The Present reign of Jesus Christ

[Amanah]

The Revelation is powerfully encouraging when read symbolically, not literally, nor necessarily chronologically.
Satan is already bound, and the Church is reigning with Christ now.

The Present Reign of Jesus Christ

The Psalmist David wrote: “The Lord said unto my Lord, ‘Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength [Wonder what that is?] out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies [emphasis mine]. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power’…” (Psalm 110:1-3a.)

Unbelievably, in the face of clear scripture, there still is a debate over whether Christ is presently reigning on this earth, and if not, when? And if presently, how? Furthermore, did Jesus “bind” Satan or not? What do the Scriptures say – present or future?

In chapter 20: 1-2 of the symbolic Book of Revelation, we read: “I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.”

Immediately, most will be entertaining the concept of a futuristic millennium with these verses. That is not my subject matter at present. This is not an article about the millennium and its various schools of thought. However, if you believe it to be a literal thousand years in the future, you are still in eschatological infancy.

“And bound him”: Jesus came first to bind Satan then to destroy him. This binding was for the purpose of restricting his power to totally throw entire nations into complete idolatry. (I am not saying that this stops individual temptation.) History records nation after nation, civilization after civilization which existed under one form or another under Satan’s complete deception, i.e., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and the Romans. The boasting of Satan is clear during the temptation of Jesus. “And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it” (Luke 4:5-6). However, the Scriptures and history reveal that Christ turned the tables.

The great historian, Will Durant, observed:

Jesus came and demonstrated his commission by signs and wonders, especially by displaying His authority over demons. He said, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you” (Matthew 12:28). Jesus proved His kingdom authority by casting out devils. However, the people reacted and accused him of doing these wonders by the authority of the Devil. Immediately Jesus responded, “…how can one enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house” (Matthew 12:29). The message is clear, first “bind” then spoil the other’s dominion. This, Jesus did. Please note: The word “bind” here is the same word which appears in Revelation 20:2. Christ, in this present reign, has bound the devil. It’s just that simple. (Other verses which vindicate this understanding are: Lk. 10:17-19; Jn. 12:31; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14; Eph. 4:8 and 1 Jn. 3:8.)

God’s true Israel needs to awaken to her identity and to the realization that she has the power to do a better job. Our power has been drastically limited by Dispensationalism’s “other gospel.” This “other gospel” bemoans a concept that evil is becoming stronger. It lies and tries to convince us that the world is coming more and more under the control of the Devil. Wake up! Satan is bound, and we know it not! Christ has given us this great chain of circumstance. We can tighten the chain but do it not!

Now that we are brought into remembrance concerning the binding of Satan and the plundering of his strong house by Jesus, we turn to the concept of reigning. The “my Lord” of David’s Psalm is proclaimed by Scripture to have Zion ruling (reigning) in the midst of her enemies. Remember, “Thy people” are the rulers. Was this authority for only some blissful millennial age in the future, or is it present? I assert that we are reigning with Christ now in the midst of our enemies!

Paul reminded Timothy that “the word of God is not bound” (II Timothy 2:9). He went further and proclaimed a “faithful saying” which has major implications concerning our present reign with Christ. “For if we died with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself” (II Timothy 2: 11-13). Have we died; are we living; do we suffer, and are we reigning – presently? What sayeth the scriptures? Did Paul address these situations?

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death…” (Romans 6:3-4a). Yes, we have died. Furthermore, Paul states that we are now living with Christ: “…Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4b). During this living with Christ, we “shall suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12b). Therefore, the reward of this death, suffering and life: “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

http://www.historicist.com/key-interpretations/blog

[coksiw]

So when the apostles preached they said that Satan was out and doing his thing and that we had to be careful of his evil works and such.

Is our Gospel different than theirs?

Be careful with the allegorical interpretation of the Scripture, it has messed up so many lives already to the point that some believe that there is no resurrection, or the resurrection is really of spirits (our graves won’t be empty) or coming of the Lord, or judgment.

The Apostolic interpretation of the scripture is the historical-grammatical method.

See it this way: if somebody preaches a Gospel that is different than what the apostles preached, then their interpretation of the Scripture must be wrong. The Apostles preached a future (not past) resurrection of the dead (different than the analogy of being raised up in Christ after baptism), a future (not past) coming of the Lord in the clouds, a present (not past) work of Satan against the Saints to make them sin, etc...
You know what Paul says about different Gospels

[Originalist]

Originally Posted by coksiw

So when the apostles preached they said that Satan was out and doing his thing and that we had to be careful of his evil works and such.

Is our Gospel different than theirs?

Be careful with the allegorical interpretation of the Scripture, it has messed up so many lives already to the point that some believe that there is no resurrection, or the resurrection is really of spirits (our graves won’t be empty) or coming of the Lord, or judgment.

The Apostolic interpretation of the scripture is the historical-grammatical method.

See it this way: if somebody preaches a Gospel that is different than what the apostles preached, then their interpretation of the Scripture must be wrong. The Apostles preached a future (not past) resurrection of the dead (different than the analogy of being raised up in Christ after baptism), a future (not past) coming of the Lord in the clouds, a present (not past) work of Satan against the Saints to make them sin, etc...
You know what Paul says about different Gospels

Much of what was written in the Epistles was before 70 AD. Thus your accusation of preaching a different gospel holds no water.

[coksiw]

Originally Posted by Originalist

Much of what was written in the Epistles was before 70 AD. Thus your accusation of preaching a different gospel holds no water.

Let’s forget about accusations and focus on the technicalities in here. If the Apostles said “watch out with Satan” and somebody later said “no worries Satan is bound”, isn’t that a different teaching than the Apostles?

Doesn’t the Bible say that Satan is bound after the Coming of the Lord in the clouds? If you say that Satan was bound, then you are saying that the Coming of the Lord in the clouds already happened, and therefore, the resurrection already happened; which is, Originalist, a different Gospel. The Apostles preached the resurrection from the dead in the future, and you would be saying that the resurrection from the dead was in the past.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by coksiw

Let’s forget about accusations and focus on the technicalities in here. If the Apostles said “watch out with Satan” and somebody later said “no worries Satan is bound”, isn’t that a different teaching than the Apostles?

Doesn’t the Bible say that Satan is bound after the Coming of the Lord in the clouds? If you say that Satan was bound, then you are saying that the Coming of the Lord in the clouds already happened, and therefore, the resurrection already happened; which is, Originalist, a different Gospel. The Apostles preached the resurrection from the dead in the future, and you would be saying that the resurrection from the dead was in the past.

The binding of satan in Revelation 20 is a specific event occurring immediately after the destruction of the two beasts. It is not the same binding which Jesus enforced during His earthly ministry. Revelation 20 refers to an event concerning the spirit that controls the beast and false prophet, it is SIGNIFIED by (represented by the symbolism of) a great red dragon being chained and tossed into the abyss and locked away. The "binding" in that vision is a representation of a particular event or occurrence.

In the Gospels, Jesus is seen "spoiling" the "devil" of his "goods". This is metaphorical language describing Jesus healing and delivering people from sickness, demonic possession, infirmities, etc. The power of satan is shown to be broken, because the afflicting sicknesses cannot withstand Christ's authority and power to heal. That is to say, sickness and disease and demonisation are weak and powerless and must submit to Christ.

In the Epistles Christ is said to have spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing openly over them. This is a reference to Him leading captives free from bondage to the antichristian secular and religious powers, and the triumph (victory parade) occurred at His resurrection which proved they (the powers and principalities) were impotent.


So, Christ is certainly reigning now, sickness, disease, and demonisation are bound and spoiled by Him, earthly or worldly "powers that be" are impotent against Him, people are freed from their power to become citizens of God's kingdom.

Just as we were saved, are being saved, and shall be saved, so too the devil was defeated, is being defeated now, and shall be defeated.

[coksiw]

Originally Posted by Esaias

The binding of satan in Revelation 19 is a specific event occurring immediately after the destruction of the two beasts. It is not the same binding which Jesus enforced during His earthly ministry. Revelation 19 refers to an event concerning the spirit that controls the beast and false prophet, it is SIGNIFIED by (represented by the symbolism of) a great red dragon being chained and tossed into the abyss and locked away. The "binding" in that vision is a representation of a particular event or occurrence.

In the Gospels, Jesus is seen "spoiling" the "devil" of his "goods". This is metaphorical language describing Jesus healing and delivering people from sickness, demonic possession, infirmities, etc. The power of satan is shown to be broken, because the afflicting sicknesses cannot withstand Christ's authority and power to heal. That is to say, sickness and disease and demonisation are weak and powerless and must submit to Christ.

In the Epistles Christ is said to have spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing openly over them. This is a reference to Him leading captives free from bondage to the antichristian secular and religious powers, and the triumph (victory parade) occurred at His resurrection which proved they (the powers and principalities) were impotent.


So, Christ is certainly reigning now, sickness, disease, and demonisation are bound and spoiled by Him, earthly or worldly "powers that be" are impotent against Him, people are freed from their power to become citizens of God's kingdom.

Just as we were saved, are being saved, and shall be saved, so too the devil was defeated, is being defeated now, and shall be defeated.

That makes sense to me. If you define bound in that sense then we are all good. I wasn't cleared that the quote Amanah posted was referring to "binding" in the sense of "defeated, and unable to act upon the saved ones" and not in the sense of "not being able to act upon those that don't believe the Gospel".
I've been dealing with preterists lately making some close ones stray from the truth. I may be seen hints of that hope-stealing doctrine everywhere .

[consapente89]

I guess I'll just remain in "eschatological infancy"..

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by consapente89

I guess I'll just remain in "eschatological infancy"..

Oh, sarcasm, right?

Then are you a eschatological scholar?

[consapente89]

Originally Posted by Amanah

The Revelation is powerfully encouraging when read symbolically, not literally, nor necessarily chronologically.
Satan is already bound, and the Church is reigning with Christ now.

Encouraging perhaps, but false, nonetheless.

[Amanah]

warnings noted and appreciated.