The Coming Supernatural Metamorphosis

Written March 2017

I seem avoid the word Rapture these days because of the baggage that comes with it. For clarity sake when I talk about the Rapture I am referring to a future supernatural instant mass-metamorphosis of our earthly bodies into heavenly bodies just like Jesus resurrected body. When Jesus rose from the dead His mortality put on immortality and so will the church, instantly. 1 John 3:2, Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him.

There is a plethora of books and movies that have distorted and misrepresented this potential beautiful mystery. I want to develop a new lens to view this idea and re-examine the biblical narrative of mortal bodies becoming immortal without dying. Yes, the ever so controversial Rapture. Most Rapture enthusiasts have destroyed the potential beauty of this coming supernatural phenomenon by turning it into an end-times hope for an escape-rescue from a satanically controlled world. Without question the Rapture has been spun the wrong direction.

I personally view this as an important component of the supernatural Christian life and future hope. Many Revivalists have shied away from this theology because of the defeatist mindset that the Dispensation movement has attached to this wonderful hope. I have come to realize and believe that when placed in its proper context the idea of a supernatural metamorphosis of the entire church instantaneously from a mortal body to an immortal body could very well be the ultimate victory and triumph of the church as in Christ we once-and-for-all destroy the ultimate work of the devil, death. Jesus came to "destroy the works of the devil".

Rapture Revisited: Previous to the following bible selection Paul wrote that when our mortal bodies die they are raised into a glorious immortal body after undergoing a terrestrial-to-celestial metamorphosis. But then he drops a bomb into the scenario. He says, “behold I tell you a mystery, we will not all sleep…” Paul is comparing death to sleep. The Greek word used here is Koimao. It means to die or enter into a pre resurrection sleep.

1st Corinthians 15:51-58, Behold I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul again refers to this mass transition adding strength to this revelation in First Thessalonians 4:13-17, “But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.”

I believe it is highly probable that Paul partially unveiled a future mystery that has yet to unfold. He speaks clear and simple about the “dead in Christ” rising and those who are “alive” being caught up “together” with them. To make it simpler, the dead in Christ and the not-dead in Christ instantly achieve a physical body metamorphosis and immortality at the same event and at the exact same moment. Rapture theology is a sound and credible theory for the church to consider.

Death Is Not Our Savior: If a believer in Jesus adheres to a supernatural Christian lifestyle and we set our hearts towards healing, deliverance, signs and wonders and resurrection of the dead, then why would we not want to embrace the idea that it is possible that one day the church will overcome the sting of death totally? Why would we say things like nothing is impossible and then turn right around and say that the entire church can never be instantly transferred into an immortal state before the final return of Jesus? Even when the Apostle Paul clearly alludes to this? Elijah and Enoch are two cases in bible history of men who never died in a traditional sense. Instead they were caught up into heaven and their mortal bodies must have put on immortality. I want to suggest that their mortal bodies passed through the death and resurrection process in warp speed so-to-speak as they became instantly clothed in their immortality.

The Christian life is not supposed to be entirely focused on life after death. We have an eternal perspective that includes a kingdom that is already at hand, present and within reach. We are supposed to be pressing into the reality of eternal life and all the attributes of it piercing the veil of the spirit realm pulling heavens attributes into our present reality. Jesus taught and demonstrated that the Kingdom of Heaven is presently in our midst. And then He took upon Himself the death sentence of all humanity. Our entire faith structure is built on the resurrection where Jesus died for us and as us. According to scripture believers in Jesus have been crucified with Christ.

Hebrews 9:27-28, Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.

After the fall of man in Eden humanity became subjected to the curse of death. But we only have to die once. Therefore I could make a good and solid biblical case that traditional death for every human being is not inevitable. Christ took the penalty of death Himself and nailed it to the cross. And the final and ultimate victory of the Church could very possibly be victory over death itself. This is the mystery Paul referred to in 1st Thessalonians 4:17.

Consider that not every human being will die. When Jesus Christ returns millions of people will be alive in the world and will literally walk into the next millennium having never tasted the sting of death, even if they aren’t saved. What!? Yes that’s what I said. When Jesus returns He is not going to condemn every unsaved person to hell. Why would He? They are still alive and breathing. Jesus is a mass redeemer not a mass murderer. Notice in the following scripture selection about the return of Jesus the only people who are guaranteed judgment are those who have willingly aligned and committed themselves to the “Beast”.

Revelation 14:9-11, Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

Notice that the Angel warns “anyone who worships the beast and his image”. Without getting into who or what the Beast may-or-may-not be I want to highlight the fact that this passage of scripture seems to leave the door wide open for what I will call the spiritually unclaimed. They may not be followers of Jesus but they don’t “worship the Beast or his image” either. This would include the unreached, the unborn, those in a coma and those who have been bullied into their current faith system but have not actually committed their hearts or their own will. And many other sub-sects of the human condition. Think about places like North Korea. If North Korea is still under communist oppression at the return of Jesus do you honestly think Jesus will judge every person who has not yet come to know Him, of course not? This doesn’t nullify the cross. It gives millions more people a chance to embrace it. This is why the one thousand year pre new heaven and new earth kingdom is essential. It provides a space for the spiritually unclaimed and their progeny to come to Christ of their own free will. Therefore I suggest that the return of Jesus Christ does not automatically eliminate hope for the unsaved, but rather enhances it provided they have not given themselves already to the beast of antichrist or any of his idolatrous demonic co-conspirators, whoever or whatever it is and they are. These unclaimed souls will be given an opportunity to get to know Jesus during His one thousand year kingdom on this earth. And if they fall in love with Jesus they will only die once in the form of becoming dead to sin and alive in Christ never experiencing physical death. If not, they too will be judged. And according to scripture some will reject Him and die in their sin doomed to hell for all of eternity. (See Revelation 20:7-10) Therefore I conclude physical death for every human being is not inevitable. Millions and possibly billions of people will never die. Including the raptured generation. The entire churches eternal hope is Jesus and victory over death. And the death of sin in us is the only mandatory death. All other death is the curse that has, is and will be ultimately overcome.