FreeGrace2 said:
A Pre-Trib rapture is found no place in scripture, a false teaching.
Show me ANY verse that says Jesus raptures living believers (gathering up) and then TAKES THEM UP TO HEAVEN.
. . .
Ha. You're just laughing at yourself, since Matt 25:13 DOES NOT SAY that Jesus takes raptured believers back up to heaven, no matter HOW MANY TIMES you quote the verse.
So you see, you failed to refute my statement that there are no verses that tell us that Jesus takes raptured believers back up to heaven.
You may want to get that bullet hole in your foot looked at and taken care of. [END QUOTE]
2 Peter 3:3-4 (HCSB)
3 First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires,
4 saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”
Mat. 25:13 The lesson, Jesus said, was to
watch, because
the day and
hour of His coming are unknown. Believers should live as if the
Lord might come at any moment. Are our lamps trimmed and filled with oil
, for our Bridegroom?
Believer's Bible Commentary: A Thorough, Yet Easy-to-Read Bible Commentary That Turns Complicated Theology Into Practical Understanding.
25:1-13. When Christ returns in glory, further separations will occur, as indicated by the Parable of the
10 Virgins. While various interpretations have been given to this parable, it seems best to understand it as a judgment on living Jews soon after the Lord's return in glory. The context clearly points to that event (
24:3,
14,
27,
30,
39,
44,
51). The judgment of the Gentiles (sheep and goats) will occur when the Lord returns (
25:31-46). Also at His glorious return, Israel will be judged as a nation (
Ezek. 20:33-44;
Zech. 13:1).
.....Israel therefore is pictured as 10 virgins who are awaiting the return of
the bridegroom. In wedding customs in Jesus' day, the bridegroom would return from the house of the bride in a procession leading to his own home where a wedding banquet would be enjoyed. In Jesus' parable, He as King will return from heaven with His bride, the church, in order to enter into the Millennium. The Jews in the Tribulation will be some of the invited guests privileged to share in the feast.
.....But preparation is necessary. In the parable,
five of the virgins had made adequate preparation for they possessed the necessary
lamps and extra
oil in jars (
Matt. 25:4). Five others had
lamps but no extra
oil. At midnight... the bridegroom arrived. The
lamps of the five virgins without extra oil were
going out. So they had to go searching for
oil and missed the arrival of
the bridegroom. When they returned and found the
wedding feast in progress, they sought admission but were denied (
vv. 10-12).
.....Israel in the Tribulation will know that Jesus' coming is near, but not all will be spiritually prepared for it. His coming will be sudden, when it is not expected (
24:27,
39,
50). Though this passage does not specifically interpret the meaning of the oil, many commentators see it as representing the Holy Spirit and His work in salvation. Salvation is more than mere profession for it involves regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Those who will merely profess to be saved, and do not actually possess the Spirit, will be excluded from the feast, that is, the kingdom. Those who fail to be ready when the King comes, cannot enter His kingdom. Since
the day and
hour of His return are unknown, believers in the Tribulation should
keep watch (grēgoreite), that is, be alert and prepared (cf.
24:42).
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.