The Pre-Tribulation Rapture: The Blessed Hope of the Saints

PART I
The doctrine of the Rapture is for the comfort of the saints. Therefore it is called “the Blessed Hope”, which is connected with the glorious appearing of Christ for His saints: Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Tit 2:13). We should note that here Christ is called "that great God" since this is a supernatural event.

The word “rapture” is derived from the Latin “rapiemur” (in the Vulgate), which is the equivalent of “caught up together”. So to claim that the word “rapture” is not in the Bible is simply naive and foolish. Those who believe the Word of God have no problem accepting one word for this event, rather than insisting on three or four words. For Enoch, the word used in Scripture is "translated" (μετετέθη, metetethē) (Heb 11:5). Enoch prefigured the Rapture of the Church.

Since there is a lot of tiresome nonsense being published about (a) there no Rapture, (b) there is a Post-Tribulation Rapture (when that would be impossible), (c) a Rapture where Christians do not go to Heaven, (d) a Rapture which coincides absurdly with the Second Coming of Christ, etc., every Christian should be aware that a plain study of the Bible is sufficient to establish the Pre-Tribulation Resurrection/Rapture as an important and critical Christian doctrine. You may ask why it is critical, and the answer from Scripture is that it is critical because it completes the salvation of the saints, which is glorification.

1. THE REASON FOR THE RESURRECTION/RAPTURE
Before we even study the relevant passages, we need to ask ourselves “What exactly is the reason for the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints?” And unless we clearly understand God’s plan of salvation in Christ, we will not understand why the Resurrection/Rapture is critical.

We read in Romans 8:29,30: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

While sanctification is not mentioned here, we know from the New Testament that God’s plan of salvation includes (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification (and perfection). The opponents of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture conveniently forget that the saints must be glorified, and receive incorruptible, immortal, and glorified bodies, before they enter Heaven for the Marriage of the Lamb. Therefore the Resurrection/Rapture is a single event before the Second Coming of Christ. This fact is sufficient to refute the foolish notion of a Post-Tribulation Rapture.

2. CHRIST PRESENTED THE RAPTURE BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION
Enemies of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture also conveniently forget that it was not John Nelson Darby in the 19th century but the Lord Jesus Christ is 30 AD, who first presented the doctrine of the Rapture to his apostles before His crucifixion. Which means that all the attacks on Darby, Scofield, etc. are bogus. And when misguided people call this a “theory” they are making Christ out to be a liar.

JOHN 14:1-3: THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS TO HEAVEN
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The key phrase here is “I will come again and receive you unto myself”. While this was first addressed to the apostles, it has general application to all the saints, since the apostles died as martyrs, and Christ did not come back from Heaven in the first century to take them up to Heaven. It should be noted that when Jesus said “Let not your hearts be troubled”, He automatically disconnected the Rapture from any Tribulation period. He spoke these words to comfort His apostles, and by extension, to comfort all believers.

PART II

3. THE RESURRECTION CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE RAPTURE
All Christians believe that the saints will be resurrected. However, only a few understand that the Resurrection cannot be separated from the Rapture.

When a child of God dies, his or her body is interred in the grave. However, the soul and spirit go directly to Christ. But since Christ has promised to resurrect all the saints, it follows that He must bring their souls and spirits with Him at the Resurrection, so that they might receive their immortal, glorified bodies, and return to Heaven for the Marriage of the Lamb.

Paul presents this to us very clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed [transformed at the Resurrection/Rapture], 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 [at the Resurrection], and we shall be changed [at the Rapture]. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

4. CHRIST COMES PERSONALLY WITH (AND FOR) THE SAINTS
As we can see here, the Resurrection/Rapture is a supernatural event which occurs in nanoseconds. All the saints receive glorious immortal and incorruptible bodies. However, what should be carefully noted in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is that (a) Christ comes personally with the saints who have passed on, and for the saints who are alive at that time, (b) He comes to fulfill His promise in John 14:1-3 that He will come again and receive you unto Himself, and (c) that from this point on all the saints will be with Him eternally in the heavenly city New Jerusalem.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [have died in Christ], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The above passage is in stark contrast to Matthew 24:31 (which occurs after the Second Coming of Christ), and where Christ sends His angels throughout the earth to gather His "elect" (a believing Jewish remnant).

However, there are several other passages which develop the doctrine of the Resurrection/Rapture more fully, but these should be sufficient to prove that all the attacks against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture are from Satan through mistaken, misguided, or malicious individuals.

The Blessed Hope of all Christians is; The glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus. Titus 2:13

Was Titus mistaken, misguided or malicious?

We will meet him in the air .

Amen .

The last few sentences of the bible is the rapture.
"The spirit and the bride say come"
The rapture is the bride dynamic.
Not a caught up dynamic.
The rapture is just the limo to the wedding/wedding supper.

Could you show me 1 scripture that actually says we are going to heaven at this "rapture event"

Yes. Here it is mat 25;

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Also,
Those martyred are in heaven and depicted as the innumerable number.
Rev 19 has the bride in heaven and on horses ready to descend with Jesus and she is called the wife.
The last supper has Jesus prophetic declaration that he is preparing a place for us in heaven.

Context has the rapture pretrib, and context destroys a postrib rapture. Destroys it.

Any one of several dynamics eliminates ANY POSSIBILITY for anything but a pretrib rapture.

I can do the same tactics in reverse.
Show me a verse that specifically says the rapture is postrib.
Show me a verse that says they,the church,are not gathered to heaven.

There's a difference between appearing and appearance. Appearing is how most translations have it.

Exactly.

Uhhh... where does that scripture say anything about going to heaven?

The bride is taken to the Fathers house ,As the last supper indicates.
The first miracle was wedding.
The book of ruth has the land and the bride purchased with Naomi as indirectly included.
They all went to a place. To the origin or root of naomi....heaven.
They all went to a new place.

The ark went over 5 miles into the sky,During the flood/tribulation.

And finally how did those saints get to heaven and mount those horses During the gt.?

Not to mention the bride becomes the wife in heaven and during the gt.

OK

JOHN 3 [12] If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? [13] And NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, even the Son of man which is in heaven

Will scripture above suddenly vanish from your bibles after you are raptured to heaven

Elijah went up to heaven.

Where do we file that?

I will refrain from taking you point for point. Nobody would read such a lengthy posting. But I will pose some things for consideration.

The word "Rapture" is a concise defintion of the Greek word "Harpazo". "Harpazo" literally means "caught away". It indicates movement BUT NOT direction. It is rendered correctly in Acts 8:39. Rendering it "Caught UP" is not warranted. But the context could support that rendering.

Rapture is a fact of the Bible. Enoch (a non-Jew), Elijah, a Jew, Jesus the Messiah, Philip, Paul and John were all "caught away". Some to heaven, one to Azotus and the rest returned to earth to write about what thy saw. To deny Rapture in the Bible is folly.

The main purpose of Rapture is to move select people off the earth in the face of coming judgement on the face of the earth.

The concept "caught away" indicates and implies that a second party with power is involved. Even our Lord Jesus was "taken up". Matthew 13 says that it is angels who effect the Rapture.

The Pre-Tribulation rapture was meant for all Christians. It is part of salvation. The Christian is not spared from MEN'S WRATH, but Christ's death spares him from GOD'S WRATH. Of the 13 verses containing WRATH in Revelation, 10 concern the WRATH OF GOD. Hence, all Christians SHOULD be Raptured BEFORE the Great Tribulation. It is the WRATH OF GOD on men and encompasses the WHOLE earth

God is very wise. He knew that Christians, if left to their own way, would take the easy way. So God, in His wisdom, sets the Pre-Tribulation Rapture as a PRIZE to be ATTAINED. In THREE scriptures this is shown:

In Philippians 3:8-14 Paul gives the ultimate goal as "gaining Christ". For this the Christian must "suffer the loss of all things". The result of "suffering the loss of all things" is; (i) to be partaker of a special resurrection (v.11). This must "ATTAINED TO!" And (ii) to gain the "PRIZE" of the "UPWARD CALL". The "high calling" of the King James Version is misleading. The word and grammar show it to mean, "UPWARD CALL" as rendered in the New King James. A "PRIZE" is for EFFORT. Not all Christians are ready to "lose all things".

In Luke 21:36 the context up to verse 24 is 70 AD. But from verse 25 it abruptly changes to the time of "the coming of the Son of man" (v.27) - the end of the age. Verse 36 says that one can miss the terrible events of the end of the age IF ONE IS WORTHY. The "WORTHINESS" is attained by that in verse 34; "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." Sadly, the implication is that some Christians WILL BE UNWORTHY.

In Revelation 3:10, the Overcomers are Promised to be "kept FROM the hour of trial that comes on the WHOLE world, or, "ALL THE EARTH". If the "trial" is on "ALL" the earth, there is no place to be on earth to escape it. The grammar of this verse says "KEPT FROM" - NOT "KEPT IN" (the trial). The only way to escape is to be OFF the earth. And this escape is CONDITIONAL! Our Lord says "BECAUSE you did this and this ... , I will keep you."

To be part of a pre-tribulation Rapture, the Christian has to EARN IT.

Then, on the other side of the coin, is there evidence of Christians left behid to face the Great Tribulation? YES!!!

1. In Revelation 7 is huge company of men obviously attached to Jesus but who "go through the Great Tribulation"
2. In Revelation 12 there is a company of men who "have the testimony of Jesus Christ" and they must pass through the 1260 days of Great Tribulation
3. In Revelation 13:7 the sainst are defeated by the Beast - showing them present during his reign
4. In Revelation 18:4 God's people are involved in Babylon the Great - the Commercial Babylon. They will suffer her plagues

The bulk of Christianity will pass through the Great Tribulation

You will not find that concept in Scripture. Just as you could not earn your salvation, and just as the Rapture is a part of your salvation, you cannot earn being within the Resurrection/Rapture. It is all of God's grace, and totally unmerited.

Do you even understand what John 3:13 is all about? Since Christ made that statement after both Enoch and Elijah were in Heaven, it should be obvious that it does not mean that no human being had already gone to Heaven, nor that the saints would not be in Heaven.

And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heaven. (John 3:13)

The Son of Man -- Christ -- was on earth speaking to Nicodemus, yet He was asserting in this verse that He was presently in Heaven. How could that be unless Jesus is God, who could also be in Heaven in Spirit while on earth? So this verse is speaking about the UNIQUE descent of Christ from Heaven, and His anticipated UNIQUE ascent back to Heaven after His resurrection.

What Jesus was saying is that there has been no man (nor will there be any man) on earth who can be compared to Christ. The Lord was in Heaven before He came to earth, and He will be in Heaven after His ascension. This definitely does not mean that the saints will not be in Heaven. Indeed, all the OT saints and all the NT saints who have passed on are now in Heaven (within the New Jerusalem). See Hebrews 12:22-24.

To all who hold to the belief of a 'rapture to heaven' of the Church:
Have you really considered any alternative to a 'rapture'? Because there are viable and scriptural end times scenarios where God's people remain on earth.
You need to know that many respected Bible scholars cast doubts on a rapture, if not actively refute that theory.

So the attitude of some 'rapture to heaven' believers, how they hold the moral high ground, is unwarranted and in some cases, amounts to a very judgmental and often rude response to their fellow Christians.
This is a serious indictment against all who have strong beliefs but fail to really study or comprehend any alternatives.

Is it really God's Plan to remove His people, so they avoid the tough times prophesied to come?
Why should He do that for this generation, when all the previous generations have faced persecutions?
'Rapture' believers say it is a secret thing, because it’s not clearly stated in the Bible. Not in the Bible? So it is in fact, unbiblical and comes under the category of mankinds teachings. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Jesus warned us against being deceived; Paul said; that ravening wolves would deceive the flock, even from among the Christians men will distort the truth to get people to follow them. Acts 20:29-30
So, plainly; some are deceived and even if they may be in a majority, that does not mean their beliefs are true.

He went up to the heavens. The air

Hebrew Word: ‏שָׁמֶה‎
Transliteration: shâmeh
Phonetic Pronunciation: shaw-meh'

Root: from an unused root meaning to be lofty
Cross Reference: TWOT - 2407a
Part of Speech: n m
Vine's Words: Heavens Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

2 Samuel 21:10 (KJV)
10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Ya think water dropped out of heaven where God is? Or from the clouds above the earth?

I think I'll believe the grammar that the Holy Spirit used. "ATTAIN", "FOUND WORTHY" and "PRIZE" all mean that something was worked hard for. Consider this brother. The Ten Virgins are the same in eight points. The "foolish" differ only in one. It is this; They thought the oil was for free. I hope you reconsider my posting. Language is there to transmit ideas. This language did not come from me. The idea of only a few ATTAINING is not mine.