βWhereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of Godβ (Colossians 1:25).
Another major βhousehold ruleβ of this the Dispensation of Grace is the eternal destiny of believers. Friend, you will search the βOld Testamentβ in vain to find one word about a believer in the God of the Bible dying and going to heaven. Furthermore, no believer of Christβs earthly ministry had the prospect of dying and going to heaven. Believers who live outside of the Dispensation of Graceβnamely, pre-Apostle Paul and post-Raptureβdie with the hope of being resurrected into the kingdom of heaven on earth. Believing Job said in Job 19:25, part of the Bibleβs oldest book: βFor I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earthβ¦.β For them, a heavenly kingdom will come down to earth (see Revelation 21:1-4; cf. Isaiah 60:1-3; Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah chapter 11; et cetera).
Contrariwise, for us the Church the Body of Christ, our realm of influence is the heavenly places. The life of God we now enjoy as members of the Body of Christ, we temporarily lead it on earth. However, that eternal life will carry on into the heavenly places, that we glorify Jesus Christ there forever. Ephesians 1:3: βBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.β Ephesians 2:6-7 affirms: β[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.β Ephesians 1:20-23 and Colossians 1:16-20 also show how we will share Jesus Christβs authority in the heavenly places throughout eternity future.
The Raptureβwhen Jesus Christ comes to take us His Body back to heaven with Himβis designed to end our dispensation (and resume Israelβs program) as well as bring us into the heavenly places. Refer to Romans 11:25-29, 1 Corinthians 15:34-58, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Let us now summarize this devotionals arc⦠source
