Jehonadab

I have realized for a short time now that the glorious city shown at Revelation 21:2, 3 is the parallel for the original garden of Eden formed in this earth.

Just as it was God’s master plan that the original Eden be spread through men working in His glory, so also that glorious city called New Jerusalem which descended to us by the grace of heaven.

I only moments ago watched the Christadelphian Presentation and was pleasantly surprised that it speaks for the most part what God has mercifully shown me through and amidst my sufferings, especially during the last decade. God did not reveal this to me because of anything special about me, beyond the simple fact that I have clung to strong belief in His Word through the toughest of trials caused of my own flesh. And, being keenly aware of the potential to allow my sufferings to cause me to twist what He has said, thereby subtly placing the finding comfort from my own guilt ahead of His truth, I fought myself, in myself, diligently to keep that from happening. It was no easy task but He did not fail to reward my effort and furnish just the right kind and amount of relief to my spirit as I needed it. All I needed to do, and yet need to keep doing, was and is to gladly set aside my own flesh’s preferred ways of finding relief so that I act upon what He directs of me to do.

There is one thing in particular (though not the only thing) which I yet want to find a group that has also understood. This one thing will convince me that group is truly dedicated to God and hearing Him, letting Him do the teaching instead of their fleshly zeal.

This may or may not come as a bombshell to the average Christadelphian. I know it certainly came as a bombshell to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who though puzzled that I could believe it also shoved me aside so that I am unable to discuss the matter with them.

Before I tell you what that one thing in particular is, first I would like to comment upon scriptures like as 2 Corinthians 5:1-4.

The Hebrew word there translated in the KJV as “tabernacle”, is only ever assumed to figuratively mean our human body of flesh as a tent for God’s spirit to work in us. But that is actually false doctrine. I want that point to be sunk home so that any who wish to debate concerning that comment may do so. This is not something I am any longer guessing at.

When we adhere faithfully to the use of the plural pronouns in the New Testament, then we appreciate that they plainly reveal, not the individual human as the dwelling places of God’s spirit, rather, the collective body of Christ which forms the temple of God to be that dwelling place of God’s spirit. And it is that body of Christ which is now holy by Christ’s washing of it in the water of the word upon which the holy spirit of God promotes life-giving understanding. Only that holy body of Christ is able to qualify as the dwelling place for God’s spirit. So then, what about our individual bodies?

Our individual bodies are as sacrifices offered up in that holy temple: Romans 12:1  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” And as such they are not the tent Paul speaks concerning at 2 Corinthians 5:1-4. However, the body of Christ which is for the moment burdened of our corrupted flesh is. And all Paul is telling us at 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 is that when all things are lifted up and out of this present state of corruption, only then it will be the true tent which God has ordained for mankind.

And Paul is most certainly correct that we do long to put off the burden of that corruption and already have that new regenerated tent which is of heavenly holiness.

Friends, the original paradise was one of heavens many abodes before Adam brought corruption to himself through sin. That is why Adam and Eve had to be put out of that garden. And the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21:2, 3 is that garden of God returned to regenerated men for them to then spread that kingdom earth-wide.

That is why: Revelation 22:15  “Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (WEB)

Revelation 22:15  “The unclean are shut out, and so are all who practice magic, all fornicators, all murderers, and those who worship idols, and every one who loves falsehood and tells lies.” (WEY)

Has anyone grasped what this means as regards the idea that any of mankind going to live with spirit bodies like the angels in heaven?

Has anyone understood that even sin had no power to alter God’s original purpose for humankind, no, not even for one single human among them?

Jesus returned to where he was from, so that in no way alters God’s original purpose for humankind.

What do Christadelphians teach regarding this? Do they teach similarly to Jehovah’s Witnesses, of whom I was once confused to believe as regards the 144,000?