The teachings on this particular aspect of the church are quite varied due to the manipulations  of men. This study is from Scripture only,  and from Scripture we know that the church has a glorious future in the world, in the air, in the kingdom, and throughout eternity.  The gates of hell will not prevail against the church!

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD 

Beginning with Pentecost, the Holy Spirit set the course for the church from the time the 120 left the Upper Room until the Rapture. 

• The church is to wage war:

EPHESIANS 6:10-18

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:

¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

• The church is to run a race

HEBREWS 12:1-2

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

• The church is to labor in love

1 CORINTHIANS 3:9

 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building

The church of Jesus Christ will emerge triumphant despite all the best efforts of the evil one to destroy it.  We can not fail, because for this reason alone – Christ is our Head, the Holy Spirit is our power, and the Word of God is our guide. 

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN THE AIR

• We shall be caught up

1 THESSALONIANS 4:16-17

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 which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

• We will receive incorruptible, glorified bodies

1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-44

⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

⁴³ It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body

• We will meet The LORD in the air and see Him in His resurrected Body  – wow!

1 JOHN 3:2

 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.

• Our works will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ – also known as the Bema Judgment. We do not get punished for our sins here!  Only for our work towards the Kingdom.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10

 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

• We will be rewarded or suffer loss of reward

1 CORINTHIANS 3:11-15

¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

¹³ Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

¹⁴ If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN THE KINGDOM

• The twelve apostles will sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel

MATTHEW 19:28

 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

• All those who have overcome the evils of Christendom (Laodicea) will sit with Christ on His Kingdom Throne.

REVELATION 3:21

 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.

• We shall reign with Him for 1,000 years

REVELATION 20:4-6

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

⁵ But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

⁶ Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN ETERNITY

• After the 1,000 year Kingdom reign of Christ on earth, there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

REVELATION 21:1

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

• The earth will be restored to its original, perfect, created state.

GENESIS 1:1

 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

• God’s earthly people, Israel, will inherit the new earth

EXODUS 32:13

 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou swarest by Thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

• The Bride of Christ will remain in His presence forever – where ever that is.  We can not comprehend how glorious the future of the church is. 

EPHESIANS 2:6-7

⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

⁷ That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.