| The Rapture Of The Church Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib or Post-Trib? |
The Church is divided. The debate goes on but should it? Our website has
received numerous emails regarding the "timing" of the Rapture. Some are
Saints who believe in the Pre-trib Rapture; some believe it will be Mid-trib and
others believe Post-trib. The following is our conviction regarding this matter:
Each rapture position has its strengths and weaknesses. It's NOT a doctrinal
issue that we need to argue about for we all believe that Jesus Christ is coming
for His Saints. The timing is the question.
The Bible instructs us to wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
what are we to do in the meantime? We are to fulfill the Great Commission--
to preach the Gospel; to be sober in an ungodly age, to visit the fatherless and
widows and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. If every Christian
were to focus upon these things, it would be far more fruitful for the Kingdom.
Yet arguments continue about when the Lord is coming. One need only to visit
any forum where the Rapture is discussed to see the various opinions and the
division among the Saints. We, at CRM, believe Christ is coming soon. We are
Pre-tribulationists but as one theologian has said, If the Lord Jesus comes
before the Tribulation, we shall rejoice. If He comes at Mid-Trib, we shall
rejoice. And if He should come at Post-Trib, we shall rejoice.
No matter what, Christ's literal appearing shall put an end to this present evil
world in which we live. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and we shall
reign with Him. Let us give thanks!
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words.
We know the Lord Jesus is coming and we rejoice to see that day; and in the
meantime, we should occupy till He come. Instead of arguing with one
another, we should be earnestly contending for the Faith; the Lord Jesus will
come when He comes. We are to be READY.
As the redeemed of the Lord, we are not appointed unto wrath. Nowhere do
we ever read God judging the righteous with the wicked. Noah and his family
were safe in the ark; Lot and his two daughters were spared from the judgment
of Sodom. God never lumps the wicked and righteous together. There is
always a distinction between the two. Take for example in the Book of Exodus,
the children of Israel dwelling in Goshen without judgment, compared to the
plagues transpiring upon the Egyptians. Again, we repeat: God does not judge
the righteous with the wicked. He always keeps His own. Those that fear Him,
need not fear anything nor anyone else. The judgment and wrath of God will
be most severe during the Tribulation period but the plagues are just a foretaste
in store for the wicked when Christ Jesus returns. He shall slay the wicked--
the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God shall be realized when the Lord
Jesus appears in all His power and glory-- coming to earth, with the holy angels
and with His Saints.
The Day of the Lord is the day the Old Testament prophets foresaw. Finally
injustice shall be put to an end-- the evil kingdom of the Beast destroyed and
the people of God established in the earth-- "The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever
and ever" (Rev 11:15.) We all look forward to the day when Christ Jesus shall
reign on David's Throne. That is something all of us (whether pre-trib,
mid-trib, post-trib) agree upon. Our Lord come! Maranatha!
The Lord Jesus may not come back in your lifetime. Tomorrow is promised to
no one. The question is, are you ready to meet Him when you die? Are you
saved today? Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? This is truly
the most important question.
Rev 1:7 Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and
they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of Him. Even so, Amen.
©2007 Cobblestone Road Ministries
All Rights Reserved
Further Reading:
Do You Know The Lord? Are You Rapture Ready?
Why A Pre-Trib Rapture?
The Second Coming - in the Old Testament Scriptures
Till He Come - By A.C. Gaebelein
His Final Triumph - By A.C. Gaebelein
The Ten Virgins - Commentary on Matthew 25 - By CHM
20 Prominent Facts Taught in the NT on the Return of the Lord
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
received numerous emails regarding the "timing" of the Rapture. Some are
Saints who believe in the Pre-trib Rapture; some believe it will be Mid-trib and
others believe Post-trib. The following is our conviction regarding this matter:
Each rapture position has its strengths and weaknesses. It's NOT a doctrinal
issue that we need to argue about for we all believe that Jesus Christ is coming
for His Saints. The timing is the question.
The Bible instructs us to wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
what are we to do in the meantime? We are to fulfill the Great Commission--
to preach the Gospel; to be sober in an ungodly age, to visit the fatherless and
widows and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. If every Christian
were to focus upon these things, it would be far more fruitful for the Kingdom.
Yet arguments continue about when the Lord is coming. One need only to visit
any forum where the Rapture is discussed to see the various opinions and the
division among the Saints. We, at CRM, believe Christ is coming soon. We are
Pre-tribulationists but as one theologian has said, If the Lord Jesus comes
before the Tribulation, we shall rejoice. If He comes at Mid-Trib, we shall
rejoice. And if He should come at Post-Trib, we shall rejoice.
No matter what, Christ's literal appearing shall put an end to this present evil
world in which we live. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and we shall
reign with Him. Let us give thanks!
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words.
We know the Lord Jesus is coming and we rejoice to see that day; and in the
meantime, we should occupy till He come. Instead of arguing with one
another, we should be earnestly contending for the Faith; the Lord Jesus will
come when He comes. We are to be READY.
As the redeemed of the Lord, we are not appointed unto wrath. Nowhere do
we ever read God judging the righteous with the wicked. Noah and his family
were safe in the ark; Lot and his two daughters were spared from the judgment
of Sodom. God never lumps the wicked and righteous together. There is
always a distinction between the two. Take for example in the Book of Exodus,
the children of Israel dwelling in Goshen without judgment, compared to the
plagues transpiring upon the Egyptians. Again, we repeat: God does not judge
the righteous with the wicked. He always keeps His own. Those that fear Him,
need not fear anything nor anyone else. The judgment and wrath of God will
be most severe during the Tribulation period but the plagues are just a foretaste
in store for the wicked when Christ Jesus returns. He shall slay the wicked--
the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God shall be realized when the Lord
Jesus appears in all His power and glory-- coming to earth, with the holy angels
and with His Saints.
The Day of the Lord is the day the Old Testament prophets foresaw. Finally
injustice shall be put to an end-- the evil kingdom of the Beast destroyed and
the people of God established in the earth-- "The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever
and ever" (Rev 11:15.) We all look forward to the day when Christ Jesus shall
reign on David's Throne. That is something all of us (whether pre-trib,
mid-trib, post-trib) agree upon. Our Lord come! Maranatha!
The Lord Jesus may not come back in your lifetime. Tomorrow is promised to
no one. The question is, are you ready to meet Him when you die? Are you
saved today? Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? This is truly
the most important question.
Rev 1:7 Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and
they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of Him. Even so, Amen.
©2007 Cobblestone Road Ministries
All Rights Reserved
Further Reading:
Do You Know The Lord? Are You Rapture Ready?
Why A Pre-Trib Rapture?
The Second Coming - in the Old Testament Scriptures
Till He Come - By A.C. Gaebelein
His Final Triumph - By A.C. Gaebelein
The Ten Virgins - Commentary on Matthew 25 - By CHM
20 Prominent Facts Taught in the NT on the Return of the Lord
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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