In the previous chapters we have looked at the corporeal change of those, who have first been morally renewed unto knowledge after the image of Him that had created them from “sinful flesh” into spirit, which is an absolute necessity, before they can inherit the Kingdom of God. After people get to know God’s Word and come to understand Who created the earth and Who had sent His son for the good of man they shall have to come to see that even when we still have to face death in this system of things we may live by the hope of something better to come.
Though we have the sleep in death and shall perhaps have to face very difficult times, even facing persecution we should be convinced not to sorrow as the others. We should not react like the unbelievers, who may react heavily because they do not have such a hope the followers of Jeshua have.
For if we have given ourselves to become disciples of the sent one from God believe that this son of God, Jesus, died and rose again, we do have our hope in him because knowing that God can not die, but the son of man Jesus really died, we have hope in this example God has given the world. This man of flesh and blood is really take out of the dead and taken up in the skies to sit next to God, not on God’s throne, but at His right hand.
These who take Jesus to be their god and think no man is capable to be sinless and doing God’s Will, make from God a cruel God Who created beings who were not capable to follow His commandments. They deny the resurrection of the dead and are refuting God’s Power to have man following His commandments. Those gainsayers are as such believing that man can only do his own will and not believing that man is capable to transform and to become changed into spirit, or immortalized, by the Son of Man, doing God’s Will.
The believers in Jeshua, him being the son of God and not making him into a god son, may comfort one another with the words which are given to us in the Bible.
It will be seen from this, that survivors of the dead were not consoled in the first age of Christianity for the loss of their friends as they are now by those who “improve the death” of the influential among them. In “funeral sermons”, the “immortal souls” of the deceased are transported “on angels’ wings to heaven”, and the living are consoled with the assurance that they are singing the praises of God around the throne; feasting with Abraham, and the prophets, with the saints and martyrs, and with Jesus and his apostles in the Kingdom of God; and they are themselves persuaded, that the souls of their relations, now become angels, are watching over them, and praying for them; and that when they die their own souls will be re-united with them in the realms of bliss.
Need I say to the man enlightened in the word, that there is no such comfort, or consolation, as this in the law and the testimony of God?

Such traditions are purely mythological; and come of the Nicolaitan dogma of saved “ghosts, and goblins damn’d” which has cancerously extirpated “the truth as it is in Jesus”.
No, the apostles did not point men to the day of their death, and its immediate consequents, for comfort; nor did they administer the consolations of the gospel to any who had not obeyed it. They offered comfort only to the disciples; for they only are the heirs with Jesus of the Kingdom of God. They taught these to look to the coming of Christ, and to the resurrection, as the time of a re-union with their brethren in the faith. At death, they should
“rest from their labours, and their works should follow them”;
and
“to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation”. {a Heb. 9:28.}
Such were the practical and intelligible “words” with which the apostles comforted their brethren; but words which have become sealed and cabalistic, both to the unlearned and “the wise”.

In conclusion, then, as far as power is concerned, God could have created all things upon a spiritual or incorruptible basis at once. The globe could have been filled with men and women, equal to the angels in nature, power, and intellect, on the sixth day; but the world would have been without a history, and its population characterless. This, however, would not have been according to the plan. The animal must precede the spiritual as the acorn goes before the oak. This will explain many difficulties which are created by systems; and which will for ever remain inexplicable upon the hypotheses they invent. The Bible has to do with things, not imaginations; with bodies, not phantasmata; with “living souls” of every species; with corporeal beings of other worlds; and with incorruptible and undying men; but it is as mute as death, and silent as the grave, having nothing at all to say about such “souls” as men pretend to “cure”; except to repudiate them as a part of that “philosophy and vain deceit”, {b. Col. 2:8} “which some professing have erred concerning the faith.” {c 1 Tim. 6:21}
– Thomas, D. J.; Elpis Israel: an exposition of the Kingdom of God (electronic ed., pp. 45–46). Birmingham, UK: The Christadelphian.
*
Notes & quotes
a Hebrews 9:28 (ESV): 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
b Colossians 2:8 (ESV): 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
c 1 Timothy 6:21 (ESV): 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Grace be with you.
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Preceding article:
Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
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Additional readings
- Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man
- The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
- The chosen ones to fear or not to fear
- God won’t ask
- Kingdom of God, a journey
- The one who set the standard
- Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
- Signs of the the last days when difficult times will come
- After the Sabbath after Passover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Jesus is risen
- Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
- Exceeding Great and Precious Promise
- Invitation to all who believe
- Dying or not
- Immortality, eternality – onsterfelijkheid, eeuwigheid
- God’s wrath and sanctification
- With God All Things Are Possible
- The world is but a great inn
- A concrete picture of what is to come in the future
- Empire with Jesus the emperor
- The builder of the Kingdom
- Not all will inherit the Kingdom
- Receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken
- A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
- Elul Observances
- January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
- Salvation and Righteousness
- We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”
- Failing Man to make free choice
- Knowing where to go to
- A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
- Faith and trial
- Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
- A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
- A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
- First man’s task still counting today
- He who knows himself, is kind to others
- Luther’s misunderstanding
- January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
- Our life depending on faith
- Romans 4 and the Sacraments
- Is Justification a process?
- Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
- Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
- Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
- Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
- Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
- Be holy
- Those who make peace should plant peace like a seed
- Times of the Gentiles
- How do you keep people from stealing your joy?
- Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
- Bringing Good News into the world
- United people under Christ
- The work of the angels in guiding national affairs
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Further related articles
- You believe in one God? Good, so do the other gods.
- Weeping and gnashing of teeth
- Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correctionSatan in the New Testament (2)
- Satan in the New Testament (3): The Devil and his angels
- Angels and Princes in Daniel 10
- Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction Was David “a man after God’s own heart”?
- Jesus on hell (1)
- Waiting
- Kingdom Timing
- …as is Israel’s eternal duty…
- …as is Israel’s eternal duty. part 2.
- On the Joy Train I Go!
- Kingdom of God – river of lifeThe Kingdom of God and Non-Violence (Part 2)
- The kingdom of heaven is the Christian disciple’s true home
- The Kingdom’s Authority
- Why We Shouldn’t Call Ourselves Born-Again Christians
- New Creation: Here, But Not Yet
- The Return of The Native
- Next Scheduled Stop: The Judgment Seat of Christ (Part 3)
- The faithful remnant
- Unseen Servants
- You’re not a Slave, You’re a Son
- Have Courage!
- Jesus’ First Sermon (Mark 1. 14-15)
- Politics, Christianity, and the End of the World
- Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Rhymer of God series (#3)
- Not a Christian Bubble
- The Poor in Spirit (Matt. 5:3)
- (In)justice and (in)action
- Kingdom of the Son
- Go with the Flow
- A Bus Called Heaven. Bob Graham
- Stand Up For Jesus
- Third Friday in Ordinary Time
- Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Are you Working to Fulfill Scripture?
- Going Home
- Quaker Faith & Practice for the 21st Century: IIj
- God is Jehovah Jireh – The LORD Will Provide
- Lay Your Burden Down And Let God Be God And Just Be Yourself
- Michael Horton Differentiates Law and Gospel
- The Subnormal Christian Life
- 14 How to Work Your Way to Hell
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