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This is a King James Bible believing site for such things as doctrinal Bible studies, missionary activity, prayer requests, and also for more general posts and some fellowship. The Preachers and Pastors who are featured here generally support the doctrinal positions of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, most importantly a belief that the King James Bible is "scripture ... given by inspiration of God.". We also are literal creationists and we are conservative fundamentalists.
Though we support Dr. Ruckman, we do not parrot him. You need not agree with Dr. Ruckman on everything, neither is he above criticism. We believe in individual liberty. You will find a variety of beliefs among friends here (within the parameters above), but if you are hostile toward Dr. Ruckman, this is not the place for you.
We consider Dr. Ruckman to be one of the greatest bible teacher ever and one would be hard pressed to find someone whom has more of a burden for souls. He's an inspiration to us and could care less if labeled a Ruckmanite. Anyone that stands on the book the way he has, hasn't faltered with all the abuse he has taken over the years, should be deemed upright, honorable, highly regarded and must be supported, held and lifted up to God in prayer. He's a man of character and fiber in our book of KJV1611 Bible heroes. God Bless him and his ministry.
Introduction
This is a study of Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, Lesson #9 in the New Christian Series.
Our key verse is:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15
The "word of truth" we are to "rightly divide" is the written word of God, the Holy Bible (cf. John 17:17). In order to do this we must have a thorough understanding of what is in the word of God. This comes first of all by READING the word of God regularly. It is good to follow a regular daily plan, and complete a certain number of chapters or pages every day. This will help us become familiar with the stories and characters in the Bible, and we will get an understanding of Gods dealings with man throughout history.
It is equally important to set aside time for the careful STUDY of the word of God. There is a difference between reading and study. One way to study the Bible is to select a particular subject or certain passage of scripture and try to learn everything possible about it by studying related verses. These verses can be found using study helps like the cross references in our Bibles, a Bible concordance, a topical Bible, etc. Comparing these related verses should give us a clear idea of what the Bible teaches about that subject or verse.
Paul writes to the Corinthian Church:
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." I Corinthians 2:12,13
The "spiritual things" Paul is talking about is not "the words which mans wisdom teacheth." Rather it is the words "which the Holy Ghost teacheth." In other words, we teach by comparing scripture with scripture. That is the only way to learn what the Bible really teaches, and that is the method we have used throughout this course. For example, in our study of the believer’s promised resurrection body, we made a list of all the scriptures we could find about that subject. Then, we examined each verse closely, noting the context. Then we interpreted the more obscure verses in the light of the clearly understandable ones. Thus we were able to determine what the Bible teaches about our future resurrection body.
The faithful men of Berea, to whom Paul preached (Acts 17:10,11), should be an example to all believers who study the word of God with an earnest desire for the truth.
These men were commended because,
"
hey received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11
Always remember that the FINAL AUTHORITY for our faith is the scriptures themselves, and the only absolutely reliable commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. Learn to study the word of God by comparing scripture with scripture, and be careful to bathe your study in prayer.
As we undertake a sincere, in-depth study of the scriptures, we should be mindful that there are dangers. It is interesting to study about Bible history and to learn new doctrines, but that alone is not our goal. Instead, each believer should do all he can to DISCOVER the will of God for his life. Furthermore, he should strive to APPLY the things he learns to his daily life.
We read in the wisdom of the Proverbs:
"A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight." Proverbs 11:1
We must strive for balance in our Christian life.
For example:
.
Let’s not spend so much time studying, that we hinder the Holy Spirit from molding our lives according to the truths we have learned.
James says it very well:
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." James 1:22-24
James likens the Bible to a looking glass (a mirror). When we read the word of God, we see ourselves as God sees us the Bible tells us about ourselves. The Holy Spirit will bear witness to the words of scripture, and HE, who moved holy men of God to speak, will drive its words home to our hearts and minds. But WE must decide if we will believe and obey the scriptures, or reject them in unbelief. WE must decide if we will follow God or pursue our own interests. Millions of Christians around the world take great pleasure in studying the Holy Bible. However, we must maintain a balance between studying the Bible and living a life that reflects the truths we have learned.
Andrew Murray said much the same thing:
"You have Christians who devote themselves most diligently to the study of God’s word, who are delighted with every new truth they discover, or every new light in which an old truth is set before them, and who yet scarce ever meet the one Divine Word, who speaks in power within them."
J. Sidlow Baxter also touched on this:
"In our study of the Bible, also, we need to guard against becoming so engrossed in the fascination of the subject that we lose sight of the object. As we have said, in these studies we want to get hold of the big, broad meanings in the wonderful old Book: but unless the meanings get hold of us our study will have failed of its vital objective. Our Lord Jesus Himself has taught us that HE is the focal theme of all the Scriptures; and everywhere, therefore, we want to see beyond the written word, to Him who is the living Word."
Beware Of Extremes
So we see that even a good thing like studying the Bible can be taken to the extreme. As a matter of fact, there are two potential pitfalls for the student of the word of God that should be mentioned.
In contrast to the noble Bereans (already mentioned), is another group to whom Paul preached, who "spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:21). Their motive for studying was not to discover the will of God, or how to live a life more pleasing to God. Their motive was to show how well-read they were, and what great authorities they were on the Bible and all literature.
These Christians tend to overemphasize the value of knowledge to the neglect of love. They usually do little more than discuss doctrine, forgetting to live the doctrines they believe. Often they develop some pet doctrine that becomes their hobbyhorse. This is what we might call intellectual Christianity all knowledge and no love.
We never want to become such bookworms that we do nothing but sit at home all the time, studying the Bible. Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian church is still true.
"Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." I Corinthians 8:1
Soul winning, daily prayer, and clean holy living, each of these endeavors is just as important as study. But any one of them, pursued to the neglect of the others, will create a FALSE BALANCE. If you know the Bible well, perhaps the Lord will give you an opportunity to teach the Bible to others in a Sunday school class or home Bible study, even as Paul instructed Timothy to do.
"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." II Timothy 2:2
When the Holy Spirit teaches us the Bible, He does not intend for us to become a puffed up know-it-all. He wants us to actively minister to others, and to apply what we have learned from the word of God to our daily lives as the good Samaritan did.
"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was a neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." Luke 10:30-37
The priest "SAW" the man, and the Levite "LOOKED ON HIM," but neither of them took the time to HELP him. These religious men were absorbed in conducting ceremonies, spending time in prayer and teaching the scriptures, but they had no compassion on this poor man, nor did they show him mercy. When no one was watching, they failed the test of real Christianity. Sometimes we, too, get so caught up in being religious that we forget to have compassion. Being religious costs us nothing, but being the servant of the Lord will cost us everything. It means that we put the needs of others before our own needs, even as Christ did.
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28
Have you ever felt led of the Lord to witness to some soul the Lord pointed out to you, only to think you were too busy to stop RIGHT THEN and show compassion? I am sure each of us has done this very thing at one time or another, and have quenched the Spirit of God. We should be careful to take advantage of every opportunity to minister to those about us as their needs are made known to us by the Lord.
As the Bible says,
"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee." Proverbs 3:27-28
Every sincere believer wants to delve into the deeper things of God, and get hold of the meat of the word of God, that’s normal. But we must be mindful of the warning given in the book of Hebrews.
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." Hebrews 13:9
We know the word of God gives us a balanced diet for our spiritual growth. It provides milk (simple things), and it provides strong meat (deep things, Hebrews 5:12-14).
The main theme of Hebrews is "something better", the New Testament in contrast to the Old Testament. Hebrews 13 contains a warning that has to do with doctrine, especially regarding "meats" (those things allowed or forbidden under the Jewish law). They are warned not to be "carried about" by these relatively unimportant things (meats, the ceremonial things, the letter of the law), but to let their hearts be established with grace (spiritual things, the spirit of the law). It is not only a warning about false doctrines, but also about unusual doctrines of the word of God, it is not profitable to become "occupied" with those things. Through diligent study we can learn about the deep things of God, but we must guard against developing such a fascination for study that we neglect witnessing, ministering to others, worshipping, and praising God as we should. (It is even possible to spend so much time in the word of God that we neglect to spend time with God himself!) The most important thing in our Christian life is our relationship with our heavenly Father. The Lord does not look at the outward appearance, He looks at the inward heart motives (I Samuel 16:7). Always remember it is our hearts that are important! That will be the key factor at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Time spent studying the word of God is always time well spent, and we should try to learn all we can. But we must be careful not to become so occupied with dispensationalism, prophecy, the Great Tribulation, or the Antichrist, etc. that we forget to witness and minister to others.
Keep in mind that, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth" (I Corinthians 8:1). To be an expert on the Bible, but not to have charity (love in action), is to miss the whole purpose of studying the Scriptures. In I Corinthians there is a whole chapter about this kind of love (I Corinthians 13) which we need to read again and again, lest we forget the importance of charity. We must feed our minds with the strong meat of the word of God, but our hearts need to be "established with grace" (Hebrews 13:9).
In his first epistle to the young Timothy, Paul writes about some believers who had gotten off the track when they left off charity and faith in their desire to be teachers. (That is what happens to those who put an overemphasis on study.) These "teachers" Paul wrote about had become legalistic. "Desiring to be teachers of the law," they wanted to be recognized and followed as teachers. They wanted to show how much they knew, but were really only showing how little they knew (I Corinthians 8:2). Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but it only generates pride when that wonderful ingredient charity is missing.
"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." I Timothy 1:5-7
Notice that when Paul speaks of his salvation, he recalls the grace and the love of God he experienced.
"And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." I Timothy 1:14
Our heart’s desire should be to develop such a deep personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that His love will be manifested toward others in our daily lives. We must have a love for God, a love for God’s people, and a love for lost souls!
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35
" he love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:5
"But if any man love God, the same is known of him."I Corinthians 8:3
The Second Is Emotional Christianity.
The second extreme is emotional Christianity, which overemphasizes LOVE to the neglect of KNOWLEDGE. Folks in this group usually have little systematic understanding of doctrine since they do not rightly divide the word. Therefore, they develop a definite imbalance in their Christian lives. Having little understanding of the mind of God from their study of the scriptures, they know little about the heart of God (His will). Since they do not walk in the Spirit, they walk in the flesh (Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5:16) and become worldly Christians.
The Bible warns us:
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." I John 2:15-17
These worldly believers, spiritual walk is revealed by their dress and their music. For example, so-called "gospel rock" is popularly approved by this crowd. What is gospel rock? This is like saying there is a holy devil, the two words just do not go together. Gospel rock is nothing more than secular rock music with enough gospel words in the lyrics to give it a religious sound. It is still the same satanic music written and played by today’s popular God-rejecting, dope dealing, reprobate musicians. The only difference is the words, and even those usually present worldly thoughts and ambitions. Unfortunately, there are many worldly Christians (Revelation 3:14-19) who love that kind of slop, so they keep trying to mix the things of Satan’s world system with the things of God.
Because these believers exhibit too much love and too little knowledge, they teach heresies from the Bible. They often take scriptures out of context, and take doctrine from other dispensations to apply it to New Testament Christians. That is what happened in the Corinthian church, and that was much of the problem addressed in the book of Hebrews. Remember, love must be tempered with knowledge. However, this group places little emphasis on knowledge, except their pet doctrines. While we know that God is love, He still seems to think doctrine is quite important also.
Notice what the Bible says:
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Introduction
This is a study of The Rapture of the Church, Lesson #8 in the New Christian Series. The primary references for this study are I Corinthians 15:51-55; I Thessalonians 4:14-18; Revelation 4:1-4; John 11:25-26; Song of Solomon 2:6-10; and Job 37:1-4.
The rapture of the church is a subject of great interest to all true believers earnestly awaiting the coming of "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (I Timothy 6:15), who will soon return to take us out of this world. However, there are many who lack even the most basic knowledge of this glorious event. While this study is hardly exhaustive, the author hopes that it will give a clear understanding of this glorious doctrine, the rapture.
John the apostle instructs us:
"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." I John 2:28
As His children we should be ready to meet Him with the confidence that everything we have committed unto Him is secure forever (II Timothy 1:12). Furthermore, as His stewards we should be ready to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give a good account of those things He has committed unto us (I Peter 4:10; I Corinthians 4:1,2). We do not want to be ashamed of our lives and works when we stand before the Lord face to face, nor do we want Him to be ashamed of us.
Consider this admonition from the Lord:
"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:38
THE BODY OF CHRIST
In Lesson 6, we learned about the resurrection body that will clothe every believer at the Lords return. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ will change our vile, sinful bodies of flesh into perfect, sinless, glorified bodies like His own. Then we will leave this earth, rise to meet Jesus in the air, and go to Heaven to receive our eternal reward.
However, we are presently living in a period commonly referred to as the Church Age. During this Church Age, God has been forming a spiritual body made up of all born again believers (not to be confused with any so-called universal ecumenical church on the earth). When God saves a man, the Holy Spirit makes him a part of this spiritual body, and establishes his home in Heaven (John 14:1-3; Ephesians 2:6). In this spiritual body there is no respect of persons.
Paul said,
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
In contrast, the physical body of Christ upon the earth consists of saved Jews and saved Gentiles. This was a great mystery until it was revealed to Paul (the apostle to the Gentiles). He speaks about it in his letter to the Ephesians.
"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation 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;
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
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." Ephesians 3:1-8
Paul also speaks of the formation of this spiritual body in his letter to the Corinthian church.
Paul writes:
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many." I Corinthians 12:12-14
And Paul tells us that God,
"
ath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Ephesians 1:22,23
The Church Age began nearly 2000 years ago when the Holy Ghost was sent down by the Lord Jesus Christ on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1) in fulfillment of the promise He made in Acts 1.
Luke wrote in the book of Acts:
"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts 1:5
It was then that the Holy Spirit began baptizing believers into "the church, which is his body" (the supernatural body of Christ, now made up of all born again believers in Heaven and on earth).
We read in Acts:
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
Believers are to be His "witnesses" to the lost everywhere. When this supernatural body is completed, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come back and take us out of this world. This event is commonly called the rapture.
The Power Of Death
When believers die, their souls go to Heaven, but their bodies go to the grave, where they rot and turn to dust. In the incarnation, Christ partook of a natural human body so that through death He might take away from Satan the power of death. If Christ had not conquered death at Calvary and taken away the keys to death and Hell, the Devil would still have the power to keep our bodies in the grave. Before Calvary, Satan had power over death, but after Calvary, Satan was stripped of that power.
We read in the Bible:
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;" Hebrews 2:14
"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:18
One day Christ will return and take our bodies out of the grave by His power, as we are caught up together with Him and carried away to Heaven. Perhaps the scene will be similar to that recorded by Jude.
"Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." Jude 9
When Moses died (Deuteronomy 32:5,6) it was the Lord Himself who buried Moses. From Jude, we learn that the Lord later resurrected Moses’ body. In fact, we see Moses appearing with Christ and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-5. The Lord resurrected the body of Moses for this appearance. When He did this, Michael the Archangel had to contend with the devil about bringing his body up, because he was being resurrected before Jesus Christ death on the cross. Since the devil still held the power of death at that time, he contended that he had the right to keep Moses’ body. (The Lord had not yet died on the cross to pay the price of the redemption of that body.) Of course, the Lord simply rebuked the devil and brought up Moses’ body anyway. Since Christ paid the price for our redemption with His own blood, He can now raise the bodies of ALL believers from the grave without contention. Therefore, at His command, they will literally come out of the grave by the power of His word. That resurrection body will be a new, glorified body like His own.
Because the word "rapture" isn’t actually found in the Bible, some object to its frequent use in referring to this event. However, their objections are foolish because other commonly used words like "Millennium" and "Trinity" are not in the Bible either. Nonetheless, we continue to use them because they describe these doctrines so well.
OUR IMMORTAL BODIES
The previous lesson on The Resurrection Body is very closely related to this lesson on The Rapture. At the moment the believer’s body is caught up from the grave, it will be changed. In that new resurrection body, we will be taken up to the third Heaven to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (cf. I Corinthians 15:42-52).
The Mystery Revealed to Paul
One of the seven mysteries mentioned in the New Testament is the formation of the body of Christ (in the Church Age). It was never before understood until revealed to the apostle Paul (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:1-7).
Another "mystery" revealed to Paul is the rapture of the saints, in which "this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (I Corinthians 15:53).
In I Corinthians, Paul says:
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," I Corinthians 15:51
As we have already seen in our lesson on The Resurrection Body, the Bible indicates that our new body will have no blood. Can you imagine what it will be like for an unsaved man to be in a church service when the rapture takes place? At one moment, he is in a room filled with people?then the trumpet sounds. Suddenly, "in the twinkling of an eye" (I Corinthians 15:52), all the saved people disappear before his very eyes. Left behind will be nothing but their clothing, and hundreds of gallons of blood all over the floor! Why, the man would probably lose his mind! It will be a terrible time for the lost, but a glorious occasion for believers caught up to be with the Lord. Only then will life for us truly begin, for troubles and trials will be no more.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Old Testament prophets wrote about this marvelous event, but none understood it until God revealed it to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. (That they did not understand the things they themselves wrote confirms the divine inspiration of scripture.) The Bible says "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Timothy 3:16), and that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:21). Peter verifies that these Old Testament prophets often wrote about things they didn’t understand themselves.
"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.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." I Peter 1:11,12
The Old Testament prophets knew nothing about the Church Age and the rapture of the church because it was not revealed to them.
Therefore, Paul instructs us:
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," I Corinthians 15:51
Paul means we shall not all die . That is what he means by the word "sleep" in verse 51. This can be seen more clearly in John 11:11-14, where Jesus told the mourners, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." They did not understand what He was talking about, so He told them plainly that he was dead. In writing to the Corinthians about the believers’ future resurrection, Paul instructed them, "We shall not all sleep." All the saints will not have died when Jesus Christ comes back. If our blessed Lord returned in our lifetime, we would be among those covered in the last part of this verse: "but we shall all be changed." When the rapture takes place, some believers will be raised from the dead and some will be caught up alive, but all will be changed. Our mortal bodies will become immortal, glorified bodies just like Christ body (cf. I John 3:1-3 and Philippians 3:20-21). All these things will take place faster than the blink of an eye.
"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." I Corinthians 15:52
"The twinkling of an eye" is not the actual blink of an eye. Rather, it is the motion of an eye when it’s just starting to blink. Because it is so fast, its speed can only be estimated (about 1/1000 of a second). We cannot imagine how fast that is, but that is how quickly the rapture will take place. Just think, if some unsaved person were sitting across the table from you and the trumpet sounded they would not even see you go if they blinked their eyes.
The Trump of God
The word trump in verse 52 seems to be a difficulty for many Bible teachers. Rather than discover the meaning of the word by examining the context, they follow the new Bible perversions and change the word to trumpet but that is incorrect. The King James Bible is God word, and the words in the King James Bible are the inspired words of God. "The last trump" is correct. The "trump" is simply the sounding of the trumpet. Now, there are some who teach that the church will go through the tribulation. They say that the trumpet mentioned in I Corinthians 15:52 is the last trumpet sounded in Revelation 11:15, which blows after the tribulation is over. But the King James Bible is careful to say last trump, distinguishing it from the last trumpet. Paul does not say this is the sound of the last trumpet, but rather the last trump (or sound) of this particular trumpet that will sound at the time of the rapture. Because all the new perversions of the Bible say last trumpet here, they are contributing to the heretical teaching that the church will go through the terrible time of the future Great Tribulation. However, the scriptures clearly teach that the church will not go through that time of tribulation.
Furthermore, in I Thessalonians we read that:
" he 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:" I Thessalonians 4:16
The Lord will not descend when the last trumpet sounds, but upon the last trump of this particular trumpet.
"
or the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." I Corinthians 15:52
Since He says "the last trump," it would seem that the trumpet is sounded more than once. It appears that there is one blast that signals the dead in Christ to rise, and then a second blast that signals the living to be changed and go up.
This Mortal Must Put On Immortality
"
nd the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Corinthians 15:52). There are two classes of people mentioned in this text, the dead saints and the living saints. This agrees with Jesus’ conversation with Martha about Lazarus.
"Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" John 11:24-26
Notice in I Corinthians 15:52, that Paul is careful to say, "WE shall be changed," including himself. (Paul earnestly expected the rapture to take place in his lifetime.) Every believer should live in earnest expectation and hope that the Lord will return to take us to Heaven before we see death. Paul’s deep longing for the Lords return earned him a crown of righteousness, which we can win also.
Paul continues in I Corinthians 15:
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." I Corinthians 15:53
Again, we see two classes of people that will be raptured. The first class, "this corruptible," refers to those believers who are now deceased, those whose bodies are in the grave. But when Christ returns, these will put on "incorruption." The new body that comes out of the grave won’t be the same corruptible body that went into the grave, but a new incorruptible body that will never again get old, never sorrow, never suffer, and never die.
The rest of the verse ("And this mortal must put on immortality") refers to the second class, living Christians. The word "mortal" means "subject to death" (pertaining to our fleshly bodies). We are all mere mortals temporarily dwelling in bodies that are subject to death. But if Christ returns in our lifetime, we will be changed and will "put on immortality." Our new bodies will not be subject to death. Jesus said, "Neither can they die any more" (Luke 20:36).
"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, [the dead in Christ] and this mortal shall have put on immortality, [those still alive at his coming] then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." I Corinthians 15:54
When the Lord returns, death will be swallowed up in victory, and we will be able to sing the song Victory in Jesus in a way we have never sung it before. Jesus won the victory over death, and that victory is ours in Him.
"O victory in Jesus,
My Saviour, forever,
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood."
So Paul writes with confidence:
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 15:55-57
There will be no sting of death for believers who are still alive at Christ’s return, because they will not have to die. Furthermore, the grave will have no victory over those already dead in Christ, because the grave will not be able to hold them. He will raise their bodies up out of the grave by the power of His word.
We know that "the strength of sin is the law," and that "sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4). The Law was given so we would know what sin is, and that all are guilty of sin. (Also see Romans 4:15; 5:13 and 7:7.)
At the rapture, we will get our new bodies. Our victory will be complete then, we will have victory over the flesh forever. As a reminder of this, every believer should memorize the following verse.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:58
The Blessed Hope
We turn now to I Thessalonians 4, where we find more about this marvelous and wonderful event, the rapture of the Church.
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words." I Thessalonians 4:13-18
Paul admonishes believers to "sorrow not," for there is no need to grieve over saved loved ones who have departed to be with the Lord. We need not fear if we know they are gone on to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. They are far happier over there, with their blessed Saviour in glory, than they ever were in this life. It is a great tragedy then, when the lost die and leave their loved ones brokenhearted and grief-stricken. They do not have the comfort the believer has, for without God, they have no hope.
Speaking about the lost, Paul also says:
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Ephesians 2:12
How different is the hope in the heart of the Christian! At death, he goes to Heaven where there is prepared for him indescribable riches in glory. He has that sure hope and certain expectation, in Christ.
But hope, as used in the Bible (regarding our eternal destiny) never means simply a possibility that a certain thing may occur. The Bible definition of the word "hope," is found in the Random House Thesaurus,6 "confidence, assurance, or expectation."
We have far more than the mere desire that our salvation might be in Christ, or that Jesus may come again. We know that we are saved now, and look forward to His coming with confidence and anticipation because of its certainty. The so-called Church of Christ, Roman Catholic Church, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other false religions teach that salvation is by faith and works. They take the word hope to mean "maybe" or "possibly" we are going to Heaven. But the Bible never uses this word in that sense. The Bible believing Christian can KNOW he is saved (I John 5:12-13). The basis of his confidence is nothing less than God’s Holy Word.
"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." I John 5:12,13
The Christian’s hope is Christ Himself. Because He lives, we know that one day He will return to give us our new, sinless, glorified bodies like that of the Lord Jesus. Then we will be rid of the our old sinful, worn out, temporal bodies in which we now dwell. Believers still strive daily against temptation, and seek after holiness. They all have a longing for that new, sinless, perfect body that will no longer be subject to sin. Then they can serve the Lord perfectly. That is our hope: knowing that one day He will come back and give us that body. It is a sure thing. There is no doubt about it, He will do it.
Some other examples of this use of the word "hope" are found in the following scriptures. While some use these verses to teach salvation by works, we will see that they do not teach a hope-so salvation. Rather, they teach us to have confidence and expectation in a future event.
See what Paul says in Romans:
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" Romans 8:23,24
Some use the phrase "saved by hope" to try to prove that we can only hope we are saved (not yet knowing). But reading verses 23 and 24 together, we see the truth. While believers’ souls are saved right now, we are still "waiting for the redemption of our body." The redemption of our bodies will not take place until the rapture when the Lord Jesus Christ will give us glorified bodies like His own. So when Paul says, "we are saved by hope," he is talking about our future resurrection body.
Just as the apostle John when he says:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
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