Inheriting a More Excellent Name - by Pastor Doug Riggs

This message was originally recorded April 17, 2016.

My notes:

Doug speaks of Jesus inheriting a more excellent name, and how that applies to us, the members of His body. "We're not born again just so we can have a ticket out of hell into heaven. Jesus didn't die on the cross only to redeem us, although He did; but we've been redeemed unto an inheritance... And how do we enter into our inheritance? By attaining a name that is a part of our union and communion with Jesus Christ as the royal heir of all things... He is the one who has received as Man the full inheritance that God has determined from all eternity - that which will result in man being crowned with glory and honor." However, there is a condition - it's not automatically obtained by all members of the body of Christ. There's an "if indeed" attached. "If indeed we suffer with Him, in order that we may be glorified with Him." "It's the big 'if' of Hebrews: 'if you hold fast'. 'If'... it's all about the inheritance."

"All that put their faith in Christ are redeemed; but not all will reign as kings. Kingship is an attainment... That which manifests the bride of Christ is a part of overcoming. All (Christians) are redeemed, but not all will manifest in those bridal garments the holiness and the dignity of kingship as the complement of the King. That is an attainment... Our justification - our salvation - is absolutely a secure issue. This has to do with the reign... has to do with the name... and we are here on Earth to inherit a name, and that name is His name."

Ever since the creation of man, God intended man to rule as kings over the earth. When Adam disobeyed God, he forfeited his right to rule and reign over the earth to Satan by turning from submission to God to yielding to the lie of Satan that man could be like God apart from dependence on God. Many generations later, Jesus on the cross wrested that right and authority to reign from Satan, defeating him and publicly triumphing over him. However, the title deed to the earth has not yet been officially transferred. That will happen during the 7-year Tribulation when Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes the scroll and breaks the seal. He has been waiting for the completion of His bride - His body - the fulness of the Gentiles and the church attaining the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. At the judgment seat of Christ, mid-way through the Tribulation period, the church completed and glorified will be 'caught up to the throne' (Rev. 12) and the ruling and reigning over earth with Christ begins through the completed corporate New Man, man as God intended man to be, to rule over His creation. "It's not to angels that God has submitted the inhabited earth to come... but to man." (Hebrews 2:5-8)

Additional notes on Revelation 3:10: "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." In this message, Doug addresses the fact that the world is about to go through a testing that will prove its preoccupation with self-improvement and advancement without God - that this world is home with no desire for a heavenly home. As this letter is written to the church, and the warnings we read in these seven letters are for believers who need to repent, we should also consider the fact there are Christians who consider earth their home and are not looking for a deliverer to take them to their heavenly home. The risk is we could lose our crown (vs 11). Unbelievers don't have crowns, only believers. But if we do not pass this test that is coming prior to the 7-year tribulation, what Doug has taught on often, the day of visitation coming upon the church (1 Peter 2:12), we face the threat of loss of reward and not surviving to the rapture. The new more excellent name is for overcomers, not those who make earth their home. This warning would compare with 1 Peter 4:12-19: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you... For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God."

Revelation 3:12: "I will write on him the name of My God... My new name" - As this message is about inheriting a more excellent name, Doug concludes with this promise written to the overcomers of the church in Philadelphia. "'I will write on him', Jesus says, 'the name', the manifest nature and character 'of My God'. That name will become your name to whatever degree Christ was formed in you in this life... a name that's been given 'above every name'. That name will be imparted to you in the measure of which Christ has been formed in you in this life, and at the bema seat of Christ, the Father will crown you because of the virtues of Jesus Christ that will be formed, and you'll be a part of that royal crown of Christ."

Link to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/4-17-16+sunday+assembly.mp3

Link to Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/4-17-16+discussion.mp3

Resources mentioned:

Erich Sauer: The King of the Earth (https://amzn.to/3YwUmKO)

3 Messages by Lance Lambert:

What is the Prize? (https://christiantestimonyministry.com/tape-page.php?id=2638)

Attaining the Prize (https://christiantestimonyministry.com/tape-page.php?id=2642)

Overcoming (https://christiantestimonyministry.com/tape-page.php?id=2645)

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!

To opt out of receiving these emails, please reply with a request to unsubscribe.