Most of us believers of Paul’s “the Mystery” gospel likely know other individual believers who have ‘believed unto salvation’ and “everlasting life.” We know that most of them point to Jesus’ John 3:16 words - “whosoever believeth in him shall… have everlasting life” and we thank God for that.

Sadly however most of these folks go onto be mistaught to look forward to a ‘resurrection’ that they call ‘the rapture’ to “meet the Lord in the air [Gk. aer, the atmosphere, 1Thes 4:17].” The fact is that unless these saved saint goes on to “study” and believe “the word of truth” in context they will be surprised to find that their resurrection is to occur with the believing Israel’s resurrection to occur in the course of Jesus Christ’s 2^nd Coming TO EARTH. Yes, they will be resurrected to “meet the Lord in the air (Grk. aer, atmosphere)” and go to the Kingdom paradise on “the new earth” – Not Heaven.

Sadly, they will miss out on the “blessed hope” of “heaven’s glory” only because they have perhaps either not heard of or have not been “enlightened” to “the revelation of the mystery” (cf. Eph. 1:15-18) They have not understood Paul’s Post-Acts revelation of the Gentile “body of Christ” which in fact is “His body” which is destined to be resurrected, years before His 2^nd coming, to dwell eternally “In The Heavenly Places In Christ.” (Eph. 1:3).

You see, the resurrection seen in 1Thes. 4:17, 1Cor. 15:51-55 actually pertains to Christ’s 2^nd coming to save Israel’s believing remnant, and her Kingdom proselytes, resurrecting the ‘faithful’ of Israel into their place in “The Kingdom On Earth” – Not Heaven. These verses Never Mention ‘Heaven’ though most assume them to. These verses were written during the 'Judeo-Christian' Acts period when Paul was going to “the Jew first.” These verses were written before the great dispensational divide of Acts 28:28 that brought in the “Heavenly” hope of “the Mystery” of the collective Gentile “Body of Christ” that consists of men of all races – all (Gentile and Jew alike) all then seen of God as Gentiles.

Few realize that the often-quoted verses of 1Thes. 4:17 and 1Cor. 15:51-55 actually refer to the Rev. 20:6 ‘resurrection’ of Israel’s faithful unto the Millennial Kingdom to come ON EARTH. Again. you don’t find any mention of “heaven” in these verses, only of those being “caught up” to “meet [Gk. apentesis, encounter] the Lord the air (Grk. aer, the atmosphere)” as He returns in His 2^nd coming to earth.

Many Christian believers today are not clear as to their eternal destiny. Some will tell you they will ultimately go to the “Kingdom come on earth” and some say “heaven.” Not recognizing Paul’s 2^nd ministry that begins with Ephesians as the first of his seven Post-Acts epistles concerning “the Mystery [secret]” of “His body” they are not enlightened to see and ‘believe’ Paul’s Post-Acts ministry to the Gentile “body of Christ” that is destined for “the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Thus, they are not yet qualified to “Appear With Him In [Heaven’s] Glory” (Col. 3:4). We should realize that all blessing comes to us only by ‘faith’ in truth that we know and believe (trust in). Not having heard of it, they cannot believe Paul’s “revelation of the Mystery [secret].”

Some may have read enough Post-Acts Pauline verses to realize they would prefer “Heaven” as opposed to “thy kingdom come on earth” as their eternal destiny. Yet, they need to “see [perceive]” “the fellowship of the Mystery [secret]” concerning the Gentile “body of Christ.”

Being uncertain, some may want to know how they can obtain membership in the Lord’s little band called “the body of Christ” which is “blessed with all spiritual blessings in the HEAVENLY places” (Eph. 1:3). But this is something that is beyond the will of man. None of us can of ourselves join the invisible “church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a). The fact that a man may desire membership in “His body” indicates that he may be saved unto “everlasting life” but he may be ill-informed of “His body.” All the “whosoever” believers of John 3:16 are chosen to “everlasting life” having believed to receive Christ as Savior. Most don’t recognize that God then does the Further Choosing and Adopting of those who will belong to the heaven-bound “Church, which is His body.”

I can imagine some now saying “How can God do this, that’s unfair?” Recall how Paul wrote that the Potter who asserts His will over the clay, creating vessels for his various purposes (cf. Rom. 9:21). We also can see God’s choosing in the case of the Lord choosing and calling, Abraham and the people Nation Israel over the Gentiles, and choosing Jacob over Esau.