Is the Rapture the Second Coming of Christ? If not, how come there is only one resurrection of the righteous dead since Christ's resurrection and the end of the world, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20-25?
1 Corinthians 15:20 - 25
ESV - 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
I myself do not believe in the rapture because it is not biblical.
In my opinion, the rapture & Jesus Christ's return is the same. This is a very serious matter, an important event that only the Creator God can do, giving new flesh & life to previous persecuted souls - now awarded heroes/faithful believers of Christ (1st redeemed from the human race). They are called RESURRECTION, that they May rule with Christ for a 1000 years, spreading good news to the ends of earth. They were resurrected after Christ.
Such great events involving the power of a God, and rebirth of dead souls ought to be noticed & marked in history.
I look at it like this. In the book of ACTS the angels told the disciples, "Why stand ye here gazing? The same way you see him ascending into the clouds is the same way you'll see him when he returns." He's coming back one more time. There is no two different times he's going to come back.
If you are alive during the GREAT TRIBULATION you will go through the GREAT TRIBULATION. Believe that. Why would God allow all those who have suffered and died for Christ's sake to go through torture and be killed for the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, but we escape or are rescued before going through anything? I don't believe that is going to happen. We will go through being led and kept by JESUS CHRIST.
Yes.
First of all this is not a salvation issue. There are believers that believe differently about the timing of the rapture. When I received the free gift of eternal life 74 yeas ago, I did not even know there was a rapture.
John 3:18 Believers are no longer condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already because they have not believed on the name of the Son of God. John 6:47.
But those who study the scriptures believe the rapture of the church, the apostasia departure from earth to heaven will occur before the 7 year tribulation..
Believers under grace, Romans 11:6, are given eternal life as a free gift by faith alone in Jesus one blood sacrifice for all sin.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When believers die, it is only our soul/spirit that goes to heaven. At the rapture, the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then those that remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
The saints who are in heaven will receive their resurrected bodies, and we who are alive will be changed in the twinkling of an eye when we will be conformed to His image. Jesus. We will be like Him.
IT is actually all in the gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4 That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. The second we believe that gospel we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and given eternal life.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
So, even those who do not believe in the rapture of the church who have believed in Jesus as the only way of salvation, will go in the rapture.
John 3:36 Believers have eternal life, but unbelievers are under the wrath of God because they have not believed on the name of the Son, of God
John 3:16-18. If you are a whosoever, you will go in the rapture of the church. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that ALL that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day. The rapture of the church. The bride of Christ.
First Thessalonians 4:18. We are to comfort one another with these words.
Israel is now at a full scale war with Hamas. This is bible prophesy. The rest of the nations will not help them. The US has always been an ally of Israel, but now we have forsaken them. They do not have a friend in the world.
They believe their Messiah will come, but the one who comes will be the anti Christ. The son of perdition. He will make a treaty with them for 7 years, but break it after three and a half years.
All hell is about to break lose on the earth. Thank God we will not be here. I have my own reasons for believing we could be raptured out before the end of this month. If not, most likely before the end of the year.
I am not a date setter, but Paul did say. First Thessalonians 5:1-4. That that day will not over take us as a thief in the night. First Thessalonians 5:9-11. God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 10:28-29 His promise to us. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And my Father who is greater than all, no one can pluck them out of His hand.
Even if we never believe it again. Second Timothy 2:13. If we believe not, He abideth faithful, He can not deny Himself. Ephesians 1:13.Sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. God will not break His promise to us John 6:40. John 3:18. Gods word. And He can not lie. John 5:24 First John 5:13, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Jesus said it, we believe it, and that settles it. John 3:16.