In A Moment
There has
been much said and talked about in regards to the event know as "The
Rapture". The three main views are pre-tribulation rapture,
mid-tribulation rapture, and post-tribulation rapture. Our focus here is not so
much these aspects currently, but more so what it is and how to be a part of
it. So let's go on a brief scriptural walkthrough.
We begin
with what it is, in short "The Rapture" is the event that faithful
believers are currently looking forward to in which Jesus Christ will come back
to gather His faithful and steadfast children and remove them from this world,
which will trigger the last seven years of human rule of this earth known as
"The Great Tribulation". The purpose is to remove the faithful so
that they don't have to suffer the same consequence as the disobedient. Perhaps
we will get to some of these other topics in the future.
In
the Epistle written by the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth we read:
"Now
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a
mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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, and we shall be changed. 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. O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?"
(1Corin15:50-55).
In
simple terms the rapture, in one aspect, is the event that takes a faithful
disciple of Christ and changes him or her fully into what they have been
striving to become during their Born Again life on Earth, perfect. They are
freed from the bonds and pulls of the sin that lies within all of humanity’s
fallen nature, courtesy of the first human’s Adam and Eve. Believer’s go from
mortal, that is capable of dying physically in this life, which man has been
trying to reverse for ages, to immortal, immune to death and disease. But how
will this happen? The Apostle Paul once again opens up our knowledge on the subject:
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in
you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:9-11)
It
is those who have been Born Again of water and Spirit (Jn 3:1-8, Acts 2:37-39)
that will be caught up, but it is specifically by the working and power of the
Holy Spirit that this is accomplished, for with God, all things are possible.
(Matt 19:26)
Now
we get to our last two portions of scripture, the first from the Apostle John.
In his first epistle we read:
“
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because
it knew him not. 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. And every man
that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1Jn3:1-3)
Jesus
is coming back for a group of people who have, by His teaching, leading, and
guiding through His Church and appointed leadership, purified there lives and
have been cleansed of any and all things possible as not to defile heaven. (Rev
21:27)
Finally
we have an admonishment and instruction from the Lord Jesus Himself. In Chapter
21 of the Gospel of Luke, the Lord prophesied and taught His disciple’s, as
well as us the signs that would accompany the Last Days of human rule upon this
world before the Great Tribulation began. Following the teaching comes this
admonishment:
“ 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. For as a snare shall it come on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
The
Lord wants us prepared for what’s to come, to be prepared as part of the Bride
that He is coming back for so that we don’t have to go through what is to
follow. Will you be ready for THAT MOMENT?
“And
Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And
ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For
nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall
be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All
these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:4-8)
Authored by:
Min. Christopher Bateman
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