@cfowen
I think you are making it all more complicated than it is - When I eat an evening meal it does not require the knowledge of how the biochemistry works for it to do me good.
You appear to have an insight beyond the knowledge of a simple, born again believer like me. I am saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
Absolutely. I totally agree, 100%. Like someone said recently, one is saved
from death, and it is likely that most all Christians that are reading this on this forum are saved from death and have eternal life, no matter what else they believe. But, where are you saved
to? Where is your calling and where is the hope of your calling? Is it to be in the 1st resurrection, in Heaven, or the 4th resurrection, the white throne judgement, on earth. I see those as the choices for saints today. The way I read Eph, Col, etc., this is based on what you believe. It's not complicated, it's just different than what denominations teach. In fact, since you only have to focus on 7 books, it's easier
Paul, alone, started receiving special revelations from God and it seems he continued receiving them all though Acts and beyond. If anyone else received them, the Bible is silent about it. 2Cor 12:1, 7, Gal 1:12, 2:2, and the last one I'll paste.
Eph 3:3
"How that by
revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words," He wrote about it afore in Eph 1:9.
Paul's last 7 books are the LATEST things he wrote. They are based on the LATESTrevelations he got from God. They are totally Up-To-Date, with the latest and greatest information.
Although there are a few Ac 28 dispensationalists that think every Gentile that is saved today will automatically go to Heaven, most of use believe that, like salvation, having a calling of heaven is a pure gift, but it requires faith. I believe that to have a hope of Heaven, you must see it in scripture, believe it, and claim it, just like salvation. As far as I know, those are the only things in the Bible that require faith to get. I also believe that this faith can only exist if you eliminate stuff from your mind that is for Israel or written by Paul far another calling.. If what I'm telling you is wrong and the rapture is for you, it's going to happen whether you believe it or not. On the other hand, the appearing, when you are resurrected into heaven, will only happen to you if you believe in it. Much of my reasoning for this is based on Paul's 2 prayers in Eph 1:16-23 and Eph 3:14-21. In both of these, Paul prays that the reader understand this calling. Here's the 1st prayer.
Eph 1:16:23
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17
That the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 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 i
n 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, but also in that 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.
Why would Paul pray that God would give you the spirit of wisdom and open your eyes so you know the hope of your calling, if you were going to heaven no matter what you believed? What I'm saying is, as far as your own future is concerned, if you concentrate only on Paul's last 7 books, it's a win-win situation for you. If I'm right, you get heaven. If I'm wrong and every saved person gets the heaven of Eph and Col, you still get heaven. If I'm really wrong and the doctrine of Acts is still in play, (impossible) you'll get the Rapture. You can't lose. Why take a chance?
Here's another important passage where Paul says his job is to make ALL men see the fellowship of the mystery. There is information that the word fellowship means dispensation and I lean towards that interpretation. If Heaven were automatic for all believers in Jesus Christ, this passage would not be necessary.
Eph 3:9,
"And t
o make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ"
Here's another great verse, The Strong's #4175 says that the word "conversation" can be written as citizenship. I have 34 different bibles on E-Sword and 24 of those translate the word as "citizenship"
Phil 3:20
"For
our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
Titus 2:13
"Looking for that
blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
The "Appearing" is absolutely not the same event as the rapture. When Christ Appears, we shall immediately appear with Him in Heaven. No matter how much havoc a person wrecks on the scriptures, there's no way he can prove with the rapture that those saints meet Christ and He then takes them to Heaven. That is wishful thinking trash with ZERO scriptural backing.Besides, the rapure isn't for anyone born in the last 1950 years.
