P.s. I DO believe in the Rapture, but lots of people I like and respect don't. I'm not going to make it the point of my conversation with fellow believers.
Hebrews 10
23Let us hold fast the profession of
our faith without wavering; (for he
is faithful that promised
24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some
is; but exhorting
one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.
That’s good to know because most of Pre-Trib camp automatically assume that we would be “left behind” simply for believing there is only coming back of Jesus. I can’t understand for the life of me that would determine my lack of faith?
However, I would like to say that what has made me believe in the second coming of Christ is one return and not two. I don’t believe that it is a salvation issue whatsoever. Imll give a couple of reasons as to why I don’t and can’t accept or readopt a Pre-Trib stance.
1. John 15:20-25 KJV
20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
&
John 13:13-17 KJV
13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
2. I’ll just let scripture convey the point I’m trying to make. If Jesus can cover Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: from harm from the fiery furance without so much as a burn, which makes me have 100% faith & trust that he can protect us from anything including his wrath.
Daniel 3:19-27 KJV
19Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
3. This one is my favourite
John 17:13-19 KJV
13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
4. These only further enforce my beliefs firmly about the matter
Matthew 16:25-27
25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
27 does not mention the son of man in his final return returning with any saints, but angels only.
& again in
Luke 9:23-27 KJV
23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall
the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
Again in 26 we see not mention of Jesus Christ coming back with only the angels. There is no mention of returning with the saints.
Okay bear with me please because this is where I believe the Pre-trib stances is wifely built upon this scripture as well as that really old Christian move called “Left behind” (the old one), you know the with song “I wished we’ed all been ready” still love the song to this day. This passage defines how believers are suppose to be taken (as it is in the movie)
in Luke, so please hear me out, thanks.
Luke 17:33-37 KJV
33Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
However there is scripture that fully indicates that it is not the body of Christ/believers/sheep/wheat etc
On the contrary scriptue does tell us who these are that are being “taken” FIRST in
Matthew 13:30 KJV
30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Here it specifically says without any mistake that it is the tares that are gathered first, not children of God, or the wheat.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For 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: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
These are my reaso backed by scripture. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV makes it clear and obvious (at least to me) that the living cannot precede the dead when recieving our glorified bodies. The dead rise FIRST, then those who God has kept and preserved his living children will be caught up afterwards. This is the scripture that really demonstrates why I believe there is only one coming.
Thank you for your time.
God bless you.