Attacks on the Rapture: a popular pastime among some Christians

PART I

When you do an internet search for attacks on the doctrine of the Rapture, you will come up with at least a dozen attacks (if not more). Some examples are shown below:

1. The United Church of God (UCG): ‘The rapture, often called "the blessed hope," is sadly more hoax than hope, even though the man who started it had no intention of deceiving anyone. You need to know what the Bible actually says!’
2. www.bible.ca: ‘Rapture doctrine did not exist before John Darby invented it in 1830 AD. Before it "popped into John Darby's head" no one had ever heard of a secret rapture doctrine.’
3. www.endtimesprophecy.org: ‘There is a teaching today that is rife within the Christian world, called the rapture. What is the rapture theory? It is believed by those who hold to this theory (and there are MANY who do), that the "church" will be raptured away to heaven and then the earth will continue for a period of seven years (called the tribulation) in which the inhabitants of the earth will be plunged into a time of great trouble and strife (more so than now). So according to this teaching there is a separation to take place between the saved and the lost BEFORE the end of the world.’
4. Sheffield Chapel (a Second Advent church): ‘We disagree with the doctrine of the secret rapture on exegetical grounds (it is nowhere to be found in Scripture… anywhere…)’

There are many more similar attacks which are either ill-informed, or malicious, or plain ignorant. And on exegetical grounds, no one could possibly deny this doctrine. So every Christian should know that a plain study of the Bible – apart from anything written for or against the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church – is sufficient to establish this as a very important and critical Christian doctrine.

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 the opponents of the 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.

2. CHRIST PRESENTED THE RAPTURE BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION
Enemies of the 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 and Scofield 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. As we can see from the martyrdom of Stephen, Christ remained in Heaven and received the soul and spirit of Stephen upon his death (Acts 7).

PART II

3. THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS:A PARABLE OF THE RAPTURE
Even before the Last Supper, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the Rapture in the Parable of the Ten Virgins following the Olivet Discourse.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom... While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept... And while they (the unwise) went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready (the wise) went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut...Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Mt 25:1,5,10,13)

This parable shows Christ as the Divine Bridegroom, and the wise virgins as the saints of God who possess the Holy Spirit (represented by oil), and are therefore the Bride (the Church). This pertains to the Marriage of the Lamb, which takes place BEFORE the Second coming of Christ (Revelation 19). It also shows that the Rapture is imminent.

4. 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 be with 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 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.

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. This passage ties directly into 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the primary passage of the Rapture, as well as John 14:1-3.

13 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.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 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.
16 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This passage tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ will come personally for all His saints who are alive at the Rapture, but He will at the same time bring all the souls and spirits of those who died in Christ with Him for their resurrection bodies. The word “rapture” is derived from the Latin “rapiemur”, which is the equivalent of “caught up together” as seen above. So to claim that the word “Rapture” is not in the Bible is simply naive and foolish.

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 Rapture are from Satan through misguided or malicious individuals.

As for the rapture I believe it is happening right now. We are being gathered together to Jesus Christ and people are being raptured in their own timing. It is commonly believed that when it says we will be caught up to meet our loved ones in the air that it means only our spirits are caught up but nowhere does it say that only our spirits are caught up to meet in the clouds. Therefore, it is an interpretation that only our spirits are caught up in the air. Since there is not much difference between the physical and spiritual there is absolutely nothing to prevent houses, churches, communities, buildings, roads, land, states and countries, etc from being caught up as well.

When we are "changed" as scripture says we will be in the twinkling of the eye it separates our fleshly bodies from our spiritual bodies into two beings. If we are a believer then when we are raptured, we leave our fleshly bodies behind and go with our spiritual bodies. if we are an unbeliever then we leave our spiritual body behind and we go with the fleshly body. There will be two in the field one is taken and the other left just as scripture records. So most people will not readily notice when we are raptured because they still see the fleshly body but our spirit has been raptured. Therefore, as we go up higher and higher and as people "change" and are raptured we as believers will see a change in homes, churches, communities, states, countries, etc. If you think in terms of one you cannot understand how this works. You must begin to think in multidimensions and in terms of two.

These videos give an illustration of what we can expect. It includes the rapture and how we become two when we are changed.

http://mobilelaz.com/judgementday/thedayofthelord.mp4

http://mobilelaz.com/judgementday/fleshspirit.mp4

When Jesus-Yeshua sends His angels to collect and transport the dead in Yeshua first and immediately those yet alive, all who are in Him in faith will be with Him.....for me this is what the doctrine of men called the rapture amounts to; it is not a complicated nor contentious event.

It isnt so much the belief in the resurrection of the dead and transformation known as the rapture that is attacked. Its the timing of it
thats the problem.

Why do so many find the need to replace the word resurrection , with the word, rapture_ All this does is create a dogma as given by men. I am satisfied with our Savior being the Firstborn and we being after Him who believe.

How can you say "it is happening right now" when the Bible says that it happens "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye"? And of course it is the whole person who is raptured -- body, soul, and spirit. The Rapture is still in the future, and once it occurs the Church will be absent from the earth.
Some literally deny the Rapture and confuse it with the Second Coming.

This issue is not pertaining to salvation, so no need to get too uptight.

Even If the body of Christ have to endure the tribulation, at least we know how to turn to Hebrews to revelation, for the doctrine we need to endure to the end.

According to scripture the dead in Christ are raised first, then those that are alive come after. This happens when the second coming of Christ occurs (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The Resurrection/Rapture happens at the same time. Of course the dead in Christ are raised first, but it is a matter of nanoseconds. However it cannot be at the Second Coming since i have clearly shown you from Scripture that the Marriage of the Lamb must take place BEFORE the Second Coming. And the Resurrection/Rapture must happen BEFORE that.

This is a special case. Most will not see a vision of Jesus before dying and will remain asleep until the resurrection.

Soul Sleep is false doctrine. No one sleeps in Heaven. And all the saints go to Heaven immediately upon death. As Paul says "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord". Just like Stephen, the souls and spirits of those who die in Christ go directly to Heaven. And all the saints who have passed on are presently in Heaven (Heb 12:22-24).

No he doesn’t.

But carry on.

I’m not changing your mind, and your not changing mine.

Let’s part in peace brother.

RESURRECTION = THE RAISING OF SAINTS WHO DIED IN CHRIST
RAPTURE = THE TRANSFORMATION OF SAINTS WHO ARE ALIVE IN CHRIST

Can you see that the Rapture is not a substitute for the Resurrection. Hence it is technically the Resurrection/Rapture as clearly seen in the passage quoted.

However, you are flatly contradicting Paul.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: For we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor 5:6-8)

Could you post this again I cant find it in this thread atleast. I do believe in the Rapture btw.

Right. I think most do see that.
So there is no need to force them into 2 separate events.
It's the resurrection. Your living physical body still subject to death will put on immortality directly after the dead are raised.

It's only the Pre-trib position that has a problem with this and keeps calling the resurrection day "rapture" instead.

The attack is on the (Pre-Trib rapture/catching up) a (False) teaching.

The complete event of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 surround the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ.

What is the day and hour no man knows , the "Second Coming"

Matthew 25:13KJV
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Why do people feel th need to add this word as a new doctrine, adding to what our Savior has already told us through His prophets. Not one prophet makes reference to a rapture, although we will be taken up to our Lord on His day. There is absolutely no need to use that word, rapture, and anyone who believes the Word by the Holy Spirit is aware of this.

I also am willing to be absent from this body and to be present with the Lord too!

But this is not doctrine my friend. It’s wishful thinking.

Paul stated plainly that many are asleep with Christ and that we are to comfort one another with those words, not with the words of wishful thinking.