The Elect--Who are these Guys?

Many theologians have stated that the Elect are Israel,and none else! This is quite a bold statement for anyone to make, but a theologian of all people should know better! We shall look to the Holy Bible for this answer. Pastors have echoed these who have made such statements. Another statement that theologians and Pastors have made, when they have been cornered on the issue, of who the Elect are, is the answer : well there are two Elect groups! We shall also look at the Holy Scriptures for the answer to this bold statement!
First, let's look to the Epistles of the New Testament starting with Romans 8:31-34 Paul is speaking concerning the Christian's calling of God. "What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's Elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." Who can deny the Paul here is talking to and of Christians? Everything connected with the ones Paul is talking about here is completely belonging to Christians and Christians only. The Elect are falsely accused! they are justified by God! The Holy Father-God has freely given His Son to die for them! And He has risen for this same group of people, the Elect! Christ makes intercession for the Elect.
Let us look to Colossians 3.10-15 "And have put on the new man [ the one who is born again ] who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncircumcision, barbarian nor Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all and in all. Put on, therefore, as the Elect of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, gentleness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any have any quarrel against any, just as Christ forgave you, so also ye do and above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which ye also are called in one body. And be ye thankful.
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Who can deny that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is saying here that Christians, believers, are the Elect of God and they're called in one body. It's very obvious that the Elect of God is the Body of Christ.
I Peter 1:1-5: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Blythinia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of Jesus Christ, grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time.”
Again, it's obvious that Paul is referring to the Elect or Christians because although he does refer to them as strangers, yet they're strangers that are Christians that he hasn't yet met that he has visited those cities. It's assured us that they're Christians because of the wording he uses. He says that we are begotten again by the Lord. It means that we are born again. Also Paul's used of the word "salvation" and "sanctification" here also identifies them as believers.

1 Thessalonians 1.1b-4 "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved [ Christian ] brethren your Election of God." Paul, here is writing to Christians! "...your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus... all describe Christians and no one else!

1 Peter 4.13 " She who is ... Elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son." Again Paul is speaking to Christians as the Elect. This is confirmed by verse 10 "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." Notice how the word Called is used here in close connection with Elect!

Look at Titus 1.1-4 " Paul a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's Elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which is according to godliness,in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; to Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior." The Word of God says "it is impossible to please God without faith." And we as believers know that there is only one true Faith! The Jews who have not recognized Jesus as Messiah do not have faith which is according to godliness. They do not acknowledge the Truth. Need I say more? **** there is a lot more to write on The Elect!!!
The title "Christians" is only used three times in the New Testament and not at all in the Old Testament. In Acts 11:25. . .then Barnabus departed for Tarsus to seek Saul and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the Church and taught a great many people and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
And in chapter 26 of the book of Acts Paul is witnessing to Agrippa and in verse 9. . . "indeed I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.”
And then down in verse 27, 28 Paul was still witnessing to King Agrippa. "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets. I know that you do believe. Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." Even King Agrippa understood that when Paul was with the saints that he had persecuted before he was converted, even King Agrippa that they were called Christians and understood that clearly that the saints were called Christians.

The third reference to Christians is in I Peter 4:12,13, 14, and 16: "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial to try you as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you are partakers of Christ's sufferings that you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you for the Spirit of glory and of God rest upon you for He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. And down to verse 16: Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter."

ELECT -- When you get right down to it, all are called of God! Called to belief in God and called to repentance. It's only those who respond to God's call that are Chosen [Elect]. " For God is not willing that any perish but all come to repentance!" You have elected to follow Christ. You have chosen to follow Christ. Make your calling and election sure... Make your calling and choosing sure... Yes God has Chosen you and you have Chosen God. God doesn't get anyone home to heaven against his or her will. The will of man is one of the supreme attributes that God has created in man from the beginning that in a smaller sense parallels that of God's Supreme will. God never created robots. Neither man nor angels has God created without a will. If angels didn't have a will, there would never have been a rebellion in heaven! God has created mankind with free will. [This I believe, is where Calvinism in the strictest sense, falls apart! You've heard "Many aspire but few attain." Well this saying applies well in Christianity.....Yes God is Soverign, He has decreed that all who put their trust in the finished atonement of Jesus are saved. God is not a man that He should lie, yet God doesn't release man of his respondsibility in the love relation between them.....] STUDY MORE!

Some zealous pre-tribers might look to the Dispersion as Elect Jews quoting John 7.35, 1 Peter 1.1,2 and James 1.1 as some solid ground that the Elect are exclusively Jewish. Yet the very foundation Epistle of Peter that is quoted also identifies the Elect as a : royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen [Elect] generation, His own special people... and belief or faith in Christ as the Elect Cornerstone as the only qualifying condition that makes people, God's special people 1 Peter 2.6-10!

Not only was a Jewish Remnant scattered or dispersed in the O.T. but also God's people in the N.T. were scattered or dispersed in what some scholars term the infancy of the Church, Acts 8.1-4/ 11.19 possibly Eucibius' Church History. Please remember what was prophesied in John 11.49-52 "And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad."

Christians many times directly or indirectly referred to as "the children of God" a few examples should suffice: John 1.12, Romans 8.16, 1 Cor. 4.14, Eph.5.8, Phil. 2.15, 1 John 3.2, 1 John 5.1,2. 3 John 1,2,3. Let these verses,especially John 11.49-52, be foundional every time you read or hear of the One body of Christ! Whether from the book of Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians or Colossians.

Like so many have been stressing we all have a Judeo-Christian heritage and as Paul the Hebrew of hebrews has said in Romans 2.29 "but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not from men but from God!"

In O.T. times one book that stands out in my mind is The Book of Enoch. From the Book of Enoch there are aprox. 41 places where this word [elect] is used. About 15 references are to Jesus as The Elect One as in the Bible [Isa.42.1 with 1 Peter 2.6] and 35 referances as believers, Christians and referred to as saints, righteous, the holy]. MORE REFERANCES... In New Testament times from the Apostlic Fathers in the early writings of Hemas are 7 referances the the [elect]......MORE...._


WITH AND FOR THE ELECT

Here's a note to go along with the notes on Christ's coming with the saints and for the saints. Here's the note: God is sovereign. When God brings with Jesus the disembodied saints according to I Thess 4:13, it is His prerogative whether these things will be visible or invisible or semi-visible. But in Rev 19:11-21 when Jesus is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords with the armies of heaven accompanying Him, they [the saints] are riding white horses and this fact impresses upon the reader visibility. The angels at this time will be visible according to Bible references. The angels will be visible as they have been on important occasions throughout His story, history.
The important fact to remember is that God's Word definitely pronounces Jesus's coming with the saints and for the saints and this fact is irrefutable. It is clearly seen by any student of the Bible who is honest with himself, logic and the Scriptures. Hebrews 12:9B: "Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?" Hebrews 12:22,23: "But you have come to Mount Zion and that city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusulem and an innumerable company of angels and the general assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God, the judge of all the spirits of just men made perfect."
Notice here that a large portion of the church is already up in heaven and that those that are departed with Christ are the spirits of just men made perfect. That's important to notice.
In I Peter 3: 18-20: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who formerly were disobedient. Once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few, that is, a few souls were saved through water." I'd like you to notice that here in verse 18, I think, that He, Jesus, will bring us to God in this same phrase or very similar phrases in I Thess 4:13,14 "that He might bring us to God." This same awesome event that is going on here but what I'm trying to bring out is to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord in that the dead in Christ are disembodied, the saints, they are spirits of just men made perfect.
Earlier in the study I made identifying who the Elect are, I mentioned in the study the qualifications and qualities or characteristics of the Elect and then I went on to list the many, if not all, the references that are used for "Elect." And in that study here this is to be given as further support of identifying who the Elect are. For the first example, I used I Peter 1:1, 2: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ our Lord to the strangers gathered abroad throughout Galatia, Pontius, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you and peace be multiplied."


Praise God that the Triune God is involved in the salvation of souls and in the salvation of the Elect Christians. What I'd like to bring out here is that in the same book in fact I Peter 2:11 Peter writing to Christians and it says: "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." Now we turn to the inspired writer of Hebrews 11:13: "All these died in faith, not receiving the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Here speaking of the Old Testament saints that lived by faith, that they pleased God by faith and that they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims. Praise God. Nevertheless, they're saints and now they're in the presence of God.
Here in the Gospel of John, in going along with who are the elect, these strangers and pilgrims , are--these sojourners. In the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus said: "15:18-21: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own, but because you are not of this world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do unto you for my name's sake because they know not Him that sent me. "
When Jesus said," that I called you out from them," these are the words which are the very meaning of church, "eccesiastes," the called-out ones. Jesus is describing strangers and pilgrims of this present evil age. Christ is our example, and if they persecuted Him, they will also persecute you and I. He was a pilgrim and a sojourner just passing through and He had a mission to complete and in this manner, this is what makes believers, Christians, Chirst-like ones, Chirst-likeness. I want to expound on the qualifications of the Elect, or the standards, the characteristics of the Elect, as I have with this first example in I Peter, with other verses, bringing in other related verses that use the same terms, the same words in the very verses that talk about the Elect.
Now, I'm going to expound on some other verses, particularly one in the book of Revelation where Christ is coming in glory and in power. In chapter 19 in the book of Rev, we'll look at verse 7 and 8. Talking about the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. "And it was granted unto her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. Fine linen is the righteousness of the saints so here all are agreed that this is talking of the Church and the Bride of the Lamb is the Church and then down further in verse 14: "And the armies which were in heaven followed Him, meaning Jesus, upon white horses, clothed in white fine linen, clothed in fine linen white and clean. . . ." And then verse down to further down . . ."I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and the armies gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse and against His army.
So they're coming in glory to fight against Anti-Christ, the beast , and those who followed him. Praise God! And over into chapter 17 of the book of Revelation verse 13 and14: "And these have on mind and so give their power and strength over to the beast. They are the Anti-christ and the ten nations. Verse 14: "And these shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with Him are called and chosen and faithful."

The word here that is translated in the English version "chosen" is very much in the Greek "Elect." There are the pre-tribbers who insist that the elect, especially in the Olivet discourse in Matt. 24 and the synopsis of the Gospels, the parallels to that Olivet discourse insist tha the Elect is Israel and has nothing to do with the church, saying that the Church has already been raptured into heaven. This verse in Rev 17 along with 19 hits a devastating blow to the pre-trib lie because here those who are coming with Christ are the Elect, those who are coming at the end of the tribulation to do despite against the anti-christ and his followers are the Elect and this does damaging things to the pre-trib theory, the pre-trib lie.
If Christ is coming for the Elect, as Israel in Matt 24, then in Rev He's coming with them. This doesn't make any sense at all, because they'd already be with Him. If this is to make any sense at all in accordance with and in harmony with the other Scriptures, the Elect must be the Church, the Elect must be true Christians.
The Elect are both dead and living saints, the Called-Out Ones, the Holy Ones, the Church. When Christ gathers his elect and brings them from heaven where she's coming from, and He's gathering them from the, He's gathering all His holy ones unto Him whether dead in body or alive , the disembodied elect with the living elect that are on the earth are gathered together to Christ.
So we find that in Matt. 24, the Olivet discourse that Jesus is coming in glory at the end of the tribulation and He's gathering the Elect, the angels are doing the gathering, but He's coming back to the earth in glory, He's gathering the Elect. We turn to the book of Rev. and we find that in chapter 17 and 19 or in chapter 19 when Jesus is coming in glory and power to put an end to the Anti-christ and his followers or to punish the Anti-christ and his followers, we find that He is coming with His Elect, the armies of the heavens. We find that He's coming with the bride which we find out from Rev… is the Elect and He's coming in power and glory. Jesus doesn’t descend half way down from heaven, gather the Church and do a U-turn and return to heaven to party for seven years during the Great Tribulation as Pastors and Pre-tribulation theologians teach (see chapter…)

Often pretribbers try to say that in the Olivet discourse in Matt 24, that Jesus was talking of the Jews and that the disciples, being Jewish, represented the nation of Israel. I beg to differ. The disciples had already been called by Jesus, were sent out and were obedient to him, did special miracles, and were well on their way already, being the foundation of the Church. Not only that but Jesus referred to His disciples while during His earthly ministry as as the friends of the Bridegroom or even the Bride—Thus the Church.
Jesus repeatedly uses references of personal pronouns, you’ throughout the discourse to the disciples. Being present during the time of great persecution. The main verse of expression that is used in saying that these are Jews only and not the church is “and pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath.” This saying of Jesus is not hard to decipher. Jesus knowing the future and talking to the disciples as representatives of the church, looked forward, and was including the Elect Jewish Remnant along with the elect, the church and warning the newly converted elect Jewish remnant not to be overly orthodox so as not to flee as under Jewish law and breaking the Sabbath when the calamity of the Antichrist is upon them, and to flee into the desert, into the place God had prepared for them, the rock city of Petra.

The Mystery of God

This is the greatest love story that mankind will ever know: that God humbled Himself by taking on the form of a Man and gave Himself as a ransom for sinful mankind, went back to His heavenly abode, and will return to be joined the Bride to the Bridegroom. This is the greatest love story and mystery mankind will ever know! Praise God! This ransom has been paid; Jesus declared this with His last breath from the Cross “It is Finished”. Yet the coming of the Bridegroom to claim His Bride –The Church, has not been finished. This chapter is about that Mystery what is the significance of this and when it will be finished!
Let’s look at Psalms 1.1- "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, who stands not in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water which brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither. And whatsoever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind blows away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." This is one of the earliest references of a separate gathering and judgment of the godly and the ungodly.
Jesus speaking to His disciples in Mark 4:11: "And He said unto them, "Unto you it is given to know the Mystery of the kingdom, but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables." In Romans 11:25: Paul says "For I would not, brethren, that you would be ignorant of this Mystery, unless you be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part has happened to Israel till the fullness of the Gentiles come in." I Corinth 2:7: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory."
I Corinth 15:51: "Behold, I show you a Mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trump will sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed." Ephesians 1:10: "Having made known to us the Mystery of His will according of His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself that in the dispensation of the fullness of time He might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth." Ephesians 3:3,4,5,6,9,10: "How the Mystery was made known to me by revelation as I have written briefly when you read this, you can perceive my insight into the Mystery which was not made known to the sons of men and other generations which has now been revealed the Spirit of God's holy apostles and prophets. This Mystery is that through the Gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body and sharers together with the promise in Christ Jesus. I am become a servant of this Gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of His power although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me, preached to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone my administration of this Mystery, which for ages past, was kept hidden in God Who created all things." Ciaphas prophesied of what this was to accomplish by Jesus' atoning death in that which was revealed to Paul concerning the Mystery. John 11:9-52: "And one of them named Ciaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up saying, "You know nothing at all, not realizing it is necessary for you that one die for the people than that the whole nation perish. He did not say this on his own but as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and not for only that nation but also for the scattered children of God to bring them together and make them one." Colossians 2:2,3: "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and guided in love that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the Mystery of God, namely, Christ in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 4:2,3: "devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Pray for us, too, that God may open a door of our message so that we may proclaim the Mystery of Christ for which I am in chains." Here Paul equates the preaching of the Gospel with the preaching the Mystery! And in I Tim. 3: 8,9: " Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for gain, that they may hold the Mystery of the faith with a clear conscience." Isn't that something, Deacons are to keep themselves from these ungodly traits in order to "hold the Mystery of the Faith with a clear conscience". This is significant! We've kepted ourselves from these ungodly traits but it seems we've lost sight that we are doing this to hold forth the Mystery of the Faith and this is of course ultimately for God and man! That one would have integrity with God and man. Again integrity is brought out in verse 15 of I Timothy in connection with the Mystery of Godliness. I Tim 3: 15, 16: " But if I tarry long that thou mayest how I oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. And without controversy, great is the Mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory." Rev. verse 20: "The Mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand in the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars are the seven angels, and angels are the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." This Mystery has to do with the churches, collectively! The term ***churches*** is used several times in the Letters to the Seven Churches and is intended as scriptural exhortations to the Church at large!!! Now let this sink deep into your spirit and be enlightened and shocked---In Rev.10:7;11:15,18: " But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when He shall begin to sound, The Mystery of God shall be Finished as He has declared to his servants, the prophets." Verse 15,18 of chapter 11: "And the seventh angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign forever and forever. And the nations were angry and Thy wrath is come, the time of the dead that they should be judged and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants, the prophets, and unto the saints, even to them that fear Thy name small and great and should destroy them which destroy the earth."
This is when God rewards His Church not at some secret coming at a secret rapture.The seventh trumpet is the Last trumpet. The very trumpet that is in Matthew 24.29-31

Ephesians 1:9,10: "Having made known unto us the Mystery of His will according of His good pleasure which He has proposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ , both which are in heaven and which are on earth." This gathering together into one is at the End of the Age, at the Last Day!!! Eph. 5.31-32 "For this reason a man will his father and mother and will be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh, this is a profound [Great - says the K.J.V.] Mystery but I am talking about Christ and the Church." In Gal. 4.26 "But the Jerusalem that is above is free and She is our Mother." The K.J.V. says "But Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of us all." Ephesians 6:19: "Pray also for me that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the Mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it [ the Mystery of the Gospel ] fearlessly as I should." Colossians 1:24-27: "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's sufferings for the sake of His Body which is the Church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its fullness--the Mystery that has been kept hidden for Ages and generations but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen [has willed] to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this Mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." There are a few things we need to be reminded of: The saints comprise or make-up the Body of Christ which is the Church. Individually we are called saints, collectively we are called the Church, also called the Bride of Christ. Here I want you to notice The Mystery has been hidden for Ages and generations but now has been revealed to His saints. It is God's will according to verse 27 to know the Mystery. The scripture says that this is Christ in you the hope of glory!!! To be united with Christ, this is the Mystery fulfilled!!!
In contrast to the Mystery of Godliness which is awesome and beautiful and full of light, understanding and love ,in contrast is the Mystery of Iniquity, which is mentioned only one time by that title in the book of second Thessalonians "...that is already at work..." Most Theologians would agree that this has been going on since the Fall of man and even when Lucifer had iniquity rise up from within him and brought about the rebellion in heaven. Here is something to consider, when the Devil was in heaven before the fall at the inception of the first rebellion, he must have deceived the angels that sided with him, and he must have caused them believe that he, Lucifer would be able to pull off what he had contrived!!! The Mystery of Iniquity in contrast is dark, void of understanding. It is apparent that the Mystery of Iniquity is the other side of the coin, so to speak. The one, the Mystery of Godliness is of faith, of belief, of love, of life and a sure destiny!!! While the other, the Mystery of Iniquity is of unbelief, of doubt, of willfulness, of hate, of apathy, sinful and of an unsure destiny to those who don't believe!!! One of the great facets of the Mystery of Iniquity is that those who lives of sin believe not only their going to continue in it but that they are going to go unpunished! These have chosen not to keep God in their knowledge or acknowledge God as Lord and Creator!!! In contrast to the Mystery of Godliness that will unite God and His creatures, Christ and the Church, the Bridegroom with the Bride, the Mystery of Iniquity, unbelieving mankind, unbelievers will be separated permanently from God, forever! This separation means, away from everything good that man now understands in his everyday life. Like the old Christian saying " For the Christian this life is the most hell he'll ever have to experience but for unbeliever this is the most heaven he'll ever experience " The greatest single aspect of The Mystery of Godliness regarding God's people is that they will be joined to Him never to be separated again!!! And the Mystery of Iniquity is that sinful and rebellious mankind will be forever separated from God. Many say that when the Last Gentile is saved or converted to the that the Church is raptured! Then the Great Tribulation begins and all hell breaks loose; but that can't happen until the Church is raptured! Romans 11.25 is quoted as proof of this along with 2.6,7! And that God's dealings with Israel will only begin after the Church is raptured! Romans 11.25 says "For I do not desire, brethren that you should be ignorant of this Mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion [K.J.V. says -conceits] that hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in!" Yet if you turn to Luke 21.24 the time of the Gentiles is still going on during the Great Tribulation and will wrapped-up at Christ's Glorious Second Coming!!! In Ephesians 1.7,8,9,10 -verse 10"...make known to us the Mystery, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ , both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him." N.K.J.V. Dear fellow Christians: Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Theologians and Laypeople, in the dispensation of the fullness of times, Christ will gather all those together both in Heaven and on Earth, God will gather the fullness of His People, this happens when the Mystery of God is Finished! Nowhere else is The Mystery exemplified [or personified or illustrated] better than in Christian Marriage!!! The Husband leaves His Father and Mother and is joined to His Bride! And the ones who understand this Mystery the clearest are Christian married couples that love the Lord having been filled with the Holy Spirit and are in love and committed to the Lord and each other! Signal Christians also can greatly understand The Mystery in that they are espoused or married to Christ! But I myself being married shall speak a little bias, and please pardon my bias here, "that Christian earthly marriage is the closest relationship to Christ and the Church on earth during the Millennium." A time of Heaven on Earth. The Marriage [The joining together, nuptial- union] is the joining point, the New Beginning in time that starts the rest of their joyful lives, eternity!

The Mount of Olives

Now let us look at the importance the Scriptures places on the Mt. of Olives. Here, out of Cruden's Concordance, there are eleven references to the Mt. of Olives in the New Testament. The first direct references is Matthew 21. And He drew near to Jerusalem unto Bethanage unto the Mt. of Olives and sent Jesus two disciples. And He tells them to get the donkey and the colt . And He goes on to make a praised entry into the city of Jerusalem and then goes inn and overturns the tables in the temple. Luke: And He becomes nigh even now into the descent of the Mt. of Olives the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen and then they go on to praise the Lord in his procession into the Holy city of Jerusalem.
Here in Matt. and Mark the Olivet discourse Matt. 24:3 and Matt.13:3 talk about that He sat down upon the Mt. of Olives and gave His discourse which is known as the Olivet discourse and the parallel to that is Luke 21:31: And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple and at night He went out and abode in the mount that is called the Mt. of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple to hear Him.
Plenty of other verses say that He spent to the whole night on the Mt. of Olives, He spent many nights [collectively] on the Mt. of Olives. John 8:1:" "Jesus went unto the Mt.of Olives and early in the morning, He came again into the temple and all the people came to Him and He sat down and talked to them. Here again Jesus spent the whole night in prayer and then was early in the morning in the temple teaching people. Here in Matt. 26 after the last supper that after they had their last supper verse 50: They had sung a hymn they went out into the Mt. of Olives." This doesn't pose a problem with the other verse that talks about when He went into Gethsemane because the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mt. of Olives. We found out that the Lord was spending much time in prayer in the Mt. of Olives and also that He was betrayed by Judas and the mob in or near the Mt. of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Now we turn to the Gospel of Luke 50 This is after saying His last parting words to He disciples [the Church]. And He led them out as far as Bethany and lifted up his hands and blessed them and it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them and was carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned unto Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. And we find in the gospel of Mark. "And when he had spoken these things--meaning the very same things that were spoken in the gospel of Luke while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold two men stood up before them in white apparel and they said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking up into heaven. This same Jesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven. And then they returned unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath-day's journey."

Here this verifies that He ascended from the Mount of Olives. Now we'll turn to a very decisive and eye-opening passage in the O.T. In the Book of Zechariah 14:1-4: "Behold the day of the Lord cometh and they spoil shall be divided in the midst of you, for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken and the houses rifled and the women ravaged and the half of the city shall go forth into captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord shall go forth against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle and His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives before Jerusalem in the east and Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west and there shall be a very great valley. Half the ground shall be moved toward the north and half of it to the south."
As Abraham went up to the mount to offer up his son and Moses went up the mount to seek Father God's face, so Jesus often ascended to the holy Mount of Olives to commune with God the Father. The significance of the Mount of Olives is very great in the N.T. As we see from the Holy Scriptures. Our Lord often advancing there for all night long prayer vigils with his Holy Father. It is also where He interceded for us as believers while on the earth, where He wept for the Hebrews that constantly rejected Him and His message of the kingdom, where He often taught His disciples and the multitudes, and no doubt, did many miracles told and untold (John ). Out of all the important capitals and cities of the world, Jesus has chosen Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to return to in the glory of His Father with all His holy angels.
The disembodied saints to be joined to their newly resurrected bodies also with the living end-time saints to changed at the last trumpet to rule and reign with Jesus as King of king and Lord of lords. This glorious return of our Lord will happen at the end of the Great Tribulation when He will gather his people into one body, one visible group, dead and living in Christ. And to finalize the fate of those who have already made their decision against God. Jesus will set at liberty God's creation, presenting the newly-delivered Child {the Church} to Mother Earth and the for joy that she has brought forth a Child shall no more remember the anguish of the delivery {the Great Tribulation}. and He will set up His earthly kingdom with earth's newly recognized capital, Jerusalem, the city of the Great King.
With regard to the manner of Christ's return, the holy angels bear witness that " . . . this Jesus that you have behold go up into heaven will come in like manner as you have seen Him ascend." Acts 1:11 This like manner is with angels attending, the Lord being visible to the public with the church {believers}--disciples--on the earth and seeing Him. And with Jesus in a resurrected and glorified body "And we shall see Him as He is." Christ in the Mount of Olives and riding victoriously into Jerusalem on the back of the donkey and cleansing the Temple, greatly parallels that of Christ Coming in Glory from Heaven to the Mount of Olives, riding His white horse, being accompanied by believers, and entering Jerusalem, through the very same gate, and cleansing the Temple, that is yet to be desecrated by the Abomination of Desolation.

The Right Hand of God

The first verses I'd like to quote here are from Psalms 110:1,2: "The Lord said unto my lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thing enemies thine footstool." Verse two: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule in the midst of thine enemies." Here David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has written down for our benefit what the Father has said to the Son. The Lord Jesus will not leave His Holy Abode -- Heaven until the Father prepares His enemies to be His footstool. Christ does the conquering, the Father does the preparing of the enemies to be His Christ's footstool. The Hebrew word used in the O.T. passages occurs in the Book of Psalms, Isaiah and Jereimiah is SHIYTH, Strong's #7896 and means: to place, apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay [up], let alone, look, make, mark, put (on), +regard, set, shew, be stayed, take.
The Greek word used in the N.T. is TITHEMI, Strong's #5087 and means: to place, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.
In the Synoptic Gospels, which is Matthew, Mark, and Luke--in Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:42 the Lord Jesus is using this Scripture to prod, encourage, and to challenge the Pharisees to think. And the Lord shows forth His deity and refutes them, all at the same time.
In the end of the Gospel of Mark 16.19 in the Great Commission, Jesus here, is the Risen and Victorious Savior and He is with all power given unto Him from the Father in heaven and on earth. After Jesus gave the Great Commission, our Lord ascended back to Heaven to be seated at the Father's right hand! So in Ephesians 1:15-23: "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, will give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this Age but in that [Age] which is to come and He put all things under His feet and made Him to be the head over all things to the Church which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fill all in all." The word [Age] is inserted only for emphisize the teaching of the two Ages. For a more informative study on the "ages" turn to the message entitled: "Age Before Beauty". Acts 2:32-35:"God has raised this Jesus to life. We are all witnesses of the fact. He is exalted to the right hand of God, received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear, for David did not ascend into heaven but he said, Lord said unto my Lord, "Sit thou at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." And again in the Book of Acts 5:30,31: "The God of our Fathers raised Jesus from the dead whom you have killed by hanging Him on a tree, has exalted Him to His own right hand where He is Prince and Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. And Phil 2:9: "Therefore God has exalted in to the highest place and gave the name that is above every name." To the highest place is to the Father's right hand. Hebrews 1:3 "Who [Jesus] being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." And again in Hebrews 12:2" Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 10:10,13: "But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool." How emphitic can words be or have to be to get this clear message across? In laymans terms: Jesus isn't going to leave heaven until He has waited the full period of time for the God the Father to prepare Jesus' enemies as His footstool! This verse in Hebrews and the other verse that are quoted in the Gospels from the book of Psalms confirming the same thing. That Jesus has fulfilled His earthly ministry concerning His atonement for mankind, that He has ascended back to heaven and that He waits for the time of His enemies to be made or prepared as His footstool. In Hebrews 8:1: "The point we are saying is this; we do have such a highpriest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of majesty (UP IN HEAVEN). Heb.12.2 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 1 Peter 3:22 "[Jesus] who has (GONE INTO HEAVEN) and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." God doesn't repeat Himself just to hear Himself speak. God repeats Himself to be heeded, listened to. Here are some more verses that pinpoint where [besides in the heart of every true believer] the risen glorified Savior, Jesus is and from where He will be coming from! Ephesians 6:9b "...knowing that your own Master also is (IN HEAVEN), and there is no partiality with Him." And it's parallel passage in Colossians 4:1"Masters give your servants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master (IN HEAVEN)." And Philippians 3:20,21 "For our citizenship is (IN HEAVEN, FROM WHICH) we also eagerly wait for the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." I can not over state that Jesus is NOW in a Glorified, Resurrected, body. And when Jesus comes from heaven; in the state of being that He is now [at this moment] glorified, then and only then will He transform our lowly bodies to be like His.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 "And to wait for His Son FROM HEAVEN, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delievers us from the wrath to come."
2 Thess. 1:7 "And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed FROM HEAVEN with His mighty angels." The rest that is going to be given to Christians from those who trouble Christians, is when Jesus Christ is revealed in glory with His mighty angels (from heaven). And Hebrews 9:24 and 28 "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, BUT INTO HEAVEN ITSELF, NOW to appear in the presence of God for us...so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him [from heaven] He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." Colossians 3:1-4: "Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above and not on earthly things since you died and your life is now hidden in Christ and God. And when Christ, Who is our life, appears then you also will appear with Him in glory." These verses in Colossians 3:1-4 are also devastating to the lie of a pretribulational rapture. If anyone knows anything of grammar, it's pretty obvious that "When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory", it's obvious that when Christ appears, He appears in glory. Because of the wording of this verse, "then you also will appear with Him in glory. At the time when Christ appears [ is revealed/is made manifest/visible/is made public to the world ] then and not a moment before will the last days surviving Christians be raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation!
God doesn't mince words. All Scripture is given for inspiration, for reproof, for correction, for instruction that the man of God be fully equipped, thoroughly furnished unto righteousness, ready for every good work, that he might put an end to the gainsayers, to hold forth good doctrine. All Scripture, not just a few verses taken out of context by some people who want to believe something so much, that they'll believe anything that sounds good to them. This is a terrible fruit of laziness, in not doing their vitally needed Bible homework. Too many people are believing, too many churchgoers or Christians are believing what their pastors are telling them and haven't been like the Bereans that were diligent and studied of the Scriptures which were given for our instruction and reproof, etc. It's sad, but the fruit of it will be shown in the end. If you have in the past held to this teaching, that Christ will secretly leave Heaven as a thief and descend half-way down to receive the Church, then write this verse in BOLD LETTERS across that pre-trib teaching. Acts 3:21: "BUT HE MUST REMAIN IN HEAVEN UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING AS HE PROMISED LONG AGO THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS." Here these are confirming the verses that were quoted here that Jesus must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything that He has promised that long ago by the holy prophets. He will establish the Millennium, the earthly kingdom and give us resurrected bodies and many of the prophecies in the O.T. and N.T. from the holy prophets and the apostles will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
Incredible prophecies, but what I am declaring here is simply what the Scriptures say that He, meaning Jesus, must remain in heaven until that time comes. That is what I'd like to emphasize here...." Until the time comes for God to restore everything as He promised..." As Jesus doesn't come in glory until His enemies been prepared so in like manner [ or in the same way/or by the same token] God doesn't restore creation until Jesus comes to put His enemies under His feet. God is going to restore all things through Jesus Christ! This Restoration is of all believing mankind and all of fallen creation! And like I just mentioned this will be fulfilled when Christ comes in power and glory to establish His reign upon the earth, the Millennium! Notice I John 3:1-3: "Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is and everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure." These verses are rich and full and teach us much, they show the love of the Father, that we're now the children of God, that the world does not know us but even as it did not know Him. But one thing I would like to say in verse two is that "we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him." This is what I'd like to emphasize here. But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. Many places in the Scripture mention Jesus Christ and all are agreed that this is, when it talks of the revelation of Jesus Christ coming in glory, here the word is revealed. And we shall be like Him, that we shall be changed when He is revealed, we shall be like Him and everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure. Dear friend, How is Jesus right now? In what state or condition is Jesus Christ in now? Friend, Jesus is now risen and gloried with power given to Him from the Father! And when Christ returns He returns as He now is, in glory! Again in Psalm 110:1,2 This is a direct command from God the Father to God the Son, "The Lord said unto my lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make [or prepare] thine enemies thine footstool." The pre-tribbers would have us believe, and they teach us that the Lord is to descend half-way or most of the way down from heaven and raptures the Church.
I Thess.4:13-18 is one of their major verses as proof texts. This would in the pre-trib rapture lie, [call it what it is] have Jesus leaving heaven before, even seven years before God the Father has prepared His enemies as His footstool. This is contrary to the very nature of Jesus. The Gospel of John 8:29 proves that Jesus always does the things that please the Father, yet the pre-tribbers in their pre-tribulational lie have Jesus leaving the throne and descending half-way or the majority of the way down from heaven into the earth's atmosphere and taking the Church out of the earth before the seven-year tribulation begins. This is contrary to Scripture, contrary to sound doctrine, and the nature of Jesus. They have Jesus in the pre-trib lie leaving heaven before the Father has prepared His enemies as His footstool. FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL NOT DESEND FROM HEAVEN until the Father has prepared His enemies as His footstool! Some might argue that Christ left heaven to show Himself to Paul. Again let's turn to God's Word to test any such reasoning. Paul on two of occasions refers to his encounter with the Lord on the Damascus road as a "vision". Acts 9.1-9 is the account of Saul on the Damascus road. Notice verse three "And as he [Saul] journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven." And verse seven "And the men who journeyed with him [Saul] stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one."
This is the description of a vision even if someone audioibly spoke to Saul and the others heard also. The other set of scriptures that call or discribe what happened to Saul [later Paul] is also found in the book of Acts 26.12-19. In verse ninteen we read "Therefore King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the "heavenly vision". Paul is discribing a vision in verse thirteen we read "at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me". If the Lord had left heaven making an exception to the other scriptures that say Jesus will remain in heaven than this wouldn't be a vision to Paul and his fellow travellers, but an actual coming of the Lord to the earth. The entire inhabited world at that time would have seen this same bright light. Some might argue in Acts 7.54-60 that Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of Majesty and somehow argue that Jesus could, did or will leave heaven in a pre-rapture sense. Yet God Himself has said "Thus says the Lord: HEAVEN is My throne..." Isaiah 66.1a. David said in Psalms 11.4 "The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is IN HEAVEN." And Jesus said in the New Testament Matthew 5.33,34 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not sware falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you do not swear at all: netither by HEAVEN for it is God's throne." Heaven is Jesus' Abode, it is His home. And wether He stands ,sits runs or walks it is His Home and as the Scriptures say He will not leave there UNTIL His enemies are prepared as His footstool and the time is ripe for the restoration of all things. Again Hebrews 9.28 "So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." With Hebrews 10.11-13 "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, SINCE THAT TIME waiting till His enemies are made His footstool." Hebrews 10.12,13 of the N.A.S.V says "but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, WAITING FROM THAT TIME ONWARD UNTIL His enemies be made a footstool for His feet." This version really drives the point home. Here there is no room for a secret second coming, the second coming is when Christ comes to subdue His enemies and bring ulitmate salvation to those who eagerly wait for Him from heaven! From heaven to earth, no u-turn back to heaven, just one onward victory flight to put His enemies to flight and rescue His faithful ones.