Questions & Answers | Kingdom from Heaven

Question: The idea of a second sin is a new one for me. Have not heard that before and was wondering what your thoughts are on this.

Answer

Since the days of Moses, "sin" was defined as disobedience to any of the commands of Moses, ie, the Law of Moses.
Since the days of Christ, "sin" is defined as disobedience to any of the commands of Christ, ie, the Law of Christ. Developed further at /node/68 and /node/87

Question: Has the serpent been crushed per Romans 16:20?

Answer

Yes, it is true.

Romans 16:20

And the God of peace shall [future to 55AD] bruise Satan under your [the church at Rome] feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.This promise was not fulfilled the day or year after it was penned in 56AD. “Shortly” is the same word used to describe when the events foreseen in Revelation were to come to pass, Rev 1:1 & Rev 4:1. Satan was not crushed beneath the feet of that first generation of Christians until the Lord’s Return around 70AD. Christ’s Return marks the moment Satan was bound, cast & sealed into the Abyss (the deep) marking the beginning of the 1000 years, Rev 20:1-3. And Christ’s Return marks same moment the martyrs from the Nero-Beast-Tribulation, the Dead in Christ, were raised first, the First Resurrection (1 Thess 4:16 & Rev 20:4-6). Christ’s Return/Rapture/First Resurrection marks the beginning of that same 1000 years in which they begin to rule from the Unseen realm over the affairs of men in the place of the just dethroned Eph 6:12 principalities and the just-crushed god of that old world, 2 Cor 4:4.

Question: Have God's enemies been defeated per 1 Corinthians 15:25 and Luke 19:27?

Answer

Yes.

1 Cor 15:23-28

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

We would do well to let go of our modern ideas of smart-bomb “destroy” and let the Word’s use of synonyms & repetition of message define what is meant here. Clearly “put under foot” = “destroyed” = “subdued unto” = “be subject unto.” This passage gets across the message that Death is eventually brought under Christ’s complete control. This accords with the Rev 1:18 visionary-poetic description of Christ coming to hold the keys of Death & Hell. Keys represent control, access control, who goes in or out; just like the way a prison guard holds all the keys. Jesus now controls who goes to Death & Hell and who does not. Death & Hell are subject to Him, they are put under His feet: this is the Bible's definition of “destroyed.” If I enslaved my most insulting opponent from the web and made him wax my car everyday and do my shopping and cook my food and mow my lawn and bath my dog; and I could lock him up & shut him up at will without internet, in short order we would all agree I had pretty well destroyed him, crushed his little heretical spirit, no longer free to be what he once was.

Luke 19:27 is better understood in the full context. Here it is:

Luke 19:11-27

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

v14 & v27 the enemies are identified: they are the people who did not want Christ to reign over them upon His Return with His Kingdom & Power. It is specifically mentioning those who were already Christ’s enemies – NOT those who might one day eventually get around to nit liking Him. Notably, “Death” is not specifically mentioned here: the storyline does not even bring it to mind. Hard to imagine that carpenters & fishermen could be expected to see Death’s destruction in this parable, but they should have plainly seen the destruction of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Preists, Herodians, et al., that is, those openly identified as opponents of Jesus before His going away to receive the Kingdom.

v15 makes clear that it is AFTER Jesus Returns with His Kingdom & Power that: 1) His servants are judged/brought to account, then 2) those found faithful during His absence are rewarded with delegated power to rule over cities.

Question: Has the last enemy, (death ), been conquered per 1 Corinthians 15:26 and Revelation 20:14?

Answer

Yes.

1 Cor 15:23-28

Revelation 20:10-15

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

From Rev 18:2’s triumphant declaration of Babylon’s Fall, I am persuaded that each time John writes something like “And I saw” he is recounting another mini-vision that describes with visual-poetry the direct consequences of Babylon’s Fall: he is listing reasons for Heavens’ rejoicing over Babylon.

v11-15 describes the eternal-perpetual-ongoing Judgment Seat of God from the time of Babylon’s Fall around 70AD forward into forever. It is a glimpse into the ordinarily Unseen realm outside the visible spectrum of natural men, and it is described in terms men can visualize so they can understand & be blessed. Just because this snapshot was “shortly to come to pass” as of Revelation’s ~63AD writing does not mean that this was a one-time, one-shot-goodbye thing. Just as Eternal Life has been made available ever since Christ first preached & paid for it and will continually be offered forever, the Judgment Seat of God continues perpetually forever.

Question: Has final atonement for sin been administered by the High Priest per Daniel 9:24?

ANSWER

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Question: And has He returned out of the holiest place to announce that "salvation" has been consummated per Hebrews 9:28?

ANSWER

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Question: If all of these things ended in 70AD, what stands to condemn anyone?

Answer, part 1

Firstly, all these things did not end in 70AD.

Satan

(1) Satan was crushed beneath the feet of Christians at Christ’s Return/Rapture/First Resurrection.

(2) Satan is not synonymous with sin. Sin is simply disobedience to God and that can be done without Satan, James 1:14-15. Gal 5:16-21, 2 Peter 2:10, 1 John 2:16.

(3) Satan was not the sum of all evil, Ephesians 6:12 & 2 Peter 2:4 describe a plurality of evil beings.

(4) Satan was, however, the supreme organizational head of evil beings. Just as doing away with Saddam Hussein did not do away with all Iraqi resistance to America’s will, doing away with Satan did not do away with all earthly resistance to God’s will. Doing away with Satan did not do away with all evil beings but it did do away with the organizational genius by which they had organized the ancient world into idol-worshipping empires. Having their organizational head, (Satan), crushed by Christ's circa 70AD Return, these idol-worshipping empires began to lose their holds on men, beginning first with prostituted, ancient Jerusalem and then on to beastly, ancient Rome and all idol-worshipping empires. Since then, the dominant religion of the dominant empires has been the Religion of Christ.

Jesus' Enemies "Destroyed"

(1) Being “destroyed” is not always include “ending existence,” we tend to add that connotation. 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 equates “destroy” with being “put down” = “put under foot” = “subdued unto” = “made subject unto.” When a ruler is subdued, his own rule has ended, however.

(2) Luke 19:11-27, though describing the end of those people who opposed His ministry prior to His Ascension, (Scribes, Pharisees, Saducess, Herodians, et al), it does not describe or even hint at the end of Death. Interestingly, however, it does go on to describe the beginning of the Reign of the Saints with Christ. The rule of the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, et al was put down, trampled under foot, destroyed.

The Second Death

Just because Rev 20:14 foresaw a snapshot in visionary (visual-poetry) terms of that moment when Death & Hell were to be cast into the Second Death does not mean that the Second Death lasted only for that moment. Rev 20:10 describes this Second Death/Lake of Fire as a torment that lasts perpetually, forever & ever indicating that it is ever ready to receive future generations of the unrepentant, those who receive the Resurrection of Damnation of which Jesus spoke.

Question: Then what stands to condemn anyone today?

Answer, part 2

The Words of Jesus.

John 12:48

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the Last Day.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

AND

A man’s own words.

Matthew 12:36-37

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

(Without the grace of the Holy Spirit a man is doomed as a self-condemned hypocrite - because not a one of us possesses by himself the self-control to obey even his own rules).

Question: Does God's Law still exist for those not in Christ?

Answer

Yes. GOD’S LAW always exists for all people, both for those in Christ and those outside.

However, when

GOD’s PRIESTHOOD changed from that of Aaron to that of Melchizedek,

GOD’S LAW changed from the Law of Moses to the Law of Christ. (Heb 7:11-17).

See /node/68

Question: Then does the Law of Moses still exist for those not in Christ?

Answer

No. The Law of Moses ceased to be binding upon anyone the moment the Law of Christ was ratified, at the Cross. From the Cross onward, whether Jew or Gentile, obeying the New Testament was all you had to concern yourself with. This is developed a bit more at Cross of Christ: Old to New Covenant moment of change /node/87.

It should never be forgotten that obeying the Gospel of Christ fully satisfies the Law of Moses. In fact, since Christ's first appearrance, obedience to Jesus Christ is the ONLY satisfaction of the Law of Moses. It must never be forgotten that the Law of Moses included this major Commandment:

Acts 3:22-23 & Deuteronomy 18:15-20

For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.'
NIV

"Cut off from among his people" is the term Moses consistently used for the penalty for failing to satisfy the Law of Moses. And obeying Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, was part of the Law of Moses. Whoever failed to heed Jesus failed to satisfy the Law of Moses. Jews, real Biblical Jews who actually presented genuine genealogies on file in the last physical Temple, Jews were broken off as branches from Israel for their unbelief in Christ Jesus. (Romans 11:16-23). And Gentiles with pedigrees no better known than that of street dogs were grafted into Israel because of their faith in Christ Jesus. Since the first appearrance of Jesus Christ, the Law of Moses is satisfied ONLY by obeying Jesus Christ, "the Prophet like me," of whom Moses wrote. And failure to obey Jesus Christ meant being cut off from among the People of Moses. Obeying the Gospel of Christ satisfies the Law of Moses: since Christ's first appearrance, it is the ONLY satisfaction of the Law of Moses. And from the Cross forward, anyone who obeyed the Gospel of Christ was blameless before the Law of Moses regardless of circumcision, new moons, sabbaths, animal sacrifices, feast days, etc., which all became moot, empty shadows when compared to the substance that was made available with Christ at His first appearing.

At the Mount of Transfiguration, God from Heaven spoke directly on the matter:
Mark 9:5-7 & Luke 9:33-36
33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.
KJV

At the Cross, Jesus signed with His own blood the change in the God’s Law away from the Law of Moses to the Everlasting Law of Christ. At His Ascenscion to Heaven, Jesus undertook His new ministry as High Priest according to the Order of Melchizedek. This change of preisthood from Aaron to Melchizedek is the moment of the change of God’s Law from Moses to Christ. More developed at Everlasting Law of Christ /node/68

Question: Then what Law are they under today?

Answer

Whether in Christ or outside, since the Cross all people are under The Everlasting Law of Christ, that is, the New Covenant in Christ's Blood. The following are synonymous terms in the Bible’s usage:

The Law of Christ, 1 Cor 9:20-22 & Gal 6:2
= The Law of God, 1 Cor 9:20-22
= The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1-2
= The Word, James 1:22-25
= The Perfect Law, the Law of Perfection (The Royal Law), James 1:22-25
= The Ministry of the New Covenant, 2 Corinthians 3:5-9
= The Ministry of the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:5-9
= The Ministry of Righteousness, 2 Corinthians 3:5-9

This is developed more at: "Everlasting Law of Christ” /node/68 and its companion “Cross of Christ: Old to New Covenant moment of change” /node/87

Question: Then the conclusion would be that Satan no longer stands to condemn anyone?

Answer

True. But that does not mean that no one else may stand to condemn anyone. Satan, the former supreme organizational head of evil beings no longer stands to organize evil against anyone. But other evil beings, evil people and even one's own evil conscience are still around to condemn.

And, as stated to a previous question, what condemns or justifies people at Judgment are:

(1) The Words of Christ (John 12:48) and

(2) One's own words (Matthew 12:36-37).

In the mean time, condemnation continues to rest upon the unbeliever,

John 3:18-19

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

This is why we needed the Propitiation (the Appeasement) of the Cross – to appease the wrath/condemnation of God upon sin, our sin, our sinfulness. Christ did not come into the World to add to that but to appease it, John 3:17, for those who believe on Him, His sacrifice of himself on the Cross. This is all basic Christianity – the milk of the Word. I wonder if we have forgotten the Big Picture while putting eschatology under the microscope for so long.

Question: When Jesus cry out “It is finished!” did he really only mean his natural life?

Answer

No. It is unsatisfactory to say that ‘It is finished!” only meant He is done now. Peter, Paul, that first generation of Christians and mainstream, historic Christianity through the ages since see a direct connection between Jesus’ last words, “It is finished (#5055)” and Paul’s teaching, “Christ is the end (#5056) of the Law [of Moses] for righteousness for everyone that believes!” Jesus was declaring with His last words that His Last Will & Testiment was now taking effect, Hebrews 9:15-18.

This is developed more in “Cross of Christ: Old to New Covenant moment of change” /node/87

It is my prayer that the reader will gain a few good ideas from this lengthy reply to these questions. I think the reader would be cheated if it were done any other way. There is always much more to say. Keep this in mind, though, the main thing Preterism has to offer the rest of the Body of Christ is the Word-derived means by which the debilitating, doomsday mentality of Imminent-Tribulationism (Futurism) can be dispelled and thus allow Christian youth to sensibly plan for long, fruitful lives in Christ’s everlasting Kingdom among men. They must know that Tomorrow is a blank page that God has invited us to co-author together with Him based upon what we do with the Word of God Today. And Jesus is the Word, John 1:1, 14.