QDr. Bedore, wrote an article on “Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the Grave.” On page 6, within the paragraph called Paradise he said this: “This is true whether they belong to the Kingdom Church of the future or the Body of Christ Church of the present Dispensation of Grace.” Can you please clarify what he meant by “Kingdom Church of the future”?
by Pastor Matt Ritchey, Managing Editor
Estimated Time to Read: 3 Minutes
ANSWER: Dr. Bedore believes that Christ took the faithful from Paradise to Heaven with Him when He ascended. He concludes that since Paradise has been taken to Heaven every believer since that time has been taken to Heaven, whether they be the present Body of Christ or the Tribulation saints in the future to come (See Rev.6:9). However, he does believe the distinction between the two programs remains. Since the question seems to center mostly on the phrase “Kingdom Church of the future,” allow me to explain that a little further.
The Kingdom
God created Adam to rule on earth (Gen. 1:26-28). Adam sinned, death entered. Since those following Adam persisted in disobeying God (Gen. 6:5; 11:6), God chose a man (Abram) out of which He would create a nation sanctified to Himself. He desired to bless this nation, and the nation was to reflect His glory to the other nations. Abraham and his descendants (specifically Isaac and Jacob) were used to bring forth the nation of Israel. Israel was promised that they would rule on earth as head of the nations (Deut. 28:13). This was further clarified with the promise of an eternal throne through David (II Sam. 7:16). The Israelites were promised an earthly kingdom in which to reign with King Christ (Isa 60:3, 12). Jesus began His ministry proclaiming that the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 4:17), preparing the nation for the promise of the kingdom to be fulfilled.
Church
In using the word “church,” Dr. Bedore is using it in the true sense, for the word is a general term referring to a called-out group for the same purpose. It is context and modifiers that define what church is being referred to in each instance. Those who followed Christ during His earthly ministry and after His ascension through the preaching of the Twelve Apostles made up the Kingdom Church. They were the called out group (church) for the purpose of inheriting the promised, prophesied Kingdom.
The Future
However, the promise of the Kingdom was placed on hold when God set Israel, the covenant nation, aside and chose the Apostle Paul to reveal His previously unknown program of Grace. In today’s Grace Program, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. God’s church is the Body of Christ, and the eternal destination is not an earthly kingdom but Heaven above. When God ends this current Age of Grace, He will return to His promise of an earthly Kingdom. This is still future.
So when Dr. Bedore refers to the “Kingdom Church of the future,” he is referring to the time when the Church, the Body of Christ, will have departed to Heaven (Rapture), and God has turned back to His group (Kingdom church) looking to inherit the earthly Kingdom as they go through the Tribulation, thus, “the Kingdom church of the future.”
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Read another article from this edition of the BABQ:
Question 1: Can the soul die or be destroyed by God in hell?
