You may have noted that oftentimes in my writing I refer to the Jesus of the four Gospels as “Jesus of Nazareth.”

I do this to distinguish Jesus of Nazareth’s ministry toward Israel only (cf. Matt. 15:24, Rom. 15:8), while He was on earth … from Jesus Christ’s ascended heavenly ministry … as the crucified, resurrected and ascended “spirit of life in Christ Jesus” … toward “all men” in establishing the heaven-bound Church, “the body of Christ.”

This church’s members today already been “blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Eph. 1:3-4).

There are many important distinctions to be noted as significant in Jesus’ ministry to Israel when compared with His celestial (heavenly) ministry to “the church, the body of Christ” today.

These distinctions have everything to do with God’s eternal plans for “the heavens and the earth.”

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” (Ephesians 1:10)