The End is Coming - Part I

Lately I am seeing a lot of very odd doctrine floating around. In a recent discussion someone told me he is an Apostolic, who believes in the Dispensation theory, but knows the “rapture” is not until after the tribulation, and the we, the blood bought, Acts 2:38 “saints” will be returning with Jesus at His second coming. Wow, how confusing is that?

John Nelson Darby and his “Brethren Movement” and Clarence Larkin, two Trinitarians who after 1800 years of no such “Dispensationalist Theory” ever existed, were given a new revelation by God about how He deals with His people and how the end times will be. I don’t think so. Many have twisted this false doctrine, or stripped it down to just a pre-trib “rapture”, and now for the first time I see someone who says post-trib with those who are blood bought, Acts 2:38 “saints” (I have heard of this for pre-trib, never post-trib). Those who state Jesus comes with us, the elect, the saints, those who were blood bought, with Him, do not understand the meaning of “saints” when taken in context with the rest of Scripture, the following demonstrates this:

1. The word used in Zechariah and Jude (the Hebrew and the Greek have almost the exact same meanings) are ascribed "holy ones or angles" as well as saints. In Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vine, Unger and White), "hagios" as used in Jude 14 is ascribed the meaning of "holy ones". Strong’s (40) –"hagios"; sacred (phys. Pure, mor. blameless or religious, cer. Consecrated): - holy, saints, Holy One, misc., holy one, holy thing. Mark 8:38 uses "hagios" to refer to angels. For the Hebrew word, "qadowsh", Gesenius’ Lexicon states; (2) as a plural, holy ones, i.e. – (a) angles, especially in the later writers, Dan, Job, Zec, Ps, and perhaps Deu 33:3. Strong’s (6918) – "qadowsh"; sacred (cerem. or mor.); (as a noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a "sanctuary". I do not disagree the word saints is used, I disagree on the meaning of saints, to whom the word saints is ascribed, as per the above.

2. Statement: “All the saints will come with Jesus. These saints are the blood bought saints of Jesus Christ!” First, I have explained the meaning of “saints”, so yes; all the angels (saints) come with Jesus (see above). As well, look at the wording, how would it be if we were already with Jesus, that we would come with Him to collect ourselves?

3. Statement: “Zechariah or Jude doesn’t use the word dead, I conclude we have not died and are in heaven and we are the saints spoken of whom return with Jesus.” In I Thessalonians Paul does speak of the dead, which are asleep. Angels (saints) are not dead, nor are they asleep, and again, are ascribed the title “saints”.

4. Fact: Jesus never says he will return with blood bought, Acts 2:38 “saints”. Fact: Jesus does say He will return with His holy angels (“saints”). Mark 8:38, uses "hagios" for holy angels; Mark 8:38, "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." Jesus himself confirming when He returns, he returns with His holy angels, and again the word "hagios" is used for holy angels, the same word used for "saints".

5. Statement: “We will be ‘caught up’ which is synonymous with ‘rapture’!” I can’t and won’t argue this. Paul says we will be caught up; it’s Scriptural fact; yet take a look at the whole, and not just the part.

I Thessalonians 4:15-17
15 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.
16 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:
17 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.

I have shown when taken in context with other Scripture which uses the exact same word, "saints" doesn’t always mean Acts 2:38 blood bought "saints". I have shown where Jesus states He comes with His holy angels upon His return, and I have shown the dead in Christ, who being in the earth, will be taken first to meet Jesus and then the living who remain will be taken up, all with Scripture and not of my own interpretation. Do you want to follow some doctrine that was made up 1800 years after Jesus by Trinitarians, or do you want to follow the word of God and the doctrine of the apostles? For me and my house, we will follow the word of God and the doctrine first taught by Jesus Messiah and the apostles. *NEXT* The second coming is not pre-tribulation as proofed by Scripture (The End is Coming – Part II).

Be encouraged,
Minster of the New Covenant