[stephanos]

Originally Posted by JMWHALEN

(Bold my emphasis)

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:" Galatians 1:4

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us,] who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:20-21

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Philippians 3:20-21

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;..." Titus 2:13



I view the Holy Bible from a dispensational(a good biblical word) viewpoint. As such, I am not looking for the antichrist, the Temple being rebuilt, ...... I am looking for the rapture, I am to "look for the Saviour", His "glorious appearing", to be "taken out from", "delivered" "...from this present evil world..."(Galatians 1:4). Notice that Paul is speaking to those already saved here in Galatians 1. Thus, the "deliverance" here is not salvation from spiritual death, i.e., the penalty of sin(which, in its basic meaning, simply means 'deliverance from a danger'), for that is a "done deal"- it is referencing the rapture, our deliverance from the presence of sin, i.e., our glorification:

"When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Col. 3:4


Ambassadors represent their Commander In-Chief in a foreign country. We are these ambassadors, the earth being "hostile/enemy territory"("present evil world"), our citizenship being heaven, i.e, "this present evil world" is hostile territory for those "in Christ", His "ambassadors" representing Him in a foreign land. When war breaks out, when "hostilities come to a final boiling point"("The Great Tribulation"), who are the first people to be "removed" from enemy territory? The ambassadors, the "dignataries"-we will be removed, "raptured' to our "real" home-heaven.


In Christ,

John M. Whalen

I agree with you here brother. Although I have a question for you in regards to the Temple. Do you think it is wrong to study the efforts being made to rebuild the Temple? I have a book I just purchased called "The Temple and Bible Prophecy - A Difinitive Look at its Past Present and Future" by Randall Price. This subject interests me a great deal, but at the same time I feel that it is a great error for Christians to promote the rebuilding of the Temple. I feel that it is hypocritical to promote the rebuilding of the Temple which serves absolutely no function in the dispensation of grace. So, with all that being said, what are your thoughts on this?

Peace and Love,
Stephen