THE RAPTURE OF ABIDING SAINTS IN CHRIST   
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). 

The purpose of the pastoral ministry is to "feed you (the church) with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15).  Paul was a faithful pastor and he was concerned that the church would not be ignorant of:

(1) commitment to preaching the saving gospel of Christ (Romans 1:13-16),
(2) all things written for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:1,6,11),
(3) spiritual gifts for evangelizing the world and edifying the church (1 Corinthians 12:1-11),
(4) trial and triumph of God’s ministers (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

Ignorance brings unnecessary suffering and may eventually bring eternal, unending suffering. 

"My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge."  "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).  "That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good" (Proverbs 19:2). 

The Thessalonians were brethren, true and genuine believers, but they had incomplete and imperfect knowledge "concerning them which are asleep", that is, "them which sleep in Jesus" or "the dead in Christ" (1 Thessalonians 4:13,14,16).  They knew about the coming of Christ.  For they "had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" and were already taught "to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10).  Their problem arose regarding those saints who had died before Christ's Coming. 

Would their bodies remain in the graves until the last day?  Would they be excluded from participation in Christ's Coming and in His glorious kingdom?  To answer their questions and prevent sorrow and hopelessness, Paul now describes the order of events at the time of Christ's Coming for His people.

1. THE RESURRECTION OF PRECIOUS SAINTS AT CHRIST’S COMING   
1 Thessalonians 4:13,14; Psalm 116:15; Acts 7:59,60; 1 Corinthians 15:12-23; Acts 2:22-32; John 5:25-29; 11:23-27; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Philippians 3:20,21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-53.

"Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him".  The basis of the believer's hope is the resurrection of Christ.  Just as surely as He died and rose again, so the dead in Christ will be raised and will take part in His Coming.  His resurrection is the pledge and proof of ours.  "The dead in Christ" are now asleep in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16), but they will be raised from the dead at Christ’s Coming.  It is important to know that in the New Testament "sleep" applies only to the body, never to the soul.  The Bible does not teach that the soul sleeps at the time of death. The believer departs to be with Christ at the time of death.  "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:.  Lazarus was conscious in Abraham's bosom immediately after death and the rich man was conscious of torments in the fire and flame of hell immediately after death (Luke 16:19-26).  The penitent, pleading thief on the cross was promised, "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."  While the body of Stephen "fell asleep" at the time of death, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Act 7:56-60).  Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Why did he consider dying as gain?  Because "to die." is "to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:21,23).  So, with regard to the precious saints who have died there is no need for hopeless sorrow.  Resurrection is sure and certain.

2. THE RAPTURE OF PURIFIED SAINTS AT CHRIST’S COMING   
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; John 14:1-3; 16:13-15; Genesis 5:22-24; Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:3,5,9,11; Acts 8:39; 2 Corinthians 12:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord."  Paul received the prophecy of the rapture of God's people by direct revelation from the Lord. The order of events at Christ's Return is clearly revealed, but the time of the rapture is not known.  Everyone of us must be in a state of readiness for Christ's Coming.  In 1 Thessalonians 4:15, and in 1 Corinthians 15:51,52, Paul speaks of himself as one who would be alive at Christ's Coming.  "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord."  "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." However, in 2 Corinthians 4:14 and 5:1, he speaks of the possibility of his being among those who will be raised from the dead.  "Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus."  "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."  Through Paul, the Lord is teaching us that we should be expectant, living righteously and waiting for the Lord's Return at any moment, yet be well prepared, living and labouring for Christ for a lifetime, knowing we may be called to heaven by way of death.  The dead in Christ shall rise and the living saints will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  That is referred to as 'The Rapture.'  It is certain, it is imminent, be ready, be righteous.

3. THE READINESS OF PERSEVERING SAINTS FOR CHRIST’S COMING   
1 Thessalonians 4:17,18; Matthew 24:11-14; Mark 13:13, 29-37; Matthew 24:33-44; Luke 21:34-36; Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 John 3:1-3; Revelation 16:15; 22:12-14

Christ's Coming is much nearer than at the time of Paul.  Thoughts of His Coming should comfort us and encourage us to watchfulness, rapturable lifestyle and rewardable service to the Lord.  There are many indications that the rapture must be very near:

(1) The formation of the State of Israel in 1948 (Luke 21:29-31). For the first time in centuries, the Jews have a national existence in their own homeland.
(2) The rise of many other nations, all other prophetic trees shooting forth (Luke 21:29).
(3) The ecumenical movement, Babylon the great (Revelation 17;18) made up of apostate religious bodies, moving towards a world superchurch.
(4) The worldwide increase in spiritism, sweeping over vast areas of the earth at the moment (1 Timothy 4:1,2; 2 Thessalonians 2:3).
(5) The drastic decline of moral standards (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
(6) Violence and civil disobedience, a spirit of lawlessness abounding in the home, and national life (2 Thessalonians 2:7,.
(7) People having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
( Earthquakes in many places and increasing hostility among nations (Matthew 24:6,7).

These events are actually prophesied as occurring before the Second Coming of Christ to reign on earth.  They do not need to happen before the rapture which comes before the Second Coming.  Their occurrence leads to the conclusion that the rapture must be very near at hand.  "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, lest that day come upon you unawares".

The Trumpet Shall Sound


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-JdoGlJ3yA

Are you ready for the rapture?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck6aji4bdWU

Daily Manna
19.05.11

Our Glorious Hope

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1Thessalonians 4:16).

Whenever we lose our loved ones, we are some times inconsolable because of the physical separation that their death brings. We feel a huge sense of loss and wonder whether we will ever see them again. Death is always a dreaded experience for mortal men as it terminates not only the life of its victims but also the joy of fellowship hitherto enjoyed with such departed loved ones.

But our passage offers a different glimpse into the departure of believers from this world. We are given a comforting message about the reality of death and the hope of resurrection for Christians that die in the Lord. A picture of an upcoming event that will signal the end of this present era is also given. The Rapture of the saint which offers a comforting climax to the stories of struggles, deprivations and battles in this world will be heralded by a trumpet sound and the 'catching away' of believers who are alive. The passage then offers the hope that we shall be reunited with our loved ones that had passed away.

The lesson for every believer is to ensure that he/she is ready as no one knows when the trumpet will sound to herald the Rapture. The hope of every believer to partake in that event should therefore make us to commit our lives more to God and live a life of righteousness that will qualify us to meet Him.

Thought for the day: "For believers, death is a transition to a blissful eternity"

For Details . . .

^^^^^^^^^^ [Quote]THE RAPTURE OF ABIDING SAINTS IN CHRIST
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18[/Quote]rapture is in the future according to you. so the disciples and even apostle paul and who have died s a christian missed it. But the same rapture didn't come from the mouth of Jesus, the reason its not in the red in the gospels.



[Quote]"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren" (1 Thessalonians 4:13).[/Quote]a sign of corruption in the bible. this bold shows that it was from God.



[Quote]The purpose of the pastoral ministry is to "feed you (the church) with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15). Paul was a faithful pastor and he was concerned that the church would not be ignorant of:

(1) commitment to preaching the saving gospel of Christ (Romans 1:13-16),
(2) all things written for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:1,6,11),
(3) spiritual gifts for evangelizing the world and edifying the church (1 Corinthians 12:1-11),
(4) trial and triumph of God’s ministers (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).[/Quote]his personal opinion that he fed and you are still being fed, part of which the above 4 where in saving gospel is preached over the Gospel that the Lord of Jesus gave him to preach as in correcting the mistakes that have around so much that everyone accepts it as the truth and not what it is.

Time Travelers

We are all traveling through time. And we can be sure that somewhere on the road ahead is the return of Jesus.

olaadegbu must have been raptured. good bye true christians. we who remain behind are heathens and disbelievers; infidel muslims and others and the rest are fake christians. shame on the fake christians. you and alethia, and nuclearboy, etc are truly christians, got caught up.

patrick45:


I eagerly wait for the second coming of Christ, dead or alive i will be ready. May the lord keep our souls and protect our salvation.

Brethren guard your hearts with all diligence!!!

Amen!

Sweetnecta:


olaadegbu must have been raptured. good bye true christians. we who remain behind are heathens and disbelievers; infidel muslims and others and the rest are fake christians. shame on the fake christians. you and alethia, and nuclearboy, etc are truly christians, got caught up.

Not yet, but sooner and very soon we are going to see the King. Come with us and we will do you good. Taste of heavenly food.

OLAADEGBU:


Daily Manna
19.05.11

Our Glorious Hope

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1Thessalonians 4:16).

Whenever we lose our loved ones, we are some times inconsolable because of the physical separation that their death brings. We feel a huge sense of loss and wonder whether we will ever see them again. Death is always a dreaded experience for mortal men as it terminates not only the life of its victims but also the joy of fellowship hitherto enjoyed with such departed loved ones.

But our passage offers a different glimpse into the departure of believers from this world. We are given a comforting message about the reality of death and the hope of resurrection for Christians that die in the Lord. A picture of an upcoming event that will signal the end of this present era is also given. The Rapture of the saint which offers a comforting climax to the stories of struggles, deprivations and battles in this world will be heralded by a trumpet sound and the 'catching away' of believers who are alive. The passage then offers the hope that we shall be reunited with our loved ones that had passed away.

The lesson for every believer is to ensure that he/she is ready as no one knows when the trumpet will sound to herald the Rapture. The hope of every believer to partake in that event should therefore make us to commit our lives more to God and live a life of righteousness that will qualify us to meet Him.

Thought for the day: "For believers, death is a transition to a blissful eternity"

For Details . . .

Amen!