In I Thessalonians 4:13-18 God has the apostle Paul set before us some final details and pieces of information for our edification regarding the nature of the event that will conclude this present dispensation of His grace - the rapture of the church.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)
When we understand and appreciate what Paul sets forth here, these final details provide for us to have the full measure of comprehension that God wants us to have for our "blessed hope." These final pieces of information primarily pertain to the further knowledge that we need to have about the mechanics of the rapture, as well as what we need to understand about the effects of its all-inclusive nature as it encompasses both those who have already died and so "sleep in Jesus," and those "which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord."
Now when we consider the complete doctrine of our "blessed hope," it is easy to understand why it is called our "blessed hope." For every detail is "blessed" indeed. Whether we are considering the simple fact of it, or the issue of our confident hope of it, or what it delivers us from, or the redemption of our body in connection with it, or the glory of the coming of the Lord, or of our being caught up to meet Him in the air, or whatever detail it might be, each is a thrill for us to consider and a joy to know.
Moreover the very nature of the doctrine itself, along with how it works within us, is also "blessed." For not only is each and every detail "blessed" to think about, but each one also purposefully makes a particular kind of thrilling impact upon us. In other words, each one is designed by God to effectually work within us in a particular way.
For instance, some details of the doctrine of the rapture are designed to fill us with the thrill of anticipation for it, while others are designed to produce comfort and consolation. Some specifically work to generate patience within us, while others are designed to help shape our godly perspective. Some of them even stretch the limits of our understanding, giving us further insight into our heavenly vocation in God's plan and purpose, while others specifically work together with this further insight and thereby help keep our hearts and minds focused upon what really matters in this present life.
Collectively, therefore, all of the information that is contained in the doctrine of the rapture is "blessed" for what it does, as it ranges far and wide throughout the scope of our godly edifying. In fact the complete doctrine of the rapture has some of the most far-reaching and multifaceted capabilities of any of the forms of doctrine in the curriculum for our godly edification in this present dispensation. Its overall effectual working within us is designed by God to be very extensive, spanning as it does the entirety of our godly edification from beginning to end. As such 'roots' are located in "the gospel of Christ" itself, and then all of the various 'fruits' of its progressive effectual working within us are designed to benefit us at every stage, and every step of the way, in the progress of our edification. Even benefiting us right up to and including the time of our death, (if we die before God ends this dispensation), as well as at the very rapture itself.
Wherefore the complete doctrine of our "blessed hope" is "blessed" indeed, both in its details and in the way in which each one of them is designed to effectually work within us.
Blessed, Yet Some Times A Bit Puzzling
There are, however, some issues about the rapture that some times can seem a bit puzzling, especially when they make us wonder either why they will occur, or exactly what their full purpose might be. For example, the reason for "the voice of the archangel" some times puzzles folks. Likewise some matters can even cause a bit of consternation, because at first they might not seem to naturally fit in with the event. Or they might not seem to be fully consistent with some other things that we are taught to understand and appreciate, either about ourselves as the church the body of Christ that we are, or about this present dispensation of God's grace in which we live.
However more times than not whenever such things puzzle us it is because we do not fully or clearly understand all that we should. This is especially so whenever we are puzzled by information that is given to us at the end of a doctrine. Or if it is information that completes a doctrine, rather than begins it; as is the case with the information in I Thessalonians 4.
One such issue in the doctrine of the rapture that some times puzzles folks is what Paul states at the end of I Thessalonians 4:17. As Paul concludes describing the mechanics of the rapture he says...
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)
Now when Paul ends this verse by saying "and so shall we ever be with the Lord," at first thought this might not seem to convey anything that could be construed as being the least bit puzzling. After all having believed "the gospel of Christ" we have received justification unto eternal life and personal, permanent reconciliation to God. This then makes it so that we are able to live together with God forever. And is not this simply what Paul is saying will be what we will experience from the rapture on?
However when you think about what Paul says in the light of the knowledge of who we are in God's plan and purpose, (i.e. not simply being justified unto eternal life, but also being the members of God's "new creature," the church the body of Christ), then the issue of us 'ever being with the Lord' from the time of the rapture on can seem to pose a problem. For in being God's "new creature" we are taught that we have a heavenly vocation in God's plan and purpose. We are taught that in accordance with the revelation of "the mystery of Christ" we are going to be used by God for His reconciliation of the heavenly places back to Himself. As such, therefore, we are going to be occupying the heavenly places, being God's "new creature."
Now add to this the fact that God will resume His program with Israel on this earth when the rapture of the church occurs, and you can begin to see where the puzzlement comes in. For when God resumes His program with Israel the Lord will return to the earth at the concluding portion of His day of wrath. At which time the Lord will then establish both His residence and His kingdom on this earth. In so doing He will dwell on the earth forever, just as He has purposed to do all along, and just as He has prophesied that He will do.
Wherefore the puzzlement is this: How is it that we can't ever be with the Lord' from the rapture on, when we will be occupying the heavenly places and He will be on the earth? How can we be said to be 'with Him' when we are not on the earth, and therefore are not physically in His presence on the earth?
This seeming incongruity is also some-thing that is often latched on to by ones who either do not 'rightly divide the word of truth,' or who deny that we have a heavenly vocation. They use it to say that we cannot have a heavenly vocation, (or at least not a permanent one), and that therefore we will not be residing in, or occupying, the heavenly places. For as they say, 'Since Paul says that we will "ever be with the Lord"; and since the Lord will be coming back to establish His kingdom and to reside on the earth, just as the prophets teach; then obviously we will not be staying in the heavenly places. Rather we will have to come back with the Lord to the earth and we will be with Him on the earth in His kingdom. For this is the only way that we can "ever be with the Lord. "
Thus it is that this particular "blessed" truth -"and so shall we ever be with the Lord" - seems to pose a problem.
Not Really Puzzling At All
However what appears at first to be puzzling or incongruous, is really not so at all. It only seems so. In other words it only seems that our heavenly residence and vocation would be an impediment to, or would be inconsistent with, the issue of us 'ever being with the Lord.' But in truth this is not the case at all. For in view of who we are as God's "new creature," God has actually made it so that we can "ever be with the Lord" even though the Lord will be residing on the earth and we will be residing in the heavenly places.
In fact this amazing and remarkable capacity is actually part of the astounding glory that belongs to us as God's "new creature" and as the members of "the church, body of Christ" that we are.
Now doctrinally-speaking, as we progress through the curriculum for our sonship edification, the knowledge of this remarkable capacity is something that we are given to understand and appreciate long before we ever come to the final details about the rapture that are set forth to us in I Thessalonians. Hence we are expected to have learned about this remarkable capacity, and to be familiar with it, beforehand.
Wherefore in order to 'solve this puzzle' we at least need to have a basic appreciation for this remarkable capacity. And for this we must make sure that we understand some of the fundamental things that God teaches us about who we are in His plan and purpose as His "new creature."
The Remarkable Creation of The "New Creature
In Romans 8, (and as part of our sonship establishment), God teaches us to understand and appreciate the basics regarding our heavenly vocation in His plan and purpose. He teaches us that in accordance with His now revealed plan for also delivering "the creature" from the bondage of corruption and not just the earth, He has purposed that we are to be His "new creature," and that thereby we will be the means by which "the creature" will get delivered and its realm will become reconciled unto God.
Then after having established us as His "sons," (and as we begin going through the curriculum for our sonship edification and for our vocational training), God also begins to teach us about something else that is directly connected to our capacity to function as His "new creature." Something that specifically provides for us to fulfill this unique vocation.
Beginning in Romans chapter 12 God begins to teach us about the new and different and special kind of living-union-relation-ship that we in this present dispensation have both with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and also with each other, whereby He has made us fit to be able to actually function as His "new creature." As such, this new and different living-union-relationship has been specifically designed by God to perfectly suit the particular vocation that He has for us in His plan and purpose. It, therefore, has been tailor-made by God for us in this present dispensation, and also it has been tailor-made for our heavenly vocation. Hence it truly does provide us with the mechanical means and capacity to fulfill our heavenly vocation.
Now this new and different and special living-union-relationship that we have with the Lord Jesus Christ, and with one another, is the issue of us being "one body in Christ" and also being "members one of another." It is the result of God Himself Iegally identifying us with, and associating us with, the Lord Jesus Christ, who in connection with His now revealed inheritance as God the Father's "firstborn" has both received dominion over "the creature" and is the legal heir of its realm.
What's more, having legally identified us with Christ as such, God has also legally joined us to Christ as the 'head of the creature' that He now is. Whereby He has made it so that we can legally be incorporated into "the creature," with both the right to occupy its realm and to assume its function.
Now our legal identification with Christ, and our legal joining to Christ, have been accomplished by the Holy Ghost Himself. Who when He baptized us "into Christ" not only made us 'dead to sin and alive unto God,' but He also created the vitally necessary and living bond of genuine union between us and the Lord, as well as between each of us collectively, which enables us to mechanically function as "the new creature." Hence by the Holy Spirit God has organically joined us to the Lord Jesus Christ as the 'head of the creature' that He now is, and He has also organically joined us one to another.
Wherefore in this present dispensation of His grace God has indeed created, (and He has put us into), a new and different and special living-union-relationship with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For the sake of being able to make it so that we can function as His "new creature" God has both created this new living-union-relationship, and by it He has made it so that we are "one body in Christ," and we are also "members one of another."
Now this is not just some theological concept. Nor is it some abstract, ethereal type relationship that only exists as virtual reality, or as imagery, but without real substance. Instead it is a genuine, real, living relationship, and an organic union, just as we are taught in Romans 12, and just as Paul describes to the Corinthian saints when he says...
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:12-13)
So it is then that in creating "the body of Christ" - i.e. this new and different living-union-relationship -God has created a new living entity, or a new life form, so to speak. One that possesses all of the essential attributes and functions of the original "creature," with the result that it can be His "new creature."
Wherefore being God's "new creature" we indeed have both a heavenly residence and a heavenly vocation in God's plan and purpose. Hence when God concludes this present dispensation of His grace He not only will 'rapture' us "to meet the Lord in air" n accordance with His promise to deliver us from the wrath to come, but He will also 'rapture' us in accordance with providing for us to assume our heavenly vocation as His "new creature."
Moreover in full accordance with the issue of our inheritance, and with His own future plans, God has designed for us to stay in the heavenly places; to reside there. Even when He Himself and the Lord Jesus Christ are residing on the earth in fulfillment of His purpose for the earth, and in fulfillment of His program with Israel.
Now even though this will be so, once again it will not be any impediment whatsoever to us 'ever being with the Lord.' For since we have this new and special living-union-relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and with one another; (that is, because we are the members of "the body of Christ" and "members one of another"); we will be able to both occupy the heavenly places and "ever be with the Lord" at the exact same time. For this very capacity is one of the remarkable features of a body.
The Remarkable Features of A Body
There are many unique features, characteristics, abilities, capacities, and the like, belonging to a body. And especially is this so regarding the individual members that make up a body. As the composite organism that it is, a body is an intricate union of a variety of different members with their different features and abilities, which being governed by a head mutually function for the good of the whole body, and for the purpose of accomplishing the desires of the head. A body, therefore, is a corporate entity and it functions as such.
For this reason when we are taught to understand and appreciate the workings of our special living-union-relationship with Christ and with one another in "the body of Christ," they are taught to us on the basis of the natural parallel that exists with our own physical bodies. For the individual members of our own bodies, being the collective members of a body that they are, possess the same type of living-union-relationship one with another as we have with the Lord Jesus Christ and each other. In accordance with this, we are naturally first of all taught to understand and appreciate such remarkable things as the ingenious and mutually profitable interactions that the individual members of a body are designed to have one with another, and how that the members are designed to function for the benefit of the whole body. Wherefore in Romans and I Corinthians we are taught such things as...
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4-5)
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?'
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members everyone of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. (I Corinthians 12:14
Now these basic, yet remarkable things that pertain to the issue of us being "members one of another," (along with others like them), are what we are taught to understand and appreciate first and foremost about "the body of Christ." And naturally so. For they are fundamental and integral to our proper functioning as the members of "the body of Christ" right now, and also they are integral to our vocational training for what is yet to come. Besides this they are also the easiest and most obvious of the body's features and capacities for us to understand, appreciate, and put into operation. Hence they come first.
However as remarkable as these elementary 'member-to-member' features and capacities are, they certainly are not the only remarkable capacities of a body. There are others, especially those we are taught about later on in our edification that pertain to the head of the body. And of those that pertain to the head, the ones that involve the head's unique relationship to, and interaction with, each member of the body are especially significant and fascinating.
One such capacity is how it is that each of the members of a body are equally 'in touch,' so to speak, with its head, and are also equally sensing the head's presence, regardless of where it is located in the body.
In fact this is one of the most remarkable capacities belonging to the head. And it is experienced and enjoyed by each one of the members of a body, and also by the head itself. What's more, it is a capacity that also exists with us in "the body of Christ." As such it has a direct bearing upon our ability to "ever be with the Lord" from the time of the rapture on, even though we will be residing in the heavenly places in accordance with our heavenly vocation.
A Head's Pervading Presence In A Body
Because of what the head of a body is, it possesses a capacity that is uniquely commensurate with its name and its position. Being the head, the force of its presence exists throughout the whole body, touching as it does every member, and also being sensed by every member. Wherefore a head pervades the entire body with its being. There is no member that does not know that it is there, and there is no member that does not know that it is the head.
Moreover each and every member of a body is equally 'in touch' with its head. For the head recognizes and knows the role and value of each member of its body, and it purposefully maintains direct, constant, and fully sensed contact with each and every member. As such each and every member of a body fully 'feels the presence,' so to speak, of its head, and it thereby knows that it is in constant, personal contact with the head.
Furthermore this is true in spite of where each member of a body is located in the body. As far as a head's pervading presence is concerned, the proximity of a member to the head is not an advantage, nor is its distance from the head a disadvantage. A head's pervading presence within its body transcends any physical factor. There are no barriers to its pervasive and permeating presence, nor any limitations on it.
Wherefore in essence a head's presence within its body is omnipresent, with each and every member equally aware of its presence, as well as being appreciative of it and responsive to it.
Now this is the way it is with our own body. Disregarding the issue of any corruptive effects from "the bondage of corruption," our own head has this pervading and permeating presence throughout our body. And each and every member of our body 'feels its presence' equally, and knows that it is 'in the head's presence.'
Mechanically-speaking the pervading and permeating presence of our head throughout our body is a function of our inner self; that is, of our spirit/soul complex; the immaterial part of our being; our inner man. In being what it is, our inner man possesses the God-designed capacity to be in real, functional, and equal contact with each and every member of our body. Our inner man is functionally and equally joined to each and every member of our body, and thereby is able to functionally and equally live in, (and express itself in and through), each and every member.
Simply put, therefore, our spirit/soul within us provides for the pervasive and permeating presence of our head throughout our entire body. This in turn makes it so that each and every member of our body is not only in the immediate presence of its head, regardless of where it is located in the body, but each and every member also senses that it is in the head's presence.
The Parallel
This remarkable capacity for the head to pervade the body with its presence also exists in "the body of Christ." And as the spirit of a man provides the mechanical means for the head's presence to pervade and permeate throughout a person's body, so also does the Spirit of God provide for this to be so in "the church, the body of Christ."
Wherefore as "the head of the body, the church" that He is, the Lord Jesus Christ's presence pervades His body, and it is brought to bear upon each and every member of the body through the function and ministry of the Holy Spirit. For having been "baptized into one body" by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit is not only the former of "the body of Christ," but He is also its 'adjoining spirit.' He is responsible for uniting each and every member to the head, and each and every member to each other, as well as being responsible for producing the effects of our living-union-relationship, both during this present dispensation and in the future.
At this present time we possess only a measure of the fulness of Christ's pervading presence as the head of His body. Wherefore we can only experience, respond to, and appreciate the measure that we presently have. And the fact that we presently possess only a measure of this fulness is only natural. For this is perfectly in accord not only with the conditions that are presently imposed upon our sonship status, edification, and life; but it is also perfectly in accord with the fact that we do not yet have 'the redemption of our bodies. '
Now it will not be until our bodies are redemed, and we are manifested as God's "sons," that we will actually possess the fulness of Christ's pervading presence as the head of His body, and will be in the position to experience it and appreciate it. This, therefore, means that it will not be until God concludes this present dispensation of His grace with the rapture of the church that we will possess the fulness of Christ's pervading presence, and will begin to experience the effects of its fulness.
However when our bodies are re deemed and we do possess the fulness of Christ's pervading presence as the head of His body, this is what will provide for us to "ever be with the Lord" even though we will be in the heavenly places.
The Redemption of Our Bodies
There are numerous changes that will take place when our bodies are redeemed. In fact as Paul deals with the issue of the resurrection of the dead in I Corinthians 15, he sets forth 5 general categories of changes that will occur, with a number of changes belonging to each category.
Hence he says...
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in in-corruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (I Corinthians 15:42-49)
Each of these categories of change is glorious to consider. Yet the one that is most germane to our subject is the fifth one - i.e. the change in our bodies that will have us 'bearing the image of the heavenly,' and that thereby will make us physically fit to both reside in, and function in, the heavenly places.
Within this final category of change, the particular change that we need to take note of is the one that provides for us to possess and enjoy the fulness of Christ's pervading presence as the head of His body. And Paul has reason to cite this particular change later on in II Corinthians 5. He cites it as part of his description of how the doctrine of the redemption of our body effectually works within us to enable 'the eyes of our understanding' to 'look at the things which are not seen,' and thereby enable us to confidently face and endure the threat of death in a godly manner. Wherefore Paul says...
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for this selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:1-8)
As Paul says, our present bodies are "our earthly house of this tabernacle." Yet when they are redeemed we will have "a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Then our bodies will be fit to reside "in the heavens" in accordance with our vocation in the heavenly places as God's "new creature."
However since our present bodies are "our earthly house of this tabernacle," this not only means that right now they are unfit to exist "in the heavens," but it also means that they are not capable of fully possessing, sensing, or responding to the issue of the Lord's pervading presence as the head of His body. And this is one of the reasons why Paul says that "whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. "
We are not only "absent from the Lord" location-wise, but we also sense this issue of being "absent from" Him in our present relationship with Him. Even though by the Holy Spirit we are "one body in Christ" and we have been placed into living-union-relationship with Him as the head of His body, we do not fully sense this right now. For our present "earthly house of this tabernacle" does not allow for us to sense the Lord's full pervading presence as the head of His body. It does not have that capacity. Hence we do not sense that we are 'with the Lord' in our present bodies. Rather our sensed situation, and our real situation, is that "whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord."
But neither our sensed nor our real situation will be that of being "absent from the Lord" when our bodies are redeemed and we are clothed with our "building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." In that day our redeemed bodies will provide for the Lord's full pervading presence as the head of His body to be fully sensed and enjoyed by us. No more, and never more, will we think of ourselves as being "absent from the Lord." Instead we will fully and constantly know that we are "with the Lord" regardless of location.
The Ingenuity of The Body of Christ
So then it is the combination of our new and special living-union-relationship with the Lord as the head of His body, together with our redeemed/changed bodies, that will provide us with the capacity to "ever be with the Lord" from the time of the rapture on, even though we will be residing "in the heavens." From the rapture on the perfection and fullness of Christ's pervading presence will be fully known by us, fully sensed by us, fully experienced by us, and fully enjoyed by us in our glorified bodies. With the result that our location in the heavenly places will not be an obstacle or an hindrance whatsoever to the reality of us "ever being with the Lord." In fact we will be "with the Lord" to the exact same degree, and with the exact same sensing of His presence, as if we were residing on the earth with Him.
Wherefore God's genius in designing and creating "the body of Christ" is indeed marvelous, to say the least. For it not only provides for Him to have a "new creature" for the reconciliation of the heavenly places, but it also provides for Him to have it so that the members of His "new creature" possess a living-union-relationship with Him that is equivalent to the very nature of the relationship that exists between the members of the Godhead themselves. A relationship in which the physical location of the members relative to one another, or their distance one from another at any time, makes no difference whatsoever. Instead by nature they are always 'with one another. '
Therefore with us possessing this same nature of relationship with the Lord in "the body of Christ," and with us possessing its perfection and fullness at the time of the rapture, Paul logically concludes our edification on the details of the rapture by saying, "and so shall we ever be with the Lord." For indeed this will be true of us, even though we will be residing in the heavenly places.
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