Rewarding Faith:

                        “The Christ”

 

Part 5             The Descension

 

 

Now this, “He ascended” – what does it mean but that He first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens that He might fulfill all things.  Ephesians 4:9-10.

 

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in “the heart or centre of the earth.”   Matthew 12:40.

 

It is so important for us to get a revelation of this scripture, “As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.”

Romans 4:17 - Genesis 17:5.

 

Let me clarify this scripture, it simply means that whatever is spoken from the mouth of God has to eventually come to pass. It will prosper in the thing for which it was sent to do.  Isaiah 55:11.

 

When the prophets spoke the word concerning the suffering Messiah it did not matter that these prophecies didn’t come to pass the next day or the next year, what mattered was the word was spoken and it could not be erased, it was believed on by a man to be the truth, therefore it had to accomplish what it was sent to do.

 

Hence our foundation scripture, here we have Jesus of Nazareth believing the word of His Father and speaking this word to His disciples knowing that what He spoke would eventually come to pass.

 

Why did He make the comparison between Himself and Jonah?

 

Because Jonah was an Old Testament type of the suffering Messiah.

 

Just as Adam before him, Jonah heard the word of God but chose to disobey. When he disobeyed he received divine judgement which was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish.

 

Unlike Adam and Jonah, Jesus of Nazareth relinquished His natural will and gave Himself over completely to the will of His Father which was to take upon Himself the complete disobedience of the human race. In doing so He became our redeemer and purchased our salvation by His unselfish act on the cross.

 

When we looked at the facts of Gethsemane we saw that Jesus suffered greatly in His soul, even to the point where he was considering His natural will instead of that of His Father. We saw that He was in agony and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.  Luke 22:44.

 

We saw that because His agony was so great, the Father sent an angel to comfort Him and strengthen Him in spirit. This spirit man was the one who made the choice to do the will of the Father, he is the one who is the living word and where all truth abides.

 

A short time later we saw the physical man give Himself over completely to His perpetrators. We saw Peter draw his sword to defend his Lord but Jesus spoke and said, “Put away your sword, the cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” So the troops and their captain and the guards of the Jews seized Jesus and bound Him.

 

We know from reading books, watching movies and our own imaginations how cruel and degrading the crucifixion of a human being must have been. It was not only physically demanding but within Himself Jesus bore the penalty of the curse of the law for the word emphatically states, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.  Galatians 3:13.

 

There is a debate in the church whether Jesus died spiritually or not. Let me interject something if I may. Here we have a totally righteous man completely given over to the will of His Father, walking in obedience toward the most horrendous torture that any man could endure and knowing in Himself that once He took our sin upon His person (the whole man) that He would immediately lose His righteousness and therefore be cut off from the life force of God.       2 Corinthians 5:21. Note: An unrighteous man cannot stand in the presence of God. If He did not take our place as the unrighteous then how do we become righteous? Romans 5:19. Anyone who becomes a curse whether willingly or through disobedience cannot remain in right standing with the Father.

 

I believe the word is very clear and very literal when the sacrificial Lamb cried out from the cross, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?” He knew that very moment that the spiritual connection that He had with the Father from creation to this moment was broken and He was on His own for the first time in His existence.

 

The sacrificial Lamb began to experience the devastation that sin has upon man as a whole (spirit, soul and body) which was complete disorder and chaos, not unlike the kingdom of darkness.

 

The Psalmist gives us a hint of what was happening on the cross, “I am poured out like water, all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is softened [with anguish] and melted down within Me. My strength is dried up like a fragment of clay pottery; [with thirst] My tongue cleaves to My jaws; and You have brought Me into the dust of death. Psalm 22:14-15.

 

Divine judgement was being executed upon the One whose sole purpose was to give Himself as our substitute, to be an outcast (scapegoat) for a season until the penalty for sin was fully paid.

 

When He cried out from the cross, “It is finished,” He brought closure to the prophetic word concerning the physical side of redemption. Now the spiritual side of redemption is about to unfold. Jesus of Nazareth has just joined the ranks of the spiritually dead. He could now be identified as a sinner and as a sinner He would pay the price.

 

We understand that the spirit and soul can only be separated by the word of God (Hebrews 4:12) so we can rightly assume that when He gave up His spirit that the two would endure the suffering yet to come.

 

As a man made to be sin, once He left His body he would be ushered into the kingdom of darkness which He Himself identified as being in “the heart of the earth” or the place we know as hell, where He prophesied He would remain for three days and three nights. Matthew 12:40.

 

Why must He go to the heart of the earth?

 

Because, “complete redemption for man, demands total substitution of the Christ.” Did He not say to John the Baptist that immersion in water was needed to fulfill all righteousness? Matthew 3:15. And is this not a type of His descension and ascension and a prerequisite for all believers? If He had stopped at the garden that would only have been one third, if He had gone from the cross directly to the throne that would have only been two thirds, but praise God He descended to the pit of hell and paid the full penalty, mankind could now become whole once again just as Adam was whole before his disobedience.

 

That’s why Paul could write these words about the Christ, “And so it is written, the first Adam became a living being, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45. The Amplified goes deeper and says this, a life giving spirit – restoring the spiritually dead to life.

 

And how did He become a life-giving spirit?

 

Because once the penalty was paid then the words of the prophet spoken those many years ago came to pass right there in the midst of death and darkness, “Therefore My heart rejoiced, and My tongue was glad; moreover My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave My soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your holy One to see corruption.”  Psalm 16:9-10,  Acts 2:27.

 

Unless the last Adam (the Christ), who was our complete substitute, was made alive in the spirit man, then we would have to look elsewhere for our redeemer.

 

One author makes this statement, “Peter believed that Jesus went to hell (Acts 2:27) and that during the three days and three nights, He suffered the unspeakable agonies of torture, and that when He was raised from the dead, He was raised out of birth agony and suffering. It was out of these birth agonies that the church was born.” One of the most profound statements that has ever been written.

 

Note: The Amplified clearly interprets Acts 2:27 as presenting the whole man as spirit, soul and body.

 

It has been taught in the church that when Jesus of Nazareth went into the belly of the earth that He was surrounded by principalities and powers whose intentions were to keep Him there in a tormented state forever. But once He paid the price for the redemption of mankind and once He came alive again to God then He cast off His spiritual oppressors and made a show of them openly triumphing over them in His victory. Colossians 2:15. And it wasn’t just the physical death upon a literal cross, it was the total separation of the whole man; spirit, soul and body and the life force that was His buttress in life. This enabled Peter to write, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18.

 

 

I can understand those who have not been filled with the Spirit and have no revelation of the spiritual side of redemption having a difficult time with the three days and nights and what may or may not have taken place at this time. But to teach something as ridiculous as Jesus going straight from the cross to the throne and hanging around there for a three day vacation is purely the seeds of spiritual ignorance sprouting roots.

 

I believe that the penalty paid by our Redeemer was real and it was paid in full in “the heart of the earth.” Jesus was indeed the first born from the dead. The first Adam was born again from life to death; the last Adam was born again from death to life, that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29b.

 

The restoration of the spiritually dead is now a possibility. The three days and three nights have come to an end. He is now ready to preach the good news to those Old Testament saints who have been waiting throughout the ages for the One who had been promised to them (1 Peter 3:19), for just as father Abraham’s faith was accounted to him as righteousness so it must have been for the rest.

 

In Hebrews chapter eleven the writer begins with the perfect definition of the God kind of faith. Then he goes on to review the Old Testament saints beginning with Abel, but right in the middle of this he stops and directs our attention to something which my Bible refers to as “The Heavenly Hope”.

 

Let’s read, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:13-16.

 

God the Father will always give His children who choose to walk in obedience by faith the desires of their heart.

 

Jesus told the story about the rich man and Lazarus, in his natural life the rich man was living in comfort  while Lazarus was a beggar, destitute and covered with sores. Both men died, Lazarus went to the place called Abraham’s bosom but the rich man went into Hades. It says while in Hades he saw Lazarus being comforted by Abraham and he cried, “Father Abraham, have pity and mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” Luke 16: 19-24.

 

Remember this is not a parable but a true story for Jesus said plainly that it was a certain rich man. So it was a true account of two certain individuals who both lived and died.

 

From this account we can rightly deduce that there were in existence, at the time of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, two literal places where mankind would go after their physical death.

 

Now we have arrived at another point of contention in the body of Christ.

 

Some teach that the Old Testament saints were residing in the place known as Abraham’s bosom waiting for the day when their Messiah would arrive and take them on to their reward which He had prepared for them. Others teach that it cannot be because He did not go into the heart of the earth (Hell), which He had predicted to His followers; therefore He could not have stopped at the place called Abraham’s bosom on His way to the Father.

 

I am convinced that any person who is obedient to the Spirit of God, who has been born from above, has been filled with the Spirit, and spends time in the word and in prayer, will eventually come to the right conclusion as he rightly divides the word of truth, that his Lord and Savior did indeed take his place as a sinner, and paid the full price for his sins as his complete substitute, therefore enabling him (the sinner) to partake of eternal life. John 3:16.

 

Look at this, John said when I saw Him; I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last, and the Ever-living One. I died, but see, I am alive for evermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades or Hell (the realm of the dead).” Revelation 1: 17-18.

 

The literal meaning is this, “I am now the One who controls life and death.”

 

Even now the vilest of sinners can call on the name of Jesus and receive eternal life within their own spirit man just as He received eternal life in the midst of darkness and torment there in “the heart of the earth.”

 

Written by: R W Nagle

 

 

 

                   

                       “The Christ”

 

Part 6           The Ascension

 

 

 

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”           John 20:17.

 

And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He (Jesus) was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight. Acts 1:9.

 

Before starting this series I had never before researched the resurrection and ascension of the Christ. It is amazing what you discover when you do research on a particular subject and allow the Spirit teacher to reveal to you exactly what He wants you to see.        Even now as I am writing He is showing me things in my spirit that I could never have imagined on my own. But isn’t that exactly what Jesus said to His disciples those many years ago, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”            John 15:26.

 

We can struggle with interpretations of the word of God for years but without the Spirit of truth we will never come to a full understanding of what God the Father is trying to reveal to us.

 

I have discovered through reading and revelation that there are actually two parts to the ascension of the Christ. The first part has to do with the resurrection and ascension of the sacrificial Lamb, as He presents Himself to the Father with His own blood to be placed upon the heavenly alter as a one time sacrifice, that brings redemption for all.

 

The second part reveals to us the resurrected Christ returning from glory and appearing to His disciples and others for a certain period of time so as to leave behind witnesses of the miraculous things that have just taken place.

 

The most unselfish act to have ever been completed by a man has just been consummated by the Son of God. He came as the living word made flesh, He dwelt among us for a time and then He willfully gave Himself as a sacrifice for all of mankind, and then as High Priest of the New Covenant He walked into the inner sanctuary and placed His blood upon the alter, but not for a covering of sin, but for the complete remission of sin for all time.

 

This completion of redemption has perfected a way for mankind to once again come into fellowship with God the Father. Notice when He spoke to Mary he said, “Go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”

 

Even now He is calling things that be not as though they were. Why? Because the God kind of faith is what the word and the power are based on. The force of faith created the universe, it spoke in the Garden of Eden and it will keep on speaking until all is fulfilled.

 

So He calls these who are still dead in their sins My brethren and He calls God their Father, knowing that nothing in hell or on earth could nullify what the Creator had planned those thousands of years before, and that was to propagate a family whose foundation is love and whose inheritance is glory.

 

So these who are soon to be members of the family of God are slowly accepting the fact that what He said to them concerning His resurrection has indeed come to pass.

 

He came out of the tomb a resurrected man, the One that scripture foretold of when it said, “For you will not leave My soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Psalm 16:10 -     Acts 2:7.

 

There are two separate accounts of what actually transpired in and around the tomb after the resurrection took place.

 

The first account is the one dealing with the supernatural, which teaches that the power of God came upon Jesus and He was indeed raised from the dead, an angel rolled away the stone from the mouth of the tomb and He walked out of the tomb and was seen by many witnesses beginning from day one until His final ascension.

 

The second account was told by Matthew in chapter twenty seven and twenty eight. Remember when the chief priests came to Pilate and said, “Sir we remember Jesus saying that after three days He would rise again, therefore let us secure the tomb so that His disciples cannot come at night and steal Him away”. So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. Matthew 27: 62-66.

 

Then an angel came and rolled away the stone which also caused an earthquake and the word says, the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

 

Then some of the guards came into the city and reported what had happened to the chief priests and when they had taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the guards saying, “Tell them, His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. Matthew 28: 1-15.

 

There are certain kinds of people, who even when they are confronted with the truth refuse to believe it and will do or say anything to cover it up. So it was with the false account of His resurrection, which brings to mind the words of Jesus from John chapter eight, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44.

 

What Jesus had to deal with during His ministry, His crucifixion, His descension and even after His resurrection is referred to as the kingdom of darkness. Just as the kingdom of light operates in the spiritual realm so also does the kingdom of darkness. The one operates on words of deception the other on words of truth.

 

It is hard for a believer to comprehend an individual who knows within himself that he is a sinner (Romans 3:23), upon hearing the word of truth, makes a conscious decision to turn it down. But it has been happening for over two thousand years and will continue to happen until the return of The Christ.

 

Doubt is the badge of unbelief and Satan is sheriff of the dark kingdom. He sends forth his ministers of a different gospel appearing as angels of light, but in reality, when discerned by a minister of the true gospel, their deceptions are always full of fear and unbelief. That is why Paul encourages all true believers to have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14.

 

So we see the two accounts of the resurrection recorded and it is a fact that both have been passed on throughout the church age, those who believe the truth and act on it are saved while those who disbelieve are condemned. It is all a matter of personal choice.

 

We will see this later on but for now let us continue with the first part of the ascension.

 

After the three days and nights it is the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away. She ran to Peter and John with her report and they also ran to the tomb and saw it was open and when they looked in they saw the linen cloths and the cloth that was wrapped around His head. The word says when the other disciple (John) went in he saw and believed. Then the two disciples went away again to their own homes. John 20: 1-10.

 

After they left Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. He said to her, “Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Not knowing it was Him she said, “Tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” Meaning, Teacher.

 

Knowing that she now recognized Him He said, “Do not cling to Me (Touch Me), “For I have not yet ascended to My Father.”

 

Here we have another contention, some translations say, do not touch Me, some say, do not cling to Me and others say, do not hold Me. I have come into agreement with Young’s Literal Translation which says, “Be not touching Me, for I have not yet ascended unto My Father.”

 

I believe when she recognized Him and exclaimed, “Rabboni!” that she was reaching for Him and He stopped her immediately because she had no revelation of what was about to happen concerning His ascension to the Father.

 

Let us find out from the word itself why our High Priest had to present Himself as a spotless Lamb before the Father before being touched by human hands.

 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.                                                             For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this reason He is the mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9: 11-15.

 

At the time that this was taking place in heaven, the disciples of the Lord had heard of Mary’s experience with the Master, and then on the evening of the same day they were assembled behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said, “Peace be with you.”  

 

Now when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you!” John 20:19-21.

 

I was meditating on these scriptures and I wondered why Jesus used the word peace twice during His first visit and then again in verse twenty six? Could it have just been a greeting or was there something more that he was trying to convey? Remember there had been no peace on earth since the fall of Adam but now the last Adam, knowing that they were oppressed and fearful, was trying to reassure them of what was to come. For even now at least once a year we can hear this proclamation world wide, “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”

 

Next John shares the story of Thomas who was not with them when the Lord appeared to them.

 

When the disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord,” he said to them, “Unless I see the print of the nails in His hands and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” The word says, after eight days they were together again with Thomas and Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” John 20:24-27.

 

Look what the Amplified Bible says, “Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe.” Even now the Teacher is trying to teach them the God kind of faith just as he had done during His earthly ministry.

 

Then He goes on to make one of the most profound statements ever recorded in the word of God. Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29. And who could they be? They are those who have been born from above, the ones who make up the church of the firstborn. The ones who were not witnesses of His resurrection but who have the witness in our spirits that yes He is the Son of God.

 

Now here we are just before His final farewell, he has commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “You have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

Then with His last words to them He prophecies of what will transpire not many days from now. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

 

Because they were still in their natural carnal state it would have been hard for them to believe His prophecy but from reading further on in the book of Acts we know for a fact that they did as they were commanded and his words surely came to pass.

 

Now we come to the conclusion of His departure, the writer tells us, while the disciples watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1: 4-11.

 

Now what does this mean to the church?

 

This means that the old covenant has been annulled and replaced by a new covenant that is based on better promises. It means that we now have a Mediator sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us, and He will continue in this role until the Father says, “Go and bring them home to Me.” (John 14:3) And that is when the Father and His family will finally be complete.

 

Written by: R W Nagle   

 

  

 

    

 

  

 

 

                       “The Christ”

 

Part 7              The Return

 

 

For the Lord Himself shall 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1Thessalonians 4:2-3.

 

Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into heaven, will return in just the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven. Acts 1:11.

 

As I was meditating on the scriptures where the disciples looked steadfastly toward heaven I could almost see for myself how bewildered they must have been with everything that they had just witnessed during the last forty days concerning the Christ. And even now as they were gazing upward there were two men (angels) standing in their midst and prophesying an event that would take place sometime in the future and I’m thinking, they must have been completely overwhelmed.

 

How could a group of mere men ever begin to comprehend all of the supernatural things that they had been a part of concerning Jesus of Nazareth from the time that He turned water into wine until this day that He was caught up before their very eyes?

 

This is where faith, trust and obedience come into play. The Christian faith is not based on what we have witnessed with our natural eyes but what has been revealed to us (in the inner man) through the word of God.

 

When He gave them instructions to remain in Jerusalem that is exactly what they chose to do, they were obedient. Someone might say, “They had no choice but to do what they were instructed to do.” But I say, “Of course they had a choice, this is what Bible faith is based on, we hear the word and somewhere from within we make a conscious decision to either act on His word or turn it down.” There are many places in scripture where it says some chose to believe while others did not.

 

We know for a fact that Jesus of Nazareth was completely obedient to the Father, but when it came time to drink the cup of redemption he did ask the question, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Matthew 26:39. We know that he followed through because He was strong in spirit and He trusted completely in His Father’s word.

 

When the disciples returned to Jerusalem, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, and they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.

 

Now because of their obedience to the Master, the Father was able to bring to pass the greatest miracle known to mankind, the thing that was spoken by the prophet Joel, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (delivered).”

Joel 2: 28 & 32.  Acts 2: 17 & 21.

 

It is my prayer that God will somehow bless the ignorant and the feeble minded among us. Why do I say this? Because the word is so plainly evident when we read it and take it literally.

 

We argue and fuss about the infilling of the Holy Spirit when all the time the word says, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.” Not just some flesh, not just the disciples and those who received that day but all flesh. I’m so glad that James said, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17.

 

The Father has never given His word and then turned around the next day and said, “Oh, I’m sorry you guys, I really didn’t mean all flesh, it looks like I’ll have to come into agreement with those seemingly righteous evangellectuals**, after all their traditions must be right, don’t you think?” Maybe that’s the problem; carnal thinking has replaced spiritual revelation.  Note:** Evangelicals who have replaced revelation with intellectualism.

 

I for one have made a decision to take the word literally and believe what my new covenant has in store for me when I put my faith into action.

 

I believe I will come into agreement with Peter concerning the question proposed to him after he finished his discourse on what the Holy Spirit was doing among the brethren.

 

He comes to his conclusion with these words, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”                 Acts 2: 36-39.

 

Look at how the Amplified interprets Vs.39, “For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself.” This surely includes those who were listening, their children, those alive who were not present and we whom the Lord invites and bids to come to Himself. I don’t believe that He has left anyone out do you? Further more didn’t Jesus say, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed?”

 

This is the beginning of the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23), those who have confessed the good confession of faith before many witnesses (1 timothy 6:12), who continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added daily to the church those who were being saved. Acts 2: 46-47.

 

We know from studying the New Testament that the early church believed and expected the return of Christ in their lifetime but we also know that it didn’t take place. We also know and believe that it will happen some time in the future. Exactly when is a mystery hidden in God, for the Master has spoken these words in Mark chapter thirteen, “But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32.

 

Now this is what I mean about taking the word literally. All throughout the church age we’ve seen individuals, groups, cults etc. trying to predict the day and the hour when Christ will return, when all the time the Bible literally states that no one but God the Father knows the exact time.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe that it’s possible for another Person to know when He will return, I believe if Jesus, who is now seated at the Father’s right hand, were to lean over and say, “Can you please tell Me,” then the Father might answer back and say, “Can you keep a secret?” then yes He might just let it slip, but, it’s still not possible for you and I to know, so there.

 

The return of the Christ is believed to be in two distinct parts. The first is what is commonly referred to as the rapture of the church. This is based on two scriptures that see Christ return to earth for His body of believers which he will raise up to meet Him in the air.

 

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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.                          1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17.

 

It is a shame that Satan has so much sway in the church but it has been this way since the beginning. It seems that almost everything that has become a doctrine has been attacked along the way. So it is with the doctrine known as the rapture. That’s why I like to take the advice of God and lean on a scripture that has helped me a lot over the years. It goes like this; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. Deuteronomy 19:15b.

 

Witness number two: Behold I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.                         1 Corinthians 15: 51-52.

 

Of course there are more scriptures that we could use but I think this is sufficient evidence that all believers both dead and alive in Christ will certainly be caught up (raptured) at some point in the near future. So let us agree with Brother Paul and continue to comfort one another with these words.

 

After studying the word for many years both on my own and through the ministry of others I have come to the place in Christ where I refuse to even entertain the thoughts of the rapture occurring at any other time than directly before the beginning of the great tribulation. Do not even try to engage me in such foolishness because I will just turn and shake the dust from my shoes as I politely walk away.

 

How can I be so sure?

 

Because, My heavenly Father would not ask His Son to suffer in the garden, to go to the cross in my place, to be my substitute in the darkness and torment at the centre of the earth, to put Him through such agony as my Redeemer and then turn around and have me go through the kind of wrath that is described in the book of Revelation, not in this lifetime. I don’t know about you but when the tribulation is taking place I will be with my Lord in glory and I speak these words through faith in the one who saved me and gave His life for me.

 

I believe that my Redeemer has made it possible for me to live a victorious life here on earth by walking the road of faith that has been laid out in front of me by none other than the great apostle himself, Brother Paul.

 

Within the pages of my new covenant I can find all that I need to be the overcomer that Christ has prompted me to be, not just by His actions of deliverance, (death, burial and resurrection), but by the revelation that he has passed on through Brother Paul, concerning who I am now, compared to who I was before. I am no longer an old sinner saved by grace; I have taken the word of life (sword of the spirit) and applied it to the areas of my life that needed to be extricated according to Matthew 18:8, if you could see me in the spirit realm you would see a torso only.

 

With a positive attitude based on the living word any believer can rise above the sin and temptation that permeates the whole earth brought on by the one who comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy. We no longer have to fall for his temptations and stumble through life like puppets on a string. We have been set free.

 

We are surely at the end of the church age and what we see in the book of Revelation may be devastation to non believers but to us who have been lifted up and seated with Him in heavenly places there is only victory from here on in to eternity.

 

Yes I believe that the Antichrist will bring a false peace to the whole world for a period of three and one half years and will deceive many. That anyone who receives the mark of the beast will be condemned.  I believe that plagues will happen and that there will be 144,000 witnesses for Christ who will be redeemed from the earth.

 

I believe in the fall of Babylon and the judgment of the great harlot who has corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He will avenge on her the blood of His servants that was shed by her.

 

I believe that John saw heaven opened and behold a white horse, and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. I believe the beast will be captured and with him the false prophet and both will be cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

 

I believe that the martyred saints will live and reign with Christ for a thousand years and they shall be priests of God and of Christ.

 

I believe that an angel will lay hold of the dragon (Satan) and bind him for a thousand years and then later will be released for a little while and he will go out to deceive the nations of the earth. He will lead them, Gog and Magog, to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. I believe that fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them. And the devil will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are.

 

I believe in the great white throne judgment where the books are opened along with the Book of life and all will be judged according to their works which were written in the books. That Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire which is the second death and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire. I believe the tabernacle of God will be with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

 

Look at this, and the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light.

 

What else can be said except to repeat the last statement proclaimed by John himself, He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

 

Written by: R W Nagle