If we would know the power of Christ's resurrection we must share in the sufferings of Christ. The two go together. Resurrection life proceeds from the cross. The personal cross of the believer slays his fleshly nature, making it possible for the Life of Christ to come to maturity in him.

Flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Flesh and blood, the first Adam, cannot participate in the first resurrection and ascension of the saints. Only the new creation can participate in the first resurrection. The suffering of the cross plays a large part in making us worthy to be part of the early resurrection from the dead.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

The suffering of the present life plays its part in releasing us from the death of the adamic nature. Suffering often causes us to cease our sinning (I Peter 4:1,2). We are able to live from day to day while we are bearing in ourselves the suffering of Christ because we have our eyes on the glory ahead of us—the first resurrection from the dead.

The thousand-year Kingdom Age will be filled with the Glory of God. The curse will be lifted from the earth. Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit. The knowledge of the Glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. The peoples will be set free from their bondages and taught of God.

All of this Kingdom glory will come to the earth through the saints. The glory will be revealed in us. The Kingdom Age will flow from the personalities of the saints as from wells of living water. The saints will be in charge of restoring the world. They will possess the authority to bind wickedness and loose righteousness because in Christ they have the keys of the Kingdom.

For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)

The material creation will remain in the chains of sin and death until the sons of God are ready to be revealed with Christ. We are in training now. The sons of God will come to maturity during the tribulation period. The Christian Church, the Wife of the Lamb, will be separated from the worldly churches and washed from its sins by a baptism of fire until it is without spot, wrinkle, blemish, or imperfection of any kind. Many who are last in time will be first in the Kingdom of God.

For the creature [creation] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (Romans 8:20)

God in His goodness drove man out of the garden so he could not gain access to the tree of life. Had man eaten of the tree of life he would have become immortal. He would have been an immortal sinner. He would have been as a fallen angel and redemption would not have been possible for him.

To be continued.