Originally posted by Shane Roach
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
So we see that there is to be (or was to be) a physical change of the mortal to the immortal, and that the dead were to be raised with the living to attain this. Only at this point, whether past or future, is the saying completed that death is swallowed up in victory. Not just spiritual death, but physical also.
Another item worthy of remembering, and perhaps preterists can explain this as well, is Mark 13:10 tells us that first the gospel must be published ( I don't imply this means physically published in book form, but taught at the very least ) among all nations. This does not seem to be true, historically, of the year 70 A.D.
GW and parousia are both familiar with my general position that the preterist belief, while perhaps understandable, makes more problems than it solves for my understanding of the end times. Here are just two more examples.
On the other hand both parousia and GW have been very polite and tried to help, and I appreciate that.
Hi Shane, Thank you for your kind words. I know I always do my level best to present my understanding with patience, grace and kindness (I'm not always perfect at it of course, but it's nice to see my efforts recognized once in a while!)
As far as being "changed" I do not see anything in that text that states or even implies anything "physical " in nature any more than the term "born again" denotes a second pass through the womb. The "change" was in covenental status. "Blessed are they that
die in the lord from now on". Physical death continues on into the New H&E,(Isaiah 65:17-21) but since the "Change" it is no longer a barrier between God and Man, rather it is merely Gods servant to bring man into a deeper level of Human existance. An existance that was intended from the foundation of the world. "The Sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law [of Moses]". "Sin is
not imputed when there is no Law [of Moses]" (Romans 5:8)
Sin no longer has any strength, meaning it can no longer keep man from salvation, in fact
only sinners get saved! Our Sins are not imputed against us. We either choose to remain in Adam, where we are already condemned whether we sin or not, or we choose to enter into Christ, and we are saved despite our sins. Sin has been forever abolished as any criteria whatsoever by God to determine our salvation status.
Gospel Preached to all nations
Was the gospel preached in all the world before AD 70?
Probably one of the most common beliefs among Christians is that once the gospel is preached to all the world, Christ will return and the world will end. This is a theme verse of the Christian Broadcasting Network. They are trying to fulfill this verse. Most believers would say that this verse has not yet been fulfilled, the gospel has not yet been preached to all the world. How do we know if it has? Well, Jesus said the end would come once the gospel was preached to all the world. How can we find out if the gospel was preached in all the world before AD 70? We can go the Scriptures and see if they give us any insight to this matter:
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
Why would the apostles be hated in all nations if they had not preached the gospel in all nations? They were hated by all nations because they preached in all nations. Paul declares that the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven:
Colossians 1:5-6 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
In Matthew 24:14, the Greek word for preached is kerusso, it is in the future tense. But in Colossians 1:23 the same word kerusso is in the aorist tense (past). Jesus said that it is to be preached and Paul says in AD 62, that it has been preached to every creature. Paul also said that the faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Paul said that the gospel was made known to all nations.
Romans 16:25-26 (NKJV) Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith;.
We know that Paul traveled through Asia Minor, Greece, and Crete; that he was in Italy, and probably in Spain and Gaul (Romans 15:24-28). During this time the other apostles weren't sitting around idle; and there is much proof that within thirty years after this prophecy was spoken, churches were established in all these regions.
Crysostom (375) wrote,
"Therefore He added moreover, "And this gospel shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come,"(7) of the downfall of Jerusalem.
For in proof that He meant this, and that before the taking of Jerusalem the gospel was preached, hear what Paul saith, "Their sound went into all the earth;"(8) and again, "The gospel which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven."(9)
Which also is a very great sign of Christ's power, that in twenty or at most thirty years the word had reached the ends of the world. "After this therefore," saith He, "shall come the end of Jerusalem." For that He intimates this was manifested by what follows."
Eusebius (325) wrote,
"THUS, under the influence of heavenly power, and with the divine co-operation, the doctrine of the Saviour, like the rays of the sun, quickly illumined the whole world;[1] and straightway, in accordance with the divine Scriptures,[2] the voice of the inspired evangelists and apostles went forth through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." (Book II, Ch.III.)
Many today say that the gospel has not been preached to all the world and Matthew 24:14 has not yet been fulfilled.
The Bible says that all the nations of the world heard the gospel preached before AD 70. Who are you going to believe? To deny that Matthew 24:14 has been fulfilled is to deny the clear statements of God's Holy Word; it is to call God a liar.
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
"Then the end will come." The end of what? What were they asking about? The end of the temple and the Jewish age. He is not saying the world will end when everyone has heard the gospel, or that the Christian age will end.
Jesus very clearly tells his disciples that before the temple would be destroyed and before His parousia and the end of the age, the gospel must be preached in all the world. And it was! The temple was destroyed! He arrived in full glory! The Old Covenant age ended!
This does not mean that the gospel was
not to be preached
after the end had come. It was to be preached for ever and always.
Revelation 14:6 14:6
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
The everlasting Gospel's
only purpose is to be preached to sinners who dwell on earth. Once sinnere cease to dwell on earth, the "everlasting Gospel" becomes obsolete, and we know
that will never happen.
Notice also the parable of the wedding feast:
Matthew 22:1-7 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 "and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 "Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' 5 "But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 "And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 "But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Notice what he says to his servants AFTER the city is destroyed:
Matthew 22:8-10 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 'Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' 10 "So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
We dwell in the New Jerusalem in the very presence of God and the invitation is still going out today. Notice the invitation that goes forth from the New Heaven and Earth:
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
I trust that you are faithfully proclaiming the message to everyone who is thirsty -- come into the Holy City and drink freely!