BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES
VOL.III No.6 Nov.-Dec.1990
Copyright Biblical Awareness Ministries, 1990
Coming in out of the "Latter Rain": A Biblical Critique
Part II
by Thomas Ice
Image is often thought to be more important than
substance in today's positivistic atmosphere. It doesn't
matter if you are really rich, as long as you project an
image of wealth and success. Emphasis is on what you
appear to be, not what you really are in our subjective
world of polls and public opinion in the 1990s. This, "If-
you-believe-it-you-can-make-it-happen" mentality has also
exerted great influence upon contemporary Christians as
well. Too many are involved in an approach to Christian-
ity which believes that it is not as important to find out
what the Bible objectively says, so we can live by it, as
much as it is to use Scripture as a source to support
subjective and positive goals which we want for our lives
and the church as a whole.
As believers in Christ, we must read God's Word in
order to find out what He is telling us, not as a mirror
which reflects our own thoughts. This is Paul's emphasis
in 2 Timothy 2:15 where he charged Christian leaders to
handle accurately the word of truth.
In the previous issue (III:5) we probed into the
nature and development of latter rain/restoration teach-
ings. This issue will compare latter rain/restoration teach-
ings and interpretations of the Bible to see if they are
legitimately supported by God's Word. This involves an
interaction with some of their foundational doctrines as
well as an examination of key passages from Scripture. It
is my contention that while they use many words and
phrases from the Bible, they do not use them in the way
God did in His Word. I believe at many crucial points they
mishandle God's Word.
KEY THEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND PASSAGES
Restoration
Latter rain teachers say that the church began at a
high point and then began a path of decline. Around AD.
1200 the decline bottomed out and began upward progress
toward the full restoration which they teach we are on the
verge of seeing in our day. The first question that comes
to my mind is what passages from the Bible teach this?
Many passages teach that God's program for Israel
includes a time of decline, scattering, regathering, and
restoration (Deut. 4:25-31; 30:1-10). However, no such
pattern is stated concerning God's plan for the Church.
The parables of Matthew 13 speak of the interad-
vent age between Christ's two comings and describe it as
a time of preaching (sowing) the gospel yielding varied
responses (mostly rejection). These parables indicate that
the growth of Christendom will start out small and become
large. However, nothing is said in this passage about the
spiritual qualities during this time unless leaven implies
the growth and spread of apostasy. The New Testament is
absolutely silent regarding a restoration for the Church.
Acts 3:21 is a major passage to which restorationists
point in an attempt to give Scriptural support to their
views. Acts 3:19-21 says,"Repent therefore and return,
that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and
that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of
all things about which God spoke by mouth of His holy
prophets from ancient time." Restorationist Dick Iverson
says of this passage, "These are times when God will give
the Church that which was lost." (Present Day Truths, p.
52) Instead Iverson should have said, "these are times
when God will give Israel that which was lost." If' this
refers to Israel and not the church then Iverson is wrong.
If a father were to give a large amount of money to
one of his two children, then he wrote a letter to inform the
child of his gift which was intercepted and read by the
second child; it would not follow that the second child could
rightly claim the treasure merely by reading the first
child's mail. So it is with the Bible. Letters written to
Israel are meant for Israel, even though another party
may read them and gain insight and appreciation for their
common father. Letters addressed to the church speak of
things the father has for her and not Israel. Therefore, it
is important, especially when examining prophetic pas-
sages, to know to whom it is written.
Now let us look at some specific points from this
passage so that we might come to understand it in its
intended context. First, as in his Acts 2 sermon, Peter is
speaking to a Jewish audience whom he has accused of
crucifying Christ. Notice the terms he used in verses 13-
15 to heap guilt upon Israel: "you delivered up and
disowned," "but you disowned," "but [you] put to death the
Prince of life. " In verse 17 Peter told the Jewish crowd that
they had "acted in ignorance," which set the stage for his
call for them to repent and accept Jesus as their Messiah,
the Messiah of Israel. Then, after they accepted Jesus as
Messiah (Zech. 12:10), their promised Millennial Kingdom
would be established, called by Peter in this passage the
Times of refreshing. "
Second, another confirmation that Peter is talking
about Israel's Kingdom is seen in the noun "restoration"
(3:21). The same word is used as a verb in Acts 1:6 when
the disciples kept asking Jesus before His ascension,
"Lord, is it at this tine You are restoring the kingdom to
Israel?" Even after forty days of the Lord "speaking of the
things concerning the Kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3), His
disciples were wondering about the timing of the arrival of
Israel's kingdom. Notice, the Lord's teaching did not
change their basic view of the kingdom, instead their ques-
tions revolve around the timing of the kingdom. As the
reader follows the flow of the context in the early chapters
of Acts, it is clear that this is the same concern Peter is
addressing to the group in chapter three, as he proclaims
that the condition for the coming of the kingdom is to
accept Jesus as Israel's Messiah, something that will take
place at the end of the tribulation period.
Third, the Old Testament did not predict the Church,
but it did predict the coming of the Messianic kingdom.
The New Testament clearly reveals the church was a
mystery (secret) in Old Testament times. This is not
merely the logical conclusion of applying the literal herme-
neutic and observing that the Church is not foreseen in the
Old Testament. Instead, passages explicitly declare this.
Romans 16:25-26, "according to the revelation of the mys-
tery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now
is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets."
Ephesians 3:1-9, "you can understand my insight into the
mystery of Christ which in other generations was not made
known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His
holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit . . ." (4-5) " . . to
bring to light what is the administration of the mystery
which for ages has been hidden in God."(9). Colossians
1:24-28 "the mystery which has been hidden from the [past]
ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His
saints"(26). These passages tell us that the current age
was a mystery during Old Testament times. Therefore,
how could references to Old Testament passages and
events be predictive of God's plan for the Church? They
cannot! Once again, restoration/latter rain teachers are
(mis)applying passages which refer to Israel and wrongly
linking them to the Church.
While there is a lot of "theologizing" about restora-
tion for the church every time restorationists see the word
"restore" in the Bible, there is no Biblical basis whatsoever
to support their thesis of a last days restoration for the
Church. Israel will be restored, but the Church will be
raptured before the tribulation period, during which time
"all Israel will be saved."
Another problem that arises from confusing God's
plan for Israel with th at of the Church in Acts 3:21 is stated
by Dick Iverson.
We notice also that Christ cannot return until all
that the prophets spoke be fulfilled. Many people
think that Christ could come at any minute. He
could come for them any minute, but; He will not
come for the Church until all be fulfilled. In fact,
the heavens MUST retain Him against that time,
for when He returns He is coming for a fully re-
stored Church--a Church that is glorious, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. (PDT, p.
53)
(Earl Paulk has taken a similar position in his book Held
In The Heavens Until. . . ) Iverson is correct if this passage
refers to the Church, but he is woefully wrong if it refers to
God's plan for Israel instead, as it does. Error built upon
error multiplies error and causes one to miss what the
passage is actually teaching. Acts 3:21 is only one of many
passages which speak of a precondition for the second
coming in relation to Israel (6. Matt. 23:37-39), however,
there are no passages relating to any preconditions for the
rapture of the Church.
Since there are no passages in the Bible supporting
a restoration of the Church, what does the New Testament
teach about the course of the current age? It teaches that
this age will be a time in which the Gospel is to be preached
by believers throughout the age and God will be saving
some through faith in Christ. However, it will also be a
time of persecution for believers (John 15:18-24; 16:32-33)
and increasing apostasy of Christendom (2 Tim. 3:13),
during which time believers are encouraged to remain
faithful to Christ regardless of the trends and pressures (2
Tim. 3:14).
On the other hand, a specific outline of Israel's
history was given at the time of the birth of the nation (c.
1400 B.C.). God told Moses in Deuteronomy 4:15-40 that
when the nation arrived in their promised land that they
would disobey the Lord and be disciplined by being scat-
tered throughout the Gentile nations. Then one day they
would be gathered out from the peoples of the world and be
restored to their ancient land and would be blessed. This
would happen "in the latter days, " declares the Lord, when
"you will return to the LORD Your God and listen to His
voice"(4:30). Restoration is for Israel during the tribula-
tion, not for the Church.
Spiritual Israel
Another common technique used by restoration-
ists and latter rain advocates is to say that the Church is
now spiritual Israel. They believe that they then have the
right to take the volumes of passages, often from the
prophets, and link them spiritually to the Church. There-
fore, Israel is finished in God's plan as a nation, while
inherits the promises made to Israel in some spiritual way.
Restorationist Rick Godwin is an example of this view.
So we see in Abraham the birthing of two
seeds: the nation of Israel physically and the
spiritual nation of Israel--the Church. And if I
hear one more person say, "Ahhh, there ain't no
such thing as the spiritual Israel." I'm going to
vomit all over'em. What are we reading? For God
sake. Get rid of that Judaistic spirit after the flesh
and we'll find out what the real Jew is! You'll find
out God has never been and is not now a racist.
Ever! The Church is. God isn't; never has been."
("The True Seed of Abraham," Tape G032788)
Let's look at this matter more closely. The Church
is the spiritual seed of Abraham, but not spiritual Israel.
The Bible does say that "if you belong to Christ, then you
are Abraham's offspring" (Gal. 3:29). It does not say that
we are spiritual Israel. Was Abraham an Israelite? No,
but he was the father of Isaac, who was the father of Jacob
or Israel. Abraham represented blessing to both Jew and
Gentile.
Too often those who want to replace physical Israel
with the Church do it by stretching the term "seed of
Abraham" to all of a sudden mean "spiritual Israel."
Charles Ryrie has noted that those who hold to a spiritual
Israel view "often argue that since the Church is the seed
of Abraham and Israel is the seed of Abraham, the Church
equals Israel." (Dispensationalism Today, p. 148) Ryrie
answers that view by clarifying the proper relationship of
the Church to the seed of Abraham by saying that "the
Church is a seed of Abraham, but this does not mean that
the Church is Israel."(p. 148) Ryrie notes the three ways
the Bible uses the term "seed of Abraham":
(1) There is the natural seed, the physical descen-
dants of Abraham-- . . . (Isa. 41:8). (2) There is
Christ . . . (Gal. 3:16). (3) Christians are
Abraham's seed--... (Gal. 3:29). (p. 148)
Those who believe in a future destiny for physical
Israel do not deny that the Church is part of the spiritual
blessing flowing out of the Abrahamic Covenant through
Christ. However, we do not believe that the Bible teaches
that the Church replaces Israel, as do some. It is a both/
and situation, not an either/or choice.
Paul makes it clear in Romans 15:27 that Gentiles
during the Church age "have shared in their (Israel's)
spiritual things." Therefore, as sharers, he does not mean
taker-overs; for we are not spiritual Israel. Who is spiri-
tual Israel?
I think that the Bible uses the concept of spiritual
Israel to refer to physical Israelites or Jews who are
regenerate believers in Jesus as the Messiah, i.e., spiritual
(born again) Israel. Just as the term spiritual Gentile
would refer to a Gentile who has a relationship with God
through Jesus Christ.
Paul is saying in Romans 2:28-29 when he states "he
is not a Jew who is one outwardly . . . but he is a Jew who
is one inwardly, " that just because one is a physical Jew
does not mean that He is a believer. There are two kinds
of Jews, those who do not know God through Christ but are
racial Jews (physical Jews) and those who are physical
Jews as well as spiritual Jews who know God through
Christ.
These spiritual Jews are the ones Paul is greeting as
he closes his letter to the Galatians, "peace and mercy be
upon them and upon the Israel of God"(6:16). After having
been so rough on the Judaizers, Israel after the flesh only,
he concludes with a greeting to those within the family of
God who are Jews, but are believing Jews; called in this
passage by Paul "the Israel of God." S. Lewis Johnson, in
an essay where he studies the meaning of the term "Israel
of God" concludes
If there is an interpretation that totters on a
tenuous foundation, it is the view that Paul equates
the term "the Israel of God" with the believing
church of Jews and Gentiles. To support it, the
general usage of the term Israel in Paul, in the
New Testament, and in the Scriptures as a whole
is ignored.... If, as LaRondelle asserts, "Paul's
benediction in Galatians 6:16 becomes, then, the
chief witness in the New Testament in declaring
that the universal church of Christ is the Israel of
God, the seed of Abraham, the heir to Israel's
covenant promise (cf. Gal. 3:29; 6:16)," then the
doctrine that the church of Gentiles and Jews is
the Israel of God rests on an illusion. It is a classic
case of tendentious exegesis." ("Paul and The
Israel of God': A Case-Study" in Essays in Honor of
J. Dwight Pentecost, p. 195)
Apostasy or Revival?
Another important area where restorationists and
latter rain advocates have missed the teaching of Scrip-
ture is in regard to the state of the Church as this age
draws to its end. Will it end in revival or will it sink
increasingly into apostasy? They fail to realize that the
Church, in its overall posture, cannot be characterized by
both revival and apostasy at the same time. This is an
either/or issue. Rick Godwin has said,
The Lord is going to have a "Glorious Church"
before He returns. . . . For years the belief was that
we would never have another revival,... We
utterly reject that line of thinking in light of clear
Scripture. The Glorious Church is to be a mighty
army of over-comers through whom God reveals
and demonstrates Himself to man. ('Vision of the
Eagle's Nest Christian Fellowship," in Tape and
Book Catalog, July, 1990, page 6)
The Bible does not teach that the Church will be this
mighty army of overcomers, in the way Godwin envisions.
Once again, his "support" is taken from passages which
refer to Israel and not the Church or verses referring to
believers during the tribulation period after the Church
has been removed.
Let's look at what the words revival and apostasy
mean as used by Christians today. A revival includes
evangelist success but usually means more than that. It
is normally used to refer to the social and political change
which results from the changed lives of those converts to
Christ. On the other hand, apostasy does not refer to
whether or not small or large numbers of individuals are
coming to Christ; rather it is interested in the theological
or doctrinal integrity of the Church. Therefore, a believer
can always preach the gospel with confidence during the
whole of the Church age, knowing that God will be at work
bringing sinners to Himself up Until the very end.
APOSTASY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Gospels*
Matthew 12:14-37; 13:1-52; 15:12; 23:1-36; 24:10-28
Mark 6:21-30
Luke 8;13-18
John 6:60-71; 8:31-59; 13:21-30; 15:18-27
Acts
Acts 8:8-24; 13:4-12; 20:17-35
Paul's Epistles
Romans 1:18-32; 10; 16:16-17
2 Corinthians 11:1-15 13:5
Galatians 1:6-9; 5:1-12
Philippians 3:2, 18-19
Colossians 2:4-23
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
1 Timothy 1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5
2 Timothy 2:11-26; 3:1-14; 4:1-6
Titus 1:10-16
General Epistles
Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:7-4:13; 5:12-6:12; 10:26-31,
12:14-17
1 Peter 3:19-20
2 Peter 2:1-22; 3:3-10
1 John 2:18-23
2 John 9
Jude 3-23
REVELATION
Revelation 2:1-3:22; 4:1-5:14; 6:1-10:11,
11:1-15:8; 16:1-18:24; 19:1-20:15
*Incomplete listings
The New Testament, especially the Epistles, clearly
teaches that the whole of the Church age is a time of
increasing apostasy within Christendom. In fact, so much
space is spent in the New Testament dealing with the issue
of apostasy that it has to be considered one of its major
themes. Apostasy constitutes the main theme of entire
books and chapters as well as paragraphs and verses in the
New Testament. Apostasy and its evil effects provide the
main message of such books as 2 Timothy, 2 Peter, and
Jude. Apostasy occupies a prominent place in such books
as Galatians, 2 Thessalonians, Hebrews, and Revelation.
Apostasy and apostates are set forth with varying degrees
of detail as to their character and conduct, influence and
teaching. Believers are warned to know how to recognize
them and Christian leaders are supposed to protect their
flocks from them and their unhealthy doctrine.
Apostasy is doctrinal error, not how many will or will
not be saved, whether or not the economy will be good or
bad, or how moral or immoral society will be. When you
couple the tremendous amount of Scripture dealing with
the apostasy of the Church with the absence of language
speaking of the victory of the Church in the sense that the
restoration and latter rain advocates suggest, then there
is no basis for their view from the Word of God. Now, the
Bible does speak of individuals who are overcomers, but
that proves the point since they are contrasted with
apostates. In addition, the victory language in the New
Testament applies to individual believers, not the Church
as a whole. Notice the chart which lists the references to
apostasy in the New Testament.
I am not rejoicing in the apostasy theme of the New
Testament, instead I must note this point in an effort to
call the Church away from apostasy. The sobering fact is
clear: either the restoration/latter rain movement is a
heaven sent revival from God or it is part of the end-time
apostasy preparing the way for the coming antichrist. It
cannot be both. You must decide! You cannot be neutral!
If it is the great revival then all true believers must join the
band wagon. If it is not, then all true believers should have
enough Biblical sense to come in out of the latter rain
apostasy. These are important issues.
Restoration of the Fivefold Ministries
In our previous issue (III:5) we noted Bill Hamon's
explanation of the restoration of the fivefold ministries of
evangelists, pastors, teachers, apostles, and prophets in
the end-time (p. 5). This is said by restorationists to be
spoken of in Ephesians 4:11-16. Fellow latter rain advo-
cate, Rick Joyner, claims that he received the contents of
a book he wrote called The Harvest, as a revelation from
God on three different occasions. (p. 7) Joyner spoke about
the restoration of apostles and prophets to help prepare
the Church for the soon coming fullness of the latter rain.
He said,
The next spiritual contraction will bring
about the restoration and recognition of the
PROPHETS. We will see the prophetic ministry
become the primary focus of attention during the
next few years as a much greater anointing comes
upon this ministry than has been seen since Bib-
lical times. (pp. 28-29)
There will be another contraction during
which a true APOSTOLIC authority will be re-
stored and recognized within the advancing church.
(P. 31)
Their interpretation/revelation about the restora-
tion of the gifted men in Ephesians 4:11 is erroneous for a
number of reasons. The major objection is rather obvious
to anyone who would simply read the passage; the text
says nothing about a restoration of these ministries. Simply
put, the text does not speak of such an occurrence. They
have pulled this concept out of the thin air of their fertile
imaginations.
Christ's giving of apostles and prophets to the Church
is said in Ephesians 2:20 to be something which is to be
foundational to the Church, not something given to each
generation of believers. The passage says, "having been
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone. The picture
is that of a building process which is going on during the
entire period of the Church age; from Pentecost to the
rapture. This process can be described as taking place in
three stages.
Phase one is the laying of the corner stone, which
describes the first century, nonrepeatable, work of Christ.
The rest of the building is supposed to orient itself in terms
of Christ the corner stone.
Phase two is the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, which also occured in the first century and is
nonrepeatable. However,just as with Christ, even though
it is nonrepeatable, it does not mean that it is nonappli-
cable for today. Just as with a foundation in a physical
building, which once it is build it continues to be used, so
it is with the ministry of the apostles and prophets who
gave us the boundaries of the gospel and doctrine upon
which believers are being used of God to build Christ's
Church. Once the foundation is laid, you don't keep
redoing it each generation, instead you continue to build
upon it.
Phase three is the superstructure of the rest of the
building which is built upon and in terms of the guidelines
laid out by the corner stone and the foundation. This work
will be completed at the rapture when the last person
destined to make-up the final component of the Body of
Christ believes. Then the Church will be complete.
Within the framework of the Biblical picture of
Ephesians 2, to say that God is restoring apostles and
prophets implies that foundation which has been laid is
not complete and we have been building the house upon a
shaky foundation.
Ephesians 3:5 echoes the thought of 2:20 when Paul
says concerning the mystery of Christ: "which in other
generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it
has now been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets in
the Spirit." The emphasis is upon revelation received
during the time of Paul's writing, which implies that the
ministry of apostles and prophets was completed in the
past.
When we come to the Ephesians 4:11 use of apostles
and prophets, with evangelists, and pastors and teachers
we observe a division of labor employed in the building of
God's spiritual temple--the Church. Phase two, the foun-
dation, was completed during the apostolic age ending
around AD. 100 and those workmen left the scene, while
the fruit of their labor remains. That foundation was the
New Testament canon of Scripture. Phase three is en-
trusted with the task of building upon the sure foundation
of Christ and the apostles. This is why the bulk of labor
over the life of the project (the Church age) is done by the
evangelist, and the pastor-teachers. They remain on site
until the structure is complete at the rapture. This is why
the Pastoral Epistles (l& 2 Timothy and Titus) stress the
importance of following and protecting the fixed deposit of
Apostolic faith by faithful men, so that it can be passed
from generation of generation (2 Tim. 2:2). Therefore,
evangelist, and pastor-teachers have never faded from the
scene so that they have to be restored as latter rain
advocates teach.
The Holy Spirit has been using believers to win and
disciple others for the last 2,000 years without interrup-
tion as taught by restorationists. The Church is being
perfected with the original doctrine contained in the New
Testament and does not need an updated version of
"Apostles' doctrine 2.1." The first edition did not have any
glitches. Why would anyone want to bring the foundation
crew back on the job when the roof is near completion,
unless they want to improperly change the foundation.
Yet to want to add to the foundation, when it has already
been set is the desire and practice of false prophets and
teachers. The believer who opens themselves up to "new
revelation" is opening themselves up to deception. As Paul
told Timothy, "Retain the standard of sound words which
you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in
Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells
in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" (2 Tim.
1:13-14).
This is the Church's calling in our day: to guard the
foundation laid by Christ, and the apostles and prophets,
while building upon that foundation the superstructure
through evangelism and discipleship.
A Perfect Church
Rick Godwin has been described by Jack Taylor as
"God's John Wayne to the Church!" (Tape and Book Cata-
log, July, 1990, page 8) Probably a more accurate descrip-
tion would be to liken Godwin to Rambo; John Wayne had
manners and was a gentleman. Note Godwin's belief that
the Church will be perfected before Christ's return:
The Lord is going to have a "Glorious
Church" before He returns. This thought encorm-
passes the theme of personal and corporate purity,
for Scripture says that His Church will be 'with-
out spot, wrinkle or blemish." His Church will
have Power followed by signs and wonders, for
Scripture says," it will be a glorious church. (Vision
of the Eagle's Nest Christian Fellowship," in Tape
and Book Catalog, July, 1990, page 6)
Ephesians 5:25-27 is the passage which latter rain/
restorationists use to say that the end-time Church will
have the restoration of apostolic power and unity which
will produce the greatest period of miracles and conver-
sions to Christ in all of history. However, they mishandle
this passage as they do many others. "Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He
might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having
no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be
holy and blameless" (Eph. 5:25-27).
There is no question that this passage speaks of a
glorious church, without sport or wrinkle. But how does
the Bible use those terms? Do restorationists use them in
the same way the Bible does? I believe they do not. In a
nutshell, the Bible uses them to describe the believer's
legal standing before God as won on our behalf through
Christ's work on the cross. On the other hand, restoration-
ists (mis)apply it as something which the believer and the
Church can grow into and become in our current experi-
ence.
God's plan of salvation is often discussed in terms of
one's covenantal standing before God. This is legal lan-
guage. When Adam fell, his sin was imputed or credited to
the legal bank account of every person born thereafter,
even though no one personally committed that sin (Rom.
5:12-21). Our legal standing (some call this positional
truth) forms the basis from which our experience follows.
Therefore, human beings sin experientially because they
are legally or positionally sinners. In the same way, Christ
had to first deal with the legal barrier of sin in winning
salvation for the Church as the basis for experiential
change in the life of the individual believer and the Church
as a whole. Positional standing in Christ is the basis upon
which the believer is to live his life experientially through
faith.
When properly interpreting Scripture, one must be
familiar enough with the way the Bible uses various
terms. Often a decision must be made as to whether or not
a word or phrase is describing a positional truth or an
experiential aspect of salvation. The difference it makes in
the interpretation of Ephesians 5:25-27 is great. If these
are positional terms, then the perfection spoken of in this
passage is that earned by Christ through His saving work,
which is applied positionally to the believer, but will not be
experienced in its fullness until glorification at the time of
the resurrection. However, if these are taken experien-
tially as applying to our current time, then it is teaching
perfection of the individual believer as well corporate
perfection.
I will now examine reasons why this passage should
be interpreted positionally. First, verse 25 is grounding
Paul's admonition on the basis of Christ's giving of Himself
sacrificially on the cross. Certainly something that ap-
plies to the believer's legal standing before God.
Second, the passive participle "having cleansed" in
verse 26 speaks of action which occurs simultaneously
with the action of the verb it is related to, "gave" in verse
25. Thus, the cleansing is related to Christ's giving of
Himself on the cross, a positional use and not experiential.
Third, the vocabulary used in this passage are terms
that are used throughout the Bible to describe positional
salvation or justification, not the process of living the
Christian life. "Cleanse" refers to ceremonial cleansing
within the Old Testament temple ritual depicting justifi-
cation. It is used to describe positional salvation in John
15:3 when Jesus said, "You are already clean because of
the word which I have spoken to you." "Washing of water
with the word" also is a positional phrase descriptive of
becoming a Christian, not being a Christian (cf. Titus 3:5).
Likewise, the terms in verse 27, having no "spot" or
"wrinkle," but that believers should be "holy" and "blame-
less" in this context refer to our legal standing earned by
Christ in His death on the cross, not a current progress.
Therefore, the body of Christ is being perfected as
each person believes the Gospel and receives the finished
work of Christ to their account. When that last person
believes and the rapture occurs, then will the resurrected
and glorified bride be presented to Christ in experiential
perfection at the marriage supper of the Lamb. She will
not experience perfection before resurrection during the
some supposed latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit
upon the Church.
CONCLUSION
Like many of my sermons, I have run out of time, in
this case, space, before I finished. But you should be able
to see by now that terms like "latter rain" and "Joel's army"
from Joel 2 do not in any way, shape, or form refer to the
Church. Instead they refer to God's program for Israel.
In addition, if the Church will be taken out before the
tribulation of Daniel's 70th week begins (the pretrib rap-
ture), which I believe, then one cannot believe in a theology
of restoration and latter rain. The pretrib position teaches
that the Church is raptured, not restored. Other views of
the rapture (partial, midtrib, pre-wrath, and posttrib), all
mix God's program for Israel and the Church into the
tribulation, thus allowing for the possibility, but not the
necessity, of some form of latter rain/restoration teach-
ings.
I want to conclude by saying that I think this move-
ment is extremely dangerous theologically and is restoring
the ancient heresy and practices of gnosticism, not true
Christianity. This is paving the way for the widespread
acceptance of false doctrine and the false signs, wonders,
and miracles which will be a trademark of antichrist
during the coming tribulation.
Tommy Ice is pastor of oak Hill Bible Church in
Austin, Texas. He has a B.A. in Bible and Greek
from Howard Payne University, and a Th.M. in
Historical Theology from Dallas Seminary.