How Will Believers Be Present With The Lord?

The Church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan. The church is a mystery, unrevealed in the Old Testament. This present mystery age intervenes within the program of God for Israel because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah at His first advent. This mystery program must be completed before God can resume His program with Israel and bring it to completion. These considerations all arise from the literal method of interpretation. Other rapture views deny or weaken the dispensational distinction by placing the Church in the Tribulation which is otherwise noted as “the time of Jacob’s trouble [the Tribulation].”
I Thessalonians Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians has much to say about the issue at hand. The most popular passage, of course, is found in I Thessalonians 4:13-18. The event described here includes a return of Christ in the air (not to the earth as the Second Coming is described in Zechariah 14:1-5 and Revelation 19:11-21), a resurrection of the dead in Christ, a rapture of living believers, and a reunion with those who have died in Christ. Paul penned these verses in order to clarify a misunderstanding that the Thessalonians embraced concerning the relationship between the resurrection and the saints who were asleep in Christ to the rapture. The question is this: Does the death of a believer before the Lord comes cause him to lose all hope of sharing in the glorious reign of Christ? Paul’s answer is a reassuring affirmation that the living at the time of the rapture have no advantage over those believers who have died. Those who sleep will be raised to reign with those who remain. Both groups will share in the kingdom. If Paul and the Thessalonians were speaking of a rapture at the end of the Tribulation, it seems illogical that they would sorrow over believers who were fortunate enough to die and miss the horrible judgments that await these last years.

Paul anticipated, “to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.”? 2Cor 5:8. Does this say that to be absent from the body is to be immediately with the Lord? No. The time between death and the out-resurrection will seem, to those who die, to pass in an instant. For this reason Paul could covet death knowing that from his perspective the next thing He would know is being with Christ. In the context Paul speaks of three states: 1. Clothed in the body 2. Unclothed 3. Clothed with our Heavenly body. Paul did not want to be “unclothed” (dead) but clothed in the Heavenly body. When will we be clothed in our immortal body? Paul taught “that this mortal will “PUT ON (be clothed with) immortality” when the dead rise at the Second Coming (1Cor 51-55). How do the dead in Christ get to be present with the Lord? By the out-resurrection (1Thess 16-17). Indeed, the Apostle Paul was anticipating the return of Christ in his lifetime, as do we now. Now:
The rapture, which is pre-trib, is not technically a resurrection, for all, in the group, born again believers, are not dead, as some remain alive, therefore the word of God refers to this as an out-resurrection, as only some are resurrected, of that group! no rapture/gathering together mentioned in O.T./ Gospels/ Revelation, sure:
THE GENEVA BIBLE AND SIX PRIOR BIBLES BEFORE KING JAMES USED THE WORD " A DEPARTING" OR "DEPARTURE" INSTEAD OF A "FALLING AWAY" IN 2 THESSALONIANS 2:3.
Greek - "he apostasia" means THE Departure - from the circumference of a circle, directed outward, away from the circle.
NOTE "A DEPARTING"COMES FIRST, "AND THAT THAT MAN OF SIN WILL BE DISCLOSED". DON'T FORGET IT ALSO SAYS “NOW YOU KNOW WHAT WITH HOLDITH" AND "HE WHO LETS SHALL LET TILL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY." WHAT OR WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY? IT MAKES ALSO MAKES NO SENSE THAT PAUL WOULD TELL A VERY NEW AND SMALL CHURCH IN THESSALONIA, THAT A SIGN OF BEGINNING OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION WOULD BE A FALLING AWAY FROM THE CHURCH WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MANY CHRISTIANS THERE TO FALL AWAY. ALSO HE WAS REFERRING TO SOMETHING HE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT BEFORE. WHAT HAD HE PREVIOUSLY TOLD THEM? 1Th 4:16 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: 1Th 4:17 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. 1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE HE TOLD THEM ABOUT “A DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE” THEN A FALLING AWAY. AS A MATTER OF FACT PAUL DID NOT DESCRIBE “A GREAT FALLING AWAY” AT ALL AND ACTUALLY SAID IN 1TIMOTHY 4:1 THAT ONLY “SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH” 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; SO ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVED EVEN THEN, THE TIMES WERE EVIL, HE DID NOT EXPECT A GREAT FALLING AWAY OF BELIEVERS BUT THAT THE EVIL WOULD GET WORSE. 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. AND TO THE CORINTHIANS PAUL SAID THIS: 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
OTHER TRANSLATIONS THAT USED DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE. The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either " departure" or " departing." They are: the Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608).
Bible study to bless the saints of the "Body of Christ".
Be sure to look at all of the verses in this study.
The Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation. To begin with, Israel and the Body of Christ are not the same. Neither are God’s plans for them. God’s plan for Israel concerns Christ returning to earth in a spectacular event called the Revelation – to inaugurate His Kingdom in Jerusalem (Matt. 24-25; Rev. 19-20. This plan was “spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21; see Luke 1:70). God’s plan for the Body of Christ is completely different. It concerns our heavenly inheritance, not an earthly kingdom. Jesus revealed this program to Paul only as a mystery “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25; see Eph. 3:3-9). In that it began as a mystery, it will likewise disappear in a mystery called the Rapture; an any moment event whereby Jesus returns for us in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17), snatches us from earth, and takes us back to Heaven with Him as He promised (John 14:2-3) – when “the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25). Then comes “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; see Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15) – aka tribulation. The tribulation - as it is most commonly known (Moses: Deut. 4:30; Jesus: Matt. 24:21, 29; John: Rev. 7:14) - is part of God’s earthly program for Israel. It is also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:26-27), and “the hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:10. It has no bearing on the mystery Body of Christ, which will be gone before it begins. From the beginning it was prophesied to Israel (Deut. 4:30), and thus is primarily for Israel (Jer. 30-31; Dan. 12:1, Zeph. 1:15; Matt. 24:21, 29). Its purpose is to punish sin and sinners (Jer. 30-31; Zeph. 1; Joel; Rev. 6-19), and prepare earth and Israel for the Revelation of the Messiah and the Jewish (Millennial) Kingdom promised to David in perpetuity through Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8-16), and sealed with an oath (Psa. 89:3-4, 20-37; see Luke 1:31-33). While the prophets revealed the tribulation as a horrific but integral component in the Day of the Lord (Isa. 2:12, etc ), it was Daniel’s prophecy where its duration was revealed as the final week of seven years in his seventy week prophecy for Israel (Dan. 9:24-27; see Rev. 11:2-3; 12:14). To wit, while we can easily find Israel and the anti-Semitic Gentile nations on earth during “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), the heavenly Body of Christ - which has been promised deliverance from this divine punishment (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; 2 Thess. 2:5-7;) - is conspicuously absent (Rev. 2-19). There isn’t a prophecy or a single verse anywhere in the Bible conclusively identifying the Body of Christ on earth during Israel’s tribulation without pulling from context and redefining the words “saints” and “elect” - which in Daniel, the Olivet Discourse, and Revelation specifically refer to Israel. In lieu of these factors and others we are convinced that the Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation!
 We know that death still has a sting, that the corruptible has not yet put on incorruption and that the mortal has not yet put on immortality.  But we also know that our enemy death will be destroyed and that the dead in Christ shall rise and we who are alive shall be changed and that we will meet  our lord in the air and forever be with him.  What a glorious day that will be!

Death; Life; Resurrection & Rapture(our gathering together unto him).

The Dead Will Get Up at the Rapture or 
One of the Resurrections

When a person dies, he goes to Sheol (the grave; the state of death) and returns to dust. Therefore, the Bible rightly directs our attention to the Rapture or resurrection, which is when people will be raised to life.

Job 19:25–27 (ESV)
(25) For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
(26) And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
(27) whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

Job was excited about seeing God when he was in his new body, which would happen at the resurrection. He never spoke of being with God when he died.

Ezekiel 37:12–14 (ESV)
(12) Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.
(13) And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.
(14) And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Speaking of those Old Testament Jews who believed, these verses are loaded with truth. Chief among that truth is that the people would know the Lord was God when He opened their graves and raised them up. If people’s “immortal souls” went to heaven when they died, that would be the time they knew the Lord was God, not much later when their bodies were raised.

Matthew 22:23–32 (ESV)
(23) The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,
(24) saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’
(25) Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother.
(26) So too the second and third, down to the seventh.
(27) After them all, the woman died.
(28) In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
(29) But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
(30) For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
(31) And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God:
(32) ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

This powerful section of Scripture is also recorded in Mark 12:18–27 and Luke 20:27–38. The Sadducees did not believe in any form of life after death. They rightly understood Jesus’ message that the dead would get up “in the resurrection” so they asked whose wife the woman would be at that time. If Jesus believed that after a person died his soul lived on, this was the perfect place to say that one’s soul or spirit did not marry in heaven. Instead, because he knew dead people are dead until the resurrection, he said “in the resurrection” people will not marry.

Luke 14:14 (ESV)
and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

If people went right to heaven or “hell” when they died, they would be repaid for their actions immediately after death. We are repaid after we rise from the dead, which is what Jesus taught.

John 11:21-26 (ESV)
(21) Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
(22) But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
(23) Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
(24) Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
(25) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
(26) and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Even if Martha believed her brother was alive in a good place but still wanted him to be with her, she would have said she wanted him back from heaven. Instead, she clearly indicated she believed her brother was dead and would only live again “in the resurrection.”
The Bible has many accounts of people being raised from the dead. At no time did Elisha, Jesus, Peter, or Paul pray to God before raising the person to see if they would be willing to leave heaven and return to this fallen world where they would only have to die again someday. Furthermore, if the people who had died were in heaven, it certainly seems that they would have had something to say about what heaven was like when they returned. Even if they promised God they would not talk about heaven, it seems that someone would have asked them about it.

John 14:3 (ESV)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Jesus told his disciples they would be with him when he came again not when they died.

Acts 4:1 and 2 (ESV)
(1) And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
(2) greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

The Apostles were not teaching that people went to be with Jesus when they died. If they had been, that is what the religious leaders would have been upset about. Instead, the Apostles were teaching the resurrection from the dead. Other verses confirm that the Apostles taught the resurrection (Acts 17:18 and 32, 24:15).

1 Corinthians 15:42, 51b and 52 (ESV)
(42) So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
(51b) …We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
(52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

It is very important to note that every believer is “raised imperishable” at the same time: “the last trumpet.” We do not have an imperishable immortal soul that lives with Jesus after we die. We become “imperishable” only when we are raised from the dead.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 (ESV)
(13) But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
(14) For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
(15) For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
(16) For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
(17) Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

If Paul wanted Christians not to grieve and knew that when people died their soul or spirit went to be with God, he would have said so here in order to help comfort people. Instead, he tells us that all the dead in Christ will rise at the Rapture when the Lord comes and comforts us by letting us know that even when a person dies he will rise again.

Titus 2:13 (ESV)
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Our hope is the coming of the Lord because that is when the dead are raised and can be with Jesus.

Revelation 20:4 and 5 (ESV)
(4) Then I saw…the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus…. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(5) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

These verses separate the people who come to life in the first resurrection from those who do not. The souls of the righteous, meaning righteous people, come to life after the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11–21) and reign with Christ.

Revelation 20:11–13 (ESV)
(11) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. (12) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
(13) And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades [the grave] gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

These verses depict the Resurrection of the Unjust (Acts 24:15 – ESV), also called the Resurrection of Judgment (John 5:29 – ESV), and the Judgment that follows immediately afterward. At this future time, all the unjust people will get up and be judged. The souls of the wicked are not judged and thrown into Gehenna when the person dies.

Acts 2:29–32 and 34 (ESV)
(29) “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
(30) Being therefore a prophet…
(31) he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
(32) This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
(34) For David did not ascend into the heavens…

If David was in heaven, Peter should have said so. Instead, Peter said just the opposite, that David “…did not ascend into the heavens….” His point was not that Jesus was in heaven with a body and David was in heaven without one. His point was that David was dead and Jesus was not.

God's Dwelling Place Today

Where does God Dwell - LIVE!
PART 1
God Dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands

You won't find God in any religious organisations constructed by men because he does not frequent those places, he does not hang around in them, he does not attend them, he has nothing to do with them.


Acts 7:48,49
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?



Acts 17:24,25
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;


A temple is any religious structure built by the work of men's hands. In addition to churches and cathedrals, religious organisations are man-made structures built by the work of men's hands. Is a religion a work of men's hands? Certainly. Is a church, or group, or denomination a work of men's hands? Unquestionably. They have all been built by men. Does God dwell in temples made with hands? Certainly not, and that includes the Roman Catholic church as much as it does the Muslim religion, the Way International, the Hindu religion, the Salvation Army, or any other denomination, ministry or religion. They have all been built by men.

Jesus Christ's biggest challenges came from the organised churches of his day, and it was the religious leaders who had him murdered by the Romans. You cannot and will not defeat the devil by constructing more churches made with hands. You will not find God in any church, organised religion, centrally controlled group, denomination or ministry, because God dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

Where does God Dwell - LIVE!
PART 2

So where does God dwell today then? If it isn't in religions, groups, ministries, churches, temples or other works of men's hands, where is it? The woman at Jacob's well asked Jesus Christ this very question. Let's go and meet this woman.


John 4:5,6
Then cometh he [Jesus Christ] to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.


This is what you call living life. Jesus Christ had been travelling and he was tired, so he sat himself down for a rest. The disciples had gone into a nearby town to get some lunch, so he was on his own, enjoying the day. One interesting point here is that Jesus Christ was tired. Does God ever get tired? Nope, so Jesus Christ wasn't God then, was he? Then along came one of the women from the nearby town.


John 4:7-9
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, [Judean] askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews [Judeans] have no dealings with the Samaritans.


The woman was surprised. She was accustomed to Judeans ignoring her because they considered Samaritans half breeds. She had grown up with this Judean attitude, and yet here was this Judean man speaking to her.


John 4:10
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.


Jesus Christ obviously enjoyed talking to people, even if they were half breeds. He had no hang ups about people, no prejudices, no bigotry. He even spoke to Samaritans.


John 4:11-15
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.


The woman wanted this living water Jesus Christ was offering. Living water is mentioned in Jeremiah, and this is worth exploring.


Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.


The living waters in Jeremiah refer to God, who is the fountain of living waters, therefore the living waters Jesus Christ referred to was a reference to something spiritual. In Jeremiah's time, people had forsaken the fountain of living waters and hewed them out man-made cisterns. A cistern is something man makes to hold water. If our supply is God, a living fountain, there is no requirement for a cistern, as a fountain has an endless supply. Men hew out cisterns because they do not believe God will supply all their need. Consequently, they turn their backs on the fountain and hew out for themselves cisterns - they build churches, ministries, religions and organisations to contain their religion. They put their trust in the work of their own hands rather than in the living God.

Not only are cisterns limited in their supply, man-made spiritual cisterns are broken, they are not capable of holding any living water, any spiritual power. Religions, churches, denominations and organisational ministries are all cisterns, man-made cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no living water. Any flowing of living waters, any manifestations of holy spirit they once energised will eventually leak out until all that is left is dry religious ceremony. That is why God dwelleth not in temples made with hands. You will not find God in any religion, church, ministry, or religious organisation for they are all broken cisterns. If you want to find the unlimited supply of living waters, forget about cisterns, all of them, for they are broken and they leak.

Jesus Christ made another reference to living water in the gospel of John, where he was clearly referring to manifestations of holy spirit.


John 7:38,39
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

(But this spake he of the Spirit [spirit], which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)


This fits with what Jesus Christ was teaching the woman at the well. He offered her living water, which he knew he had come to make available, and it was a reference to the future gift of holy spirit which we now know came on the day of Pentecost. Jesus Christ then changed the subject.


John 4:16-19
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.


Now that Jesus Christ had her attention, she asked him the one question that was burning in her heart.


John 4:20
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.


The woman wanted to know where she could worship God. She wanted a personal relationship with him. The Judeans taught her that you found God in their temple at Jerusalem. Her people taught her that she had to go up to the pagan temples on the tops of the mountains. Doesn't this sound just like religion today? Join this group, join that group, join this religion, join that religion, join this ministry, join that ministry, right? It's all bullshit. You don't have to join any ministry or church to find God. You can find him anywhere, yet miss him everywhere. He's right where you are now, and you will discover and learn of him in the pages of the bible. You don't have to go to any church or group or ministry or religion to find God, just learn to read your bible.


John 4:21-24
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews [Judeans].

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.


This woman wanted to find God. She wondered if the temple in Jerusalem was the place to go, or up to the temples built on the hilltops. Jesus Christ told her to forget both because the Father desired people who would worship him in spirit and in truth, a reference to manifestations of holy spirit. This same truth is very relevant today. If you want to find God, forget about churches, ministries, organisations, religions and temples. God dwelleth not in temples made with hands. If you want to worship God, you can only worship him in spirit and in truth, truthfully by way of spirit, and that does not involve performing weekly ceremonies inside religious buildings or ministries. Stay away from churches and groups and religions and ministries, no matter how much truth they claim to have, for God dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

Where does God Dwell - LIVE!
PART 3

If any church, ministry, organisation, religion or group offers to teach you how to worship God in spirit and in truth only on condition you join them and give them your money, it is a bribe. Both God and Jesus Christ gave the word unconditionally, without charge. Yes, folks gave of their finances to support Jesus Christ during his ministry, but it was not on condition of getting the word in return, it was a thankful response to being taught the word free of charge.

In answer to the woman's question, Jesus Christ told her to forget about churches, all of them, because God was looking for people to worship him in spirit and in truth. What does that mean? Well obviously you cannot worship God by attending religious meetings, going to church, performing ceremonies, singing songs, going to prayer meetings, lighting candles, or reading bible verses. If you want to worship God, you must worship him in spirit and in truth, you must learn to walk by the spirit and that is not something that comes by going to church, joining ministries or groups, or leaving one religion to join another. I don't care what religion you are, or what group or ministry you are a part of, you can speak in tongues and learn to walk by the spirit right now right where you are. God dwelleth not in temples made with hands. He used to, but not anymore.

Back in the old testament, God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle, a tent in which he could live among his people. Looking back it is easy to see that the tabernacle was a temporary residence, a temporary home.


Exodus 29:44-46
And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.

And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.


After the tabernacle was built, God moved in.


Exodus 40:34,35
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.


God has always desired with great longing to live among his people. His heart bursts to be with us, to have fellowship with us, and the tabernacle was a first step towards that reality. Later, Solomon built the temple, and with the coming of the greater, the lesser was no longer necessary. After the building of the temple, God moved home, he moved out of the tabernacle and into the temple, and that became his new home among his people.


1 Kings 8:2-11
And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.

And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.

For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.


This is the record where God moved into his new home. However, Solomon's temple was also temporary accommodation. It was not God's permanent home among his people, and later he would move house again. In this Administration of Grace, since the day of Pentecost, God no longer dwells, God no longer lives, God no longer resides in temples made with hands. On the day of Pentecost, God moved house. Neither the tabernacle nor the temple sufficed to contain him, neither afforded the home comforts, the companionship and love he so desired. They were provisional arrangements, temporary accommodation until a permanent home became available.

A basic understanding of the overall structure of the temple affords us a few clues in our search for God's dwelling place. The temple was basically divided into three separate areas. There was the court of the Gentiles, which was where Jesus Christ turned over the tables of the crooked merchants and drove out their animals. Another part consisted of the sacred courts for Judeans only, which Gentiles were not permitted to enter. The third part was the Holy of Holies, where God resided, and into which only the High Priest entered once a year. These three separate areas were divided off with walls and veils. Ephesians teaches us what Jesus Christ accomplished regarding these divisions between the Gentiles, the Judeans, and God.


Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.


Those who were far off refers to the Gentiles mentioned in verses 11 and 12, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, and who were without hope and without God in the world. The blood of Jesus Christ brought the Gentiles nigh, close, next of kin to God.


Ephesians 2:14
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;


The middle wall of partition refers to the wall separating the court of the Gentiles from the sacred courts of the Judeans in the temple. As well as figuratively, at his death there was an earthquake which literally destroyed this wall separating the Gentiles from the Judeans. Jesus Christ broke that wall down. That's why he is our peace.


Ephesians 2:15
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;


Jesus Christ made of two one new man, the two being the Gentiles and the Judeans. Of these two, Jesus Christ made one new man, and that's how he made peace between us. He abolished that enmity between Judeans and Gentiles in his flesh, referring to the price he paid in giving his life.


Ephesians 2:16
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:


The price Jesus Christ paid by way of his death reconciled both Judeans and Gentiles to God in that one body, that new man he had made of the two. The enmity was slain, destroyed, it no longer existed.

At the same time as the wall of separation between the Gentiles and the Judeans was broken down, the veil separating all of us from God in the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom.


Mark 15:38
And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

As well as the walls of separation, the earthquake tore the veil, signifying that the way back to God was now open to all men, whether Judean or Gentile.

Where does God Dwell - LIVE!
PART 4

What man had lost in Adam back in Genesis had been regained by Jesus Christ. Man had been reconciled back to God.

Ephesians 2:17,18
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.


Through Jesus Christ, both Judeans and Gentiles have access by one spirit unto the Father, our heavenly Father, God.


Ephesians 2:19-21
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:


In contrast to Solomon's temple, which was made of stone, we are now all builded together as a holy temple, a permanent home for God through the spirit. It is the spirit, that gift of holy spirit we receive at the time of the new birth, that is our eternal life. God now lives in us through the gift of holy spirit. We are God's permanent home. God no longer dwells in temples made with hands, he lives within those of us who have his spirit.

There is only one building God lives in now in the 21st Century, and it is not any temple made with hands, it is not any man-made ministry, group, or religion, it is within those of us who are born again of his spirit, those of us who are his children. We make up the household of God. The household of God is not a ministry or a church building, because God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, and they are all the work of men's hands. We, his children, are the temple, the house, the home of the living God, and we are not temporary accommodation, we are his for eternity.


1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ephesians 2:22
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.


It is an interesting phenomenon that most folks in religions and churches around the world think they are right, that they are in what they believe to be the true household of God. Quite how the devil instils this insipid lie into people is really brilliant. The vatican believes it is the only true church on earth, and the pope and the jesuits are committed to exterminating everyone on earth who is not one of them. All other christians regard themselves as right. Muslims believe they are the only true followers of God on earth. Buddhists believe they have found the true way to God. Jehovah's witnesses, a particularly insipid brand of religion, believe they are the only true way to God. Mormons believe they are the only true church on earth. The Way International believes it is the only true household of God and instils that lie into its followers. Folks, God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, they are all broken cisterns, they all leak. If God does not live in them, how can they be a source of living waters?

The good news is, God does not want you to leave one religion or church and join another. What he wants you to do is enjoy his endless supply of living waters. Forget ceremonies and rituals, forget going to church and making a fool of yourself. God isn't there anyway, so going to them is a waste of time. Constructing churches over the graves of once energised ministers is how the devil destroys the word they stood for.

God does not live in the vatican. God does not live in any christian church or denomination. God does not live in the Muslim religion. God does not live in the jehovah's witnesses. God does not live in the mormon church. God does not live in the Hindu religion. God does not live in the way international. These religions may teach they are the only true way on earth, but they are liars, for God in his word teaches that he does not dwell in temples made with hands. Regardless of which religion you are in or where you live in the world, you can have fellowship with God right now right where you are by worshipping him in spirit and in truth.

Acts 17:24
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;


It is clear in scripture that God did at one time live in temples made with hands, but it is also abundantly clear in scripture that God moved home on the day of Pentecost when the age of Grace was ushered in. Where is his home now? Where does God live now?


1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?


We need to take a second look at this. Here in Corinthians, these believers are referred to as the temple of God. We know that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, so we can assuredly and categorically state that this temple referred to here is not any temple made with hands. This temple is most definitely and absolutely not any ecclesiastical structure, ministry, church, religion or organisation which has been built by men. The spirit of God no longer lives in temples made with hands, so no ministry, church, religion or organisation can claim to be the temple of God, the church of God, or the household of God.
When we are born again and receive the gift of holy spirit, God moves into us. That's right, God now lives inside you and me. God now lives in people, not in temples made with hands.
Here, a group of people are collectively called the temple of God. What group is this? Who are these people? Who is this addressed to? This is a good question, because it brings us to another extremely important key to the bible's interpretation. The bible interprets itself, yes, but we must apply keys to unlock that interpretation. We already know that we must understand the administrations in the bible so we can properly apply scripture written during each administration, as well as a few other keys, but we must also know to whom certain books of the bible are addressed. Not everything in the bible is addressed to everyone. If you read the bible thinking it is all addressed to you, major problems in understanding await to assail you. For example, take these verses in Romans.


Romans 8:38,39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature [creation], shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 11:22
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.


According to Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord, not even death, yet three chapters later Romans states that if I'm not careful I'm going to be cut off. Most waggle their fingers at this and call the bible contradictory, but in reality all they do is publicly display their ignorance.

Men have different classifications for men and divide humanity into many groups, like nationality and culture, race and religion, but God only divides men into three general categories. Let's examine them.


1 Corinthians 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews [Judeans], nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

Here Corinthians succinctly places all men into just three categories. According to God, every single human being on the planet is either a Judean, a Gentile, or part of the church of God. That's it. That is God's classification of men. Either we are Judeans, Gentiles, or church of God. According to Ephesians, the church of God is made up of both Judeans and Gentiles who have received the gift of holy spirit. This definition clearly and unquestionably exposes any ministry or group or religion that claims to be the church of God as liars. The church of God, by definition, comprises men and women called out from both Judeans and Gentiles who have been born again and who have received power from on high, the gift of holy spirit. Anyone who has Christ in them is part of the church of God, the ekklēsia, the called out of God.
By definition and by scripture, ecclesiastical and religious structures built by men which claim to be the church of God are liars. God dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

Galatians 5:1-4
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.

Being entangled in law or even in a patriarchal religious ministry made with hands is something God commands us to avoid.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?


Here, the church of God comprising those who are born again and have the gift of holy spirit is referred to as the temple of God. Elsewhere in the epistles, individuals are occasionally referred to as tabernacles.


2 Corinthians 5:4
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.

The temple of God comprises those who are born again, those who have the gift of holy spirit, those with Christ in them, called out from among both Judeans and Gentiles.
God now lives in each of us. We all have the spirit of God living within us, and together we make up the church of God, the ekklēsia of God. The church is not to construct any more temples made with hands, it is to meet in people's homes. In this administration of Grace, God wants his people meeting in home churches, well away from temples made with hands. This is made remarkably clear in Romans through Thessalonians, the scriptures addressed to the church of God.


Romans 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Colossians 4:15
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Philemon 1:2
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

Acts 9:31
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost [pistis - holy spirit], were multiplied.

Acts 15:41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.


God wants to hang out with us, fellowship with us, enjoy our company with us in our homes. The centre of outreach in the 1st Century was not some centralised ministry headquarters where everyone sent all their money to support a patriarchal hierarchy, it was in folk's homes. God lives in us, we are his church making up the temple of God, and he wants us to teach and minister in our homes well away from suffocating patriarchal temples of men. Get away from them for they do not walk by the spirit, but by worldly senses wisdom they seek through councils of men. Find a home church where people speak in tongues, walk by the spirit, and operate the power of God.

Prayer in the Epistles/Prayer

Prayer in the Epistles
     Prayer is very important to God.  Many have taught about what prayer is and how prayers ought to be offered to God.  Some have looked at the prayers of men and women in the Old Testament.  Some have reviewed the prayers of Jesus Christ in the Gospels.  Some have taught that the example of prayer offered by Jesus Christ to his Judean followers ought to be "the prayer" offered by his followers today.  Some have looked at the prayers of the Book of Acts.  Some have examined the prayers in the Epistles. Some have even developed "formulas" for prayer.
   When it comes to believing the Word of God, that which is addressed TO US must be applied BY US.  All other scripture is for our learning and can be applied IN LIGHT OF that which is addressed to us.  That which Jesus Christ taught prior to his sacrifice for sins and the giving of holy spirit is of necessity void of that which became ours on the day of Pentecost.  As sons and daughters of God with holy spirit our prayers ought to be offered to our Heavenly Father in light of all that was accomplished by His son Jesus Christ.  We have been given remission of sins.  We have been made righteous in Christ Jesus.  All of our needs are supplied according to God's riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  We have been rescued from the power of darkness and we have been made citizens in God's Kingdom by the work of His beloved son.  To ask God for His Kingdom to come, to ask Him to deliver us from evil, to seek forgiveness based on our forgiveness of others, and to pray for God to supply our daily bread is to ignore that which God has already freely given to us in Christ Jesus.  So what do the Epistles written to us say about prayer?
The "formula" in the Epistles:
Philippians 4:6
   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Prayer is pouring out your soul.  Supplication is making a request for others.
Prayer is to be with thanksgiving.  Prayer is to let your requests be made known unto God.
The Epistles tell us to pray often:
1 Thessalonians 5:17
   Pray without ceasing.
Romans 12:12b
   . . . continuing instant in prayer;
Colossians 4:2a
   Continue in prayer, . . .
The Epistles tell us to pray spiritually:
Romans 8:26
   Likewise the Sprit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15a
   For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
   What is it then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: . . .
Ephesians 6:18a
   Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, . . .
The Epistles show how leaders pray for the believers to whom they are ministering:
Romans 1:9b
   . . . that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Ephesians 1:16
   Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Philippians 1:4
   Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Colossians 1:3
   We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.
Colossians 1:9
   . . . do not cease to pray for you, . . .
Colossians 4:12
   Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, . . .
1 Thessalonians 1:2
   We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
These leaders prayed "without ceasing, always", "gave thanks for the believers",  and "made request for the believers."

The Epistles show how believers are to pray for those ministering to them:
2 Thessalonians 3:1
   Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
1 Thessalonians 5:25
   Brethren, pray for us.
Colossians 4:3
   Withal praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also an ambassador in bonds:
Ephesians 6:18-19
   Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
   And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
2 Corinthians 1:11a
   Ye also helping together by prayer for us, . . .
Romans 15:30
   Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
   The context of these prayers are that the believers are praying in order to help men of God move the word of God:  "that the word of the Lord may have free course . . . that I may make known the mystery of the gospel."  We help each other move God's Word when we include requests for the movement of His Word and for the men and women speaking it in our prayers.
Following are some of the requests made in prayer in the Epistles:
Romans 1:10
   Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
Romans 15:31
   That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
2 Corinthians 1:11
   . . . that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
Ephesians 1:17
   That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him . . .
Ephesians 1:18-19
   . . . watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints . . . that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
Philippians 1:5
   For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now . . .
Colossians 4:3b-4
   . . . that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:12b
   . . . that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:3
   Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the sight of God and our Father;
1 Thessalonians 3:10
   Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
   . . . that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
   That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:1
   . . . that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
   The requests of the prayers in the Epistles are not requests for the Kingdom to come, forgiveness, daily bread, money, power, or worldly things.  The requests made in prayer in the Epistles are for the Word of God regarding the revelation of the mystery to be made known.  They are for the goodness and grace of God to be manifested in the believing action of those who walk as members of the one body of Christ "that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God!"

 Prayer:
    The Greek word for prayer is the word proseuche.  Proseuche means to pour out the soul.  Prayer is a pouring out of your soul to God.  All of the other aspects of prayer are a part of this one.  Whether you are making intercession, making a request or supplication, giving thanks for God's blessings upon your life, praising God, or just telling God about something,  you are pouring out your soul to God.
I Corinthians 14:15a
    What is it then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also;. .
For believers after the day of Pentecost there are two ways to pray: with the spirit and with the understanding.  To pray with the spirit is to speak in tongues.  To pray with the understanding is to pour out your soul to God.  Both are important aspects of a believer's prayer life.
Jesus Christ taught his disciples about (proseuche) prayer:
Matthew 6:5-6
    And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
    But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Most of the time when you pour out your soul to God it is a very private and personal thing - just you and God.  If you are praying to show others how religious you are - you have your reward.
Mark 1:35
    And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark 6:46
    And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Luke 5:16
    And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Luke 6:12
    And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Jesus Christ made it a habit to get up early, get away to a solitary place and pour out his soul to God.  We too should find a time when we can get alone with God each day and pray.
Matthew 18:19-20
    Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
    For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Praying together with other believers is also very important.
Matthew 6:7-9a
    But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
    Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
    After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven . . .
When you pour out your soul to God you are not reciting a rote prayer or rosary.  Your prayer then becomes a vain repetition that means nothing.  It is interesting that in this context Jesus Christ gave them an example of a simple prayer request to God that has become a rote prayer used by most of the Christian churches today.  He was telling them not to make vain repetitious prayers and we have taken his simple example and turned it into a vain repetitious prayer.  Just keep it simple.  You don't have to repeat some rote prayer to be heard by God.
Luke 18:1
    And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
It is important that we continue in prayer and not quit when our answer does not come immediately.  This is not to say use vain repetitions.  Just don't give up.  If you know that what you are asking will glorify God - keep asking until you get your answer.  George Mueller was a man of God who lived his life relying upon prayer.  Following are some of his words:
I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. The great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it.  George Mueller

Our True Hope is NOT Death

The false doctrine that the dead are alive and already in heaven or hell is so well entrenched in the average Christian's mind that he has probably never considered its harmful ramifications. Understanding that Satan is the "father" of this lie explains why the consequences of believing it are so serious. The first, and perhaps most serious, consequence of believing this doctrine is that it changes the Christian's focus from the appearing of the Prince of Life, Jesus Christ, to the coming of one's own death.

How sad it is to teach God's people that the hope of a Christian is his own death, and how opposed to God's perspective that death is an "enemy," as 1 Corinthians 15:26 (KJV) clearly states: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Biblically, death is a thief not a benefactor. Death takes away life; it does not give a greater life.

In attempting to preserve the traditions of historic, orthodox Christianity, such teaching that the "dead" are "alive" blatantly contradicts God's Word and further entrenches the Christian Church in this error. Those who have mistakenly propounded this doctrine have apparently overlooked the many verses plainly stating that the focal point of a Christian's hope is not his own death, but the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven. For example:

John 14:2 and 3 (KJV)
(2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 (KJV)
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 (KJV)
(16) 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:
(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.

Titus 2:13 (KJV)
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

It is the occasion of Christ's appearing from heaven that Christians should anticipate as the way of deliverance from the bondage and corruption of death. Jesus Christ is the only gateway to everlasting life and the only means by which believers will have access to God's presence in Paradise. When Jesus Christ comes again, he will fashion new, glorious bodies for us (Phil. 3:21). Apart from having these new bodies, there is no hope of entrance into the presence of God. Near the end of his life, the Apostle Paul wrote the following about this occasion:

2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Shifting the event that triggers our entrance into the presence of God from Christ's appearing to our own death is nothing short of satanic subterfuge. In the minds of many, Satan has subtly changed the gateway to eternal life from Jesus Christ to death itself. Considering the past actions of God's archenemy, this clever trick is totally consistent with his methods. The Christian's hope is not death, but the appearing of Jesus Christ. When he appears, each Christian who is still alive will exchange his mortal body for a glorious immortal body, and each believer who has died will be raised to glorious and everlasting life.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF GRACE- THE GREAT MYSTERY -"REVEALED"!

The Administration of Grace

Ephesians 3:2-5
If ye have heard of the dispensation [administration] of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

The apostle Paul was given revelation regarding the administration of the great mystery. The word translated "dispensation" is the Greek word for "stewardship" or "administration." Just as we think of a president's administration as a time period in which certain procedures and rules are in effect that reflect the president's stewardship of the country, the apostle Paul was given revelation from God regarding the procedures and rules that are presently in effect during this administration of the grace of God.
In the Bible lands it was customary for the head of a household to engage one of his poorer relatives as his steward. When the steward was hired, everything pertaining to the affairs of the household was turned over to him. He could buy and sell property. He could sign deeds. He could lend money and forgive debts. He could do anything the head of the household could do. He was given the keys to all properties, the records, and the bookkeeping. He was also given the family signet ring.
The signet ring was engraved with the name of the owner or with some family emblem and was a symbol of authority used in the Bible lands to seal legal documents. A document without a seal would not be legal. A merchant's letters and bills had to be sealed. Even today, modern Egyptians and Eastern businessmen wear a seal-ring on the little finger of their right hand. The seal represents the owner and is used to indicate that sealed property belongs to him.

Ephesians 1:11-14
In whom [Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

In this administration of the grace of God believers have received God's gift of holy spirit as a token of the inheritance that God has predetermined to give each of us at the day of redemption. Holy spirit is the "earnest" of our inheritance. Just as earnest money is given as a token when a property is purchased, God has given us a token of the inheritance that He has laid up for us to be claimed at the day of redemption when He also will claim His purchased possession (us!) We have an inheritance coming to us and God has an inheritance coming to Him at that day. We have been redeemed, bought with a price, from the world; yet we are still in the world. God has purchased us with the life of His son. He placed holy spirit in us as a SEAL indicating that we belong to Him. When He sends Jesus Christ back to claim that which He owns, we will be gathered unto Him and receive the fullness of our inheritance.
All those who have confessed with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in their heart that God raised him from the dead [Romans 10:9-10] have been SEALED with God's gift of holy spirit. It does not matter who you are, what you were, or what you might do in the future. If you have believed and received, then you are SEALED. This is the greatness of the mystery of the grace of God. We are all members of the body of Christ. We are individually SEALED with that holy spirit of promise. We belong to Him!

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

We belong to God. We have the SEAL of holy spirit as a token in our hearts that we belong to Him. There should NEVER be any question of our salvation or of that which God has predestinated to give us at the day of redemption for we have the proof. We have been given holy spirit as a SEAL of our sonship. We can speak in tongues. We know that we know that we know that we belong to Him.

Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

What is it to "grieve the holy spirit of God?" Well, to deny the greatness of the grace of God given to us would certainly be grieving. We have the SEAL of holy spirit. We will have it until the day God claims that which is His. To deny the gift, to deny the grace and power given to us is to grieve. God wants us to walk, utilizing that spirit that He gave us and renewing our minds to His glorious grace. God wants us to live like His sons because we belong to Him.

"When the first century believers failed to continue to act in the light of the great mystery as unfolded so magnanimously in the epistle to the Ephesians, they lost the true teaching concerning the mystery which is the center of all true Christian faith, the one body of Christ.
The immediate consequence of the loss of this truth of the great mystery produced glowing errors. It initiated the different so-called "bodies" with all the subsequent division and schism in the church body. Instead of rightly dividing the word of truth and recognizing the "one body" which God made (Ephesians 4:4), men set about making their own ecclesiastical bodies and sects.
The truth as to the believer's perfect standing before God in Christ was the next major loss. The truth as to what God made every believer to be in Christ, how every believer is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and saved by God's grace was all basically lost. Failing to adhere to the truth the teachers began to propagate error regarding the Lord's promised return from heaven, the gathering together and the resurrection." Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille - The Great Mystery Revealed

ONE BODY BY GRACE

Galatians 1:6-9, 11-12
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel;
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. . .
. . . I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God called us in one body, the body of Christ. He SEALED each of us with His gift of holy spirit - Christ in you! We have all that God has given by His grace. To teach, as some were in Galatia, that a believer needs to do some work or keep the law to be saved is to deny that which was accomplished in Christ. The gospel which these "believers" where promoting was a perversion of the truth designed by the adversary to trouble the body of Christ. The result was division and schism in the church. This is the first step on the road down. To lose sight of the mystery of the one body of SEALED believers with Christ as the head and to establish all sorts of divisions and "churches" is to turn away from the administration of the grace of God.

JUSTIFIED BY GRACE

Romans 3:24
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;

God paid the price to redeem us. He gave His son Jesus Christ. We have been judged righteous in Christ. We are justified. It is just as if we never sinned. And what did we do or can we do to earn our justification? NOTHING! We have it freely given to us by his grace! When believers turn away from the truth of the administration of the grace of God and that which we have received in Christ, they begin promoting works. They forget that they are SEALED. This is the second step down. We need to recognize the greatness of all we have received and will receive freely by his grace.

According to the riches of God's grace recorded in Ephesians we have:

Been chosen in him before the foundation of the world.
Been made holy and without blame before him in love.
Been predestinated unto sonship.
Been made accepted.
Been redeemed through the blood of His son Jesus Christ.
Been given the forgiveness of sins.
Been given wisdom.
Been given a knowledge of the mystery of his will.
Been promised that He will gather us together in Christ in the fulness of time.
Been promised an inheritance at the day of redemption.
Been made alive together with Christ.
Been saved.
Been raised up and seated in the heavenly places in Christ.
Been promised a show of God's exceeding grace in the ages to come.

GATHERED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST BY GRACE

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
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.

Philippians 3:20-21
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savious; 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.

The mystery of the gathering together of the body of Christ was first revealed to the apostle Paul as steward of the grace of God. Ten times in the above verses God indicates the things that SHALL absolutely happen at that day. To turn away from that which is revealed in the epistles written to the church regarding the gathering together is another step down. The great hope we have for the day of redemption, our inheritance, and eternity with God must NEVER be replaced by preparation for death, destruction, and fear of the wrath of God. We have been delivered from the wrath to come and given a glorious hope.

1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

We have freely received the gift of holy spirit by grace. We are SEALED until the day of redemption. We have been given the same responsibility as the apostle Paul in that we are to serve one another by ministering the SAME gift as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Let us never lose sight of the administration of the grace of God given to us. Freely we have received - Freely give! 

Body, Soul, & Spirit

Body, Soul & Spirit
I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the beginning (Genesis 1:1) God created the heaven and the earth including all the elements that make up the physical body of man.
Soul is life. It is the life that all creatures that move and breathe (including man) have in common. Plants which grow have life. But plants do not have "breath life" that was created in Genesis 1:20. Soul life in man makes man an alive moving being.

In Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image. The image of God is spirit according to John 4:24. Spirit is also life but it is on a higher plane; just as soul life is a higher life form that the growth life present in plants. When God gave man spirit he put man in His own category of life.
God's nature lost!
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
God formed the body of man from the elements He had created in Genesis 1:1. God placed in man (breathed into his nostrils) the soul life He had created in Genesis 1:21 and thus he made man a living moving being.
The Word of God uses the word "create" when God brings something into existence for the first time. In the case of "spirit", which is the nature of God, the Word always uses the word "create" indicating that an act of God is necessary to create spirit in any individual. Spirit cannot be passed from person to person as body and soul elements are at birth. Only by an act of God can a man become a spiritual being. In the beginning this spiritual nature was created in man on a conditional basis:
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
When Adam and Eve violated this condition they did surely die that very day. Spiritually they died. They no longer had the nature of God abiding within them. They were no longer three-fold beings in God's category. They still had life. They had growth life as do plants and they had soul life (moving breathing life) as do all living creatures. But they no longer had spiritual life. This was the fall of man. This was the event that left man in the state of needing a savior - a redeemer. Man needs spirit to be that which God intended man to be in the beginning: a spiritual being in God's category.

The promise of holy spirit
Throughout the old testament when God wanted to communicate with man or direct His chosen people He would place spirit upon a very limited number of individuals. The spirit was always conditional and was removed when a man or woman failed to walk with God. However, throughout this time God's promise of a redeemer and the coming of spirit on a permanent basis where all mankind would have the opportunity to once again be body, soul, and spirit beings in God's category was looked forward to by those who held the Word of God in esteem.
The promise of God was that a redeemer would come and that God would be able to pour out His spirit to all who believe unto salvation.
Jesus Christ came to redeem man and make spirit available. He reminded a Pharisee ruler named Nicodemus of God's promise:
John 3:5-7, 9-10 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [body & soul] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh [body & soul] is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit...Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Jesus was surprised that a Pharisee did not understand about the promise of spirit to come. The spirit that would be poured out by way of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ would be born within man. No longer on a condition - it would be seed born within a man or woman who believed. Jesus understood this and expounded God's Word to a woman drawing water from a well:
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is [almost here!] when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus spoke to his disciples and those he taught about the coming of holy spirit:
John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost [spirit] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [not conditional] Even the Spirit of truth [the true spirit]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] not many days hence.

FINALLY the day arrived!
Acts 2:1,4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted [talking about Jesus], and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,[holy spirit] he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Today the promise of holy spirit is available by believing Romans 10:9-10. When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead we too become, as God originally intended, BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation [wholeness - spirit is the missing part needed to be whole]: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Today the spirit of God is born in us when we believe. It is not conditional. It is incorruptible seed. It is eternal life! It is the nature of the living God born in us. We are once again in God's category: Spiritual men and women with eternal life!

Our Hope of Glory - The Body of Christ!

THE GENEVA BIBLE AND SIX PRIOR BIBLES BEFORE KING JAMES USED THE WORD " A DEPARTING" OR "DEPARTURE" INSTEAD OF A "FALLING AWAY" IN 2THESS2, SEE BELOW (2THESS2:3)
 GENEVA 1587 BIBLE:
 2Th 2:1 Nowe we beseech you, brethren, by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, and by our assembling vnto him, 2Th 2:2 That ye be not suddenly mooued from your minde, nor troubled neither by spirit, nor by worde, nor by letter, as it were from vs, as though the day of Christ were at hand. 2Th 2:3 Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition, 2Th 2:4 Which is an aduersarie, and exalteth him selfe against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doeth sit as God in the Temple of God, shewing him selfe that he is God. 2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I tolde you these things? 2Th 2:6 And nowe ye knowe what withholdeth that he might be reueiled in his time. 2Th 2:7 For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth already worke: onely he which nowe withholdeth, shall let till he be taken out of the way. 2Th 2:8 And then shall that wicked man be reueiled, whome the Lorde shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightnes of his comming, 2Th 2:9 Euen him whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, 2Th 2:10 And in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes, among them that perish, because they receiued not the loue of the trueth, that they might be saued. 2Th 2:11 And therefore God shal send them strong delusion, that they should beleeue lies, 2Th 2:12 That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. 2Th 2:13 But we ought to giue thankes alway to God for you, brethren beloued of the Lord, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and the faith of trueth, 2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel, to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast & keepe the instructions, which ye haue bene taught, either by worde, or by our Epistle. 2Th 2:16 Now the same Iesus Christ our Lord; and our God euen the Father which hath loued vs, and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in euery worde and good worke.
NOTE "A DEPARTING"COMES FIRST, "AND THAT THAT MAN OF SIN WILL BE DISCLOSED". DON'T FORGET IT ALSO SAYS “NOW YOU KNOW WHAT WITH HOLDITH" AND "HE WHO LETS SHALL LET TILL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY." WHAT OR WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY? IT MAKES ALSO MAKES NO SENSE THAT PAUL WOULD TELL A VERY NEW AND SMALL CHURCH IN THESSALONIA, THAT A SIGN OF BEGINNING OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION WOULD BE A FALLING AWAY FROM THE CHURCH WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MANY CHRISTIANS THERE TO FALL AWAY. ALSO HE WAS REFERRING TO SOMETHING HE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT BEFORE. WHAT HAD HE PREVIOUSLY TOLD THEM? 1Th 4:16 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: 1Th 4:17 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. 1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE HE TOLD THEM ABOUT “A DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE” THEN A FALLING AWAY. AS A MATTER OF FACT PAUL DID NOT DESCRIBE “A GREAT FALLING AWAY” AT ALL AND ACTUALLY SAID IN 1TIMOTHY 4:1 THAT ONLY “SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH” 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; SO ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVED EVEN THEN, THE TIMES WERE EVIL, HE DID NOT EXPECT A GREAT FALLING AWAY OF BELIEVERS BUT THAT THE EVIL WOULD GET WORSE. 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. AND TO THE CORINTHIANS PAUL SAID THIS: 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

OTHER TRANSLATIONS THAT USED DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE. The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either " departure" or " departing." They are: the Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608).

Bible study to bless the saints of the "Body of Christ".
Be sure to look at all of the verses in this study.

The Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation. To begin with, Israel and the Body of Christ are not the same. Neither are God’s plans for them. God’s plan for Israel concerns Christ returning to earth in a spectacular event called the Revelation – to inaugurate His Kingdom in Jerusalem (Matt. 24-25; Rev. 19-20. This plan was “spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21; see Luke 1:70). God’s plan for the Body of Christ is completely different. It concerns our heavenly inheritance, not an earthly kingdom. Jesus revealed this program to Paul only as a mystery “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25; see Eph. 3:3-9). In that it began as a mystery, it will likewise disappear in a mystery called the Rapture; an any moment event whereby Jesus returns for us in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17), snatches us from earth, and takes us back to Heaven with Him as He promised (John 14:2-3) – when “the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25). Then comes “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; see Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15) – aka tribulation. The tribulation - as it is most commonly known (Moses: Deut. 4:30; Jesus: Matt. 24:21, 29; John: Rev. 7:14) - is part of God’s earthly program for Israel. It is also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:26-27), and “the hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:10. It has no bearing on the mystery Body of Christ, which will be gone before it begins. From the beginning it was prophesied to Israel (Deut. 4:30), and thus is primarily for Israel (Jer. 30-31; Dan. 12:1, Zeph. 1:15; Matt. 24:21, 29). Its purpose is to punish sin and sinners (Jer. 30-31; Zeph. 1; Joel; Rev. 6-19), and prepare earth and Israel for the Revelation of the Messiah and the Jewish (Millennial) Kingdom promised to David in perpetuity through Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8-16), and sealed with an oath (Psa. 89:3-4, 20-37; see Luke 1:31-33). While the prophets revealed the tribulation as a horrific but integral component in the Day of the Lord (Isa. 2:12, etc ), it was Daniel’s prophecy where its duration was revealed as the final week of seven years in his seventy week prophecy for Israel (Dan. 9:24-27; see Rev. 11:2-3; 12:14). To wit, while we can easily find Israel and the anti-Semitic Gentile nations on earth during “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), the heavenly Body of Christ - which has been promised deliverance from this divine punishment (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; 2 Thess. 2:5-7;) - is conspicuously absent (Rev. 2-19). There isn’t a prophecy or a single verse anywhere in the Bible conclusively identifying the Body of Christ on earth during Israel’s tribulation without pulling from context and redefining the words “saints” and “elect” - which in Daniel, the Olivet Discourse, and Revelation specifically refer to Israel. In lieu of these factors and others we are convinced that the Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation!

The Mystery

So what is this Age of Grace, this Administration of the Mystery, this time in which we live? What is so special about it? What sets this administration apart from all the others? Corinthians has some intriguing information.


1 Corinthians 2:6
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [mature]: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:


The princes of this world refers to the god of this world and his devil spirits. We don't speak their horseshit, like climate change and homosexuality, because the wisdom of this world comes to nothing.


1 Corinthians 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:


Here we find a reference to the mystery, often referred to as the great mystery or the hidden. A mystery is something that is hidden. If something is hidden, we don't know about its existence. From this we also learn that the mystery was ordained by God for our glory, it was for our benefit.


1 Corinthians 2:8
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.


Had the god of this world and his devil spirits known the mystery, they would not have murdered Jesus Christ. They didn't know anything about it because it was hidden. God kept the mystery a secret. No one knew anything about it, not even the god of this world. No one knew anything about it until God revealed the mystery to the apostle Paul.


Romans 16:25,26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:


Peter refers to the Administration of the Mystery, the age of Grace in one of his epistles.


1 Peter 1:10,11
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched [exereunaō] diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.


This Greek word exereunaō is only used once in the bible. Thayer defines it as to search out diligently, while Bullinger defines it as to explore, to search diligently. As it is only used once in the bible, we really need to look at ancient Greek literature to get a taste for the word, and there we find it used in reference to dogs sniffing out game. Dogs are used to flush out birds such as grouse and pheasant. The dogs sniff around and follow scent until they flush the birds out. That's this word exereunaō.

The old testament prophets, such as Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah and Isaiah, sniffed through the scriptures on the scent of this hidden mystery. They searched the scriptures diligently and prophesied of it, knowing there was something between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. They knew there was something missing and they searched diligently through the old testament scriptures to try to flush it out. However, they didn't find it because it was hidden. Peter tells us that in addition to searching they also enquired about it, they asked God about it. Here's the record of Moses doing just that.


Exodus 33:18,21-23
And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee [God], shew me thy glory.

And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.


The back parts of God here refers to the understanding of the old testament scriptures, while his face refers to the hidden time period of the grace administration which Moses knew was sandwiched between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Moses knew there was something hidden and asked God to reveal it to him, but God told him that knowledge was not available. In the context of the mystery being hidden, look what Corinthians says about it.


1 Corinthians 2:8,9
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.


The knowledge of the mystery was not seen by any eye, it was not heard of by any ear, in fact it never even entered into the wildest imaginations of man's heart. The revelation of the mystery, the revealing of what it actually is, was something Jesus Christ discussed with his disciples.


John 16:12,13
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when he [it], the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.


Jesus Christ told his disciples that the spirit of truth was coming and that when it came, it would guide them into the all truth. The spirit of truth is a reference to the gift of holy spirit which came on the day of Pentecost. This prophecy regarding the all truth was fulfilled when God revealed the mystery to the apostle Paul. Before God revealed it to Paul, it was not available to know about it because it was a mystery, it was hidden. Even angels wanted to look into it.


1 Peter 1:12
Unto whom it was revealed [the mystery] ... which things the angels desire to look into.


So what is the mystery? Well, we know that if the devil and his ruling spirits had known about it, they would not have murdered Jesus Christ. So whatever it is, it must be something astonishing. As the mystery has now been revealed in the all truth given by revelation to the apostle Paul, let's discover what it is. Moses and all the other old testament prophets couldn't find it, but it's there for us to discover.


Ephesians 3:2-4
If ye have heard of the dispensation [oikonomia - administration] of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge [sunesis] in the mystery of Christ)


The revelation of the administration of the grace of God was given to Paul, which he mentioned previously in few words back in Romans 16 which we've already looked at. It is only by reading Paul's epistles that the understanding of the mystery comes. You can read the old testament scriptures exhaustively and you will never find the mystery in them. Why? Because it was hidden from old testament eyes. God had to keep it a secret so the devil wouldn't know of his plans. Had the devil suspected anything about it, he would not have crucified Jesus Christ.

This word knowledge, sunesis in the Greek, is defined by Thayer as a running together, a flowing together with, and it was used in Greek literature of the confluence of two rivers, the place where two rivers joined and flowed together. As we read Paul's epistles with a background understanding of the old testament scriptures, knowledge will flow together in our minds as the two meet.


Ephesians 3:5
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;


The knowledge of the mystery was not made known to anyone before this administration. The old testament prophets searched diligently for it, but it was hidden, it was a secret, it was a mystery. God revealed it to Paul and here it is written in Ephesians.


Ephesians 3:6
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:


This is what the mystery is, a concise definition of it, but it encompasses everything within the gift of holy spirit and what it means to us. To be fellowheirs with Christ, of the same body, and partakers of the promise encompasses being born again, having the seed of God born within us, having the gift of holy spirit, having eternal life. It is everything being God's child means. It is the ability to walk by the spirit with Christ as our head. In this administration it is available to become a new creation, a child of the creator with his spiritual incorruptible seed born inside us. And it is not just exclusively available to Judeans, it is also available to Gentiles, to anyone anywhere on earth regardless of ethnic, cultural, religious, or educational background.


Ephesians 3:7,8
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable [untraceable] riches of Christ;


The mystery was unsearchable, untraceable, untrackable through the old testament, but it was revealed to Paul, and he revealed that information to us in his epistles which make up the all truth spoken of by Jesus Christ.


Colossians 1:25-27
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation [administration] of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:


It is the Christ in you, the Christ in me that was hidden, and of which the devil suspected nothing. In the old testament, men and women had no spirit, they were dead. In this administration, men and women can be raised from the dead with power to operate the gift of holy spirit, walk with Christ as their head, and raise more people from the dead.


Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.


Every time we get someone born again, we raise them from the dead. These are the greater works that Jesus Christ referred to back in John 14:12. We really can do greater works than Jesus Christ did. Jesus Christ could not raise anyone from the dead and give them eternal life. We can.

When the devil and his spirits orchestrated the murder of Jesus Christ they had no idea what was coming. If they'd had even an inkling, they would not have crucified him. When Jesus Christ was alive and had the full measure of the spirit that was available then, he could only be in one place at one time. Now, in this Age of Grace, the Administration of the Mystery, everyone who is born again has Christ in them. The god of this world would rather have had Jesus Christ the son of God on earth by himself than have you and me walking around raising people from the dead. Man, the power and authority we have if we only knew it.

 All before Darby (and I am still researching more): Irenaeus (130 A.D. - 202 AD) Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp who learned his Christian faith from the apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation.  Both Polycarp and Irenaeus knew John personally. Irenaeus also believed in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.  In  "Against Heresies 5:29" he wrote:  "And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, "There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be."  Irenaeus' used "caught up."  - the exact same Rapture terminology used in 1 Thes 4. Cyprian (200 AD - 258 AD) Cyprian taught his followers that, "God has not appointed us to wrath, but salvation..." and joyfully encouraged his church to expect to be "taken away" before the Tribulation began. Victorinus (300AD) "And the heaven withdrew as a scroll that is rolled up." For the heaven to be rolled away,that is, that the Church shall be taken away. "And every mountain and the islands removed from their places intimate that in the last persecution all men departed from their places; that is, that the good will be removed, seeking to avoid persecution." Ephraem of Nisibis (306-373AD) “All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.” Brother Dolcino (1307AD) Dolcino and his followers believed they would be transferred into Paradise, in which are Enoch and Elijah. And in this way they will be preserved unharmed from the persecution of Antichrist. And that then Enoch and Elijah themselves would descend on the earth for the purpose of preaching [against] Antichrist. Balthasar Hubmaier (1480-1528AD) “Although Christ gave us many signs whereby we can tell how near at hand the day of his coming is, nevertheless, no one but God knows the exact day. . . . Take heed, watch and pray; for you known either the day nor the hour." John Calvin (1509-1564AD) “[Jesus] wishes [the disciples] to be uncertain as to his coming, but to be prepared to expect him . . . every moment.” “Today we must be alert to grasp the imminent return of Christ.” (Nothing needs to happen first.) Cotton Mather (1639-1723AD) Mather was the first President of Harvard College. This Puritan scholar taught "that the saints would be caught up into the air beforehand, thereby escaping the final conflagration (tribulation)." Peter Jurieu (1687AD) In his book "Approaching Deliverance of the Church " He spoke of a secret Rapture prior to Jesus' coming in glory and judgment at Armageddon. John (Gill) Asgill (1748AD) "Jesus will stay in the air, and His saints shall meet Him there, and whom He'll take up with Him into the third heaven, till the general conflagration and burning of the world is over, and to preserve them from it...." Thomas Collier (1674AD) Frank Marotta challenged a two-stage Second Coming taught by Collier. This reveals again that such a view was in circulation hundreds of years ago. It is apparent that Collier certainly considered the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture." Philip Doddridge (1738AD) The term Rapture was used by Philip Doddridge in his New Testament commentary, with the idea that believers would be caught up prior to judgment on the earth and Jesus' Second Coming. Bernard Lambert (1738-1813AD) Pierre Jean Agier, a French jurist, argued with Bernard Lambert's teaching and the published conclusions of Lacunza that taught the Second Coming of Christ had to occur in two-stages. His first return is to gather His people and His second return is to commence the Millennium. Morgan Edwards (1742-1744AD) Edwards was the Founder of Brown University "The dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ's 'appearing in the air, but will he and they abide in the air all that time? No.They will ascend to paradise, or to some one of those many 'mansions in the Father's house." James McKnight (1763AD) and Thomas Scott (1792AD) taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven, where they will be secure until the time of judgment is over. Joseph Mede (1586-1639AD): "I will add this more, namely, what may be conceived to be the cause of this Rapture of the Saints on high to meet the Lord in the Clouds, rather than to wait his coming to the Earth. What if it be, that they may be preserved during the Conflagration of the earth and the works thereof, 2 Pet. 3. 10. that as Noah and his family were preserved from the Deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark; so should the Saints at the Conflagration be lift up in the Clouds unto their Ark, Christ, to be preserved there from the deluge of fire, wherein the wicked shall be consumed? " Peter Jurieu in his book Approaching Deliverance of the Church (1687AD) taught that Christ would come in the air to Rapture the saints and return to heaven before the battle of Armageddon. He spoke of a secret Rapture prior to His coming in glory and judgment at Armageddon. Philip Doddridge's commentary on the New Testament (1738AD) and John

Gill's commentary on the New Testament (1748) both use the term Rapture and speak of it as imminent. It is clear that these men believed that this coming will precede Christ's descent to the earth and the time of judgment. The purpose was to preserve believers from the time of judgment. James Macknight (1763) and Thomas Scott (1792AD) taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven, where they will be secure until the time of judgment is over. Frank Marotta (1674AD) a brethren researcher, refutes Thomas Collier's reference to a pre-tribulational Rapture, which proves his awareness that such a view was being taught in the late seventeenth century.