The Mystery Of The Cross (Part 2)

In last study part one of the topic, we were examining the Ransom price paid by our Lord Jesus. In this part, we are to study in details the work or results of the Ransom.
It was through the one man Adam that the whole race went into the death sentence and through the sacrifice of the “Second Adam”, the Second perfect Man, the entire race is now delivered from death and now have the right to be made alive again (1Cor.15:21-22). This is called the one for one principle.
Let us see how this principle works. Hebrews 7:9-10 read thus: “And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.” Here, Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob who was the son of Isaac and Abraham. Great grandson to Abraham, the father of the tribe of Levites who were chosen to serve God in the Tabernacle and received to share in the land. Tithe or 1/10th was to be received from the remaining 11 tribes; but himself (Levi) was only to receive, never to pay. But we see in the quoted text as Apostle Paul is saying that Levi when Abraham paid “Tithes” to king Melchizedek, it could be said that Levi who was yet unborn and in “in Abraham's loins” could be said to have paid the tithes too!! This is still the “one for one “principle.
Similarly, all humanity in Adam are counted to have sinned and come under the death condemnation, while being yet unborn and “in the loins of Adam” in the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned but with the REDEMPTIVE, RANSOM price being paid for Adam and the whole world too. This is God's great divine plan for all mankind as in Romans 8:20-21- “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who had subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”. Here, the word “Creature” is a reference to the whole human race. They were made “subject to vanity” or in other words received the inherited sin and death condition. This was done “not willingly” which means every individual human was not given a choice nor was consulted regarding the matter. It was done in hope “by Him”, referring to God himself and his plan. This refers to the period when “as in Adam all die”.
You may ask “Is it right or just for God to do this?” Actually, it happens at times when parents even before the birth of their children make plans of school and career and training without even asking of the choice of the child. It is all done with good intentions by the parents. So too, with God, who is the father of all creation as in Ephesians 3”14-15.
The “Glorious liberty of the children of God” meaning the salvation God is to bring about for the whole human race from this sin and death condition. This is to be done as in 1 Timothy 2:3-4- “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who desire all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. As in part one published earlier, salvation comes after the knowledge of truth and not vice versa as generally believed. This is God's will! First, “all men to be saved”. This refers to the particular condition all men are now in, that is, in the death condemned condition. Through the ransom now all men are to be “made alive” as in Acts 24:15. This is the great truth of the resurrection of all the dead.
The word “Resurrection” as in the Bible is completely unknown to all other religions. While others speak of another opportunity of life after death through rebirth though the womb as in Hinduism and Buddhism; or life in spiritual conditions in a “paradise” as believed by Muslims and even Christians, the teaching of resurrection in the Bible is very different. It speaks of how God by exercising His mighty divine power is able to restore back to the living condition that which had died and gone out of existence. God's power will restore back to the being complete with body and mind condition as was at the death. It marvels you to hear this that aged people are to be resurrected in an aged condition as they had died; and young people are to be resurrected in the same condition as they had died. Even infants and babies are resurrected in the exact same condition of being infants and babies as they had died.
The word resurrection is from the Greek word “anastasis” meaning “raised” or “standing up again.” Thus, “resurrection” in its real sense refers not only to the great and miraculous restoration of living conditions or awakening from the dead but a further restoration back to the perfect conditions once lost in Adam.
Actually, Resurrection is a process that begins with the “awakening from the dead” condition. All are to be raised from death and this is clearly taught by Jesus in John 5:28- “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth”. As today is the time when “as in Adam all die”, that period will be the fulfillment of “so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The Old Testament too taught same. “Thy dead men shall live, awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the Earth shall cast out the dead.”
The second step, thereafter, in salvation process of God is “to come unto the knowledge of the truth”. Mankind have all died in sin and will be “awakened” and “made alive” in that same condition. They must then be delivered from sin. This is possible “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17). Thus, the sanctifying or cleansing from the sinful condition and character is done through the truth. The knowledge of God's word and the truth causes cleansing from the ways of sin by obeying the word of truth. Examples: Bad language, selfishness, cheating, lying etc. But then with all the dead “awakening” this “knowledge of the truth” must cover the world. How? As answered in Habakkuk 2:14 for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”.
Yes! The whole world will be filled with the knowledge of God's word THE BIBLE! Again, this is confirmed in Isaiah 11:9- “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”. This shall be possible as we are presently experiencing information and communication technology (ICT) era. Now, books are replaced by audio and visual presentations. More are yet to be uncovered. Meaning the time is close, when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
And about that glorious time it is stated in Jeremiah 31:34. “No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord, for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them…” Thus, it will be that all will come unto the knowledge of the truth and thus have all the opportunity to be sanctified (cleansed) from their sins.
One may be tempted to ask if there will be enough space on earth to accommodate all the dead from the time of creation till now and all the living. You can recall in Genesis 1:28 God directs man to increase in number; and fill the earth. But clearly NOT to over fill it. There is the whole big world to fit all these people and God surely has planned it all well with mountains and fields and lakes and forests etc. to fill the beautiful landscape of this earth.
But here comes the generally and greatly misunderstood verse in John 5:29 “…they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”. Let's see in John 3:17 “For God sent NOT His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”.
Yes! The whole world is already under the condemnation of death and God had sent His Son to save the world from that condemnation and not condemn an already condemned world. The condemnation on the world is the condemnation of death with all its suffering and sorrows.
The “Damnation” and “Condemned” is from the Greek word KRISIS which has a meaning of the English word “Crisis” which means “a time of judgement” or “emergency”. Like in the hospital when there is “Crisis” that is a position of either survival or death. So, too the “World of mankind who have done evil” rise to a “resurrection of crisis” or “Judgement”. This is to be the world's judgement day which is not to be a time period of 24 hours duration as erroneously believed. “…that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and thousand years as one day”. 2 Peter 3:8.
Truly, what a wonderful Saviour! Soon the whole earth too will be filled with His glory as in Philippians 2:10-11. Yes! In due time when all will be made alive again in the resurrection of the dead and be told of this great truth all will praise the Lord for His great love and sacrifice and worship His Holy name. BE BLESSED!