Page 120 - THE REVELATION OF THE THIRD HEAVEN and THE MEAT OF THE WORD

8), indeed sinning in the first Heaven is not impossible (Job 2:1-2, Ezek 28:15, Rev
12:4, 7-10). Some Christians have achieved such ascension (Mat 3:2, 4:17, 10:7,
16:28, Luke 9:27, 21:32). The greater (John 14:12) challenge is to avoid growing
old, not die until the second coming and yet remain on this Earth whilst still in the
flesh (Job 33:25, John 8:51, 14:12, Heb 2:9). There is no record in the Word or
Christian experience of this having been achieved to date. Being taken up into
Heaven is not ascension by one’s own righteousness which is what only Jesus has
done (John 3:13). This verse also proves the eternal human Christ, as human, is in
Heaven as such forever as well as being God (1 Tim 2:5).

Appropriation is also foreshadowed in that God suggests that returning to the youth
of the flesh is not impossible for the Christian as this was indeed achieved by Sarah
and Abraham in one sense at least - the reproductive organs (Gen 17:17-19) and by
Moses to a degree (Deut 34:7) and by Namaan to a degree also (2 Kings 5:14). The
longevity of the early patriarchs of Genesis is also a parable about this (Gen 5:1-
32). Likewise the miraculous birth of Zechariah’s wife is also evidence of a
limited appropriation (Luke 1:7). Also many healings can be looked upon as a
regression in the ageing process (Luke 13:11-16). Ageing is a spiritual oppression
(Gen 6:3) and in a pre-antibiotic world often led to leprosy, blindness etc. which
then required healing.

Jesus acknowledges the default requirement for Him to remain in a perfect flesh
but of course this was not possible given His primary will death sacrifice (followed
though, of course, by a resurrection) and need to be tempted in all points like us
which must have involved His being 'ill' and 'ageing'. In any event Jesus knew that
a Christian has the power to be immune to disease, old age and death (Psalm 39:11,
Mat 9:12-13, Luke 4:23, 1 Cor 3:21-23, Eph 6:10-11, 13-16, Phil 4:13).

Christians are freed from sin and this must mean that we are not bound by death
since the wages of sin are death (Rom 6:23). Christians are not lambs to the
slaughter (Rom 8:36-37). We, by Christ, have overcome the power of the enemy
and we are promised that nothing, including old age, attacks or accidents, can harm
us (Psalm 39:11, Mark 16:18, Luke 10:19, 1 Cor 2:11, 3:21-23, Eph 6:10-11). It is
therefore an available and achievable objective for the Christian to remain young
in a physically perfect flesh (i.e. no disease or damage) without blemish until being
changed at the first resurrection (Psalm 56:4, 103:4-5, 10-12, 104:30, John 8:51,
Eph 5:30). This despite the fact the flesh continually sins (1 John 1:8). This is in
accordance with the Church’s destiny to be perfect (Eph 5:27). Individual
Christians are part of Christ’s perfect body already (Eph 5:30) even though our
flesh bodies as component parts are, mysteriously, not so (Rom 7:18). Jewish