The Resurrection and the Rapture
A few facts/reminders concerning the Rapture and the Resurrection, and their order.
1. Christ the Firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:23)
2. “The Dead in Christ will Rise First” (1 Thess 4:16)
3. “At His Coming’ (1 Cor 15:23)
4. “At the Last Day” (John 6:39,40,44,54).
These are little known, or mostly forgotten facts concerning the
resurrection. For the most part, Christians forget that the “rapture,” as it’s
called, is the Resurrection. Read 1 Thess 4:15-17 “And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul gives all the believers the
“order of services,” starting with The Lord’s own resurrection—“Christ the
firstfruits…”
You’ve heard it mentioned before that no one knows when the
Rapture is going to occur, but that’s not true! We most assuredly know when
it’s going to occur, as I have listed on point 4: “At the Last Day.”
1Th 4:15-17 “For this we say to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no
means precede those who are asleep.
(16) For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
John 6:39 “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that
of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
John 6:40 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him
may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:54 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
One last verse—1 Cor 15:22-24
(22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
(23) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His
coming.
(24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule
and all authority and power.
John 6:39,40,44 & 54 tells us that 1 Cor 15:23 takes place on the Last Day. Now whenever that day may be, Lord only knows!
Could the Rapture be today?
Sure.
If today is Resurrection Day, and the Last Day!
God bless your studies!
Pastor Paul
Unanswered Prayer? Or Answered Prayer?
I read this poem recently that was written by a Confederate soldier in the Civil War:
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.
Why Trials?
Why trials?
I’ve heard it said too many times, unfortunately, that God does not cause, or bring, trials into the life of a believer.
However, Psalm 66:9-10 sheds some light on this question:
Psa 66:8-12 Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, (9) Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved. (10) For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. (11) You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. (12) You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.
Notice some of the things that the Psalmist says that God does in the life of a believer:
1. He does not allow our feet to be moved.
2. God tests us.
3. God refines us, by turning up the heat in our lives, to burn away any impurities from us, to make us more like Jesus Christ.
4. He leads us into the net–that is, into the trial of affliction.
5.He causes men to ride over us. Perhaps to totally rid us of ourselves, and any pride.
6. He causes us to go through the fire (Dan 3:21)
7. He delivers us in due time.
This shouldn’t surprise us. The Bible said that this was part of the sanctification process:
Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Why trials?
To make us more like the Son of God!
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, He will also make the way out, so as for you to be able to bear it.” (1 Cor 10:13)
God is sovereign. He reserves the right to use any means necessary to bring about His will.
God is the One who refines us. Not Satan.
“My Own People”
After intense study for many years regarding this verse, I have come to the educated conclusion that the Byzantine Majority Text has the correct reading in Revelation 13:14.
Here it is:
Revelation 13:14 “And he deceives my own people who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.”
The Majority Text just adds the personal pronoun to this verse, enhancing this verse from “he deceives those” to “he deceives mine.” (literally, those belonging to me, or, tous emous in Greek.)
Now humor me for a moment, and agree with me, that this is the correct reading…
In your opinions, what would that mean, the phrase, “My own people”?
Who constitutes “his own people”?
1. Jews or
2. Christians
14 And he deceives my own people who dwell on the earth by the signs which were given to him to do before the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound—and came to life! –from the sword.
Notice this is John speaking, not God.
Please send me your thoughts on this to: paul@gospelstudy.net
Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:10-18
Here is Psalm 14:3 in the New King James Version:
Psa 14:3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
Here’s Psalm 14:3 out of my Greek Septuagint translation:
Psa 14:3 They have all gone out of the way, they have together become corrupt, there is none that does good, no not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Sound familiar? It should–Here’s Romans 3:10-18 out of ANY translation: (EMTV)
Rom 3:10-18
(10) Just as it is written: “There is none righteous, no not one,
(11) There is none who understands; there is none who seeks God.
(12) All have turned aside; together they became unprofitable; there is not one doing kindness, there is not so much as one.”
(13) “Their throat is an opened grave; with their tongues they deceived”; ” the poison of asps is under their lips”;
(14) “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
(15) Their feet are swift to shed blood;
(16) Ruin and misery are in their ways;
(17) And the way of peace they did not know.
(18) There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Man o man, what happened here??
How did this Greek Old Testament become so absolete like this?
These guys (the Apostles) carried this text around with them, in their back pockets! For cryin’ out loud, Paul was a Pharisee! And he quotes from this, instead of the Hebrew OT?
Just sayin’
The Qualifications for Pastor
The most common Scripture reference to help determine a minister’s qualifications for pastor is found in 1 Tim 3:1-7.
Here it is:
“Faithful is this word: If anyone aspires to the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 It is necessary, therefore, for a bishop to be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful at teaching; 3 not given to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not loving money; 4 one ruling his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence; 5 (for if one does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
Here’s the 16 points that Paul uses to be a good yardstick in finding a qualified pastor:
1. Irreproachabe (blameless)
2. One woman man
3. Temperate
4. Sober
5. Well behaved
6. Hospitable
7. Good Teacher
8. Not a drinker
9. Not a bully
10. Not greedy for money
11. Gentle
12. Doesn’t quarrel
13. Doesn’t love money
14. Keeps his house in order
15. Not a new convert
16. Has a good testimony in town.
I would take number 16 to mean, people who knew the potential pastor before Jesus Christ changed his life.
And I was thinking, has there EVER been a person who has ever set foot on God’s green earth, who can claim that these 16 things describes them before they were a Christian?
What happens if a person wasn’t a good teacher before Christ saved them?
How about the person who had a bad habit of loving money a little bit too much, before Christ saved them?
How about the person who was a bully all of their lives, because they were insecure, because their father hated them when they were growing up, and didn’t love them?
How about the person who was divorced before they ever gave a rip about the commands of God?
Ah…now we’re talkin!
Sorry…
Next.
The moral of the story is this: Certainly these prerequisites apply to a person AFTER their conversion, otherwise NO ONE would be qualified to shepherd the flock of God.
“And such were some of you.” (1 Cor 6:11)
Hello world!
Cool, my first blog on Word Press!
Allow me to share my passions with you for a moment:
I love the word of God! From collecting Bibles, to preaching and teaching, the Word of God is my life (along with my wife, of course!), and my ministry.
So, from time to time, my blogs will be centered on making the Bible come alive.
I am self taught in Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, and many of my teachings focus on understanding the Greek language, and how it helps to understand the Bible.
So, I want to thank you for reading my blog: I hope you find it informative, and at times inspirational!
God bless!
Pastor Paul
