AM I REALLY GOING TO HEAVEN?

One of the most difficult things to get a religious person to consider it this: Not everything in the bible is ABOUT YOU. All of the bible is for us, but not all of it is about us. 2 Timothy says:

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

In other words, God's holy word is written, and it is complete. Paul said that when that which is PERFECT is come, then that which is in part will be done away. He said that when I was a child I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things. God has now PUT AWAY some things in the light of the fact that that which is perfect is come. BUT...there are thousands of people in religion today who don't know that. "If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant."

A few verses before 2 Timothy 3:16 is 2 Timothy 2:15 which says:

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Now for those who are always getting out their "original manuscripts" and their better translations: If you are going to "be diligent" and you are going to "labor" then the best thing you can do in your diligence and your labor is to open the bible and STUDY it, rather than study about it. And if you are going to "correctly handle" the word of truth, the best thing you can do is RIGHTLY DIVIDE it, because that's what it says.

Of all the different "theological positions" in the denominational, religious system of the world today, few of them ever stumble on the fact that there are TWO BODIES OF BELIEVERS that are plainly evident in the bible, and all of them are IN CHRIST. Now there are several ABSOLUTE truths that are evident in scripture. Number one:

Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

And the statement by Peter to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter four

:Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

All salvation is in the name of Jesus. There is none other name. Not Budda, not Mohammed, not Mary, not some "holy cow." Only in the name of Jesus. and Paul agrees with that:

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

In other words, the good, and acceptable will of God is to pray for all men, to pray for people in authority, and to be at peace, to live at peace in all godliness and honesty. Do you know what Paul said about PROVING that good, and acceptable, AND PERFECT will of God?

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

So it's good to be concerned about other people. It's acceptable to pray for other people and people in authority. It's good, and acceptable to live peaceably with all men. But what is the PERFECT will of God. To be NOT conformed to this world, religiously speaking. To be transformed by the renewing of your mind.....to come unto the knowledge of the truth. And you CANNOT do that without rightly dividing the word of truth, and the word of truth is the GOSPEL of your salvation. The truth is, ALL BELIEVERS ARE IN CHRIST, but watch:

Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Ephesians 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

But the bible identifies at least 8012, and the term in Acts chapter 21 is "many thousands of Jews which believe," it identifies, it numbers them, over 8,000 of them, who CANNOT make that statement. Every one of them, at the preaching of Peter, have become believers in Jesus, their Messiah. They are IN CHRIST. They have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. They have been baptized WITH the Holy Ghost. But they are not saved. Not yet.

When Peter preached to them that they had murdered their Messiah, that they had killed their King, but that God had raised him from the dead, they didn't say "what must we do to be saved?" Peter is not telling them that “the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Peter is accusing them of murder, the murder of their King. He said you desired a murderer, Barrabas, to be granted unto you. In other words, the custom was that Pilate would free a prisoner at the Feast of the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, each year, and they had said "Give us Barrabas. Away with this man. Jesus. Crucify him.”

Luke 23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

Luke 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

Luke 23:20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

Luke 23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

So Peter is NOT saying "Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and was buried and rose again the third day." At the time of Peter's preaching in the book of Acts, HE DOESN'T KNOW that Christ died for his sins, or their sins, or your sins. Read the passage for yourself and see what the bible really says, not what you have been led to believe all your life by religion. Peter preaches the cross, he preaches the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. But rather than glory in the cross of Christ, he preaches it as a shame against Israel. Read what he says:

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now watch their reaction to Peter's preaching:

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Peter has not said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Peter has not said that Christ died for your sins. They didn't say, "What must we do TO BE SAVED." They are pricked in their hearts. They are greived, because they realize they have made a mistake. They have demanded the murder of their King. So they believe that God has raised him from the dead. They believe that he IS the heir to the throne of David, the King of Israel. In the light of that, they say, "what shall we do?"

The context has NOTHING to do with playing golf on Sunday. It has nothing to do with "starting back to church" because you have been forsaking the assembling of yourselves together. It has nothing to do with giving up Chesterfields. I saw one man that left so many cigarettes on the alter they could have opened a tobacco store. One night he said, "The Lord has told me that if I ever smoke another one I will cross the line." The last memory I have of that man is that he was walking down the street....smoking a cigarette. It was a Pentecostal church, and THIS chapter is where they pin their doctrine.

Now I didn't say that to say that smoking cigarettes is good, or that you ought not to assemble, if you can find an assembly that preaches the truth. But the point is, NONE of that is even in the picture here. Walking the aisle for Jesus and giving up bad habits, and on and on, is not even the issue here. What is? THE IDENTITY.

The IDENTIFICATION OF ISRAEL'S KING. the Son of God, the son of David, the heir to the throne of David, the King of Israel, proven to be beyond a doubt, by the resurrection from the dead. That's what Peter is preaching. Look at what John the Baptist said:

John 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

WHY was John come baptizing with water? That the Messiah should be made manifest to Israel. John said he knew him not. The IDENTITY of the Messiah was being made known.

John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

What were the signs for? They were Messianic signs. The man who did those signs was the Messiah, the King of Israel. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cleansed the lepers and cast out devils. Signs. The Jews require a sign, the bible says.

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

HIS NAME. Now how would they have life THROUGH HIS NAME. They had to believe in the name of the only begotten son of God. They had to identify WITH HIM. They had to confess him as their Messiah. In other words, the entire Pentecostal ministry is in one accord with Matthew 16. In Matthew 16 the Lord ask his disciples, "who do men say that I am?" And their answer was, some say you are this person and some say that. Then the Lord said, "But who do you say that I am?"

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Matthew 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Now do you see any indication at all in that statement that Peter believed that Jesus had come in the world to go to the cross, on Friday afternoon, and be raised from the dead, at Easter sunrise and that Peter is all happy and excited that Christ is going to die for his sins? There is no indication at all that Peter understands ANY THING at all about the cross of Christ. As a matter of fact there is EVERY indication that he didn't know ANYTHING about it and that he didn't even believe that Christ was going to die, much less die for his sins.

Matthew 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

In other words, Christ had come unto his own and his own received him not. His ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel is basically over at this time. Now watch the next verse:

Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

So the three year ministry of Jesus to Israel is about concluded. He has preached the gospel of the Kingdom. He has sent the 12 out to preach the gospel of the Kingdom. And they went and preached. They healed the sick, raised the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out devils in His name, by the power of His name. Now the Lord has explained to them that he is going to be crucified, be buried, and rise from the dead THE THIRD DAY. Look at what Peter says:

Matthew 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

Now regardless of the fact that the Lord said "get thee behind me Satan," or whatever else happens after, the point is that Peter doesn't understand the cross, doesn't believe in the cross and does not even believe that Christ is going to die. So, Christ died, and he rose from the dead and Peter STILL doesn't know why. He is not even really sure about the resurrection, in spite of all the trips back and forth to the empty tomb, until the Lord begins to appear to them.

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

So they now understand that all of the prophecy, all of that which was spoken, in scripture, must be fulfilled:

Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

And that is exactly what Peter preached. Repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ. In other words, repent. Believe what God has said. Repent, think differently. It has nothing to do with playing golf on Sunday. Think differently. Believe God. Has nothing to do with smoking, dancing or playing cards or listening to rock and roll music. Believe in Jesus Christ, Peter says. He IS your promised Messiah. He is the ONE the prophets spoke about. He IS the heir to the throne of David, he is the King of Israel.

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

So Peter is preaching to Israel. He says the "whole house of Israel." That's all 12 tribes. They were there, on the Day of Pentecost, a Jewish holy day, in Acts chapter two:

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In other words, the baptism of repentance FOR the remission of sins. Baptism does not remit sins. Their water baptism did not remit sins. There is no salvation, there is no remission in tap water, creek water, pond water or water baptistry water. The remission of sins is IN CHRIST.

Every believer in the Pentecostal church of Acts chapter two, who BELIEVED that Jesus IS THE CHRIST, the son of the living God was IDENTIFIED WITH HIM by water baptism. Christ IDENTIFIED himself with Israel in the baptism of John. He was MANIFEST to Israel. Now, these Israelites, are called on to IDENTIFY themselves with their Messiah in the same way, water baptism, FOR the remission of sins. Once again, their identity is IN CHRIST. All believers are IN CHRIST. But........IN CHRIST is not synonymous with IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

These people are IN A BODY OF BELIEVERS, but they are NOT in the body of Christ. They are IN CHRIST but they are NOT in the body of Christ. Nobody in Acts chapter two is IN the body of Christ. They are IN CHRIST but NOT in the body of Christ. They believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, their King. They have been identified with him in water baptism, looking forward to the coming of the King and the Kingdom and the blotting out of THEIR SINS. Their sins are NOT YET BLOTTED OUT. They are NOT YET complete in Christ. Compare:

Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Now Collosians chapter two is about the body of Christ. Paul wrote the book of Collosians. Luke wrote the book of Acts and Peter wrote the books of 1 and 2 Peter. Peter DOES NOT believe that he has been forgiven all trespasses and that he is COMPLETE in Christ. Peter most certainly believes that he and all 8,000 of the people who were added to THAT church in the book of Acts are IN CHRIST. But they are in Christ REDEMPTIVELY, not POSITIONALLY. Instead, Peter believes that his salvation WILL BE COMPLETE at the second coming of Christ. So does the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter eight, and Cornelious, the Roman Centurian in Acts chapter ten.

The Ethiopian Eunch in Acts chapter eight has been to Jerusalem to worship the God of Abraham, and he is on his way home. He is reading from the book of Isaiah, in Isaiah 53, and the Holy Spirit tells Phillip to go over to the man:

Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

Acts 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

So Phillip starts where the man was reading and preaches Jesus to him. He shows him that Isaiah 53 is a prophecy of the Messiah and he shows him that Jesus is the one Isaiah is referring to. Now watch:

Acts 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

Acts 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

Now does Phillip say to the man, well Eunuch, the “grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men?” “Christ died for our sins.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved?” Watch what the Eunuch believes. He believes exactly the SAME THING Peter confessed in Matthew 16:

Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

So they have come to some water, the Eunuch says to Phillip, here is some water. What's to keep me from being baptized. What's to keep me from being identified with the Messiah. After all, I fear the God of Abraham. I have just come from worshipping in Jerusalem. Did it ever occur to you to wonder WHY the Eunuch hadn't heard about Jesus in Jerusalem? Because he couldn't get in to the temple. The lame man Peter healed in Acts chapter three had never been in the temple a day in his life. Why? Because he was lame. The Eunuch couldn't get into the temple to hear Peter, that's where Peter was, in the temple most of the time. (And by the time of Acts chapter eight there is so much persecution going on that Peter is probably keeping a low profile) A person who is NOT WHOLE cannot go into the temple. No man with a blemish, or even a crooked nose can go in there. So the Eunuch asks, "what's to keep me from being baptized?'

Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

He DOES NOT believe that Christ died for his sins. He was not told to believe that Christ died for his sins, because Phillip doesn't know that Christ died for HIS sins, so how can he preach it? The Eunuch receives REMISSION of sins, the withholding of punishment for sins, depending on his ENDURING UNTO THE END TO BE SAVED.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Peter doesn't believe that he IS SAVED but that he SHALL BE SAVED. And he says so:

Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

8,000 people received remission of sins in Acts 2, 3, 4, 5, the Eunuch received remission of sins in Acts chapter eight, Cornelious, the Roman Centurian heard exactly the same message from Peter, and HE RECEIVED remission of sins in Acts chapter ten:

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

Now Peter sees the vision of the large sheet, full of clean and unclean animals. He sees it three times and immediately three men are at the door, sent from Cornelious, and the Spirit tells Peter to go with the men, nothing doubting. Peter goes to the home of the man, reluctantly, thinks it's an unlawful thing to be there, tells the man, "well, you sent for me, I came....now what do you want with me? The man tells him about the angel appearing to him and telling him to send for Peter, so Peter begins to preach Jesus:

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Acts 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Peter preaches the remission of sins, looking forward unto a FUTURE Day of Atonement, for the nation of Israel, in which their sins will be blotted out. Look at what he says:

Acts 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Acts 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

All of those people, the 8,000 in the book of Acts, the Ethiopian Eunuch, the Roman Centurian, all of them are IN CHRIST, redemptively, look forward unto THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST and the Day of Atonement for those involved. They are enduring to the end to be saved at the end if they don't fall away, and if they endure to the end. And Peter says so in:

1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Now think. The revelation of Jesus Christ has not happened yet. The second coming of Christ has not happened yet.  But years later, long after the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two, we find that Israel is fallen. Peter was preaching the rise of Israel. The restitution of Israel. The restored Kingdom to Israel. But that depended on Israel repenting and acknowledging their King. It required individual repentance to be a PART OF the program and it required NATIONAL repentance for the Kingdom to come. In other words from the bottom to the top and from the top down. The Elders and Chief Priests, the leadership of that nation did not repent and the Kingdom did not come. Instead Israel FELL, and through the fall of Israel salvation came to the Gentiles....apart from Israel. As in:

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

God's prophetic program that Peter preached, was interrupted. Something different happened. So I know that everything that happened in the early part of the book of Acts was a FORESHADOWING of something that is yet future.....the 1,000 year reign of Christ.

Now Peter was preaching "as it is written." he was preaching the fulfillment of prophecy. He talks about THESE DAYS:

Acts 3:24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

All of the prophets, as many as have spoken, foretold of a coming time of peace on earth. They told of a time when the desert would blossom like the rose. They told of a time when the earth would be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Look at Peter in Acts two:

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

Acts 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Now look around. Do you see the effect of God's Spirit poured out upon ALL FLESH? My dog has flesh. I can't see God's Spirit poured out on her. She can get just as ornery, and mean and ill tempered as I can. Wolves have flesh. Lambs have flesh. Have you noticed any wolves dwelling with any lambs lately?

Isaiah 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isaiah 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

I don't see ANY of that happening today, and neither do you. Go back to Acts chapter two:

Acts 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Acts 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

Since Peter spoke those words, have any of those things happened? Now people might claim to see signs and wonders. They might claim that the vapour of smoke in the passage is some oil well fire or something. But read on:

Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

The fact is, that NONE of those things happened. So what DID happen on the Day of Pentecost was a FORESHADOWING of a yet future event.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Now it's true that anybody, anywhere who will believe ON Jesus Christ, believing that He IS the Son of God, believing that he died on the cross FOR THEIR SINS and was raised again for their justification IS SAVED, by grace through faith, in the finished work of Christ. But that's not what Peter believed in Acts chapter two, that's not what he preached in Acts chapter two because he didn't know that in Acts chapter two.

Peter believed in the 70th week of Daniel, he believed in the tribulation. He believed that the tribulation was coming and he believed in the coming of the man of sin, the son of perdition, the anti Christ, and AFTER THAT the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST in which ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED. He believed in a FUTURE Day of Atonement and to get there he had to endure unto the end. Paul tells you the exact same thing about Israel:

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Romans 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Peter believed in a literal kingdom of Heaven upon the earth, Jesus Christ as King, ruling and reigning on the throne of David over the whole house of Israel and all the earth. He believed that because that was his ministry and his message. And all those people Peter preached to and who believed his message were IN CHRIST redemptively. But they were NOT in the body of Christ, positionally.

Peter believed in the immanent second coming of Christ. He is quoting the prophecy in the book of Joel as if he expects the Lord to come in a short time, in his own lifetime. After all, what remains of the prophetic timetable outlined in the book of Daniel, the seventy weeks of Daniel, is just one week of years, or seven years.  But immanent is not necessarily immediate. Christ is coming, there is no doubt about it, but he didn't say when. Here is what he did say:

Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It didn't happen. The kingdom did not come. The coming of Christ and the setting up of the Kingdom depends on the repentance of Israel. Israel has not repented. As a matter of fact, Israel is cast away. Israel, nationally, is loammi, not God's people. In other words, the present day so-called state of Israel in the Middle East is NOT Israel. You cannot bless Israel today because Israel, the Israel of the bible, doesn't exist. It is CAST AWAY. Scattered among the nations. Blindness has happened to national Israel....for a REASON. Here it is:

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

God interrupted his dealings with Israel FOR A REASON. His plans were not interrupted. His plans didn't change. It has ALWAYS been God's plan to save Israel. All Israel SHALL BE SAVED, as it is written. But God is not dealing with Israel today. He is not dealing with ANY nation today. He is dealing with people. He is dealing with individuals.

Salvation will come to Israel when Israel repents. When Israel acknowledges their offense.

Hosea 5:14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Now there are some so-called Jews fighting over the land today. There has always been a trickling of people who call themselves Jews "returning to the land." There has always been a "zionist movement." It has always been on three fronts. Economic, political, and religious. But they are not returning to the Lord. Only in AFFLICTION will that happen, and that's the tribulation. So don't worry about "setting the stage" and "lining up the players" and all the Hal Lindsey's and Jack Van Impe's and the prophecy preachers. There is NOT ONE SINGLE prophecy in the bible being fulfilled in the Middle East or in the world today. NONE. Prophecy is fulfilled when EVERY WORD comes to pass. When every "I" is dotted and every "T" is crossed. God is not dealing with Israel today, he is dealing with the BODY OF CHRIST.

Now God didn't change any plans and this wasn't any surprise to him. It didn't catch the Lord off guard so that he had to rush out and institute plan B. There is no such thing as Plan A and Plan B as some would teach. God has but ONE purpose and it is IN CHRIST. And God's purpose IN CHRIST was already laid out, known in advance, and totally planned out by God BEFORE the foundation of the world. But it is a TWOFOLD purpose. It is as different as the two locations in Genesis 1:1 are different:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 One aspect of God's TWOFOLD purpose is earthly, and the other is Heavenly. One was prepared FROM the foundation of the world and the other was BEFORE the foundation of the world. The visible, literal second coming of Christ to set up a Kingdom upon the earth was preached by Peter. That kingdom was prepared FROM  the foundation of the world. As in:

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

So all of those people who will inherit the Kingdom are IN CHRIST. But the Heavenly aspect of the two-fold purpose of God, in other words the church, the BODY OF CHRIST, was chosen in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the world. As in:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Now the difference is the doctrine. The error of all religion is that they fail to see the difference in the doctrine. Just because things are similar doesn't mean they are the same. IN CHRIST is not the same as IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. Baptized IN THE NAME OF Jesus Christ, with water, is NOT THE SAME as baptized INTO CHRIST, by the Spirit. Those in Acts two were baptized with water, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins. And they were baptized WITH the Holy Ghost.

But you in the body of Christ are not baptized WITH the Holy Ghost, you are baptized BY THE SPIRIT, and the bible says in Ephesians 4:5 that there is one Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM In Acts chapter two, Jesus Christ is the baptizer. He said, "as John baptized WITH WATER, so shall ye be baptized WITH the Holy Ghost." And he did exactly what he promised to do. 12 Jewish men were baptized WITH the Holy Ghost. You are not baptized WITH the Holy Ghost, and there is no such term in the bible as "the baptism OF the Holy Ghost."

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Baptized WITH the Holy Ghost is not the same as baptized BY THE SPIRIT, sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Enduring to the end to receive grace at the end is not the same as having ALREADY BEEN SAVED by grace through faith. Looking forward to a FUTURE day of Atonement at the second coming of Christ is not the same as looking back to the cross and realizing that Christ MADE THE ATONEMENT and that we have already received it.

The righteousness of God which is BY FAITH OF Jesus Christ upon me freely by grace simply by believing is not the same as the FIERY TRIAL OF FAITH and the works of faith required of the tribulation saints Peter wrote to:

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

It wasn't a strange thing because the Lord taught them all about it in Matthew 24.

Being justified freely by grace, redeemed by the blood of Christ, having received the atonement, sealed with the Holy Spirit, complete in Him, forgiven ALL trespasses, is not the same as confessing sins to receive forgiveness of sins when the fountain is opened  at the second coming of Christ.

Zechariah 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

Being baptized INTO Christ and a member of a joint body of believers and complete in Christ and a partaker of Christ is not the same as a royal priesthood and a holy nation in 1 Peter

 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Now that royal priesthood, holy nation, most certainly was IN CHRIST redemptively, but being IN CHRIST is not the same as being baptized into a joint body of believers where there is NO NATION and NO nationality:

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Peter was looking for Christ to come, as the angel said in Acts one, "this same Jesus will so come in like manner," and as the prophets said:

Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

We don't pray "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth," because before that can happen the body of Christ must GO. The Kingdom comes when the Lord comes, but before that the church MUST GO, be caught up TO where the Lord is IN HEAVEN:

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

So then, things that are different are NOT the same, even though they sound similar. IN CHRIST is one thing, but IN THE BODY OF CHRIST is a totally different thing.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.