The Powers of the Age to Come

“and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5)

As we enter the last days, we can see from a distance the start of the Millennium Age where the Bride of Christ will rule and reign with Christ on the earth (Rev. 20:4).  Soon, Christ will reveal Himself to all mankind and those who have been faithful will be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1Cor. 15:52).  The resurrection and glorification of believers will be the long-awaited revealing of the sons of God (Rom. 8:18-25).  All of creation is waiting to be “delivered from the bondage of corruption and into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (vs. 21).  Creation groans and “we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” (vs. 23).  Will the release from bondage be a one-time event?  For the children of God, it is both gradual and sudden.  First, we are born again in the spirit and seated with Christ in heavenly places.  We have been restored to fellowship with God our Father.  Our soul is undergoing the gradual process of transformation (Rom. 12:1,2).  But we still groan inwardly because we live in temporal bodies.  Even now, however, the resurrection life of Christ is making our natural bodies come alive with health and strength (Rom. 8:11), and suddenly our bodies will be changed into eternal bodies at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:22,23). 

For creation, the release from corruption will also be gradual and sudden.  Although the natural world is increasingly suffering the effects of man’s sin, there are local areas of relief because of the righteousness of the saints.  During the millennium, creation will experience an increased measure of its release from the bondage of death.  “The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” (Isa. 11:7).  The complete release from death, however, will only occur after the Millennium, when God creates new heavens and a new earth (Rev. 21:1).  The gradual obtaining of victory, until a climax is reached, is a spiritual principle that applies to every age.  This is an important principle to understand as we approach the end of this age.

In my early years of ministry, I was warned against the manifest sons of God doctrine.  I accepted this warning at the time, but because of its growth in popularity, I have now been pressed to discern it for myself.  How we discern doctrines is important.  To discern is different then passing judgment.  The former brings understanding; the latter brings division.  Because of fear, we tend to isolate anything that may appear to be wrong.  This results in dividing the Body of Christ.  There is a need to remove sin from our midst, but that should not include separating ourselves from those of different views.  Certainly, there are destructive doctrines propagated that should not be tolerated in any form.  These are the ones that deny the Lord or what He has done for us through His atoning sacrifice.  “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4).  The manifest sons of God doctrine may or may not be scriptural, but it should not be included in the category of “destructive heresies” (2Pe. 2:1). 

We are to judge (discern) a tree by its fruit.  When I look at the fruit in the lives of ministers who adopt these teachings, I see good fruit.  I also see some bad fruit, but this occurs with any movement because of how people apply the teachings.  The problem with new revelations is how we interpret them.  Prophets see things coming and tend to explain them from their current understanding, which always contains some influence from past traditions.  The revelation may be true, but the explanation may be inaccurate. If we are too quick to reject new teachings, we risk missing what God may be saying.  For the sake of unity and love, we need to accept one another, even if we have different views.  God is moving us away from a focus on doctrine to a focus on relationships.  As we “endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”, our understanding will grow and we will come closer to the “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:3,13).  The basis of their teaching is that God will bring about a company of mature children in the last days.  I think we can all agree that Christ is returning for a mature Bride.  What we may disagree on is what this will look like and how it will come about.

The revelation that the Body of Christ needs to receive today is that we can taste the powers of the age to come.  Anything that belongs to the next age can be experienced today, in a measure.  What will be can now be.  We will reign with Christ during the Millennium, so we can reign with Him now.  We are not hidden away as we wait for the appearing of the Lord; we work with Him to put all His enemies under His feet.  “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.” (1Cor. 15:25). 

Religious traditions will try to keep us from advancing, but we must press into all that God has for us.  To meet the challenges of the end times, we must walk in the powers of the age to come.  As we move forward, however, we must continue to guard our hearts against enemy tactics.  An increase in spiritual experiences can lead to spiritual pride.  The devil will try to tempt us, deceive us, or discourage us with persecutions, but we are more than conquerors in Christ. We overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and by living in total surrender to Christ (Rev. 12:9-12).  Our desire for spiritual gifts and experiences should not overshadow our pursuit of love (1Cor. 14:1).  Spiritual maturity is measured by the character of Christ in us, not our experiences.  “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1Cor. 13:2).  To taste the powers of the age to come is not the end goal, but seeking these experiences to extend the kingdom of God may help us to fulfill the commandment of love.