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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Future Salvation, #12
But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so you can pray. (I Peter 4:5-7—NIV)
Peter tells us "the end of all things is near." If that was true two thousand years ago what must be the case now?
It is our point of view that the Judgment Seat of Christ began when Jesus ascended to Heaven. This is why the Holy Spirit fell as tongues of fire, that is, of Divine judgment.
God at that time was ready to judge the living and the dead—the living and the dead!
While we do not understand how judgment proceeds in the spirit realm we know from the above passage that it does take place both in the spirit realm and with those who are alive on the earth.
There is no way in which the removal of sin, as described in the parable of the wheat and the tares and the parable of the net let down into the lake, could take place just in the spirit realm or just on the earth. To make any sense it has to take place in both realms, or so it seems to us.
Considering these factors we are of the point of view that you as an individual must respond to the Lord when He comes to you in judgment. If God was ready to judge the living and the dead in the days of Peter, then we cannot hold all judgment over to the last days. While we maintain that the salvation to come in the future is speaking of the cleansing of the believers from sin, it remains true nevertheless that we must respond when it is presented to us personally.
We are of the opinion that the time of judgment and cleansing is now for many of us. You will have to seek the Lord for your own salvation. Perhaps the Holy Spirit already is dealing with you concerning sin in your life.
In no case can we say, "I will wait until I die before I repent of my sins." If you do this you will be judged as an unfaithful servant. The day of salvation is always today, always the day in which Christ comes to you.
Heaven and the Kingdom of God Are Related.
Heaven and the Kingdom of God are not the same thing. There is much confusion over this today as though the two were synonymous.
Heaven is a place in the spirit realm. In fact, there are at least three heavens.
The Kingdom of God, on the other hand, is a realm of authority.
Heaven was on the earth, so to speak, in the garden of Eden. But the Kingdom of God was not present.
To be continued.