) acquitted, made righteous and brought into right relationship with God – by Christ’s blood, we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God (that will come upon the ungodly)-we shall be SAVED (DAILY DELIVERED FROM SIN’S DOMINION) through His (resurrection)” Rom. 5:910 Amp. For “…the Bread that I shall give for the LIFE OF THE WORD is my flesh” Jon. 6:51.

Therefore the sin’s Dominion to which we are being delivered from daily is the “life of the world,” that constitute THE EARTH (earthly nature-the old man). Hence we read “MORTIFY (KILL) YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection” etc. Col. 3:5 Compare Heb. 6:7-8.

Now, you can agree with me that these evils can only be found in the nature of man and not the physical earth, where your mango and guava trees are grown. Again, notice that, these natures are called “MEMBERS” meaning they have power and alive, so where you cannot destroy them through your faith in Christ, then eventually God’s fire will come in to do it. Then there will be no more earth -mankind of sin. Hence we read “ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the EARTH and the HEAVEN fled away; and there was found no place for them” Rev. 20:11.

So what is it that is required of us in this matter? The word of God says,
‘ “so kill (deaden, deprive of power the evil desire lurking in your members – those ANIMAL IMPULSES and all that is EARTHLY IN YOU that is employed in sin; sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, (don’t worship the good things of life.) For that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).. It is on account of these (very sins) that the (holy) anger of God is ever coming upon (those who are obstinately opposed to the divine will) the sons of disobedience; among whom you also once walked, when you were living in and addicted to (such practices). But now put away and rid yourselves (completely) of all these things; ANGER, RAGE, BAD FEELINGS TOWARDS OTHERS, CURSES and SLANDER and FOULMOUTHED ABUSE AND SHAMEFUL UTTERANCES from YOUR LIPS: Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerated) self with its evil practices.” Col 3:5-9 (TLB, Amp)

But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce these evil results; impure thoughts,
eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting,
jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone
else is wrong except those in your own little group-and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder drunkenness,
wild parties, and all that sort of things. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God” Gal. 5:19-21 Tlb.

To be continued…

(c) 2015 – Dr. David O. Ogaga

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“THE THREE WORLDS AND THE THREE HEAVENS” 2 PET. 3:6-13 – Part 3

3-word-and-3-heavens---dr-david

“..Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which
are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of
ungodly me….. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleths
righteousness..”
Matt.13: 24-30; 37-43. In the interpretation given, of the parable of the wheat and Tares,. the FIELD IS THE WORLD (KOSMOS) – ‘the system of things’. The GOOD SEED – WHEAT are the TRUE DISCIPLES – Children of the kingdom. The TARES are the EVIL ONES – Children of the devil – the enemy that planted them. The HARVEST is the END OF THE WORLD

SO WHAT THEN IS THE END OF THE WORLD?
“Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be AT THE CLOSE OF THE AGE” Matt. 13:40 RSV. The Greek word used here is SUNTELLEIA, which means the consummation of a dispensation. That means the harvest is the bringing to an end the age of evil works under the power of Satan. It is this understanding of the words of Jesus, referring to the close of the age, that made the disciples to ask the question “ …. What will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age” Matt 24:3 RSV.

Since the word “coming” in the Greek is “PAROUSIA” which means “PRESENCE”, literally it should read,
“What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things”? Math 24:3. In other words, all the signs
(symbols?) He gave in the entire Chapter 24, are the things that signal the conclusion of the age of evil, realizing
that, He also spoke of His presence, till the end of the age when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of
people of all nations…. Teaching them to observe all the things I have command you. And look! I AM WITH YOU
ALL THE DAYS UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF THE SYSTEM OF THINGS (close of the age).” (Math. 28:19-20). Int. Linear Trans.
Keep in mind again that he was dealing with the Jewish system then, so that age ended at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Again realize that it took some forty years after the death and resurrection of Christ for these things to be written and even before the fall of Jerusalem. They were still observing some Judaistic temple worship even after the Holy Ghost has been poured out hence Peter and John were still going to the Temple and healed the man by the gate. Acts was written between AD 62-63 , That’s some years before the fall which is the total end of the Jewish order of temple and sacrificial worship.

And you know what? He is here with us right from the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2.), right from when He asked the disciples to “wait for the promise of the Father”. (Acts 1:4). For the Apostles saw Him come, in the upper room. And His presence in the saints, shall be intensified at the conclusion of things, just as the Spirit puts it
“And to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in FLAMING FIRE, INFLICTING VENGEANCE UPON THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD AND UPON THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS. They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the PRESENCE of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when he comes on that day to be GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS.. (The reapers – angels)” 2 Thes 1:7-10
RSV.
Again let us understand that, this was a promise to the saints in Thessalonica as vengeance because of the persecution they were facing by Paul, so if they never realized this promise that means Paul deceived them, and if they did get a fulfilled promise, that means the Lord really came in Vengeance. This is why it’s important to understand the various comings of the Lord in the scriptures, when and how he came, and to whom and for what purpose, for he who comes to us as a judge, also comes as the Bridegroom. They are not the same comings but the same person. The letter of 2 Thes. was written in AD 50-51

UNBELIEF, THE COMMON SIN OF THE ‘AGES’
From 2 These 1:5-10, we have been able to see that, the wrath of God awaits those who know not God and refused to believe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he comes to be glorified in His saints, which also corresponds to the harvest of the age. Math 13:40. The weeds being the wicked unbelievers.

SO HOW LONG HAS THIS UNBELIEF BEEN AROUND AND WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF IT?
In Math 12:22, is a record of the story of Jesus healing a blind and dumb fellow and how the Pharisees derided Him by saying “This man is only expelling devils because he is in league with Beelzebub, the Prince of devils”. In Verse 32 we are told, Jesus said “And whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, EITHER IN THIS AGE OR IN THE AGE TO COME” RSV. “..neither in this world, neither in the world to come” KJV. “not in this system of things nor in that to come” Int. Lin. Trans.

Looking at the above scripture and the various translations so compared, one might think that, it is referring to the
age of the Jewish law and that of the Grace that will be ushered in by the Christian era, while that is the true, the fact remains that this really goes back to the wilderness world, that is the nature of the people’s heart towards God, and the New Order, that will be introduced thereafter. Now look at it, why did He make the statement? “…He said this because THEY WERE
SAYING, HE IS IN THE POWER OF AN EVIL SPIRIT.” … “30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” kjv Mark 3:22-30.

So you see, “the world” there refers to the age of unbelief in the power of God, knowing that the promise and plan
of redemption was made unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Gen 15:13, Acts 7:17, 26:6. Therefore these promise and the miracles performed on their behalf by God, in the wilderness through the Holy Ghost, their hearts was still hardened. Hence Stephen told them “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, YE DO ALWAYS
RESIST THE HOLY GHOST: AS YOUR FATHERS DID, SO DO YE”. Acts 7:51, Matt 21:33-41.
And this their inability to acknowledge the power of the Holy Ghost made it impossible for them, to enter into the rest of God.
“For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did
not meet with faith in the hearers–, as He has said, –as I swore in my wrath. They shall never enter my rest….
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and THEY TO WHOM IT WAS FIRST PREACHED
ENTERED NOT IN BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF.” (Heb.4: 3-6).

And it was this world of unbelief, which extended to the time of Jesus; and so He spoke to the Pharisees who will not believe on Him for healing a blind man. “ ….If ye were blind, ye should have no sin, but now ye say, we see, therefore your sin (unbelief) remaineth.” See John 9:39-41. In other words, as long as your sin (unbelief) remaineth, you cannot acknowledge the Holy Ghost, which is the outworking, and saving power of God. The work of the Holy Ghost is to” … Convince the world of the meaning of sin, of true goodness and of judgment. He will expose their sin because they do not believe in me;” Jon 16:8-9, Philips.

SO WHAT IS THE ETERNAL SIN (DAMNATION) ACCORDING TO MARK 3:29?
“If any of you should see his brother committing a sin (I don’t mean deliberately turning his back on God and embracing evil), he should pray to God for him and secure fresh life for the sinner. IT IS POSSIBLE TO COMMIT SIN THAT IS A DELIBERATE EMBRACING OF EVIL and THAT LEADS TO SPIRITUAL DEATH – that is not the sort of sin I have in mind when I recommend prayer for the sinner…. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, if they shall fall away (apostatize), to renew them again unto repentance; SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, and put Him to an open shame”. I Jn. 5:16, Heb. 6:4-6. Philips, KJV.
But why is it impossible? It is because “if any one sin deliberately by rejecting the saviour after knowing the truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ’s death; there is no way to get rid of it… Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God and treated His cleansing blood as though it were common and unhallowed, and insulted and outraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to His people.” Heb. 10:26-29. Tlb.
Meaning the only way to get forgiveness is to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as the saving power of the Father. And if this can be done, then that sin is forgiven. So the constant rejection of the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable sin otherwise there is no sin that is not forgivable through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus.

To be continued…

(c) 2015 – Dr. David O. Ogaga

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“THE THREE WORLDS AND THE THREE HEAVENS” 2 Pet. 3:6-13 – Part 1

3-word-and-3-heavens---dr-david

“..Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which
are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of
ungodly me….. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleths
righteousness..”

The need to understand the use of the word AGE (AION) AND WORLD (KOSMOS).
What do we really mean by the term “The end of the world” “The elements shall melt
with fervent heart” “the world to come” etc. Are all these referring to the physical globe? What exactly are the
“Heavens and earth that shall pass away”? What is the nature of the fire that will do this melting? What influence will
it have on us to know that, there is a different between the use of the words AGE and the word WORLD? etc.

AGE in the Greek is“AION” and may refer to a period of time in man’s history, whether having or not having specific dates of demarcation. “space of time” “clearly defined and marked out epoch” “age” and also “life time”, “life” and generation”.

For instance, when we read that Christ” will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever” Luke 1:33,it literally means “to (for) ages”. And the “fig tree” that was also cursed “forever” Math. 21:19 is also for the ages “or “age abiding” which is actually the house of Jacob (Jer. 8:13) referring to the Old Covenant that shall pass away forever. Heb.8: 13.

Another good example, of the meaning of the word, is found in Luke. 20:34-35 which says, “The sons of this AGE marry-but those worthy of that AGE and the resurrection – neither marry nor are given in marriage”. Compare Mk. 10:30. It denotes a long period of time, as in Acts 2:21, 15:18, Luke 1:33. Referring to the time of the prophecies about Christ, before the final fulfillment.

So we can see that, the basic sense of “AION is “AGE” or “PERIOD of EXISTENCE” and it often denotes a long space of time. (Jn.1:45). Liddell and Scots “A Greek-English Lexicon” (P 45) List as a definition of AION: “Space of time” clearly defined and marked out epoch, age, and era. It signifies a period of indefinite duration, or time viewed in relation to what takes place in the period”.

And in this sense, the word AION is very close in meaning to the word WORLD (KOSMOS) which means “an order, SYSTEM OR ARRANGEMENT OF THINGS” In Gal. 1:4 we read of our being “delivered from the present evil world” KJV. “Present evil age” RSV. “Rescued us from the present evil world order” JP Philips. “Present age of wickedness” N.E.B. “Present wicked world” (Jerusalem Bible) “Present wicked system of things” (Int. Linear Trans.)

So you see, what is meant by the WORLD is not the globe, the stars in the galaxy or planets known and unknown.
Neither is it referring to the universes, but rather to the way of life, social structures, cultures, philosophies, political
ideologies, religion and the economic lifestyle of humanity, devised by man himself outside of God. It speaks of the
products of the carnal mind of man, which is enmity and death, Rom. 8:7-8 “for the whole world system, based as it
is on MEN’S PRIMITIVE DESIRES, THEIR GREEDY AMBITIONS and THE GLAMOUR OF ALL THAT THEY THINK SPLENDID” but “not derived from the father” “and we also know that the world around us is under the power
of the evil one? 1 Jn. 2:16; 5:19 (Philips).

Therefore when Paul wrote “quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your
mind over” (Rom. 12:2 (Int. Linear Trans)

it was not the time, period of itself that set the fashion, pattern or models for the people of that time, that he was saying they should change from. But the standards, practices, manners,
customs, ways, outlooks, styles and other features that formed the life style of that age. Walking in the way of the
world, is what the bible says in Eph. 2:2 as “following the course of this world “RSV. “Following the way of this world” Jb “when you followed the evil ways of this present age” N.E.B. “that you drifted along on the stream of this world’s ideas of living, and obeyed its unseen ruler (who is still operating in those who do not respond to the truth of God” .. (Philips).

Therefore “… the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of ALL MEN, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, for he gave Himself for us, that He might rescue us from all our EVIL WAYS and make for Himself a people of His own, clean and pure, with our hearts set upon Living a life that is good” Titus 2:11, 12, 14 (RSV, Philips).

To be continued …

(c) 2015 – Dr. Daivd O. Ogaga

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