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just recently with the way of the world and with studying the bible especially the epistles in regards to the rapture...i got to thinking about the church i went to and how i hadnt heard of any of the things that i was discovering in the bible. coincidentally a church friend phoned right whilst i was thinking this and so as the conversation got warmed up i asked her what did she consider the end times to mean did she know much about the prophecies...the 7 years tribs oh that number was coined by a man ....wha whoah what i am supposed to be watchful for ...for the return of Jesus and the judgement what am i supposed to be hopeful for .... what is the good news had she heard of the blessed hope had she heard of Rapture ...no not really considered it i said i had these questions as i realised from my study of the bible it has not been mentioned..the good news is the only item mentioned in regular church but not in a way that is fruitful or deepening way. i was all too aware that she hadnt really thought about much of these things and was slightly defensive about them and almost implied that i was pushing my views...all i want and need is dialogue to understand why the church is not talking about these things.

The Blessed Hope - What is it? First off, it is located in Titus 2:13: 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and Godly in this present age, 13looking forward to that blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works. No real definition is provided in the above passage, and nothing tells us what it is not either. One thing we do know, is that is is something to look forward to. Some people think this is a reference to the rapture, that catching up of believers, referred to by Paul in 1 Thess 4: 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words. Interesting. Paul here mentions in verse 13, that there are some who have no hope, I never noticed that as a contrast to a blessed hope before - just an observation. Back to my original thought: If this catching up (or rapture as it is sometimes called) is a pre-tribulation event, then it would indeed be a blessed hope (at least for those who will be around near the end), because if would be a meeting with our savior, and an escape from a horrible time that is about to take place. I am wondering though, what in Titus 2, indicates that this is what is being spoken of? Well, to be honest, I am not wondering that exactly, because the answer to my question is "NOTHING". Nothing there indicates that it is a pre-trib rapture. Some take it upon themselves to go beyond the word of God and just define the blessed hope as the pre-trib rapture. I have the hope, one day, that I will meet my savior, face to face, and enter into His rest. I have the hope, that I will be delivered from His wrath He intends to appliy to the ungodly, that I deserve because of my rebellions, my sins. My hope is based upon the promise that rather than endure torment, I will join Him in Heaven, because by His grace alone, I will have been brought there. So anyway, take a look at Titus 2:13 in it's context, and see if you think that the context indicates that the blessed hope is a pre-trib rapture, or is it possible something else? Personally I have a blessed hope, not unlike this idea, in that I am looking forward to the blessed hope of salvation (Titus 2:11) and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, mentioned in Titus 2:13 and described in Matt 24:29 and 30 where we are told that after the tribulation and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds with great glory. So, what are your thoughts. Do you think that Titus 2 tells us that the blessed hope is a pre-trib rapture? Why or why not?