Author: Art Sims
Date: 8/11/2003 7:43 am CDT
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I must take back my statement that I agree with Mike's arguments. I have come far enough to agree that Acts 28 gives us the vital dividing line that separates us today from the kingdom program of Israel with its tongues, prophecies, lesser status of Gentiles, grafting, provoking, Jew first, healings, etc., which continued all the way to the end of the Acts. That was indeed a different order, dispensation, administration, or program of God from what we are living under today. On this basis, I have gotten quite confident that Acts 28 is the true dividing line. But as to the end of our present dispensation, I have read the texts, yet again, side by side, and something isn't right. I simply cannot see the departure in 1st Thes. 4 as the same thing that is taught in Matthew 13:41-43,49,50, 24:29-51, 25:31-46. Maybe the difference has been drilled into me so much I can't think straight. But I cannot understand how believers being caught up into the air to ever be with the Lord can be the same thing as Christ coming to earth to take the wicked away. Writers can point out parallels regarding angels and trumpets as much as they like but it only takes one solid difference to establish that events are not the same. I have looked into parousia and epiphania/phaino (cf.1Jn.3:2) and really don't think these words explain the matter. Thus, I remain stuck where the Thessalonian letters are concerned. If these letters are truly early, Acts-period letters, as everyone says, then so far, in my reading of the texts involved, some things just don't seem to fit.
Art |
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