There is a JERUSALEM which is ABOVE, in heaven.
𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟒:𝟐𝟔
𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
Unlike the earthly city of Jerusalem whose citizens were in bondage (under the Old Testament Law, and under Roman occupation), Jerusalem which is above is FREE.
𝐇𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟒
𝟏𝟒 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞.
Not only do we have an eternal city in heaven, but it is coming!
𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟓:𝟏
𝟏 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬.
It's our eternal home. Jerusalem which is above is the 'mother' of us all who have been born again, born from above (see also John 3:3).
(At Galatia, there were some who were disputing against the good news of salvation for all people simply through JESUS, insisting instead that it was necessary to become Jewish proselytes.
Paul countered that, by contrasting two women, Hagar and Sarah; their two different statuses: bondwoman, and the free woman; their two sons: Ishmael, and the promised son Isaac; and two cities: Jerusalem which then was, whose citizens were in bondage; and the Jerusalem which is above which is free.
Paul equated Ishmael with bondage under the Old Covenant law; the promised son Isaac he equated with people of all nations inheriting salvation simply by faith in JESUS Christ. Hagar he equated with Jerusalem which then was whose citizens were in bondage to the law of sin and death, the curse, and in bondage under Roman tyranny; while Sarah he equated with Jerusalem which is above which is free. Bondage or freedom, death or resurrection life—the choice was theirs.
When they believed in Jesus, they'd become children of God, coheirs with Christ, fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, part of God's new creation project - irrespective of their ethnicity, and without needing to become Jewish proselytes. There is Jerusalem which is above, and they'd become part of it. Paul didn't want anyone bewitching them back into a system which couldn't deliver.)
Not not only is the city in heaven, and not only is it coming, but we have already come to it. You already have a living connection to it.
In the epistle to the Hebrews Paul touches on all the themes of the city of God mentioned in Psalm 87, and applies it to us as believers in Jesus - and shows that it isn't only about the future: we have a connection to that city already.
𝐇𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐒𝟏𝟐:𝟐𝟐-𝟐𝟒
𝟐𝟐 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐌, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬,
𝟐𝟑 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭,
𝟐𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐥.
There is the heavenly Jerusalem, and you have come to it 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺, it says. It's not just a future hope: it's also a present reality.
𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟑:𝟐𝟎
𝟐𝟎 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧; 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭:
Our conversation - our community, citizenship, conduct - is in heaven.
Already. We are crucified, buried, risen and seated in heavenly places with Christ, blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, Paul taught.
The incorruptible inheritance is reserved for us in heaven, Peter said. That doesn't mean however that the blessing is to stay in heaven. John saw that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟏:𝟏𝟎
𝟏𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝,
Jerusalem comes down out of heaven from God.
"Thy kingdom COME, thy will be done ON EARTH, as it is in heaven," the Lord taught us to pray. That isn't about a future hope only: it's also a present reality. The gospel announces and demonstrates that the kingdom is so at hand that it's even been inaugurated among us though not yet consummated.
Even though John's vision of the city having the glory of God is at the end of Revelation, in part it symbolizes present realities, not only the future.
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟐:𝟏,𝟐
𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛.
𝟐 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
The river flowing from God through that city isn't only for the future, is it: it's for 'whosoever will', right now.
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟐:𝟏𝟕
𝟏𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐲.
The leaves of the tree in the middle of the city are said to be for the healing of the people of all nations, here and now. It is 𝘯𝘰𝘸 that healing is needed, and available - not in the future. The heavenly Jerusalem is NOW, not just future. Revelation isn't all strictly a lineal chronology: it symbolizes things both future and present (so chapter 1:19 said).
Ezekiel similarly saw a vision of a new city, and the river flowing from the Temple, bringing restoration wherever it flowed. John describes the same theme and imagery and shows its intended meaning and completion through Jesus, the Spirit and the bride. It's for all people of the earth, according to the gospel, and no other way, John saw. There isn't even any more need for a physical temple.
The theme of the kingdom of God in the Bible is both a future hope, to be seen at the second coming of Christ; and a present reality, by the cross and resurrection of Jesus, and by the Spirit, for us, in us, among us and through us for this needy world right now.
The 'hope of Israel' included the future resurrection of the dead, said Paul. But you have been brought near and made part of the commonwealth of the true Israel of God, right now, Paul told the Ephesians.
We still "...𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭" from heaven, Paul said (Philippians 3:20), but Jesus also said there is a present aspect to it:
𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟕:𝟐𝟎,𝟐𝟏
𝟐𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
𝟐𝟏 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐋𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐨𝐫, 𝐥𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐟𝐨𝐫, 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
The kingdom of God is inaugurated right now for, in, upon, among and through us - even though we still await the final, visible, full, eternal coming and rollout of the kingdom of heaven upon earth.
𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟏:𝟐𝟎
𝟐𝟎 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
Jesus was already expressing the kingdom of God.
𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟎:𝟗
𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
Jesus bequeathed the same power to us, His body, the church.
Christ is making all things new, yes - but, new creation has also already begun:
First, it began in Christ Himself, by His resurrection from the dead:
"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘵" (𝘐 𝘊𝘰𝘳.15:20).
He is:
"...𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥” (𝘙𝘦𝘷.3:14)
“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥; 𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦" (𝘙𝘦𝘷.1:18), He said.
In that He died, He dies no more: death has no more dominion over Him.
He is our forerunner.
And then, new creation has begun in us:
𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟓:𝟏𝟕
𝟏𝟕 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲; 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰.
Although the present heavens and earth with its suffering and tyranny, are yet to pass away, and we do not yet see the new heavens and earth, yet because we are in Christ, new creation is therefore an inaugurated reality. Old things have passed away, all things have become new. I've experienced that. You've experienced it.
Jesus is the first-fruit of new creation, in heaven. In Him we also are new creation, in spirit, on the earth, while we await the redemption of the body, at His coming.
You have been "𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵" and "𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦" (Hebrews 6:4,5).
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an overflow of Christ's glory in heaven, and a foretaste of what's to come for us.
All the Old Testament promises of God, of which ancient Israel were the custodians, are yes and Amen in Christ Jesus unto the glory of God by us.
Since we have this hope, and are also experiencing its present reality inwardly and seeing it expressed powerfully by the Holy Spirit, we therefore:
"𝘋𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴" that we "𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘬𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮" we "𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥; 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦..." (Philippians 2:14-16).
As He is already in heaven, so are we in the world. We are a holy nation, a royal priesthood, showing forth the praises of He who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. (Even before the second coming there can be a spinoff of that benefit to this world to one extent or another depending.)
The way we are going to be (in future resurrection life and glory) hasn’t come physically and visibly in our experience yet, but when the time comes and we see Him, then we shall be transformed to be like Him (in all His resurrected glory), for we shall see Him as He is.
If we only had hope in Christ in this life, some of our persecuted brethren would be the most unfortunate people of all—but we have the hope of the resurrection, Paul said. But at the same time, since we are already receiving the ultimate outcome of our faith, which is the saving of our souls, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And we reign in life.
I remember the night I experienced becoming a new creation, a citizen of Jerusalem above, and received the future assurance and the present power of resurrection life, and was washed in the precious blood, and clothed in white - the glory of God came into my spirit. As they say, It’s better felt than told!
Have you been born again, and received your citizenship in Jerusalem which is above?
Take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
"...whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
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