Will Jesus continue to mediate on behalf of believers following the close of probation?
Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator (The Great Controversy, page 425).
In your mind, does "perfected' mean "sinless?" If not, how can a man be perfect and yet continue to sin? If a man continues to sin following the close of probation, how will he stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator?
Consider the following:
Behold, we shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15
The word for corruptible in the Greek is phthartos and, according to Strongs, it is correctly translated as corruptible which means:
to change from good to bad in morals, manners or actions; to degrade with unsound principles or moral values. To subject a person to corruption. To alter from the original, pure and correct form. To become tainted or rotten. To become morally debased. To cause disintegration or ruin.
Consider also the following:
Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones. Matt. 19:27-28
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." Rev. 21:1-5
The implication and context of Revelation 22 suggests that the characters are forever fixed
WHEN Christ comes quickly:
"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. "And behold, I am coming quickly Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book."
What is meant by "the renewal of all things" and "the corruptible puts on incorruption." Both events occur simultaneously with Christ's second coming.
In fact, even the judgment happens simultaneously with Christ's second coming:
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Matt. 25:31-36
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? Luke 19:22-23
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him IN THE LAST DAY. John 12:46-48
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5
Q: If we are not judged until Christ comes, why would our probation close prior to Christ coming?
No person sanctifies himself. All who are sanctified are sanctified by the spirit. This is not a future event. It is (1) an already completed event and (2) an ongoing process:
Acts 20:32
And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 26
that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'
Romans 15
But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 1
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
1 Corinthians 1:30
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.
1 Corinthians 6:11
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Hebrews 2:11
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.
Hebrews 10:10
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
If you disagree with anything that I have written, I would be happy to discuss the subject from the Scriptures. I am not here to mock you. Come let us reason together. If it's truth, than it was intended for both of us and I need it just as much as anyone.
BFA
.
