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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Aspects of the Resurrection of the Saints, #2
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)
Our first step toward the first resurrection is to eat of the tree of life. Our final step is to sit on the throne with the Lord. When the first resurrection arrives, the emphasis is on the thrones that govern the creation.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: . . . . (Revelation 20:4)
The second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation call out the victorious saints, the firstfruits of the Wife of the Lamb, from the multitude of Christian believers. These two chapters were announced with "a great voice, as of a trumpet" (Revelation 1:10,11). They include severe rebukes to the seven churches but they promise the rewards of the first resurrection to the overcomers in those churches.
The rewards mentioned in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation, such as eating from the tree of life, the crown of life, ruling over the nations of the earth, becoming a pillar in the Temple of God, are for those who are living in the victory of Christ.
The Apostle Paul described his pursuit of the first resurrection or, as we see it, the rewards to the overcomer:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection [Greek, out-resurrection] of the dead. 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. (Philippians 3:10-12)
The spiritual counterpart and requirement of the first resurrection begins now—in this present life. The spiritual resurrection of those who attain the first resurrection commences before the physical resurrection and finishes in the authority and glory set forth in Revelation 20:4-6. Participation in the first resurrection from the dead is not given to us on the basis of grace or mercy. The first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of God's kings and priests, must be attained. It is the consequence of permitting the Lord to crucify our adamic nature and form His own Substance and image in us.
Our resurrected mortal body will be clothed with a spiritual body from Heaven. The spiritual body from Heaven is being fashioned from the death and resurrection we are experiencing now.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inner man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (II Corinthians 4:16,17)
The spiritual body from Heaven is the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" that is being created by our "light affliction."
The body in which we shall dwell forever is not imputed (assigned) to us by grace. It is our resurrected mortal body clothed upon with a spiritual "robe," a robe that is the product of a patient, cross-carrying following of the Lord Jesus through the death and resurrection of our soul.
We shall receive what we have practiced in our flesh. We shall reap what we sow (II Corinthians 4:16-5:10; I Corinthians 15:35-44; Galatians 6:8).
To be continued.