Freedom in Christ

Part 1 of 4

“If it’s not about Jesus, it’s not about anything.”

(Motto of the Fountain of Life)

Invocation:  Father, in Jesus’ name we pray that this subject be treated faithfully, honestly and respectfully.  We invoke the motto of the Fountain of Life to keep all that follows in this four part series in a proper focus and that the name of Jesus be glorified.   

WHO IS CHRIST?

The Freedom which we have in Christ has as its foundation the Incarnation of Christ and its actualization through the vicarious humanity of Jesus.  That sound like heavy theological stuff.  Please don’t be put off with the sound of terms.  Taking about them reveals some beautiful knowledge about Jesus, which we shall discover during this four part series on the Freedom in Christ.  We shall see that the vicarious humanity of Christ is a thread which weaves itself continuously through the fabric of these discussions.  We begin by asking three simple questions.   

• First:  Who is Christ?   

• Second:  Who are we?   

• Third:  What does freedom in Christ look like? 

Let us take some time now and answer the question, who is Christ?   Beloved, as you know, hundreds of books have been written both about the identity of Christ and of the accuracy of the scriptures.  This series is not intended as an apologetic for those two subjects, therefore we will not explore arguments from literature, history, philosophy or tradition.  For the purposes of this series on freedom in Christ, we will begin with confidence in the Word of God itself as needing no defense.  Let us turn to it as the foundation of our study.

Foundational Scriptures about Jesus

John 1:1:  And the Word was God.

John 1:14:  And the Word was made flesh.

Mark 1:1:  The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

John 14:9:  Jesus said to Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Matthew 16:16:  And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

The Scriptures on Freedom

John 14:6.  I am the way the truth and the life.

John 8:32.  And the truth shall set you free.

2 Corinthians 3:17:  Where the Spirit of God is there is freedom.

Romans 8:2:  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:1.  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Our freedom has its foundation in the Incarnation of Jesus.  It has its actualization in the vicarious life of Jesus.  All of this sounds nice, but what is the link with Christ that establishes our freedom.  Beloved, the link is not with Christ; the link is Christ.  A link with Christ implies a type of contract, perhaps an impersonal agreement made with untold millions.  However, the link being Christ implies a personal relationship with you.  Yes you dear reader.  What’s your name?  The link is grace; His grace to you.  Jesus supplies grace. 

A short discussion about the Trinity contributes to answering the question, “Who is Jesus?”  The Trinity is an integrated whole, not three separate agendas.  The Son of God is the second person of the Trinity.  The Son of Man, Jesus Christ, has His foundations in this same Trinity, not in a different Trinity.  As self-evident as that may sound, it is not widely understood.  Most Christians see a duality between the Father and the Son.               

Theologian Thomas Torrance

Brethren, many of us have heard the statement, “There are no atheists in foxholes.”  Theologian Thomas Torrance said the he enjoyed his time as a chaplain in World War 2.  Soldiers in the foxholes came to him with an interesting question.  It was not the question Does God really exist?”  Rather, the question was, “Is God really like Jesus?  The soldiers’ underlying assumption was that the Old Testament Creator is very different from the New Testament Savior.  So, is God really like Jesus?  The Trinity shows that the answer is a resounding YES!  The Trinity shows that God is one.  He is an integrated whole.  There is not one angry God of the Old Testament and one gentle God of the New Testament.  There is not one God who hates sin and demands justice and an entirely different God who loves sinners and offers mercy.  God is love (1 John 4:8).  

 God’s oneness, His integration is founded in Love.  This integration means, for example, that God’s justice and His mercy are not opposite concepts.  His wrath and His blessings are not opposites.  Since His oneness is found in love, that means that justice and mercy, wrath and blessing all have their foundation in love; in PERFECT love.  They are not separate; they all share integration in His love.

In the ebb and flow of human history a point stands out…God becomes man.  Being born of a human mother is significant.  He is a man like us.  He is not only physically like us men; He also assumes our human nature; that is your nature brethren; it is my nature.  Protestants teach that it is the nature we inherited from Adam.  It is the nature in which we all die (1 Corinthians 15:22).  It is the nature which He redeems.  He is the same as us without any reservation.  Church Father Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 389) wrote, “For that which He has not assumed He has not healed.” That means that Jesus assumed the nature of Adam for the salvation of Adam’s descendants. 

The 1^st Century world depicted the male as the dominate contributor and driving force of human action and history.  Weakness and humility were not associated with the male’s cultural activity.  The significance of the Incarnation/Christmas event having a female represent humanity is this.  It demonstrates that mankind is to contribute nothing.  Here, the male, as the director of events for humanity is now placed into the background as the powerless figure.  That which God showcases is the 1^st Century female role representing the weakness of man.  From that symbolic weakness Mary responds to Gabriel.  Luke records her saying these beautifully humble words, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according as to your word.”  Nonetheless, by virtue of physical conception and birth humanity is not totally excluded because Jesus takes his humanity from the very human Virgin.  God becoming human is the vicarious humanity of Jesus and it has tremendous importance for our salvation, and by extension, to our freedom.

THE VICARIOUS HUMANITY OF CHRIST

Brethren, the vicarious humanity of Jesus is the power of the Incarnation.  The Incarnation is far more than an event in history.  It is the power of salvation; it is the transforming Word of God.  This transformation is the result of Jesus assuming our human flesh.  Grace Communion  teaches the vicarious Humanity of Jesus.  This is based upon scriptures such as John 1:14:  And the Word was made flesh.  And 2 Corinthians 5:21.  “God made him who had no sin to be sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”  Jesus became flesh and in the flesh He became sin for us.  Yes, He took our sin upon Himself.  This vicarious humanity of Christ makes 2 Corinthians 5:21 an actual reality, not a symbolic one.  We need not filter its meaning or amend it in an attempt to fit it into one of our pet doctrines.  We need just accept it.  But sometimes, the unfiltered Good News is hard for us to accept.  How is that?  Let’s look at our usual understanding of grace.

Friends, a fact of life is that the Church exists in, and is influenced by the human culture which surrounds it.  The danger is that the culture is not reliable.  The culture can provide the inspiration to use the bible to fight against something, such as slavery in the 19^th century.  The culture can provide the inspiration to use the bible to defend something, such as slavery in the 19^th century.  We filter all our experiences as human beings through the culture in which we live. 

That applies to our understanding of grace and its blessings to us.  Humanly speaking, the unfiltered good news about Jesus and grace sounds almost too good to be true.  We begin filtering the good news through our natural skepticism, which states that if something sounds too good to be true, then it isn’t true.  Humanly speaking we hear the biblical words about grace but deep in our private thoughts we don’t understand them.  As 21^st century North Americans we are predisposed to disbelieve grace.  Allow me to paint the next point with a very broad brush for the purposes of illustration.  

 Our North American cultural teaches two things.  On the one hand the main point in life is self-reliance; what we can do for ourselves; we pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and we honor those who can and do this.  Frank Sinatra’s popular song summed it up with these lyrics, “I did it my way.”  William Henley’s powerful poem, “Invictus” included these stirring lines:  “I am the master of my fate…I am the Captain of my soul.”  A familiar maxim is “God helps those who help themselves.”  We view this approach as courageous and socially honorable. 

On the other hand pockets of despair exist within the country and our culture teaches many to deal with the despair by asking “What can my country do for me?”  Many of us labor heroically to create large bureaucracies to provide aid to the needy.  And many of the needy thankfully receive organized aid from those institutions.  We view this approach as necessary and socially just.

But there is an irony here in this second example, because even in our helplessness it is our personal effort in seeking help from the organizations that is most important.  We intuitively understand that we must locate the helpers, we must drive to the aid offices, we must fill out the forms; we must file the claims.  If we don’t act, if we don’t apply there is nobody to help; no one to fill out the forms for us.  If we don’t reapply the funding ceases.  If we slacken our efforts, aid stops.  If we don’t do something, we get no aid.

We see in this human life only these two solutions, and both, in the final analysis depend upon our own efforts.  Generally our thought processes are geared to apply only these two solutions to all issues.  But this is the problem.  Logically it is a false dilemma.  Christian righteousness does not depend upon either of these two options.  For us Christ fulfills all righteousness.  There are no bootstraps for us to pull.  We cannot do it for ourselves.  There are no forms for us to fill out.  The state does not do it for us.  Christ does it all, and that is hard for us to comprehend.

We are conditioned by the culture to think that somewhere, somehow there’s something that we must contribute to our salvation. Maybe it’s repentance, or faith, or self-denial, or obedience, or contrition, or absolution or penance.  And whenever we make something a necessary contribution to our faith – anytime there’s something that we insert into the economy of salvation apart from or in additions to Christ – that something becomes the weak point in our suit of armor. 

Reverend Todd Crouch

When we believe this way, our belief becomes the weak link that allows the shield to fail in time of battle.  That belief means the shield needs constant repair.  Daily repair becomes our contribution because we sin daily.  The result is that Jesus is not enough.  Oh, we might never say out loud that Jesus is not enough, however, that is exactly what our filtered view of grace finally means.  Whenever I add anything to Jesus; that is what it finally means.  In this case Reverend Todd Crouch teaches that we erroneously augment Christ’s humanity or we diminish His divinity.  Why?  In order to add our part to our salvation.

We do this because we know we are imperfect, so very imperfect.  We find ourselves always wondering, when might a spiritual disaster finally fall upon us?  We wonder if our armor will hold.  Are we really safe?  We ask that question because, deep down we know we don’t have the kind of perfect faith that we need, the kind of perfect obedience, the kind of perfect sacrifice to keep our armor constantly ready.  We try to keep it ready, but we don’t, we can’t.   We worry and worry and worry.

But brethren, worry is not what the Christian life is all about.  It is not about what we do.  It is not about our faithfulness to Jesus.  It is about what the vicarious life of Jesus has done for us.  It is about Christ’s faithfulness to us.  It is about His outrageous faithfulness to us. 

In closing , please consider the following exercise in faith.

2 Corinthians 3:17:  Where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom.  Freedom is the thing hoped for.

Hebrews 11:1:  Faith is the evidence of things hoped for. 

Galatians 2:20:  But Christ lives in me.  Christ in me is the guarantee of the truth of the evidence of the thing hoped for.

Friends, please note that Galatians also says a very interesting thing.  From the King James Version we read that, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  The faith of whom?  The faith of the Son of God Himself.  The faith is His which he shares with us, thanks to His vicarious humanity.  How can His faith be anything but that which is true and living?

And here is the connection into freedom and grace and faith.  It is through His vicarious humanity.  As His faith is ours, His freedom is ours.  Who is Christ?  He is outrageously faithful to us because of who He is.  He is God; He is Man; He is Savior.  He has paid the penalty of sin.  He has opened the door to eternal life.  Who is Jesus?  He is the legitimate outrageously faithful giver of grace.  He is the one from whom all blessings flow.  And one of those blessings is freedom.   

In our next section, we’ll look at the question, “Who are we?”  

Benediction:  Dear brothers and sisters, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever.  God bless you all.

Rev. George Relic, Assistant Pastor (724-583-9217)

Fountain of Life Church

2021 Old National Pike, Washington, Pa 15301

A congregation of Grace Communion International

Rapture History and Theology:Lift off or Let Down, A Trinitarian/Christocentric Study

PART 5 OF 5

Paul on the State of the Dead (1Thes. 4:13-18)

The dead!  What has happened to them?  Are they all right?  Will we see them again?  These were questions for which the young believers in Thessalonica were unprepared. Expecting Jesus' immediate return (Parousia), they were shocked when some believing friends and family died before this anticipated event.  This turn of events greatly disturbed them and left them with many nagging questions that they addressed to Paul (maybe through Timothy):  How would the Christian dead fare when Jesus returned? Would they stand at a disadvantage?  Would they miss the blessing of the Parousia? Were they even 'lost'?  

Driving Force

Charles Spurrgeon

When we survey the teaching of Darby's Despenstaionalism and those who embrace it,  what we read and hear preached revolves around "events" ,  not the person of Jesus."    Jesus is there  however , and they are fellow Christians but Jesus is somehow diminished and made simply a participator in a grand cosmic clash between good and evil. It has become an event message not a person message.

As we cited in an earlier installment of this series we mentioned Charles Spurrgeon confronting John Darby  regarding how his Theology discounted the vicarious humanity of Jesus and spawned a form of legalism . Darby's followers were, due to a fear of not being  a part of the Rapture, always attempting to prove that they were "worthy" to escape the end.  They were afraid to simply put it,  but we are told in Scripture not to fear, it is the most often repeated admonition in all of Scripture. 

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"1Tim:1:7.

Fear is the driving force behind the Rapture; and all of Dispenastional Theology exists to maintain the Rapture belief.

Christians do not have to fear, Jesus has defeated any and all things  and the world and all that it spawns. Jesus tells all Christians thru out the ages and even those who live at the end of human civilization.

"do not be afraid for I have defeated the world" John:16:33

 Predicting the End

Thur out history many sincere Christians have attempted  predictions of the end, and each and every time they have failed. A main feature of Dispenstaionalism is this focus on "events" ; many will ramp up the preaching every time armies march, or rainfall is less then normal, the economies decline or the earth shakes . 

When you will not engage in predicting that "the end is nigh" , they will resort to saying that you do not believe the Bible or that you are a "scoffer" not believing that Jesus will return and they  will readily quote Peter .

 "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."2Petr:3:3

 

 This is not the case, we simply do not know when Jesus will return, we have the promise of the Scripture that our Lord will come , we simply do not know how long that will be be, it does not matter in one way for no matter how much time we have or do not have our mission and commission is to preach the Gospel in all the world, that is , Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God who has saved us all;  if it will but be freely received.

"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."Mk:16:15

 What of the Dead?

1) The state of the dead

Paul begins his answer with two negative assertions:  *We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep* (13a) and, *we do not want you...to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope* (13b). Note that Paul does not forbid Christians to grieve. Mourning is natural, even for a while emotionally necessary.   Though when we mourn a Christian's death we do so in joyful awareness of Christ's decisive victory over death.  We nevertheless mourn with personal sorrow--just as Jesus did for his friend Lazarus.  But our mourning is not *like the rest of men [non-believers], who have no hope*.  Christians grieve, but as ones with a sure hope.  That hope is grounded in an understanding of the state (condition) of the Christian dead.

Concerning that state, Paul refers to the dead as 'asleep.'  Did Paul believe in "soul sleep" (the idea that the dead are unconsciousness)?  

Note first that 'sleep' is used as a euphemistic metaphor for death in many cultures.  This is because in death the body is motionless as during sleep.  

  

Secondly, the Old Testament sees death as rest from labor, as in the case of certain patriarchs and kings who 'slept with their fathers' (see also Rev.14:13).  It is in this context that the book of Ecclesiastes proclaims that *the dead know nothing* (9:5).  From the perspective of earth ("under the sun"), it appears that the dead are completely unaware.  

Thirdly, the New Testament (which alone  provides the full and final revelation concerning death and the afterlife) speaks of death as "sleep" to express that death is only temporary (John.11:11; Mk. 5:39; 1 Cor.15:20).   

As sleep is followed by awakening, so death is followed by resurrection. Our conclusion then is that the Bible refers to death as 'sleep' because a human corpse (body) lies in the grave still, at rest, and awaiting a future resurrection of that body.  

But do these metaphorical allusions concerning the dead body demand that we limit our understanding of the condition of the human soul (spirit) during the interim period between death (the Intermediate State) and resurrection to that of unconsciousness?  First we should note that the answer is not a matter of core Christian doctrine.  But having said that, we should also understand that the consistent teaching of the vast majority of Christians through the ages has been against "soul sleep" (the view that the soul [spirit] of man in the interim state is unconscious).  For example, John Calvin wrote concerning this verse:  'The reference [concerning being asleep]...is not to the soul but to the body, for the dead body rests in the tomb as on a bed, until God raises the person up.'

We of course, look to Scripture, not Calvin, for authoritative instruction.  But we should be aware of what the Spirit has taught the church through the ages.  And we should carefully examine Scripture, giving priority to the final and more complete revelation (the New Testament).  

 When we do here's what we learn:  Jesus' references to what happens after death suggest a conscious awareness of bliss or pain (Lk.16:19ff.; 23:43).  Moreover, Paul, apparently relying on Jesus' teaching, notes that for him life meant 'Christ' and death in Christ meant 'gain'.  How could Paul regard death as 'gain', and better than this life 'by far', if he viewed the intermediate state as one of unconsciousness?  Paul clearly believed that death would bring him a closer, richer, fuller experience of Christ than he was already enjoying on earth (Phil.1:21-23; cf.2 Cor.5:8).

Summing up this point, we note that all descriptions in Scripture concerning the state of the dead are 'evocative' in nature--they are metaphorical and symbolic not 'technical', precise, 'literal' descriptions of reality.  Moreover, Scripture tells us far less about such things than some try to make of what it does say.   We must, therefore, approach the issue with reserve and humility.  As a result, in Grace Communion  we are not dogmatic on this non-core issue because Scripture is less than dogmatic.  We note, however, that the preponderance of the Scriptural evidence suggests that during the 'intermediate state' (the time between the death of the body and its resurrection on the last day), the human spirit is consciously aware.  

What we say is;  is that regardless of the timing and the mechanics ,whether immediately  at death or at a future resurrection whereby we enter into Heaven, the Kingdom of God, the Eternal State,  however you want to refer to it as, the main point is this,  that the afterlife , the salvation promised to us in the Holy Bible is made reality by Jesus Christ alone and by no other way.

The spirits of those who have embraced Christ experience conscious joy in the presence of their Savior or as some Theologians believe they are in a place called “Paradise”, which is thought by some to be a waiting state or “place” until the Resurrection.  And the spirits of those who have rejected Christ experience conscious fear awaiting future judgment.  

Perhaps some who have neither embraced nor rejected Christ at the death of the body are in a 'neutral' state/place waiting a time of future choice.  Or perhaps they are given that choice during the process of the body dying.  Scripture simply does not give us the details.  

  

2) Three reassuring beliefs

Back to Paul's main concern: what is the Christian hope for those who have died in Christ, which does not eliminate mourning altogether, but which comforts and fortifies us in the midst of grief?  This hope rests not in perfect understanding of the state of the dead but in the sure knowledge of *the coming of the Lord* (15)--the King's visible return in glory which will bring about the reuniting of all Christians (both dead and alive).  

This is a source of hope and comfort because the 'sting' of death is largely due to the separation which death seems to cause--both separation from Christ, since the dead in Christ have died before he comes, and separation from those who survive them. 

It is these two bitter separations which the apostle solemnly assures his readers are neither real nor permanent.  For the dead in Christ are (by implication) now with Jesus, and will come with Jesus when he returns and will thus not precede (in being reunited with Christ) those who will see Jesus when he returns.  Paul expresses his assurance in these beliefs in a 'creed' with three related clauses:

a) Concerning Christ:  *Jesus died and rose again*. This is the heart and core of the gospel which the apostles preached and which the church believes.  Christ 'died for us' (5:10), in order to deal with our sins and so secure our 'salvation' (5:9). But he did not remain in death;  he rose again, which implies that  he triumphed over it.

b) Concerning the Christian dead: *God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him*.  For Paul, the death and the resurrection of believers is interconnected (e.g. Rom.6:4-10; 2 Cor.4:14).  If God did not abandon Jesus to death, he will not abandon the Christian dead either.  On the contrary, he will raise them as he raised him, and he will bring them with him, so that when he comes, they will come too.

c) Concerning the Christian living: *We who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep*.  According to the Lord's own word' (perhaps a saying of Jesus not recorded elsewhere?), neither the Christian dead nor the Christian living will miss out on the glory to be revealed at Jesus' Parousia.  Furthermore, neither group will take precedence over, nor have the advantage over the other.  

 In particular, there is no possibility that the Christian dead (about whom the Thessalonians were anxious) will be separated either from Christ (for they will come with him) or from the Christian living (for they will be joined by them).  Paul's emphasis here is on the unbreakable solidarity which the people of Christ enjoy with him and with each other, and which death is utterly unable to destroy (Cf. Rom.8:35-39). 

3) Four great events

Having outlined the Christian creed in relation to Christ, the Christian dead and the Christian living, Paul goes on to make four positive affirmations, relating to four great eschatological events: the return, the resurrection, the rapture and the reunion:

a) The return: *The Lord himself will come down from heaven* (4:16a). We note that it is *the Lord himself* who will 'descend' (RSV), not one of his deputies or representatives.  The Parousia will be a personal coming, a visit in person, of *the Lord*, that is, Jesus. Accompanying his return there will be a universal, authoritative, divine proclamation which presumably will both announce the end and summon the dead to rise.  As at creation God 'spoke and it came to be' (Ps.33:9), and as at the tomb Jesus called in a loud voice 'Lazarus, come out!' and he came out (Jn.11:43-44), so on the last day the dead will hear the creative, commanding voice of God and will obey (Jn.5:25-28).  JBP captures the drama well: 'One word of command, one shout from the archangel, one blast from the trumpet of God and the Lord himself will come down from Heaven!' 

We are probably not meant to imagine three distinct noises (the *command*, the *voice* and the *trumpet*) but rather to understand the variety and repetition as indicating the overwhelming, irresistible nature of the summons.

b) The resurrection: *And the dead in Christ will rise first* (4:16b).  Already in verse 14 Paul has assured the Thessalonians that when Jesus comes God will bring the Christian dead with him. But he did not explain how or in what form they would accompany him, although the reference to Jesus dying and rising gave us a clear hint. Now, however, Paul is explicit in supplying the missing information.  Their resurrection will precede their coming. *The dead in Christ will rise first*.  This sequence is appropriate.  Since the Christ who comes will be the Christ who himself *died and rose again* (14), so those who have died in him will now rise with him, and the resurrected Christ will be accompanied at his coming by his resurrected people (Cf. 1 Cor,15:20-23). 

Again we observe the gist of Paul's argument.  There is no possibility that those who have died in Christ will ever be separated from Christ.  They died 'through' him (14); they sleep 'in' him (16); they will rise 'with' him; and they will come 'with' him too (14).  Christ and his people belong to each other inseparably and indissolubly.

c) The rapture: *We who are still alive...will be caught up...* (17).   'Caught up' is translated in the Latin Bible by the word *rapere* from which we get the English word 'rapture.'  The Greek word is 'harpazo' which expresses suddenness and violence.  Those still alive at the Parousia will be raptured--'caught up' (NIV), 'swept up' (JBP) or 'snatched up' *together with them in the clouds*.

The parallel between verse 15b and verse 17 is impressive.  According to verse 15b 'we who are still alive, who are left...' will not precede the Christian dead.  According to verse 17 'we who are still alive and are left' will be caught up together with them.  The negative and the positive statements dovetail.  So far from forestalling them, we shall join them. The purpose of this sudden, violent action will be not only to unite the Christian living with the Christian dead (*together with them*), but also to unite them with Christ (*to meet the Lord*).

Once more Paul's concern is revealed, namely that the living, the dead and the Lord will be together.  The truth that the redeemed will *meet the Lord* is expressed by another technical term (*apantesis*).   

When a dignitary paid an official visit (*Parousia*) to a city in Hellenistic times, the action of the leading citizens in going out to meet him and escort him back on the final stage of his journey was called the *apantesis*. 

Many details of this heavenly 'meeting' are omitted.  For example there is no reference in verse 17 to the Christian living being 'changed' (as in 1 Cor.15:51-52), any more than there was in verse 14 to the Christian dead being 'raised'.  Both are assumed.  Further, it is not clear how literally we are to understand our being *caught up...in the clouds*.   

We know from Jesus himself that his coming will be personal, visible and glorious, but we also know from him that it will not be local ('There he is!' 'Here he is') but universal ('like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other', Lk.17:23-24).  Presumably, therefore, our going to meet him will also transcend space.

As for *the clouds*, they are a biblical symbol of the immediate presence of God - at the Exodus (Ex.13:21; 14:19), on Mount Sinai (Ex.19:16; 24:15), filling the tabernacle (Ex.40:34-35), during the wilderness wanderings (Ex.40:36-38), at the transfiguration of Jesus (Mk.9:7), at his ascension (Acts 1:9), and at his glorious appearing (Dn.7:13; Mk.13:26; 14:62; Rev.1:7). The reference to *the air* may be equally symbolic, for it was thought of as the dwelling-place of the devil and his demons (Cf. Eph.2:2). The fact that the Lord chooses to meet his saints there, on the demons' home ground so to speak, shows something of his complete mastery over them. *From Stott’s Study

Unfortunately, what many Christians take from this passage is a lot of speculative views about the timing & mechanics of the rapture.  This speculation is popularized in the "Left Behind" book series which says that in the rapture, Christians will be "caught up" into heaven for seven years while the tribulation is occurring on earth.  Those not raptured are "left behind" to suffer the tribulation.  It's clear that this is not what Paul is saying.  He would probably be surprised to learn what some read into this verse.  His goal is to offer encouragement (v.18), not to send people into speculation.

d) The reunion: Having been caught up to *meet the Lord*, we shall now *be with the Lord* for ever.  The momentary encounter will lead to an everlasting fellowship.  Thus the descending Lord and the ascending saints, heaven and earth, will be united.  For this is Paul's theme.  The Christian dead (about whom the Thessalonians were worrying) will be separated neither from Christ (since God will bring them *with him*, 14) nor from the Christian living (who will be caught up *with them*, 17a). On the contrary we will all be always *with the Lord* (17b).  Note this threefold repetition of the preposition 'together with'.  This is the ultimate reunion, ‘our being gathered to him', to which the apostle will allude in his second letter (2 Thess. 2:1).

Put together, Paul's teaching causes us to eagerly hope for a great cosmic event which will include the personal, visible appearing of Jesus Christ and the gathering to him of all his people, whether dead or alive at the time.  Therefore, says Paul, *encourage each other with these words* (4:18).  This is to comfort and sustains the bereaved.   And note that 'these words' do not concern lots of wild speculation--they simply remind Christians of what is sure in the future of their departed loved ones who know Christ.

When the Dead Rise

At the Tomb of Lazarus Jesus said “Your Brother will Rise again” and Martha said “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” John: 11:23-24

When is this last day resurrection?  This is really the crux of the whole matter, for it is this day that believers, alive and dead, are all joined together with Jesus.  Jesus said “because the time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice, and come out- those who have done good things, to the resurrection of Life, but those who have done wicked, the Resurrection of Judgment” John:5:28-29.  Jesus seems to referencing the Resurrection pictured in Daniel: 12:2-3, “Many who seep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to eternal contempt.  Those who are wise will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars of Heaven”

Paul talks about this change that believers, those who are resurrected from the grave and those who are alive at the coming of Jesus will experience 1Crth:15:35-46.  Resurrection is Paul subject; he is addressing questions that the Christians at Corinth had forwarded to him much as the Christians at Thessalonica did.  Thessalonians says that a changes occurs for Christians, alive and dead.  Paul writes this to encourage the church who had concerns about dead friends and relatives- 1Thess:4:13- those who are asleep.

Vs. 15- “We who are alive at the Lord’s coming”

Vs. 16- The Lord Himself will descend……..with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first- it at the Trumpet blast that this occurs

Vs. 17- Then those alive will be caught up to meet the Lord

Which Trumpet and When does it Sound?

Paul talks about this Trumpet in conjunction with the Resurrection.  It is at the Trumpet blast that this changes occurs for the living and the dead Christians.

1 Cor: 15:51- “WE will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment and twinkling of the eye”……’at the last Trumpet.  For the Trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible…and we will be changed”.  It is saying that at the last Trumpet Christ descends and the Christians alive and dead are changed.

An outline of the Blowing the Seven Trumpets is found in Revelation, starting at Rev: 8:6-13, Rev: 9:1-21; Rev: 11:15-19.  It is at the Seventh Trumpet which is “the Last Trumpet” of Rev: 11: 15 that God’s Kingdom is announced.  This conforms to the Historic view of the Church and it conforms to what the Post-Apostolic writers of the church taught - the rapture inserts an 8^th Trumpet that is never spoken of in conjunction with the Resurrection.

Matt: 24:29-31- After the Tribulation

 Mark: 13:24-26- After the Tribulation

Luke: 21:25- When you see these signs in Sun and Moon, then Son of Man comes then Redemption is near

  These verse all indicate that this gathering of the elect occurs After the Tribulation.  Jesus Himself never hinted at an invisible coming for His people at the sound of a silent Trumpet.

As objectively as this subject can be viewed, it still finds difficulty in seeing the Rapture in the face value and in context reading of the Word of God.

 In the end our Lord Jesus Christ will come  he will descend from the heavens and the reign of God will be extended over all things,  we will all be gathered together with him and one another for all eternity , all pain and suffering will have been gone and all and any of our differences will have faded away  and be lost and forgotten ,  we find our unity in Jesus Christ. for those who embrace the Rapture there may be no Lift off, but for those who believe in Jesus there will be no let down.Amen

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.

Washington, Pennsylvania.   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard  on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com