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Rapture of the Church

Frequently Asked Questions

Is I Thessalonians 4:13-17 talking about the rapture?
Who is taken out of the way in II Thessalonians 2:7?
What does it mean the Lord will come as a thief in the night?
How will we know when the true Jesus Christ returns?
If the rapture is not true why do so many people believe it?

1) Is I Thessalonians 4:13-17 talking about the rapture? No. The subject of these verses are were are the dead. We get that from verse 13 and the word asleep which means decease. Verses 16 and 17 are talking about the seventh trump when Jesus Christ returns and we are all changed into our spiritual bodies at that time (I Corinthians 15:50-53). The dead in Christ rise first because they are already with Him in heaven. Jesus Christ is coming back to earth, no one is going to fly away to meet Him.

Asleep 2837 koimao (koy-mah'-o); from 2749; to put to sleep, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease: KJV-- (be a-, fall a-, fall on) sleep, be dead.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53
V50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
V51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
V52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
V53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(KJV)

Sleep Same as asleep above, Strong's 2837.
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2) Who is taken out of the way in II Thessalonians 2:7? Michael the archangel. When God gives the word, Michael will cast Satan and the ones that follow him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). Some believe that this is talking about the Holy Spirit, Christians, or the church, it's not.

Revelation 12:7-9
V7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
V8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
V9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
(KJV)
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3) What does it mean the Lord will come as a thief in the night? This means that when Jesus Christ returns, many will not be expecting Him because they think that He is already here on earth. But in reality, they have been worshiping Satan who will be claiming that he is Jesus Christ and here to rapture them away.
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4) How will we know when the true Jesus Christ returns? The best way to tell if the true Jesus Christ has returned or if it's just Satan claiming to be Christ is if you still have a flesh body or not. We are told when the true Jesus Christ returns at the last trump, we shall be changed into our spiritual body in the twinkling of an eye. See I Corinthians 15:50-53
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5) If the rapture is not true why do so many people believe it? It is because in the first earth age they were not strong enough to make a stand against Satan and follow God. So in this earth age God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie like the rapture. See Romans 11:7-10 and II Thessalonians 2:10-12 By doing this, God shows His love and mercy for His children. For if they did know the truth, they could run the risk of committing the unforgivable sin.
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You can read our Rapture of the Church Bible study for more information.