The Rapture

[Denadii]

So let me ask a question here...It does have to do with the question at hand. Who is 'he that lets'? and Where is the antichrist in your stance on the when of the rapture? 2 Thessalonians 2

 

[PlainWord]

PlainWord you are in another dimension dude. What are you talking about?
Jesus returned in 70A.D. he says.
If Jesus really returned back then, WHY ARE WE NOT IN THE NEW JERUSALEM? The millennial kingdom ended ~1000 years ago and we are now in eternity. WHY IS THERE STILL SUFFERING AND DEATH IN THIS WORLD?

I'll forgive your comments because of your youth and ignorance. Christ's presence returned during the destruction of Jerusalem. He didn't stay and set up an earthly reign (read Mat 24:29-31 again, you will find no mention of Him staying). His return was essentially the same as it was when He appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus. The "Tribes of Israel" indeed mourned as they were all gathered in Jerusalem for Passover and they all saw Him as a bright light. This appearance of Christ was the same as when God made appearances all over the OT. He came in vengeance against those who did not believe Him and had Him crucified.

If you haven't read Josephus, I encourage you to do so before you go your whole life like VCO thinking that the great tribulation is future.

 

[Issachar92]

I'll forgive your comments because of your youth and ignorance. Christ's presence returned during the destruction of Jerusalem. He didn't stay and set up an earthly reign (read Mat 24:29-31 again, you will find no mention of Him staying). His return was essentially the same as it was when He appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus. The "Tribes of Israel" indeed mourned as they were all gathered in Jerusalem for Passover and they all saw Him as a bright light. This appearance of Christ was the same as when God made appearances all over the OT. He came in vengeance against those who did not believe Him and had Him crucified.

If you haven't read Josephus, I encourage you to do so before you go your whole life like VCO thinking that the great tribulation is future.

My pastor is older than you and he would disagree with you, so the age argument doesn't fly.
I have read Matthew 24 many times, and you say it mentions nothing of Him staying on earth, well how about:

Zechariah 14:4
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

That certainly mentions it. How do you explain that? Let me guess, the foot touch the mount of olives and go right back up and bring a spiritual presence of some sort? And the escaping there is escape from sin or something

 

[PlainWord]

Here is the writings of Hegesippus where he discusses Daniel's prophesy of the destruction of Jerusalem (i.e., the great tribulation) and the "Abomination of Desolation. Guess you guys are going to have to revisit your thinking on this since Hegesippus was perhaps the earliest church historian (110-180 AD, died in Jerusalem).

[FONT=&quot]"It is not a wonder," he said, "Iohannes, if you persist all the way to the destruction of the city, since divine aid has already abandoned it. But it is a wonder that you do not believe it is about to be destroyed, since you may read the prophetic books, in which the destruction of our country has been announced to you and and the restored greatness again destroyed by the Roman army. For what else does Daniel shout? He prophesized not indeed what had already been done but what would happen.

What is the abomination of devastation which he proclaimed would be by the coming Romans, unless it is that which now threatens? What is that prophecy, which has been often recalled by us announced by God on high, that the city would be utterly destroyed at that time, when its fellow tribesmen will have been killed by the hands of the citizens, unless that which we see now being fulfilled? And perhaps, because it no longer pleases for the temple polluted with forbidden blood to be defended, it pleases that it be cleansed by fire."[/FONT]

 

[Issachar92]

Oh yeah and this one:

Revelation 11:15
[FONT=&quot]And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.[/FONT]

 

[PlainWord]

My pastor is older than you and he would disagree with you, so the age argument doesn't fly.
I have read Matthew 24 many times, and you say it mentions nothing of Him staying on earth, well how about:

Zechariah 14:4
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

That certainly mentions it. How do you explain that? Let me guess, the foot touch the mount of olives and go right back up and bring a spiritual presence of some sort? And the escaping there is escape from sin or something

Not to disparage your pastor in particular but most pastors are clueless on prophesy. They all went to a handful of seminaries that taught them the same Darby nonsense. I live and breathe this stuff unlike most pastors who have many other church responsibilities and areas of interest.

Are we discussing Mat 24 or Zec 14? The two passages are not the same. Zec 14 dealt with the Maccabean Wars of the Second century BC. You seem to be struggling in much the same way as VCO, Popeye and others. You simply do not understand how to read poetic prophetic language which heavily employs colorful figurative language which is often called "apocalyptic language" which was popular for centuries. Zechariah in particular is loaded with this writing style. If you don't understand this you are going to literally see flying scrolls, women in baskets being carried by storks, and stones with 7 eyes, etc.

You can learn about this writing style here and other places:

http://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/apocalyptic-writing

 

[Issachar92]

Zec 14 dealt with the Maccabean Wars of the Second century BC.

Proof? The chapter sounds pretty permanent to me. Because being in the Holy Land as we speak, there aint no great valley.
I have NEVER heard anyone say that Zechariah 14 is about Maccabean wars of 2nd century BC. But lucky for you im an open minded fella and would like to ask you to present why you believe it to be so.

 

[Denadii]

Proof? The chapter sounds pretty permanent to me. Because being in the Holy Land as we speak, there aint no great valley.
I have NEVER heard anyone say that Zechariah 14 is about Maccabean wars of 2nd century BC. But lucky for you im an open minded fella and would like to ask you to present why you believe it to be so.

Definitely NOT the Maccabean wars, but The coming of the Lord For one who lives and breathes prophesy, you should know not to interpret it to mean something other than what it is,

 

[PlainWord]

Proof? The chapter sounds pretty permanent to me. Because being in the Holy Land as we speak, there aint no great valley.
I have NEVER heard anyone say that Zechariah 14 is about Maccabean wars of 2nd century BC. But lucky for you im an open minded fella and would like to ask you to present why you believe it to be so.

If you look at the Mount of Olives you will see a dip between two summits. I noticed it right away when I was there in '15. You can see it better in this picture from the 1800s.

A road used to run in this valley as you can see. The valley has since filled in over the past 2,200 years which is not unusual. Being in the Holy Land I'm sure you have seen many excavations of old cities, like Jericho which were buried 50-100 feet down?

Look at the passage more closely:

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. 5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah.

When the Seleucid army entered Jerusalem for the second time, they killed many Jews, plundered Jerusalem and lit the city on fire and took many captives (Maccabees 1:29-40). According to verse 38:

38 The people of Jerusalem fled in fear, and the city became a colony of foreigners. Jerusalem was foreign to its own people, who had been forced to abandon the city.

This fulfilled Zec 14:5. The chapter ends like this:

In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.

The Canaanites disappeared from the holy land, when? The late second century BC.

 

[PlainWord]

Definitely NOT the Maccabean wars, but The coming of the Lord For one who lives and breathes prophesy, you should know not to interpret it to mean something other than what it is,

Here's another person with no understanding on how to recognize apocalyptic literature. You don't interpret figurative language literally. Even Jesus spoke in figurative language and used a lot of parables.

 

[PlainWord]

This from Eusebius, the 3rd century Bishop of Caesarea (Church History, Book 3, Chapter 7):

1.It is fitting to add to these accounts the true prediction of our Saviour in which he foretold these very events.
2.His words are as follows: Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
3.The historian, reckoning the whole number of the slain, says that eleven hundred thousand persons perished by famine and sword, and that the rest of the rioters and robbers, being betrayed by each other after the taking of the city, were slain. But the tallest of the youths and those that were distinguished for beauty were preserved for the triumph. Of the rest of the multitude, those that were over seventeen years of age were sent as prisoners to labor in the works of Egypt, while still more were scattered through the provinces to meet their death in the theaters by the sword and by beasts. Those under seventeen years of age were carried away to be sold as slaves, and of these alone the number reached ninety thousand.
4.These things took place in this manner in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, in accordance with the prophecies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who by divine power saw them beforehand as if they were already present, and wept and mourned according to the statement of the holy evangelists, who give the very words which he uttered, when, as if addressing Jerusalem herself, he said:
5.If you had known, even you, in this day, the things which belong unto your peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a rampart about you, and compass you round, and keep you in on every side, and shall lay you and your children even with the ground.
6.And then, as if speaking concerning the people, he says, For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And again: When you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
7.If any one compares the words of our Saviour with the other accounts of the historian concerning the whole war, how can one fail to wonder, and to admit that the foreknowledge and the prophecy of our Saviour were truly divine and marvellously strange.
8.Concerning those calamities, then, that befell the whole Jewish nation after the Saviour's passion and after the words which the multitude of the Jews uttered, when they begged the release of the robber and murderer, but besought that the Prince of Life should be taken from their midst, it is not necessary to add anything to the account of the historian.

9. But it may be proper to mention also those events which exhibited the graciousness of that all-good Providence which held back their destruction full forty years after their crime against Christ—during which time many of the apostles and disciples, and James himself the first bishop there, the one who is called the brother of the Lord, were still alive, and dwelling in Jerusalem itself, remained the surest bulwark of the place. Divine Providence thus still proved itself long-suffering toward them in order to see whether by repentance for what they had done they might obtain pardon and salvation; and in addition to such long-suffering, Providence also furnished wonderful signs of the things which were about to happen to them if they did not repent.

He clearly knew that Christ was speaking of 66-70 AD events in Mat 24.

 

[Denadii]

Here's another person with no understanding on how to recognize apocalyptic literature. You don't interpret figurative language literally. Even Jesus spoke in figurative language and used a lot of parables.

Jesus used a lot of metaphors and similes in parables in order to teach..He did not use figurative speech in prophesy. Not never!

 

[KJV1611]

Jesus used a lot of metaphors and similes in parables in order to teach..He did not use figurative speech in prophesy. Not never!

The parable of the 10 virgins is prophecy.

 

[Issachar92]

He clearly knew that Christ was speaking of 66-70 AD events in Mat 24.

At what point in that text does it say Jesus returned?

 

[Denadii]

The parable of the 10 virgins is prophecy.

Wouldn't you say its more warning? Though that can be prophetic too. The five virgins that got in being the bride who had made herself ready, and the other five are Christians as well, but they did not prepare themselves...They will eventually join Jesus but they missed the rapture and missed being part of the bride.

 

[KJV1611]

Wouldn't you say its more warning? Though that can be prophetic too. The five virgins that got in being the bride who had made herself ready, and the other five are Christians as well, but they did not prepare themselves...They will eventually join Jesus but they missed the rapture and missed being part of the bride.

10 always points to those under the law, the 10 vrigins were Jews at the 1st coming of Christ. My beliefs are way off from the 10 being Christians or concerning the rapture, so I don't really discuss them much.... It's easier for me to just stay quiete on the parable.

 

[tanakh]

This from Eusebius, the 3rd century Bishop of Caesarea (Church History, Book 3, Chapter 7):

1.It is fitting to add to these accounts the true prediction of our Saviour in which he foretold these very events.
2.His words are as follows: Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
3.The historian, reckoning the whole number of the slain, says that eleven hundred thousand persons perished by famine and sword, and that the rest of the rioters and robbers, being betrayed by each other after the taking of the city, were slain. But the tallest of the youths and those that were distinguished for beauty were preserved for the triumph. Of the rest of the multitude, those that were over seventeen years of age were sent as prisoners to labor in the works of Egypt, while still more were scattered through the provinces to meet their death in the theaters by the sword and by beasts. Those under seventeen years of age were carried away to be sold as slaves, and of these alone the number reached ninety thousand.
4.These things took place in this manner in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, in accordance with the prophecies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who by divine power saw them beforehand as if they were already present, and wept and mourned according to the statement of the holy evangelists, who give the very words which he uttered, when, as if addressing Jerusalem herself, he said:
5.If you had known, even you, in this day, the things which belong unto your peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a rampart about you, and compass you round, and keep you in on every side, and shall lay you and your children even with the ground.
6.And then, as if speaking concerning the people, he says, For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And again: When you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
7.If any one compares the words of our Saviour with the other accounts of the historian concerning the whole war, how can one fail to wonder, and to admit that the foreknowledge and the prophecy of our Saviour were truly divine and marvellously strange.
8.Concerning those calamities, then, that befell the whole Jewish nation after the Saviour's passion and after the words which the multitude of the Jews uttered, when they begged the release of the robber and murderer, but besought that the Prince of Life should be taken from their midst, it is not necessary to add anything to the account of the historian.

9. But it may be proper to mention also those events which exhibited the graciousness of that all-good Providence which held back their destruction full forty years after their crime against Christ—during which time many of the apostles and disciples, and James himself the first bishop there, the one who is called the brother of the Lord, were still alive, and dwelling in Jerusalem itself, remained the surest bulwark of the place. Divine Providence thus still proved itself long-suffering toward them in order to see whether by repentance for what they had done they might obtain pardon and salvation; and in addition to such long-suffering, Providence also furnished wonderful signs of the things which were about to happen to them if they did not repent.

He clearly knew that Christ was speaking of 66-70 AD events in Mat 24.

The down side of having Bibles that divide the Books into Chapters and Verses is that it tends to lead to tunnel vision. Matthew Chapter four is a case in point. There is a fixation with it that seems to ignore chapters 23 and 25 as if they dont exist. Also the idea of comparing 24 with Mark 13 and Luke 21 doesnt seem to ever occur to anyone.

 

[Denadii]

Can somebody give me scriptures that point to a midtrib rapture? I do not find any.

 

[VCO]

In 1590 Francisco Ribera a Jesuit Priest and confessor to Teresa of Avila was commissioned by the Pope to write a commentary on Revelation to counteract the Reformers claim that he was the Antichrist. Ribera achieved this by
by placing all the events of Revelation apart from the first few chapters far into the future. In doing so he put the
Pope in the clear. Its ironic that the main points in his commentary was taken as ''Gospel'' by Dispensationalists

In 1811 another Catholic Priest going by the pen name of Juan Josafat Ben Ezra wrote a book called the coming of the Messiah in glory and majesty. This was translated into English in 1827 by Edward Irvin. It was this that led John Darby
and his Brethren cult to adopt the Pre Trib position and other ideas. They were further spread by Cyrus Schofield and
his Notes.

So you think the Plymouth Brethren were a CULT?

What is it about their BELIEFS do think makes them a CULT?

Here is their Statement of Faith. NOW POINT OUT THE CULT STATEMENTS.

Is Belief in the RAPTURE the only reason why you call them a CULT?

I really want to know how many of us you are throwing the stones at, after YOU wrote CULT on them.

Core Doctrine

Statement of Core Doctrine of the Brethren

The commencement of The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church can be traced back to 1827 when John Nelson Darby left the Established Church to hold the Lord’s Supper in Dublin with four other like-minded persons. In 1847, Mr Darby published “Separation from Evil, God’s Principle of Unity” and in 1853, Mr Darby published “Grace, The Power of Unity and of Gathering”. Each of these papers was substantiated from the Holy Scriptures and set out the main Scriptural principles that governed his actions and confirmed the foundation of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Brethren continue to follow the principles elucidated by Mr Darby in full.

Brethren regard the Holy Scriptures, comprising the Old and New Testaments, as being the inspired and infallible Word of God and teaching the following core principles:

1) that there is one living God fully revealed to us in Christ and known through Him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the unity of the Godhead. All are God, all one God, God all three(1Tim 2:5, John1:18, Matt 28:19);
2) that the Word, who was with God and was God, was made flesh and dwelt among us, the Man Christ Jesus, the Father sending the Son to be the Saviour of the world(John 1:1,14, 1 Tim 2:5, 1 John 4:14);
3) that the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom for all having died upon the cross. He has made propitiation for our sins and not for ours alone, but also for the whole world. The blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin (1 Tim 2:6, Phil 2:8, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 1:7);
4) that the glad tidings of God concerning His Son Jesus Christ as presented in the gospel is towards all and upon all those who believe (Rom 1: 1-4, Rom 3:22);
5) that after Christ’s ascension upon high the Holy Spirit has been sent down to dwell in those who obey God both individually and in the Church collectively (Eph 4:8, Acts 2:4, Acts 5:32, 1 Cor 3:16);
. . .
12) that Christ will come again at the Rapture to receive all believers in Jesus to Himself raising those that are His, or changing them if living, fashioning their bodies like unto His glorious body according to the power by which He is able to subdue all things to Himself ( 1 Thess 4:14-17, Phil 3:21, Acts 2:21, 2 Tim 2:19);
13) that soon after the Rapture the Lord will return to the earth in company with His saints to meet the man of sin who becomes the complete embodiment of all lawlessness against the only true God and Jesus Christ and whom Christ will consume and destroy with the breath of His mouth and annul by the power of His presence which will terminate the reign of sin on the earth which came into being at the fall of Adam and Eve (2 Thess 2:8-9); and
14) that God has appointed a day in which He will judge this habitable world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained. (Acts 17:31).

Plymouth Brethren Core Doctrine | Plymouth Brethren Christian Church UK

There is the link, if you want to read the rest. I had to shorten it to make it fit.

Over the years I was involved is several IFCA Churches (we moved a lot) so here is the IFCA Statement of Faith:

​

IFCA International



Articles of Faith and Doctrine



Section l. Articles of Biblical Faith

Each and every person, church, or organization, in order to become or remain a member of IFCA International, shall be required to subscribe to the following articles of faith:



1 The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12,13).


2 The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – coeternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14).


3 The Person and Work of Christ

a. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35).

b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all mankind as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that the sufficiency of this atoning sacrifice to accomplish the redemption and justification of all who trust in Him is assured by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24,25; 4:25; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; and 2 Peter 2:1).

c. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9,10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1,2).



4 The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
a. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14).

b. We believe that He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20,27; Ephesians 5:18).

5 The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26,27; Romans 3:22,23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).


6 Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19).


7 The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
a. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40;10:27-30; Romans 8:1,38,39;1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5).

b. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 13:13,14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).


8 The Two Natures of the Believer
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and, that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 6:13; 8:12,13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9.


9 Separation
a. We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (2Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 14:13; John 2:15-17; 2 John 1:9-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

b. We believe that sexual intimacy is a wonderful gift of God that is only to be expressed between one man and one woman (as genetically defined), within the love and bonds of marriage (Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5; Hebrews 13:4). Therefore, we believe that any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral and a perversion of God’s gift (Leviticus 18:1-30; Proverbs 6:32; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8).

10 Missions
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:19,20).


11 The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
a. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and, that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and, that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12).

b. We believe that the biblical offices of pastor and elder in the church, or their equivalents, are restricted to biblically qualified men (1 Timothy 2:12; 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
c. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15).


12 The Church
a. We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2).

b. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17; 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
c. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:9,16; 5:4-7; 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4.
d. We believe in the ordinances of believer’s water baptism and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church age (Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 2:41,42; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

13 Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these -- the age of law, the age of the Church, and the age of the millennial kingdom -- are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (John 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:24,25; Hebrews 7:19; Revelation 20:2-6).


14 The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6,7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10).


15 The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that "Blessed Hope," the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His millennial kingdom (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Revelation 3:10).



16 The Eternal State
a. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Revelation 20:5,6,12,13).

b. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
c. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6,7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).

Now how about Posting your Church's Statement of FAITH to respond to this?

 

[KJV1611]

Can somebody give me scriptures that point to a midtrib rapture? I do not find any.

There isn't one. In fact there are no verses for a 7 year tribulation either, nor "The Antichrist".