What About The Pre-Trib Rapture
Corrected Modified or Updated 10/29/09*
"All references are KJV unless otherwise stated"
"So you are Looking for answers on the web/well they're not always accurate"
Just let me say this: There is a lot of bad information out there on the web, it is neither accurate nor is it complete. There are times when it can really get you into a lot of trouble if you take for gospel what you read. Care to detail is the order of the day. But then on the other hand there is a lot of good accurate information there too. I suggest the best thing you can do is use the principal of right division.
Have you ever been studying a particular subject or just thinking about a certain passage in the Scriptures, and go to the web for bit more information? But, you are unable to find a reliable writer for your subject. Many times a writer will use the wrong starting points. Especially when referring to this subject, the pre-trib-rapture. It has been my experience that to many writers refer to the wrong Scriptures and they comment on the wrong Scripture writers and so on. Personally I do not want to read things that I know are inaccurate, just to get a different point of view. I would much rather feast on the truth.
Note: According to 2Timothy 3:16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Scriptures are also given to us in dispensational packages. For the Jews it was the Law, Prophecy, Circumcision, and Covenant promises, all covered in the gospel of the kingdom. For the Gentiles it is the gospel of the grace of God. The Gentiles were never under the law, but they too were made guilty by the law. But now God has chosen the apostle Paul for the Gentiles. God also gave the Gentiles a new dispensation that He called the dispensation of the grace of God. The Gentiles were not under the law, their's was pure grace. The Gentiles received a different set of house rules because they are not part of the Commonwealth of Israel.
The Lord Jesus Christ removed the law of Moses and it's consequences from all men. The Lord Jesus Christ replaced the law with the pure grace of God. God only used one writer for this new dispensation of the grace of God, and that writer was the apostle Paul.
The other writers all wrote under the law. But God used Moses write the scripture that took place before the law was given to the Jews. Moses also delivered the Books of the law from God to the Jews, theirs was the gospel of the kingdom. And the apostle Paul delivered to all men the gospel of the grace of God from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
The pre-trib rapture is the one subject that only the apostle Paul could write about; it is a subject that can become completely confused when it is alicated to any other writer. When one wrongly divides the Word of Truth confusion takes over and that is why so many so called Christians groups do not see the rapture as we of the grace persuasion see it. They insist that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the rapture in Matthew 24:40 when He said one taken and one left. Check out a man by the name of Miles Coverdale, he will show you how to keep the Scriptures straight.
"Miles Coverdale" (1488 – 1568)
(Paraphrased) It will help you to understand the Scriptures, if you mark not only what is said or written, but of whom or to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances,considering what goes before and what follows after. Miles Coverdale, was the first man to translate the entire Bible into the English language. While the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is an accurate record of events and sayings of men, we must remember: All Scripture is for me. But it is not all addressed to me nor is it all written about me.
In Matthew 24:40 the one that was taken was taken in judgment, not to meet the Lord in the air. Christ said, it would be as in the day of Noah where the ones taken away by the flood were taken away in judgment not into the Ark of safety. I was browsing the web checking out different Christian writers when I found a man writing on the pre-trib rapture and since it is so very important to me I began to read.
Much to my disappointment I read just a little over one paragraph and I recognized that this man was writing completely from the wrong dispensational point of view. Also he referred to the wrong Scriptures, then to top it all off he called the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the rapture. But, the rapture was a secret hid in the mind of God before the world began. It was not revealed until the Lord Jesus Christ revealed it to the apostle Paul. Incidentally the Lord Jesus could not talk about something that He had not first revealed. The rapture, was still hid in the mind of God therefore it was unsearchable outside of Paul's writings. That is why it is so important to rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Matthew 24:40-44
v40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
v41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
v42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
v43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
v44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
The verses above are the ones that many folks want to call rapture verses. One taken and one left, my friend that verse have absolutely nothing to do with the rapture, in fact these verses will not happen until at least seven years after the rapture. Furthermore these are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, as He describe His second coming to setup the kingdom. All unbelievers will be removed from the kingdom they will be taken away in judgment just like in the days of Noah. He (Christ) never spoke of the rapture of the church the body of Christ; because it was still hid in the mind of God it was a secret not yet revealed. Again in Matthew 24:40 the one that was taken was taken in judgment, not caught up to be with the Lord in the clouds. Here are our true rapture verses:
1Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
This is not the last trump of Revelation, it is the last trump of the dispensation of the grace of God the parentheses are now closed.
1Thessalomians 4:17 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.
1Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
This to me very clearly says, the church which is called His body was not appointed to wrath and the wrath that He is speaking of here is the tribulation.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
The church the body of Christ, will be caught up to be with the Lord in the clouds where we shall ever be with Him. This the rapture is not a spectical for all to behold. And it will take place before the tribulation. Look even in Romans Christ said that we are saved from wrath, Christ said it and Paul wrote it.
Here is a very important point to ponder: You cannot explain or explain away the apostle Paul's gospel using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, the two books of Peter and the 5 books of John and the book of Jude. These six men are kingdom writers, they write to and for the Jews only, but they write for our learning. Paul is the only man that God used to write for the dispensation of the grace of God.
Therefore Paul is the only writer that can write about the rapture. If it is not written by the apostle Paul then it is not about the rapture. Never forget Paul's information came directly from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ from heaven; the other writers could not write about something they knew nothing of, because really the rapture does not concern the Jews, theirs was the gospel of the kingdom. And it really has nothing to do with the kingdom.
Might I suggest? If the apostle Paul is the only writer for the dispensation of the grace of God concerning the rapture of the church then isn't it reasonable to say that we must study Paul's writings to learn about the rapture? The Lord Jesus Christ did not speak of the rapture while He was here on earth. Paul is the only writer who writes to the Gentiles and all of the words that he writes come directly from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. That means the only place you will find the rapture in Scripture is in the writings of the apostle Paul.
Let's not get the rapture and the second coming mixed up, without right division it is a very easy thing to do just like the writer I spoke of earlier. By revelation the Lord Jesus Christ laid out for the apostle Paul, how the church the body of Christ would be removed. The rapture or the catching away of the church the body of Christ will come first and then will come the tribulation.
When I first became a Christian many years ago, I too thought these two events, were exactly the same. But with just a little study and above all the use of right division I found these two events to be completely separate and altogether different and they will be at least seven years apart. In the second coming the Lord Jesus Christ's feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives. But in the rapture the trumpet shall sound and Lord Jesus Christ will catch us up to meet Him in the clouds and we shall forever be with the Him. At that time we do not come back to earth with Him. We will go before the Bema seat of Christ to receive our rewards.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 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.
The trumpet sound that will call us to Him is not the last trump of Revelation, it too is a different trumpet, it was prophesied of. Our last trump is the last trump of the dispensation of the grace of God. Furthermore this trumpet can not be found in any other Scriptures because it was hid in the mind of God before the world began. Christ then revealed it to the apostle Paul alone. Therefore no other writer could write about it. The secret rapture was hid in the mind of God. Please notice how God deals with His secrets:
Deuteronomy. 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever,
I omitted the last part of verse 29 because we are not under the law. Christ nailed it to His cross.
Warning, don't be foolish and separate yourself from the apostle Paul as so many have already done. If Paul's gospel is hid it is hid to them that are lost.
2Timothy 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
God said, Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles (our apostle).
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
He also said Paul is our pattern for everlasting life.
1Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
If Paul's gospel is hid or veiled to us then we are lost this is clearly stated in the next two verses.
2Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
If we do not use right division in the way that Paul told Timothy to use it then we can not understand what Paul is saying, and we will not understand the other Scriptures either.
2Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I don't really think that the Lord expects us to all be linguist and I don't think He will allow important things such as the rapture to stay hid from us if we rightly divide the Word of Truth and we know Him. He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our stead; so why would He send His message to us in code? That just would not make good godly since. Our God is not the God of confusion, His message is not in code.
God wants us to understand all of His Word and He wants us to rightly divide It as well. And again why would He inspire His writers of the Scripture to write one thing but really mean something else. Our God is not the author of confusion.
1Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Men bring about all that confusion on themselves. We must take God at His Word, and that is called faith. We should not twist God's Word, in order to fit into our own molds. We must take God's Word literally unless there is evidence that it is not literal. The apostle Paul was the only writer to and to write for the Gentile world. Therefore all of the other writers of Scripture wrote for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Our Blessed Hope
1 Thessalonians. 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Falling away is not the best translation here, a better word would be departure. Did you know that most of our troublesome passages are caused by the translators?
The Gospel
If some one should ask, do you believe the gospel? This is the Gospel you must believe.
1Corinthians 15:1-4:
v1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
v2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
v3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
v4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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