There is also not one passage that says that Father, Son & Spirit are all equally God, three in one and one in three. There are many passages which put together uniquely affirm the orthodox truth of the Trinity without question.
So too there are passages which point to the return of Christ before the day of the Lord (tribulation). We also have two different descriptions of the return of Christ with varying enough details that many see the distinction. And we also have the clear promise of Jesus returning for us and taking us to His Father's house He's prepared for us.
It is not speculation and wishful thinking. It is interpreting the passages in a different way than you do, and not without warrarnt or evidence. It would be better for you to affirm your own belief rather than lambasting another when evidence has been presented.
I respect the desire to read the word clearly. To me, "in the clouds" is clear. But the study should be as Paul said, "wherefore comfort one another with these words." Christ's coming is a great comfort to me. I know I will be changed, I will see Him face to face, I will meet Him in the clouds if I am alive and remain. Amen.
Sorry friend, the Trinity comparison argument is so old, so weak and such a cop out. We clearly have such teachings concerning the Trinity without the word, "trinity" being used. We also have all three parts of the Trinity contained in a single verse, Acts 7:55 for example. You, however, cannot find one verse or even one passage that contains the teaching of a Pre-Trib Rapture and a separate Second Coming of Christ. No such verse or passage is found because no such doctrine was ever taught or exists. That's the bottom line.
You state:
"So too there are passages which point to the return of Christ before the day of the Lord (tribulation)."
Where is it?? This I have to see!!
I have no problem accepting Christ returning in the clouds. Of course He does. Mat 24:30, Mark 13:26, 1 Thes 4:17 and Rev 1:7 etc all state that the Lord returns "in the clouds." But if you read Mat 24:29 it tells you that this event happens immediately
AFTER the Tribulation, and not before. The same goes with the context of the other passages. All indicate that this is the Second Coming and not some Pre-Trib secret Rapture.
You indicate that there are two different descriptions of the Return of Christ. No there isn't. If you study every description as I have hundreds of times you will see nothing that distinguishes them. Oh people like to cite Rev 14:1 with the Lord standing on the Mount of Olives with the 144K as a different return because now He is seen on the ground. SO??? How does that prove anything? It would be like you taking a flight to LAX and everyone seeing you 100 feet above the ground in the plane and a description of the approach reported in several newspapers then the story ends with the landing being recorded. Then someone else prints a story documenting that you were seen in Hollywood Blvd looking at the stars on the sidewalk. Does this mean you made two separate trips to LA? Of course not. No rational person would assume it to be more likely that you made two trips rather than one trip with the landing and cab ride left out.
The difference in our approaches to scripture is you start out with a false assumption, a lesson not taught i.e., the Pre-Trib Rapture then you interpret everything to fit that narrative. I take what is clearly taught, a second coming, and I see that everything fits that narrative with absolutely ZERO contradictions while the theory you believe contradicts all over the place. I can cite probably a dozen contradictions to the Pre-Trib that you cannot explain away (at least not rationally) where you can't cite one that I can't explain rationally.
You cite 1 Thes 4:18 but again stop short of the context.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
Clearly this is the Day of the Lord. That is what Paul calls it. There is nothing that indicates Paul switched subjects. So naturally if you are alive enduring the Great Tribulation, wouldn't the return of Christ which ends the Tribulation be of great comfort?? Of course it would far more so that a return before anything bad happens.
As for John 14:2-3 same thing.
2 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.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus is talking about his future resurrection and the appearance of the Holy Spirit (vs. 26). Jesus is comforting His disciples. He is describing heaven and letting them know that when they die, they will come to heaven to a place He has prepared for them. Since all of the disciples died over 1900 years ago, this is obviously a true statement. All (except perhaps Judas) are there in heaven right now in the place the Lord has prepared. There is nothing about a Rapture here.
Then in verse 3 Jesus simply says that "
IF He goes" in other words, "since you believe this statement that I am going, then believe this next thing I am about to say." What is the next thing Jesus says???
"I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
Now was that statement true for any of the 12 disciples? Absolutely not, all are long dead. So did Jesus lie? Of course not, He was now talking about the believers who will be on earth when He returns. And where will Jesus be when He returns?? Yes the clouds to gather us but then where? Does He says He takes us back to heaven?? I don't see where that is written. He lands on earth and sets up His millennial reign. That is where the Elect remnant will be. Not back up in heaven while the Lord is on earth.
See what I mean??
Same with 1 Thes 5:9.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
This verse comes after 1 Thes 5:2 where the event has been named the Day of the Lord. This is when we receive our salvation AFTER the Lord returns. The salvation isn't of a physical sense, it is of a spiritual sense. We are not appointed to wrath on the Day of the Lord. If you go back to verse 3 you see it is the wicked who receives sudden destruction when Christ returns, not the believer, not the ones watching and being sober.
Now look at verse 10:
10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
See, when the Lord returns at His Second Coming after the Tribulation this is when we will live together with Him, not before, not at some fabricated return that is not taught and cannot be found.
As for lambasting you, I'm sorry you took it that way. I never intend to insult a person or make things person. It is the false belief, the false doctrine that I lambaste.
