During the earlier dispensational ages of “Promise” and “Law,” Israel was set by God “above all people” (Exo 19:5, Deut 7:6, cf., Deut 28:1, Jer. 1:10) so long as they kept “the Law.” Then Jesus of Nazareth came saying He had specifically come only to, and He was speaking only to… the Nation of Israel.

“But he (Jesus) answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt 15:24) Jesus instructed His twelve Apostles likewise (not Paul). “These twelve (Apostles) Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, GO NOT into the way of THE GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.”(Matt 10:5-6).

But today, since Israel’s “fall” (Rom 11:11-12) to the level of Gentiles, Israel is no longer set ‘above,’ but rather on an equal footing with lost Gentiles (cf. Rom 3:10, 23). Today Israel’s prophesied program and the promise of a restored Davidic kingdom on earth has been temporarily set aside, put in abeyance. Today we live in the dispensational age of pure “grace,” what Paul calls “the mystery (musterion)” that had been “kept secret since the world began.”

“to him that is of power to stablish you according to my (Paul’s) gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the Revelation of the MYSTERY, Which Was Kept Secret Since The World Began” (Rom 16:25)

The “MYSTERY” Paul references above concerns Christ recovering ALL believing mankind since both Jews and Gentiles are seen today as Gentiles since the ‘fall and diminishing’ of Israel (cf. Rom. 11:10-12).

“the DIMINISHING of them (Israel) the riches of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:12b)

The “Revelation of the Mystery” (Rom 16:25) of today’s age of grace concerns ALL the members of “the body of Christ” that consists of ALL the genuine grace believing Jews and Gentiles, but now… WITHOUT DISTINCTION AS TO RACE! Today ALL men are equal in “the body of Christ”; hence today there is no such thing as a ‘Messianic Christian’ any more than there is an ‘Italian Christian.’ Grace age Christians are of ALL Races. “there is Neither Jew, Nor Gentile, ALL ARE ONE IN CHRIST” (Gal 3:28).

How does one today become a partaker of Christ’s eternal resurrection life and His nature? The answer is that any person who believes to receive Christ as Savior during this age of grace and also in “the ages to come” (Eph 2:7) becomes a partaker of His life & nature. Christ’s own resurrected eternal “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is the believer’s new and eternal “LIFE” (Gk., Zoë, the eternal spirit-life of Christ).

“… Now If Any Man Have Not The Spirit of Christ, He Is None of His.” (Rom 8:9b) “… God hath given to us Eternal Life, And This Life Is In His Son. ¹² He That Hath The Son Hath Life; and he that hath NOT the Son of God hath NOT life. (1Jn 5:11-12).

Paul’s thirteen epistles explain the personal or subjective experience of “… the mystery” (Gk., musterion, God’s secret plan), which is CHRIST IN YOU the HOPE (confident expectation) of GLORY” (Col 1:27).  Peter writes that God has “given unto us (believers) exceeding great and precious promises: (so) that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature…” (2 Pet 1:4).

During today’s age of grace, God is still adding members to the “body of Christ” by literally dispensing the resurrected “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a) into every believer’s human “spirit of man” (Zech 12:1). These two spirits become “ONE spirit” (1Cor 6:17) in believers. Anyone who will believe will immediately be “regenerated” in their spirit (cf. Tit 3:5), becoming “a new creature in Christ” (2Cor 5:17) and a member of “His body.” “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the (His) Spirit is (your) spirit” (Jn 3:6). First there is a natural flesh birth, then a spiritual rebirth (cf. 1Cor 15:46). Adam’s Sin-infection brought death to all men, BUT this is fully reversed by Christ’s Eternal  LIFE IN the believer’s spirit.  

Paul’s “mystery” gospel includes its “hope of glory” by the ‘Rapture’ the members of “the body of Christ” to eternal “glory.” Christ will ultimately bring each genuine believer to dwell with Him in eternal “glory.”  The full expression of our eternal “hope of glory” will appear when we dwell “Eternal In The Heavens.”

“… we (believers) know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (our body) were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS.” (2 Cor 5:1) “(Christ) SHALL CHANGE (Gk., metaschematizo, transfigure) OUR VILE BODY, that it may BE FASHIONED LIKE unto HIS GLORIOUS BODY” (Philip 3:21a)

The departure of the ‘spirit’ from the physical body is the Biblical definition of physical “death” (cf. James 2:26a). Immediately upon death the believer’s regenerated spirit is “with the Lord.”  Paul wrote that “We are confident… to be absent from the body, and (is) to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8). So upon death, our regenerated spirit and soul are immediately “with the Lord.” Unless we are Raptured first, our body will temporarily return to “dust.” “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the (man’s) SPIRIT shall RETURN UNTO GOD who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7, the “breath’ of life” (Gen 2:7) is the “spirit of man” Zech 12:1). Thus we will be completely renewed in spirit, soul, and body as a “new creation in Christ” (2Cor 5:17).

As mentioned in the previous installment, the Bible addresses two different ages and comings of Christ to Israel on earth. Isaiah 9:6 speak of His 1^st coming as Jesus of Nazareth, the suffering ‘Savior,’ while Isaiah 9:7 speaks of His 2^nd coming to reign as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” bringing Israel the real Davidic kingdom with peace and justice, which we call the Millennium.

But between these two appearances of the Lord on earth we have the present age called “the dispensation of the grace of God” for the Gentile “body of Christ.” In 1Thess. 4:13-18 Paul addresses the end of the age of grace by the Rapture of “the body of Christ.” Below Paul answers the concern of the Thessalonian’s regarding their dead loved ones who they had thought may have missed “the resurrection (Rapture).” Paul says both the living and dead believers of this age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” will be Raptured home to “heaven” (Philip. 3:20). The “dead in Christ shall rise first” (v16) in their glorious new spirit-bodies; then also the living believers bodies will be “changed” and Raptured to heaven with them, then in their new glorious “incorruptible… immortal” spirit-bodies (cf. 1Cor 15:52).

Paul says he “endured all things for the elect’s sake” in bringing his “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) so that we might obtain “salvation…With Eternal Glory.” (2Tim 2:10). Glory, in practicality, simply means ‘expression.’ Glory here is the ‘full expression of His Divine life.’ The glory we obtained by Christ in us is to be fully expressed in the place of ‘glory,’ that is in heaven, in the very presence of our Lord’s radiant ‘expression,’ in heaven! Just as the carnation’s flower blossom is the full expression of glory of the life within the carnation seed, every believer also contains this “glory of God,” First, this glory came to us in seed form when we received Christ, at the moment of their salvation. His “Spirit of life (Rom 8:2a) is the “Seed” (1Pet 1:23, Gal 3:16) of the Father in our human spirit (1Cor 6:17). The treasure of Lord’s glory within us will not be fully expressed until we are fully liberated from the presence of the “Sin’ in the flesh” (Rom 8:3) of our “earthen vessel” (2Cor 4:7; cf. Rom. 7:17-23). With our Rapture to heaven we exchange our Sinful flesh body for our new spirit-body; just as Jesus exchanged His human ‘Mary-body’ for His resurrected GLORIOUS spirit-body.

The mind of all mankind became poisoned by the Sin-nature’s “mind of the flesh” (Rom 8:6-7) which entered mankind via Adam’s fall. At the Rapture our soul/mind will be fully liberated from the downward pull of “Sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3b). There will be no more “fiery darts” accusing or tempting us in our minds (cf. Eph 6:16). We will be freed from the constant onslaught by the presence of “Sin in the flesh.” At the time of our Rapture to heaven we will still have a mostly unrenewed mind, likely still holding to some false understanding, but by the Rapture we will begin to enjoy the glory of the restorative enlightenment that comes to us in the divine “light” of Christ, emanating from the very “presence of the Lord.” (cf. 2Cor 5:8). Thus we will then enjoy our completely renewed being; renewed in our spirit, soul, and our glorious new spirit-body… in “the presence of the Lord.” Paul had prayed; “The Very God of Peace Sanctify You Wholly (completely); and I pray God your WHOLE SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY …” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

We as the individual members of “the body of Christ” are the real “temple of the Lord.” Then also, together, we are growing into the corporate “body” and “temple of the Lord,” being consecrated to the very “presence of the Lord.”  “… know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is IN YOU… (1 Cor 6:19)  “In Him (Christ) the Whole Structure (the whole ‘body of Christ’) is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and SACRED TO THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD]. (Eph 2:21 (AMP)

These above are just some of blessings of our being “saved by grace” and to be enjoyed by every genuine believer since all believers are destined to be Raptured from planet earth to heaven. The word Rapture means to be “caught up”; but I also like the word ‘Rapture’ because its other meaning is ‘utter bliss.’

As discussed earlier. It’s true that only ‘some’ of the Raptured believers will assume their spiritual status as Christ’s agents in heaven to “co-reign” with Him. “If we suffer (patiently endure with Him), WE SHALL ALSO REIGN (Gk., simbaileuo, co-reign) WITH HIM” (2Tim 2:12) But none of us as believers should ever lose heart because only we may have not always endured in faith. The Lord know our frame as His earthen vessels. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (so) that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Though we may not gain the ‘reward’ of co-reigning with Him in heaven, you can never to become disqualified from salvation and a glorious eternal life with Christ in heaven. He knows our frame as earthen vessels and He forever counts us righteous “in Christ” (2Cor 5:21). Christ’s righteousness is ‘imputed (counted)’ to us just as it was imputed to Abraham who “believed God” (cf. Rom 4:22). We have “believed” that Christ died for us and rose to give us His resurrection life.

We do not yet know the limits and scope of our heavenly home and realm, but concerning the angels Paul writes; “Do ye not know that the saints (sanctified believers) shall judge the world?  ³Know ye not that We Shall Judge Angels?” (1 Cor 6:2-3a).

The heavens will eternally contain God’s created angels. Those angels are created beings, they are not born of God’s loins as we are. We’ve received God by Christ’s divine life deposited into our human spirits (1Thes 6:17, Col 1:27, Col 3:4a, John 3:6).

The reason Paul reminded the Corinthians that “we will judge angels” was to suggest that they should be able to settle disputes among believers (vv. 1-8). This implies that the angels we will judge are likewise unfallen. It is doubtful we’d be involved in judging fallen angels, or any beings, to eternal damnation.

The word judge has different meanings. Courtroom judges decide guilt or innocence and determine levels of punishment, while Olympic judges judge the performance of athletes. The entire Book of Judges is all about the men who ruled over Israel. This is what the Lord meant when He told the twelve they would “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28). To judge here also means to rule over the angelic host, just as Jesus said the faithful Jews will rule over will rule “over” the cities of the world in the kingdom on earth (Luke 19:17, 19).

Psalm 82:1 said of God that “He judgeth among the gods,” (i.e., the angels). While God will eventually condemn fallen angels to hell (Matt. 25:41), I Kings 22:19-22 shows how He judged among the angels in time past, and suggests how we will judge them in the ages to come.

All genuine believers will go to heaven with the Lord at the Rapture. Some believers may not reign with Christ in heaven. Yet, all believers will enjoy the glorious eternal life in heaven, in the very presence of the Lord. Note that before verse 2Tim 2:12 there is a key is verse (v11) that applies to all who believe.

“For if we died with Him, We shall also live with (Gk. syzao, in common with) Him.” (2 Tim 2:11)

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized (put) into Jesus Christ (body) were baptized (put) into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should Walk In Newness Of Life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

The verses above are a clear reference to every believer’s identification with Christ in both His death and in His resurrection unto eternal life. Christ’s own resurrection life is in every believer to enjoy NOW… and In Heaven. Every believer, even we who have lived imperfect lives on earth, shall live in and enjoy the fruit of His eternal “Spirit of life” within us (Rom 6:3-4, 5:10, 8:2a, 9-10).

“⁹Much more then, being now justified by his blood, WE SHALL BE SAVED FROM WRATH through him. ¹⁰For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Much More, (now) being reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED (Gk. sozo, completed) BY HIS LIFE.” (Romans 5:9-10)

The directly related Pauline truth brought out over and over is that, if we died with him… we will also are raised with Him. “Trust-worthy is the word. For IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT WE DIED WITH HIM, we SHALL ALSO LIVE (have life) BY MEANS OF HIM” (2Tim 2:11, Kenneth S Wuest translation). It’s impossible for believers to have died with Christ, and then not also be raised to new life to “live with Him.” The exact point of 2Tim 2:11 is the wonderful promise of our eternal security “in Christ.” …“For if we died with Him, We Shall also live (eternally) with Him.” Verse 13 then adds an amazing dimension to our security in Christ, which deals with our failing to endure, failing to consistently trust Him in our living – that security element is His Faithfulness Toward Us! “If we BELIEVE NOT (if we don’t trustingly endure), Yet He Abideth Faithful: he cannot deny himself. (2Tim 2:13)

Thus our salvation is much more than ‘reconciliation to God’ by Jesus’ blood shed for us the day we first believed. The full salvation we enjoy is to have become partakers of “His life” and nature… and being “saved from wrath” (Rom 5:9); the Rapture delivers “us from the wrath to come.” (1Thes 1:10). Presently, during our remaining time on this earth, we as heaven-bound members of “the body of Christ” are being trained and prepared to live in and rule in the heavenly dynaspheres. We now equipped with Christ’s life, but we then will have the power and authority of Christ to rule in the “heavenly kingdom” (2Timothy 4:18). Note below Paul’s continual reference to the co-participation of the members of “the church, which is the body of Christ” with Christ in the “heavenly places,” far above the fallen angelic heavenly host.

Philippians 3:20 (NIV) For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN…

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who Hath Blessed Us With All Spiritual Blessings In HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST:

Ephesians 1:19-23 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and Set Him At His Own Right Hand In The HEAVENLY PLACES, ²¹ FAR ABOVE ALL Principality, And Power, And Might, And Dominion, And Every Name That Is Named, Not Only In This World (Age), But Also In That (Age) Which Is To Come: ²² And Hath Put All Things Under His Feet, And Gave Him To Be The Head Over All Things To The Church, ²³ Which Is His Body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  

Ephesians 2:6-7 And hath raised us (the members of the body of Christ) up together, and made us sit together IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS: ⁷ That IN THE AGES TO COME he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

This ‘heavenly’ calling for “the church which is His body” is an aspect of “THE MYSTERY (God’s Secret Plan), which WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN.” Paul says “the mystery” was kept secret from “the princes over this world” (Gk., aion, age),” that is those who rule on earth under the influence of the Evil One as “the God of this world” (2 Cor4:4). These are the human rulers of the religions and political systems on earth who Evil One played into God’s plan… by crucifying the now risen victorious Lord.

1Cor 2:7-8 we speak the wisdom of God in a MYSTERY, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our (the churches) glory: ⁸ Which NONE OF THE PRINCES OF THIS WORLD KNEW: for HAD THEY KNOWN IT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY.

God’s plan had been “kept secret” because if the human “princes of this world” knew God’s secret plan, they would “not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (above). They did not know God’s mystery plan and so they cooperated to crucify our Lord. They had no idea the crucified Christ would rise from the dead as “the life-giving spirit” (1Cor 15:45b), making Him able to indwell the members of “His body.” He will restore rule in the dynaspheres, exhibiting God’s force and power in the heaven and on earth through recovered man.

God’s ultimate purpose of the mystery is now revealed.

“⁹to make all men see what is the FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY (God’s secret plan of “Christ in you” – in “His body”), which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: ¹⁰To the INTENT that now unto THE (fallen angelic) PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS IN HEAVENLY PLACES might be known by the church the manifold WISDOM OF GOD, ¹¹ According to THE ETERNAL PURPOSE which He Purposed In Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:10-11)

Thus, the members of “the body of Christ” have a high and holy ultimate calling in the heavenlies, not on earth. Until then, we’re remain in this foreign land on earth as “ambassadors” for Christ (2Cor 5:16), working to build up the Gentile “body of Christ” to its completion.

Israel will remain set aside, “blinded” only until “the body of Christ” is completed and Raptured to heaven. Israel’s destiny in the kingdom coming to earth from heaven is currently held in abeyance. “…Blindness In Part Is Happened To Israel, (only) Until The Fulness (full number) of The Gentiles Be Come In.” (Rom 11:25b)

The sufferings we endure in this life on earth today are to prepare and train us for our reigning in the moral rectitude (rightness) and faith in God. We learn as we endure by trusting Him in all things. We today are being trained and our trust-bond with Him is growing as we learn to abide in Christ, as we following His leading, guiding us from within. How well we learn to live today will affect our assignment in the eternal heavenly sphere of God. Upon our Rapture to heaven, each of us will appear at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” to receive our reward and our assignments. Our works on earth will be judged as to their source; was our works of “self,” or of “Him” in us. This is not a judgment for sins, since we’ve been already judged as to sin with and in Him (cf. Rom 6:3, Gal 2:20).