AN OUTLINE OF ETERNITY

Sons Training August 28, 2017

An Outline of Eternity I

Jesus is preeminent in all things - The church is not of this world, and was before this world, just as Jesus - Truth is not of this world Next month will mark the 32nd Anniversary of Bible Teachers International. All that we have ministered in this ministry for the past 32 years, is embodied in this current message of eternity. The message on eternity is the Gospel of the Kingdom. This is the gospel that Jesus said must be preached in every nation before the end comes. Throughout my many years of ministry I have come to know that the church has been extremely fascinated with the world. The fact that sin is flourishing in the church is the proof of this truth. With all the revelation that God has poured into the Church, my question to the Lord was, why? Why is there yet such a fascination. Why are the saints attracted to this world? Not only this, but I asked the Lord, why was the early church so selfless and willing to be martyrs? These people of God were so disconnected from this world that they would suffer horrible deaths and be overjoyed to do so.

Sometimes even their children were sacrificed; nevertheless, they stood for Christ. Yet, when we look at the church, almost 2000 years later, we get offended when someone doesn’t speak to us. The reality is, the same scriptures we have today, the early church had in their day. The Apostles wrote letters to the church and these built the church on a solid foundation. Their letters were written from the perspective of eternity and the early church understood eternity. There are quotes that we say all the time, many of which are merely cliché’s to the church. One of these is “we are pilgrims passing through”. Many in the church today simply say this phrase, but the early church believed it. They understood the scriptures from an eternal perspective.

1 Corinthians 15:45-48

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Notice here that the scripture says, that which is spiritual was not first; rather that which is natural. However, this scripture is relative to this world. By this I mean, in the realm of time, Adam was manifested before Jesus Christ (who is the Last/second Adam). Therefore, we can clearly see that in the realm of time, the natural race was established before the spiritual race (which came by Jesus Christ). Likewise, the following…

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Here, Paul is once again speaking concerning the chronological order of events as it relates to time. God made a natural man and his race first, then 4000 years later, made a spiritual man and race; that spiritual race is the Body of Christ. However, this is all relevant to time, and the events in time.

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

This further proves that Paul is speaking of this world. The first man that was manifested in this world, was an earthy man, or a man from/of the earth. However, the second man (which is to say, another type of man, another creature), He is the Lord from heaven.

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

As is the earthy such (which means same as) are they also that are earthy. Those that are earthy are just as/like Adam. Likewise, as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly. This means that the heavenly are just as/like Jesus.

Colossians 1:17-18

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Jesus Christ is before anything that was made in this world. He is before everything that was ever made. Jesus existed before everything was made and by Him all things exist (consist). Note here that the scripture says, “he is” before all things. This teaches us a principle of eternity – it has no beginning or end, it simply is.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Jesus is the first born from the dead, for the purpose of preeminence. We have looked at Jesus’ preeminence from the perspective of His death, burial, and resurrection, which allowed the birthing of the church. However, His preeminence in all things goes further than His resurrection. Preeminent means first. If Jesus is preeminent in all things it means he experienced all things relative to the church first. Also, everything He did, we did. Whatever He was, we were, and wherever He was, we were. The fact Jesus is before all things equates to the His existence before the foundations of the world. The scripture declares that the sons of God were chosen in Christ from before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:3)

This confirms that He existed before time; moreover, it reveals that the sons too must have existed before the world was, in order to be in Him. The church must be seen from an eternal perspective. This must be done without spiritualizing. If we teach the church as just being here on earth and as having begun here on earth, it will become very difficult to separate the church from the earth. We must be able to rightly divide the word and see the scriptures that are relative to time, without undermining the scriptures that establish that the sons of God are eternal beings. It is foundational that we understand that the church existed in Jesus Christ before the world was. This sets a boundary for all other scripture and will aid us in rightly dividing the word of God. We must also see Jesus’ preeminence as it relates to his existence before the world was. This explains how we felt when we received the Holy Spirit. Our sentiments immediately changed, and we felt like we should have been saved long before. The day we receive the Holy Ghost is a manifestation that we were in Christ before the world was.

John 10:27

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: The sheep will know the voice of the chief shepherd because they have been with Him before the foundations of the world.

John 8:41-43

41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Every life that has been born into time has already been lived out in eternity. This was where God chose the sons. Hence He knew before He ever said “let there be light”, those that are His.

Titus 1:1-3

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Everything outside of God is a lie. Jesus is a manifestation of truth. The scripture teaches that this whole world is off course. Ever since Adam’s fall, the spirit of iniquity took this world into darkness. Truth, however, is not of this world. The truth is in Jesus Christ.

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

It is by the preaching of the gospel that those that were hid in God before the foundations of the world are manifested in time. The sons of God are revealed when the gospel is preached. When someone believes in Jesus it is manifested that they were chosen in Him before the foundations of the world! Saints,

I love you, Apostle Mary Banks