“That the unfaithful will be consigned to shame and the “second death,’ and the faithful invested with immortality, and exalted to reign with Jesus as joint heirs of the kingdom, co-possessors of the earth, and joint-administrators of God’s authority among men in everything.” Article XXV
“This Mortal Shall Put On Immortality . . .”
Those who are found faithful at the appearance of Jesus will be clothed with an incorruptible nature, identical to that of their redeemer. Paul foretells this glorious transformation when writing to the Philippians: “For our conversation (citizenship or commonwealth) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself” (3:20, 21). As discussed in Article XXIII, this new physical nature will be the change effected through the resurrection of the dead and will result in the state of immortality reserved for the righteous. Only “when this corruptible shall have put on incurruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality” will the faithful be qualified to reign with Jesus (see Article XXIV).
The gospel calls men to repentance and obedience to God, promising them immortality in a new nature incapable of sinning. The putting on of immortality is a necessary prerequisite to entering the kingdom of God, as Paul declares; “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50). Since the kingdom which Christ will establish is everlasting in nature, it follows that those who enter therein must be of a physical nature which shall endure throughout eternity. Thus, we find the Lord telling Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jo. 3:5). The words of Bro. John Carter on this verse are most relevant to this subject: “The language (of Jo. 3:5) should not be restricted to the present or the future; there is a present moral aspect, and a future physical aspect, as becomes evident from the further remark of Jesus, ‘that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ The flesh produces its own kind, with its limitations and weaknesses and defects; its mortality unfits it for the Kingdom of God” (The Gospel Of John).
“Come Ye Blessed of My Father . . .”
Those who are found worthy of immortality and are subsequently endowed with the Divine nature will do more than merely enter the Kingdom of God. They shall also inherit this Divine political institution as declared by the prophet, Daniel; “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever . . . And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the People of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (7:18, 27). This prophetic announcement is in perfect harmony with the teachings of Jesus Himself, who in the course of foretelling His own return to the earth and subsequent enthronement on the “throne of his glory,” depicts the King as saying to those faithful sheep upon His right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34).
“And He Shall Rule Them with a Rod of Iron.
In addition to inheriting the Kingdom of God, the faithful are promised places of authority and rulership in this glorious order of things. No where do we find the saints called to be commoners in God’s Kingdom. Their calling is a royal one in which they are to enjoy a regal association with Him who is styled “Lord of lords and King of kings”. Called “unto his kingdom and glory”, the people of God are assured that if they will suffer with Christ, they will also reign with Him (1 Thes. 2:12, 2 Tim. 2:12).
The gospel was first preached to Israel, who almost universally rejected its message. As a consequence, their right to the kingdom of God as possessors was forfeited. As Jesus told them, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Mat. 21:43). Instead of being rulers and kings in Messiah’s Kingdom, national Israel will enter as subjects, ruled over by Christ and the twelve apostles (Matt. 19:28). The bright future of God’s ancient people has been considered under Article XXII, to which the reader is referred for more detail.
The nation to whom the kingdom is to be given, and, who will constitute the governing body is one made up of faithful men and women of every age regardless of racial descent. The following passages are just a few of the many that speak of the saints’ position in God’s Kingdom:
Rev. 5:9-10 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Rev. 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Rev. 2:26-27 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”
Matt. 19:28 ” . . . Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
In addition to these clear declarations, the Lord taught the same truths in parabolic form. In the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), Jesus depicts the “lord of those servants” commending the faithful with a promise of even greater responsibilities and authority: ” . . . Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (V21). In a similar parable in Luke 19, Christ speaks of the “good servants” being given authority over certain cities (VV16-19).
When Jesus takes up His great power to reign at the sounding of the seventh angel (Rev. 11:15-17), there will be a certain measure of violence involved.
Daniel declared that when the God of heaven sets up His kingdom, “it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms . . . ” (2:44). In the process of making an end to wars, and destroying the implements of destruction presently being stock-piled by the nations, we are told that there shall also be great desolation’s (wastes, ruins) wrought by the hand of God: “Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolation’s he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psa. 46:8-10). This is a work which shall be done by the LORD’s anointed, enthroned in Jerusalem and sitting upon His holy hill of Zion, and issuing ultimatums to the kings and rulers of the earth (see Psalm 2). However, the task of subduing all nations and subjugating them to the will of God so as to make kingdoms of this world “the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ” (Rev. 11: 15) is not to be accomplished by the Saviour alone. He will be accompanied by His faithful ones, the people of God of all ages, who, having been changed and glorified, will act as His angels in the fulfillment of His purpose: “For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD” (Psa. 146:4-9).
The destruction and subjugation of the present world powers is only one phase of the work of Christ and the saints. As joint administrators of God’s authority among men, they shall also be involved in more peaceful pursuits relative to the inhabitants of this earth. The nature of this work will be elaborated upon in the articles which are to follow.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One