The Biblical teaching of the pre-trib rapture of the Church

[Defacto]

• 

Beginning with Mt.24:31:
 [/B] And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His ELECT from the four winds [Israel - on earth], from one end of the heavens to the other [The Church Jesus will rapture before the seven year tribulation begins]. How did those ELECT get into heaven? Read on to find out.

Lk.21:36:
 "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."

Jn.14:2-4 and 28:
 "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you [See Jn.20:17]. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." [Jn.14:2-4].

 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." [Jn.14:28].

 The Scriptures tell us where we all go, who belong to Christ, after the death of our bodies:
 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." As recorded in 2 Cor.5:8, confirming Ecc.12:7. Which is, in and of itself, conclusive to the fact that Jesus is not going to let the rest of His Church remain on earth to go through the seven year tribulation, when He returns for those of us who are still alive, waiting for His appearing, in 1 Thes.4:17. Since He raises all those who have died, to be with Him, immediately after their physical death, for more than 2,000 years.

1 Thes.4:13-18:
 The Thessalonians were very concerned about those among them who had died, that they would not be gathered together with the rest of them when Jesus returned. Paul assures them in vs 13-14 that they will all be returning with Christ from heaven, where they have been since He raised them up to be with Him, the day they died physically, according to 2 Cor.5:6-8.

 "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him [Died physically]. Vs 14.

 "According to the Lord's own word [Scriptural truth as to the fact that Jesus taught there was to be a pre-trib rapture of the Church, as recorded in Jn.14:2-4 and 28], we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep." Vs 15. An assurance by Paul to the Thessalonians that the dead in Christ had already been raised from the dead before, and were already with Christ when He returns for all those left on earth alive at His coming.

 Because they have already been raised, each in his/her own turn, according to 1 Cor.15:23. That is the very reason it is not documented as a resurrection in the Scriptures.

 "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven [With all His saints [Church], according to vs 14], with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first" [Paul again assures them, as seen in verses 13-14, they were already previously raised once before, each in his/her own turn, as they died, for more than 2,000 years]. Vs 16.

 "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP [raptured] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the sky. And so we will be with the Lord forever." Vs 17. Where we proceed with Jesus to our Father in heaven as He promised us in Jn.14:2-4 and 28.

 "Therefore encourage each other with these words." Vs 18.

2 Thess.2:1-8: The precise timing of the rapture of the Church:
 "Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the Day of the Lord [The 70th and final Week/seven year tribulation of Dan.9:27] has already come." 2 Thes.2:1-2. Which is a direct reference to 1 Thes.4:17 and the theme of Paul's entire pre-trib rapture message in 2 Thes.2:1-8. When we will be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. [Parenthetics mine].

The "Day of the Lord" Paul refers to in vs 2, alludes to Dan.9:27, when God will intervene into the affairs of man for the last time, culminating in the second coming of Jesus to the earth. In that passage of Scripture, the Day of the Lord is triggered by the "he" who "confirms a covenant [An agreement] for one Week" [The Day of the Lord/ 70th and final Week/seven year tribulation], who is the antichrist. The second, and same "he," who stops Israel from the offerings and sacrificing in the temple of God, and the third, and same "he," who breaks his covenant in the middle of the Week [After 3.5 of the 7 year total], and sets up the abomination of desolation Jesus referred to in Mt.24:15, in His Olivet Discourse, about the sign of His second coming, and of the end of the age.

In verse 3: "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that Day [The Day of the Lord, the 70th and final Week, the seven year tribulation, from vs 2] will not come, until the "apostasia" [Greek term in which the original translation was "to depart," or "departure," meaning, the rapture of the Church] occurs and the man of lawlessness [The antichrist, and all three of the "he's" in Dan.9:27] is revealed [Who triggers the Day of the Lord/ the 70th and final Week/ the seven year tribulation], the man doomed to destruction." Which reveals the "apostasia" [Departure] will take place before the antichrist is revealed, who triggers the 70th Week/seven year tribulation. Confirmed in verses 7 and 8 below.

Translation History of apostasia and discessio, n 2 Thes.2:4: By Thomas Ice, PhD.
 The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either " departure" or " departing." They are as follows: Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608) . This supports the notion that the word truly means " departure." In fact, Jerome' s Latin translation known as the Vulgate from around the time of 325 A.D. renders apostasia with the " word discessio, meaning ' departure.' Why was the King James Version the first to depart from the established translation of "departure" in 1611 A.D.? [It is more than likely due to overzealous RCC scribes who altered the original wording of vs 3. to accommodate their teachings of Amillenialism, which rejects both the pre-trib rapture of the Church as well as Jesus Millennial reign her on earth].

 Theodore Beza, the Swiss reformer was the first to transliterate apostasia and create a new word, rather than translate it as others had done. The translators of the King James Version were the first to introduce the new rendering of apostasia as " falling away." Most English translators have followed the KJV and Beza in departing from translating apostasia as " departure." No reason was ever given.

 "He [The antichrist] will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." Vs 4. [The abomination of desolation, confirming Dan.9:27 and Mt.24:15]. See also 2 Thes.2:4.

The rapture of the Church and verse 3 confirmed:
 In verse 7: "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so until he [The saints - Church] is taken out of the way."

 The "he" who will be taken out of the way, is the one body of Christ, who bear the Holy Spirit within each of us [Eph.1:13-14], the Church of Jesus Christ. The very same as those who will participate in the "apostasia," the "departure," [the rapture] of the Church, in vs 3. Immediately following that:

In verse 8: "And then the lawless one [The antichrist] will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming." Vs 8. [See Rev.19:17-21].

 The antichrist is found in all three of the "he's" in Dan. 9:27, confirmed by Jesus in Mt.24:15; Mk.13:14 and by Paul, in 2 Thes.2:3, 4 and 8.

 From the above Scriptural facts, there can be only one proper interpretation for the timing of the rapture of the Church, which will be immediately preceding the 70th and final/7 year tribulation, triggered by the antichrist, all three of the "he's" in Dan.9:27. Seen also as the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, riding the white horse, in the first of the seven seals, in Rev.6:2. There is no "pre-wrath" or post-trib rapture taught in the Scriptures.


 Other verses pertaining to the rapture of the Church: 1 Thes.1:10; 1 Thes.5:9; Rev.3:10 and Rev.4:1-2. Of the saints [Church] returning with Christ from their marriage in heaven, in Rev.19:7, 8 and 14; Jude 14 and Zech.14:4-5!


The difference between the Second Coming of Christ and the pre-trib rapture of the Church:

http://www.pre-trib.org/data/pdf/Ice...eenTheRapt.pdf


 Defacto

[Defacto]

• 

Scriptural proof for the pre-trib rapture of the Church

 The Scriptures are crystal clear where Jesus will meet His Church, in 1 Thess.4:17: "After that, we who are still alive and are left, WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER with them in the clouds TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. And so we will be with the Lord forever." In the FIRST of His TWO comings, recorded in 1 Thess.4:16, yet to take place, confirming Jn.14:2-3, 28! From where the Church is seen in heaven BEFORE the tribulation begins, in Rev.4:1-2. Where Jesus used John to symbolically represent the Church. Confirming 2 Thess.2:3 and 7-8! Where the Church is seen in heaven later, at the marriage of the Bride/Church to the Lamb/Jesus. While the tribulation is taking place on earth, recorded in Rev.19:7-8. From where Jesus will return to the earth in the SECOND, of His TWO comings, yet to take place, WITH HIS CHURCH, riding white horses, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, in His armies from heaven, recorded in 19:14, confirming Zech.14:4-5 and Acts 1:6; 1:11; 2:29-30 and 15:16! From which the above Scriptures leave no other options!

 The difference between the pre-trib rapture of the Church, as delineated above, and the SECOND coming of Jesus are the following facts:

 1. Jesus returns to the earth in His second coming, recorded in Zech.14:4-5 and in Acts 1:11.

 2. No one meets Jesus in the sky when He returns in His second coming, recorded in Rev.19:14, as they will when He returns for the first time, recorded in 1 Thess.4:16!.

 3. Jesus will return from the marriage of the Bride/Church to the Lamb/Jesus, in heaven, in His second coming, to the earth, with His Church, recorded in Rev.19:14, He came for in His first coming, in the clouds of the sky, seven years before, recorded in Jn.14:2-3, 28, 1 Thess.4:16-17 and 2 Thess.2:3 and 7-8.

 4. No one returns to the present heaven at Jesus second coming to the earth, because He has come to establish His 1,000 year reign on the throne of David, in the restored kingdom of Israel, as recorded in Acts 1:6; 2:29-30; 15:16; Zech.6:12-13 described in Ez.40-47 and Rev.20:6. In addition to the present heaven and earth being destroyed and will pass away, as recorded in 2 Pet.3:7 and in Rev.21:1.


Defacto

[Iconoclast]

• 

Hello my friend...I do think the scriptures are clear...that the rapture takes place on the last day.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

[macuser]

• 

Hello my friend...I do think the scriptures are clear...that the rapture takes place on the last day.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Yep, the last day of the church age. The first day of the tribulation.

[Iconoclast]

• 

It looks like Jesus spoke plainly of the last day.....no one mentions any church age....especially as He was speaking about the Kingdom....not any church age.....Israel was not rejected yet
Do you think it is ok to add to scripture, my friend?
When you do....you no longer have the word of God....but your own words

[macuser]

• 

It looks like Jesus spoke plainly of the last day.....no one mentions any church age....especially as He was speaking about the Kingdom....not any church age.....Israel was not rejected yet
Do you think it is ok to add to scripture, my friend?
When you do....you no longer have the word of God....but your own words

You're not very clear in your writing, are you saying that Christ will raise all of his elect on the last day of the kingdom? And when you say kingdom are you talking about the millennium? Do you think it is wise to make up Scripture? I suggest you spend more time studying John 6 less time writing about it.

[biblebuf]

• 

It looks like Jesus spoke plainly of the last day.....no one mentions any church age....especially as He was speaking about the Kingdom....not any church age.....Israel was not rejected yet
Do you think it is ok to add to scripture, my friend?
When you do....you no longer have the word of God....but your own words

1 Thessalonians 4:13. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of [the] archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Ephesians 1:22  And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Matthew 24:29  'And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken;
30. and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth smite the breast, and they shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of the heaven, with power and much glory;
31. and he shall send his messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens unto the ends thereof.

Revelation 19
1. And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in the heaven, saying, 'Alleluia! the salvation, and the glory, and the honour, and the power, [is] to the Lord our God;
2. because true and righteous [are] His judgments, because He did judge the great whore who did corrupt the earth in her whoredom, and He did avenge the blood of His servants at her hand;'
3. and a second time they said, 'Alleluia;' and her smoke doth come up -- to the ages of the ages!
4. And fall down did the elders -- the twenty and four -- and the four living creatures, and they did bow before God who is sitting upon the throne, saying, 'Amen, Alleluia.'
5. And a voice out of the throne did come forth, saying, 'Praise our God, all ye His servants, and those fearing Him, both the small and the great;'
6. and I heard as the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! because reign did the Lord God -- the Almighty!
7. may we rejoice and exult, and give the glory to Him, because come did the marriage of the Lamb, and his wife did make herself ready;
8. and there was given to her that she may be arrayed with fine linen, pure and shining, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.'
9. And he saith to me, 'Write: Happy [are] they who to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb have been called;' and he saith to me, 'These [are] the true words of God;'
10. and I fell before his feet, to bow before him, and he saith to me, 'See -- not! fellow servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren, those having the testimony of Jesus; bow before God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.'
11. And I saw the heaven having been opened, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness doth he judge and war,
12. and his eyes [are] as a flame of fire, and upon his head [are] many diadems -- having a name written that no one hath known, except himself,
13. and he is arrayed with a garment covered with blood, and his name is called, The Word of God.
14. And the armies in the heaven were following him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen -- white and pure;
15. and out of his mouth doth proceed a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he doth tread the press of the wine of the wrath and the anger of God the Almighty,
16. and he hath upon the garment and upon his thigh the name written, 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.'
17. And I saw one messenger standing in the sun, and he cried, a great voice, saying to all the birds that are flying in mid-heaven, 'Come and be gathered together to the supper of the great God,
18. that ye may eat flesh of kings, and flesh of chiefs of thousands, and flesh of strong men, and flesh of horses, and of those sitting on them, and the flesh of all -- freemen and servants -- both small and great.'
19. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, having been gathered together to make war with him who is sitting upon the horse, and with his army;
20. and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who did the signs before him, in which he led astray those who did receive the mark of the beast, and those who did bow before his image; living they were cast -- the two -- to the lake of the fire, that is burning with brimstone;
21. and the rest were killed with the sword of him who is sitting on the horse, which [sword] is proceeding out of his mouth, and all the birds were filled out of their flesh.

Revelation 20
1. And I saw a messenger coming down out of the heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain over his hand,
2. and he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, who is Devil and Adversary, and did bind him a thousand years,
3. and he cast him to the abyss, and did shut him up, and put a seal upon him, that he may not lead astray the nations any more, till the thousand years may be finished; and after these it behoveth him to be loosed a little time.
4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and who did not bow before the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they did live and reign with Christ the thousand years;
5. and the rest of the dead did not live again till the thousand years may be finished; this [is] the first rising again.
6. Happy and holy [is] he who is having part in the first rising again; over these the second death hath not authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7. And when the thousand years may be finished, the Adversary shall be loosed out of his prison,
8. and he shall go forth to lead the nations astray, that are in the four corners of the earth -- Gog and Magog -- to gather them together to war, of whom the number [is] as the sand of the sea;
9. and they did go up over the breadth of the land, and did surround the camp of the saints, and the beloved city, and there came down fire from God out of the heaven, and devoured them;
10. and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.
11. And I saw a great white throne, and Him who is sitting upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven did flee away, and place was not found for them;
12. and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls -- according to their works;
13. and the sea did give up those dead in it, and the death and the hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works;
14. and the death and the hades were cast to the lake of the fire -- this [is] the second death;
15. and if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire.

Looks like to me that the last day is Judgement! Are you going to be judged according to your works?

Not me, "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.

[Iconoclast]

• 

I did not say the last day. Jesus did. I believe Him.

[Iconoclast]

• 

You're not very clear in your writing, are you saying that Christ will raise all of his elect on the last day of the kingdom? And when you say kingdom are you talking about the millennium? Do you think it is wise to make up Scripture? I suggest you spend more time studying John 6 less time writing about it.

Yes...I was very clear. Yes, all will be raised on the last day.
The Kingdom is now. I did not make up scripture....I just believe it as written as you should.

[macuser]

• 

Yes...I was very clear. Yes, all will be raised on the last day.
The Kingdom is now. I did not make up scripture....I just believe it as written as you should.

The Kingdom is now.

That's all I need to know. Thank you for that Iconoclast, I am going to fly to Jerusalem so I can see my Lord seated on David's throne.

[JB Horn]

• 

Yes...I was very clear. Yes, all will be raised on the last day.
The Kingdom is now. I did not make up scripture....I just believe it as written as you should.

You believe what is written, OK.

Matthew 3:2
Matthew 4:17
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:10
Matthew 5:19
Matthew 5:20
Matthew 7:21
Matthew 8:11
Matthew 10:7
Matthew 11:11
Matthew 11:12
Matthew 13:11
Matthew 13:24
Matthew 13:31
Matthew 13:33
Matthew 13:44
Matthew 13:45
Matthew 13:47
Matthew 13:52
Matthew 16:19
Matthew 18:1
Matthew 18:3
Matthew 18:4
Matthew 18:23
Matthew 19:12
Matthew 19:14
Matthew 19:23
Matthew 20:1
Matthew 22:2
Matthew 23:13
Matthew 25:1

[Iconoclast]

• 

The Kingdom is now.

That's all I need to know. Thank you for that Iconoclast, I am going to fly to Jerusalem so I can see my Lord seated on David's throne.

You might save the plane fare and just read Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost;

29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

and then this;
Acts15:Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. “And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
‘After this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord. Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the ‘Lord who does all these things’ (Acts 15:14-18).

[Iconoclast]

• 

You believe what is written, OK.

Matthew 3:2
Matthew 4:17
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:10
Matthew 5:19
Matthew 5:20
Matthew 7:21
Matthew 8:11
Matthew 10:7
Matthew 11:11
Matthew 11:12
Matthew 13:11
Matthew 13:24
Matthew 13:31
Matthew 13:33
Matthew 13:44
Matthew 13:45
Matthew 13:47
Matthew 13:52
Matthew 16:19
Matthew 18:1
Matthew 18:3
Matthew 18:4
Matthew 18:23
Matthew 19:12
Matthew 19:14
Matthew 19:23
Matthew 20:1
Matthew 22:2
Matthew 23:13
Matthew 25:1

Yes....a very fine list of verses....I believe all of them as written.

[SovereignGrace]

• 

I tend to shy away from this subject, as it genders more heat than the Calvinism vs Arminianism debate does. But I will add my thoughts to this subject.

Here are a couple passages used to prove a pre-trib rapture...

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.[1 Thess. 4:13-18]

What I do know is this passage is it says the Christ is coming again to gather His children into the cloud to forever be with Him. What is not said is the timing of His second advent. All eschatological positions use this passage. There is no mention of the time this is to happen. We do not know if this parousia is pre, mid, or post trib. So I do not believe a pre-trib rapture can find traction in this passage.

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.[Rev. 4:1,12]

I don't know if it was Darby who started this, but the pre-trib dispensationialists use this as when John was caught up to heaven to mean this is when the church is raptured and from Revelation 4------>Revelation 19 it is the great tribulation. It says John was 'caught up', not the church. To use this to mean a pre-trib rapture, one has to go by inference only. There is nothing concrete for a pre-trib rapture in this passage, either.

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O  DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.[1 Cor. 15:51-58]

Again, here is a passage of scriptures used for a pre-trin rapture, but there is no mentioning of the timing when this take place. It doesn't say of His second advent here is pre, mid, or post-trib. Again, another passage that shows to prove a pre-trib rapture, one has to go with inferences.


The reason why I don't fight about this all believers will be where He is. They will be happy just to be with Him. So comfort each other with these words..."The Lord is coming again..."

[Moss]

• 

I tend to shy away from this subject, as it genders more heat than the Calvinism vs Arminianism debate does. But I will add my thoughts to this subject.

Here are a couple passages used to prove a pre-trib rapture...

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.[1 Thess. 4:13-18]

What I do know is this passage is it says the Christ is coming again to gather His children into the cloud to forever be with Him. What is not said is the timing of His second advent. All eschatological positions use this passage. There is no mention of the time this is to happen. We do not know if this parousia is pre, mid, or post trib. So I do not believe a pre-trib rapture can find traction in this passage.

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.[Rev. 4:1,12]

I don't know if it was Darby who started this, but the pre-trib dispensationialists use this as when John was caught up to heaven to mean this is when the church is raptured and from Revelation 4------>Revelation 19 it is the great tribulation. It says John was 'caught up', not the church. To use this to mean a pre-trib rapture, one has to go by inference only. There is nothing concrete for a pre-trib rapture in this passage, either.

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O  DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.[1 Cor. 15:51-58]

Again, here is a passage of scriptures used for a pre-trin rapture, but there is no mentioning of the timing when this take place. It doesn't say of His second advent here is pre, mid, or post-trib. Again, another passage that shows to prove a pre-trib rapture, one has to go with inferences.


The reason why I don't fight about this all believers will be where He is. They will be happy just to be with Him. So comfort each other with these words..."The Lord is coming again..."

We do know that it cannot be post trip because of Revelation 11. The Scripture tells us that no man knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36) of Christ's return (The rapture not the second coming). I believe this prophecy to be true, which means to me that anyone alive and familiar with the Scripture would be able to tell exactly when they were in the 3 1/2 year mark of the tribulation. This would mean that for 3 1/2 years they would know exactly when the rapture was to occur. This of course could not be, and will not be allowed to happen. This means the rapture has to occur before the two witnesses are killed.






This is the rapture not the second coming
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 "Now concerning that day and hour no one knows-neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son -except the Father only. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn't know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be: 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don't know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.