Article - Rapture
The doctrine of the “rapture” proposes that Jesus will soon appear invisibly and secretively in the sky FOR His saints in a second coming known as the parousia (Greek for “coming”). Rapturists contend that Jesus will “snatch up” all living and dead Christians, leaving the wicked behind and bringing the present age to an end, thus, ushering in a 7-year Tribulation period. They further presume that at the end of the 7 years Jesus will come WITH His saints at His 3rd/final coming, known as the apocalypse (Greek for “revelation”) and the epiphany (Greek for “appearance”); Jesus will destroy the lawless one (antichrist), bind Satan and reign on earth in Jerusalem for 1000 years. Such a doctrine is false for the following Biblical reasons: (1) The righteous and wicked will be together on earth until the end of time; then Jesus will separate the WICKED from the righteous (Matthew 13:37-40); (2) The dead (righteous and wicked) will hear the voice of Jesus and come forth from the graves for Judgment (John 5:28-29); (3) The church is to be on the earth evangelizing the lost until the end of time (Matthew 28:19-20); (4) Christ’s 2nd coming will be visible (Acts 1:11) and audible (1 Thessalonians 4:16); (5) There is no distinction between parousia and apocalypse/epiphany. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 all 3 words (“revealed…appearing…coming”) appear as synonyms, referring to the 2nd/final coming of Jesus. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 3:13 speaks of Christ’s parousia WITH (not FOR) His saints; (6) Hebrews 9:28 speaks only of a 2nd coming; no verse teaches that Jesus will come a 3rd time or set foot on the earth; (7) Christians on earth are to maintain their virtuous conduct until the parousia of God at which time the heavens and earth will be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10-12); no Tribulation/1000-year reign.
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