As stated in the previous posting, the Apostle Paul had to chastise the people in the church at Corinth for their failure to judge matters concerning the church, telling them, “Don’t you know that you will (one day) judge angels?”  A similar statement was spoken by Jesus in John 10:33,34 concerning those who would obey Him in this life: “Have I not said, ‘You are Gods?’  Here Jesus is speaking to a group of Jews who had accused Him of blasphemy for calling Himself the Son of God, which meant that He was equal with God.  He further infuriated them by claiming that He and His Father were one.  The angry Jews did not fully grasp what He was saying to them.  The did not realize that He was saying that, not only was He at that time God’s human Son, but that He had been the God the Israelites had dealt with anciently, that He had been the God human beings had dealt with from creation week until His coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth.  He said to those Israelite Jews: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS?'” (Ps. 82:6).  The “I” Jesus referred to was Himself–the God who dealt with the ancestors of the Jews to whom He was speaking.  The ancient Israelites, the Jews to whom Jesus was talking and those (Israelites and Gentiles) who would become the New Testament church, were and are potential gods–gods in the making.

One will not become a god automatically by fiat upon the return of Jesus to earth.  Like any other high office or position, one must qualify to occupy it.  For example, the heir of the family business spends much of his/her life working in that business and learning how to run it.  As the heir, he/she must be ready to step into the inherited role when the parent decides the time is right.  Likewise, future gods must learn what to do and how to do it relative to the God role they will inherit, Jesus of Nazareth being their example and teacher.  This is the ultimate example of on-the-job training as they “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6), “purify themselves even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) and “overcome (Satan) as He overcame” (Rev. 3:21).  Note that Jesus had to qualify for the Savior position the Father had sent Him to fulfill.  He had to continually “walk” in holiness by obeying the Law.  He had to continually purify Himself by obeying the Law.  He had to continually overcome Satan by obeying the Law.  As did Jesus of Nazareth, God’s true saints must obey God’s Law/Word/Truth in this life in order to qualify to rule and reign with Him in the future.  His Word washes, cleanses and sanctifies them (Eph. 5:26).  Those who conduct their lives in a godly fashion are Gods in the making and will thereby be Gods in the next life where they will rule and reign not only the earth, but the universe.  Their responsibilities will include judging and ruling angels.  See God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.

What does it mean to walk as Jesus walked? to be as pure as He is (now) pure? and to overcome Satan as He overcame him? It means to be God the Father in human form.  It means allowing God to manifest Himself in His human temple (saints).  This Truth is brought out in several passages of Scripture.  In 1 Corinthians 3:16,17 Paul wrote to the church: “Do you not know that YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, and that the temple of God is holy … whose temple you are.”  In 2 Corinthians 6:16 he writes: “… you are the temple of the living God.  As God has said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they will be My people.'”  Note that in order to be God’s people and to inherit a God position, He must dwell within us and “walk” (live His life) in us.  This perfectly describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth–our HUMAN example (1 Jn. 2:6; 3:3/ Rev. 3:21).  Father and Son dwell within the true saint in the form of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:23).  The Spirit leads us to walk in holiness and empowers us to do so.  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, (only) they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).  The Holy Spirit does not lead people to sin.  Nor does it blind God’s eyes to  sins.  Nor does it turn sin into righteousness.  See The Trinity to learn exactly what the Holy Spirit is and is not, does and does not.  Warning: the Truth is probably what you have been told in church.

Relative to the godly walk required of God’s human sons, Jesus said in John 6:26: “No man has seen the Father (Who is spirit) except He who is of God, He (Jesus) has seen the father.”  Obviously, this was somewhat confusing to His disciples, for some time later Philip said to Him: “Lord, show us the Father.”  To which Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, yet you have not known Me, Philip?  HE THAT HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER.  So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?'” (Jn. 14:8,9).  He had earlier said that He (a physical being) and the Father (a spiritual being) were one.

Jesus had stated in John 4:24 that God is (totally) spirit (Jn. 4:24), and therefore no human being has ever seen Him (Jn. 6:26).  However, thousands of people saw the man known as Jesus of Nazareth.  His John 14 statement revealed that He was the physical duplicate of His spirit Father.  Therefore, the thousands who saw Him (Jesus) were seeing a human replica of God, which is what John 14:8,9 means.  Those who would judge and rule angels must “walk as He walked” during this life.  This judging and ruling responsibility is only part of the salvation package which God has promised those who will obey His Law in this life.  JESUS WAS THE MAN WHO WALKED AS GOD.  TO JOIN HIM ON HIS THRONE WE MUST “WALK AS HE WALKED.”  HE WALKED IN STRICT OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW/WORD/TRUTH.  We must follow His example.  WHEN PEOPLE SEE US THEY MUST SEE GOD.  When people see those who call themselves Sinners Saved By Grace they do not see the God of the Holy Bible living through human beings.  What they do see, and see vividly, is the god of this world–Satan (2 Cor. 4:4) living through human beings.  Unless there is a total and permanent reversal of life (thoughts, words, deeds), SSBG will not inherit salvation; they will not judge and rule angels; they will not have dominion over “the works of His (God’s) hands”–the universe.   Rather, they will burn in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 21:8).  In the following posting we will study those whom God’s true saints will judge and rule.  L.J.