THE
DOCTRINE OF CHRIST'S RETURN
THE
RESURRECTION AND RAPTURE
As
we look at what the Bible says about the resurrection and the events
surrounding it, it is important to stick to what the Bible says, and not let
our imaginations run wild. Whenever the doctrine being taught consists of
man-made explanations of God’s Word, rather than what the Word explicitly says,
people are being led away from the Word of God.
John
John
1 Corinthians 15:52-53 In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For
our corruptible nature must be made incorruptible, and our mortal nature must
become immortal.
1John 3:2 Beloved, we are now
God’s children, but what we are going to be like has not yet been revealed:
however we know that, when he appears, we will be like him; for we will see him
as he is.
[Comment: From
these verses we learn that; 1- the resurrection will take place on the last day
(John
2Corinthians 5:8 Indeed,
we have courage, and would prefer to be absent from the body, and
present with the Lord.
Jude 14-15 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also
prophesied of these men, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with tens of
thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convict all
the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds that they have committed in such an
ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken
against him.
1Thessalonians
[Comment: From
these verses we learn that: 1- those who have died in Christ are even now
present with Christ; 2- When Christ returns (on the last day) He will bring
them with Him; 3- And, just prior to the rapture, they will be reunited with
their bodies as those bodies rise from the dead.]
1Thessalonians 4:15-17 For we are telling you only
what the Lord has told us, that we who are alive and remain at the coming of
the Lord will not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump 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 shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Thessalonians 5:1-3 Now when
it comes to the times and the seasons, brethren, you do not need me to write to
you. For you know perfectly well that the day of the Lord will come like
a thief in the night. For when they are saying, Peace and safety; destruction
will come upon them suddenly, as travail comes upon a woman with child; and
they will not escape.
2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great
noise, and the elements will melt with intense heat, and the earth and
everything in it will be burned up.
2Peter 3:7 But the heavens
and the earth, that now exist, have by the same word been reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
[Comment: From
these verses we learn that: 1- When the resurrection takes place believers will
be caught up (raptured) to meet Christ in the air; 2-
this will take place on the "day of the Lord"; 3- no man knows when
that day (singular) will be; 4- but on that day (the day when we are raptured) the heavens will pass away, and the earth and
everything in it will be destroyed.]
2Thessalonians 2:1-9 Now, brethren, in regard to the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being gathered together to meet him,
we ask you not to be so easily upset, or alarmed, either by revelation, word,
or letter allegedly from us, claiming that the day of Christ has arrived. Let
no one deceive you by any means: for that day will not come unless it is
preceded by a great apostasy, and that man of sin is revealed, the son of
perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called
God, or is worshipped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, and says
that he is God.… Then the wicked one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and will destroy
with the brightness of his coming [singular]: Even him, whose coming is after
the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.
[Comment: From
these verses we learn that Christ is not going to come back, raise the dead, or
rapture believers until after the Great Antichrist (the son of perdition) is
revealed. And when he does return (on the last day, John
Luke 17:29-30 The
same day that
Revelation 20: 9-11 And fire
came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and
sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented
day and night for ever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne, and him who
sat upon it, from whose presence the heavens and earth fled away.
[Comment: From
these verses we learn: 1- that just as Sodom was destroyed as soon as Lot was
out of it, the world will be destroyed as soon as the saints are raptured out of it; 2- The final judgement
will take place after fire has come "down from God out of heaven" to
destroy the world. (See 2 Peter 3:10)]
CONCLUSION
Just
as there were many false prophets in ancient
Gary Ray Branscome