Does the Body of Christ rule & reign with Christ during the Millen

[OneLight]

The title is too long and is cut off, so I am posting it here: "Does the Body of Christ rule & reign with Christ during the Millennium, in heaven or on earth?"

 

This debate is between Marylin C and inchrist ONLY.  All other members are instructed NOT to post.  If you do, you will be banned from the thread and reprimanded for your participation.  There are more than enough forums for anyone to have their own discussion on an issue.

 

Marylin will argue that Jesus, with the Body of Christ,  will rule and reign from Heaven during the millennium.

inchrist will argue that Jesus, with the Body of Christ, will rule and reign from Earth during the millennium.

This is not a debate of who will reign with Christ, but from where.

 

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To begin this debate, each debater will given the opportunity to provide an opening statement that clarifies from what position they will be starting from.  It has been decided that Marilyn will give the first opening statement.

 

Again, this debate is only between Marilyn and inchrist.  All other posts will be deleted.

 

Let the debate begin!

[Marilyn C]

I would like to thank OneLight for setting up this debate & also the moderators who will oversee it. I also appreciate inchrist for joining with me in this debate & may we both come to know God`s word in a deeper way.

 

Now as we will be speaking of God`s word I would pray -

 

`Holy Spirit please guide us, enlighten our minds & enlarge our hearts to understand the truth. Clear our minds, reveal error & help us to accurately handle your holy word. Above all may we be drawn closer to knowing our Lord & Saviour.`

 

 

My opening statement:-

 

I believe that the Body of Christ is being built up to maturity in Christ to rule & reign with Him. In the Millennium, Christ will rule through Israel over the nations, however the Body of Christ, being of a different purpose will rule & reign with Christ in & from heaven.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Marilyn C

[Marilyn C]

Firstly I would like to bring out a point that I`m sure we both agree with, but one that I will pick up on later.

 

We are told that the Body of Christ will be a royal priesthood.

`But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God`s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.` (1 Peter 2: 9)

 

This royal priesthood is built together & grows into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood.

`you...as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.` (1 Peter 2: 5)

 

The Apostle John gives glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for the wondrous purpose for the Body of Christ.

 

`To Him who has made us to be kings & priests to His God & Father, to Him be the glory & the dominion forever & ever. Amen.` (Rev. 1: 6)

 

Then we know that it is by the Holy Spirit that the Body of Christ grows into this Holy royal priesthood.

 

`when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; & He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, & shall disclose it to you.` (John 16: 13 & 14)

 

Thus `speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole Body being fitted & held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love.` (Eph. 4: 15 & 16)

`until we all attain to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.` (Eph. 4: 13)

Timothy also encourages the Body of Christ with this wonderful promise.

`It is a trustworthy statement; for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him;......` (2 Tim. 2: 11 & 12)

 

 

Thus we see that the Body of Christ is a royal priesthood (king priests), built together by the Holy Spirit that will rule & reign with Christ.


 

Edited August 5, 2014 by Marilyn C

[Marilyn C]

Inchrist, could you please explain further your thoughts on your comment  -

 

`I believe we Christians are grafted in with the Israelites.`

[Marilyn C]

That`s fine, inchrist (re: late). It gave me more time to go deeper into God`s word.

Now you had some very good points there, inchrist. I so agree with you that Israel is a special group & has not been replaced by the Body of Christ. (replacement theory) As you highlighted, Israel will be a `holy people,` a `peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.` They are `set apart,` a `treasure people.`

Knowing this it is so amazing to realise, as you said that God does not wish for any man to perish. God sent Jesus to redeem Israel first, (as you so rightly said). And this salvation has been extended to the non-Israelites. We see even before Christ came that the Gentiles could come under Israel & receive the salvation blessing. We think of ` Rahab, Ruth, etc & even those pre Israel, `Seth, Enoch, Noah etc.`

Thus it makes us think then why didn`t God just continue with only these two groups –Israel & the Gentiles (nations). We as Gentiles could have come in Christ as just Gentile believers. But as we know God made another special group, another `Ekklesia, called out ones,` another `holy, set apart,` group & Christ became intimately involved with them being their `Head,` & they His Body – we know they are the Body of Christ.

They are also called for a special purpose. And that is where our discussion is leading. I know we think differently on this point but I am sure, like the Apostle Paul says –

`I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, (mature) have this attitude ; & if anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;.....` (Phil. 3: 14 & 15)

If we think differently, as we are open to the Holy Spirit I believe He will lead us into all the truth.







 

[Marilyn C]

Now you said –
 

We need to understand that God will not be glorified in other than Jacob/Israel.
`And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.` (Is. 49: 3)`

 

Now inchrist had you realised that God did not say `in whom I will only be glorified.` The word `only` is not there. So is God glorified in any others? Let`s have a look at what God says.

`The God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus,....` (Acts 3: 13) (Peter talking to the men of Israel on the day of Pentecost.)

`The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if children, heirs also, heirs of God & fellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.` (Rom. 8: 16 & 17)

`For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; & whom He predestined, these He also called, & whom He called, these He also justified; & whom He justified, these He also glorified.`
(Rom. 8: 29 & 30)

Thus we are now heading towards –

What is Israel`s purpose?

What is the Body of Christ`s purpose?

I will let you have a turn now, inchrist.


 

[Marilyn C]

Had you realised inchrist, that the Holy Spirit who described Israel as `a chosen people, a nation, holy, peculiar,`  (as you said) also described the Body of Christ the same except for one little detail - the word ROYAL,  (kingly in nature - Strong`s)

 

`But you are a chosen race, a ROYAL priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God`s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.` (1 Peter 2: 9)

 

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John also gave us this extra detail -

 

`To Him who loves us , & released us from our sins by His own blood, & He has made us to be kings & priests to His God & Father; to Him be the glory & the dominion forever & ever.` (Rev. 1: 5 & 6)

 

 

Thus we see that God has called 2 special groups -

 

Israel - to be priests unto God.

 

The Body of Christ - to be Kings & Priests unto God.

[Marilyn C]

The next point I would like to make is in relation to your thought -

 

 

 

`I believe we Christians are grafted in with the Israelities...`

 

Here we see in Romans 11: 16 - 24 the description of Israel being grafted back into Christ & the Christians grafted in also to Christ. This phrase `in Christ,` does not mean we are all in His chest, or all following Him around as a long line. The phrase `in Christ,` means -

 

- under His authority.

- in His care.

- saved from eternal damnation.

- made holy.

 

This chapter gives us our position in Christ but does not tell each group where they will serve Him, in what realm. My brother here has made the mistake of assuming because Israel has been called of God to rule the nations on the earth then that is where we will be. And there are many scriptures in the Old Testament that tell us of Israel`s calling & inheritance - ruling the nations on earth.

 

However to find out where the Body of Christ`s calling & inheritance is we obviously need to look at all the relevant scriptures pertaining to this topic. And they are only revealed from Acts onwards as the Body of Christ was not revealed before that. So here are some of the scriptures that God tells us of our calling & inheritance -

 

`Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable & undefiled & will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,..

(1 Peter 1: 3 & 4)

 

`We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus & the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the world of truth....` (Col. 1: 3 - 5)

 

`God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.......made us alive with (in) Christ & raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.`  (Eph. 2: 5 & 6)

 

`For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has to subject all things to Himself.` (Phil. 3: 20 & 21)

 

`Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle & High Priest of our confession.`  (Heb. 3: 1)

 

So we have 

 

- a heavenly calling.

- an inheritance in heaven.

- a hope in heaven.

- seated in heavenly places.

- our citizenship in heaven.

 

And to top it all off -`he who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne,.....`(Rev. 3: 21)

 

 

Thus I would encourage us with the words of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul -

 

`Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind & reaching forward to what lies ahead; I press on toward the goal for the prize of the UPWARD (ON TOP) call of God in Christ Jesus.`  (Phil. 3: 13 & 14)

Edited August 10, 2014 by Marilyn C

[Marilyn C]

Hi inchrist,

 

You have some very good scriptures there concerning Israel & what God has done & will do in the Nation. What a wonderful calling & inheritance they have.

 

Now before I write more of my thoughts, could you please show me where you get your belief that -

 

`The rule of non-Israelites & us Christians is to be servants...`  `to His chosen people Israel.`

[Marilyn C]

Hi inchrist,

 

I was taking the word `rule` as you thought. So can you explain to me what you are thinking re: the Body of Christ & Israel in the Millennium?

 

If the people of Israel are in Israel, where are the Christian believers?  And what is each group doing? Do you have scriptures that show you this?