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An Epilogue to the Book, "The Names of the Believers in the Bible in Types and Symbols"
by Dr Surya Kumar Daimari The names of believers are exceptionally rich and prolific in meaning. As I have researched these names through the Bible, I have been awe-inspiringly taken aback to see that a believer's life is eternally value oriented. A value which is eternal and non-perishing cannot be measured in terms of money and wealth, gold and silver. The symbolical terms such as special treasure, pearls, precious stones used for believers suggest how precious we are in the presence of God. The goodly pearls in the famous parable of Jesus are referred to non other than the believers. Jesus had to give away his own life as ransom to get these valuable pearls for himself. Our life is not only value oriented but also purposeful. God has wonderful plans and purposes with our lives even on this earth (Rom11:29; 8:28-30). As children of God, we have to fulfill these plans and purposes of God in order to bring a divine justice upon all mankind. As light, we have to shine in darkness. Mt 5:14 As salt, we have to make the earth salty and tasty. Mt 5:13 As sweet savor, we have to spread the sweet savor of Christ, the good news of Salvation. IICor 2:15 As lamp stand, we have to lift up the true light, the Christ. Rev 1:12 As peacemaker, we have to bring peace in this world of conflict and reconcile people to God (Mt 5:9) and people to people. The names also suggest that we are called to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus to be more like Jesus. The titles and words like saints, virgin, holy, righteous, perfect, new man etc. which have been conferred on us are immensely special terms which truly designate the true spiritual nature of the believers. Jesus is the true image of God; the true and perfect man (Col 1:15; IICor 4:4). To be more like Jesus means to be gradually transformed into the very image of the Son of God, "Unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13) not only into the perfect moral and spiritual likeness to Christ but also to the likeness of the glorified resurrection body of the Christ (ICor 15:49-52) "the image of the heavenly". The world we live in is morally a decayed world, a dying world. Christ is going to come very soon to execute His final judgment upon this world and Satan and upon all the followers of Satan (Rev 20:1-15). But we the believers are heading towards a new world (IPet 2:11). Our real home is in heaven which Christ had promised to his disciples many years ago, "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:2-3 see also IICor 5:1 The names like, children, son, co-heir, heir all confirm our real identity and co-status with Christ. Christ is the Son and the true Heir of God, the Father. But amazingly, in Christ, believers are also sons and daughters and hence heirs and co-heirs. (Rom 8:17; Gal 4:7).The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the guarantor of this inheritance of the believers (Rom 8:15-17; Eph 1:14). The concept of inheritance in the N.T. is not based upon the Hebrew concept of inheritance which was rather physical or temporal, i.e., a land and a kingdom. But the concept of inheritance in the N.T. is spiritual and eternal in essence. It is a spiritual heir-ship we are going to inherit after the resurrection (Heb 9:15; ICor 6:9-10; Eph 5:5). We will also inherit a resurrected real physic-spiritual body to enter into the glory and incorruption of resurrection life (ICor 15:50-57 cf IPet 1:4). The believers will then reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom as well as in the new heaven bodily (Heb 11:10, 16; 12:22-24; Rev 21:1; 22:5) for eternity. Christ will also reign with His people with His real resurrected body. This is indeed, a Great Mystery. There are also the great promises of the Lord Jesus Christ to the believers mentioned in His letters to the seven Churches in Asia Minor in the book of Revelation (Rev.1-3). It will be worthwhile to mention these promises to the over comers, i.e., the believers. They are- 1. "I will give to eat of the tree of life" Rev. 2:7 The tree of life here symbolizes eternal life 2. "I will give thee a crown of life" Rev. 2:10 The crown of life suggests the eternal glory of life in heaven. 3. "I will give to eat of the hidden manna and will give a white stone and in the stone a new name written." Rev. 2:17 Hidden manna-signifies the bread of life i.e., Christ Himself. "a white stone with a new name" - stone most likely speaks about the redeemed person in Christ Jesus, while white color may represent his righteousness. New name may refer to the new character of the person in Christ Jesus. "Behold, I make all things new" Rev. 21:5 cf IICor 5:17 4. "I will give power over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron." Rev.2:26. Also see Lk.22:29, 30; ICor.6:2; Rev. 5:10; 20:4, 6 5. "I will give him the morning star" Rev. 2:28 Jesus Himself is the Morning star. Jesus said, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the Churches. I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright Morning star." Rev. 22:16 6. "...he that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment" Rev.3:5 It speaks of the righteousness of the saints whose garments are washed in the blood of the lamb. Rev. 7:13, 14 7. "will not blot out his name out of the book of life" Rev.3:5 The names of the believers (over comers) are written in the lamb's book of life and will remain there eternally never to be erased. It means that they will live with the Lord Jesus eternally. 8."I will confess the names of the believers before the father and before his angels. "Rev.3:5 Jesus will confess the names of the believers before the father. The same has been told in Matth.10:32 "whoever acknowledge him before my father in heaven". Also see Lk. 12:8 9. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. Rev. 3:12 It means that the over comer will remain forever (permanently) in the presence of God. The pillar also speaks of the importance of the believer in the Kingdom of God. 10. "I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God. Rev.3:12 'the name of my God' speaks about the sealing of God as a mark of identification and recognition. The over comer will be forever His. "the name of the city of my God' speaks of the permanent citizenship in heaven. 'my new name' one of the names of Christ from among the hundreds of different individual names given to Him in the Scripture. It also refers to the new character of the individual in Christ Jesus. 11. "I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me." Rev. 3:20 This is a marvelous illustration which reveals Christ's attitude to every repentant believer and His willingness to commune with him. The picture is very incredible that Christ stands at the door knocking and gives an open invitation to repent, i.e., to turn from their own ways to the ways of God and accept Salvation free of cost. 12. "He that over cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne." Rev. 3:21 This is a wonderful promise of the Lord given to the believers. So Christ ends His letter with a note of a wonderful hope. Christ is now sitting at the right hand of the Father (Heb 1:3). But He has also given the right to all the over-comers to sit with Him on His heavenly throne and rule with Him with a kingly prerogative from eternity to eternity-- the believers' Real Estate. Dear reader, if you want to be in the Believers' Real Estate, believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior. He is the most trusted friend and the most trusted Savior as well. No one but Him can give you eternal life, a life full of love, joy and peace. In Him, there is the eternal security of life for He says (Those who believe in Him), "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. " John 10:28. Who else is there like JESUS? The End (This is an excerpt from the book, "The Names of the Believers in the Bible in Types and Symbols" https://outskirtspress.com/thenamesofthebelieversinthebible ) Name of the Author of this article: Dr. Surya Kumar Daimari, MA,M.Ed, PGDTE,D.Min.(Doctor of Ministry) The author is a freelance writer. Book published: The Names of the Believers in the Bible in Types and Symbols . https://outskirtspress.com/thenamesofthebelieversinthebible Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |