Chapter 9

Conclusion

God’s Purpose

God’s purpose is still the same - to bring mankind back in harmony with Himself, by forgiving them of all the sins that they have committed and granting them the gift of His Holy Spirit to dwell in their hearts, and so enable them to live holy lives, not continuing in sin. His purpose is to reconcile the entire universe back to Him as one great family and to present to Himself this unified universe - His Church, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.

He makes available to every individual His Holy Spirit to guide him into all truth and to grant him the power to live a holy life, and bring him to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. As is stated by the apostle Paul, this is the glorious goal that Christ has for the life of each individual. He says:

“That Christ might dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph. 3:17-19.

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13.

To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit the requirement is very simple - just as the apostle Peter related to those who gathered to listen on the day of Pentecost:

“Repent, and be baptized ... in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38.

Once there is no idol that is held between us and Christ to hinder His work in us and for us “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it” unto its glorious finishing (Phil. 1:6).

May the Lord help us to yield to Him and break down every idol that we might be moulded by Him. It is His will that we should be among the number that will sing that grand song of reunion when the character of Christ would have been perfected in us,  and we along with all the angels and all the other members of the universe, reflect that glorious character of God. We will then be able to sing a song of experience, that song of a work begun and accomplished in us. This will be the finishing of that mystery “which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God” (Eph. 3:9) Rev.10:7; 11:15), finished according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eph. 3:11.

The Struggle Continues

But until then, the true followers of Christ will continue to struggle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12.

The lot of God’s followers has always been the same - one of struggle against evil. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews describes the physical results of this continued conflict as follows:

“And what shall I more say? for time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephtae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Heb. 11:32-38.

Not Of This World

And what is the reason why their lives have often been so turbulent? It is because they belong to the kingdom of Christ which is not of this world. Jesus declared:

“My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” John 15:18-20.

“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” John 16:2,3.

Satan, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Cor. 4:4. The Devil continually tries to rid the world of the faithful who honor God despite the widespread disregard for the principles of righteousness.

Victory; At Last - The Church At Rest

But the time is coming when it will be declared:

“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Rev. 11:15.

The power of the Devil will be broken,

“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.” Dan. 7:27.

The true followers of Christ are often deprived, ill-treated, castigated and considered as misfits in the world, by those who have joined with Satan, the one who has usurped God’s authority on the earth and has claimed it as his. But the fact of the matter is that every single follower of Christ is legitimately entitled to live on this earth to no lesser extent than anyone else, even though human beings under the leadership of Satan will consider them not deserving, and try to rid the world of them.

This world was created by God. Human beings were placed in it to glorify God and such is their legitimate right to do. However, Satan has usurped dominion over the world and has established a completely different order from the one that God intended. As a result, the legitimate right which the followers of Christ exercise is worshipping God the Creator, is largely considered as being out of harmony with the world. Hence, the children of disobedience, in accordance with their spirit of rebellion against God try to rid them from the world even as Cain killed righteous Abel.

But each follower of Christ needs to assure himself that “the earth is the LORD’S, and the fullness thereof” and that he/she has been placed in the world as a representative of God. Hence, he/she is entitled to be here and he/she is also entitled to live in accordance with the will of God as Outlined in His Word, because neither Satan nor his followers have created this world, neither have they the power to sustain its existence.

The promise is that “the judgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion,” and it “shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High.” Dan. 7:26,27.

This is the glorious hope of God’s people. This hope is as real as the earth itself is real, for God Himself has promised it, and there is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17) with Him. With this hope, the followers of Christ, as soldiers of the Most High will valiantly advance and defend the cause of God upon the earth, because the time is coming when The Church of God which is now militant against the kingdom of Satan, shall be The Church triumphant, “And the great Church victorious shall be The Church at rest.”

The church has one foundation, ’Tis Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation, By water and the word;
From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He brought her, And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder, Men see her sore oppressed,
Though foes would rend asunder The Rock Where she doth rest,
Yet saints their faith are keeping; Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping Shall be the Morn of song.

‘Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious Shall be the church at rest.

Samuel J. Stone, 1866.