Have you ever had an upside down cake? It’s usually mixed with chopped or sliced fruits such as apples, peaches, pineapples, or cherries and butter and sugar are placed on the bottom of the pan before the batter is poured in, so that they form a baked-on topping after the cake is inverted. It’s the foundation that makes it so delicious.

Unfortunately when it comes to your church, you have to ask yourself, what is the foundation? Is it founded upon the principles of God’s rightly divided word or is it built upon the shifting sands of tradition?

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” -Matthew 7:15

A Christian minister made the following statement in his sermon one morning: “In Joel’s day his prophecies concerning the day of God represented something for Israel to look forward to. Today, Joel’s prophecies offer hope to the church, the administration of the body established on the day of Pentecost.”

As you will see in this article, this was not the beginning of the administration of the body. It was the beginning of the New Testament administration.

“Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6

The administration that started on Pentecost consisted of the first Apostles of Jesus and their followers. The promised seed of Israel had all died by the time they laid Jesus in the grave. This is why it was called the resurrection.

The Gospel to Israel was called the Gospel of the circumcision. Grace would not be revealed to them until the first resurrection at Christ’s return to set up his kingdom.

“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;” -1 Peter 1: 13

The body of Christ died with Christ, was raised with him and seated with him in the heavenlies. They are not of this world. They are aliens and strangers. Their inheritance is in the heavenlies. They will replace the devil and his angels when they are cast out of heaven upon the earth. The exchange will be in the air, in the midst of the kingdom of the prince of the power of the air. The heavens at that time will be fully restored and preparations will then take place for the return of Jesus Christ with his body to begin the restoration process of the earth.

After the gathering, a strong delusion will engulf the whole Earth, as it is written, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” -Revelation 12: 9

It is called the times of Jacob’s trouble. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12: 12

In those days, the just will overcome but will ultimately lose their life. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12: 11

With the return of Jesus to the earth, the just will be raised, the beast, the false prophet and the devil will be imprisoned for 1000 years and the millennial Sabbath will begin. This is the first resurrection.

At the resurrection of the unjust after the 1000-year millennium, the book of life will be opened and all shall be restored. Jesus Christ shall be subject to God, darkness shall by cast into the lake of fire and there will be new heavens and a new earth.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, (his body) afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15: 22-24

The Old Testament prophets spoke about the times of the circumcision. We are not living in those times. We are living in the times of the gentiles. God hid the days of grace until Paul was called out on the road to Damascus. They were not written in the stars nor revealed to any man until God revealed it to his son who then revealed it to Paul.

It was then that the times of the gentiles (the body of Christ) began. The ministry to Israel had been rejected. The apostles turned their back on the truth of justification by the faith of Jesus Christ. They feared the people and disobeyed God in their failure to declare the gospel to the world. James, Peter and John denied the truth of God’s word as they openly rejoiced that the people were zealous of the law. -Acts 21: 20

The church was now upside down.

Saul feared the people and disobeyed God and lost the kingdom to David the man after God’s own heart.“Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” -1 Samuel 15: 24

In our modern society, religion is a continuance of the first century corruption of Peter and the apostles. They were the first apostles chosen by the Jesus. “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.” -1 Corinthians 15: 46

Paul was the second apostle chosen to herald the truth of the mystery church. The gospel of grace is called the gospel of the uncircumcision. It declares the total depravity of man and the sovereignty of God.

The plan of God from before the foundation of the world now entered into the final phase. The walk of power was now evident in the manifestations of the spirit as each member of the body was fully equipped to compete successfully in the spiritual competition until the body was complete.

No longer would believers be called children, as the word of God would enable them to stand as men of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3: 16, 17

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

The failure or refusal to discern Paul’s gospel as a separate and new revelation and not a “development from Judaism,” accounts for most of the confusion in many people’s minds today regarding church.

In 1942 God told a man that he would teach him the word like it had not been known since before its corruption in the first century. He started the Way International and was the first apostle called since the reformation to bring the light of truth to his generation. In 1982, God chose a second man to take the ministry to the next level, teaching others how to stand faithful.  God does not make mistakes. He still has a plan.

He is working all things according to his purpose. Just as Jesus taught in the kingdom of heaven parables, the Way tree fell victim to the mustard tree virus as the wheat and tares grew together. The ministry of God working in the body is not over. Like the Kentucky derby, it has made its final turn and is headed into the stretch.

The Apostles in the first century were ordained to preach the gospel of the circumcision. The Apostle Paul was ordained to preach the gospel of the uncircumcision. When the ministry to Israel was rejected by their disobedience to God’s word, God swung open the door to the gentiles. The gentiles, according to the standards of Israel, were the least deserving. For all eternity the trophy of grace will be the reminder that the things of God come without a price, without works and without merit.

All who are born again are sanctified and justified by faith but not all have the same inheritance. Israel, the Apostles and followers of Christ will inherit the new Earth. The inheritance of the gentiles is celestial as they restore the heavens. The details of the glory of each are unknown. It is not written in the word.

“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints (the just), and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2: 18-22

Paul was not referring to the Apostles who had rejected God’s word. He was referring to the gift ministries to the body whose head is Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Ephesians 4: 11, 12

God is opening the eyes of those who are the elect in these last days. I pray that if you are reading this that you will do as the noble of Berea when they heard Paul speak. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17: 11

The Day Of God is available on Amazon in both print and kindle format. You may download a PDF copy free from the website TheDayOfGod.com