Rapture of the Church (Part 2)

 

Most churches contain people who do not yet believe.  Some are moving in the direction of belief, and others are simply pretending.  Imposters, however, are not to be removed (Matthew 13:28, 29), for that is the Lord’s work alone.  The Good News about Jesus Christ will save us if we firmly believe it and faithfully follow it.

Paul established the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey.  In this study of 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, we will see that the church in Corinth needed the same reassurance as did the Thessalonians regarding their fellow believers who had fallen asleep (died).

Rapture of the Church (Part 1)

The rapture and the second coming of Christ are often confused.  Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a scripture verse is referring to the rapture or the second coming.  However, in studying end-times Bible prophecy, it is very important to differentiate between the two.

The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (all believers in Christ) from the earth. The rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected and, along with believers who are still living, will meet the Lord in the air. This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.  The second coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the Antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His millennial kingdom. The second coming is described in Revelation 19:11-16.

To understand fully the scriptures that deal with the rapture of the church, there will be two separate Bible studies.  In Part 1 we will study and meditate on 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18; and in Part 2, we will be studying and meditating on 1 Corinthians 15: 50-54.

Are Christian’s Required to do Good Works?

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable to men.  (Titus 3:8)

In Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying”, Paul is emphasizing that what he has written (Titus 3:4–8) is a trustworthy statement, one that is central to the Christian faith.  There are four other places in the Pastoral Epistles where Paul labels his teaching as a faithful saying (1 Timothy 1:15, 3:1, 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11–13).  It is significant that the faithful saying in Titus includes an admonition to maintain good works, the theme of the letter.  These things are good and profitable: This emphasizes the practical benefit of good works.

Humble Yourself Before God!

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

We often worry about our position and status, hoping to get proper recognition for what we do. But Peter advises us to remember that God's recognition counts more than human praise. God is able and willing to bless us according to His timing. Humbly obey God regardless of present circumstances, and in His good time - either in this life or in the next- He will lift you up.

The True Church

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-19)

The disciples answered Jesus' question with the common view - that Jesus was one of the great prophets come back to life. This belief may have stemmed from Deuteronomy 18:18, where God said He would raise up a prophet from among the people. Peter, however, confessed Jesus as divine and as the promised and long-awaited Messiah.