15/05/2024
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WE SHALL NOT ALL DIE
I have not seen or heard any person preach this, and I’m hoping it becomes conventional in the body of Christ.
Our texts shall be:
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 KJV
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;
And John 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Objective: To show that we can choose to live till Jesus appears.
Introduction
From our texts above, what I am preaching to you is clear and should not sound controversial to you. I choose to stand by it no matter what and so should you.
The big fact is that there is no where mentioned in the scriptures that we should hope to die. Have you ever reasoned it out? So, why would you hope to die? This thought pattern is not and will never be consistent with the word of God.
I have come to reason it out that if men once lived up to 969 years(man, being in God’s image, was ordained to live forever) and sin reduced life expectancy, and we believe that God has forgiven us all sins through the sacrifice Christ has done for us, then we are entitled to live till Christ appears.
We should expect to live and not die even till Jesus comes. We should not be expecting or hoping that we will one day age and our bodies will be weak. We should see ourselves as Christ is both now and in the future without wrinkle or spots(1 John 4:17). Jesus is not coming for a weakling church. He is coming for a church without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). The scripture, we read, is a scripture that is practically applicable in the tripartite states of man(See Paul’s prayer: 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Restoration Of God’s Original Plan Before The Second Coming
Acts 3:20-21
[20]And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
[21]Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
As seen in the scripture above the word “receive” in Greek means “accept” or “take up” while the word “restitution”, which in Greek is “apokatastasis”, means “restoration” and it is from the Greek word “apokathistēmi” which means “to reconstitute” or “restored again” in health, home, organization.
So, this is understood to mean that God’s original intent, with regards to divine living, is restored and it will continue to be evident in the lives of the elect till Christ appears.
According to Genesis 2:17, man was predetermined to live forever but sin truncated it. But, that plan is fully restored in the person of Christ and it’s being evidently manifest in time before the second coming of Christ.
We Are The Elect
Matthew 24:22
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
We are the elect of God and for our sakes God sees that our bodies are not subjected to death. Now, choose to be among those who’s bodies are saved and not subjected to corruption by believing what God sees you to be. For it is written you have escaped the corruption(sicknesses and diseases) that is in this world and through these exceeding and great promises God is showing you and will continue to do so if(2 Peter 1:4).
The Responsibility Is Yours
Just like in any nation where the citizens have rights and responsibilities, the kingdom of God comes with its own rights and responsibilities for its own citizens.
So, choose to accept what is rightly yours and take the responsibility to see that it becomes yours and evident. Choose to have faith that you have life (1 John 5:12). Jesus is the resurrection and the life(John 11:25) and he lives in you by his Spirit(1 John 3:24). So, Choose to have the faith that make the resurrection you’ve hoped for keep gaining expression in you, for Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith Vs Hope
Now, on the subject of “faith” and “hope”, I want to make a clear distinction of them.
Faith is a moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ, for salvation while hope is what you expect.
So, you hoped for immortality but your faith makes it now because according to 2 Timothy 1:10, Christ has brought life and immortality to light. Your faith believes that Christ has done it. You hoped for resurrection but your faith says it is here just like Jesus who told Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life” when she was hoping that Lazarus will rise in the resurrection at the last day.
Let’s read:
John 11:23-26
[23]Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
[24]Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
[25]Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
[26]And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Now, from the conversation between Jesus and Martha, you see that while Martha was hoping that his brother will resurrect at the last day, Jesus had to persuade him that what he was hoping is right there with her. And I will repeat verse 25, “And whosoever live there and believe that in me shall never die” noting that Jesus wasn’t speaking figuratively but literally.
What Christ Has Started He Will Finish
Philippians 1:6
[6]Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
From the above text, it is clear that Jesus in us will sustain our bodies through all seasons till he comes. And he works this out through our faith.
See what Hebrews 12:2 says:
[2]Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith
So our unwavering faith Jesus has birth in, will be perfected till he appears and according to 2 Corinthians 3:18, we’ll keep beholding, through his word, his glory, and we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by his Holy Spirit. In conjunction with Proverbs 4:18, our path keep shining as light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Pressing On Towards The Mark
Wonderful truth of Apostle Paul’s desire is uncovered. Philippians 3:10-14 reads:
[10]That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
[11]If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
[12]Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
[13]Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
[14]I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
From the above scriptures, I discovered that Apostle Paul had once hoped to live till Christ appears and that’s why he could say, “we that are alive and remain”(1 Thessalonians 4:15,17). For further reading see 1 Corinthians 15:51.
And so like Apostle Paul, we have to press on towards the mark to obtain this high calling’s prize.
What To Do
(1) Being Watchful
Just as Jesus’ admonition to the Church in Sardis is, we are to be so watchful not to allow death by any form(sickness, disease, famine, weapon) to takes us unawares.
Revelation 3:1-2,4-5 reads:
[1]And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
[2]Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
[4]Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
[5]He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
So, watching helps us not to defile but to increase the intensity of our white garments which are symbolic of eternal life(we are clothed with Christ who is our life and he’s eternal- Corinthians 15:22). Also, Christ manifest himself through us in the person of the Holy Spirit(Galatians 2:20). This process is achieved through receiving, meditating and acting on God’s word(1 Timothy 4:15, James 1:23-25, 2 Corinthians 3:18).
So, we refused to defile this garments, which is also symbolic of divine protection, through sin(See verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 15:22). Weare keeping ourselvesso the wicked one touches us not (1 John 5:18). We do not break the edge so that the serpent will not bite us (Ecclesiastic 10:8).
2) Partner With Christ
This include among others, interceding for the sick, diseased, and the dead, giving to charity, serving in God’s house and, preaching the gospel of Christ.
To understand this further, Isaiah 58:6-8 reads:
[6]Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
[7]Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
[8]Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
So, noticed from the above scriptures, our health break forth beyond sickness, disease, famine or any thing detrimental to our existence when we partner with Christ.
