What Shall I Do - Part One Oct 23, 2022 by: John Herbert | Series: What Shall I Do... Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T034_20221023.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Lk 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit life for the age?” Our new series will be based upon the question asked of Jesus by the rich young ruler. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday October 23rd 2022 What Shall I Do…….. Part 1 1). Heb 2: 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. We will remember that the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis set in place a process of Divine restoration for the ruined material creation over a period of six twenty-four-hour days, which finds its fulfillment in the Seventh Day, a Day in which a Man and a Woman were to rule together over the earth in a marriage relationship. And rulership by those created in God’s image and likeness in the Seventh Day was to be in the place of Satan and his angels, the original rulers of the earth, although disqualified through rebellion. a). And as we know, these opening thirty-four verses of Genesis provide the type for the six one-thousand-year days of restorative work with respect to another ruined creation, Man. Six one-thousand-year days that move inexorably towards a Seventh one-thousand-year Day, the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. And it will be in this coming Seventh Day that God’s purpose, established in the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis Chapter 1 will be fulfilled. And it is the fulfillment of God’s purpose in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ surrounding three firstborn sons and the present heavens and earth that is the subject and the focus of ALL of Scripture. b). And it is so important for us to understand that Scripture deals almost exclusively with these seven-thousand years of time with respect to the rulership of this earth and not with eternity and heaven. And this is so important because most of us have been taught, at some point, the leavened ideology that we will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord. Not only does this ideology negate that which is the Lord’s focus throughout the Scripture and that which He would have us focus on too, but it is also a lie – Re 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. Throughout the endless ages of what we have come to call eternity, God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit will reside upon the new earth in the New Jerusalem, not in ‘heaven’, the third heaven, in the farthest recesses of the north from which He presently rules the universe. And all the eternally saved from throughout Man’s history will reside on the new earth with Him. This is clearly what the Scriptures teach. And should we still have any lingering thoughts of going to heaven for ever and ever, it is high time to change our minds about this, because if we don’t this error will be a filter through which we will view everything else we see in the Scriptures, compounding the error repeatedly. c). The only way we should ever consider the endless ages and their focus on universal rule, is to keep them in their proper place; knowing that they will not begin until God’s purpose for the Seventh Day with respect to this earth has been completed - 1 Co 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. And it is for what is to be accomplished in the Seventh Day that Man was created on the sixth day, and for the same accomplishment in the Seventh Day that individuals from that time onwards have been saved, and for the same accomplishment in that same Seventh Day, that we are in the present process of being saved. And beyond the Seventh Day, when the endless ages do begin, we will not be in heaven but on the new earth. This present earth on which we live, and the heavens associated with it, from which rulership takes place, will previously have been destroyed, with nothing of them remaining. And all that is associated with this present earth and heavens will be remembered no more – Isa 65:17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. And beyond providing a superficial knowledge of these things which lie beyond the Seventh Day, the Scriptures are silent. d). Our spirit has been saved by a past finished work on our behalf that can never be undone, and this finished work with its accompanying salvation, for those who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, has made possible, a present, and future work of salvation, the salvation of the soul. 1 Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [Present] Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? [Future] 1 Pe 1:9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. And the past, present, and future aspects of salvation are all with a view to attaining a regal position with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. And it is this regal position in the Millennial Kingdom that is the subject of the verses we read as we began today, from Hebrews Chapter 2. e). The newly restored earth seen in Genesis Chapter 1 was restored to be inhabited and Adam and the Woman were given clear instructions with regards to this – Ge 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Adam and the Woman, in their unfallen state, were to be fruitful and through procreation, they were to multiply, to fill the earth with offspring just like themselves, who together were to subdue the earth and then have dominion, to rule over it. And there is a clearly defined process set in place here that we will need to keep in mind for a later date – Isa 45:18 For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other. And it is this same inhabited world, this present earth with those who reside on it, which, during the Millennial Kingdom, will not be in subjection to angels any longer but will be in subjection to the sons of Adam instead; those who are the physical descendants of the first Man, fulfilling that which is God’s purpose for Man’s creation; those who will also be the sons of the second Man, the last Adam, who will have been brought forth from above to fulfill the purpose for their salvation. f). And according to the verses from Hebrews Chapter 2, in that coming Day, this new order of rulers will be crowned with glory and honor and will be set over the works of God’s hands, with all things put in subjection under them – Heb 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. The verses from Hebrews Chapter 2 also make clear that the sons of Adam will only exercise regal authority within the Seventh Day. And this of itself, is conditional. From Hebrews 2:10 we see that Christ is to bring ‘many sons’ to glory, not ‘all sons’ – Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. It is the eternally saved individual who patiently ‘endures temptation’ who will be approved and will receive the crown of life, not the eternally saved individual who doesn’t – 2 Ti 2:14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If we insert ourselves into this, then our approval, through which the Lord will give us the crown pertaining to life in the age to come, will be achieved through our patient endurance under trial and testing as we run the race of the faith, and through the way we handle ‘the word of truth’ as we do so. And perhaps here we can understand the importance of removing any lingering vestiges of eternity in heaven from our thinking because if we don’t, we cannot rightly divide the Word of truth. g). All has already been irrevocably set in the foundation where we see that the Woman was taken from a part of Adam’s body, she was not his whole body. And this foundational truth has been confirmed in so many other places that we have seen, with Ruth and Orpah, and the wise and foolish virgins being just two examples. h). And so, with all this in mind, we come to the subject of our study. There is a coming Seventh Day in which a new order of rulers will govern the earth and it is to these positions of rulership as joint heirs with Christ that we have been called and for these positions that we are in the process of being saved, resulting in the question from our series title, ‘What shall I do…..’. What does each of us, individually, need to do so that we might be approved by the Lord at His Judgment Seat and attain a regal position with Him? We are all in possession of eternal life, but it is not life in the endless ages that Scripture has as its focus but life in the age to come; we are all partakers of the heavenly calling, but to hear the calling is of itself not enough – 2 Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ‘What shall I do…’ to make my call and election sure? ‘What shall I do…’ that I might have the same confidence as Paul had? – 2 Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. ‘What shall I do’…. Now, that my soul will be saved in that Day and that I might have life for the age? 2). Lk 18:17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit life for the age?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. The title for our series, ‘What Shall I Do……’, is taken from the encounter between Jesus and the person we have come to call, ‘the rich young ruler’, recorded in Luke Chapter 18, Matthew Chapter 19, and Mark Chapter 10. And it is not a coincidence that this encounter with ‘a certain ruler’ took place immediately after the Lord had made a statement about how the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of the heavens, to be realized in the Seventh Day, is to be received – Lk 18 :17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And in this statement made by the Lord, we can find the child training of the Lord. Those who will receive the child training of the Lord will be those who will enter the Kingdom. a). All Christians are sons of God because of the new creation in Christ but even though we are sons through creation, we are to be children under training with respect to rulership in the Kingdom – Heb 12:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? [Have life for the age] And it is within the context of child training for the Kingdom that we should place the encounter between Jesus and ‘a certain ruler’. b). The certain ruler is a Jew and part of that generation of eternally saved Jews that were present at the Lord’s first Advent. He had obviously been listening to the message that Jesus had been preaching, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens is at hand’ and he had understood the connection between the Kingdom on offer and life in the age to come. Hence, his question, ‘What shall I do to inherit life for the age?’ c). As we know inheritance is something that belongs to those within the family. The free-gift of eternal life is just that, a free-gift, and because of the requirement of family, inheriting life can never deal with eternal life, but only ever with that which comes after, after we have become part of God’s family, that which is the purpose for eternal salvation in the first place, life as opposed to death for the age to come – Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. And in response to the certain ruler’s question, the Lord draws his attention to the commandments, to that written in the Law of Moses – 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And Matthew, in his account also adds – Mt 19:17…….But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" And in all three Gospel accounts, the certain ruler gave the same response “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Now, if we look at how Paul addressed the issue of keeping the Law we will see something interesting – Php 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith…….. The certain ruler saw his own righteousness that came through his diligence in keeping the Law from his youth, but what he was lacking, that which would have given him life for the age, was the righteousness which is from God by faith – Ro 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. And it was the righteousness which is from God by faith that Jesus offered him in response to his question - 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” And in Mark’s account of this same encounter, Mark adds – Mr 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” God, in the person of Son, had spoken to the ruler, He had told him what he needed to do to inherit life for the age and had promised him that he would have treasure in heaven if he did so. All he had to do was to believe Jesus’ words, to have faith, to take up the cross and follow Jesus. But as we know, this was something he was not prepared to do - But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. We could at this point begin to consider the inherent dangers of acquiring earthly wealth. And because of what we find in the Scriptures this would be a legitimate course of study – Mk 10:23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Mt 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 1 Ti 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on life for the age. And given what we see in these verses, they do provide part of the answer to our question, ‘What Shall I Do…’ But rather than camp out here on things to do with wealth and riches, I would like us to consider what took place between the Lord and the certain ruler at a more foundational level. Laying a foundation that will provide for us the key to understanding what we need to do to inherit life for the age within all its aspects. 3). And to begin upon this, we will need to establish a fundamental, basic, and irrevocable truth. And this truth we can find succinctly put in – Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James, in these verses, identifies two types of ‘wisdom’. The wisdom that comes from below which is earthly, sensual, demonic and the wisdom that comes from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. This wisdom comes directly from God, whereas the wisdom from below is inextricably connected to the god of this age. a). The wisdom that comes from below can only result in death with respect to the age to come, whereas the wisdom from above that comes from God can only lead to life with respect to the age. There is no middle ground to be found here. There are only two sorts of wisdom and our lives every day will be governed by one or the other. b). Although it is in James that we find this fundamental, basic truth concerning the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below succinctly stated, James could only have drawn from that which had already been established in the foundation. So, let’s return to the foundation once again and look at what we find recorded there – Ge 1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Here is the wisdom of God from above in operation. It was God’s Word that brought light into being, with a division then made between the light and the darkness. Although nothing is said beyond this concerning the light and the darkness in these verses, there is the inseparable connection with that which comes forth out of God, the wisdom from above, with the light 1 Jn 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. And that seen in the darkness is inseparable from the wisdom from below, coming from the god of this age – Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That encompassed by the light brings life – Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. And that encompassed by the darkness brings death – Jn 3 :19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." And as we close for today, we will no doubt already begin to realize that the answer to our question ‘What shall I do……?’ is only going to be found in the wisdom from above, the wisdom that comes from God that brings light into the darkness of this age – 2 Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts….. We will continue next time if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed. What Shall I Do - Part One Oct 23, 2022 Speaker: John Herbert Series: What Shall I Do... Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T034_20221023.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Lk 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit life for the age?” Our new series will be based upon the question asked of Jesus by the rich young ruler. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday October 23rd 2022 What Shall I Do…….. Part 1 1). Heb 2: 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. We will remember that the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis set in place a process of Divine restoration for the ruined material creation over a period of six twenty-four-hour days, which finds its fulfillment in the Seventh Day, a Day in which a Man and a Woman were to rule together over the earth in a marriage relationship. And rulership by those created in God’s image and likeness in the Seventh Day was to be in the place of Satan and his angels, the original rulers of the earth, although disqualified through rebellion. a). And as we know, these opening thirty-four verses of Genesis provide the type for the six one-thousand-year days of restorative work with respect to another ruined creation, Man. Six one-thousand-year days that move inexorably towards a Seventh one-thousand-year Day, the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. And it will be in this coming Seventh Day that God’s purpose, established in the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis Chapter 1 will be fulfilled. And it is the fulfillment of God’s purpose in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ surrounding three firstborn sons and the present heavens and earth that is the subject and the focus of ALL of Scripture. b). And it is so important for us to understand that Scripture deals almost exclusively with these seven-thousand years of time with respect to the rulership of this earth and not with eternity and heaven. And this is so important because most of us have been taught, at some point, the leavened ideology that we will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord. Not only does this ideology negate that which is the Lord’s focus throughout the Scripture and that which He would have us focus on too, but it is also a lie – Re 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. Throughout the endless ages of what we have come to call eternity, God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit will reside upon the new earth in the New Jerusalem, not in ‘heaven’, the third heaven, in the farthest recesses of the north from which He presently rules the universe. And all the eternally saved from throughout Man’s history will reside on the new earth with Him. This is clearly what the Scriptures teach. And should we still have any lingering thoughts of going to heaven for ever and ever, it is high time to change our minds about this, because if we don’t this error will be a filter through which we will view everything else we see in the Scriptures, compounding the error repeatedly. c). The only way we should ever consider the endless ages and their focus on universal rule, is to keep them in their proper place; knowing that they will not begin until God’s purpose for the Seventh Day with respect to this earth has been completed - 1 Co 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. And it is for what is to be accomplished in the Seventh Day that Man was created on the sixth day, and for the same accomplishment in the Seventh Day that individuals from that time onwards have been saved, and for the same accomplishment in that same Seventh Day, that we are in the present process of being saved. And beyond the Seventh Day, when the endless ages do begin, we will not be in heaven but on the new earth. This present earth on which we live, and the heavens associated with it, from which rulership takes place, will previously have been destroyed, with nothing of them remaining. And all that is associated with this present earth and heavens will be remembered no more – Isa 65:17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. And beyond providing a superficial knowledge of these things which lie beyond the Seventh Day, the Scriptures are silent. d). Our spirit has been saved by a past finished work on our behalf that can never be undone, and this finished work with its accompanying salvation, for those who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, has made possible, a present, and future work of salvation, the salvation of the soul. 1 Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [Present] Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? [Future] 1 Pe 1:9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. And the past, present, and future aspects of salvation are all with a view to attaining a regal position with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. And it is this regal position in the Millennial Kingdom that is the subject of the verses we read as we began today, from Hebrews Chapter 2. e). The newly restored earth seen in Genesis Chapter 1 was restored to be inhabited and Adam and the Woman were given clear instructions with regards to this – Ge 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Adam and the Woman, in their unfallen state, were to be fruitful and through procreation, they were to multiply, to fill the earth with offspring just like themselves, who together were to subdue the earth and then have dominion, to rule over it. And there is a clearly defined process set in place here that we will need to keep in mind for a later date – Isa 45:18 For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other. And it is this same inhabited world, this present earth with those who reside on it, which, during the Millennial Kingdom, will not be in subjection to angels any longer but will be in subjection to the sons of Adam instead; those who are the physical descendants of the first Man, fulfilling that which is God’s purpose for Man’s creation; those who will also be the sons of the second Man, the last Adam, who will have been brought forth from above to fulfill the purpose for their salvation. f). And according to the verses from Hebrews Chapter 2, in that coming Day, this new order of rulers will be crowned with glory and honor and will be set over the works of God’s hands, with all things put in subjection under them – Heb 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. The verses from Hebrews Chapter 2 also make clear that the sons of Adam will only exercise regal authority within the Seventh Day. And this of itself, is conditional. From Hebrews 2:10 we see that Christ is to bring ‘many sons’ to glory, not ‘all sons’ – Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. It is the eternally saved individual who patiently ‘endures temptation’ who will be approved and will receive the crown of life, not the eternally saved individual who doesn’t – 2 Ti 2:14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If we insert ourselves into this, then our approval, through which the Lord will give us the crown pertaining to life in the age to come, will be achieved through our patient endurance under trial and testing as we run the race of the faith, and through the way we handle ‘the word of truth’ as we do so. And perhaps here we can understand the importance of removing any lingering vestiges of eternity in heaven from our thinking because if we don’t, we cannot rightly divide the Word of truth. g). All has already been irrevocably set in the foundation where we see that the Woman was taken from a part of Adam’s body, she was not his whole body. And this foundational truth has been confirmed in so many other places that we have seen, with Ruth and Orpah, and the wise and foolish virgins being just two examples. h). And so, with all this in mind, we come to the subject of our study. There is a coming Seventh Day in which a new order of rulers will govern the earth and it is to these positions of rulership as joint heirs with Christ that we have been called and for these positions that we are in the process of being saved, resulting in the question from our series title, ‘What shall I do…..’. What does each of us, individually, need to do so that we might be approved by the Lord at His Judgment Seat and attain a regal position with Him? We are all in possession of eternal life, but it is not life in the endless ages that Scripture has as its focus but life in the age to come; we are all partakers of the heavenly calling, but to hear the calling is of itself not enough – 2 Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ‘What shall I do…’ to make my call and election sure? ‘What shall I do…’ that I might have the same confidence as Paul had? – 2 Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. ‘What shall I do’…. Now, that my soul will be saved in that Day and that I might have life for the age? 2). Lk 18:17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit life for the age?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. The title for our series, ‘What Shall I Do……’, is taken from the encounter between Jesus and the person we have come to call, ‘the rich young ruler’, recorded in Luke Chapter 18, Matthew Chapter 19, and Mark Chapter 10. And it is not a coincidence that this encounter with ‘a certain ruler’ took place immediately after the Lord had made a statement about how the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of the heavens, to be realized in the Seventh Day, is to be received – Lk 18 :17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And in this statement made by the Lord, we can find the child training of the Lord. Those who will receive the child training of the Lord will be those who will enter the Kingdom. a). All Christians are sons of God because of the new creation in Christ but even though we are sons through creation, we are to be children under training with respect to rulership in the Kingdom – Heb 12:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? [Have life for the age] And it is within the context of child training for the Kingdom that we should place the encounter between Jesus and ‘a certain ruler’. b). The certain ruler is a Jew and part of that generation of eternally saved Jews that were present at the Lord’s first Advent. He had obviously been listening to the message that Jesus had been preaching, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens is at hand’ and he had understood the connection between the Kingdom on offer and life in the age to come. Hence, his question, ‘What shall I do to inherit life for the age?’ c). As we know inheritance is something that belongs to those within the family. The free-gift of eternal life is just that, a free-gift, and because of the requirement of family, inheriting life can never deal with eternal life, but only ever with that which comes after, after we have become part of God’s family, that which is the purpose for eternal salvation in the first place, life as opposed to death for the age to come – Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. And in response to the certain ruler’s question, the Lord draws his attention to the commandments, to that written in the Law of Moses – 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And Matthew, in his account also adds – Mt 19:17…….But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" And in all three Gospel accounts, the certain ruler gave the same response “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Now, if we look at how Paul addressed the issue of keeping the Law we will see something interesting – Php 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith…….. The certain ruler saw his own righteousness that came through his diligence in keeping the Law from his youth, but what he was lacking, that which would have given him life for the age, was the righteousness which is from God by faith – Ro 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. And it was the righteousness which is from God by faith that Jesus offered him in response to his question - 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” And in Mark’s account of this same encounter, Mark adds – Mr 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” God, in the person of Son, had spoken to the ruler, He had told him what he needed to do to inherit life for the age and had promised him that he would have treasure in heaven if he did so. All he had to do was to believe Jesus’ words, to have faith, to take up the cross and follow Jesus. But as we know, this was something he was not prepared to do - But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. We could at this point begin to consider the inherent dangers of acquiring earthly wealth. And because of what we find in the Scriptures this would be a legitimate course of study – Mk 10:23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Mt 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 1 Ti 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on life for the age. And given what we see in these verses, they do provide part of the answer to our question, ‘What Shall I Do…’ But rather than camp out here on things to do with wealth and riches, I would like us to consider what took place between the Lord and the certain ruler at a more foundational level. Laying a foundation that will provide for us the key to understanding what we need to do to inherit life for the age within all its aspects. 3). And to begin upon this, we will need to establish a fundamental, basic, and irrevocable truth. And this truth we can find succinctly put in – Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James, in these verses, identifies two types of ‘wisdom’. The wisdom that comes from below which is earthly, sensual, demonic and the wisdom that comes from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. This wisdom comes directly from God, whereas the wisdom from below is inextricably connected to the god of this age. a). The wisdom that comes from below can only result in death with respect to the age to come, whereas the wisdom from above that comes from God can only lead to life with respect to the age. There is no middle ground to be found here. There are only two sorts of wisdom and our lives every day will be governed by one or the other. b). Although it is in James that we find this fundamental, basic truth concerning the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below succinctly stated, James could only have drawn from that which had already been established in the foundation. So, let’s return to the foundation once again and look at what we find recorded there – Ge 1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Here is the wisdom of God from above in operation. It was God’s Word that brought light into being, with a division then made between the light and the darkness. Although nothing is said beyond this concerning the light and the darkness in these verses, there is the inseparable connection with that which comes forth out of God, the wisdom from above, with the light 1 Jn 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. And that seen in the darkness is inseparable from the wisdom from below, coming from the god of this age – Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That encompassed by the light brings life – Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. And that encompassed by the darkness brings death – Jn 3 :19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." And as we close for today, we will no doubt already begin to realize that the answer to our question ‘What shall I do……?’ is only going to be found in the wisdom from above, the wisdom that comes from God that brings light into the darkness of this age – 2 Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts….. We will continue next time if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed.