Epistles of Paul 56

Well, good evening, brethren. Paul, in this epistle of 2 Corinthians, he started by defending his ministry and showing how the new covenant ministry is so much more glorious than the old covenant ministry. In second chapter of 2 Corinthians verse 17, he says, we are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God. We are not watering it down. We're not diluting it. We're not corrupting the Word of God. Therefore, he said, we don't give up. We keep keeping on, as a number of brethren in the church today say. We keep keeping on. In chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians, in verse 4, he then makes reference to the God of this world, which is Satan, which is blinding, or trying to prevent the light of the good news, in the words of the gospel, of the glory of Christ to shine in our hearts, as he says, to shine on us so that it can reflect in our lives. And so this is the enemy you and I have in the society, in this world, and Satan is definitely, as this world moves more and more into an ungodly world, we can clearly see this growing and growing in our society. But it's our responsibility to allow the light of the good news of Christ's glory to shine in us so that we, through that, are being transformed into the same image, which is the image of God, which is Christ, so that we start putting on God's nature, God's character in our lives. In other words, we are being transformed into being Christ-like.

We're becoming more and more like God, hopefully, in our actions, in our thoughts, in our way of life. We are, in fact, in the process of becoming sons and daughters of God.

In other words, children of God, in a way of saying. Now, this knowledge, this understanding is a treasure, a very, very valuable treasure. And we read that in verse 7 of 2 Corinthians chapter 4. It says, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. In other words, in our physical bodies, we have this wonderful knowledge, which we need to grasp and understand and comprehend. In our bodies, which are frail, in other words, they earthen vessels, fragile like parts of clay that are easily chipped and breakable, corruptible. Our bodies are corruptible.

But notwithstanding all that, we must not faint. We must not give up. And he says that in verse 16, and he says, therefore, that's of chapter 4, 2 Corinthians, therefore we do not lose heart.

That's actually the second time in this chapter that he says that. He says the same thing in verse 1.

So we must not faint. We must not be discouraged and give up. Or I know there's a lot of things that can discourage us. Sure, but we must strive not to give up. We must not lose heart. Even though our outward man, as it says there, is getting older and older, and our afflictions, as it says in verse 17, and we went through some of the afflictions in the last study that Paul went through, we discussed some of that, he calls them light afflictions. You know, he went through enormous trials and difficulties and beatings, but he called it light afflictions. And then he says, this is not to be compared with the glory that we will have, because this he says it's working in us, and to a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, as we read in verse 17.

We must endure and endure and endure, but our success in endures is how we look to the future, how we look beyond the physical. That's why it says this light affliction is for a moment. Why? Because he's looking beyond to what is to come to the spiritual, to the kingdom of God. And so now we start in chapter 5 verse 1. And it says, for we know that in our earthly house, the word house, it's actually referring to our physical body. Verse 10, in Greek, is the word 4636 kainos, which is a noun, which is basically a tent, a tabernacle. Some Bible versions even translated as tabernacle. This tent is destroyed. So for we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, when is it destroyed? When we physically die. When our bodies, which are earthly, die, the body is basically the tent where the spirit of man is held and where God's spirit mingles or mixes with the spirit of man in man. When we die, God holds the spirit of man. The spirit of man is not alive because the body is dead. The spirit of man does not live by itself. It's just like we used to say, like a recording. It's like all the information about you and the talents and the things that you've learned all about you is basically stored. So continue there.

This tent is destroyed, but we have a building from God. What building is that? It's the spiritual body that we will receive at the resurrection, which God will give us a spiritual body, a building, not a tent, a building. You see the analogy of a tent versus a permanent building. So our physical body is just a tent. It's a temporary thing.

The building which God is to give us, which is a spiritual body, is a permanent, eternal body.

This is a metaphor. Just turn with me, please, to 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1.

In 2 Peter chapter 1, we read in verse 13 and 14. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 13 and 14. Yes.

Yes, I think it is right. As long as I am in this tent. It's basically the same word.

It's exactly not the same word, but it's also a noun. It's word the Greek 46 4638, skynoma. The previous one was 4636, skynos, skynoma. But it's basically in the tent, while I am in the tent, or in the tabernacle, or some Bible versions translated, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

So, here we have Peter, the Apostle Peter, writing run about 67 AD, saying that Christ had shown him that he would soon be martyred and die. So, he knew that he was going to die soon. And so, he's saying, yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in the tent, to stir you up by reminding you, while I still have a little bit of physical life, I need to remind you, you know, to make this calling and election sure, as it says in verse 10 of 2 Peter.

You see this section of 2 Peter, this part is a very powerful letter, because in the end, you know, it concludes by saying, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But right at the beginning, he's talking about the same thing, saying that God has given us his power, his Holy Spirit, his divine power, that is in 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. And then he says that through this power, he's given all the things that we need to be partakers of the divine nature. In other words, to be changing, to become more like Christ, you know.

And then he says that we've got to put on, add all diligence, all effort to add your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and so on, ultimately building up to Godly love. And then it says, if any of us lacks these, in verse 9, we short sighted, we short sighted, even blind, and we've forgotten that we've been cleansed from our old selves. And therefore says, therefore be even more diligent, make a greater effort to make your calling an election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble.

In other words, you will never leave God's church, God's spiritual body. For through that, so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the kingdom of God, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, which is the kingdom of God. So Peter is saying that we have temporarily a tent, and we've got to work hard to be overcoming. And in a sense, it's the same thing that Paul is saying.

We need to be improving ourselves and continually grow. And this is the metaphor that is using here to say we need to, as we live in this tent, our physical existence is fragile, is insecure, is lowly, is temporary. That is our physical existence. That is the tent, as we read in verse 1 of chapter 5. But God wants to give us a building, a building, which is secure, which is certain, which is permanent, which is therefore contrasted with this tent.

So we can see it's a metaphor of man's physical existence today, which is temporary, compared to our spiritual life in a spiritual body, which will be eternal. And then Paul goes on to say in verse 2 of first, second Corinthians chapter 5, for in this we grow. In this physical body, in this tent, in this earthen vessel, as he put it in verse 7 of chapter 4, earthen vessel, this fragile body, we groan. Why? Because we have a physical body with some of us with illnesses, with aches and pains, with physical problems.

So we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation, in other words, with our dwelling, with our spiritual body, our building that God is going to give us, which is from heaven, which is God's going to give us. So we groan, we desire, we eagerly wait to have a spiritual body in the kingdom of God. Continue now in verse 3, says, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. So we see a comparison between being clothed and being found naked. Basically, there is, let's call it, a duality. It's using two analogies, because we need to be in this life, be prepared.

We need to be fully prepared in this life for the glory of God in the kingdom of God. In other words, we need to be fully prepared to be in the first resurrection. We need to be doing our part so that we can be in the first resurrection. On the other side, if we're naked, means we're not ready, and we're not going to have that spiritual body.

In other words, we're not going to be in the first resurrection. In Revelation 3 verse 18, Revelation 3 verse 18, we see this same example about being naked when it's talking about the loudest sins.

And we see verse 18, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich and white garments, that you may be clothed. And so we, YAH is using the same analogy for us to be clothed. In other words, not to be naked. And it says that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed and anoint your eyes with eyes solved that you may see. Now, in this case, in this context of Revelation chapter 3, it's talking about an attitude and a situation among some people, particularly in that case, that people are not close enough to God and they being look warm in their behavior and their attitude, and let's call it in their Christianity, thinking that they're very well off, spiritually speaking, but they're not. They are weak, they are frail, they are not close to God.

And so this is using the same example. So it is possible for us today to be spiritually naked.

So we are supposed to be clothed with righteousness. Now, it's important we understand is not self-righteousness. Regrettably, many people think of righteousness. Oh, the important is righteousness. The important is righteousness. Yes, it is, but not self-righteousness.

You know, I think I'm just thinking now, crossing my mind, and I think it's Romans 11. Let's just look at that, making sure that I quote correctly. Romans 11. Oh, no, Romans 10. It says, verse 2, it says, talking about people that have great zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, godly knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness. They ignorant of God's righteousness. There are a lot of people that call themselves Christians, and maybe even be in the church, or ignorant of God's righteousness.

And they seek to establish their own righteousness. They seek to have more righteousness, but it's self-righteousness, because they have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Because, verse 4, that is in Revelation, I mean, about Romans 10, verse 4, for Christ, because Christ is the end, is the ultimate goal, is the actual fulfillment of the law. He's fulfilled, he is the exorbitant, he is the exemplary model of righteousness, of living God's law correctly for righteousness to everyone who believes. So Christ is our standard, is who we look up to.

We don't copy at a man, we follow imitate Christ. Or, as Paul said, imitate me as I imitate Christ.

So we follow Christ. Christ is our standard, is who we're going to strive for, as in Ephesians. It says the unity of faith to all come to the plenitude or the completeness or the fulfillment of the full maturity man after the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Like 2 Peter was talking about, growing the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We got to know Christ, he's understanding who he is, and grow in his image. That is what we got to do. So we're going to be clothed with righteousness, but it's God's righteousness instead of motivated by human nature, carnality, and things like that, which is basically spiritually naked.

So in this section here, we're talking about in verse 3 of 2 Corinthians 5 verse 3, if indeed having been clothed we shall not be found naked. There's a duality because it's clothed today in our life today so that we're not naked today, but it's also a duality that we need to be clothed ultimately. In other words, being in the first resurrection, so that we're not found naked. In other words, we miss out. We miss out. Anyway, let's move on to verse 4.

For we who are in this tent grow. Now he says, grown again. Being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed. In other words, we are striving. We are striving, and we're looking forward. We sigh and cry and pray that we may become more like Christ clothed, further clothed, so that ultimately mortality may be swallowed up by life. And so our desire is to be in the first resurrection, to be in the kingdom of God. And therefore, we grow, we pray, we sigh for that day. Look at Romans chapter 8 verse 23. Romans chapter 8 verse 23. It says, for not only that, but we also we have the first fruits of the Spirit. Oh, that's such an important statement here. It's such an important. We have the first fruits of the Spirit. That's what the meaning of Pentecost and received God's only Spirit. We have the first fruits of the Spirit, which means we have to use it for obedience. We have to remain faithful till the end, so that at the end, which is symbolized by trumpets, we may change, maybe change in the first resurrection, to become the first fruits to God. But you see, now we are, we have the first fruits of the Spirit. But even we ourselves grow. We grow. Again, the word is stenadzru. We sigh, we grow. For what? Within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the sonship, which I believe would be a better translation for, in this case, you know, was to really be truly sons and daughters of God. In other words, the redemption of our body. It was our bodies are brought back, waiting when our bodies will be changed to what? To a glorified body from this tent to a building, as Paul is referring to in in 2 Corinthians 5. And so, when does this happen? When does this happen? When do we gain immortality? Because, yeah, in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 4, says that mortality may be swallowed up by life. In words, eternal life, immortality. When do we gain immortality? Well, in 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 50 through 54, says, now, this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. This physical tent, this physical body of flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit in corruption. This body is corruptible. It's like a tent is is not permanent. Be all Italian mystery. We shall not sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump of those seven prophetic trumps of the book of Revelation. For the trumpet will sound, that lost trumpet, and the dead will be raised incorruptible. That's the first resurrection, and we we are alive at that moment shall be changed from this mortal, mortal body or tent to this immortal spiritual body or building as Paul refers it in 2 Corinthians 5. For this corruptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Must put on life. So continuing back to in 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 4 says that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Look at also in Philippians chapter 3 verse 20 and 21.

Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3 verse 20 and 21.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our country, our real government and country that we show loyalty and patriotism to, is the kingdom of God. And from which? From the Father, which is in heaven, from the Father. We eagerly wait for our Savior Christ, the second coming, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who will transform? Who will change? Transform is like a metamorphosis, like a bug changes into a butterfly. It's just a complete change of our lowly body, this tent, right? That it may be conformed to the glorious body.

So there is a glory to come, a glorious body who may be transformed, may be conformed. We may become like Christ according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.

And so the tent will be transformed to conform to Christ's glorious body. Look at Romans 8 verse 18. We were in Romans 8 a moment ago, so let's go again to Romans 8 but now verse 18. Romans 8 verse 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. The glory that shall be revealed in us.

You see, the key to overcoming is that we need to focus on the future, on the glory to come.

Because this life, this body, is a tent. This is temporary. And in fact, if you look at some of the Bible versions, the word tent is actually tabernacle. And you and I know very well that we observe, we keep the Feast of Tabernacles. In other words, it's the Feast of symbolizing that we live in temporary dwellings. We are so journers. This life is just a journey like Abraham and the early Israelites so journed until they came to the Promised Land. The Israel let the dwelt intense before they entered the Promised Land. Right? We live in a tent, in a physical tent, body, which is temporary, which is frail, which is subject to illnesses and corruption and getting old and frail before we enter our Promised Land, which is the kingdom of God, where we will then have a permanent body. You see, all these different analogies, they all gel. Isn't it so beautiful? It really is very exciting. And so, as we go back here to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, we're talking about being changed and looking for that change, for it to change.

I think it's appropriate at this time to also mention that because some people use scriptures like this, which for instance, like in verse 2, that says, with our abattation, which is from heaven, kind of implying that, well, we're going to go to heaven. But that's not what it says. You see, God has a building that is being prepared in the heavens for us. All right, let's move on now to verse 5. Now, he has prepared for us this very thing is God. You see, God is in the process of preparing us.

He is preparing us. He's forming us. He's shaping our character. Each one of us has a unique set of difficulties and trials. Yes, he does say nothing has happened to you that has not happened to every other human being. True. But your set of trials is unique to you. Your physical brother or sister may have a completely different and unique set of trials. Why? Because God is forming you and is forming your brother and sister to a different responsibility in the kingdom of God.

God has a plan for each one of us. He has designed a specific purpose for your specific life.

Don't think that he doesn't know. He knows exactly what he wants you to be.

And what responsibility you're going to have in the world tomorrow and beyond into eternity.

He knows exactly what he wants you to have. So he is shaping you. He is preparing you and I for this very thing. The father has this humanity, he's the architect, he's got all this plan who has given us God's early spirit as a guarantee.

God is preparing us for something and important for eternity.

And for that, to help prepare you, the helper, the helper is God's early spirit.

So that you may ultimately receive this spiritual body.

And so, understand that it's the father that's preparing us. Look at Matthew chapter 20 verse 23.

Matthew chapter 20 verse 23.

And he said to them, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with baptism that I'm baptized with. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father. God the father has something prepared for each one of us.

God is preparing certain position for you and I in the kingdom of God. Look at Matthew 25 verse 34.

Matthew 25 verse 34.

Then the king shall say to those on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my father, in the other kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the wall. Matthew 25 verse 34. God has prepared something for you, individually for you, a position for you from the foundation of the world. God is super bright, intelligent.

He is so wise. He can foresee things and he can make them happen exactly the way he wants them to be. And he's prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And he wants you there, but he still allows you pre-moral agency. You see, you can reject it. And if then, if you reject it, he says, Be careful, don't lose your crown, because it'll be given to us, somebody else.

You see, God has prepared something for you and I. Look at Romans chapter 9, Romans chapter 9 verse 23, Romans chapter 9 verse 23. Okay. And that he made known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory. We are being prepared for glory. You know, quite often, maybe we don't talk, maybe we're a little bit shy of talking and saying, God wants to give you glory.

It's plain in the Bible that is what God wants to give you. He wants to give me. He wants to give us.

And we just don't grasp it. That's why it says in Romans 8, just a page back, he says that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which shall be revealed in us. It's just not, it's not even comparable. We are being prepared for glory. Look in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 16. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 16. This is the 5th chapter and right at the end of the 5th chapter, Hebrews 11, or towards, it says, yeah, Hebrews 11. He says, but now they desire a better than a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he as prepared as city for them. You see, the New Jerusalem is very probably the abattation for Christ's bride for those in the first resurrection, which will ultimately will dwell in New Jerusalem. And so those that come later in other resurrections will be in other cities. But that's very probably what the New Jerusalem will be for the bride for Christ's bride, those in the first resurrection. So in a sense, it's like saying it's a wedding gift from the Father to the bride and for the Son for their ultimate abattation to dwell in into eternity. Now going back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 5, it says God has given us his Spirit as a guarantee. God has given us his Holy Spirit as a down payment.

The rest is still yet to come. You see, a guarantee that you will receive this quote-unquote spiritual building. Let's call it spiritual body in the future. Just like when you and I buy a house and you put down payment towards it, God has given us this guarantee, this down payment. And so our house is a spiritual body to come. In 1 John chapter 3, 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 and 2, 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 and 2 says, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God, therefore the wall does not know us because he did not know him. Beloved, we are the children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be with the spiritual body. But we know that when he is revealed, that's when Christ comes back, we shall be like him and we shall see him as he is. Nowadays, no man can see God on his face. As we read in Exodus 33 verse 20, no man can look God in his face and live. But we will then with that spiritual body. So continue now in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Now we're going to read verse 7.

Verse 6. Sorry, we finished reading verse 5. Now verse 6. For we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, in the tent, we are absent from the Lord. See, as long as we are in the tent, in this physical body, we're not yet one-on-one in personal, spiritual, true spiritual contact with the Father. Like we read that in and with God in 1 John 3 verse 1 and 2. I mean, spiritually we are, but at that greater level that we'll see him as he is, we're not there yet. We're absent in that. And then he says in verse 7, for we walk by faith, not by sight. You see, Israel, in a way, walked by sight. They saw the miracles, they saw the plagues, they saw the parting of the sea, but they still disobeyed. You see, walking by faith is more powerful than walking by sight.

Verse 8, we are confident, yes, well pleased rather, to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Yes, that's the preferable state. We look forward to the resurrection and to be a spirit being in the kingdom of God. So that's what we look for.

You see, we read in verses like John 14 that Christ said, I go and prepare a place for you.

In my father's house, there are many mansions, many offices, many positions for you. We also read in Revelation 22 verse 12 that Christ says, when he comes, you'll bring the reward with him.

So when Christ comes, we will receive that reward. So it's not just life, but it is a reward. Look at 2 Timothy chapter 4. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 and 8. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 and 8.

But reject, I'll be probably that's 1 Timothy. Let's get down to 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 and 8.

I have fought a good fight. I have finished a race. I have kept a faith. Finally, finally, I have a faith that is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved is appearing.

So Christ, the Lord, the righteous judge, is going to give it to us. So when we'll receive it? At that day, when it says that he's appearing, when it comes, that's when we'll receive that reward.

And then what will he do on that day? Well, on that day, we read in Zechariah 14 verse 4.

Zechariah 14 verse 4. Zechariah 14 verse 4. It says, in that day his feet will stand on a mount of wallows, which face Jerusalem on the east, and a mount of wallop shall be split into, and then we can see that he's going to rule from earth. So Christ's coming represents a series of events, a number of events, and the church, God's people, are not going to be gathered and go off to heaven and be there for a thousand years now. He's coming to rule on earth. And that's why in Acts chapter 1 verse 11, after Christ died and he resurrected, and then he stayed with the apostles for 40 days, then in verse there they saw him ascending to heaven at the end of those 40 days. And then we see an angel speaking to them, saying, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manger as you saw him going into heaven. And so he'll come back also on the mount of olives to set up his government. So let's continue now in verse 9, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 9. Therefore, we make it our aim whether present or absent to be well pleasing to him. Therefore, it is our goal to be well pleasing to God. You see, to do good works. In other words, to obey and to be well pleasing to him.

In 1 John 3 verse 22, 1 John 3 verse 22.

1 John 3 verse 22. And whatever we ask we receive from him because, number one, we keep his commandments and number two, we do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

So it is more than just obeying. It's doing things that are pleasing in his sight. In other words, it's both grace and works. It's both things we gotta obey, obey God and do things that are pleasing to him in a gracious, kind way, in a gentle, loving way we have to. And then it goes on now in verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. You see, we gotta appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The Greek word is the word 968, beima, a raised place, like a raised platform mounted on steps.

And we know that Christ now sits at the right hand of the Father. If we read in Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 12, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 12, he says, But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice, Christ offered one sacrifice of his body, one for sins forever. He doesn't have to offer more sacrifices. It's one forever.

Sit down at the right hand of God the Father. So he's now at the right hand of God the Father. So there's the Father and there's Christ. Sits at the right hand of the Father. And then read a little bit further in verse 14 of Hebrews 10. For by one offering, you see, by this one offering of his life, of sacrifice he did, he has perfected forever. He has done everything that is necessary to perfect us. It is enough what is done. Perfect for those who are being, that's present, continuous, tense. Those who are being sanctified, that are being changed.

God has done everything. The Father has done everything through Christ by giving his son and his son, giving his life, giving his blood. That one offering is enough to perfect us, as ultimately already done it. Because for God, you can really see the future as it's done. Right? He's already done everything that is necessary, is perfected. But those who are being today still being sanctified. It's a sanctification of the Spirit. We receive the Spirit as a guarantee, as a down payment, and we use God's Holy Spirit for obedience to change, to become better people being sanctified. Look also at verse 19. Therefore brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, we can enter the holiest. God's very throne, spiritually speaking, today. As even though in this tent, we in our prayers, we can enter, spiritually speaking, in our prayers, through the blood of Jesus, the very throne of God. And again, the Father and Christ are sitting next to each other. But we can enter that through the blood of Jesus. This is a new and living way, because in Old Testament, only the high priest could go entered through the veil once a year on the day of Atonement. Now, you and I can enter through a new and living way, which is consecrated through the veil. There is his flesh. Because of what is done, we can get into that. And then in verse 20, 21, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near, verse 22, with a true heart of full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us draw with near, with a true heart in full assurance of faith. And so we need to have this full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled. That is the sprinkling of Christ's blood when we still occasionally think something incorrect or say something wrong. We can repent, and our hearts can be sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies, our whole way of life, can be washed with the pure water, symbolizing God's Holy Spirit. So, you see, Christ is now in heaven with the Father.

And he has all the power delegated to him. Look at Matthew 11, Matthew 11, verse 27. Let's just focus on the very first sentence, Matthew 11, verse 27. And there he says, in Matthew 11, 27, he says, All things have been delivered to me by my Father. Putting in today's terminology is, everything has been delegated to me by my Father. All the power, all the authority has been delegated to him by the Father. Look at Matthew 28, verse 18, to support that. Matthew 28, verse 18, he says, He says, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. All authority has been given to me. So, Yah is the Father, and Yah is Christ next to him, and all authority has been given to Christ.

Look at John chapter 5. John chapter 5, verse 26 and 27. John 5, verse 26 and 27.

For the Father has life in himself, for as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.

So, the Son has the capability to give us life, because he's got life in himself.

And then he goes on, and has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he's the Son of Man.

He's given Christ authority to execute judgment. Authority to judge has been given to Jesus Christ.

Now, you and I know, according to 1 Peter 4, verse 17, 1 Peter 4, verse 17, For the time has come for judgment to begin in the house of God.

And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

You see, the judgment now is beginning on you and I.

We know what happens in Revelation 12, verse 9 and 10. Satan, in which the siever deceives the whole world, and he's the accuser of the brethren. So he's picking up faults on you and I, and Christ defends us, as in a way our defense lawyer, but is also being delegated all-authority to judge. And so, as these accusations come, what Christ does? Well, he brings bad evidence. Okay, let's say you and I have done something wrong. You've said something wrong, and Satan says, ha ha! Yes, George said this, therefore.

But, you know, it, hopefully we repent, right? We gotta repent! Hopefully we repent.

And so what happens?

That accusation is thrown out of court because it's been forgiven. And so, he's got no accusation because it's thrown out of court by Christ's blood. At the end of our lives, of the trial, then Christ being the final judge, we receive the reward of what we've done, of good and bad. But judgment is not just a sentence. You see, it's a process. Yes, the end result of the judgment process is the sentencing. We are being judged. We are being evaluated day by day by the way we live our lives now. That is why it's so important for us to obey. And if we repent, it's critically important. If we sin, it's critically important that we repent. So, when life is over, it's sick. So, when we come to the end of our life, that process has ended.

Right? So, what happens? We'll either get a reward in the kingdom of God, or we'll get thrown into the lake of fire. So, ultimately, hopefully, as we repent, we'll all ultimately get a reward, which is the result of this judgment process. In other words, and the verdict, the judgment, will be handed over by the judge, which is Christ. Christ will then hand over to us. He'll bring within our reward. So, each one of us will receive the reward based on the things we've done in this physical body, in this tent, will receive the reward based upon our works. You see, salvation is a free gift by grace through faith. Ephesians 2, verse 8 and 9.

But Christ says in John chapter 6, verse 38 to 40 and 44 to 45, then he says, and he will resurrect us. He's got the power. He's got life. He's got life in editing himself, and he has been delegated all authority, and he will give us eternal life. Eternal life, therefore, will be a gift.

But our responsibility now and our ultimate position, it was our ultimate reward. How many cities you will rule and how will rule and I will rule and we will rule is based on our overcoming in this life through all the difficult trials that we have.

But God will reward us accordingly. God will reward you according to the trials that you are having. Have no doubt. Have no fear. And so back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5.

We read in verse 10, and it says, according to what we've done, either good or bad.

If bad, we better repent. We better repent. Repentance is so vital in our life.

And verse 11, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men that we are well known to God and also trust are well known in your consciousness. In other words, we are accountable for what we say and for what we do.

And we better get busy and do what is right. Then from verse 12 starts talking about false teachers that they commend themselves and they boast and that will be addressed in our next study.