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Our TRUE Hope, the EARTH! |
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Only One Gospel-Peter and Paul |
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Our TRUE Hope, the EARTH!
If our hope is in a destination (which it is) and we LEAVE one destination only to go to ANOTHER destination, how many hopes to we have? That would make not one, but two distinct hopes. There is no honest way around it. I rebelled against that position for the obvious reason. I tried to say that we are LIVING in the dispensation of the fulness of times. To me, it was way too inconsistent to teach that we would ever be in the New Heaven and Earth. If my hope was up in the super-heavens and now it is brought down to the earth (or appears in the earth, which ever) then that is two hopes.
Some have seen the logic in this and have tried to say that Christ will manifest his physical presence in the heavenly places and on the earth at the same time. All I can say is, “good luck on finding the verses to back that one”. Rev. 21-22 makes it plain that Christ will be manifest ON THE EARTH in the ages to come.
But, let us just pretend for a moment that Ephesians was NOT the first book Paul wrote after Acts 28:28. If that were the case, then it should still not change anything, right? I mean, “if the Welch position were true”? I would argue that the reason people like myself have left the Welch position is because, BY NECESSITY, if it could be shown that any books were written before Ephesians (except for maybe Col.) then that position would be diminished.
Hebrews 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Now, Paul left the Acts believers KNOWING that they had a HEAVENLY CALLING, correct?
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Correct.
And that Christ, when manifested in the flesh is OF THE SEED OF DAVID…
Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Therefore, like the Hebrews, we know where this kingdom would be, in this world’s heaven, the sky. This is where Zion will be.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
I would like to begin our study in the “Ministerial Epistles” (1 Tim, Titus, Philippians, and 2 Tim.). God was instructing, through these books, as to what the bishops and deacons were to do for the ministry. They HAD to know RIGHT OFF THE BAT what CHANGES were brought in through the dispensational frontier. So, by logic, it is simple to conclude that the STRONGEST case in favor of the Welch position SHOULD be found in the instructions given to the very LEADERS of the dispensational frontier! To not do so would be ministerial and hermeneutical suicide!
With that knowledge let us begin…
The first problem that you run into is that you must teach that God has TWO separate kingdoms in order to keep the Welch position in place. But notice what the book of Acts describes as the kingdom of God.
Acts 28:19-20 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
To us Acts 28ers, nothing could be more obvious than this. So WHY do we feel that we must allegorize the rest of the text? It states:
Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
The standard, and I will say “FORCED” answer to this is that THIS kingdom COULD NOT be made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets. Why? Because if we ever admitted the obvious it would mean only ONE THING, that we are going to a kingdom that is in this world. Why is that so bad? How many of us have not WISHED to see the glorious stories of Revelation come to life before our very eyes? How many of us have not wondered why God would desire for us to study the whole bible and yet NEVER GIVE US THE CHANCE TO SEE IT COME TO PASS? How many of us have asked WHY GOD would even bother with two kingdoms in the first place? The word “kingdom” simply conveys the idea of a government. There will be, in the future, a home base of operations, “Zion”. Never the less, the kingdom of God is JUST a government that God rules…that is why it is said to GROW. If it were land, it would NOT be growing!
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
This position ANSWERS those questions. I am afraid, however, that the answer provides the necessity of what some fear most-CHANGE.
This text alone is not conclusive for any position:
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I would point out, that just like times past, God has always been the invisible, eternal King ruling in this world. What Bible believer would deny that?
1 Timothy 6:14-16 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
If you noticed in the above text, Christ will SHOW HIMSELF to be a King of kings. Where do kings DWELL according to the body of truth delivered to Timothy? In the verse below, the answer is “this earth”.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
In fact, the mystery written in 1 Tim. can even be traced back to Christ’s EARTHLY ministry. This would be where the kings are. It is called the “mystery of godliness”:
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Some may argue that being received up into glory means that Christ went to the mystical, SUPER-HEAVENS. Where in 1 Tim. do you read about that? It is not there. I would argue that it is “the sky”. One thing is for sure, there is no evidence in this epistle that points to a separate kingdom beyond this universe that is inhabited by other beings PLUS GOD. It says that Christ is dwelling in the light which NO MAN can approach unto or CAN SEE. Even in my resurrected body, I am still a man. I might be a glorified man, but I am STILL a man.
Another point is that this GLORY is not something peculiar with Paul. It fits nicely into prophecy. Notice this passage:
Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
So much for the super-heavenlies in THAT text. This is a reference to “the sky”. Arguably, I would say that Christ entering into his glory and being received up into glory is simply stating that Christ, like the Father, is the “invisible God” that rules from the sky.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
What are we looking for in this PRESENT WORLD? Our blessed hope! The glorious appearing of our Savior! Where else are they going according to the doctrine delivered to Titus?
Now we move on to Philippians:
Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Okay, and where is this place?
Isaiah 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isaiah 45:17-18 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
There can be no doubt that Isaiah is speaking of a kingdom in this world. With that being said, knowing that heaven can mean “sky” look at:
Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Since we have already seen that Christ sits as a King in this world INVISIBLY and that he will one day APPEAR, then where do Phil. 2 and Isa. 45 point us to? Why would Paul confuse the issue by pointing to a kingdom that we NEVER COULD GO TO? Why even quote it? And, again, where are the SUPER HEAVENS to be found in this text?
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Their high calling involved a “heaven”. Again, “where”? So far, we have seen verses allude to heaven being “the sky”, but where are the SUPER HEAVENLIES that we have been taught; the one that is beyond the galaxies, etc.? Where has Paul mentioned it thus far?
Here we reach the end of the ministerial epistles with 2 Tim.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Now, do not misunderstand me, I don’t think that this looks to Rev. 20 at all...but it begs the question “where is his appearing and kingdom?” We do know that it was a HEAVENLY KINGDOM, but where is that?
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
If you were to ask me it sounds a WHOLE LOT like:
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
If the command was followed to “divide the word” it stands to reason that the saints of the dispensational frontier (Acts 28:28 and following) would FIRST have looked back to Hebrews and compared it with 2 Tim. If this were done, what do you think that they would have seen? I propose that the evidence is OVERWHELMING that the “Ministerial Epistles” point conclusively to ONE kingdom, and that being the same as what was already written. If my proposition is correct, then that means that Paul’s preaching that Jesus Christ was OF THE SEED of David never changed. It would mean that the kingdom that we were going to is Davidic in character. This is precisely what Paul states:
2 Timothy 2:8-9 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
He says “Timothy, don’t forget...I am in bonds up to now for preaching that Jesus Christ was still the seed of David after he was RAISED from the dead”. Paul’s gospel never changed in this point. Therefore, he tells Timothy to “remember it”.
With that being said, let us move on to the “Church Epistles”. Do you suppose that they will NOW teach an entirely different kingdom? Philemon gives no mention of a kingdom whatsoever. Let us look at Colossians:
Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Yep, a hope in heaven! Where? Could it be…Zion? Well, it certainly would fit considering what we have seen thus far… Certainly one day God’s kingdom where his will we be done on heaven and earth will come. Perhaps it would help to present a passage that looks a LITTLE LIKE this one:
Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Is this coming from a throne room, 2 billion light years away? No. Here is the heaven being mentioned:
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Obviously, one is talking about a HOPE that is laid up versus treasures that are laid up, but so what? We KNOW where they were going to get this, heavenly Jerusalem. They looked for the city whose builder and maker was God. Therefore they were told about their heavenly Father because…he was IN THAT HEAVEN. Thank God that I am eternally secure. I am translated (identified with) the kingdom of his dear Son. Just like Saul had his kingdom translated to David, God has translated me to his kingdom. My hope is heavenly in CHARACTER, but it is realized on earth-in similar fashion to Matt.6. Folks, it is like having money in the bank-my RICHES may be laid up in a bank, but I ENJOY THEM in this earth. I would propose, therefore, that our riches will be enjoyed in the ages to come, in this earth.
Enough said on Col.1:5, let us move onward…
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Things in heaven, in context, would be things invisible-the angelic beings. We also see that this gospel was preached to every creature UNDER HEAVEN. One does not have to study the word too much to find out that they deal with things IN THIS WORLD. We do not have eyes to see what all goes on in the spiritual realm, therefore I can not see Satan, nor Michael the Archangel. But that does not mean that they are not there. God has ordained that the invisible angelic beings control the heavens for him, but he uses us in the earth.
Colossians 3:1-5 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Now, at this point, people imagine a special place where there is a throne room. Christ, in this belief, literally sits next to the Father. When the exhortation is given to seek things that are above, we are instructed by some dispensationalists to think about a heaven that lies literally above all other heavens, the Super-Heavens.
First, let us look at the phrase “sitteth on the right hand of God”. Paul uses what is commonly referred to as an “anthropomorphism”. It is defined as “the ascription of human characteristics to things not human.” Other examples would be:
Isaiah 10:4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
God is not literally stretching his hand out to people hoping that they will take it. That is silly. What that text means is that God FIGURATIVELY does have the desire to aid men, and that this is how he has chosen to express it. He puts a spiritual truth in words that we can best understand. Because God is a Spirit, it is impossible for him to need to sit while not in human form. What is there to sit ON? Not only that, but the above anthropomorphism is not unique to Paul’s epistles.
Job 30:12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psalms 109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
Again, from Ps. 109 it is very easy to see the anthropomorphism used. The right hand is the place of authority.
Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Well, there are certainly no SUPER HEAVENLIES in Mark 16.
Hebrews 1:3-4 Who 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Just for the record, Heb. 1 tells us that Christ sits in the heaven FAR ABOVE the angels, positionally speaking. Moreover, as a HIGH Priest, Christ is there for a heavenly calling, as we has discussed earlier.
Never the less, when the Bible says that I am “RISEN with Christ”, but what is that? From what we have seen, the teaching is clear…I am raised up SPIRITUALLY with Christ (New Man) and now I await for him to appear so that I might appear in glory. From what we have seen from previous verses, this points to the INVISIBLE God dwelling in the sky (heaven) where he sits as the King. My carnal self may be upon the earth figuratively, but I am to kill (MORTIFY) them (also figurative).
Colossians 3:1-5 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Colossians 3:9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col. has more to say:
Colossians 3:24-25 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Colossians 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Colossians 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
Okay, we have a Master in heaven with a reward and a hope that come from there. But again, where IS that?
If we use the law of first mention, when the phrase “heaven and earth” (and such like) appears in the bible, we can see what Paul the Hebrew had in mind. To a Jew, this phrase meant only one thing. Paul was a Jew, he thought as a Jew, so when he wrote, he would have WRITTEN as a Jew. We American put our preconceived ideas into the bible so much, it is no wonder Christianity is messed up today.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
God summarizes his creation work here…the details of how God formed what He formed are given later…
Genesis 1:6-10 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
There is how GOD viewed the heavens (morning and night), it is the sky.
Genesis 2:1-2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Genesis 1:14-19 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Here comes the grand finale’, Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Ephesians 1:20-23 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own 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 world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
First of all, the term places SHOULD clue us in on the fact that it is more in line with AUTHORITY than anything else. Put it this way, HOW can men say that we are going to a geographic place that is FAR ABOVE all principalities and powers only to turn right back around and say that we will be governing them. It can’t be both. If it is a LOCATION, then the verse can not immediately mean “government” at the same time. But, if we understand from the context that we are above them in authority, then everything flows smoothly.
Also, notice that there are principalities and powers also in heavenly places! Well, then we must say that they are in the same geographic place too, if we are going to be consistent. And if they are UP THERE, then how is it even LOGICAL that they could know about us millions of light years away (without adding to the text)?
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
We have gone over this phrase before:
Ephesians 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Okay, so how is it that Christ ascended far above all heavens? Welch made up a term to fit his doctrine. He called this place “the Super Heavens”, Actually it was supra-heavens, but no matter…same difference. Anyhow, I am of the earth in this family.
Ephesians 4:9-10 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Where did he ascend? Geographically far above all heavens? No. It is positional. Christ is our head POSITIONALLY. People teach that the first heaven you see by day, the second heaven you see by night and the heavenly places you see by faith. “It is too far to see”, they say. Then I guess the New Man must have a long neck! We seem to be really “stretching ourselves” here (tongue in cheek).
Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
More of the same things…
Brethren, in conclusion let me just say that I am thankful that I will be where the action IS. I will see the heavenly City, I will fellowship with David, perhaps even share a story or two with Abraham. Why, because God has robbed me of my SUPER-HEAVENS? No, because he will finally let me meet all those great men of the Bible that we have all longed to meet. Because I will see, in the dispensation of the fullness of times, what we have all longed to see. Victory!
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Let me say one final word...
Folks, we are not GOING TO GO to the heavenly places. We don't have it as a hope. We are already there in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Right now, I AM IN the kingdom of God...God governs me and I am to submit myself unto my King.
Colossians 1:12-13 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Yes, I hope to be raised PHYSICALLY to see the future aspect of the kingdom of God that will be manifest VISIBLY...but when Paul says that I am seated in heavenly places, I can't HOPE for something that I already have!
Grace and Peace,
Mike Holt
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