Topics on Second Coming. Expostion of misused Bible texts.

[MichaelSnow]

Here are a few key posts on  the Second Coming which many evangelical Christians take out of context.

Scroll thru for:

We are not appointed to Wrath...1Thess. 4 vs. Left Behind...The Last Days...Armageddon...more

https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/category/second-coming-revelation/

[WilliamL]

From this site:

" The Church Is Mentioned After Revelation Chapter 3, by Bible Church Online

Jan23

While the Greek word for church, εκκλεσια, ecclesia, is not mentioned after Revelation chapter three, the saints, which are the church, certainly are mentioned after Revelation chapter three. Those saints are mentioned at least fifteen times after Revelation chapter three.

Church, Ecclesia

There is an argument in some circles, that since the word ‘church’ is not mentioned in Revelation after chapter three, the church is absent during that period. This type of argument is known as an argument from silence. "

Just like to point out that "the Church" is not mentioned per se at all in Revelation. In chapters 2-3, it is always "the church of [Sardis etc.]": specific congregations only. The whole Church of Christ is never mentioned of itself as "the Church," so this pre-trib argument is based upon a false premise from its beginning. Which is typical of many pre-trib arguments.

[R. Hartono]

6 hours ago, WilliamL said:

From this site:

" The Church Is Mentioned After Revelation Chapter 3, by Bible Church Online

Jan23

While the Greek word for church, εκκλεσια, ecclesia, is not mentioned after Revelation chapter three, the saints, which are the church, certainly are mentioned after Revelation chapter three. Those saints are mentioned at least fifteen times after Revelation chapter three.

Church, Ecclesia

There is an argument in some circles, that since the word ‘church’ is not mentioned in Revelation after chapter three, the church is absent during that period. This type of argument is known as an argument from silence. "

Just like to point out that "the Church" is not mentioned per se at all in Revelation. In chapters 2-3, it is always "the church of [Sardis etc.]": specific congregations only. The whole Church of Christ is never mentioned of itself as "the Church," so this pre-trib argument is based upon a false premise from its beginning. Which is typical of many pre-trib arguments.

The wise virgins are taken (raptured) but the foolish are left behind with the rest of the world.

[BibleWords]

The church is not present after Rev.4:1 on earth.

The saints are mentioned, yes, but they are the tribulation saints saved after the rapture.

They are still saints because they know Jesus but they are not a part of the church.

The Bible separates believers into more than one category.  
1.  Old Testament believers.

2.  New Testament believers, which are the church.

3.  Tribulation believers, who are saved after the rapture.

 

 

[AdHoc]

The argument that we are not appointed to wrath is a very good one. It has just one weakness. the word "appointed" does not mean "guaranteed". The U.S president "appoints" his staff but their "appointment" is precarious. Look back on how many "appointees" were replaced by the same president. Luke 3:13 shows this

"And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you."

Implied is that the "appointed" amount is regularly changed.

Next, there is a very good reason why the "Ekklesia" is not mentioned again after Revelation 4:1. The last four Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 promise that Jesus will come in their day. Only one of these four is in any condition to happily welcome the Lord - Philadelphia. It is against all biblical teaching that someone will benefit from a blessing if he is ensconced in the enemy's camp. Take Revelation 18:4 for instance where God's people are involved with Mystery Babylon. Will they escape her plagues? Again, think of Korah's rebellion in Numbers. Why did the Lord warn Israelites not to stand too close to Korah? It should be clear that when our Lord comes the Church will be apostate and will be in no condition to be  "harvested" (Matt.13:39). No farmer harvests unripe grain. The fact is, most of the Church will be ina miserable condition spiritually and not fit for "harvest".

Turning then to Matthew 24:32 we know that our Lord Jesus is addressing His Church. He starts with a parable. According to Matthew 13 His parables are only for believers. Then, He alludes to a world-wide judgment like Noah's time and says that the unwary will be like those "taken" by the flood. the Greek word means "snatched away in violent judgment" like our sins on the cross. Then our Lord, in the same breath, introduces two laborers. One is "taken" by the Lord silently and stealthily. But the Greek is different to those "taken" in judgment. The word is "paralambano" which means, "to be taken on a journey as a well-known acquaintance". Who are they? The Lord does not leave the answer up to us. he says in verse 44 that WE must be ready and that the "thief" is the "Son of man".

That is, the "Son of man" will come stealthily, and "TAKE as a good friend, some of the House". This "taking" will "break" the house up. Those "LEFT" are left because they were NOT READY. There follows, in the remaining verses of Chapter 24, a concrete case of a "SERVANT" of the Lord who served Him well until the Lord DELAYED. That same servant then abuses his fellow servants until "the Lord of that servant" returns. Far from some glorious rapture, that evil servant will suffer loss and chastisement. He is and  remains "a servant", but his WORKS condemned him, not lack of faith.

There are THREE plain scriptures that tell of saints missing the Great Tribulation. But ALL THREE are CONDITIONAL.
1. Philippians 3:10-14 says that there is a special resurrection that must be "ATTAINED TO". It goes further to say that the "UPWARD CALL" (literal Greek) is a PRIZE and that he "stretches" (EFFORT) for this PRIZE

2. Luke 21:35-36 says that to miss the scary time described in the verses leading up to it, a man must be "COUNTED WORTHY". And the previous verses tell us what that is. It is that you don't belong to those men who are drinking to excess and indulging in worldly pleasure to excess. Further, Matthew 24 says that our Lord Jesus will only come out of the clouds "AFTER the Tribulation". Before this He will be IN the clouds. So if you miss the Tribulation you must be IN the clouds standing before the Son of man - which is what 1st Thessalonians 4:13-17 says. But only if you are COUNTED WORTHY.

3. Revelation 3:10 says that ONLY those who kept the "Word of my patience" will He keep from the "HOUR" of trail. He does not say; "keep you IN the trial ...". It is emphatically "keep you FROM ....". Furthermore, it is not "keep you from the trial ... " but "keep you from the HOUR ...". That means that you are kept FROM the TIME that this trial takes. This is decisive because the Trial is on "THE WHOLE EARTH". When God says "whole" then you can be sure that, just like the food of Noah, EVERY CORNER AND CAVE will experience the Great Tribulation.

While these verses show that only those that EARN it will miss the Great Tribulation, there are a number of scriptures that clearly show saints going through the Great Tribulation - like; Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 11 (Two Witnesses), Revelation 12 - "those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ", Revelation 13:7 and Revelation 18:4-5. 

[WilliamL]

11 hours ago, BibleWords said:

The church is not present after Rev.4:1 on earth.

The saints are mentioned, yes, but they are the tribulation saints saved after the rapture.

Classic pre-trib presumptions...

[BibleWords]

Just what the Bible teaches.

[MichaelSnow]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:43 PM, BibleWords said:

The church is not present after Rev.4:1 on earth.

The saints are mentioned, yes, but they are the tribulation saints saved after the rapture.

They are still saints because they know Jesus but they are not a part of the church.

The Bible separates believers into more than one category.  
1.  Old Testament believers.

2.  New Testament believers, which are the church.

3.  Tribulation believers, who are saved after the rapture.

 

 

Nonsense. This is imposing one's novel view on Scripture (eisegesis) rather than letting God's word speak (exegesis) Read the text in context. https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/second-coming-rapture-vs-scripture-christian/

[MichaelSnow]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:04 PM, R. Hartono said:

The wise virgins are taken (raptured) but the foolish are left behind with the rest of the world.

https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/i-want-to-be-left-behind/

[R. Hartono]

6 hours ago, MichaelSnow said:

https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/i-want-to-be-left-behind/

Believe the story of wise virgins taken to the Feast and the foolish left behind is enough for me.

Its your rights to believe or not nobody force you.

God bless.