Anointed To Deliver Creation from Corruption
Contrary to the theory of evolution, in nature, all things are disintegrating. The Biblical term for this is corruption from the Greek “Pathos”. This word means “to destroy by bringing into a worse state or inferior condition.” On the natural plane, this is well understood with respect to pathological changes in human body and mind associated with aging. But man is not the only one that is affected by this, the whole creation has been subjected to the bondage of corruption.
“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Rom. 8:20-22).
“The whole creation groaneth…” The word “groaneth” here signifies to be moved with intense inward feeling to pray, crying out deeply for freedom. Creation is depicted as a slave in bondage, groaning in its captivity for to be free. Today the hospitals are crowded, the cemeteries are being filled, and the world is full of sorrow and broken hearts. All of nature is groaning under its bondage to corruption and death.
Now when we hear of corruption, we quickly think of wicked sinners. According to our theology, corruption involves alcohol or drug abuse, adultery, fornication, embezzlement, cheating, rotten policemen, politicians that can be bought, businessmen involved in shady deals, murder, rape, incest and other such wicked deeds. We narrow down corruption to mean wild passions and life-controlling lusts. Yet we have failed to understand how God looks at corruption. God’s definition goes much deeper than the passions of the flesh. The word corrupt here, denotes deterioration, “a change from what is clean, solid, and good to something that is dirty, fallen-apart, and decaying.” Corruption signifies something that was once whole and well — but now it isn’t, because purification has set in.
The very nature of fallen man is corruptible. Paul referred to this fact when admonishing us in Epistle to the Ephesians to “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Eph. 4:22).
The natural man is not getting better, as some affirm. Old Adam is corruptible. That means not only that he is spiritually dead, but that he is being continually brought into a more and more inferior condition ultimately leading to utter annihilation. So it is also with the government of this world which are in the hands of “corruptible men, and seducers who are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Human nature never improves, for it’s corruptible, growing steadily more vicious, more wicked, more deceitful, more hateful, more irresponsible, and more immoral. All natural systems if left on their will become degraded, disordered, and deteriorated. This law is universal and all-inclusive. Everything is on a downward spiral. This is what corruption is.
But here is the good news for the saints of the Most High God, as brought to us by the Holy Ghost through apostle Peter:
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” “Having escaped corruption”
We Have Escaped the Corruption
This has been accomplished in a new generation of people now living upon the earth. The “corruption barrier” has been broken! The apostle Peter spoke of this in II Peter 1:4, quoted above. “Having escaped corruption” — what a wonderful revelation this is! What the Spirit is saying through Peter is that those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and are walking in the newness of life by the Holy Spirit have “escaped corruption” that is in the world, and therefore have escaped from the inevitable downward spiral into sin, darkness and death.
That does not say that we are now perfect, or fully conformed into God’s image. Not at all. It says that we have escaped the irresistible pull and suction power of the downward spiral but instead have begun to ascend into His resurrection life. By being made partakers of the divine nature we are now experiencing a reversal of direction so that now we are headed upward instead of downward. It is not where you’re standing or where you’re coming from that matters most, but where you are going.
On a hill outside the city wall of Jerusalem, our Lord and King went forth to take on the combined forces of death, hell, and Satan. He did this with His hands and feet nailed to the across. Hour after hour, His life oozed forth drop by drop while the world waited to see what the outcome would be.
“Come down if You be the Son of God and we will believe on You”, they taunted.
But He never moved. Then finally the great cry! “It is finished”. Then He bowed His head and gave up the Ghost. The Author of life had died, and the whole earth was in total darkness and in a grip of fear of death. All was dark and hopeless, and it seemed as if the kingdom of death had finally and permanently won. Life went out of the hearts of His disciples and joy was gone from the earth.
But then, on the third day, as the sun began to break over that lonely sepulchre, a new ray of hope began to shine from Joseph’s tomb, and the Sun of Righteousness rose with a dazzling radiance. The huge stone that blocked the door of the Tomb was rolled back by some unseen mighty hand. The Roman troops guarding the tomb were startled and fainted by the appearance of the messengers in white.
Then, out of the tomb, rising out of the very pit of hell itself, there stepped forth One who was dead and now alive.
“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev 1:17,18).
“Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Tell them, boys and girls, women and men
Tell the birds and the bees, the lambs and the beasts
Tell the water-lions and earthworms, the grass and the cedars
Tell the serpents and the scorpions, and the fowls of the air
Tell everyone and everything, above and underneath the earth
Tell them that Jesus Christ is alive
It’s Amen, It’s Yes and it’s the Truth
He defeated death, defeated hell, defeated Satan,
He is alive, Yes, He’s alive, Jesus Christ is alive for evermore and has the keys of hell and of death”.
He’s Lord of the living and of the dead. Through His death and resurrection, He took from the enemy his power of death, and from hell its’ power of containment. No longer can death claim the final victory over man. Christ now has all the keys. And He will set every man free and bring all into the liberty of the children of God. Jesus Christ, the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, has the power to save and redeem, and has the dominion, the Key of the Kingdom and the keys of death and hell.