I have not written anything in this space for a week or two now. Not that I don’t have anything to say….. if you know me, you know that can’t be the case. I’ve just taken a rest or been busy.
Lately, given headlines and times, I have had several conversations with believers regarding ” the end times” ” the rapture” and eschatological matters.
I must say here I do not consider myself an expert, and perhaps not even a very good student, of eschatology. I’ve been a believer since 1971 and the topic has never captured or captivated me the way it does many. I have always had some sense that I would see what many call His “coming again” or “the end times” (summing up all things in Christ) in my lifetime. And, as I am now 73, things better escalate pretty fast if that is to be so.
As I alluded to above, I always generally have something to say, but I’ve found in this arena there is much division of opinions, and discussion generally does more to divide us than it does draw us together. And, over most of my life and ministry to others I’ve been more interested in drawing us together in Him, not dividing us.
For years, those that know me well, know I have said all the eschatology you need is “BE READY”. I have openly shared, at times, although I am not dogmatic about it, that if I had to be placed in a particular camp, I would probably be a so-called post tribulation believer (if there is such a thing as a “period of tribulation” and a “catching away”…at least as is traditionally taught), much to the dismay of my beautiful wife, Mary. It’s just what I think I see in the whole counsel of scripture, and I think the best position for “being ready”…. (if I exit early, as Mary predicts, I am blessed… if I go through I am not surprised). Obviously I have no design to, nor do I care to, go into the fine points and arguments of any particular position.
That said, I will say that in these recent conversations, I have shared fairly strongly that I think we, as the church/believers, get far too exercised and focused on eschatology, particularly eschatology we think we see in the headlines, and such matters. And, we are often far too divided over what is commonly taught as the rapture (Greek word harpazo ρπάζω), meaning “to snatch away” or “to seize”) and second coming (Greek term parousia παρουσία, meaning “arrival”, “coming”, or “presence”). Because of that I have shared that our hope is not in the rapture, nor the second coming. Note: I am not saying these are false teachings or doctrines …however you may embrace them or hear them taught… I have no dog or side in that fight. What I am saying is: Our hope is in the resurrection. That is the clear position of scripture and the focus of our gospel good news.
Without full exposition here I will simply refer you to consider these passages from the latter part of Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthian church.
[1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NASB95] 1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
Paul succinctly outlines the gospel he preaches. One they heard and accepted and stand in and that has resulted in their salvation: Christ died for our sins! He was buried….and He WAS RAISED! In His resurrection He appeared to Peter and the disciples, many… 500 others and to James. Then He appeared to all the apostles (interestingly these seem to be delineated from “the twelve” already mentioned). And finally, He appeared to Paul (on the road to Damascus). This gospel obviously included the good news that Christ has dealt with our sins, but also makes it obvious that the resurrection; His bodily resurrection and appearance to others is central, a major part, of this good news.
[1Corinthians 15:9-17 NASB95] 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then [it was] I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
Paul is working, co-laboring by the grace of God with the other apostles, but more so in, or with, God who is with him. And that preaching of the Gospel is yielding believers. But he makes it clear again, without Jesus being resurrected from the dead there is no good news, no gospel. The preaching would be worthless, and any belief/faith coming from it would be worthless as well outside of Jesus resurrection. And, pressing the point of the resurrection even further, the apostle emphasizes that if Christ has not been raised…. you are still in your sins. We think His death on the cross alone would have wiped out our sin. But ,the indication here is that His death on the cross alone would have been a powerless tragedy. The resurrection is central to complete the victory over sin overcoming death, which is the resultant penalty of sin, and to swallow death in victory. It is clear… Your faith, your hope, is the resurrection!
[1Corinthians 15:20-28 NASB95] 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man [came] death, by a man also [came] the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then [comes] the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He (Jesus) has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He (Jesus) must reign until He (God) has put all His (God/Jesus) enemies under His (Jesus) feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
In this section Paul deals with the real and true eschatology, that by far and in the most part is never discussed. An eschatology that is beyond what the eye has seen or ear has heard of what has entered into the imagination of (not simple pie in the sky when we die) of man. (see 1 Corinthians 2:9) Note that it is wrapped up in Jesus and the power of His resurrection. 1. He has risen! And, He is the first fruit of the conquered/vanquished power of death. 2. There is set before us a hope… not of, just, or only His coming again or our catching away… it is the resurrection! At His coming a resurrection, or change in those not “asleep” will happen. 3. And out of that resurrection the end comes when Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father as He has done away with, abolished, and put under subjection, death as the final enemy. Out of the resurrection life of Jesus all things are subjected to Him, and out summing up all things in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:10) according to God’s eternal purpose in Him (Ephesians 3:8-11, Ephesians 1:20-23), God is all in all. Our hope is the resurrection! Death put in subjection under our Lord Jesus’ feet and the Fathers inheritance in the saints/holy ones (Ephesians 1:18) is delivered to Him.
[1Corinthians 15:35-39, 42-45 NASB95] 35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one [flesh] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. … 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable [body,] it is raised an imperishable [body;] 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body.] 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit.
This passage answers the question of how the resurrected body may be. Just as a seed dies as one form but it then is raised up in a form of life as something totally different. So is the resurrection. Jesus the last Adam died in the flesh as a man, but became a life-giving spirit. As a result that sown perishable became and was raised imperishable, that sown in dishonor became and was raised to glory, that sown in weakness became and was raised in power. Yes, that is all applicable to Jesus. It is also us IN HIM, as we see in the following passage as well.
[1Corinthians 15:47-57 NASB95] 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hope is the resurrection! Sin is dealt with, the decrees against us taken away, as its penalty DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in Victory! Our victorious Lord Jesus Christ. As an after note let me again reference John epistle and the hope that he outlined.
[ John 1:1-3 NASB95] 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– (he is referencing Jesus by all this) 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– 3 what we have seen and heard (namely Jesus) we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
John had seen, touched, heard the living “Word of Life” that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) as he walked physically with Jesus. Out of that he testified regarding what he experienced, what he had seen and heard … the eternal life of God manifested! His passion was to proclaim that, so that we might have fellowship with with him and his counterparts. But beyond that … that we might have fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus. I believe John’s heart is to invite us into that same fellowship/koinonia/unity that the Father and the Son have had and enjoy from eternity past. A fellowship he knew well because he witnessed the full manifestation of it in Jesus. A few lines later he would write…… (from my point of view today) concerning eschatology and our hope in the resurrection.
[1John 3:2-3 NASB95] 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope [fixed] on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
What glory is ours! What a hope is ours! And, as I have shared before, I will say here. The hope John is writing about is not just seeing Him at His appearing again, or seeing Him just as He is… I believe it is the hope of being like Him! That is an eschatology worth talking about.