The Blessed Hope - What is it?

[missmuffet]

Please lets not let this thread turn into a nightmare with people criticizing and being unkind to one another.This is a nice topic lets not ruin it.If people would just respond with what they believe and leave it at that.If you do not have something positive to say then don't say it.

 

James 1:19 So then,[a] my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

[Guest]

Our blessed hope is the resurrection from death to eternal life. There are references to our blessed hope throughout scripture, both in the OT and NT. As an aside - the Rapture is not a "wish", but is indeed a certainty, taught by Paul and Jesus' brother James. Just because the word "Rapture" is not present in scripture, does not mean that it is not contained therein. Sorry, I don't mean to derail the discussion.

[missmuffet]

Our blessed hope is the resurrection from death to eternal life. There are references to our blessed hope throughout scripture, both in the OT and NT. As an aside - the Rapture is not a "wish", but is indeed a certainty, taught by Paul and Jesus' brother James. Just because the word "Rapture" is not present in scripture, does not mean that it is not contained therein. Sorry, I don't mean to derail the discussion.

Well said Rick I agree.

[Willa]

1 Thess. 2:19 NKJV For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

I see this hope as being in Christ's presence at His coming. There is a difference between His coming for His own, and His return when the world is awaiting to do battle with Him.

[Omegaman 3.0]

Please lets not let this thread turn into a nightmare with people criticizing and being unkind to one another.This is a nice topic lets not ruin it.If people would just respond with what they believe and leave it at that.If you do not have something positive to say then don't say it.

 

James 1:19 So then,[a] my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

 

Thanks bopeep, I appreciate you saying that. When I started this topic, I tried to just offer the verse and the topic, make a summary of my thoughts about it, and open it up for others to offer their thoughts. I took the effort to not make it combative or adversarial, there is no need for that.

I thought that maybe I could open the topic, and then stay out of it, since recently too often, people seem to react to the way I post with excessive passion.

I hope that the topic will be discussed in a way, that helps everyone to see what the bible offers, instead of it being a platform for arrogance and pride.

[Last Daze]

Our blessed hope is the resurrection from death to eternal life. There are references to our blessed hope throughout scripture, both in the OT and NT. As an aside - the Rapture is not a "wish", but is indeed a certainty, taught by Paul and Jesus' brother James. Just because the word "Rapture" is not present in scripture, does not mean that it is not contained therein. Sorry, I don't mean to derail the discussion.

 

The resurrection / rapture is a certainty.  No doubt about that.  And no doubt that it is the blessed hope.  However, someone felt compelled to editorialize by stating their timing theory as fact:

 

 

there is no question that it pertains to the pre-tribulation Rapture

 

 

I just have a difficult time giving rhetoric a free pass.

[angels4u]

 

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?

 

I still like to know what you think it means?

[Omegaman 3.0]

 

I still like to know what you think it means?

 

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?

 

 

Actually angels4u, you quoted what I am inclined to think it means above. I have bolded in the quote this time, my inclination, and bolded in italics, a secondary thought..

[Marilyn C]

Hi Omegaman 3.0,

 

You said -

 

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?

 

Looking to the beginning of the Epistle we read -

 

`Paul, a servant of God & an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God`s elect & the acknowledgment of the truth which  is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.` (Titus 1: 1 - 3) 

 

As others have said  - the blessed hope is salvation, eternal life through Jesus our Lord. That is the wonderful entry into God`s eternal purposes.

 

The next aspect of your question concerns the pre-trib rapture. Now that is a detail of God`s purpose for the Body of Christ. Each group - The Body of Christ, Israel & the nations all need salvation, however the details of their purpose is different.

 

If all God desired was for people to only have salvation then He would not have made Israel & the Body of Christ. People could have just been saved & then all return to how Adam was in the garden. But God has eternal purposes for each group & the details are found within God`s word.

 

Thus the blessed hope, I believe is salvation, & the pre-trib. rapture is necessary to bring to completion that purpose. One follows the other when you understand God`s purpose for the Body of Christ.

 

Marilyn.

[Ezra]

Our blessed hope is the resurrection from death to eternal life.

Since the Resurrection and Rapture are simultaneous, the Blessed Hope includes both, and for the Christian it is the completion or finalization of his or her salvation (body, soul, and spirit). For those who died in Christ it is their resurrection and glorification, whereas for those who are alive at the time, it is their transformation and glorification. 

 

As Paul says those who are called are justified, and those who are justified are glorified (Rom 8:30).  The objective being "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). Note what is stated in 1 Jn 3:1-3:

¹ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

³ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

 

The word "appear" is related to "the glorious appearing" in Tit 2:13.