Are We There Yet? Rapture

No.  We are not in the Millennial Kingdom.  We’re not even at the Rapture yet.  With that out of the way, let’s take a final multi-part look at how Jews and Christians are heirs together…in a way that coheres with Scripture.

“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:6)

There’s more mystery beyond that mystery in the theology of Paul:
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’  As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.  Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.  For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” (Romans 11:25-32)

How does that relate to the rapture of the Church, the Tribulation, and the Millennial Kingdom spoken about in Revelation 20 and being “heirs together”?

The Gospel is the foundation for the first resurrection.  Jesus is our model…Who Scripture calls the author/pioneer and finisher/perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

The deciding factor will be faith. It will also be orderly. 

“1Thessalonians 4:15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

The Lord will come down from heaven into the air, then the dead in Christ (the saints Old Testament era and New) will rise first.  Faith “credited as righteousness” Jews looking forward to Christ will be there along with Jewish (like the disciples) and Gentile believers in Christ in the New Testament era.

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). 

Again, the deciding factor is whether one is “in Christ” or apart from Him. 
So, the question each of us needs to ask ourselves is “Am I in Christ or apart from Him?”