THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.

Today we are going to talk about “THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.” 

“…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: 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…” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

Some people try to ignore the Rapture of the church because they say that the word Rapture is not found in the Bible.

That’s true, but the word Trinity is also not in the Bible. Yet it is taught very plainly. We see that in the creation (Gen. 1:1-3; Gen. 1:26-27).

We also see the Trinity in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). We also see the Trinity in the Benediction (2 Cor. 13:14).

Again, the word homosexual is not found in the Bible either, yet we believe it (Lev. 18:22).

The word “Rapture” was not mentioned in the Old Testament or the New Testament. However, Christians believe in this event because, from the Scripture, more than one reference was made about it and how it will occur. According to the Bible, the truth about any matter is established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Here are four citations from the Bible about the rapture of the church from the earth to be with the LORD (Lk. 17:34-36; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Jn. 14:1-3). For every believer in Christ Jesus, the rapture will be a glorious experience.

Notice the phrase “the Rapture of the Church” as against “the Rapture of the Saints.” There is a remarkable difference between them.

The rapture of the church is the one that takes place just before the Tribulation period begins (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53).

The Rapture about the middle of the tribulation is called “the rapture of the tribulation saints” (Matt. 24:40-43; Rev. 14:3-5).

What then is Rapture? The word “rapture” is from a Greek word “harpazo” which means “the coming of the LORD in the air FOR the saints.”

It means "to seize upon by force", "to snatch up." It also comes from the Latin word “rapturo” which means “a carrying off, or a snatching away.” 

The rapture of the church is therefore, an event in which Jesus Christ Himself “snatches away” all Born-Again believers from the earth in order to make way (room) for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.

What will happen to those in Christ who are alive at the moment Jesus returns to Rapture the church? 1 Corinthians 15:51 says, “We are not all going to die, but we shall all be changed (transformed)” (NLT).

“The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we who are still alive on earth and remain in faith (the remaining or surviving) ones shall all be changed (transformed)” (1 Cor. 15:52).

So, the doctrine of the changing of the physical bodies of those saints who are alive at the time Christ returns to rapture the church is called “the rapture.”

So, the doctrine of the Rapture says, “When Jesus comes back, the dead in Christ will be raised (resurrected), and the living saints will be changed or transformed.”

What will happen to those that are not in Christ at the time Christ returns for the Church? Those who died without accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour will remain in their graves for another 1007 years after the Rapture of the Church, until they come to the Judgment of the wicked – “The Great White Throne Judgment.”

This is “the second resurrection called the resurrection of the damned.” The wicked is resurrected at this time to be formally judged. They will be brought to the “Great White Throne Judgment” with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth because they rejected the Son of God while they were on earth, and are now being formally sentenced to everlasting condemnation in the bottomless pit.

All Born-Again believers will be judged at “the Judgment Seat of Christ.” Here is the Good News: The judgment of Christians is the judgment of rewards, while the wicked will be judged at the “Great White Throne Judgment” unto condemnation. The rapture will involve an instantaneous transformation of our physical bodies to fit us for eternity.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead (in Christ) shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52).

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3:2).

We will finally be free from sin and the perils of this world. And we will be in God’s presence forever. And that is why the rapture is a comforting doctrine because it is full of hope.

Titus 2:13 says, “Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

It is not a doctrine of fear, rather it is the confidence that when Jesus returns, even we who are alive and remain in faith will be with Him forever.And God wants us to “encourage each other with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18).

Time is running out! Today, you have the great opportunity to change your eternal destiny. 

Your name must be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life for you to qualify for the rapture. You are not going to be raptured because you are acting nice.  You are not going to be raptured because you are a leader in the church. You will be raptured only on these conditions: You must be in Christ (1 Thess. 4:14, 16, 2 Cor. 5:17-18), and you must be holy (Heb. 12:14).

·       Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor, HOG).