Quote:
Originally Posted by notofworks
Then evidently, I don't understand the "Light Doctrine", which is entirely possible because I'd never heard of it until a few months ago...I'm not well-informed with that stuff.
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By “Light Doctrine” I meant the teahing that some who have not experienced the three steps of
Acts 2:38 will have eternal life either in Heaven or on the New Earth if they lived up to all the light they had.
1. My pastor from 1957 to 1963/64 was Frank Curts. He was Dist. Supt. of the Ohio UPC. He taught that in order to get into the Bride of Christ a person had to repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and receive the Holy Ghost Baptism. He taught that nobody would be in the rapture who did not complete those three steps. He taught that the rapture was before the tribulation and was part of the first resurrection of
Rev 20:4-6. Others who were part of the first resurrection were the martyrs during the tribulation period (
Rev 7:9-17). He taught that the second resurrection (
Rev. 20:11-15 and
Matthew 25:31-46) was after the millennium and all who were not in the first resurrection were included. Those judged were divided into two groups, sheep and goats. The goats went to the lake of fire and the sheep went to Heaven. The sheep were called "righteous" because of the lives they lived but were not called "holy" because they had not been baptized in Jesus' name and baptized in the Holy Spirit. He taught that all who walked in all the light they had would go to Heaven and that their righteous deeds were evidence that they were sincerely serving God.
2. Bishop Haywood taught pretty much the same except he taught that the righteous went to the new earth. Here is an excerpt from his book on The Resurrection:
FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTION
That there is a first and second resurrection of the dead the
scriptures plainly declare. But who shall be partakers thereof,
especially the first resurrection, is a thing that has not been
clearly explained.
We have generally understood the first resurrection to be those
who are saved, and the second resurrection to be composed of the
wicked, or unsaved. Then again there is a teaching that there is but
one literal resurrection of the dead and at that time Jesus will sit
on the throne of His glory and separate the "righteous from the
wicked" as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." This though
is derived from Matt. 25:31, 32.
Revelation 20:4-6, says "Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in
the first resurrection," and "the rest of the dead live not again
until the thousand years were finished." And these words are true and
faithful.
Rev. 19:9;22:6. According to the foregoing passages there is
a thousand years between the first and second resurrections.
This being true, who then are the "righteous that are separated from
the wicked as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats?"
Difference Between the Righteous and Holy.
If we will notice
Rev. 20:6 we will see that they who take part
in the first resurrection are "blessed and holy." We only have to look
closely into the Word of God to find that there is difference between
the righteous and the holy. He that is righteous, let him be righteous
still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still -
Rev. 22:11.
In Hebrew the word "holy" is "kodesh" which means a sacred place, or
thing, consecrated (thing); dedicated (thing) holiness, a saint, asanctuary; while the word righteous is "tsaddeek," which means just,
lawful, righteous (man) or to make right in a moral sense, to clear
one's self, to justify self. From this we can see that righteousness
is moral actions, while holiness is a consecrated state.
Holy people are those whose lives are consecrated to God by the
Holy Spirit's indwelling. The prophets were called "holy" because of
the Holy Ghost that is upon them and in them. -
2 Pet. 1:21;
Eph. 3:5.
Holiness can only be claimed by those who are filled with the Holy
spirit. Prophets,: priests, kings and special chosen people before
Christ were called "holy" but the others who walked in obedience to
the law were called righteous men. - Matt. 13:17. It was Moses who
said about 1490 years before Christ, "Would God that all of the Lord's
people were prophets, and that the Lord could put His (holy) Spirit
upon them."
Num. 11:29. In
Joel 2:28, we find God promising to fulfill
Moses' desires. If they were all to; be prophets (
Rev. 19:10) and
filled with the Holy Spirit (
Acts 2:16, 17,) that it could be seen
that in the new dispensation (of grace) God's people were not only be
righteous, but holy also. - (
Isa. 62:12;
Luke 1:74, 75.)
From the above mentioned scriptures it can be clearly seen that
there is a difference between the holy and the righteous. Holiness is
found in the Holy Spirit-filled life. - (See
1 Thess. 4:7,8). There
are many who are called holy who are only righteous, because they have
not been partakers of the Holy Ghost. There is a true holiness. (Eph.
4:24) It is the Holy Spirit-filled people who shall take part in the
first resurrection. The "blessed" are those who "die in the Lord"
during the tribulation period and are "called to the marriage supper
of the lamb." -
Rev. 14:13; 19:9; 20:6...
The Second Resurrection.
According to the inspired word of God the resurrection of the
"blessed and Holy" is completed a thousand years before the second
resurrection. It is from this point that we are obliged to note the
difference between partakers of the two resurrections.
After the thousand years expire "the rest of the dead" (those who
did not come forth in the first resurrection) both righteous and
wicked, live again and are made to stand before God. It is then that
Jesus separates them as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goat
according to Matt. 25:31-46.
In this resurrection is included all the righteous men of all
ages who walked in all the light that they were given. It is my candid
opinion that all heathen, Israelites, Christian professors who have
never heard the true gospel of Christ and those who die during
the millennium, walking in the light of their times will be given
eternal life at the last resurrection.
Many righteous people have died without the Holy Ghost and
the question has been asked: "Where will they come in?" They shall be
given eternal life in the last day. They shall inherit the New
Earth where life eternal reigns because "there shall be no more death.
If we desire to take part in the first resurrection we must be
filled with the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. It
is the church of the First-born that takes part in the first
resurrection. To enter into that Church, which is his body, we must be
baptized into it by both water and the Spirit. (See
John 3:5; Rom.
6:3-5;
1 Cor. 12:12, 13;
Gal. 3:26-28.
3. Bro. S.G. Norris taught what is some times called "holy, righteous, and wicked." The "holy" are those who have obeyed
Acts 2:38 since Pentecost; plus the Old Testament prophets who had the Holy Spirit in their lives; plus the children of at least one parent who had obeyed
Acts 2:38 according to
1 Corinthians 7:14; plus those who were martyred in the tribulation. These were all in the first resurrection. Then, at the second resurrection, all who had walked in all the light they had received eternal life at the Great White Throne judgment (second resurrection) and went into the new earth.
4. A while back I read a book titled "Prophetic Research, The Study of Eschatology" by Clyde Haney. Actually Than Haney (Clyde's grandson and Ken's son) published the book from Clyde Haney's notes. On pages 53 and 54 in his comments on The Great White Throne Judgment of
Rev. 20:11-14
“The dead, small and great’ --while there are no born again folks raised here, yet we doubt that all all who are raised are cast into hell. Here is the answer to the question asked by many, “What will God do about those who did not have the gospel, but walked in all the light they had?”...some who come up for judgment here will not be cast into the lake of fire....It is evident that these resurrection Scriptures refer not to the Rapture, but the final resurrection; also that the two orders, just and unjust, come up when all in the graves are summoned. Thus the White Throne Judgment will be a great event covering a longer period of time than generally realized. But while the just will be judged, the church, the Holy Order, will not be judged there. The Bible teaches three orders -- the just, the righteous, and the holy. The Bride is the Holy Order. Then cometh the end....
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