On the contrary, if Paul tells us he is going to write about the gathering, then somehow forgets the gathering, he has a problem. But not to worry, He told them he was to write about the gathering and then he included it - as the departing.Paul dosent need to fill any theme, The Greek "Apostasia" (Departure/Falling Away) isn't a Pre-Trib Rapture Of The Church To Heaven, it's that simple![]()
When the church leaves in the rapture, are they not "departing?" Will it not be a part of a whole [group] taken away from that whole group as Strongs defines "apo?" And will this gathering take place SO FAST it will seem as if the world is standing still?
Remember, Paul's purpose was to answer them: without a doubt they had written to him else how would he know that they thought the DAY and come? He was to answer them about the Day of the Lord and how anyone could know for SURE that the DAY had come.
If people see a very significant departing as in the rapture. That would be significant. And then they see the man of sin revealed. Those two things are proof positive that the DAY has started. In Revelation we see the DAY starting at the 6th seal, and the revealing in chapter 11 - the same order Paul wrote.
Note that in every Greek manuscript, the "the" is included before apostasia: THE apostasia: a very significant departing.
Question: if Paul had meant a falling away, how would anyone know when ENOUGH Had fallen away to be "THE apostasia?"
Finally, when some fall away, MORE COME. The church is growing, not shrinking!