Spiritual Poverty vs Spiritual Wealth. The counterfeit or the real.
This is the dominant and ongoing juxtaposed condition (here to be examined – hence, the title of this note) since the second century AD. Because it is spiritual it is not readily discernible. Who looks at a well-to-do leader in a typical Christian Church and sees him as a spiritual pauper who is in this condition because of his subscription to a model of interpretive fantasy? The adherents themselves see themselves as rich, not poor and as holding forth reality over against fantasy.
The bedrock of such a position is its spiritual nature. It has the greatly added impetus in the fact that the sheer massive numbers of its adherents undergird it. It is truly foundational to all second century and later Christianity. It is found in every sub-group, that is, in every sub-named division (every denomination) within Church-Christianity.
This fantasy, this impoverishment, is focused and substantiated in futurism. The problem is that the engine of futurism itself is a fantasy. What was once legitimate futurism, when all Old Covenant and New Covenant Scriptures were written (except the polemic of John), is now illegitimate futurism. Futurism is not future when it has been fulfilled! This model of interpretation has the same fantastical legs as the old errors of the geocentric solar system, the humors of medical practice, and the modern error of evolution, whether agnostic or theistic. It’s adherents are completely convinced that they are right and that anyone who steps outside of their interpretive model is heretical or at least highly deluded. The tragedy of futurism is so entrenched that many groups make it part of their creeds and/or confessions which they believe constitute someone as either saved or lost. This divisive error places how one interprets the second coming of Jesus as a belief system essential to salvation. It places the interpretation of His coming in glory on the very same level of the divine and human person of Jesus, the definition of sins that lead to death, and how one is justified before God in eternal salvation. This is utterly destructive!
While captivated in their own blind systems, adherents of futurism receive a mercy from God that they do not extend to their brethren – unless, like those just mentioned, they are divisive and unloving in their rejection of others who do not subscribe to their interpretation. That is because, unlike how someone interprets the present situation of the Kingdom of God, division; ill-will; hatred (in all its fleshly degrees); and abusing others are all works of the flesh. Works of the flesh in their settled forms constitute their practitioners as devoid of the love of God and outside of the Kingdom of God.
Rather, they who are impoverished by futurism are Scripturally judged as infants. They are those who build upon the bedrock of Jesus using wood, hay, and straw as their building materials. They will be saved, yet so as through fire. They are like rabbinic Israel in that they impoverish themselves through futurism. Jews do so by waiting for their future Messiah. And the churches do so by waiting for their future Kingdom of God. There is an overriding difference, though. The Jews are lost, for salvation in only in the Messiah Jesus. The Churches are saved, yet so as through fire. They will enter into Paradise because they believe in the Messiah as their atonement and savior, but they will enter impoverished because their wood, hay, and straw works of false doctrine will be burned up.
The reality, the spiritual wealth has been bestowed by God! It is our inheritance given in full-measure. Like the error, the truth is spiritual, and that is why it is not readily discernible. Who looks at a common person following Jesus and sees him as a spiritually rich king who is in this position because he is a functional citizen in the reality of the Kingdom of God? We who understand the Presence of the Lord in His Day-Age Kingdom do. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” He also said, “the words I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life” and “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is within you”. It is with eternal eyes, the eyes of believing, that we see and understand all things.
Do you see your inheritance? You have received it if you are believer in Jesus, if you follow the Son of God, but do you see and understand? Are you manifestly filled with God’s Spirit, or are you constantly quenching His Spirit? Are you a mature and faithful disciple of Christ, or are you a babe in Christ?
Do you feast upon the trees of life and imbibe deeply in the river of life in complete harmony upon the holy street of the heavenly city of righteousness and peace? Do you perpetually offer up incense upon the golden alter which stands in the midst of this most holy place? Do you worship the King of kings, abiding in the Day with Him in the clouds of the air, the former domain of Satan, the devil? Do you pray, praise, bless, and thank Him accordingly in the immortal language of heaven?
This is your inheritance fully given! This is glory that is due to His Holy Name! This is the reality that the churches wait for to arrive in the future. In this regard they are, and forever will remain, as destitute in understanding, experience, and expectations as are their compatriots, the Jews, who are in this very same mindset waiting for the future savior and Messiah of Israel. Futurism is the ongoing devastating fantasy of the churches!
“My Kingdom is not of this world.” “The words I have spoken are spirit and are life.” “The Kingdom of God is within you.” His Name is the Word of God!
Glory to God in the Highest! Hallelujah! God is All in all in His reality! Amen!