Barry Amundsen (7
May 2009)
"Re: Robin MacAhan (6 May 2009) What will happen to our bodies at the rapture?"
I have thought about this too. Chuck
Missler has taught about the "Physics of Immortality" and how we will
be changed from what we are now to whatever we will become and he is
very good at getting your thoughts going on this. He talks about
dimensions and how we will see Jesus as He is, according to John and
that means we will enjoy as many dimensions as He inhabits, whatever
that might mean.
1 John 3:
2. Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.
There is then also a great
responsibility that goes with this privilege of having this station
granted to us. Jesus said that if we are not faithful with that which
is another man's, then who will give to us true riches?
Luke 16:
10.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:
and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Whatever
we will be when we are changed, I believe that we will have power to do
what Jesus did in moving about through locked doors and traveling
wherever we would like instantly. Such power could never be trusted in
the hands of any who would use it for advantage to do wrong. That is
why God must test us now to see what we will do with the props and
temporary talents of this present world. If we are faithful with this
world's jewels or talents, then He knows that He can trust us with true
riches. That is why the very next verse in 1 John after describing the
change that we will experience at Jesus' appearing, says this:
1 John 3:
3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
If
we have the hope of being like Jesus, then everything else must fall
subject to that hope and be less important than that goal. It is a high
calling. However even when we fail, He is still faithful and can
restore us as we submit to Him and His will for us in everything. It is
not a perfect performance that we seek to offer to God for that is
impossible. Rather, it is a perfect heart of willingness to let Him be
in control of us and our willingness to obey Him. This submissive heart
and trusting Him is what He seeks in us and will reward as we prove it
time and again through many tests and temptations. To him that
overcometh...
I wrote a letter to my daughter where I
used the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" as an example of
this. (The original with Gene Wilder, not that paltry remake with
Johnny Dep.) I show how Willy Wonka was seeking a worthy heir when he
invited children into his factory and put them through tests. Each
child failed the tests and they were eliminated from consideration
until only Charlie was left. Even though he too had failed when he
drank the fizzy lifting drink, yet he was forgiven when he returned
that all important piece of candy rather than take it to the enemy and
seek his own exaltation or riches with it. By proving that he could be
trusted with little, Wonka knew that Charlie could be trusted with the
entire factory.
In a sort of similar way, this life is
God's test with us to see if we will go our own way or give Him back
our "piece of candy" or our own life and submit it to Him, or will we
go our own way. If we pass the test with that which is not really our
own (this life) then He will give us a life that is our own and power
that He could never trust to one that is not worthy. God is replacing
the one third of fallen angels with one third of worthy human beings.
David Flynn is showing this very beautifully in his materials.
Barry Amundsen