Good observation. But note also, this has always been the case, and now it's being revealed and changing.
The chains of slavery to the lies of the devil are being ripped apart as we speak, en masse.
It was never about simply getting us spiritual salvation via the cross. The entire purpose of the cross was to lay the foundation for us to throw the devil out of kansas city.
Throw the devil out of Kansas city = kick Satan out of this world - out of our lives, our families, our nations and the world. That's something WE must do, each one of us. God cannot do it for us, and Jesus cannot do it for us (just as Jesus cannot believe in him and unite with him for us - we have to do that - it's our responsibility, the one that Adam (and Eve) failed.
My understanding is that due to the fall of Adam and Eve, the devil acquired a 'legal' (even if not lawful) sovereignty over humanity and also over the Earth and physical world that we reside in. (the devil, being a fallen angel, has not physical body himself). Because God created man to be ruler over the physical universe, the devil's claim over humanity meant he obtained control over the universe as well.
The fall took place in both dimensions. The first - the spiritual fall, took place thru the relationship between Lucifer and Eve. When Eve then went to Adam and had her relationship with him (symbolized by eating the fruit), that was the physical fall.
God's salvation plan involves eradicating that 'legal' claim both in terms of our spirit as well as our bodies. For various reasons, spiritual salvation was obtained by us and the 'legal' claim of satan over our spirits was removed based on one condition: our belief in and unity with Christ.
However, because Christ had to deliver his flesh up on the cross to establish spiritual salvation, likewise, even though we are reborn thru faith and receiving Christ, our flesh is still subject to the devil's 'legal' claim. This is why, even though Jesus came 2000 years ago, the entire world, including all the sovereignties, have still remained, to some extent, Satan's. Never fully God's.
This is why the second coming became necessary. Even Paul admits this: "we await the redemption of our bodies". So, the plan of salvation is stage 1, deliver spiritual salvation, and then based on that, have enough members of humanity rise in unity with Christ to fulfill their spiritual potential in enough unity with Christ that we not only kick satan out of our hearts, but also out of our lives and out of our world. In other words, returning the world back to God's sovereign control, in the flesh, to reverse what Adam did by handing it over to Satan when he fell.
In a biblical sense, what we are seeing is the collapse of Satan's realm, Satan's entire infrastructure and control over this planet is being challenged and exposed, and as more and more people step up to reject, then Satan's foothold on earth, far from him being in the position of control and ruler, will diminish more and more until he has nowhere to stand.
Kansas being a metaphor for the world, in this case.
Thank you for taking the time to write this expansive response!
I have never been very religious growing up, so thanks for explaining it from a biblical point of view. It is crazy that these things line up so well with the times we live in.
Good observation. But note also, this has always been the case, and now it's being revealed and changing.
The chains of slavery to the lies of the devil are being ripped apart as we speak, en masse.
It was never about simply getting us spiritual salvation via the cross. The entire purpose of the cross was to lay the foundation for us to throw the devil out of kansas city.
Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean with throwing the devil out of Kansas city?
Sure. Apologies for the overly abstract metaphor.
Throw the devil out of Kansas city = kick Satan out of this world - out of our lives, our families, our nations and the world. That's something WE must do, each one of us. God cannot do it for us, and Jesus cannot do it for us (just as Jesus cannot believe in him and unite with him for us - we have to do that - it's our responsibility, the one that Adam (and Eve) failed.
My understanding is that due to the fall of Adam and Eve, the devil acquired a 'legal' (even if not lawful) sovereignty over humanity and also over the Earth and physical world that we reside in. (the devil, being a fallen angel, has not physical body himself). Because God created man to be ruler over the physical universe, the devil's claim over humanity meant he obtained control over the universe as well.
The fall took place in both dimensions. The first - the spiritual fall, took place thru the relationship between Lucifer and Eve. When Eve then went to Adam and had her relationship with him (symbolized by eating the fruit), that was the physical fall.
God's salvation plan involves eradicating that 'legal' claim both in terms of our spirit as well as our bodies. For various reasons, spiritual salvation was obtained by us and the 'legal' claim of satan over our spirits was removed based on one condition: our belief in and unity with Christ.
However, because Christ had to deliver his flesh up on the cross to establish spiritual salvation, likewise, even though we are reborn thru faith and receiving Christ, our flesh is still subject to the devil's 'legal' claim. This is why, even though Jesus came 2000 years ago, the entire world, including all the sovereignties, have still remained, to some extent, Satan's. Never fully God's.
This is why the second coming became necessary. Even Paul admits this: "we await the redemption of our bodies". So, the plan of salvation is stage 1, deliver spiritual salvation, and then based on that, have enough members of humanity rise in unity with Christ to fulfill their spiritual potential in enough unity with Christ that we not only kick satan out of our hearts, but also out of our lives and out of our world. In other words, returning the world back to God's sovereign control, in the flesh, to reverse what Adam did by handing it over to Satan when he fell.
In a biblical sense, what we are seeing is the collapse of Satan's realm, Satan's entire infrastructure and control over this planet is being challenged and exposed, and as more and more people step up to reject, then Satan's foothold on earth, far from him being in the position of control and ruler, will diminish more and more until he has nowhere to stand.
Kansas being a metaphor for the world, in this case.
Thank you for taking the time to write this expansive response!
I have never been very religious growing up, so thanks for explaining it from a biblical point of view. It is crazy that these things line up so well with the times we live in.
Indeed. Indeed.