"For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died. And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
"For you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested together with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4)
That Christ Jesus died for the sake of all is a historical fact, however, the phrase "consequently all died" is prolepsis, a figure of speech in which humanity is considered to have died when Jesus "died for the sake of all". The result is that our "life" after death is now "hid together with Christ in God".
"So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new! Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
That humanity will have "life" after death is a future event so certain that it is spoken of as if this world has passed by "become new" - again, proleptically speaking. Thistruth it gives us peace with God, and we want to share this "word of conciliation" with the world as the "ambassadors" of Christ.
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be made alive...For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
God is at peace with humanity and wants people to be at peace with Him - not be terrified about what He might do to us after death. God is not angry with humanity for its sin because the blood of Christ His Son was shed "for our sakes".
"God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes." ..."and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavins." (Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:20)
Humanity is saved, justified and reconciled to God proleptically speaking. Yet it will be manifested in the a future age.
"So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new! Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
That humanity will have "life" after death is a future event so certain that it is spoken of as if this world has passed by "become new" - again, proleptically speaking. Thistruth it gives us peace with God, and we want to share this "word of conciliation" with the world as the "ambassadors" of Christ.
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be made alive...For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
God is at peace with humanity and wants people to be at peace with Him - not be terrified about what He might do to us after death. God is not angry with humanity for its sin because the blood of Christ His Son was shed "for our sakes".
"God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes." ..."and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavins." (Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:20)
Humanity is saved, justified and reconciled to God proleptically speaking. Yet it will be manifested in the a future age.
"Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected. Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ Jesus. Brethren, not as yet am I reckoning myself to have grasped, yet one thing -- forgetting, indeed, those things which are behind, yet stretching out to those in front -- toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's calling above in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
I can speak of my salvation and justification as if it has already occurred because the very Word of God says so. And that is good enough for me and I am at peace with God - not perfect, just at peace.
I can speak of my salvation and justification as if it has already occurred because the very Word of God says so. And that is good enough for me and I am at peace with God - not perfect, just at peace.