(Re: Will we have to become purely spiritual like angels to enter heaven?)
While some angels could be purely spiritual, other angels have fleshly bodies, so that, for example, they can eat and drink (Genesis 18:8) and physically grasp the hands of people whom they are leading to safety (Genesis 19:1,16). They can even make just a part of their physical bodies become visible, for example, to write a message on a wall (Daniel 5:5). The way that they could do this while keeping the rest of their body invisible (not to mention keeping their bodies entirely invisible almost all of the time) would be if their bodies are able to access a "higher" spatial dimension.
Mortal-human eyes exist in only three spatial dimensions, so they can see objects only in these dimensions. Any object in a "higher" spatial dimension could move into the view of mortals by moving "down" (whether partly or wholly) into the three spatial dimensions visible to mortals.
An analogy would be a race of creatures which exists in only two spatial dimensions, like on the surface of a piece of paper. Anything above the surface of the paper would be invisible to them, for their eyes would exist in only two spatial dimensions. Humans existing in three spatial dimensions could look down and watch the two-dimensional creatures without them knowing that they are being watched. But a human could make his presence known to them by placing the tip of his finger on the surface of the paper. The two-dimensional creatures would then be able to see the surface of the fingertip, which would seem to them to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
This is similar to how Jesus Christ seemed to appear out of nowhere to His apostles after His resurrection: They were in a locked room when Jesus suddenly stood in their midst (John 20:26). The way that He could have done this is if His resurrected physical body (Luke 24:39) has obtained the ability (like the angels) to enter into a "higher" spatial dimension. A locked room would pose no more problem for him than a square drawn on a piece of paper would pose for someone who wanted to reach down and place his fingertip in the midst of that square. And once any two-dimensional creatures living in that square saw the fingertip, it could then vanish by simply being lifted off of the page, just as Jesus after His resurrection has the ability to make Himself suddenly vanish (Luke 24:31).
So an immortalized, resurrected, fleshly human body (Luke 24:39), like a fleshly angelic body, does not have to be restricted to the three, physical, spatial dimensions. It can have access to a fourth, what could be called a "spiritual", spatial dimension, "higher" than those which people in still-mortal bodies can currently see. So Christians do not have to think that receiving an immortal fleshly body at the future resurrection of the Church at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Philippians 3:21, Luke 24:39, Romans 8:23-25) will in any way keep resurrected Christians out of the spiritual realm, will in any way keep them from becoming equal to the angels in heaven (Luke 20:36).
There is an ancient teaching of Gnosticism which is very dangerous and will be revived worldwide by the future Antichrist. He will teach that Christ is not in the flesh (1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). He could teach this for the same reason that the Gnostics in the first century AD taught it: They thought that flesh is evil in itself and only that which is purely spiritual can be good. Of course, this is contradicted by the Bible, which shows that God can create fleshly creatures which are very good (Genesis 1:31). Indeed, even God Himself has become flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14, Romans 1:3), and Jesus is wholly without sin (Hebrews 4:15b). So there is nothing evil about flesh in itself.
Satan could inspire the future Antichrist to revive the ancient Gnostic teaching against flesh because Satan utterly hates humans. God could have even purposely gone out of His way to create humans out of dirt (Genesis 2:7) precisely to rankle Satan's pride. For before he rebelled against God, Satan (as Lucifer), while in heaven, could have begun to become very prideful in an exalted spiritual state of perfection (Ezekiel 28:15,17), so that God desired to humble him by raising up humans from the dirt who would eventually, through Jesus Christ, become so righteous that they would even judge the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). This could have driven Satan mad with envy, so that he became a murderer of humans from the beginning of his rebellion against God (John 8:44).
If God created humans out of dirt to eventually shame and humble Satan (and all other prideful angelic beings), this would be similar to how God could, in our future, on the New Earth (as in a new surface for the earth), create a new race of humans (Isaiah 65:20) from the stones of the ground, to shame and humble prideful, immortally-resurrected Christians. Compare what John the Baptist said: "think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). Proud Jews who heard this at the time of Jesus Christ's first coming could have been driven mad (with Satanic envy) by this possibility. Satanic envy is so strong that it even led some of the Jews to murder Jesus Himself (Matthew 27:18, John 8:40,44; 1 Thessalonians 2:15). Other Jews humbly believed in Jesus (who is Himself a Jew: John 4:9,22) and they started the Church which God foreordained: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10).
(See also Luke 24:39 and Isaiah 65:20 above)
--
*1 Corinthians 15:51-53 / *1 Cor. 15:51 -
(Re: Is the rapture-coming of Jesus Christ a *mystery revealed only to the apostle Paul?)
No, for the apostle Paul did not call the rapture-coming itself a mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51. For Jesus Christ had already taught His rapture-coming in the Gospels (John 14:3b, Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13:26-27; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1). Instead, the mystery explained in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (cf. John 11:26) is the instantaneous changing of living Christians into immortal physical bodies at the same, Second-Coming time that the bodies of dead Christians (of all times) will be resurrected from their graves into immortal physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Romans 8:23-25). It is only after this physical, Second-Coming resurrection and changing that the rapture (the physical catching up together/gathering together) of all Christians will occur (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30-31, John 14:3b).
(See also Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(We shall all be changed)
In 1 Corinthians 15:51, "we shall all be changed" refers to all "we" Christians who will still be "alive and remain" on the earth at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), as distinguished from "them" (1 Thessalonians 4:17), those dead Christians (of all times) whose bodies will be physically resurrected from their graves at the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52,51). Both those Christians whose living bodies will be changed into physical immortality, and those Christians whose dead bodies will be physically resurrected into immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-53), will then be physically "caught up together" (raptured) from the earth into the sky at the Second Coming to hold a meeting in the air with the returned Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17).
(See "At that meeting" under Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(Re: Will Christians be *changed into spirit?)
No; instead, Christians will be resurrected (if dead) or changed (if alive) into immortal flesh and bone bodies like Jesus Christ Himself was resurrected into on the third day after His death (Luke 24:39,46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4,21-23,51-53, Philippians 3:21, Romans 8:23-25). And these bodies will have souls and spirits, just as our bodies do now (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
(See also Luke 24:39 above)
~
(Re: *Soul sleep?)
Only the physical bodies of the dead in their graves are euphemistically "asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 15:18,51) and only their dead physical brains are without any thoughts (Ecclesiastes 9:5, Psalms 6:5, Psalms 115:17, Isaiah 38:18a). For the soul is distinct from the body (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and the soul can remain alive even when the body is dead (Matthew 10:28a). Also, the soul can remain conscious outside of the body whether the body is still alive (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) or has died (Revelation 6:9-10).
So the souls of the dead remain conscious, either in heaven with Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21,23, Revelation 6:9-10, Luke 23:43,46, Acts 3:21) or in fiery punishment in hell (Luke 16:22-24). At Jesus' future, Second Coming, He will bring with Him from heaven all of the souls of all obedient Christians who have ever died (1 Thessalonians 4:14), and they will descend to the earth where the graves of their bodies are, and their bodies will be physically resurrected into immortality at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,52-53, Revelation 20:4-6).
Sometime after the subsequent Millennium and Gog/Magog rebellion (Revelation 20:7-10, Ezekiel chapters 38-39), all of the souls in hell (i.e. all non-Christians who have ever died) will be physically resurrected, judged, and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15) which is the second death (Revelation 21:8). This will be the death of both their resurrected bodies and their souls (Matthew 10:28), and yet, even though they will be dead in both body and soul, their spirits, which are distinct from their bodies and souls (1 Thessalonians 5:23), will remain conscious and will suffer along with the spirits of Satan and his fallen angels forever (Revelation 20:10,15, Revelation 14:10-11, Matthew 25:41,46, Mark 9:45b-46, Isaiah 66:24).
Also, the future, eternal conscious suffering of all non-Christians must not be considered as eternal life, but as an eternal, conscious, ongoing, second death (Revelation 21:8, Revelation 20:10,15, Revelation 14:10-11, Mark 9:45b-46).
(See also the "Consciousness" section of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 below. And see Matthew 25:41 above)
--
*1 Corinthians 15:52 / *1 Cor. 15:52 -
(*Last trump)
The "last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52) is the trumpet which will sound after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:31).
~
(Re: Does the last trump have to sound pre-tribulation to fulfill the *feasts?)
No, for all of the Old Covenant feasts can have a New Covenant, antitypical fulfillment without requiring a pre-tribulation rapture.
For Jesus Christ's death was the antitypical fulfillment of the Passover (Leviticus 23:5; 1 Corinthians 5:7b) and His resurrection was the antitypical fulfillment of the Firstfruits of Leviticus 23:10 (1 Corinthians 15:20). The general salvation of the Church could be a subsequent fulfillment of the Firstfruits (James 1:18) and the 144,000 part of the Church could be a subsequent fulfillment of the Firstfruits presented to the Lord (Leviticus 23:10b-11, Revelation 14:4b).
The fifty days, Firstfruits and two loaves of Leviticus 23:16-17 could have been antitypically fulfilled at the Pentecost in Acts 2 and subsequently, when the Firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23) were poured out on (the first loaf) the Jews in the Church (Acts 2:14-18) and then on (the second loaf) the Gentiles in the Church (Acts 10:45b).
The Feast of Trumpets of Leviticus 23:24 could be antitypically fulfilled at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when the Second-Coming trumpet will sound (Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52) after the seven trumpets of the future Tribulation of Matthew 24 and Revelation chapters 6 to 18 (Revelation 8:2).
The Day of Atonement of Leviticus 23:27-28 could be antitypically fulfilled when Jesus Christ will save from hell all of the elect non-Christian Jews who will still be alive at His future, Second Coming (Romans 11:26-28, Zechariah 12:10-14).
The Feast of Tabernacles of Leviticus 23:34 could be antitypically fulfilled at the future marriage feast (Revelation 19:9) which will be on the earth after Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 25:6-9). The apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah 25:8 in 1 Corinthians 15:54b, showing that the earthly feast of Isaiah 25:6-9 will be connected with the physical resurrection of the Church at the Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Revelation 20:4-6).
~
(Re: Why do you keep saying "antitypically" fulfilled?)
See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below.
~
(Re: Is the last trump the seventh trumpet during the Tribulation?)
No, see Revelation 11:15 below.
~
(In the *twinkling of an eye)
The only thing which will happen in the twinkling of an eye at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will be the resurrection (if dead) or changing (if alive) of obedient Christians into immortal physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53). Other aspects of the Second Coming will occur before and after that. The first thing to occur at the Second Coming will be the light from the sun and moon temporarily being blocked from reaching the surface of the earth (Matthew 24:29), and there will be a meteorite shower, falling "stars" (Matthew 24:29). Then the sign of Jesus (possibly the Cross) will appear in the sky and the world will mourn when it realizes that the true Jesus is coming back (Matthew 24:30). Then the world will see Jesus in the clouds of the sky (Matthew 24:30) and the people of the world will wail (Revelation 1:7), knowing in their spirits that Jesus is coming back in wrath (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
But before the wrath-part of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming begins (Revelation 19:15-21), all of the souls of the dead in Christ (of all times), who will all come back with Christ from the third heaven at His Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15), will descend to the earth where their graves are and their bodies will be physically resurrected (1 Thessalonians 4:16, Revelation 20:4-6). Then they and all those in Christ who survived the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 on the earth (those who will still be "alive and remain") will be raptured (caught up together, gathered together) as high as the clouds of the sky (the first heaven) to hold a meeting in the air with the returned Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:17, Matthew 24:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).
(See "At that meeting" under Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(The dead shall be raised)
In 1 Corinthians 15:52, "the dead shall be raised" refers to the physical resurrection of only Christians (of all times) at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6). This will be "the first resurrection" (Revelation 20:4-6) when "the last trumpet" will sound (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Matthew 24:30-31) immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
~
(We shall be changed)
See section 2 of 1 Corinthians 15:51 above.
--
*1 Corinthians 15:54b / *1 Cor. 15:54b -
This refers back to Isaiah 25:8, which refers to what will happen at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 25:9; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-54) and the earthly feast which will occur at that time (Isaiah 25:6-12), which will be the marriage feast of Revelation 19:9.
--
*1 Corinthians 15:56 / *1 Cor. 15:56 -
Here the law means the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, not the New Covenant/New Testament law of Jesus Christ (John 14:15,21-24). See also what John 8:34-36 says. Note that it says: "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin", which includes people who reject all law. That is, some people commit sin because they do not want to be under any law. Indeed, the epitome of sinners, the future Antichrist, is called the "Lawless one". For in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 the original Greek word (anomos: G0459) translated as "Wicked" means "Lawless".
--
*1 Corinthians 16:15 / *1 Cor. 16:15 -
(Re: Is salvation like breaking an *addiction?)
Yes, insofar as having an addiction is like being a slave to something, and Jesus Christ has delivered Christians from being slaves to sin (John 8:34-36, Romans 8:2-14, Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 5:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1). But being saved from sin (and hell) also involves a voluntary entering into a new addiction and becoming a slave to something else, for it is a good thing for Christians to be voluntarily addicted to their ministry (1 Corinthians 16:15) and Christians are to be the voluntary servants of Jesus (Romans 1:1, Romans 6:22, Revelation 1:1).
(See also Mark 13:34 above, and Colossians 4:1 below)
~
(Re: *One day at a time)
Christians still have to choose one day at a time to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23).
--
*1 Corinthians 16:22 / *1 Cor. 16:22 -
"Anathema" (G0331) is translated elsewhere as "accursed" (Galatians 1:8-9, Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3).
"Maranatha" (G3134) is from two Aramaic words which can mean: "Our Lord is coming".
--
*2 Corinthians 1:20 / *2 Cor. 1:20 -
(Re: Means that we await nothing?)
No, for we await our physical resurrection (Romans 8:23-25), which promise is made possible in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Also, we await the Millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6) which He will make possible at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
(See the "After the Second Coming" section of Revelation 20:4 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 1:22 / *2 Cor. 1:22 -
(Sealed / Earnest)
See section 2 of Ephesians 1:13 below.
--
*2 Corinthians 2:5 / *2 Cor. 2:5 -
The original Greek word (epibareo: G1912) translated as "overcharge" can mean "be severe towards" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
--
*2 Corinthians 2:6-10 / *2 Cor. 2:6 -
This refers back to the man in 1 Corinthians 5.
(See 1 Corinthians 5:5 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 2:11 / *2 Cor. 2:11 -
See Revelation 13:4 below, and Luke 24:39 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 3:5-6 / *2 Cor. 3:5 -
This means that the apostle Paul and his fellow workers were not sufficient by themselves, apart from God's help (John 15:4-5, Philippians 2:13), to ably perform the New Covenant ministry assigned to them by God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 does not mean that they did not labor themselves in their ministry, for elsewhere Paul shows that Christians must labor themselves (2 Corinthians 5:9, Romans 2:6-8, Titus 3:8), together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9, Colossians 1:29, Philippians 2:12b-13).
(See also Philippians 2:13 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 3:6-18 / *2 Cor. 3:6 -
This means that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should stop trying to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For the apostle Paul begins the passage by saying that God has made "us" ministers "not of the letter" (2 Corinthians 3:6). By saying "us", Paul is including Jewish Christians, for Paul is a Jew (Acts 22:3). And by saying "ministers" (Greek: "diakonos", G1249), Paul means "servants" (cf. Romans 16:1). So in 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul is saying the same thing as in Romans 7:6, where he says that "we" (that is, including Jewish Christians) have been "delivered" from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law so that "we" should serve "not in the oldness of the letter". Paul continues on in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 to show that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should stop trying to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, "for the letter killeth" (2 Corinthians 3:6). The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, written and...
(See "engraven in stones" under Ephesians 2:15 below)
~
(Re: Is it really saying that "the law" itself is abolished?)
What the apostle Paul shows is abolished in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 is the letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law, including the letter of its Ten Commandments, "written and engraven in stones" (2 Corinthians 3:7,13, Deuteronomy 4:13, Deuteronomy 27:8).
~
(Re: How can the spirit of the law be kept without placing oneself under its letter?)
See "Exodus 20:14" under Ephesians 2:15 below.
--
*2 Corinthians 3:7c / *2 Cor. 3:7c -
(Re: Does the Bible say only that the law "is" passing away?)
Are you referring to the idea of 2 Corinthians 3:7c,11a,13c,14c? If so, it means that even at the time of Moses in the fifteenth century BC the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was not permanent. 2 Corinthians 3:7c,11a,13c,14c does not mean that the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was still in effect at the time that 2 Corinthians was written in the first century AD, for 2 Corinthians 3:11 specifically contrasts the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law with the New Covenant which is that "which remaineth" (2 Corinthians 3:11), meaning that even at the time that 2 Corinthians was written, which was before 70 AD, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law did not remain (as far as God was concerned) as something which had to be kept.
This is confirmed by Ephesians 2:14-15, which refers to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law as having already been abolished by that time. And Colossians 2:14 similarly refers to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law as having already been blotted out and taken out of the way by that time. And Romans 6:14-15, Galatians 3:23-25 and Galatians 4:21 to 5:8 also show that Christians were not under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law by that time. And Romans 7:6 also shows that Christians by that time had been delivered from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law and were not to serve in the oldness of the letter.
(See also the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 3:17 / *2 Cor. 3:17 -
(Re: Means that Jesus is only spirit now?)
No, see Luke 24:39 above.
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Dec 16, 2018
While some angels could be purely spiritual, other angels have fleshly bodies, so that, for example, they can eat and drink (Genesis 18:8) and physically grasp the hands of people whom they are leading to safety (Genesis 19:1,16). They can even make just a part of their physical bodies become visible, for example, to write a message on a wall (Daniel 5:5). The way that they could do this while keeping the rest of their body invisible (not to mention keeping their bodies entirely invisible almost all of the time) would be if their bodies are able to access a "higher" spatial dimension.
Mortal-human eyes exist in only three spatial dimensions, so they can see objects only in these dimensions. Any object in a "higher" spatial dimension could move into the view of mortals by moving "down" (whether partly or wholly) into the three spatial dimensions visible to mortals.
An analogy would be a race of creatures which exists in only two spatial dimensions, like on the surface of a piece of paper. Anything above the surface of the paper would be invisible to them, for their eyes would exist in only two spatial dimensions. Humans existing in three spatial dimensions could look down and watch the two-dimensional creatures without them knowing that they are being watched. But a human could make his presence known to them by placing the tip of his finger on the surface of the paper. The two-dimensional creatures would then be able to see the surface of the fingertip, which would seem to them to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
This is similar to how Jesus Christ seemed to appear out of nowhere to His apostles after His resurrection: They were in a locked room when Jesus suddenly stood in their midst (John 20:26). The way that He could have done this is if His resurrected physical body (Luke 24:39) has obtained the ability (like the angels) to enter into a "higher" spatial dimension. A locked room would pose no more problem for him than a square drawn on a piece of paper would pose for someone who wanted to reach down and place his fingertip in the midst of that square. And once any two-dimensional creatures living in that square saw the fingertip, it could then vanish by simply being lifted off of the page, just as Jesus after His resurrection has the ability to make Himself suddenly vanish (Luke 24:31).
So an immortalized, resurrected, fleshly human body (Luke 24:39), like a fleshly angelic body, does not have to be restricted to the three, physical, spatial dimensions. It can have access to a fourth, what could be called a "spiritual", spatial dimension, "higher" than those which people in still-mortal bodies can currently see. So Christians do not have to think that receiving an immortal fleshly body at the future resurrection of the Church at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Philippians 3:21, Luke 24:39, Romans 8:23-25) will in any way keep resurrected Christians out of the spiritual realm, will in any way keep them from becoming equal to the angels in heaven (Luke 20:36).
There is an ancient teaching of Gnosticism which is very dangerous and will be revived worldwide by the future Antichrist. He will teach that Christ is not in the flesh (1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). He could teach this for the same reason that the Gnostics in the first century AD taught it: They thought that flesh is evil in itself and only that which is purely spiritual can be good. Of course, this is contradicted by the Bible, which shows that God can create fleshly creatures which are very good (Genesis 1:31). Indeed, even God Himself has become flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14, Romans 1:3), and Jesus is wholly without sin (Hebrews 4:15b). So there is nothing evil about flesh in itself.
Satan could inspire the future Antichrist to revive the ancient Gnostic teaching against flesh because Satan utterly hates humans. God could have even purposely gone out of His way to create humans out of dirt (Genesis 2:7) precisely to rankle Satan's pride. For before he rebelled against God, Satan (as Lucifer), while in heaven, could have begun to become very prideful in an exalted spiritual state of perfection (Ezekiel 28:15,17), so that God desired to humble him by raising up humans from the dirt who would eventually, through Jesus Christ, become so righteous that they would even judge the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). This could have driven Satan mad with envy, so that he became a murderer of humans from the beginning of his rebellion against God (John 8:44).
If God created humans out of dirt to eventually shame and humble Satan (and all other prideful angelic beings), this would be similar to how God could, in our future, on the New Earth (as in a new surface for the earth), create a new race of humans (Isaiah 65:20) from the stones of the ground, to shame and humble prideful, immortally-resurrected Christians. Compare what John the Baptist said: "think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). Proud Jews who heard this at the time of Jesus Christ's first coming could have been driven mad (with Satanic envy) by this possibility. Satanic envy is so strong that it even led some of the Jews to murder Jesus Himself (Matthew 27:18, John 8:40,44; 1 Thessalonians 2:15). Other Jews humbly believed in Jesus (who is Himself a Jew: John 4:9,22) and they started the Church which God foreordained: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10).
(See also Luke 24:39 and Isaiah 65:20 above)
--
*1 Corinthians 15:51-53 / *1 Cor. 15:51 -
(Re: Is the rapture-coming of Jesus Christ a *mystery revealed only to the apostle Paul?)
No, for the apostle Paul did not call the rapture-coming itself a mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51. For Jesus Christ had already taught His rapture-coming in the Gospels (John 14:3b, Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13:26-27; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1). Instead, the mystery explained in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (cf. John 11:26) is the instantaneous changing of living Christians into immortal physical bodies at the same, Second-Coming time that the bodies of dead Christians (of all times) will be resurrected from their graves into immortal physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Romans 8:23-25). It is only after this physical, Second-Coming resurrection and changing that the rapture (the physical catching up together/gathering together) of all Christians will occur (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30-31, John 14:3b).
(See also Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(We shall all be changed)
In 1 Corinthians 15:51, "we shall all be changed" refers to all "we" Christians who will still be "alive and remain" on the earth at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), as distinguished from "them" (1 Thessalonians 4:17), those dead Christians (of all times) whose bodies will be physically resurrected from their graves at the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52,51). Both those Christians whose living bodies will be changed into physical immortality, and those Christians whose dead bodies will be physically resurrected into immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-53), will then be physically "caught up together" (raptured) from the earth into the sky at the Second Coming to hold a meeting in the air with the returned Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17).
(See "At that meeting" under Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(Re: Will Christians be *changed into spirit?)
No; instead, Christians will be resurrected (if dead) or changed (if alive) into immortal flesh and bone bodies like Jesus Christ Himself was resurrected into on the third day after His death (Luke 24:39,46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4,21-23,51-53, Philippians 3:21, Romans 8:23-25). And these bodies will have souls and spirits, just as our bodies do now (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
(See also Luke 24:39 above)
~
(Re: *Soul sleep?)
Only the physical bodies of the dead in their graves are euphemistically "asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 15:18,51) and only their dead physical brains are without any thoughts (Ecclesiastes 9:5, Psalms 6:5, Psalms 115:17, Isaiah 38:18a). For the soul is distinct from the body (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and the soul can remain alive even when the body is dead (Matthew 10:28a). Also, the soul can remain conscious outside of the body whether the body is still alive (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) or has died (Revelation 6:9-10).
So the souls of the dead remain conscious, either in heaven with Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21,23, Revelation 6:9-10, Luke 23:43,46, Acts 3:21) or in fiery punishment in hell (Luke 16:22-24). At Jesus' future, Second Coming, He will bring with Him from heaven all of the souls of all obedient Christians who have ever died (1 Thessalonians 4:14), and they will descend to the earth where the graves of their bodies are, and their bodies will be physically resurrected into immortality at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,52-53, Revelation 20:4-6).
Sometime after the subsequent Millennium and Gog/Magog rebellion (Revelation 20:7-10, Ezekiel chapters 38-39), all of the souls in hell (i.e. all non-Christians who have ever died) will be physically resurrected, judged, and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15) which is the second death (Revelation 21:8). This will be the death of both their resurrected bodies and their souls (Matthew 10:28), and yet, even though they will be dead in both body and soul, their spirits, which are distinct from their bodies and souls (1 Thessalonians 5:23), will remain conscious and will suffer along with the spirits of Satan and his fallen angels forever (Revelation 20:10,15, Revelation 14:10-11, Matthew 25:41,46, Mark 9:45b-46, Isaiah 66:24).
Also, the future, eternal conscious suffering of all non-Christians must not be considered as eternal life, but as an eternal, conscious, ongoing, second death (Revelation 21:8, Revelation 20:10,15, Revelation 14:10-11, Mark 9:45b-46).
(See also the "Consciousness" section of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 below. And see Matthew 25:41 above)
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*1 Corinthians 15:52 / *1 Cor. 15:52 -
(*Last trump)
The "last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52) is the trumpet which will sound after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:31).
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(Re: Does the last trump have to sound pre-tribulation to fulfill the *feasts?)
No, for all of the Old Covenant feasts can have a New Covenant, antitypical fulfillment without requiring a pre-tribulation rapture.
For Jesus Christ's death was the antitypical fulfillment of the Passover (Leviticus 23:5; 1 Corinthians 5:7b) and His resurrection was the antitypical fulfillment of the Firstfruits of Leviticus 23:10 (1 Corinthians 15:20). The general salvation of the Church could be a subsequent fulfillment of the Firstfruits (James 1:18) and the 144,000 part of the Church could be a subsequent fulfillment of the Firstfruits presented to the Lord (Leviticus 23:10b-11, Revelation 14:4b).
The fifty days, Firstfruits and two loaves of Leviticus 23:16-17 could have been antitypically fulfilled at the Pentecost in Acts 2 and subsequently, when the Firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23) were poured out on (the first loaf) the Jews in the Church (Acts 2:14-18) and then on (the second loaf) the Gentiles in the Church (Acts 10:45b).
The Feast of Trumpets of Leviticus 23:24 could be antitypically fulfilled at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when the Second-Coming trumpet will sound (Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52) after the seven trumpets of the future Tribulation of Matthew 24 and Revelation chapters 6 to 18 (Revelation 8:2).
The Day of Atonement of Leviticus 23:27-28 could be antitypically fulfilled when Jesus Christ will save from hell all of the elect non-Christian Jews who will still be alive at His future, Second Coming (Romans 11:26-28, Zechariah 12:10-14).
The Feast of Tabernacles of Leviticus 23:34 could be antitypically fulfilled at the future marriage feast (Revelation 19:9) which will be on the earth after Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 25:6-9). The apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah 25:8 in 1 Corinthians 15:54b, showing that the earthly feast of Isaiah 25:6-9 will be connected with the physical resurrection of the Church at the Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Revelation 20:4-6).
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(Re: Why do you keep saying "antitypically" fulfilled?)
See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below.
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(Re: Is the last trump the seventh trumpet during the Tribulation?)
No, see Revelation 11:15 below.
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(In the *twinkling of an eye)
The only thing which will happen in the twinkling of an eye at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will be the resurrection (if dead) or changing (if alive) of obedient Christians into immortal physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53). Other aspects of the Second Coming will occur before and after that. The first thing to occur at the Second Coming will be the light from the sun and moon temporarily being blocked from reaching the surface of the earth (Matthew 24:29), and there will be a meteorite shower, falling "stars" (Matthew 24:29). Then the sign of Jesus (possibly the Cross) will appear in the sky and the world will mourn when it realizes that the true Jesus is coming back (Matthew 24:30). Then the world will see Jesus in the clouds of the sky (Matthew 24:30) and the people of the world will wail (Revelation 1:7), knowing in their spirits that Jesus is coming back in wrath (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
But before the wrath-part of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming begins (Revelation 19:15-21), all of the souls of the dead in Christ (of all times), who will all come back with Christ from the third heaven at His Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15), will descend to the earth where their graves are and their bodies will be physically resurrected (1 Thessalonians 4:16, Revelation 20:4-6). Then they and all those in Christ who survived the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 on the earth (those who will still be "alive and remain") will be raptured (caught up together, gathered together) as high as the clouds of the sky (the first heaven) to hold a meeting in the air with the returned Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:17, Matthew 24:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).
(See "At that meeting" under Matthew 24:31 above)
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(The dead shall be raised)
In 1 Corinthians 15:52, "the dead shall be raised" refers to the physical resurrection of only Christians (of all times) at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6). This will be "the first resurrection" (Revelation 20:4-6) when "the last trumpet" will sound (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Matthew 24:30-31) immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
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(We shall be changed)
See section 2 of 1 Corinthians 15:51 above.
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*1 Corinthians 15:54b / *1 Cor. 15:54b -
This refers back to Isaiah 25:8, which refers to what will happen at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 25:9; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-54) and the earthly feast which will occur at that time (Isaiah 25:6-12), which will be the marriage feast of Revelation 19:9.
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*1 Corinthians 15:56 / *1 Cor. 15:56 -
Here the law means the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, not the New Covenant/New Testament law of Jesus Christ (John 14:15,21-24). See also what John 8:34-36 says. Note that it says: "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin", which includes people who reject all law. That is, some people commit sin because they do not want to be under any law. Indeed, the epitome of sinners, the future Antichrist, is called the "Lawless one". For in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 the original Greek word (anomos: G0459) translated as "Wicked" means "Lawless".
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*1 Corinthians 16:15 / *1 Cor. 16:15 -
(Re: Is salvation like breaking an *addiction?)
Yes, insofar as having an addiction is like being a slave to something, and Jesus Christ has delivered Christians from being slaves to sin (John 8:34-36, Romans 8:2-14, Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 5:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1). But being saved from sin (and hell) also involves a voluntary entering into a new addiction and becoming a slave to something else, for it is a good thing for Christians to be voluntarily addicted to their ministry (1 Corinthians 16:15) and Christians are to be the voluntary servants of Jesus (Romans 1:1, Romans 6:22, Revelation 1:1).
(See also Mark 13:34 above, and Colossians 4:1 below)
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(Re: *One day at a time)
Christians still have to choose one day at a time to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23).
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*1 Corinthians 16:22 / *1 Cor. 16:22 -
"Anathema" (G0331) is translated elsewhere as "accursed" (Galatians 1:8-9, Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3).
"Maranatha" (G3134) is from two Aramaic words which can mean: "Our Lord is coming".
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*2 Corinthians 1:20 / *2 Cor. 1:20 -
(Re: Means that we await nothing?)
No, for we await our physical resurrection (Romans 8:23-25), which promise is made possible in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Also, we await the Millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6) which He will make possible at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
(See the "After the Second Coming" section of Revelation 20:4 below)
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*2 Corinthians 1:22 / *2 Cor. 1:22 -
(Sealed / Earnest)
See section 2 of Ephesians 1:13 below.
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*2 Corinthians 2:5 / *2 Cor. 2:5 -
The original Greek word (epibareo: G1912) translated as "overcharge" can mean "be severe towards" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*2 Corinthians 2:6-10 / *2 Cor. 2:6 -
This refers back to the man in 1 Corinthians 5.
(See 1 Corinthians 5:5 above)
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*2 Corinthians 2:11 / *2 Cor. 2:11 -
See Revelation 13:4 below, and Luke 24:39 above.
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*2 Corinthians 3:5-6 / *2 Cor. 3:5 -
This means that the apostle Paul and his fellow workers were not sufficient by themselves, apart from God's help (John 15:4-5, Philippians 2:13), to ably perform the New Covenant ministry assigned to them by God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 does not mean that they did not labor themselves in their ministry, for elsewhere Paul shows that Christians must labor themselves (2 Corinthians 5:9, Romans 2:6-8, Titus 3:8), together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9, Colossians 1:29, Philippians 2:12b-13).
(See also Philippians 2:13 below)
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*2 Corinthians 3:6-18 / *2 Cor. 3:6 -
This means that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should stop trying to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For the apostle Paul begins the passage by saying that God has made "us" ministers "not of the letter" (2 Corinthians 3:6). By saying "us", Paul is including Jewish Christians, for Paul is a Jew (Acts 22:3). And by saying "ministers" (Greek: "diakonos", G1249), Paul means "servants" (cf. Romans 16:1). So in 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul is saying the same thing as in Romans 7:6, where he says that "we" (that is, including Jewish Christians) have been "delivered" from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law so that "we" should serve "not in the oldness of the letter". Paul continues on in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 to show that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should stop trying to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, "for the letter killeth" (2 Corinthians 3:6). The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, written and...
(See "engraven in stones" under Ephesians 2:15 below)
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(Re: Is it really saying that "the law" itself is abolished?)
What the apostle Paul shows is abolished in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 is the letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law, including the letter of its Ten Commandments, "written and engraven in stones" (2 Corinthians 3:7,13, Deuteronomy 4:13, Deuteronomy 27:8).
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(Re: How can the spirit of the law be kept without placing oneself under its letter?)
See "Exodus 20:14" under Ephesians 2:15 below.
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*2 Corinthians 3:7c / *2 Cor. 3:7c -
(Re: Does the Bible say only that the law "is" passing away?)
Are you referring to the idea of 2 Corinthians 3:7c,11a,13c,14c? If so, it means that even at the time of Moses in the fifteenth century BC the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was not permanent. 2 Corinthians 3:7c,11a,13c,14c does not mean that the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was still in effect at the time that 2 Corinthians was written in the first century AD, for 2 Corinthians 3:11 specifically contrasts the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law with the New Covenant which is that "which remaineth" (2 Corinthians 3:11), meaning that even at the time that 2 Corinthians was written, which was before 70 AD, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law did not remain (as far as God was concerned) as something which had to be kept.
This is confirmed by Ephesians 2:14-15, which refers to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law as having already been abolished by that time. And Colossians 2:14 similarly refers to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law as having already been blotted out and taken out of the way by that time. And Romans 6:14-15, Galatians 3:23-25 and Galatians 4:21 to 5:8 also show that Christians were not under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law by that time. And Romans 7:6 also shows that Christians by that time had been delivered from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law and were not to serve in the oldness of the letter.
(See also the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
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*2 Corinthians 3:17 / *2 Cor. 3:17 -
(Re: Means that Jesus is only spirit now?)
No, see Luke 24:39 above.
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