New Testament Saints in the Future

By Ron Jones ©Titus Institute 2009


Sincere and intelligent Christians disagree on the timing of these events and the role of Israel in them. This outline reflects what I believe best represents the Biblical evidence.

God has given to His children a glorious future with Him. In this study we shall see what that future is.

This is based upon a pre-tribulational and pre-millenial interpretive approach.

If you would like information on why I believe in a pre-tribulational position click here.

If you would like information on why I believe in a pre-millenial position click here.

I. New Testament Saints in the Rapture

A. First: Christ and His church 1 Thessalonians 4:16

1. Christ Himself is coming to take His church to heaven John 14:1-3

2. The Lord summons His church to Himself

a. There is a summons ("shout" in the Greek), a "voice" or sound of the archangel, and a trumpet blast

B. Second: The bodies of Christians who have died will resurrect 1 Thessalonians 4:16

1. "first" refers to first in time even though it is in a moment of time as we shall see.

2. "dead in Christ" refers to Christians who have died in union with Jesus Christ.

3. "shall rise"

means "resurrect from the grave" -- "rise up from the ground and be transformed into a glorified body."

The "Resurrection" here is the reuniting of a human soul and spirit with his transformed and glorified human body.

4. All bodies of believers will be resurrected no matter what condition they are in since they all return to the dust anyway.

C. Third: The bodies of living Christians are transformed. 1 Corinthians 15:50-52

1. "And the dead shall be raised incorruptible."

This corresponds to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, "And the dead in Christ will rise first."

. "and we shall be changed" we"--the believers who are alive at the rapture

Those who are alive will experience an incredible transformation of their physical earthly bodies into heavenly, spiritual ones. So all believers whether resurrected or transformed will receive the same kind of bodies.

What will our resurrected or transformed bodies be like?

a. Just like Jesus' glorified body after the resurrection Philippians 3:20-21, Luke 24:36-43

b. They will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

How long will this resurrection/ transformation take?

"in a moment" = "indivisible"--so small it can't be divided "in the twinkling,"

Paul's example -- "flickering of an eye," not a blink

D. All the Christians are caught up to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thessalonians 4:17

1. The Lord will be "in the air," in the sky

2. We are caught up to meet Him v. 17

"Caught up" -- means "to seize, snatch up, carry off by force."

It is a sudden, swift, and powerful seizing where the believer is on the earth one second and is suddenly in the air with Christ the next.

3. We will never again be separated from the Lord

v. 17 -- "And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

E. When will it happen? Titus 2:11-14

II. New Testament Saints Rewarded

When Jesus takes His church to heaven, the tribulation begins on earth. In heaven, the church is rewarded for what they have done for Christ.

A. The Bema Seat Reward Judgment of Jesus Christ

1. Christians are not judged for sin. John 5:24, Romans 8:1

2. Each Christian will be judged for the works or deeds he did after he accepted Christ to evaluate whether they were "good" (done for Christ) or "bad" (worthless, good for nothing, not worthy of a reward). 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

3. He will then receive a reward for his work for Christ. If he has done little for Christ, he will suffer the loss of reward, but will still be saved. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

4. What will the reward be?

a. It will be a reward of praise 1 Corinthians 4:5

b. It will be a time of rejoicing over how God has used us in the lives of others in their presence before Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

c. All believers will receive some reward of praise for what they have done for Christ.

Luke 7:43-45 Hebrews 6:10

Then after we receive our reward, we will go into the throne room of God to be with Christ as He directs the tribulation judgments.

III. The New Testament Saints at the Second Coming

A. The marriage celebration of the Lamb.

Before Christ returns to earth with His church, He will celebrate salvation as a husband celebrates his marriage to his b(ide at a great feast.

Revelation 19:5-10

B. Jesus Christ returns to earth to set up His kingdom

1 . Jesus Christ comes in power and glory

Revelation 19:11-16 2.

He is accompanied by His church and angels Revelation 19:14

"Armies" refers to the church (Revelation 19:8) and His holy angels (Matthew 24:29-31; 25:31)

3. Jesus destroys the armies of the Antichrist and throws the Antichrist and false prophet into hell.

C. The Old Testament saints are resurrected by Christ at this time

Daniel 12:1-2, 13 D. Jesus judges all mankind physically living at the time of His return to separate the believers who will enter the millennial kingdom and the unbelievers who will not.

Jesus judges all the Jews on the earth.

a. He gathers all the Jews from among the nations and separates the unbelievers from the believers.

Ezekiel 20:34-38

b. The unsaved Jews will be killed and will go to Hades to await the Great White Throne Judgment, the saved will enter the millennial kingdom in physical bodies.

Ezekiel 20:34-38

C. Thus, all the saved Jews enter the millennium as a nation (saved Israel).

Romans 11:26-27

2. Jesus judges all the Gentiles on the earth.

a. He gathers all the Gentiles and separates the believers from the unbelievers.

Matthew 25:31-32

b. He will separate the believers (sheep) from the unbelievers (goats) based on their faith in Christ (not mentioned in text, but known from other Scriptures).

C. He will publicly state the evidence of salvation or lack of salvation of the separated believers and unbelievers. The evidence is how they treated the believing Jewish witnesses during the tribulation.

Joel 3:1-2 The judgment on the nations has to do with how they treated Israel

Matthew 25:35-46 my brethren" = "saved ones"

Revelation 7:4-8; 14:1-2

The 144,000 Jewish believers will witness for Christ during the tribulation since the church is raptured.

E. Jesus binds Satan and his demons for 1 000 years so that he cannot operate during the millennium.

Revelation 20:1-3 "Satan"

Isaiah 24:19-23 "Satan and demons"

IV. New Testament Saints In the Millennium

A. Jesus Christ sets up His throne in Jerusalem and rules the earth for a thousand years.

B. The tribulation saints are resurrected and reign with Christ during the millennium along with the church.

C. The earth is restored to a pre-fall condition.

When the Bible describes the millennium, the conditions on the earth are different than they are today.

1 . The animal kingdom is at peace with itself and man.

Isaiah 11:6-9, Isaiah 65:25

2. The physical land will be changed and produce food abundantly and economic need will be eliminated.

Zechariah 14:9 Palestine leveled and Jerusalem raised up

Isaiah 51:3

3. Palestine will become like a garden instead of the desert it is today

Amos 9:13

Isaiah 65:21-25

4.Physical deformity and disease will be eliminated and aging will slow.

Isaiah 33:24; 35:5-7; 65:20 Ezekiel 34:16 4.

5. Christ will rule all the nations, thus crime will be eliminated

Isaiah 11:1-5 Jeremiah 33:14-15

D. Sin will be greatly reduced

1 . No temptation from Satan

2. No temptation from an evil world system (ie. Media)

3. Sin immediately judged

4. Christ ruling on earth assisted by the New Testament and Tribulation saints

E. Only believers will enter the millennium, but many of their descendants will reject Christ.

Isaiah 1 1: 1 -5 This is why Jesus rules with a strong hand

Revelation 20:8 This is why Satan is able to gather people for his army

F. Israel and all the nations will worship Christ during this period.

1 They will go up to Jerusalem to do this

- Zechariah 14:16-21

2. There will be a millennial temple where sacrifices will be offered in remembrance of what Christ has done and to give prominence to Israel which God promised her.

Ezekiel 40

G. The millennium is completed at the end of the thousand years with a final judgment of Satan.

1 . Satan is released and gathers an army from the unbelieving descendants of the believers who entered the millennium.

Revelation 20:7-9

H. The Great White Throne Judgment

1 . All unbelievers of all ages are resurrected into immortal bodies that can experience pain forever.

Revelation 20:11-15, John 5:28-29

2. They are judged according to their sins since they have no faith in Ch(ist and are cast into hell.

Matthew 13:41-42

V. New Testament Saints in Eternity

A. The creation of the new heavens and the new earth.

Revelation 21:1, Romans 8:19, 2 Peter 3:1 0

B. The nature of the eternal state

Revelation 21:3-5

C. The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:2, 9-27

D. The Rule of God

Revelation 21:3, 22-23

Revelation 22:3-5