Hope and Resurrection

An understanding of the hope and resurrection are key for people to enjoy and live our everyday life to the fullness that God intended.

In the context of God and His Word:

• "Hope" refers to what God gives us to expect to come to pass in the future; it is His firm-anticipation concerning a future specific situation or circumstance.
• "Resurrection" refers to a dead-body receiving life so as to become alive again.

What is the hope to/for all holy-people (Christians, people who have received the gift of holy spirit)?

Our hope is that the Lord Jesus Christ will come to be present to gather all of us together with him. Then he will continue to carry-out all of what God wants him to do, which includes the resurrection of dead-people, judgments, causing satan (the devil) and his followers to be destroyed, etc. Christ will put everything including himself under God's authority.

Christ Jesus is the one who carried out what was needed to make salvation and hope available to mankind.

Let us read some records regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew we read that Jesus was aware that he would be killed and that God would raise him up alive again the third day.

Matthew 16:21

^.21From then Jesus began to point-out to his learning-disciples that it is necessary (for) him to go-away into Jerusalem and to suffer many-things from the elders and chief-priests and scribes and to be killed and to be raised-up the third day.

In this record, Jesus started to indicate to his learning-disciples (students) that he must:

• go away from where he was at that time into Jerusalem
• and to suffer (experience, be affected by)
  • many-things from the elders and chief-priests and scribes
• and to be killed (be put to death ending his life)
• and to be raised-up the third day (be awoken from the sleep of death three days later, 72 hours, the time allotted to legally prove that a person is completely dead).

Jesus had previously referred to the sign of Jonah the prophet in Matthew 12:40 and 16:4, but he had not yet pointed-out what would happen to him as indicated so clearly in verse 21 above.

Matthew 17:9:

^.9And (during) their descending from the mountain Jesus commanded them saying, “You may say the seen-object to not-one-person until where the son of man may be raised-up out-from dead-people.”

Jesus charged them not to tell anyone regarding what they saw until the son of man (referring to Jesus himself) would be raised-up out from among the rest of the dead-people. After his resurrection these learning-disciples could tell people about what happened.

The reason why Jesus talked about being raised-up “out-from dead-people” is because at the time of his resurrection he would be the only one who would be raised-up (resurrected) and given his new spiritual body. Everyone else who had died by that time would remain dead in the grave (refer to Genesis 3:19; Psalm 6:5, 115:17, 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 and 10; Isaiah 38:18; Acts 13:36; I Corinthians 15:50).

Further on we read:

Verses 22 and 23:

^.22But (during) their being combined in Galilee Jesus said to them, “The son of man is about to be given-over into (the) hands of men ^.23and they will kill him, and he will be raised-up the third day,” and they were caused-sorrow vehemently.

In Galilee Jesus said to them...

• “The son of man (referring to himself)
  • is on the point of being delivered into men’s hands (into their power)
    • and they will kill him (end his life),
• and he will be raised-up the third day.”

Matthew 20:17-19:

^.17But Jesus being about to ascend into Jerusalem took the twelve learning-disciples beside (himself) privately, and in the way he said to them, ^.18“Look!, we ascend into Jerusalem, and the son of man will be given-over to the high-priests and scribes and they will condemn him to death, ^.19and they will give him over to the Gentiles with-a-view to deride and to whip and to crucify, and he will be raised-up the third day.”

During their journey on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus said to his 12 students that…

• the son of man (referring to himself)
  • will be handed over to the high-priests and scribes
• and they will pronounce a sentence of death (judgment against him for his death),
• and they will give him over to the Gentiles (people belonging to nations other-than Israel)
  • for the purpose to deride (play-with, mock like a child, toy-with him)
  • and to whip (scourge, flog him)
  • and to crucify (crucifixion was the Roman Gentiles’ punishment for a criminal having committed a capital offense, nail him on a stake until dead),
• and he will be raised-up the third day.

Matthew chapters 26 and 27 provide a lot of details regarding the time that Jesus was taken captive, tortured, crucified, killed, and buried. In Matthew chapter 28 we read as follows: 

Matthew 28:5-10:

^.5But the angel having answered said to the women, “You must not be fearful, for I knew² that you seek-after Jesus, the (one) having been crucified² – ^.6he is not here, for he was raised-up according as he said; come-this-way, you must see the place where he used-to-lie; ^.7and quickly having journeyed you must say to his learning-disciples that, ‘He was raised-up away-from the dead-people, and look!, he leads you forth into Galilee, there you will see him.’ Look!, I said to you.”

^.8And having gone-away quickly from the memorial-place with fear and great joy they ran to announce to his learning-disciples. ^.9And look!, Jesus met them saying, “Joy”; and the (women) having come-towards (him) strongly-held his feet and they worshipped him. ^.10Then Jesus says to them, “You must not be fearful, you must go, you must announce to my brothers in order that they may go-away into Galilee and there they will see me.”

The angel answered the women at the graveside where Jesus had been buried, by saying…

• “Don’t be afraid,
• for I perceive that you look for Jesus who was crucified –
  • he is not here,
    • in truth he was raised-up according as he said;
• come here, you must perceive the place where he was lying;
• and after you have passed from here with speed, you must say to his learning-disciples (students) that,
  • ‘He was raised-up away-from the dead-people,
  • and look (behold, see, pay attention)!, he precedes you into Galilee,
  • there you will see him (there you will see Jesus, because he will present himself to be perceived with your eyes and known by you).’
• Look!, I said to you (the angel is letting the women know that he’s finished saying what he came to tell them).”

The women went away quickly from the tomb with fear and a large amount of rejoicing, and they ran to tell the message to his learning-disciples.

And look!, Jesus met these women saying...

• “Joy (rejoice, you must joy - spoken as a form of greeting to them).”

The women came towards him and strongly-held his feet and they worshipped him (they paid homage, were obeisant towards him). Then Jesus says to them…

• “You must not be fearful,
• you must go,
• you must tell the message to my brothers
  • for the purpose and result that they would go-away into Galilee and there they will see me (I will present myself to be perceived with their eyes and known by them; refer to Matthew 26:32).”

In Acts chapter 1, Luke details the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven 40 days after his resurrection:

Acts 1:1-3:

^1:1Indeed the first word I made concerning all-things, oh Theophilus, which Jesus began both to do and to teach ^.2continuously-until which day he was taken-up, having commanded the apostles by means of holy spirit whom he selected-for-himself, ^.3to whom also he presented himself living after his suffering in many sure-signs by means of forty days being seen by them and saying the-things concerning the kingdom of God,

The resurrected Christ Jesus caused himself to stand beside the twelve apostles - not as a dead-person but as living (actively being alive, having life) after his suffering. He proved...

• within the sphere of action of a lot of sure-signs (many indubitable evidences)
  • that he was living (alive) through/during the period of forty days between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven.

He did this while causing himself to be seen by the apostles (physically seen with their eyes) and he was speaking to them the things concerning the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God refers to all that is contained within God's sovereignty, His kingly or royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power, etc - which of course is holy and spiritual because God is the Holy Spirit.

Further on Luke continues:

Verses 9-11:

^.9And having said these-things, (during) their observing, he was lifted-up and a cloud took him from-underneath away-from their eyes, ^.10and as they were gazing-intently into heaven (during) his journeying, also look!, two adult-males had stood-beside them in white clothing ^.11who also said, "Adult-males, Galileans, why did you stand² observing into heaven? This Jesus, the (Jesus) having been taken-up away-from you into heaven, thus he will come (according to) which manner you gazed-upon him journeying into heaven."

While the apostles were observing Jesus, he was lifted (taken) upwards above them and a particular and distinct cloud which placed itself underneath him and thereby took (received) him up out of their sight.

As the apostles continued fixing their eyes intently into heaven while Jesus was passing into heaven – also look! (see, behold, calling attention to what happened next) - two adult-males stood beside (near by) them and stayed standing beside them in splendid, ornate clothing which was white (radiant, emitting light, effulgent, brilliant and bright).

These two adult-males were two of God's angels manifesting themselves to them in the form of men. These angels spoke to the apostles who were still gazing-intently into heaven...

• "Adult-males, Galileans (only 11 apostles were present at this time; refer to the study on Acts chapter 1),
  • why are you still standing there looking into heaven?
• This Jesus has been taken-up away from you into heaven,
  • he will come at a future time in this same manner as you gazed-upon him journeying into heaven."

Jesus had just been taken up into heaven by God and immediately God tells them, via 2 of His angels, that the Lord Jesus Christ will come back again to/on earth.

In I Corinthians, Paul writes also about the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ being seen:

I Corinthians 15:5-8:

^.5and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve, ^.6next he was seen by over 500 brothers once, out-from whom more-people remain until now but some-people were caused-to-sleep, ^.7next he was seen by James, next by all the apostles; ^.8but (the) last-person of all-people, wholly-as-if by the abortive, he was seen by me also.

The Lord was seen (he presented himself to be perceived with the eyes and known)...

• by Cephas (Peter, sometimes also called Simon);
• and afterwards he was seen by the twelve men whom Jesus had chosen to be his apostles (and this includes Judas Iscariot because Judas did not kill himself until a later time; refer to Acts chapter 1);
• after-that he was seen by above the number of 500 brothers (Judean/Israeli people who after the day of Pentecost, Acts chapter 2, became holy-people) at one time –
  • and from these brothers the majority of them are still alive continuing up-to now (at the time of Paul's writing of this letter) but some people from among them have been caused to sleep (they had fallen-asleep – meaning that some of them had died by that time);
• after-that he was seen by James (in Greek the name is Jacob, but it refers to the man we call James who was one of Jesus' half-brothers; James was not one of the twelve whom Jesus had chosen to be his apostles);
• after-that he was seen by all the apostles (all those people who had been sent-forth on a specific assignment or mission by God or by the Lord Jesus Christ to others at that time);
• but the latest of all the people by whom Christ was seen since his resurrection - in an unexpected manner - he was seen by me also.

Next, let us read some scriptures about the hope and resurrection as it relates to our day and time.

In Acts chapter 2, Peter speaks about the resurrection to Israelites after the gift of holy spirit was given to mankind and was evidenced (refer to Acts 2:1-11).

Acts 2:22-24:

^.22Adult-males, Israelites, you must hear these words - Jesus the Nazarene, an adult-male having been pointed-out² from God into you with abilities and wonders and signs which God did by means of him in your midst according as you yourselves knew², ^.23this-person - given by the deliberate-determination and foreknowledge of God having been marked-out-definitely² - you eliminated by means of (the) hand of lawless-people having affixed (him), ^.24whom God resurrected having loosened the pangs of death as-because it was not possible (for) him to be strongly-held by it,

Peter tells the Israelites to listen to the words that he is speaking:

• Jesus the Nazarene (Jesus was brought up in Nazareth and called "the Nazarene" even though he was born in Bethlehem),
  • a grown man who was indicated by God
  • directed to you
    • with abilities (able-powers, capabilities)
    • and wonders (supernatural occurrences)
    • and signs (signals of authentication)
    • which God performed through him during his ministry among you
    • according as you yourselves know (perceive),
• this-person…
  • – given by God’s purposed will and advance knowledge which had been set by God –

…you put him out of your way by killing him, and you used the authority and power of those people who do not abide-by God's law (referring to Roman Gentiles) and they fastened this man to the wooden-stake on which he died…

• whom God resurrected (God caused him to stand-up alive)
• having loosened the pangs of death from him (God released Jesus from death’s hold setting him free from it)
• because it was not possible for him to be held by the forceful strength exerted by death.

The devil's death-power (refer to Hebrews 2:14) was not powerful enough against God's resurrection-power, and so God was able to raise Jesus Christ up from among the rest of the dead-people.

Peter continues speaking to the Israelites - and let us look at what he says a few verses further on:

Verses 32-36:

^.32this Jesus God resurrected of whom we all are witnesses, ^.33therefore having been heightened to the right-side of God and having received the promise of the spirit, the holy (spirit), from the Father, he poured-out this which you observe and hear, ^.34for David has not ascended into the heavens, but he says, "(The) Lord said to my Lord, 'You must sit-down out-from My right-sides ^.35until ever I may put your enemies (the) footstool of your feet' "; ^.36therefore all (the) house of Israel must know safely that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

Peter says that Jesus is the one whom God resurrected.

• After the resurrected Jesus had been exalted (lifted high, elevated)
  • to God’s right-hand side (God's place of honor, authority, power, blessing, grace, approval, and excellence)
• and after he received (so as to use what was given to him)
  • the promise of the spirit,
  • emphatically and specifically the holy spirit,
    • from the Father (God),
• the resurrected Jesus poured-out (shed forth) this which you presently observe and hear (refer to Acts 2:1-11).

All of those present in the temple saw and heard the 12 uttering-forth with tongues. They had spoken by way of the holy spirit-life which was now within them because they had just been baptized in holy spirit!

Again, Peter refers to David, explaining:

• In truth, David has not ascended into the heavens (he is still dead among the rest of the dead-people),
• but emphatically he says (David previously prophesied and it was written down also that),
  • "The Lord (referring to God) said
    • to my Lord (referring to the Anointed-one, the Messiah, the Christ),
  • 'You must sit-down at My right-hand side (with all the power, etc, that that position allows you to have)
  • until ever I would place your enemies (those who oppose and exhibit enmity and hostility against you)
  • in the position of being the footstool of your feet (underneath your feet in complete submission, in subjection to you).' "
• Therefore all the house of Israel (every house of Israel, emphasizing all of Israel together as one-unit)
  • must personally know safely (for a surety and so this knowledge cannot be tripped-up or thrown-down)
• that God made this Jesus
  • whom emphatically you crucified (you adult-males, brothers, Judeans, Israelites - you are responsible for crucifying him)
• both Lord (Master)
• and Christ (the Anointed-one, the Messiah).

Now this Jesus is the Lord and the Christ of God's people. 

Peter also refers to the hope and resurrection in his letter of I Peter:

I Peter 3:3-5

^.3Blessed (is) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the (God) having begotten us upwardly according to His much mercy into a living hope by means of (the) resurrection of Jesus Christ out-from dead-people, ^.4into an inheritance incorruptible and unstained and unfading, having been kept² in (the) heavens into you, ^.5the (people) being guarded in God’s ability by means of belief into salvation prepared to be revealed in (the) last time;

God, Who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has begotten all holy-people (Christians) in an upward direction in accordance with a lot of His mercy…

• with a view to a living hope (a hope that is presently and actively alive)
  • through (by way of) the resurrection of Jesus Christ
    • out-from dead-people,
• with a view to an inheritance (an assigned-lot, the heir's portion which belongs to us because we are heirs)
  • incorruptible (not capable of decaying)
  • and unstained (not tainted) 
  • and unfading (it is not temporary).

Peter also used the words “out-from dead-people” because the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has been resurrected and given his new spiritual body, but everyone else who has died still remains dead in the grave.

Our hope is what God gives us to expect to come to pass in the future, His firm-anticipation concerning a future specific situation or circumstance. We have not received this hope yet but it is living now because the Lord Jesus Christ is alive, he has received it and so it is living (refer to Colossians 1:27 and I Timothy 1:1). Christ Jesus is the one who carried out what was needed to make salvation available to mankind thus giving all holy-people our hope.

This inheritance has been kept in safekeeping within the heavens (figuratively referring to God's spirit realm) for all holy-people…

• who are being guarded (as with powerful military authority)
  • within the ability (able-power, capability) that God has and which issues or proceeds from Him
    • by means of belief (through faith, the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety, which is what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ)
• with a view to salvation (safety, the standing and state of being saved, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction – all holy-people are saved and we will all receive in the future the fullness of our salvation)
  • which is prepared (ready, the completeness of our salvation is in the state of readiness)
  • to be revealed in the last time (to be uncovered, as removing a veil and exposing what was previously hidden from view, during the final precise period of time; refer to the Chart).

Paul also refers to Jesus' resurrection:

Acts 13:30 and 31:

^.30but God raised him up out-from dead-people, ^.31who was seen on more days by the (people) having come-up-together with him from Galilee into Jerusalem, the-people-who now are his witnesses towards the people.

God raised Jesus up alive out from being among the rest of the dead-people who will remain dead until their resurrection.

After his resurrection Jesus presented himself to be perceived and known by the people who had gone up together with him from Galilee into Jerusalem, specifically those who now are his witnesses to the people of Israel.

Verses 32 and 33:

^.32And we good-message (to) you the promise towards the fathers having come-to-pass ^.33because God entirely-fulfilled² this (promise) to their children, to us, having resurrected Jesus, as also in the Psalms having been written², the second (psalm), 'You are My son, I have begotten² you today,'

Paul and those with him and the people gathered-together in the synagogue of the Judean/Israeli descent were the children spoken about in verse 33. How did God entirely fulfill this promise? God has already resurrected Jesus (He caused him to stand-up out from among the rest of the dead-people), even as it was written within the Psalms 2:7:

• "You are My son,
  • I have begotten you today.”

Psalm 2:7 is a prophecy of God speaking to Jesus on the day of his resurrection, which is the context in that section of Psalms (also in Hebrews 1:5). Jesus Christ is the first human-being who completely-died and whom God has completely-resurrected never to die again – he is God's son.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the first of mankind begotten (brought-forth, given-birth-to) in his new spiritual body out-from the place of death, the grave, where the rest of the dead-people remain dead and buried. God brought him forth, not a woman or a man.

In Romans, Paul explains that the good-message (the gospel, evangel) is about God's son, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 1:3 and 4:

^.3concerning His son – the (son) having come-into-being out-from (the) seed of David according to (the) flesh, ^.4the (son) having been marked-out-definitely (as being) God's son in ability according to (the) spirit of holiness out-from (the) resurrection of dead-people – Jesus Christ our Lord,

God gave the spirit of holiness to Jesus Christ when He raised him out-from the dead-people.

Jesus Christ our Lord is the boundary (border) which God has set by definitely marking him out as THE SON OF GOD by raising him up from among the dead-people. That is the reason why Jesus is the Christ and he is the Lord, and nobody can truly and honestly disclaim that. God gave His stamp of approval to everything that Jesus was and is today being the resurrected Christ with his spiritual body.

The spirit of holiness is the spiritual essence of the resurrected Christ Jesus. The spirit of holiness means: the spirit of sanctity, the condition or state of being holy, sanctified, set-apart from that-which is common - the spirit which is/has holiness being evidenced and demonstrated.

Further on in Romans, Paul again refers to the resurrected Christ:

Romans 6:9 and 10

^.9having known² that Christ, having been raised-up out-from dead-people, no-longer dies – death no-longer is lord of him, ^.10for the (one who) died he died to the sin once but the (one who) lives he lives to God.

We perceive that Christ has already been raised-up out-from dead-people and that he no-longer dies (Christ is not dying any longer, he will never die again) –

• death no-longer is lord of him (death does not any longer exercise its dominion and authority over him - it is not able to be master of him anymore),
• for the one who died (Jesus died)
  • he died
    • relative-to the sin once (on one occasion, at one time, not several times but once)
• but the one who lives (Jesus is alive, living)
  • he lives (he is presently and actively continuing to live, being alive)
    • relative-to God (God is the Lord Jesus Christ’s Father).

In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul explains the reason and purpose of his remembrance of holy-people during his prayers to God:

Ephesians 1:17-23:

^.17in order that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you spirit of wisdom and revelation in full-knowledge of Him, ^.18the eyes of the heart having been lightened² with-a-view-for you to have known² what is the hope of His calling, what (is) the wealth of the glory of His inheritance in the holy-people, ^.19and what (is) the super-throwing greatness of His ability into us, the (people) believing, according to the in-working of the strongness of His strength,

^.20which He in-worked in Christ, having raised him up out-from dead-people and having caused (him) to-sit-down in His right-side in the heavenlies ^.21super-above all rulership and authority and ability and lordship and every name being named not only in this age but also in the (age) being about to (come) ^.22and "He subjected all-things under his feet," and He gave him (who is) head over all-things to the church ^.23which is his body (which is) the fullness of the (one) filling all-things in all-people.

Paul prayed that...

• our Lord Jesus Christ's God,
  • Who is the Father of glory (glory issues from God),
• would give (willingly present) to you holy-people (Christians)
• spirit characterized-by and consisting-of
  • wisdom (the skillful or expert application of personal knowledge, what to do as the most appropriate action concerning a specific situation or circumstance, even when complete knowledge of it may not be known by the recipient)
  • and revelation (the process of things being uncovered or revealed as though removing a veil to expose what had previously been hidden)
    • within the full, clear and exact personal knowledge of God.

This is available for God to do because the eyes of your heart have already been lightened and they are still lightened by God.

The word "eyes" figuratively refers to the total availability to see or perceive God's light. The word "heart" figuratively refers to the center or core of a person's being, the seat of his whole personal self and life. All holy-people are as one group or body of people having one heart.

God, Who is Light (refer to I John 1:5), has already given and continues to give light to the eyes of the heart of all holy-people, and also via the gift of holy spirit He can continue to give us wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of God.

Paul explains further what kind of wisdom and revelation we can receive - to know what is:

• the hope of God's calling (the invitation that God issued to you which you accepted – you will in the future receive all that God has promised in Christ Jesus),
• the wealth of the glory (the richness of the importance, splendor, and renown)
  • of God's inheritance in the holy-people (pertaining-to God's assigned-lot, the heir's portion He has within Christians; we have already received the gift of holy spirit which is within us),
• and the super-throwing greatness (the quality or state of magnitude which is surpassing to a great-degree)
  • of God's ability into us (of God's able-power, His capability directed-to us)
  • who are the people believing (having faith, trusting relative-to God),
  • in accordance with
    • the in-working (the inner-working in action, the energy)
    • of the strongness of His strength (the exerted force and power of God's inherent strength, the strength which He is),

...which God in-worked (energized) within the Christ (the Anointed-one, the Messiah). How?

• God raised Jesus Christ up out-from dead-people
  • (Jesus Christ died and was buried for 72 hours in the earth, then God caused him to rise-up, moving him out-from being among the rest of the people who remain dead today, and God gave him his spiritual body)
• and God caused the resurrected Christ to be seated within His right-side in the heavenlies (referring to God's spirit realm)

...super-above (up-above, on-top, up-over) all or every:

1. rulership (first-placed, chief or dignified-hierarchical position, which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves),
2. and authority (authoritative-power or permitted-right, which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves), 
3. and ability (able-power, capability, which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves),
4. and lordship (mastership or dominion, which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves),

…and all or every:

5. name (the word "name" incorporates the fullness of everything involved with the one named)
   1. presently being named (being given a name, which some people and spirits have been given or have taken for themselves) –
      1. not only in this age (not alone during the present duration of life),
      2. but also in the age that is presently and actively on the point of taking-place, in the process of arriving.

God has already revealed and recorded in writing in His written Word a lot of information regarding people, spirits, and events that have not occurred yet. The next age will begin when the Lord Jesus Christ will come to be present to gather all holy-people together with him and begin the day of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ's name is and will be super-above every name being named; and of course Christ is not super-above his Father, the only true God!

Paul continues: and…

6. "He subjected all-things under his feet"…

God caused all-things to be arranged in the position of being underneath, legally in complete submission or subjection to Christ's feet. This is a reference to what God had previously foretold to King David, the prophet, and he wrote this prophecy down so that God's people would know it and could read it and remember it (refer to Psalm 8:6).

Paul continues: and…

7. He gave Christ who is head over all-things to the church which is his body which is the fullness of the one filling all-things in all-people.

God gave (willingly presented)...

• Christ,
  • who is head (the chief part)
    • over, beyond, super, above or in excess of all-things,
• to/for the church,
  • which is his body,
• and Christ's body is the fullness (the filling, full-contents or fulfillment)
  • of the one, Christ, who is presently causing himself to fill
    • all-things within all-people (referring to all the holy-people, Christians).

God placed Christ in the position or function of being the head of the church. The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which comes from two words meaning "out from" and "called" - so together it means "called out from." A church is an assembly of people called out from other people for any reason. It does not refer to a particular type of building or a house, even though the church or assembly may meet in a particular type of building or in a house.

In the letter of Ephesians, Paul writes exactly what group of people are called out from-among other people to whom God gave Christ being the head over all-things - this church is Christ's body. Christ is the head and all holy-people are limbs (members) of his one spiritual body because Christ fills us with his own fullness – we have the spirit of Christ in us (refer to Ephesians 4:12-16 and 5:30).

In the following records we read about Paul clearly stating the point or reason why he was being treated badly at that time:

Acts 23:6-10:

^.6But Paul, having known that the one part is Sadducees but the different (part is) Pharisees, shouted among the council, "Adult-males, brothers, I am a Pharisee (being the) son of Pharisees, I am being judged concerning hope and resurrection of dead-people."

In that meeting as soon as Paul knew that the one portion of that Judean group was of the sect of the Sadducees but the other portion was of the sect of the Pharisees, he cried out among the council…

• "Adult-males, brothers,
• emphatically I am a Pharisee being the son of Pharisees,
• I am being judged (a decision is being made regarding what should be done with me due to a disagreement)
• in connection with
  • hope (the expectation of the future events coming to pass) and
  • resurrection of dead-people (a standing-up of the people who are dead, causing them to be alive again)."

Acts 24:14 and 15:

^.14but I express-agreement (regarding) this to you that according to the way which they say (is a) sect thus I render-service to (my) father's God, believing all the-things according to the law and the-things in the prophets having been written², ^.15having hope into God, which (hope) also these-people themselves wait-for – a resurrection to be about to be (in the future) both of righteous-people and of unrighteous-people;

Paul agrees with those to whom he was speaking regarding the following:

• in accordance with the way (figuratively referring to the manner of action, the method of proceeding)
  • which they (the Judeans) call
    • a sect (heresy, a choice, opinion or chosen-way which is different to the traditional way of thinking)
• in this manner I perform (carry-out) service as a hired servant
  • to the God of my father (the same God that my natural father served),
• believing (having faith, trusting)
  • all the-things according to the law (of Moses)
  • and the-things in the prophets
    • which are written (in the old covenant writings),
• having hope directed to God,
  • which hope also these-people themselves wait for –
    • a resurrection (standing up) to be on the point of occurring at a future time both
    • of righteous people (those who were just, who had lived their lives in a right manner, a just state from God’s viewpoint)
    • and of unrighteous people (unjust).

In Acts 17 we read about Paul's visit to Thessalonica:

Acts 17:1-3:

^17:1But having traveled-through Amphipolis and Apollonia they went into Thessalonica where there was a synagogue of the Judeans; ^.2and according to the-thing having been accustomed² with Paul he went-into (the synagogue) towards them, and on three sabbaths he throughly-spoke with them from the writings, ^.3throughly-opening and putting-beside that, "It was necessary (for) the Christ to suffer and to be resurrected out-from dead-people," and that, "This Jesus is the Christ whom I message to you."

In Thessalonica there was a Judean synagogue, and as Paul customarily did when entering cities (it was a habit of his; refer to Acts 13:5 and 14, 14:1, 18:4 and 19, 19:8), he went towards the Judeans in the synagogue for three sabbaths and he spoke back-and-forth with them from the writings.

Paul conversed with them taking the source of what he was saying from the scrolls (the scriptures which he had available to him to use) by completely or fully opening up the scriptures which had been closed to their mind's understanding before this time.

He was teaching them that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer (for the Messiah, the Anointed-one to be affected-by and experience many things, which included his crucifixion, death and burial) and it was necessary for the Christ to be resurrected (caused to stand-up by God) from among the rest of the people who remain dead. He also told them that the Jesus whom he is talking about is the Christ whom he was messaging to them.

Further on in Acts chapter 17 at another location, Paul says: 

Verses 29-31:

^.29Therefore being-from-the-beginning a genus of God we do not owe-it to regard-as-customary (for) the essence-of-God to be like to gold or silver or stone, a character-mark of (the) craft and thinking-within of man.

^.30Therefore indeed, having looked-over the times of the lack-of-knowledge, God now charges the-things to men: all-people everywhere to repent – ^.31as-because He caused a day to-stand in which He is about to judge the inhabited-area in righteousness in an adult-male whom He marked-out-definitely, having presented belief to all-people, having resurrected him out-from dead-people."

Since all of us started (originated) being a genus of God (we came into existence from God)...

• we are not indebted to think that it is legally, lawfully and customarily okay that
  • the essence of God (everything that He is)
  • is like (similar) to gold or silver or stone,
    • which are
    • the product of an act of art or an occupation
    • and the thinking
      • of mankind.

Paul is making quite clear that he most definitely is NOT suggesting that there is a "piece of God" of a "piece of the spirit of God" in everyone! On the contrary – because we are the way God made us to be, isn't it logical that we do NOT owe it to God to make things which emanate from mankind's thinking as though that were God, even our deepest, most thought-through plans or the most intricate artwork no matter if it is done with gold or silver or stone! Whatever comes out of physical, natural, fleshly mankind bears no likeness to the only true God – it is only like mankind!

Therefore, having looked down on the chronological times of mankind's ignorance, God now charges:

• all people everywhere to repent (everyone must change their minds from bad to good regarding God and the things of God after re-thinking the matter) –

…because God has caused this period of time to stand during which He is on the point of judging the inhabited-area…

• in righteousness (justness, justice)
  • within the sphere of action of a grown man whom God has set as the limited-area relative to God’s judgment (this man will carry-out God’s judgment),
• having presented belief to all-people (God has already offered all people the belief that they are to believe; refer to Romans 10:8-10 and Galatians 3:23-29),
  • having resurrected him (Jesus) out-from dead-people.

Paul later wrote a letter to the Thessalonian holy-people (whom he had first visited as recorded in Acts chapter 17):

I Thessalonians 1:9 and 10:

^.9for they announce concerning us what-kind-of entrance-way we had towards you, and how you turned-back towards God away-from the idols to serve-as-slaves to God living and true, ^.10and to wait-up-for His son out-from the heavens whom He raised-up out-from dead-people – Jesus, the (one) rescuing us out-from the wrath, the (wrath) coming.

The Thessalonian people had turned on to God and were now serving as slaves to Him. In verse 10 Paul includes that these holy-people were also...

• waiting up for God's son out-from the heavens (in the sense that they were remaining upwards in expectation of God's son coming out from the great expanse of the heavens)
  • whom God caused to rise up out from the rest of the people who have already died and remain dead today
• God's son is Jesus – the Jesus who is rescuing us to himself (he is delivering, snatching or drawing us holy-people to himself)
  • out from the time of the wrath which is coming.

Further on in I Thessalonians, Paul writes the specifics of the order in which Christ will gather the church of holy-people together with him:

I Thessalonians 4:13 and 14:

^.13But we do not intend you to not-know, brothers, concerning the (holy-people) sleeping in order that you may not be caused-sorrow according as also the remaining-people, the (remaining-people) not having hope, ^.14for since we believe that Jesus died and resurrected thus also God will lead by means of Jesus the (holy-people) having been caused-to-sleep (to be) together with him:

Paul addresses the Thessalonian holy-people as "brothers" and thus emphasizes and reminds them of the truth that all holy-people (Christians) are brothers in the spirit category because we are all children of God our Father. He writes:

• We do not intend for you to be ignorant (unknowing, unaware)
  • about the holy-people who are presently sleeping (referring to the fact that they are dead at this time, but it is a temporary state for dead Christians),
    • brothers,
• for the purpose and result that you would not be caused sorrow (be made to grieve)
  • according as also the rest of the people are caused sorrow because they do not have hope (since they refuse to receive God's gift of holy spirit).

In truth, since we holy-people believe (have faith, trust) that…

• Jesus died and resurrected (he died and he stood-up)

…it is in this manner also that…

• God will lead by means of Jesus (God will bring through the resurrected Jesus)
  • the holy-people who by that time will have been caused to sleep (will have died as Jesus was dead)
    • to be together with Jesus (in conjunction with Jesus who is now alive).

The Lord Jesus Christ will be the agency by way of which all dead holy-people will be led (brought) by God from the state of being dead to the state of being resurrected.

What happens the holy-people who will be alive at the time when Jesus comes to gather his church of holy-people with him?

Verses 15-17:

^.15for we say this to you in (the) word of (the) Lord that we, the (holy-people) living, the (holy-people) being-left-around into the presence of the Lord, may never go-ahead-of the (holy-people) having been caused-to-sleep ^.16because the Lord himself, in (the) call-to-assemble, in (the) sound of (the) archangel, and in (the) trumpet of God, will descend from heaven and the dead-people in Christ will resurrect firstly, ^.17next we, the (holy-people) living, the (holy-people) being-left-around, will be unitedly caught-away together with them in clouds into a meeting of the Lord into (the) air and thus we will always be together with (the) Lord;

The word of/from the Lord is that...

• emphatically we holy-people who are alive
  • at the time of the presence of the Lord (when he arrives),
• would never go in front of (come before, precede)
  • the holy-people who will have died before the time of the Lord's presence.

Why not? Because emphatically the Lord Jesus Christ himself (nobody else)…

• within the call to assemble (the commanding call, the signal shout that summons and assembles all his holy-people at once),
• within the sound of the archangel (the voice or uttered-tone of the archangel - the first, highest, chief, or ruling angel which is Michael; refer to Daniel 12:1 and Jude 9),
• and within the trumpet of God (God's trumpet making its trumpet-sound for this event)…

…will descend from heaven (he will come down away-from heaven where he is currently at the right-hand side of God carrying-out the duties of that authoritative position) and…

1. firstly the dead-people in Christ will resurrect
   1. (the dead-people in Christ refer to those within Christ's sphere of action, who belong to Christ because they had holy spirit-life within them while they were alive but who will have already died by the time that the Lord Jesus Christ descends from heaven; the dead holy-people will stand-up first time-wise sequentially when he comes) –
      1. (also we should note that this excludes all of the non-Christians who will have died since the day of Pentecost who refused to believe what God has given mankind to believe and so they refused to receive God's gift of holy spirit - plus this excludes all those people who lived and died before the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2 whether they were of the Judean/Israeli background or of the Gentile/other-nation background),
2. next sequentially we - the holy-people who are alive remaining on earth at that time - will be unitedly caught away (we will be snatched and carried in union together at the same time suddenly away from the earth)
   1. together with them (in conjunction with the resurrected holy-people) - where? -
   2. in clouds above the earth
      1. with a view to a meeting of the Lord into the air (the purpose will be directed to the Lord's meeting when and where we will all be together)…

…and in this manner we will always be together with the Lord.

All holy-people will constantly be in conjunction with our Lord Jesus Christ. We will meet the Lord face-to-face. We will go away from earth and he will come from heaven to meet us – into the air between heaven and earth.

Verse 18:

^.18so-that you must encourage one-another in these words.

You must encourage (exhort) one-another within these words - not any other words, but these words regarding the coming to be present of our Lord Jesus Christ for all the holy-people and meeting him in the air.

In I Corinthians, Paul explains about the contents of the good-message that he was teaching to people:

I Corinthians 15:3 and 4:

^.3for I gave-over to you among (the) first-things that-which also I received: that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the writings; ^.4and that he was buried, and that he was raised-up² (on) the day, the third (day), according to the writings;

Paul gave them the message:

• that Christ died on behalf of our sins, all of us,
  • in accordance with the already revealed and written Word of God (the old covenant writings foretold of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and death);
• and that he was buried (in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights),
• and that he was raised-up out-from among the rest of the dead-people by God His Father on the day that God had foretold - the third day, (72 hours having passed, for that was the legal requirement for a person's death to be completely established),
  • in accordance with the already revealed and written Word of God (the old covenant writings foretold of Jesus Christ being raised-up from the dead by God).

The truth that the savior, redeemer, the Messiah/Christ, would die on behalf of the sins of mankind was not a secret. God had first spoken of it in Genesis 3:15 and God continued to speak about man's redemption by the blood of the sacrifice of the redeemer throughout the ages, plus it had been written down in the old covenant writings by the prophets.

Part of the writings refer to what is written in the stars, the constellations, etc. God taught mankind to read them - meaning that He drew pictures in the heavens around the stars which were already there, so that people would remember His plan of redemption (refer to Job 38:31-33; Psalm 19:1-5; Matthew 2:2; and Romans 10:18). Their sound is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world. Therefore, everybody on the face of the earth could view that-which God has given to be believed, and we still can today. However, people did not keep God's words in their minds and as a result today a lot of the glory and revelations which are written in the heavens by God have been forgotten or have become misunderstood by mankind.

But we can thank God that today we have the written Word of God in the Bible which we can continually look at and read - plus for all of us who are holy-people (with holy spirit-life within us) we can ask Him things and He can tell us what He wants us to believe during and regarding different specific situations and circumstances. God is still God and He is able to do what He intends to do to/for all people to help those who are willing to believe what He says to come to the knowledge of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Further on in I Corinthians chapter 15, Paul explains:

Verses 21 and 22:

^.21for since-indeed by means of man death (came to pass), also by means of man (the) resurrection of dead-people (came to pass); ^.22for wholly-as in the (man) Adam all-people die, thus also in the Christ all-people will be made-alive,

The fleshy body with its soul/breath-life results in death both physically and spiritually because of the fall of Adam.

But every person who believes what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, receives holy spirit-life now within our present fleshy bodies, which is the spirit of Christ, and this results in eternal life (receiving a spiritual body with its holy spirit-life) because of the resurrection of Christ.

Paul next explains regarding the order (progression) of the resurrections and what happens afterwards:

Verses 23-28:

^.23but each-person in (his) own arrangement: (the) first-fruits-offering (is) Christ, next the (people) of Christ in his presence, ^.24then the completion, whenever he may give-over the kingdom to the God and Father, whenever he may render-ineffective all rulership and all authority and ability;

^.25for it is necessary (for) him to reign-as-king continuously-until where He may put all the enemies under his feet, ^.26death is (the) last enemy rendered-ineffective, ^.27for "He subjected all-things under his feet," but whenever he may say, "all-things have been subjected²" (it is) clear that (it is) outside-of the (One) having subjected all-things to him; ^.28but whenever all-things may be subjected to him, then also the son himself will be subjected to the (One) having subjected all-things to him, in order that God may be all-things in all (people and things).

Each person who dies is made-alive within the arrangement (the class or group) that he/she belongs to:

1. Christ is the offering of first-fruits
   1. - he has already been raised-up from among the rest of the dead-people; he is now alive and he will never die again;
2. after-that the arrangement of dead-people who belong to Christ
   1. - Christ’s people at the time of his coming to be present; these are the holy-people who will have died between the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) and the moment of his arrival to gather all the holy-people (dead and alive) together with him – the Lord Jesus Christ will do this when God gives him the go-ahead to do it;
3. afterwards the completion (the fulfillment of what Christ will do bringing everything to its complete, perfect state)
   • which will come to pass at whatever time he will give the kingdom (all that is contained within his sovereignty, his kingly or royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power, etc)
     • over to the only true God, Who is the Father of all whom He has fathered,
   • which will occur at whatever time Christ will render ineffective (inactive, inoperative, useless)
     • all/every rulership (first-placed, chief or dignified-hierarchical position which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves)
     • and all/every authority (authoritative-power or right which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves) 
     • and ability (able-power or capability which some spirits and people have been given or have taken for themselves).

This includes the resurrections of:

• the rest of the dead-people both just and unjust from among the children of Israel and the Gentiles who lived before the day of Pentecost,
• those who live today who refuse to believe the good-message (non-Christians),
• and those who will have died between Christ's presence to gather the church together and that future time.

Paul continues to teach that it is necessary for Christ to reign as a king continuing during the whole time to when...

• He – God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ – will place all the enemies (those who oppose and exhibit enmity and hostility towards God and therefore towards Christ also)
  • under Christ’s feet (legally subject or in submission to Christ, completely conquered; refer to Psalm 8:6).

This will be the time when Christ crushes the head of the adversary, that old serpent, the devil, satan (foretold in Genesis 3:15).

The last (extreme and concluding) enemy which is caused to be ineffective (inactive, inoperative, useless) is...

• death!

Let us note that death is stated to be an "enemy" and most definitely not a "friend" – death is the last enemy rendered ineffective.

At whatever time Christ will say that all-things have been made subject to him, it is evident that this subjection to Christ is excluding God, Who is the One having subjected all-things to Christ!

Christ will also be subject to God. From the time Jesus was born he has always been willingly subject to God's will - and the resurrected Christ continues to willingly obey his Father, and he will continue to do so even when everything is completely and manifestly, both spiritually and physically, under his feet, excluding God His Father. The Lord Jesus Christ has not and does not and will not try to usurp God's place.

God is the One Who will be the source of everything within and among everyone and everything everywhere. All the people who will be alive at that time will have received their new spiritual bodies like Christ's spiritual body, and all the spirit-beings which obey the only true God will still be alive. God will be supreme.

What kind of body will those who are resurrected to eternal life receive? Paul explains further on in I Corinthians chapter 15:

Verses 42-46:

^.42thus also the resurrection of the dead-people: it is sown in corruption – it is raised-up in incorruption; ^.43it is sown in dishonor – it is raised-up in glory; it is sown in weakness – it is raised-up in ability; ^.44it is sown a soulish body – it is raised-up a spiritual body.

Since there is a soulish body, there is also a spiritual (body), ^.45thus also it was written², "the first man, Adam, became into a soul living," the last (man became) into a spirit making-alive, ^.46but the spiritual (body is) not first but the soulish (body is first), next the spiritual (body).

The resurrection (standing-up) of dead holy-people (Christians) is in this manner…

• it, the body, is caused to be sown as seed within corruption (decay, the state of being corrupt),
  • but it is caused to be raised-up within incorruption (un-decay, the state of being incorrupt);
• it is caused to be sown as seed within dishonor (without honor, not esteemed to have value or holding-worth),
  • but it is caused to be raised-up within glory (importance, splendor, renown);
• it is caused to be sown within weakness (without strength),
  • but it is caused to be raised-up within ability (able-power, capability);
• it is caused to be sown a soulish body (the life of this body was soul life evidenced by breathing),
  • but it is caused to be raised-up a spiritual body (the life of this body is spirit).

Since there is a soulish body – there is a spiritual body. It is in this manner also that it is written as part of the old covenant writings (refer to Genesis 2:7) that…

• the first (time-wise) man, Adam,
  • became into or resulting-in being a living soul (a soul that is being alive; that was the totality of the life of his body) –
    • this man was caused to become a living soul by God;
• but the last man (time-wise, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ)
  • became into or resulting-in being a making-alive spirit (a spirit that is making life - not only being spiritually alive but producing this spiritual life).

The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ is not a spirit-being as the angels are, but he has his new body, the life of which is holy spirit; this is the totality of the life of his body (refer to Romans 1:4) – this man was caused to become a life-making spirit by God.

The first man, Adam, the soulish bodied man died – but – the second/last man, Christ, the spiritual bodied man was made alive when God resurrected him from being dead. Christ is alive with his new body and life-making spirit.

Further on in verse 50, Paul continues:

Verse 50:

^.50But this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood are not able to inherit (the) kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

Paul addresses the Corinthian holy-people as "brothers" reminding them that all of them had received the same holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ and so they were all brothers spiritually and God was their Father. He writes that...

• flesh and blood (that which makes-up the physical or natural body, the fleshy body with its soul-life)
  • are not able (not capable, do not have the able-power)
    • to inherit God's kingdom (to become inheritors, heirs of any allotted-portion of the kingdom of God Who is Holy Spirit) – they have no ability to do so,
• neither does corruption (decay, the state of being corrupt)
  • inherit incorruption (un-decay, the state of being incorrupt) – it has no ability to do so.

People, animals, birds, etc, in the natural category whether alive or dead – do not inherit the kingdom of God or incorruption.

Verses 51-54:

^.51Look! I say a mystery to you: we will not all be caused-to-sleep but we will all be changed: ^.52in an atom, in a sinking of an eye, in the last trumpet, for it will trumpet and the dead-people will be raised-up incorruptible and we will be changed;

^.53for it is necessary (for) this corruptible-thing to clothe-itself-with incorruption, and this mortal-thing to clothe-itself-with immortality ^.54but whenever this mortal-thing may clothe-itself-with immortality then the word, the (word) having been written², will come-to-pass, "Death was swallowed into victory."

The word “mystery” throughout Paul’s letters means “secret.” A mystery contains the details that are known and can be understood by those involved in it and by those to whom it has been revealed – it is not inexplicable to those involved in it.

Paul lays out a mystery so that people will know and understand the details regarding this subject (which includes death, resurrection, life, etc).

We holy-people will not all be put to sleep. We will not all have to die first before we can receive our new spiritual bodies. But we (who will be alive when Christ will come for us) will all be changed.

Next is a detailed explanation:

• Within the length of time as small as an atom (the tiniest instant which cannot be cut or dissected),
• within the length of time it takes for half a wink of an eye when the eyelid falls to close before it lifts-up to open again,
• within the last (extreme or final time-wise) trumpet when it makes its sound…

…and there is no doubt but that the trumpet of God will make its trumpet-sound…

• and the dead-people (the holy-people who will be dead at that time)
  • will be raised-up (caused to rise from sleep, will be awoken) – how? –
    • incorruptible (being incapable of decay, not corrupt, in the state of incorruption),
• and we (the holy-people who will be alive at that time)
  • will be changed directly to having our new spiritual bodies without dying in-between (from having fleshy bodies with its soul/breath-life to having spiritual bodies with its holy spirit-life).

The dead holy-people cannot be raised-up in the same physical bodies which they had before they died - because that kind of body was corruptible. Corruption does not inherit incorruption, therefore the dead holy-people must be caused to stand-up (be resurrected) in an incorruptible state.

The living holy-people cannot be gathered-together with Christ in the physical bodies that we now live-in - because flesh and blood are not able to inherit the kingdom of God. But at whatever future time, when Christ comes to be present to gather the church of holy-people together with him, this mortal-thing (our body that is liable to death) will clothe itself with immortality (change directly into having our spiritual bodies without first having to die).

Then at that specific time the word which God had previously revealed to mankind will happen - death was swallowed into or resulting-in victory (conquest; refer to Isaiah 25:8a). God's living holy-people (Christians) will not die at all, but we will be changed directly into having new bodies with its holy spirit-life.

Paul continues by giving thanks to God and encouraging the holy-people:

Verses 57 and 58:

^.57But thanks to God, the (One) giving to us the victory by means of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^.58so-that, my loved¹ brothers, you must become seated, un-removed, always exceeding in the work of the Lord, having known² that your labor is not empty in (the) Lord.

We have the victory, not death, because of all that God our Father has accomplished for us by means of our Lord Jesus Christ – and so we can express our gratitude to God.

In Romans, Paul also writes about our mortal bodies being made alive at the time of Christ gathering his church of holy-people together with him:

Romans 8:10 and 11:

^.10but since Christ (dwells) in you, the body indeed (is) dead because-of sin but the spirit (is) life because-of righteousness; ^.11and since the spirit of the (One) having raised-up Jesus out-from dead-people dwells in you, the (One) having raised-up Christ out-from dead-people will make-alive also your mortal bodies by means of His spirit indwelling in you.

Since/if Christ dwells within you holy-people (Christians)…

• indeed, on the one hand, the physical fleshy body is dead (lifeless, it has no life in itself)
  • on account of sin (deadness of the physical body is the consequence/result of sin against God; refer to the study of Appendix to Romans)
• but, on the other hand, the spirit is life (it is life itself – God's life in Christ's life in you)
  • on account of righteousness (justness, justice, the attributes of justification, the quality of being and doing what is just/right from God's viewpoint; refer to Romans 3:22-26 and 5:17-21);

…and since/if…

• the spirit of the One (God)
  • Who has raised Jesus up alive out from being among the rest of the dead-people (Jesus is the only one who has been resurrected and given his new spiritual body, but everyone else who has died still remains dead in the grave until the time of their resurrection and judgment)
    • dwells in you (inhabits you)
• the One (God) Who has raised Christ (the Anointed-One) up out-from dead-people
  • will make-alive also your mortal bodies (will give life also to your current physical fleshy bodies that are liable to death)
    • by means of (through)
    • His spirit indwelling in you (inhabiting, housing within you, plural, all holy-people; we all have the same holy spirit-life within us which is the spirit of Christ in us).

Further on in Romans chapter 8, Paul writes:

Romans 8:18-25:

^.18For I calculate that the sufferings of the present time (are) not worthy towards the glory being about to be revealed into us; ^.19for the eager-expectation of the creation eagerly-awaits the revelation of the sons of God, ^.20for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because-of the (One) having subjected (it) on hope ^.21that also the creation itself will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

^.22For we knew² that all the creation groans-together and is in-the-pangs-of-birth-together continuously-until now, ^.23and not only (this), but having the first-fruits-offering of the spirit we also ourselves groan in ourselves eagerly-awaiting the full-redemption of our body ^.24for we were saved to the hope. But hope being observed is not hope, for who hopes that-which he observes? ^.25But since we hope that-which we do not observe, by means of patient-endurance we eagerly-await (it).

The sufferings (experiences, the things that affect us) during the current temporary time that we live in now…

• are not worthy (they are not of equal-value, like-worth)
  • for the purpose of approaching the glory (importance, splendor, renown)
    • that is on the point of being revealed into us (uncovered, as removing a veil and exposing what was previously hidden from our view).

The creation (refer to Genesis 1:1-2:3) is in the state of having eager expectation…

• and it eagerly awaits (it is waiting to accept)
  • the revelation of the sons of God (the uncovering of God’s sons who will include the Lord Jesus Christ and all holy-people since we will be with Christ at that time).

The creation was subjected to futility (caused to be under the authority of meaninglessness, uselessness, being empty as to results in its present state)…

• not willingly (this subjection was not done by the creation itself voluntarily, as though it made a free-will decision to purposefully become this way)
  • but it was subjected to futility on account of the One (God) Who arranged it in this position
  • resting upon hope (based on an expectation definitely coming to pass at a future time; God caused it to have hope)
• because also the creation itself will be set at liberty away from serving as corruption’s slave (refer to Appendix to Romans)
• into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (the liberty associated with the importance, splendor, renown belonging to God’s children, all who are born to/from/by God).

We know that all the creation (every part of it)…

• groans together (sighs in distress)
• and is laboring as a woman in the throes of giving birth
  • for the whole duration of time up to the present time,

…and not only (not alone) this fact, but also…

• since we have the offering of first-fruits which is the spirit given to us from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ
  • (the offering of first-fruits is the beginning-portion which is consecrated or dedicated to the only true God; it is not the only part, but it is the first part of the whole)
• emphatically we also ourselves sigh in distress within ourselves
  • eagerly-awaiting (waiting to accept)
    • the full-redemption of our body (the complete releasing or liberation of our physical body currently consisting of flesh and subject to death)
• for we were saved to/for the hope that God has promised.

Since/if we hope for what we do not presently observe (because it has not happened yet)…

• by means of patient-endurance (through bearing-up, holding, enduring and remaining upwards relative-to God and the things of God under any obstacles)
  • we eagerly-await our hope of glory to come to pass.

Christ was the first one to receive eternal holy spirit-life from God when God raised him up alive. Then Christ went into God’s presence (Acts chapter 1). On the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) the Lord Jesus Christ made this holy spirit-life available to the rest of mankind. Today, all who believe what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, receive the gift of holy spirit.

The hope that we holy-people have is Christ’s coming to gather us all together with him in the air and receiving everything that God has promised us in Christ, including spiritual bodies like the one that our Lord has already received, and everything else that is involved in the promise of inheritance. Christ is the hope of glory. Christ will continue to carry-out God’s intention and we will be with him.

In Philippians, Paul also writes about our future:

Philippians 3:20 and 21:

^.20for our citizenship is-from-the-beginning in (the) heavens out-from where also we eagerly-await (the) savior (who is the) Lord Jesus Christ ^.21who will change-the-outward-figure (of) the body of our humiliation (to be) formed-together with the body of his glory according to the in-working (for) him to be able and to subject all-things to him.

It is out-from heaven that we wait to accept what will be presented to us - which will be the savior who is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will at a future time change the outward figure of the body of our humiliation. He will alter...

• the external figure (the outward shape, including the expressed personality)
  • of the physical body which we currently have,
  • and which is and emanates our humbling (our state of lowliness, our low degree - it is what makes us to be in the lowly position relative to what we will have in the future).

The Lord Jesus Christ will change the outward-figure of the body of our humiliation - and then it will be a body adjectively described as...

• formed together with (jointly-formed, co-formed; this includes its whole make-up, not only the external appearance - it will be fashioned or share the form in conjunction with)
  • the body of his glory (the body of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; this body is and emanates his state of glory, importance, splendor, renown).

Today we holy-people have our fleshy body which is as a tent or a vessel around or containing the gift of holy spirit which we have received. However, in the future we will have a body that will be spiritual. We will not be spirit-beings like the angels are, but we will be spiritual because the life of our new bodies will be holy spirit-life.

I John 3:2 and 3:

^.2Loved-people¹, now we are children of God and not-yet was it manifested what we will be; we knew² that if-ever he may be manifested we will be like-people to him because we will see him according as he is; ^.3and every-person having this hope on him purifies himself according as that-one is pure.

John addresses the holy-people as "loved-people" - beloved, truly you are loved by God and by myself with God’s kind of love…

• at the present time we are children of God
  • and up until now it still has not been caused to be evidenced (brought to light, shown-forth) what we will be in the future;

...we know (perceive, see to the end of perceiving and knowing with our minds) that...

• if it should happen at any time that he would be manifested (that Christ would be evidenced, brought to light, shown-forth while we are still alive)
  • we will be like-people to him (at that future time we will be people similar to/with him)
• because we will see him (he will present himself to be perceived with our eyes and known by us)
  • according as he is (just as, according to how, in comparison to the way that he presently and actively exists today being the resurrected Christ Jesus);
• and all/every person having this hope on him (holding this expectation of the future events coming to pass resting or based upon Christ Jesus)
  • purifies himself (causes himself to become uncontaminated from God's viewpoint by any bad-thing which may be near-by)
    • according as that-one is pure (just as specifically that one, Jesus the Christ, is in the state of being pure).

The hope that we holy-people have is Christ’s coming to gather us all together with him in the air and receiving everything that God has promised us in Christ. Christ is the hope of glory.

Let us read some passages from the new covenant writings (Acts - Revelation) which expound the close relationship between:

• God's kind of love
•  and belief
•  and hope.

In Romans, Paul explains in detail what the belief is that God has given to us to believe today. The noun "belief" refers to the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety.

Romans 10:8(b)-10:

^.8(b)This is the spoken-matter of the belief which we herald-forth ^.9that if-ever you may express-agreement in your mouth (regarding the) Lord Jesus Christ and you may believe in your heart that God raised him up out-from dead-people you will be saved;

^.10for in (the) heart it is believed into righteousness and in (the) mouth agreement-is-expressed into salvation.

The specific discourse of the belief is that:

• if it should happen at any time that
  • you would express agreement in your mouth (say the same words, the open expression of your complete accord)
    • regarding/with the Lord Jesus Christ (that your Master is Jesus Who is the Anointed-one)
• and
  • you would believe in your heart (have faith, trust within the center/core of your being)
    • that God raised him up out from among those who still remain dead (Jesus is not dead anymore – he is alive because God raised him up giving him life; refer to Romans 1:4)
• you will be saved (caused to be in safety, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction).

In truth…

• in the heart it is believed (a person believes what God says as being true to/for himself within the center/core of his being)
  • into righteousness (with a view to, directed to and regarding God’s righteousness, the justness that God makes available to people, His justice)
• and
• in the mouth agreement is expressed (a person declares his agreement with what God says as being true to/for himself within the words he speaks)
  • into salvation (with a view to, directed to and regarding God’s salvation, the safety that God makes available to people).

In order to be saved, a person must believe in his heart that God raised the Lord Jesus Christ up out-from dead-people (yes I believe that God raised him up giving him eternal life) and express agreement in his mouth regarding the Lord Jesus Christ (yes I agree to accept the resurrected Christ Jesus to be my Lord).

Hebrews 11:1:

^11:1But belief is (the) substance of matters being hoped, (the) proof of (matters) not being observed.

Belief is…

• the substance (that-which is standing-under, underlying, the substructure)
  • of matters (performances, actions, the results of something practiced, of businesses, facts, deeds, events)
    • being hoped (expected to come to pass, to come into being, to happen at a future time),
• the proof (the evidence or test-result that provides validity and certainty)
  • of matters
    • not being observed (not presently being looked-at and mentally-envisioned by us).

The matters being hoped cannot presently be observed by us because these things have not occurred yet, even though God and the Lord Jesus Christ have revealed a certain amount of information about them to us. But, when our hope comes to pass then we will observe these matters.

Without God's belief - we could not have the hope that He has promised to us.

Galatians 5:5 and 6:

^.5For we with spirit from belief eagerly-await (the) hope of righteousness, ^.6for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is strong (in) something nor uncircumcision but belief being caused-to-in-work by means of love¹.

Emphatically we holy-people are eagerly awaiting (waiting to accept)...

• the hope (our expectation of the future event)
  • of righteousness (belonging-to and proceeding-from justness, justice - the hope that righteousness gives to us)
  • with/by the holy spirit-life which we received
    • out-from belief - the belief that God gives to us to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to Galatians 3:5 and 22-29).

If God had not given us this belief to believe then we could not have received holy spirit, and then we would not be able to eagerly await the hope of righteousness.

All of us holy-people are righteous now before God because we have holy spirit-life within us. Our hope of righteousness will come into full fruition and manifestation when our Lord Jesus Christ will come to gather us all together with him and then the total fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and his seed will come to pass.

Within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus…

• neither circumcision (having physically cut-around removing the foreskin)
• nor uncircumcision (still physically having foreskin)

…has any strength today during the time-period of the covenant of spirit.

But the thing that is strong (what has strength) today in Christ Jesus is:

• belief (faith, the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety)
  • being caused to in-work (caused to do work within, producing effects by being in work, being energized)
    • by means of love (through God's love; the word "love¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love).

Before we became holy-people (which was during the time that we were unsaved without holy spirit) we believed the belief that God has given everyone to believe regarding Himself and the resurrected Christ (refer to Romans 10:8-10). Then we received the gift of holy spirit-life becoming righteous, saved, etc.

Now that we are holy-people having holy spirit within us - God continues to energize His belief regarding specific and different things within us by means of love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (refer to Romans 8:32-39, Galatians 5:22, and Colossians 1:27). We can therefore eagerly await the hope of righteousness.

Romans 5:5:

^.5and the hope does not bring-down-to-shame because the love¹ of God was poured-out² in our hearts by means of holy spirit, the (holy spirit) having been given to us.

The hope does not cause us to have the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt bringing reproach (as recognizing and being sorry for one's own performance of an improper, ignominious or dishonorable deed from God's point of view).

The hope does not make us feel shame before another...

• because the love of God (God's love for us)
  • was and continues to be poured-out (shed forth)
    • in our hearts (within the sphere of action of the center of our beings, the seat of our whole personal selves and life)
• by means of holy spirit (through the sanctified spirit),
  • emphatically and specifically the holy spirit which has already been given to us by God.

In I Corinthians chapter 13, Paul provides a lot of details about God's kind of love, and in verse 13 he writes:

I Corinthians 13:13:

^.13But now these three things – belief, hope, love¹ – remain, but the love¹ (is) greater of these-things.

Emphatically at the present time, these three things stay available to all holy-people during the everyday living of life in the walk (behavior, conduct) category:

1. belief – God's belief (that-which God believes, what He gives us to have faith and trust in);
2. hope – God's hope (that-which God hopes, what He gives us to expect to come to pass in the future, His firm-anticipation concerning a future specific situation or circumstance);
3. love¹ – God's love…

…but the love is greater of these. Love is comparatively more-great, larger in quantity, quality, and magnitude pertaining-to or regarding these - just like when the mustard seed grows then it is the greater of herbs as stated in Matthew 13:31 and 32.

God's kind of love in evidence covers a larger area; it encompasses (includes) hope, and hope encompasses (includes) belief. All three should be active during the life of every holy-person.

I Thessalonians 1:2 and 3:

^.2We thank God always concerning all of you making remembrance to-ourselves on our prayers ^.3unceasingly remembering your work of the belief, and labor of the love¹, and patient-endurance of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, in-front-of our God and Father,

In verse 3 Paul writes to the Thessalonian holy-people that he and Silvanus and Timothy unceasingly remember:

1. your work of the belief (the deeds done expending your energy pertaining-to and proceeding-from the belief which God gives you to believe),
2. and labor of the love (the labor done exerting wearisome effort pertaining-to and proceeding-from God’s love),
3. and patient-endurance of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ (your bearing or holding up pertaining-to and proceeding-from the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ)

...before God Who is the Father of all of us who are holy-people.

I Peter 1:21:

^.21the believers by means of him into God, the (One) having raised him up out-from dead-people and having given glory to him, so-as-for your belief and hope to be into God.

Peter concludes a section of scripture regarding Christ redeeming people with/by his honorable blood - specifically referring to those who are...

• the believers (people who have previously believed what God says and thus you received holy spirit-life, you are faithful, trusting relative-to God)
• by means of him (through Christ)
• into or directed-to God,
• the One (God) Who has raised Jesus up alive out from being among the rest of the dead-people (who will remain dead until the time of their resurrection and judgment)
• and Who has given glory to him (God has made Christ glorious, He has given him importance, splendor, renown),
• so as the result and consequence of this is for