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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Out of the World of Out of the Evil?, #13
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
The proponents of the rapture do not appear to be seeking righteousness but safety and comfort in the Day of Christ.
Notice the attitude of the Apostle Paul:
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:52)
We see nothing in the above three verses that suggests the elect will ascend to Paradise. Rather, they state that the saints will be raised from the dead and their bodies will be transformed.
There is nothing in the term resurrection that implies ascension. To be resurrected is to be animated and raised to a standing position. The emphasis is on the change, the transformation. Christ was raised from the dead (He stood on His feet) and we shall be raised from the dead at His return (I Corinthians 15:23).
A month and ten days elapsed between Jesus' resurrection from the dead and His ascension to His present position at the right hand of the Father.
Why have the churches added to the New Testament passages that speak of the resurrection of the elect and the coming of the Lord, the concept that these events have to do with our going to Paradise? It is because of the prevailing confusion surrounding the objective of the Christian salvation.
Because the objective of redemption is understood commonly to be our journey from earth to Heaven, we have inserted into the New Testament writings doctrines not present in them and not present in the Old Testament writings.
Adding confusion to confusion, the "rapture" of the saints, a term applied currently to the ascension that will follow the first resurrection from the dead, is viewed as the means by which the Lord Jesus will "take His Church to Heaven."
There is no need for a resurrection or an ascension to bring us to Heaven. We go to Heaven when we die, not when we are resurrected from the dead.
The Church, with the exception of those members who will be alive on the earth at the time of Jesus' return, already is in Heaven in Christ at the right hand of God.
Paul's teaching concerning the first resurrection and the ascension of the saints has nothing to do with the escape of the living saints to Heaven but is to assure the living saints that the deceased believers will share in the Kingdom when the Lord Jesus returns to the earth.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (I Thessalonians 4:13,14)
"That ye sorrow not" concerning "them which are asleep."
If Paul was accustomed to teaching that the goal of salvation is to go to Heaven, the "brethren" would not be sorrowing. Why should they sorrow if the deceased saints already have attained bliss in Paradise?
To be continued.