Your email:

This, as well as the debate, is confusing to me. Could you please explain your position on the "rapture" as simply as possible? I'm very new here.

 My answer:

Hello,
Good to hear from you again, thanks for the email.

You wrote: This, as well as the debate, is confusing to me. Could you please explain your position on the "rapture" as simply as possible? I'm very new here.

My response: I'm very sorry to be confusing anyone. The imminent return of Christ is a pre-tribulation rapture doctrine that says Christ will come back any moment and no signs or prophecies have to be fulfilled first. This is wrong because Jesus clearly gave us signs and the prophecies of the end abound in scripture. If these are irrelevant then why have them and why did Jesus tell us to watch for his coming? His coming will be like a thief in the night for those who do not know, understand or care about the signs of his coming or the fulfillment of prophecy, they will be surprised. True believers on the other hand who stay true and seeking in the word will understand the signs and fulfillment of the prophecies with the help of the Holy Spirit, so they will not be surprised by his coming but will see the advance signs of his approach and will be found by Him watching for his return.

The resurrection is this: The 'rapture' of the church is the first part of the resurrection, that is, we are caught up into the air, but when we meet Jesus in the air and are made imperishable we will escort him back to earth, this is the rest of the resurrection and will be his second coming and is described by the Greek word 'apantesis.' Jesus says four times in John chapter 6 that he will raise us up on the last day. The last day is the 'day of the LORD' and is the last day of this age and the first day of the next age which is the thousand year reign of Christ. The true believers will be here for the desolation (known as the tribulation). Our salvation is the resurrection of the dead in Christ. The resurrection is our rescue from God's wrath on the last day. The pre-trib myth treats the rapture as some form of evacuation ahead of any tribulation that would be coming, but this is not the case. The tribulation is a time of testing and refinement and he who stands firm to the end will be saved. We are rescued, not evacuated.

Feel free to ask whatever questions you have, I do not want anyone confused on my account.

I pray that I have served you well.

In the service of the LORD Jesus,

Randy