August 7, 2019
This conversation follows our commentary on Bro. Earls' article The First and the Last, which outlines the three stages of believers found at the harvest translation and the requirement for third stage ripeness in order to be harvestable.
------ Original Message ------
From: "karen faulkner" <Israel>
To: "littleflock"
Sent: 8/5/2019 7:43:53 AM
Subject: Re: First Love Readers Circle: Revisiting "The First and the Last" by Leland Earls
Dear ChrisThank you for sharing this. It was actually your introduction that encouraged me most. I had been thinking of asking your thoughts on what I would describe as the "Trump movement" which includes the concept that the President is a modern day Jehu appointed by combat to fight the spirit of Jezebel in America. While many things ring true, I always have an underlying unease as Trump appears at the center, rather than Jesus.
In regards to the thesis you directed us to - my question is: How can we possibly know whether we are 60 fold or 100 fold (assuming we know we are born again and therefore not 30 fold).
Brother Earl says: Has His love become a "consuming fire" in you, increasingly refining every thought, motive and desire? Then perhaps this promise of "appearing with Him in glory" can apply to you. As you read such promises, and many others, note the qualifying conditions given before you hastily include yourself.
But how can I possibly know if the "consuming fire" is doing these things to the extent that I am 100 fold? What is the criteria?! I can yes, I see progress and He defines and me and my life revolves around Him - and yet I see all kinds of fears and anxieties and times when I reach for other things to calm me instead of directly to Him.
How can I possibly know?? And if I cannot, then what is the point of all this extra information? Just to keep on going, hoping it will be enough to get me into the first harvest? This sounds somewhat like the Catholics and Muslims hoping to do enough to get into heaven with enough good works.
This is what struck me about this article.
------ Original Message ------
From: "littleflock"
To: "karen faulkner"
Sent: 8/6/2019 12:25:21 PM
Subject: Re[2]: First Love Readers Circle: Revisiting "The First and the Last" by Leland Earls
Thanks for writing with these questions, Karen.The question "How can I know if I will qualify for [a future spiritual status / reward of any kind].......?" is not a question that can be answered in the present by anyone. All matters of spiritual life that require a certain spiritual status to be achieved in order for a future reward to be realized are left to us now only as hopes to incentivize us toward faithful present tense living.
We are clearly told that such conditional status differentials exist, and in all cases, this information is used to galvanize us to present faithfulness and pursuit in hope of obtaining. It is not used to answer the question "How can I know if I will obtain......?" Paul explains it of himself this way where he says,
Php. 3:11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
Paul does not know if he will attain to this prize. He can't know. And he doesn't then wonder about if he will or try to answer the question "How can I know if I will?" He only knows that the goal is there to be obtained, and that it is his present mind of intent that must be kept. To the Corinthians he says it this way regarding the "crown":
I Cor. 9:23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
John says it this way:
II Jn. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.Jesus repeatedly says it this way:
To him who overcomes........In none of these situations can one ask and get an answer to the question, "How can I know if I will win the prize, get the crown, receive the full reward, be accounted an overcomer..?" We cannot know. But the future hope through requirement is held out to galvanize the present attitude.
None of this discounts our present assurance of possessing eternal life, about which John says:
I Jn. 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.See, we can know that we have eternal life now. But we can't know if we will qualify for the statuses and rewards allotted only to those who meet the conditions of obedience over the necessary process of growth required. All of these things are presented to us by way of "if" clauses where we must meet conditions whose only proof can be found at the end ("If we suffer, we will also reign with Him.")
For more explanation of this from brother Earls, please carefully read his article "The Gift and the Prize."
The only other thing to add to this is, even though we can and should know that we possess the gift of eternal life now, we cannot even know if we will be faithful in our holding of that life to the end, which is required to demonstrate that we are indeed born again.
Again, Hebrews says:
3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,...4:1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it....11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.No one is permitted in their present holding of eternal life to assume that entrance to the future kingdom of eternal life is a "given." The assurance of future entrance depends on present assurance of evidencing new birth by continued fruitful enduring. Jesus says, "He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved." Such is the one who is born again.
Am I able to ask the question, "How can I know that I will endure to the end?" No. I cannot. I can't know if my life will be faithful to the end. I can only know that I am faithful in my present endurance right now. And in the knowing of my present endurance, I have eternal moment-by-moment assurance that I will enter the future permanent manifest kingdom of eternal life. I will not be lost. The teaching of all the apostles agrees with this understanding. All assurance of the future is conditioned on the evidence proven in the present.
I hope these few thoughts will help you better understand the nature of your question and how we must rather understand the incentives given to us regarding our future status in God's revealed kingdom. If you need more clarification, please write again.
Blessings, Karen!
Chris A.
------ Original Message ------
From: "karen faulkner"
To: "littleflock" Sent:
8/6/2019 1:13:18 PM
Subject: Re: Re[2]: First Love Readers Circle: Revisiting "The First and the Last" by Leland Earls
Dear ChrisI so appreciate your taking the time to answer me. The position regarding rewards is certainly much clearer to me now.
Your email has raised a different question - that of salvation itself. Am I right in understanding you believe we can lose our very salvation?
We have just started a study of Revelation in my weekly Bible study and have been considering the issue of loss of salvation in light of some of the passages you refer to. In particular we have looked at the ways language is used... It is a complex issue and one which has been discussed for generations...
My hope and understanding is that while different believers have different rewards coming to them, we can know we are Children of God. Once and for all, because His Spirit testifies that we are His children.
Otherwise, if it depends on us and upon our behaviour, then how could anyone be - and stay - saved?
Anyway, that was not my original question, which you have answered. And, in particular, your initial encouragement about what we are seeing in terms of movements and such was edifying and helpful to me.
Thank you.
------ Original Message ------
From: "littleflock"
To: "karen faulkner"
Sent: 8/6/2019 3:37:19 PM
Subject: Re[4]: First Love Readers Circle: Revisiting "The First and the Last" by Leland Earls
The question about loss of salvation is also a worthy question.The problem about this question stems from the fact that salvation is a multi-dimensional term that is erroneously viewed by most of us as one dimensional. So we become reduced to arguing over whether a rainbow is blue or red. (Answer: a rainbow is both and neither. It contains both blue and red, but is not just either blue or red. So with salvation's effectiveness).
The only way to understand this is to put all the evidence together. The two most striking scripture evidences that have to be joined are I John 5:18 and Hebrews 10:26-29
I Jn. 5:18 ESV We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Heb. 10:26 ESV For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries....29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (See also II Pt. 2:1,20-22)
John tells us that those who are born of God are eternally secure. Depending on the translation, either Jesus keeps them or they keep themselves from a life of habitual sin. And that is their basis of assurance that they are born again. Every other New Testament statement that alludes to eternal security and assurance of the believer is embraced under this one verse.
However, Hebrews (and Peter) tells us that people can be washed by the blood into the knowledge of the truth, having received forgiveness of sins by faith, yet whose lives fall back into sin and they are eternally lost. Every other New Testament statement alluding to loss of salvation is embraced under this one passage.
What does this all mean when put together? It means that salvation is a spectrum wherein exists a temporal dimension of saving forgiveness under the blood by faith that can be lost (called "knowledge of the truth"), and a deeper eternal dimension under that same blood by faith that cannot be lost (called "new birth"). In other words, not all salvation conceived by faith in Christ's blood bringing us into the "fetal" knowledge of the truth consummates into permanent new birth. The full spectrum of salvation may not be realized by its partakers. The best illustration I can think of for unconsummated new birth is spiritual "miscarriage."
All the same salvation processes that go into conceiving a viable spirit birth go into aborted spirit miscarriages: repentance, faith, washing by the blood, forgiveness of sins. It's just that somehow, not everyone who is conceived into the processes comes out a new creation. That is a mystery, but it is a fact. Who can tell in natural life why some are born and others are miscarried? So it is with spiritual conception. All we do know about spiritual rebirth is that, the Father has determined and knows those who will come to full birth by His planting. This is called election.
We ourselves then, to find assurance that we have indeed been eternally born again and are not miscarriages waiting to happen, must demonstrate everything that the apostles say we must demonstrate so that we might have that assurance. The entire letter of I John was written for that purpose. The greatest witness of all to us is that of the indwelling Spirit Himself who speaks to us to assure us that we are indeed the Father's reborn ones. But if we don't see the fruit of that in our lives, then we can't have that assurance.
However, and that said, one of the great misconceptions among believers is that ongoing struggle with sin evidences that we are not born again. That is a patently false belief with no apostolic support. To the contrary, struggle with sin is precisely evidence of new birth. The apostle writes, "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." Heb. 12:4. He is speaking approvingly of this struggle as a norm for believers who are laboring to enter the Lord's rest.
Struggle with sin is not the same as living in habitual sin. There are two totally different mindsets at play in that relationship to sin after coming into salvation. The reality is that struggle with sin is prelude to the victory over sin and the eradication of sin from our souls by which we enter into His rest and become stable in the eternal assurance that comes with new birth. So we must not be deceived by the idea that struggle with sin (which is necessary to our sanctification) is the same as habitual sin (which evidences eternal reprobation). That is extremely, extremely important for believers to understand.
May these further thoughts bring greater settledness to you and your study group over the issues of salvation's spectrum as well as the conditionality of its rewards.
Always here for you,
Chris A.
------ Original Message ------
From: "littleflock"
To: "Anglemar Fellowship"
Sent: 8/11/2019 4:57:02 PM
Subject: Re (Response 2): First Love Readers Circle: Conversations - Can I Know if I Will Qualify for the Rapture or Even if I Will Be Saved?
We have a couple blockbuster responses today touching on the meaning of the 30, 60 and 100 fold believers, one from Steve Perrone and another from Meri Ford. In this round, Steve puts forth that the 30 fold may also be seen as born again overcomers, only of a lesser degree than the 60 and 100 fold. Let's listen to what he says first:
------ Original Message ------
From: "Stephen Perrone" <Rhode Island>
To: "littleflock"
Sent: 8/11/2019 8:33:36 AM
Subject: Re: Re (Response 1): First Love Readers Circle: Conversations - Can I Know if I Will Qualify for the Rapture or Even if I Will Be Saved?
Dear Chris,I hope this email [finds] you and your family well. I’ve been following the thread and pondering the scriptures and so I’ll share a few thoughts of my own. First, your comment that there is no perfect field is spot on, and also a sober reminder to all of us that we should walk in humility, lest we fall. None of us understand perfectly.
As regards this issue of 30, 60, or 100 fold I still see all of these groups as fruitful members of His body as compared to the seed that falls on stony ground or among thorns. Does the fact that some bring forth less than others preclude them from being in the first resurrection? I don’t know for sure, but I believe Paul left us a clue when he wrote in 1 Corinthians that in the resurrection there would be one glory of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars. So that is how I see the analogy to the three groups, all overcomers but differing in resurrection glory.
We who are being saved by the power of Christ working within yield ourselves DAILY to the spirit, DAILY bear our crosses, and DAILY die to the flesh. You have often noted that it is a process, not a one time event. There must be a maturing. Christ in us is the HOPE of glory, but it is us in Christ that is the goal, and the glory. It is the in-Christed ones that are the overcomers. These things should not cause us to doubt our salvation. We must have confidence that He who began the work in us will finish it, and we must cooperate with Him, always giving thanks that we will be saved because He declared it will happen. We have been adopted and placed as sons, He declared it, so let’s follow Paul’s example and forget about yesterday- and press on until we see Him face to face.
I am your brother,
Stephen
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------ Original Message ------
From: "littleflock"
To: "Anglemar Fellowship"
Now, Meri goes further in questioning the Earls take on the 30 fold. She pointedly questions the validity of brother Earls' prophetic teaching on the three-fold fruit levels as a measure of maturity rather than a matter of individual capacity given by God (as in the parable of the talents). It is an excellent question.
I will let Meri speak, then offer a detailed response, after which I will also draw in Steve's response for consideration.
------ Original Message ------
From: "Meri Ford" <merifordrh@gmail.com>
To: "littleflock"
Sent: 8/10/2019 8:31:21 PM
Subject: Re: Re (Response 1): First Love Readers Circle: Conversations - Can I Know if I Will Qualify for the Rapture or Even if I Will Be Saved?
Hello Chris and other Circle brethren.
I continue to have questions concerning the 30 60 100 fold teaching by Earls and especially a comment someone made that the 30 fold aren't born again.
My question is about fruit. I see nothing in scripture that indicates any difference in the "measure of approval " given to those different levels of fruit bearing.... which appears to be based on use of original resources not any measure of "maturity" as far as I can see from various references. The only judgment appears to have been on the one talent person who buried his "talent" because he thought the Lord was a mean task master. Obviously my own understanding is most likely limited.
Would be interesting to hear the justification of those who believe what Earls says and how such a point of view is justified in scripture. Did not see that his article addressed this... But expounded on the meaning and impact of that interpretation.
I realize my understanding of these scriptural things probably is minimal in comparison to those teaching and expounding this point of scripture interpretation. So hopefully you are able to clarify it for me.
Thanks for stirring us with stimulating thoughts requiring us to search His Word and rely on His revelation, never taking a teaching of man without checking it out with counsel of Holy Spirit.
Meri Ford
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------ Original Message ------
From: "littleflock"
To: "Anglemar Fellowship"
Thank you Meri for this probing question.
Your question as I understand it, is, Why should the three levels of fruit in the parable of the sower be understood any differently than the three levels of talents given in the parable of the talents, which talents were a matter of God's sovereign dispensing and not of people's diligence in obtaining.
First I will offer my own answer, and then a further larger answer based in the Earls article.
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My immediate answer is that the three degrees of fruit cannot be compared with the three amounts of talents because there is a qualitative difference between fruit and talents. Levels of talents (or "gifts" or "anointings" as we also say) are, we all agree, sovereignly given by God. Paul says this in I Cor. 12:7 "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good....11 ...distributing to each one individually just as He wills." So these levels or amounts of gifting are determined by God alone, not by the believer.
But fruit is different. Fruit is not sovereignly given out. Fruit is about God's expectation from us of living return on what He has planted into us of His common seed. Unlike talents, everyone starts with the same seed--one. But what becomes of that seed depends on our responsiveness to Him, that is, our abiding. Jesus says in Jn. 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 ... he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, ...6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up;...8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."
See how with fruit, the responsibility is on the believer to produce, and there is judgment for failing to produce. See how there is also an expectation for "much" fruit, not a little fruit. So the expectation upon us associated with levels of fruit is different than that associated with levels of talents which are given entirely by God. If we are to see the idea of fruit anywhere inside the parable of the talents, the fruit would be, not the talents given, but what was produced by investing the talents. In the first two cases, the servants both gained back an amount double of what they were given. That would be equivalent to "100 fold" fruit. The third servant gained back nothing. That would be "zero fold" fruit. And for that he was judged and cast out as unprofitable (or unfruitful).
Living harvest and readiness thereto is a matter of believer responsibility within divine timing of planting. We cannot determine when we are planted, but once we are planted, the responsibility is ours to mature. That responsibility is articulated by all the apostles, especially by Hebrews. And it is why Jesus emphasizes that the burden for our readiness at His return--which is our harvest-- rests with us, not with Him.
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Now, for fuller understanding of the three fruit maturing stages, especially the difference between the 30 fold who are not born again and the 60 and 100 fold which are, we go to brother Earls' own writing. The first thing to understand is that, in prophetically explaining the parable of the sower, brother Earls is drawing from a larger collection of parables and other typology that deal in "threes" and together show a progression of spiritual maturity. The most obvious of these is the typology of the tabernacle, in which the difference between the outer court, the holy place and the holy of holies is commonly understood to prophetically indicate three progressive stages of growth in salvation and the knowledge of God. Other parables of Jesus deal with the idea of three stages. There is the woman with three measures of flour, and the friend knocking who is seeking three loaves.
But the most important for comparison with the fruit levels in the parable of the sower is the parable of the three stages of seed growth in Mark 4:28. Here, Jesus says the kingdom is like a farmer who plants, and there comes up first the "blade," then the "ear" (or "head") then the "full corn in the ear" (or "mature grain in the head"). That is on its face a parable about levels of maturity. Earls correlates these three levels of Mark 4:28 to the three levels of fruit bearing in the parable of the sower to arrive at a full prophetic understanding of what each fruit level indicates. Here is what he says all together to explain the fruit level differences, and specifically why the 30 fold level is not born again:
The "thirty fold" or "blade" Christian is an intellectual believer only. Those in this category give "mental assent" to the truths of Christ, and believe that they should at least TRY to live somewhat of a respectable life. This group forms the bulk of church people in the world today. But there is no "seed" in a blade; therefore the thirty-fold have NOT been "born of the incorruptible seed" of Jesus Christ (I Pet. 1:23), Theirs is but a provisional salvation, conditioned upon their continued going TOWARDS Christ. Such, said Jesus, would by no means be cast out. (John 6:37) However, they can (and many do) "drawback to perdition" (He. 10:39) returning to their former ways (II Pet. 2:20-22). The blades who fail to follow through are [also] pictured in the parable of the Sower as those which "sprang up," but were either "scorched out" by tribulation or persecution (Mt. 13:5-6, 20-2l) or "choked out" by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches (Mt. 13:7, 22).
The "sixty-fold" are the HEART receivers (John 1:12-13). They have come to a deep seated repentance and have invited Christ to "come in" (Rev. 3:20) being "born anew" (John 3:3) of His deathless life seed, which is engrafted into the soul (James 1:21) causing them to pass from death to life (John 5:24). Theirs is a secured salvation which can never be lost (John 10:28-29). But pause now and THINK! This second stage in Mark 4:28 is called the "head" (or "ear" as it is rendered the King James Version). But in the context the clear implication is that the head of grain is yet green and not fully developed. It is not ready to be harvested (removed) from the earth realm (either by translation or out-resurrection) into the heavenly or glorified realm. The salvation of the thirty-fold or sixty-fold groups has nothing to do with heaven. Theirs is but to be preserved to remain on earth, or to be resurrected back to earth to continue to progress in God's plan. Their harvest from physical to glorified bodies is yet far into the future (a thousand years or more). The exception will be those now living who let the Lord prepare them in the coming tribulation for the harvest at the close of this age, now near at hand.
It is the hundred-fold who have the potential to become the full (ripe) grain in the head (Mk. 4:28) Christian, ready for harvest. That which introduces one into the hundred¬fold estate is the Holy Spirit baptism (Mt. 3:11, John 1:33). No, I am NOT referring to speaking in tongues, although that gift may or may not accompany the experience. The one who is immersed in the fire of God's Spirit does not need a special sign as an evidence of something that is in itself a life-transforming encounter with the living Christ. When properly understood and received according to the Divine pattern and intent, this infusion sanctifies the human tabernacle with the glory of the Lord (Ex. 29:43), purging the heart from bondage to carnality, being the "circumcision made without hands by the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11).
So it is by linking the seedless blade in Mk. 4:28 to the 30 fold of Mt. 13 that Earls concludes the 30 fold are not born again. Interestingly, he connects the 30 fold also to the two previous types of unfruitful sprouted seeds in the parable, the one that produces a little but then burns up under heat and the one that produces a little that gets choked out. So Earls is indicating an overlap between the weak 30 fold fruit that continues and the previous seed fruits that do not. It is a novel connection, but has a scripturally supportable basis. This is the answer to your questions.
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But now let's circle back to Steve's comment that all three fruit levels are born again overcomers, just of differing glories. That is the classic understanding, and I have no problem with that at all. That is how I have tended to understand it as well. Even so, we must still understand that our level of fruit is our responsibility in a way that receiving talents is not. All that said, I still pay great respect to brother Earls whose prophetic insight penetrates further than most of ours in these matters. Therefore his assertion that the 30 fold has no seed because it correlates to the seedless blade of Mark 4 is not to be lightly dismissed, and I can easily accept that to be so. There's more to these parables than surface casual reading can perceive. Earls excels at digging out the prophetic nuance from the details in the parables. Lastly here for Steve's benefit, please note that brother Earls' overall description answers when the 30 and 60 fold will be resurrected and/or receive glorified bodies. This will happen after the first resurrection. (Please see the complete Earls discussion on this in The First and the Last.)
In closing, I just want to leave everyone with a compendium of everything brother Earls says about the three fruit bearing levels drawn from his other writings, all of which are available at our website. This compendium will give everyone a greater understanding of how he applies the stages of fruit to what becomes of us after this life in the manifest kingdom era. My hope in doing this is that it will intrigue your desire to go read the full context of these fascinating teachings for improving our grasp of what is to come.
Be blessed all!
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From Call to Discipleship Part 1:
With this understanding, then Rom. 8:23 makes sense: "And not only they, but ourselves also, which 'have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Notice that this "placing as a son" is something that we are "waiting" for; and it comes only when it is time for the " redemption" (and glorification) of the physical body. Then the "joint-heirship" with Christ will become a reality in the experience of those who qualify.... I am sure that when Paul uses the expression "we," he was not thinking of anyone less than a born-again, spirit-baptized, sanctified, cleansed, maturing and "overcoming" Christian —namely the 100-fold category. I believe I can prove this by other references in Paul's writings, but that is beyond our scope in this particular study. Great confusion comes from not recognizing the different categories of Christians, and our foundation for this is provided in the teachings of Jesus, although I believe such are alluded to in Paul's writings IF we first get the right understanding from Jesus' teachings. Great confusion has also come from trying to build foundational doctrine from the writings of Paul. The foundation must come from the very words of Jesus. Writings beyond that provide amplification and additional insight....
From Call to Discipleship Part 3:
It is clear from the Word that it is only mature grain (from which the "chaff" has been removed) is to be gathered into the "barn" of Jesus' Heavenly Kingdom (Mt. 13:30). Jesus made it clear that there are three categories of Christians—30, 60 and 100 fold (Mt. 13:8). The same three groups are indicated in a different parabolic illustration in Mark 4:26-29 by three stages of growth—the blade, the ear, and the full grain in the ear. A wheat farmer does not go out and harvest and gather into his barn green blades, or unripe, partially filled ears, but only the full ripe grain—and that only after the "chaff" has been removed by threshing....
From Call to Discipleship Part 4:
...[M]any times in what we might consider ordinary conversational teaching, are "veiled" truths ("hidden nuggets") that can only be revealed by the Spirit. I believe that when Jesus promises that those who are willing to "suffer loss" for His name's sake shall receive an "hundredfold," this is a reference to the 100-fold category of Christians—harking back to the basic parable of the Word-seed yielding three categories —the 30-fold, 60-fold, and 100-fold. I have clearly demonstrated in my other writings that only the 100-fold Christians are candidates for the Heavenly Kingdom and Glory. The 30- and 60-fold groups will have their lot on this earth.
From The Call to Discipleship Part 6:
I had commented previously on Jesus' similar words as recorded in Mt. 19:27-29, and His veiled reference to the 100-fold category of "overcoming" Christians . Certainly the "twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev. 21:14) will have a special place of authority and relationship to Jesus, "judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Mt. 19:28), but ALL of the 100-fold category of Christians will also be "called up higher" to "rule with Christ" in His Kingdom Glory .
Jesus made it clear in Mt. 4:1-20 that His Word-seed produces three categories of Christians (4:20); the 30-fold, 60-fold and 100-fold. The same three groupings are given in a different parable form in Mark 4:26-29 as "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Now stop to think. You do not go out to your garden and pull up new "blades," freshly sprung up, or even green or half- filled "ears," but only that which is ripe (the "full grain in the ear"). Do you think that God acts any less intelligently than man!
Only the 100-fold (full — mature — grain in the ear) Christians will ever go UP to be lifted-up out of that which is earth-bound, and to function in the "freedom" of glorified bodies. The 30-fold ("blade") and 60-fold ("ear") Christians will be "left in the earth" (or brought back through resurrection) in order to continue to "ripen" (mature) during or after the millennium. These will have immortal physical bodies: living in perpetual youth and health, but still earthbound. Sometime after the millennium or beyond, they will have the opportunity to have their physical bodies changed to glorified bodies....
From God's Unfolding Purpose:
[prophecy excerpt]
"For some of my prepared ones shall remain through the tribulation plagues that shall come on the earth, and shall not be partakers of the first-fruits which shall be taken out. Even so shall they be a partaker of the first ripe of my harvest which shall be left in the earth to act as a ferment of righteousness and truth till all lumps are fully prepared, says the Lord. For there shall be three lumps prepared (Mt.13:33). A lump of prepared ones to fully partake of all that I have (100-fold); a lump of second ones (60-fold) who shall see my glory but shall not enter into the glories of the celestial Kingdom; and a lump of third ones (30-fold) who shall be cast out into tribulation conditions without the fulness of my protection (the "many stripes" of Lk. 12:45-47), for they will have to endure much hardship and suffering, and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"But those fully trusting in me, and prepared by me, need not be fearful in that day, says the Lord. For those I have taken out (the Firstfruits—Rev. 14:1-5) shall encompass my people and protect and speak to them in the day of trouble. And they shall be to those who remain a protecting shield in the wilderness of testing, says the Lord. (Rev. 12:6).
"Shall not the leaven of truth be used to leaven these lumps, says the Lord. For as a woman (Rev. 12:1, Mt. 13:33) who desires to see come forth from the oven the fulness of that which she has kneaded and prepared, so shall I give my people the desire and the means to be a ferment in the earth in the last days. One lump shall be of the east, a lump of the south, and one of the west (symbolically speaking—the same as the 100, 60, & 30 fold). The eastern lump shall be cast out (into tribulation conditions—the "stripes" of Lk. 12:47), says the Lord, for they have sought their own desires first. Even so shall they partake of the scourge and not receive the completeness of protection in that day. A lump shall be of the south. They shall speak forth my truth, but they will have come in too late to be partakers with the saints in light who shall know and be in the fulness in that day. Even so, they shall receive my complete protection, for they are sons of righteousness and sons of the kingdom, though it be but the earthly. For this shall be their lot: to enter that which is earthly in fulness of physical stature and perfection (immortality), being partakers in the first-fruits of the earthly inheritance (in preparation for the coming millennial kingdom).
"But the western lump shall be greater than they, for they shall enter into that which is heavenly. For even as the first-fruits which are taken beforehand (at the beginning of the great tribulation), so shall they be taken in that day (at the close of the tribulation—the great multitude of Rev, 7:9-17) to be to me a helpmeet in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my own realm....
"Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord. All shall be partakers (the three "lumps"—30, 60, & 100 fold). The difference is in time and in realm of glory. For the earthly glory is not the heavenly; neither is the heavenly the earthly (I Cor. l5:40-4l). But each in his own sphere shall show forth my glory.
[commentary excerpt]In the parable in Mt. 13:33 the woman "leavens" three measures, and in the prophecy there is mentioned three lumps, The "lumps" would represent the "measures" of meal AFTER the leaven of the Word of truth and the fire of God's Spirit had done the necessary work. The three "lumps" to be brought forth in these last days represent the 30, 60, & 100 fold grouping of Christians. The 100-fold is spoken of in the prophecy as "the lump of prepared ones to fully partake of all that I have." They shall be "joint-heirs" with Christ to "rule and reign" within the glories of the celestial (heavenly) kingdom, and over the earth. OF them the prophecy also says: "For even as the firstfruits which were taken beforehand (the first of the 100-fold group), so shall you be taken in that day to be to me a helpmeet in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my own realm… For this is the westernmost lump which shall arise out of the Holy of Holies even to me, says the Lord."
The 60-fold is the "lump of second ones, which shall see my glory but shall not enter into the glories of the celestial kingdom, " It will be their lot to enter that which is earthly in fulness of physical stature and perfection—deathless life or immortality in physlcal (terrestrial) bodies instead of glorified (celestial) bodies (I Cor. 15:40). The 30-fold is the "lump of third class citizens who shall be cast out (into tribulation conditions) because of their folly and will have to endure much hardship and suffering, for there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." They shall "partake of the scourge and not receive the completeness of protection in that day." I believe, however, that if they "endure" in faith to the end of the tribulation period, (Mt. 24:13), God will save or preserve their lives from the vials of His wrath, and they along with the 60-fold, will inherit the earthly phase of the kingdom. But, unlike the 60-fold, they will not be immediate candidates for immortality for their physical bodies, but will have to first prove themselves and move up to 60-fold status before their change can come. I believe that some time after the millennium (1000 years of peace) that those who are living in immortal physical bodies will be translated and receive their glorified bodies, for it is not God's purpose for any of His children to remain "clod-hoppers" and earth-bound forever. As the prophecy says, "Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord. All (30-60-100-fold) shall be partakers. The difference is in TIME and in REALM of GLORY." All shall eventually be released from the earthly and put on the celestial and heavenly glory in God's time, each to enter that REALM God has chosen for them....
Remember, the whole passage deals with end-time conditions, and the "many stripes" are without doubt a symbolic description of the buffeting trials and circumstances of the tribulation without the completeness of the Lord's protection. Fewer stripes will be given those who had less understanding of the Lord's will, but they will STILL receive "stripes" in the tribulation conditions (vs. 48). I believe it will be primarily the 30-fold who will receive these more severe dealings of God rather than the 60 or 100 fold, as the prophecy seems to indicate.
In Rev. 11:1-2, we read that John was given a reed like to a rod to measure the temple and those that worship therein. The "temple" would refer to the Holy Place and Holy of Holies, which typify the 60 and 100 fold Christians respectively. But John was told not to measure the outer court, for it would be given to the Gentiles to be trodden down for forty two months (the tribulation period). The outer court would typify the 30 fold Christian who is too far removed (spiritually) from what the Lord is doing to be measured by the rod (Word of God) and counted among those who will receive the completeness of His protection....
From A New and Living Way:
...[O]ur capacity to receive through faith, is rooted in the "soil condition" of our heart. This is shown by Jesus' parable of the sower, where the seed (Word of God) is pictured as being sown in the heart. And as we read the parable, it becomes quite evident that the different results produced (the 30, 60 and 100 fold), were a reflection of the different soil (heart) conditions, and not in the seed sown, for the seed was the same (see Matt. 13:18-23). The Lord always meets us in accordance with what we are ready for at a given time in our Christian experience. To a great extent this depends on the work He has been able to do within us as a preparation and conditioning. The prophet declared to Israel: "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up the fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, he will come and rain righteousness on you" (Hos. 10:12). There are certainly varying degrees and depths of faith, surrender, commitment, desire, determination, hunger, awareness of need, etc., and also varying degrees of unbelief, whether rooted in misunderstanding, fear, uncertainty; or in disobedience and self-will. And all these have a bearing on what the Lord can do for us and our capacity to receive.
From Thy Wrath Has Come:
Think not that all Christians are to be taken when the Lord returns for His saints. Only those fully sanctified, or separated, to Him by a complete work of His Spirit will be ready for entrance into the heavenly Kingdom. These are the 100-fold or ‘full grain in the ear' Christians. (Mark 4:20 & 28). The 30-fold and 60-fold, or the 'blade' and ‘ear’ Christians will remain on the earth. Shortly after the glorified saints return WITH the Lord, they will take up their posts of responsibility to shepherd and govern the inhabitants of the earth. Then shall righteousness begin to flourish, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).
From The Lion, the Lamb and the Seven Seals:
But the inspired record adds the assurance, ‘hurt not the oil and the wine.' Regardless of the difficult times; the strife, war, bloodshed, and privation; and also much persecution of those who will not submit to the beast system; those who are fully mine will not be harmed. The 'oil' or 100 fold Christians, and the 'wine' or 60 fold Christians, will have my absolute protection. Only those whose commitment includes the laying down of their lives for the sake of the gospel will suffer harm of any kind. And that only when their time arrives.
From Let My People Go:
...The fact that the frogs died out of the houses and out of the villages and out of the fields is a type of three groups which will enter into the ways of truth, turning from the ways of deceit and godless living. (Ex.8:13). The houses represent the 100-fold Christians, the villages the 60-fold Christians, and the open fields the 30-fold Christians. The degree of their turning away from unrighteousness and error, and the extent to which they ENTER INTO the truth and being of Christ, will determine their grouping. From the open field of the 30-fold they can progress to the village of the 60-fold, and finally into the house of the 100-fold. Each step brings a more intimate contact and association with the living Christ, for in the symbolic picture, intimacy of contact would naturally increase as one progressed from the open field, through the village, and into the house....
...The wheat and the rie represent those Christians who have matured very little previous to the great tribulation, or those who are converted during the tribulation, for there will be multitudes who will turn to their God in that day. The Egyptian grain termed rie in the King James rendering is not the same as that which is called rye in this day. That Egyptian grain was more like wheat, but of an inferior quality. It was hard to be cleaned of its chaff. It thus becomes a type of the 30-fold Christian: those who will be preserved by my almighty power through the tribulation to continue to live on the earth, but not within the confines of the Kingdom realm. The wheat represents those who will be in the 60-fold and 100-fold categories, and are slated to be fully gathered into the 'barn' of the Kingdom. (Matt. 13:30). They will mature under the harvest conditions of the tribulation period. The degree of progress made and the maturity realized will determine their category and allotment. The 100-fold wheat Christians will be translated and glorified at the close of the tribulation and gathered into the heavenly Kingdom, and the 60-fold Christians will remain on the earth to be gathered into the earthly Kingdom, eventually entering into immortality in human flesh. Since the 'barley' Christians reach a commendable measure of maturity or 'ripeness' even before the tribulation begins, they will all be 100-fold to enter into the heavenly Kingdom—a SHEAF at the beginning of the tribulation, and the rest at the close of the tribulation.
From The Three Comings of Jesus:
Three loaves.
Because of his importunity (persistence) the man in the parable receives the assurance that his friend (Jesus) will "rise and give him as many as he needs" (Lk. 11:8); but since in vs. 5, he specifically asks for three loaves, we can assume that is what he received. The "three loaves" are a veiled reference to the three categories of Christians as given in Mk. 4:28—the 30 fold, 60 fold and 100 fold. Since the man in the parable who needed bread asked for three loaves, it portrays to us that he was not going to be satisfied with the 30 or 60 fold stages of Christian experience, but wanted that "third loaf-the 100 fold estate. Only the 100 fold will be translated into the heavenly realm to be with Christ, so this parable vividly portrays the intensity with which all Christians who are left behind when some are taken at the midnight hour, will seek the Lord Jesus (their Friend) and with importunity cry out for Him to meet them with the fiery Spirit baptism and other dealings and preparations that will be necessary to be taken at the close of the tribulation.
From The Spirit and the Bride Say Come:
Here we have the assurance that during the tribulation (after the midnight hour) those who remain may receive that which they need in order to eventually have the door opened to them. The "friend" asked for three loaves (11:5) and is finally assured of as many loaves as he needs. (11:8). Presumably, since he asked for three loaves, he would get what he asked for. These three loaves correspond to the "asking", "seeking", and "knocking"; and it is not until the third loaf (the knocking) that the assurance is given that the door will be opened. The three loaves correspond to the 30, 60, and 100 fold groups of Christians. (Mark 4:20). It is only the third loaf, 100 fold, who will "knock" and have the door opened to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb in the "palace" of heaven. The 30 fold and 60 fold will remain on the earth to enter into the earth-based Kingdom.
Only the 100 fold, full grain in the ear (Mark 4:28) Christian, will have the wedding garment necessary for the wedding supper. Notice Jesus' parable recorded in Matt. 22:1-14, where a certain "friend" is symbolically expelled from the guests assembled for the wedding feast because he did not have on the specified wedding garment (22:12-13). Such will be the fate of many who are content to secure less than the three loaves necessary for entrance into the heavenly feast. The "garment" is the same as that which is indicated in Rev. 19:9; it is the "fine linen" of righteousness. Think not that the imputed righteousness of Christ is sufficient. This only introduces one into the 30 fold estate. The righteousness of Christ must also be imparted within (the 60 fold), and then fully integrated into the fabric of the soul, being "woven" by the working of the Word and the Spirit, until a beautiful garment (character) is the result. This is possible only through the Spirit-sanctified estate of the 100 fold, who have the extra oil in their vessels....
We have already seen the foolish virgins knocking and being refused admittance to the marriage (Matt. 25:10-12), but we have also seen these same ones represented by the "friend" in Luke 11:5-9 knocking after the children (wise virgins) are on the inside, and receiving three loaves (entering the 100 fold estate through the Holy Spirit baptism); so we know that though the foolish virgins were left behind, they did go and "buy oil" (the Holy Spirit) for their lamps and their vessels (Matt. 25:9).
&&&&&&&&&&
Chris Anderson
New Meadow Neck, Rhode IslandFirst Love Ministry
- a ministry of Anglemar Fellowship
http://www.firstloveministry.org
8/19
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