APART FROM THOSE CHRISTIANS ALIVE WHEN THE RAPTURE OCCURS, WE WILL ALL FACE THE CHILLING HAND OF DEATH. (nice way to start off a post huh?)
Nevertheless this is the truth. Death is seen as an enemy, but what is so bad about a believer dying?
IS IT THE PAIN?
- Pain is felt by the mortal body, but death is separation from the mortal body.
- Those believers who die have left pain behind along with the problems of life.
- So, it can't be Pain...
IS IT THE LOSS OF HOPE?
- Actually, for a believer, death is HOPE realized!
- Jesus is our hope of Eternal life...in death we find that promise fulfilled.
- "For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord"
- So, it can't be a loss of hope...
IS IT FEAR?
- Death is mentioned as something that stings, but we often fear things which cannot harm us.
- Death, for a believer, is like a garter snake...no fangs...it might look like something dangerous, but there's really nothing to fear.
- The "sting" of death was sin and the penalty of God's law for sin, which is eternal separation (second death)...but through faith in Jesus Christ the penalty of sin has been paid for us, so it can't be fear...
IS IT THE LOSS OF MORTAL LIFE?
- Mortal life is only temporary for any of us!
- In Christ the mortal shall put on immortality and the life to come and the glorified body promised are far better!
- Believers who die leave behind: pain, sorrow, troubles / trials...they would never trade what they have now to come back to the mortal body!
- In fact, they would rather see you leave the mortal body to come to where they are now with Christ for it is far better, so it can't be a loss of mortal life...
THE ANSWER IS THAT IT IS A LOSS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH THOSE WHO PASS!
- We who are left behind in the mortal life long for their company but can no longer have it...we miss them being with us here.
- We are left here wondering about mysteries they already fully understand!!
- But our hope is also in Jesus Christ and so we have the assurance that though they will not come back to us, our loss of fellowship is only temporary! We will one day join them!
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as I always say, we must trust the true meaning of Bible words to best understand the message contained within, and not base our conclusions on interpretation, guessing or proffering any theories.
ReplyDeleteARE WE REALLY TAKEN TO HEAVEN AT THE RAPTURE, OR MERELY GREET AND ESCORT JESUS BACK TO EARTH?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 states "we are caught up in the air to "meet" with Christ. The actual word "meet" is actually the noun "meeting." It does not say that were then taken back to Heaven. The word MEETING in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the Greek noun, "apantesis," which describes "a meeting" also occurs in Matt. 25:6); Acts 28:15; 1 Thess. 4:17. It is used in the papyri of a newly arriving magistrate. "It seems that the special idea of the word was the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary" (see Moulton, Greek Test. Gram. Vol. I, p. 14). It is only used three times in the Bible (1 Thes 4:17; Matt 25.6 and Acts 28:15 and they say the same thing. In Matthew 25:6 (KJV) "6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." In Acts 28:15, "And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." In all three cases "It seems that the special idea of the word was the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary all three cases it means. Therefore, we are not taken to Heaven but rather we are caught up to meet, greet and then escort Jesus to earth where He will reign for eternity.