The name of your thread is..........."Purpose of the Rapture "?
Revelation 3:10 ........
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Though the recent formulation of the rapture doctrine is often used to discredit it; be not troubled. Every one needs to realize that the Trinity doctrine was not fully formulated until 325 A.D., and that many early believers went to Heaven without truly understanding it. As a matter of fact, it is unclear how many of even the apostles and disciples who walked with Jesus understood Trinity, because only John wrote about it.
It would also be helpful if we all did not forget the reason that there will be a Tribulation Period in the 1st place.
The reason for the tribulation is to use its great horrors and sorrows to........
A) to punish mankind for its sins and
B) to soften the necks and hearts of God’s people the Jews so they will accept Christ.
Either A) or B) will happen, there will be no in between!
So why expose the church to (A) since their sins have already been forgiven?
It will be like a parent KNOWINGLY giving a child a spanking for something that he has not done! And why expose the church to (B) if they have already accepted Christ? Now some might allege that Christians will be useful during the great tribulation in converting the few remaining saints and also instructing and comforting them. The truth is that the Church has never ever saved one single human being. Salvation is 100% the work of God not man.
Not so Biblically speaking! Now, just how are they supposed to do that? All conversions, teachings, comfortings, etc. that were done by the saints in the age of grace were works of the Holy Spirit. So how are they do to these works when the Holy Spirit is GONE FROM THE EARTH?
According to the Bible, one can not be saved today without the conviction of the Holy Spirit and His "pointing" us to Christ to be saved. So HOW are they saved???
When one reads Revelation concerning the 144,000 we see that it is through their ministry and work during the Tribulation that leads a great revival. The 144,000 will preach Christ and Him crucified and also that no can take the Mark of the Beast and be saved. For that reason, it will be very hard to be saved during the Tribulation. One MUST come into contact with one of the 144,ooo Jewish men, accept Christ and refuse the Mark.
The church is never in view after chapter 4:1 and the word church does not appear again in the Revelation. Could there be a reason for that?
The exhortation by the Lord to" be ready "
and in another place "the Bride has got herself ready "
and that all those ministers of God were and are given to the chur4ch to perfect the Bride and get her ready fro the coming of the Lord .
In the light of revelation 2 where ALL the churches save one had to repent and even that one had left its first love .
and the last church which in its own eyes was "rich and increased with goods " Prosperity then. and reasoned thus "it needed nothing"
was in the Lord eyes poor wretched and blind and it did not even know it . Could hardly be said to be ready.
Indeed the Lord states that he stands at the door and knocks!
That is a call to the whole church to repent . The promise however is to" those who have ears to hear and open the door ,to THEM wilI I/........"
Lot was counted righteous for" his righteous soul was vexed " but he walked by sight and not by faith .
he was saved THROUGH or from the judgement of God . Abraham who walked by faith was no where near the place.
It is written of some "they shall suffer loss as through fire" Lot lost all but the saving of his soul .
Noah was saved THROUGH the flood .
Enoch was translated before it happened .
The confusion arises becazuse of the error in teaching that ALL who are 'saved or BORNagain are automatically in the Bride .
We are not .
That is the HIGH calling to which we are called . and every true born child of God is so called .
Out of all the disciples it was Peter James and John who saw and heard things the others did not .
and even out of those three when Jesus said at the last supper "one of you will betray me "
They ALL said "is it I" Only John was able to say "who is it Lord" For he knew it was not him.
Out of the 12 tribes there was levi .
and all 11 tribes had an inheritance .
Levi" had no inheritance for God was their inheritance"
Jesus is called the last Adam .he is therefore like3ned unto the first .
The first had a wife or bride. From whence did she come?
Out form the midst of his body.
So then with the last Adam who also has a body ."For a body hast thou prepared for me " and the Bride comes out of the midst of that body also .
Abraham (the father) sent his servant (the holy Spirit) to seek a bride or wife for his son .The Son of promise .
Where did he send him? Not to the world . But to go to his bretheren.
The rapture or translation happens before the outpouring of Gods wrath and judgement upon the earth and will take those virgins who are wise and have their vessels full . all the time . For thought they might sleep also they will be and are ready .
in Christ
gerald