What the Bible Says - Part 6

Hebrews 6:1-2 lists the doctrine of “the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” as one of the elementary or basic doctrines of our Christian faith. The reason is that it has to do with the final part of God’s plan of redemption—the return of Jesus Christ.
 
In Acts 3 we see Peter and John healing the lame beggar and preaching the Gospel from the Temple porch—and 5,000 people believed! That is the “power of God unto salvation “ (Romans 1:16) with signs and miracles confirming that good word (Mark 16:20). Peter’s message as the Church was being established is the same message that needs to be preached in our time.
 
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom Heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” From Moses, Samuel, and all the Old Testament prophets that followed, “as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days” (Acts 3:17-26).
 
The message summarizes the last Days in God’s great Week of redemption:

• Jesus’ first coming to bring salvation and forgiveness to all who believe;
• times of refreshing from the Holy Spirit—the distinguishing mark of the last Days;
• the restoration of all things, particularly the Kingdom restored to Israel at the appointed time and the crushing of the Gentile kingdoms.

 
Acts 4 records that Peter and John were arrested for teaching the people and preaching in Jesus the resurrection of the dead! Even as the Church was being established, they were preaching the whole doctrine of Christ. They weren’t just preaching that Jesus had come into the earth to bring salvation (first coming); they were preaching that Jesus would come again to birth us from death (2nd coming). That is, resurrection and perfection, our full redemption—spirit, soul, and body. That is our hope of glory!
 
The chronos timing set in God’s Word gives us hope. It tells us there is an appointed time for God’s plan to come to pass. Nothing and no one can change that plan. God’s Word stands forever. This is why it is vitally important that we understand the times so that we know what to do and how to stand in this hour.
 
Our job as believers is to be light and salt. The light is the ministry of reconciliation. The salt is that those in Christ shall be preserved from the appointed Wrath of that Day; this truth is seasoned with grace, for the gift of salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus as the Savior.
 
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God…Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:1-2, 9).
 
The reality of the rapture is not a wimpy cop-out. It is understanding God’s chronos timing found in the Scriptures. We cannot move apart from God’s predetermined times. We can only do what is right and proper for our time.
 
Once we are gathered to Christ, perfected in resurrection, and seated as joint-heirs before the throne as the heavenly immortal government, then we shall bring God’s vengeance against evil. Then we shall pull down the evil spiritual hierarchy of Ephesians 6. Then we shall destroy the counterfeit one world government headed by the Antichrist.
 
It’s time we follow the pattern set by the foundational apostles: preach the good news of Jesus’ first and second coming so that we can move in step with God as the end of this age comes to a close in this decade.