Then What?
"Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
OK, so after believers have met the Lord in the air, then what?
“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation…” (Ephesians 3:2, 10-11)
Most likely, you have not heard about it in Church. I didn't…I read about it in the letters of the Bible written by Paul…
“His intent was that now, through the ecclesia (out called) the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord…” (Ephesians 3: 10-11)
You are aware that we are not alone in this Universe, or are you? The Bible tells of the Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Satan, Demons, and most likely other created beings who are not human and are under those "rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (among the celestials)". The "mystery" is that we, the out called at the return of Jesus will make known "in the heavenly realms" the wisdom of God which is "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ". That is our purpose after we are "caught up...to meet the Lord in the air".
“With all wisdom and understanding he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ”. (Ephesians 1:8-10)
We are to be a part of Christ’s work in bringing "unity to all things in heaven and on earth"! Not now, but AFTER Jesus returns.
“As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
So there you have it…those of us "caught up... in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" will tell every created being "in heaven and on earth" about Christ Jesus, revealing his saving Grace, and play our part in finishing the glorious good news of the reconciliation of the whole creation to God by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross "so that God may be All in All".
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
(2 Corinthians 5:14-21)
So if you are among those who "will be caught up" (some call it the rapture), go outside on a clear dark night and look up at the amazing view of your destiny, think about that "mystery" Paul shared with you, and then shout with John…
“YES, COME LORD JESUS!” (Revelation 22:20)
But you say, I thought we are to save the world in this life...nope, you just are not capable of such a thing, that's why Christ did it himself.
So, what are we to do until we're "caught up"...glad you asked and I will again let Paul tell you...WARNING the following may be more Bible than you have read at one time, and probably not what you learned in the last evangelism conference or from the Democratic socialist party...
"Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another and aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.Therefore encourage one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18)
OK, so after believers have met the Lord in the air, then what?
“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation…” (Ephesians 3:2, 10-11)
Most likely, you have not heard about it in Church. I didn't…I read about it in the letters of the Bible written by Paul…
“His intent was that now, through the ecclesia (out called) the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord…” (Ephesians 3: 10-11)
You are aware that we are not alone in this Universe, or are you? The Bible tells of the Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Satan, Demons, and most likely other created beings who are not human and are under those "rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (among the celestials)". The "mystery" is that we, the out called at the return of Jesus will make known "in the heavenly realms" the wisdom of God which is "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ". That is our purpose after we are "caught up...to meet the Lord in the air".
“With all wisdom and understanding he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ”. (Ephesians 1:8-10)
We are to be a part of Christ’s work in bringing "unity to all things in heaven and on earth"! Not now, but AFTER Jesus returns.
“As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
So there you have it…those of us "caught up... in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" will tell every created being "in heaven and on earth" about Christ Jesus, revealing his saving Grace, and play our part in finishing the glorious good news of the reconciliation of the whole creation to God by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross "so that God may be All in All".
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
(2 Corinthians 5:14-21)
So if you are among those who "will be caught up" (some call it the rapture), go outside on a clear dark night and look up at the amazing view of your destiny, think about that "mystery" Paul shared with you, and then shout with John…
“YES, COME LORD JESUS!” (Revelation 22:20)
But you say, I thought we are to save the world in this life...nope, you just are not capable of such a thing, that's why Christ did it himself.
So, what are we to do until we're "caught up"...glad you asked and I will again let Paul tell you...WARNING the following may be more Bible than you have read at one time, and probably not what you learned in the last evangelism conference or from the Democratic socialist party...
"Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another and aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.Therefore encourage one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18)