seeking the lost

There are only two references that identify the rapture. Both connect the rapture with the resurrection of the dead in Christ. The dead in Christ must rise first then those who are alive and remain will be caught up. There are only two resurrections and only one meets the requirement of a rapture.

Yes! The teaching of Jesus is that the tares will be taken out first. That teaching is from the parable of the wheat of the tares. Multiple raptures require additions to the scripture. Many ignore the warning and add at will to the text.

I have to agree with you that the partial rapture theory lacks a biblical foundation. The rapture as stated in the scripture contains those who are alive and remain. Those who are alive and remain are preceded by the dead in Christ. Looking forward to being left behiind.

The final resurrection is the last day. Jesus said that those who believe in Him will be raised on the last day. The judgment is described in Matt 25. This is connected to the last day. This is the time of separation of sheep and goats. Sheep and Goats are both there.

Rapture is different from ascension. Rapture is when those who are alive and remain are caught up and changed.

Before the rapture, there must be a resurrection. Do you think it is OK to add a resurrection to facilitate your views? The first resurrection is not until the end of the tribulation

You have such an interesting take on scripture. Two questions for you. What does your timeline and what is your hope?

The text is the final word not personal opinions. Jesus will come as the conquering king in the days of vindication. This is when the tares are taken out and the floor is thougally purged. Everyone who does not have the mark of God will be cast into the winepress of the wrath of God. The wheat continues to grow for a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, 2 Peter comes into play. 2 Peter 3:10-13KJV 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. The purpose of the rapture is to take those who are alive and remain faithful to the new heavens and the new earth. This is the time that the rest of the dead are raised. All are raised at this time and the sheep and goats are separated.

Do you realize that by saying there is no literal Thousand-year reign on earth you may be taking away from the writings of this book? The nature of the Millenium is often perverted but there is a record of this on the earth. The first resurrection that you have pointed out is limited to those that have been beheaded. They do not go up and there is not a resurrection of all the righteous at this point. This being said it must also be noted that the rapture has not happened yet. The martyrs reign with Jesus on the earth for a thousand years. They are joined by the elect for whom the days were shortened. These are natural people that marry and have children. Satan is bound during this time. If there were a rapture before this time and all are changed then the final test is meaningless. If everyone on earth has participated in the first resurrection and have become like the angels then the testing is meaningless. Those that are part of the first resurrection will not be subject to the second death. The text indicates there is a huge number that will be affected by the great deception. The rest of the dead resurrection at the end of the thousand years is the time that the dead in Christ are raised and the time of the rapture.

That is not what the text says.

I need a clarification of the text. You have said that the first resurrection is of the just. Let us take a closer look at the text. Rev. 20: 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The first resurrection is clearly defined. Three things define this resurrection, content, time, and purpose. The content, "I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;". This is a closed set. No one that is not listed is raised at this time. The time is right before the millennium and the purpose is to reign with Christ. "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Those that are raised in the first resurrection do not go up in the air. They are raised to reign on the earth. This way they do not have to make a big U-turn. The next resurrection content is clearly identified by content and time. Rev. 20: 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. The rest of the dead includes everyone not included in the first resurrection.

I do believe that Jesus must have got it wrong. He said, "38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6) There are many people raised from the dead from the beginning of time until now. Jesus told us to heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead. Most of these are raised to life and then die again. These cases do not include an ascension or a rapture. Everyone will support views with some text or reasoning. The truth can only be known by accepting the text as written. Be careful of seeing what you want to see.

I think John and Jesus were aware of when resurrections occur. They are aware of the two witnesses but yet the record is clear the first resurrection takes place at the beginning of the Millenium. You may disagree with my understanding but I am only relating the text as written. The dead in Christ rise on the last day which coincides with the rest of the dead resurrection. Rev. 20: 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. These two resurrections are unalterable resurrections. They should not be moved in time or content.

There is a real-life history of China. American missionaries taught the pre-tribulation rapture. The communist took over with great brutality. Many Christians were tortured and many were killed. They were told and led to believe that God would not let such things happen. Many fell away because of false expectations. Watch out if your hope is in an escape from trouble.

The first resurrection is defined by time, content, and purpose. The time is at the beginning of the thousand years. The content is not all righteous but limited to those described in the text of Rev. 20. The purpose is to reign with Christ upon the earth. (They do not go up as if they missed the earth and had to come back down) Rev.20: 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Just two resurrections. First of those that were beheaded (I do not want to add to that description, only those listed). The second resurrection is The rest of the dead. This includes righteous and unrighteous from Adam To the end of the Millenium. Then they are separated sheep on the right and goats on the left. Matt. 25: 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.