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Thus the Apostle was inspired to write that the CHURCH, in
this time, is composed of those who are spiritually converted.
The Church is this natural olive tree -- ISRAEL. The CHURCH,
then, is composed of Spirit-begotten people only -- it is Spirit-
begotten Israel!
Now remember, the peoples of western Europe and the English-
speaking peoples are the descendants of the so-called "Lost Ten
Tribes" of Israel. Most are spiritually "blinded" so that they
cannot see the way to salvation. Paul was writing to only those
converted and in the Church at Corinth in the mid-first century.
We know, however, that after the first century not many Gentiles
received real conversion and the Spirit of God. A false
"Christianity" -- deceived by Satan -- rose up which kept almost
all the Western world blinded and deceived.
This passage continues to show that those blinded to saving
truth were to remain blinded UNTIL there should come "the
DELIVERER" -- Christ at His Second Coming to RULE the whole earth.
Then, "all Israel shall be saved." WHEN? At and after Christ's
coming in all POWER AND GLORY!
WHEN Salvation Offered to Whole World
Now notice what will happen WHEN "the Deliverer" -- Christ
-- comes to "turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Matthew 25,
beginning verse 31, shows Christ coming as King of kings to RULE
the world and to offer salvation and eternal life to all the
world:
"WHEN the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the
holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His
glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He
shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:31-32).
This is not referring to separating those of us already
converted now from the rest of the world then. We have already
been separated from the world by conversion, and we shall have
been separated by already having received eternal life prior to
Christ's setting foot on earth. For "...the dead in Christ shall
rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air...
(I Thess. 4:16-17). Thus we, converted now BEFORE the time,
shall have been changed from mortal to immortal, meeting Christ
in the air as He descends -- BEFORE His feet stand on the Mount
of Olives (Acts 1:11-12; Zech. 14:4) -- and BEFORE He sits on
David's throne which then becomes CHRIST'S throne in Jerusalem.
Now, continuing in Matthew 25:33: "And He shall set the
sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 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" (Matt. 25:33-34).
So it is after Christ's return to earth, and in the thousand-