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870.
WHY ALMIGHTY GOD GATHERED
144,000 HOLY ONES.
Our Heavenly Father did
this because the very desirable transition from mankind's inherited Adamic sin
which brings death, to that of everlasting life in peace and joy as the reward
for one's total subjection and loyalty to God, has proven unattainable to all
that have sought righteousness solely through good works. The exception:
Those whose faith was
counted to them as righteousness. (Rom 4:3,9. Heb 11:5). The approved 144,000
anointed brothers of The Christ will
bring "other sheep" not of this fold to subjection. (John 10:16).
"LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE".
As God is Eternal and His Son lives
everlastingly, has God failed in His stated purpose when He said: "Let us
make man in our image, according to our likeness"? One might ask,
'What went wrong?' It is known that the first man Adam sinned, and so we are all
born into sin. But did you know that Almighty God through His Son are still
making (creating) certain chosen ones from among mankind towards being in their
image and likeness?
Likeness:
Person or thing having the exact appearance of another. But Almighty God
is Spirit. And God's Son our Lord Michael, who became flesh for a short time
while on earth and was called Jesus the anointed one (Jesus The Christ), was
resurrected to spirit life as a spirit person again (without flesh). If one were
to argue that the ultimate purpose of God was to make men perfect in the flesh
with a cleansed spirit, then man would still not be in the "likeness" of our
Heavenly Father and His Firstborn Son; for they are not of flesh. True,
many have placed a restriction on the ultimate purpose of God in His progressive
creation of man by erroneously teaching that God only ever intended man to be
"fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it" forever!
(Gen 1:28). However, this is a wicked falsehood and a lack of faith.
REACHING OUT FOR A "BETTER PLACE" FROM "THAT PLACE" (OF FLESH).
There will not be any need for humans to return
to life in the flesh on earth. In Hebrews 11:15,16 it clearly states: "And
yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that place from which they had gone
forth, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they are reaching out
for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven."
(NWT).
These inspired words were written about faithful ones of old over 1,500 years
after having gone forth in death. This scripture refers to faithful men who had
lived on earth before the "new covenant" had begun for members under it;
namely the 144,000 anointed kings and priestly slaves of God, His heavenly
government administration by The Christ. (Rev 5:10. 20:4). So although these
faithful men of old are not to become members of God's heavenly government,
still their faith is counted to them as righteousness and they do not
need an "opportunity to return" (to a fleshly life on earth) for this reason.
(Rom 4:3,9. Heb 11:5). In their faithfulness to God they were "reaching out for
a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven". During the coming period of
the 1,000 years of God's heavenly government
(Rev 20:4‑6),
a "Way of Holiness" will be established for those still alive on earth
who are already "walking on the way" (Isaiah 35:8) but whose faith has not as
yet been sufficiently tested for them to be considered fully subject to God. (1
Cor 15:27,28). The gathering of this government of 144,000 anointed ones was
completed at the end of the 1,335 days of Daniel 12:12 during this decade.
"THE LAKE OF FIRE" (Total extinction).
Those not "written (enrolled) in the book of
life" are hurled into the "lake of fire". (Rev 20:14,15). According to Jesus'
own words, these include persons that have called Jesus Christ 'Lord, Lord', but
who refused to minister to the needs of his faithful anointed brothers.
(Matt 7:21-23). Such ones are therefore deemed spiritually wild and
unrestrained persons, who wilfully accept only those teachings that promote
their authority for self-glorification, thereby robbing God. (Mal 3:8,9).
Whether in their graves or still alive in the flesh when the Son of God arrives
in his glory, these enemies of Jesus' brothers are cut off from life. (Matt
25:31-46. Rev 19:19-21). They enter the symbolically described "lake of
fire". For life is God's gift to those who can be subjected to Him, to live
naturally within His required "rules of conduct".
(Cont. on Page 871A).
17/6/80.
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