As members of “the body of Christ,” we have no Biblical prophecy to tell us how much time we have left to live upon this earth. Yet by observing the events in the world today which pertain to the Nation Israel we can clearly see how that both Israel’s eternal hope, and the eternal hope and destiny of the members of “the body of Christ” draws near, but at differing times.

Paul tells us our ministry today during this age concerns “the mystery [Gk. musterion, the secret]” of “the body of Christ,” a message that “hath been HID [as a secret] IN GOD” until it was first revealed to the Apostle Paul for us Gentiles (cf. Eph. 3:1-3). Paul, here is writing as the “prisoner of Jesus Christ “for ye Gentiles.”

“to make all men see what is the fellowship of ‘THE Mystery [secret],’ which from the beginning of the world hath been HID [secreted] IN GOD, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Ephesians 3:9

Paul tells us the eternal destiny of “the body of Christ,” relates to “our citizenship,” “in heaven” (cf. Philippians 3:20-21). It is there He “hath blessed with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ” (cf. Eph. 1:3) located “FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS.” (Eph. 4:10).

“For our conversation [Old English for ‘citizenship”] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹“Who shall change our vile [physical] body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious [resurrection] body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath [already] blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)
“He [Christ] that descended is the same also that ascended up Far Above All Heavens, that he might fill all things.)” Ephesians 4:10 (KJV)

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory [in heaven].” Colossians 3:4

A great error that has crept into the ‘church’ today has been widely received among denominational and independent churches, even most so-called Bible churches. This error only serves to confuse so many concerning where and when on God’s timeline that our Hope and eternal destiny will be realized. This is due to the failure of church leaders. Pastors, and teachers, to ‘rightly divide the word of truth’ (cf. 2Tim. 2:15); that is to divide the hope of the Acts period church … from the Hope of the members of the Post-Acts “church, which his “His body.”

This failure to “rightly divide” the Scriptures has caused great confusion and will cause hopelessness for many in the coming dark days ahead. This very same problem that shook the Thessalonians (cf. 1Thes. 2:1-2) of Paul’s day who thought they had ‘missed the resurrection’ that they knew was to come at the time of Christ’s 2^nd coming in “the day of Christ,” (cf. 2 Thes. 2:2b). In “the day of Christ” the word ‘the’ is the ‘article,’ grammatically. It is “the [one] day” in which He will come to both save Israel’s believing remnant by the resurrection of 1Thes 4:15-18 and 1Cor 15:51-55, and … pour out His wrath upon the unbelieving Christ haters at the close of the 7-yearTribulation period.

This paper contains unambiguous comparative detail on the very important subject of the Pauline ‘resurrection’ to “meet the Lord in the air” (1Thes. 4:17 and 1Cor. 15) at “the day of Christ” in His 2^nd coming that ends the Tribulation period. (This is mistakenly referred to as ‘the Rapture’). This is versus … Paul’s Post-Acts epistles where tell us the members of “the body of Christ” will, “appear with Him in glory” (cf. Col. 3:4 see above). This will occur before the Tribulation. This “appearing with Him” will be out-resurrection of Phil 3:11. This is the “preemptive” resurrection of “the faithful” members of “the Body of Christ” that will occur when the “Body of Christ” is filled full with its last member (Rom. 11:25). This is tied to Col. 3:4. Christ is now “hid in God” in the heavenly places. At His manifestation (appearing) “His Body” will be manifested together with “the Head” in glory.

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4 (KJV)

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJV)

It is for you to carefully, prayerfully, consider all this for ourselves and that we might also help others looking for the Truth that is “our hope” applying to us today.

You may be shocked to find that the teaching of the “rapture to heaven” is foreign to Scripture and never surfaced until the late 1800s. This doctrine in a close cousin to the idea that “all believers who die, go to heaven,” another falsehood. We will see from God’s Word why these doctrines are contrary to Scripture and may be a most damaging device yet to Christian faith and the hope that is ours. 

We will discover from God’s Word, why all that believe in the rapture and an early departure of the vast majority of the church will be ill-equipped, and thereby feel abandoned as the days’ get dark, just as the Thessalonians were “shaken.” (2 Thes. 2:2) due to ‘a lie’ sent to them in Paul’s day.