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Originally Posted by zeek
On points 1 and 2 I would say that the fact that Jesus tarried for multiple generations necessitated a more permanent organization and tradition than was envisioned by Paul. To point three my response is that if Jesus did not teach that he would return in that generation then it seems that Paul misunderstood him because he expected that some would be " alive and remain " when Jesus returned as he stated in First Thessalonians 4:17. He told the Thessalonians that they were those upon whom the ends of the world had come and that they would not all sleep meaning die.
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I agree that these 2 thousand years have resulted in a very large organization known collectively as "Christianity" which is not to be confused with the church. Based on Rev 2-3 I think this is under the Lord's sovereignty because there are a number of things we need to overcome before we are mature enough to rule and reign with Jesus.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I read the term "we" as referring to the believers collectively who are still alive, not specific to the people who first received this letter.