Jesus, the Son of Man, is our brother.


How can we treat Jesus as our brother, when He's in heaven?
When the Son of Man returns in the clouds of glory, there will be two groups, each awaiting Him, but only one of those groups will enter into glory with Jesus. The group that treated Jesus as their brother!!
But Jesus is in heaven ---??

Read it in Matt. 25

When the Son of Man comes in all His glory and before Him are all the people, He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

And He will say
I was hungry and you gave me food
I was thirsty and you gave me water to drink
I had no clothes, and you gave me clothes
I was a stranger and you befriended me
I was sick and you visited me.
Come now and enter the joy of the Lord.

And they will say, but Lord, when did we do all these things for you?
And He will tell them, when you did it to the least of these my brethren you did it to ME!

And those people who didn't give assistance to the needy, didn't help ME!
Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to ME! ?And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.?


Do we think along those lines?
When we see someone in need, ---do we think "I want to help Jesus".

Read Daniel 7:9-10, , Daniel 7:13-14. Why did Daniel call Jesus the ?Son of Man? in something as serious as the judgment?



When the time had come, at the end of the 2300 years, to cleanse the sanctuary, Christ came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but, as foreshadowed in the type, to the most holy place of the temple of God in heaven. In these scriptures the prophet Daniel tells us Christ, the Son of Man, comes at this time to the Ancient of Days: He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom. He comes to the Ancient of Days to redeem the full rights of the dominion of this earth, for the human race.

Jesus appears before the court as the SON OF MAN. He is representing the human race. Jesus, the Son of Man, took upon Himself humanity to stand at the head of human race and reclaim the lost inheritance for mankind. He is the second Adam. The first Adam lost the dominion and brought death to all, the second Adam brings life and reclaims the lost dominion for mankind.

• Adam
  Adam was given the dominion of the newly created Earth (Genesis 1:28)
  Adam sold out the dominion to the serpent (satan) (Genesis 3}
  Satan declares himself as the prince of this world and even entered heavenly councils as the representative of this World (Job 1:6-7)
  Satan suggested he could give Christ that dominion if He would only bow and worship him, (Matt.3:8-10)
  Mankind has been trying to get the dominion back by force and making an awful mess of it.
• 
  
  One man, Adam, who chose to listen to the devil's lies, and chose to bow to satan's suggestions, instead of trusting and obeying God, brought many centuries of pain, and misery to this world.
  By yielding to temptation, Adam as well as all his descendants was brought under the power of Satan. All except Jesus Christ!
  
  Jesus, the Son of Man, took upon Himself humanity so He, as a human, could stand at the head of the human race, and reclaim the lost inheritance for mankind. He is the second Adam. The first Adam lost the dominion and brought death to all, the second Adam brings life and reclaims the lost dominion for mankind.
  
  The Son of Man put aside His Divine power, and lived as a man, in perfect harmony with God the Father.
  The SON OF MAN, Christ, does not appear before the heavenly court as "God" even though He is verily God, He appears before the court as "the Son of Man" having taken upon Himself humanity, He comes as the representative of the human race, standing at the head of the human race before God.
  
  Has a human ever been found to be totally true to God the Father? Only a perfect human life can win back what the first Adam lost. And only the perfect life and death of the Creator of humans could be sufficient to offer them pardon.
  
  The verdict of the court? Christ receives the dominion! He has won it back for the human race!
  
  This judgment scene is also a victory for the human race, through Jesus.
  
  The Son of Man, as high priest, is the stand in, or proxy for His people in the judgment. In the ancient sanctuary all who trusted in the provisions of the sanctuary for forgiveness and cleansing were approved in the judgment. But those who did not repent and confess their sins were "cut off" and cast out.
  
  And so in the heavenly court, Christ, Who is the "Lamb of God" as well as the "Son of Man", has a book -- it's called the "Lamb's book of life".
  It's not our book of life, but the Lamb's book of life. In it are names of all Who have come to Christ to be joined with Him, to be covered by the blood of His atoning sacrifice.
  These names Christ presents before the Father as fellow heirs with Him:
  
  Rev. 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
  Matt. 10:32-32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
  
  For all whose names are confessed before the Father and retained in the book of life, Christ's victory carries the wonderful verdict:
  
  Daniel 7:26-27 "The court will sit for judgment, and the horn's dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him:
  
  
  
  
  

What is the Everlasting Gospel?

I'd say it is the whole story of redemption.

1. The everlasting gospel was already in place in the beginning, before Creation.
Rev. 13:8, from the foundation of the earth.
1 Peter 1:20 Christ was foreordained before Creation to come to this world
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

2. It was promised to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob
Genesis 3:15 A "seed" would crush the serpent.
Genesis 22:18 All nations will be blessed in by (Abraham's) seed.
Genesis 28:14 In thy (Jacob's) seed shall all families of the earth be blessed.

3. It is about the Creator of the whole universe, becoming human and dwelling with us.
John 1:10-14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...to give them power to become the sons of God.

4. It's about Christ dying in our place to forgive
1 Peter 1:18-19 we are redeemed...by the precious blood of Christ
Ephesians 1:7 Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins...
Rev. 5:9 thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

5. It's about Christ giving us power to live godly lives
1 Peter 2:21,22 Christ left us an example that we follow in His footsteps. Who did no sin.
Romans 6:3-4,18 buried with Him into death, raised with Him to walk in newness of life.. made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.


6. He makes us New Creatures
2 Cor 5:17 In Christ, a new creature, all old things are passed away
Eph. 4:5,10 By grace, Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened (made us alive) together with Christ,..created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

7.He gives us the Holy Spirit,
Gal. 5:16 Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
John 15:26 he (the Holy Spirit) testify of me (Jesus):
John 16:30 the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth
John 3:3-7 We must be born again, born of the water and the spirit
Romans 8:8-13 In the flesh we cannot please God, but if the Spirit of God dwells in us, He makes us alive to righteousness and through the Spirit sin is mortified (put to death)

8.He is coming again
John 14:3 to receive us unto Himself, to be with Him!
Revelation 6:17, 7:14 Who shall be able to stand when He comes? They that washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


And there's so much more!
The everlasting Gospel is all heaven working to fit us to be companions to heavenly beings!
It's about Jesus wanting to take us home when He comes to gather His people.

It's simple enough for a child to understand.
It's vast enough that the redeemed will study it through all eternity.

The three angel's message is included in the everlasting gospel.

The gospel is really God's story.
The gospel reveals God's character of love, mercy and holiness, manifested in the plan of salvation.

The gospel is everlasting! It was there before the foundations of the earth were laid, and throughout eternity the redeemed will experience an expanding appreciation of God's character and purpose.

Romans 1:16-17
The gospel is --- the power of God
It is the power of God unto salvation!
This power is offered to everyone who believes.
The gospel reveals the righteousness of God.
And this righteousness is received by faith.
Faith builds more faith, faith unto faith.
And those who by faith receive this power unto salvation, live just (righteous) lives by faith.

Romans 6:3-7,22
Christ's death on the cross is the foundation of the gospel story. It is the means of salvation. It provides the means, both for the pardon of forgiveness, and for cleansing and living a life dead to sin and alive in Christ.

1 Thess. 1:5 Romans 8:14
The Holy Spirit brings the power of the gospel into the lives of those who believe.

Centrality of the Cross

John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 12:32 Jesus said, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1 John 1:7 the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he given life together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Romans 6:4-6,18 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also share in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Galatians 6:14 God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Colossians 1:20 And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven.

Fallen humanity could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ?

-Without the cross, man could have no connection with the Father. On it hangs our every hope.

In view of it the Christian may advance with the steps of a conqueror; for from it streams the light of the Saviour's love. When the sinner reaches the cross, and looks up to the One who died to save him, he may rejoice with fullness of joy; for his sins are pardoned. Kneeling at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ; and the words of pardon are spoken: Live, O ye guilty sinners, live. Your repentance is accepted; for I have found a ransom. {5BC 1133.1}

Through the cross we learn that our heavenly Father loves us with an infinite and everlasting love, and draws us to Him with more than a mother's yearning sympathy for a wayward child. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"? It is our privilege also to glory in the cross of Calvary, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him who gave Himself for us. Then with the light of love that shines from His face on ours, we shall go forth to reflect it to those in darkness (RH April 29, 1902).


But let none deceive themselves with the thought that God, in His great love and mercy, will yet save even the rejecters of His grace. The exceeding sinfulness of sin can be estimated only in the light of the cross. When men urge that God is too good to cast off the sinner, let them look to Calvary.
It was because there was no other way in which man could be saved, because without this sacrifice it was impossible for the human race to escape from the defiling power of sin, and be restored to communion with holy beings,?impossible for them again to become partakers of spiritual life,?it was because of this that Christ took upon Himself the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner's stead. The love and suffering and death of the Son of God all testify to the terrible enormity of sin and declare that there is no escape from its power, no hope of the higher life, but through the submission of the soul to Christ.
SC 312

The world is in trouble. Sin has ruined emotions, lives, ruined families, societies, increased disease, pain and misery. The dragon is busy and is out to deceive the whole world and bind them in cords of iniquity to deprive them of the awesome gift God is offering to them.


The three angels' messages are an urgent cry announcing there is only one solution. God has not left the realities of sin and evil to totally wipe out the human race. He has a most glorious solution!!! -- the everlasting gospel to save any and all who will come to Him. He is urgently calling,

"I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will you die?" (Ezekiel.33:11)

For as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold, ...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)

I will make this covenant with you...saith the Lord, I will put my laws into your heart, and in your mind will I write them; And your sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:16-17)

Let us draw near to Him, with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:21-23)

Fear God and give glory to Him.
Interestingly the Bible tells us in the last days men's hearts will be failing them for fear, because of the things coming upon the earth. (Luke 21:26) Yet here the first angel urges us to "fear God". Could the "fear of the Lord" relieve the fear of things coming upon the earth?

We may wonder, why doesn't the angel say, "trust God"?

Most people, when they read texts about "the fear of the Lord" do their best to explain away any nuance of fear. But, then why would the text say "fear God"?

Could it be that humans loose the concept of the awe filled grander and power of God, and fail to regard His sovereignty and holiness. God is not to be trifled with, He is absolutely serious about cleansing and restoring a holy universe.

His great love has provided abundant grace and means to save every person from sin, but sin will not enter heaven, it will be destroyed.

To fear God is to worship Him in reverence and grateful love, and yes, fearing to bring dishonor to His holy name by our sinful behavior.

Thus -- fear God and give Him glory.
That glory is not only our praise, it is our godly conduct which is possible only by His presence and transforming power in our lives.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.

Deuteronomy 13:4 You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, obey His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Three questions concerning the "fear God".

1. What is the fear of the Lord?

We already looked for answers in the last post, but let's look at a few more Bible verses::
Proverbs 9:10-11 The fear of the Lord is knowledge of the Holy One, It is also the beginning of wisdom and understanding.

Proverbs 8:14 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth,

Duet 10:12 what does the Lord your God require of you, to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

To fear God in the right way doesn't mean to be scared of Him, but it does mean to be in awe and reverence as we contemplate His absolute holiness, righteousness and justice! Bible characters fell trembling when God revealed Himself, His overpowering holiness clearly contrasting with their sinfulness.
Also a biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin.
To fear God is to find the balance between His great love for the sinner, and His great hatred against sin.
Fearing God means having a reverence for Him that greatly impacts the way we live.

2. What seems to be a key issue in this balance?

Psalm 130:4 There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst be feared"

God's forgiveness takes away the repenting persons dread of God, and brings the right fear of God.
God mixes grace (forgiveness and cleansing for those who call upon His name)
with justice, (wages of sin is death, BUT the penalty for sin was borne by our Creator Himself upon the cross)
Without God?s mercy and forgiveness we could never approach the Holy God, we'd be consumed in an instance.
Without the cross, there would only be a fearful looking for the judgement.

As we look at the natural consequences of sin, our hearts should swell with gratitude for the One Who has made full provision for our pardon, cleansing and deliverance from sin. Even the act of wiping out all sin, is an act of love by God. He will not tolerate the heartache and pain of sin forever. He will rise to deliver His people from the venom of dragon and his henchmen.

3. Results of "fearing God" with godly fear.

a. Confidence in a loving, righteous God, we can count on to rightly deal with all. A refuge as well as a deliverer. Prov. 14:27-28
b. The ability to appreciate the holiness and beauty of God's law and covenantal grace (Ps. 112:1) we love, not only Him but also His law. Ps. 119:97-104
c. A reverential worship, knowing we are in the presence of the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
d. A hatred for sin, as an enemy.
e. A for our neighbors and loved ones, longing to point them to our awesome God, so they can find forgiveness, cleansing and holiness in Christ, and eternal life with Jesus forever.



To fear God with the right fear leads us to love HIM, and others
God's perfect love will cast out earthly fear.
.
Lev 27:15 So you shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God.

Going back to our first thought:
Fear God and give glory to Him.
Remember the Bible tells us in the last days men's hearts will be failing them for fear, because of the things coming upon the earth. (Luke 21:26) Yet here the first angel urges us to "fear God". Could the "fear of the Lord" relieve the fear of things coming upon the earth?

We may face persecution, we may be urged to give up our faith or die. It can be frightening when powerful people use intimidating means to get us to do something we know is wrong, and would bring dishonor, or cause us to reject our Savior. Many feel real fear when persecution and coercive powers are anticipated or experienced!
What counteracts this fear and helps people face it without yielding to its forcefulness?

The verse suggests that the fear of the Lord counteracts this fear of human coercion -- don't fear the evil ones and give in to them in fear, even if they kill you, for if you are following Christ and faithfully cling to Him, He is offering you the greatest joy and happiness in an eternally with Him.
But if you yield to the one who is coercing you to do something against God, and renounce your Savior, you may, or may not gain a few more days of this earthly life, but you would be choosing to obey the evil one to gain those few more days, rather than Christ and the end of those rejecting Christ is to lose out on eternal life and end up in the lake of fire.

Life here is only temporal anyway. A few years to choose whom we will serve. But God holds the power and the right to give us eternal life, if we choose Him who is Life and the giver of life. Why chose the adversary who can only share with us the lake of fire which was prepared for him and his angels.

Psalm 58:11
So that men will say,
?Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth.?

Psalm 94:2
Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud.

Psalm 98:9
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.

Romans 14:12
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

It is both good news and bad news.
Good news for those who have come to Jesus, repented of their sin, and have surrendered their lives to Him. It is bad news for those who cling to their sins, and navigate their life on their own reason.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel,
Every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD.
Repent, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed;
and make you a new heart and a new spirit:
for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that perishes, says the Lord GOD:
wherefore turn and live ye.

REPENTANCE IS KEY
Whether the judgment is good or bad for us, depends:
1. accepting Christ's saving grace
2. On our coming to Christ in repentance

Matthew 9:13
Go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Acts 20:21
(Paul) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God,
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.