|
End Times -
Rapture
19/07/2006
There is some division in the Christian world about the rapture being Pre-, Mid- or Post-Tribulation and I just wanted your thoughts on that. Is there a quick nutshell answer?
I have one. I think that based on 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and based on the
first four chapters of the book of Revelation, I believe that it is as clear as
it can be that the church, the body of Christ, those that are truly believers
are raptured or caught away, caught up with Jesus and meeting Him in the air
before the full tribulation of Satan and the antichrist manifests in the earth.
Now, there is tribulation in the earth right now. Jesus said, “In this world,
you’re going to have tribulation.”
But the tribulation that is going to be unleashed is written about in 1
Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians where the Bible says that He that restrains
the man of lawlessness is going to be removed and that’s when the man of
lawlessness is going to be fully revealed in the earth. And who is that man, or
who is that person that is taken away so that the man of lawlessness can be
revealed? That person that is restraining that man of lawlessness right now is
the body of Christ. Because the Bible says that we are the salt of the earth and
the light of the world and the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church.
So as long as the Christians, the church, are in the earth, then the antichrist
cannot fully reveal himself because we are the restraining force of the
antichrist, preventing him from fully manifesting himself. When we are removed,
he fully manifests himself. So, built into the system is an inability for the
antichrist to fully reveal himself until the body of Christ is removed from the
earth according to 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians.
|
End Times -
Rapture
13/04/2006
How do we get ready for the rapture?
Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you will be ready when the Son of Man
returns.” So the first thing that we need to do is we need to be watchful. We
need to be opening our eyes and expecting His return.
Secondly, we need to be praying, praying for others, praying for people’s
salvation, praying for the grace of God to touch the lives of other people.
Thirdly, the Bible says in 1 John chapter 3 that we need to long for His coming.
And as we long for His coming and desire His coming, we will purify ourselves
just as He is pure. So you will experience purity as you pursue a love for the
Lord’s return and an expectation for the Lord’s return.
Another thing we need to do as we get ready for the rapture is we need to tell
others about Jesus. We need to preach the gospel to our loved ones, our friends,
our neighbors and get them to hear the gospel.
I think those are the things. We need to be watchful; we need to pray; we need
to be expecting; we need to love and look forward to His return and we need to
be sharing our faith with others. And those are the best ways that I could tell
you how to be ready for the rapture.
Jesus also in Luke chapter 17, “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith
in the earth?” So, I would encourage you to make sure that you build up your
faith because that’s what He’s looking for when He returns; for us to have
faith, confidence in His Word and for us to also share our faith in the Lord
with others around us. And that’s the best way to get ready for the rapture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|