Article on Throne and Judgment

On Throne and Judgment, End Times and Prophecies, Part 1

Some time ago, I came across some interesting articles and videos on the subject of throne and judgment. These brought about some fascinating information and details about their subject matters that we don't often hear about in the church.

The importance of these topics was very clear, particularly as it concerns our understanding of how those who are followers of Jesus should live ... some of us older Christians may have forgotten the reality of our living in and for Christ.

I will start with a scripture that brings us to ask the question: why should we be interested in heavenly things above and judgments to come in the end times? Some may be thinking, I'm saved so why should I worry about the heavenly throne and judgment to come?

As I was researching what people are saying about these matters, I came across a lot of interesting comments on the subject. And I came up with a summary of what some people and teachers are saying and writing out there.

So let's start with the scripture I mentioned above that bring us to the question: why should we be interested in topics to do with heavenly things above and end times judgments? It is found in Colossians, chapter 3 and verses 1 and 2: (Reading from the King James Version unless otherwise stated):

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

The word “affection” here is the Greek word phroneo (fron-eh-o) which means to have understanding, to be wise, to think, to exercise the mind, to entertain or have a sentiment or opinion ... “Set your “mind”, your “thinking” on things above and not on things on the earth”.

And of course this scripture is also partly the answer to the question, why should we be interested in topics to do with heavenly things above and end times judgments... because that's what the Word of God tells us to do.

Now the scripture contains the word “then” -- if ye then be risen with Christ, -- this indicates something to do with the verse preceded it... so let's look at that. Remember chapters and verses did not exist in the original letters written—they were one continuous letter or collection of thoughts to do with a particular issue, matter or topic.

In the scriptures leading up to this one (Colossians 2, vs 6, 7), we read:

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (I love this old English word “stablished”... of course it means “to be established”... “Rooted, built-up and stablished” in the faith.”).

Then we read in verses 9 and 10:

“for (because) in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power: (in other words Christ is the head of all principality and power).

Verses 12 to 15:

“Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead”

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened (or made alive) together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (dogma, doctrines) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;

“And having spoiled (or put out) principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Then we'll skip over to verse 20:

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments (rules) of the world, why are ye subject to ordinances as though living in the world...

Wherefore here is the word oun (oon) in the Greek which means “then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so”... “if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments (rules) of the world, why are ye subject to ordinances as though living in the world”.

This brings us to our scripture we read above in chapter 3, verses 1 and 2:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection (your mind, your thinking, ) on things above, not on things on the earth.

“Set your affection (your mind, your thinking) on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Wow.. can you feel your spirit rising up within you... I can.

The next verses after that, verses 3 and 4, continue:

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid (or consealed, covered) with Christ in God. (In other words with Christ our flesh is dead before God.) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

In other words we no longer live in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

Remember the “born-again” experience we read about in John, chapter 3, “ye must be born-again”? This means “you must be born from above, born of the Spirit.

And this:

The born-again child of God has the mind of Christ within him/her (or should have—sometimes it may be hard to see it).

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:14-16).

Again, Wow, awesome...

And in the book of Romans we have a great explanation of all of this -- a confirmation of it -- in chapter 6, vs 1 to 11:

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so (or in the same way) we also should walk in newness of life.

v.5, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

And here's that scripture we saw earlier that our fleshly nature is hidden or concealed in Christ before God:

Verse 11, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (New King James version).

Wow... Jesus has taken us out of the fallen nature that we are born with, and has made us new born-again creations, born spiritually – born from above in Christ...

Now this does not mean that born-again Christians cannot sin anymore as many preachers and teachers teach wrongly or falsely today... absolutely not, and I covered that extensively on one of my radio shows series some time ago. I will transcribe these into articles soon... make sure to watch the web site for new articles that are continuously added.

So the answer to the question at the beginning, “why should we be interested in topics to do with heavenly things above and end times judgments”, is not only that the Word of God tells us to do so as we already saw earlier, but it is that we have a high priest who took our sins away by giving His own life on the cross so that we now are born from above, and have the power to live above the sinful nature that otherwise only deserves the judgment of God.

In other words we are no longer under judgment when we live in Christ Jesus. I say more about the judgment in part 2 of this series of articles. Go to Part 2

/DMH

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