'But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
.. concerning them which are asleep,
.... that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
.. even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
.... For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,
...... that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
........ shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
.. with the voice of the archangel,
.... and with the trump of God:
...... and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
........ Then we which are alive and remain
.......... shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
............ to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.'
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
'For God hath not appointed us to wrath,
.. but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
.... Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep,
...... we should live together with Him.'
(1 Thessalonians 5:9)
'Now we beseech you, brethren,
.. by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
.... and by our gathering together unto Him,
......That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
........ neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us,
.......... as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means:
.. for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,
.... and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
...... Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
........ so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
.. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
.... For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:
...... only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
........ And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
.......... whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth,
........... and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
............ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
.............. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
................ because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
.................. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
.................... That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,
.. because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
.... Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
...... Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
........ Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father,
.......... which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
............ Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.'
(2 Thessalonians 2)
'Behold, I shew you a mystery;
.. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
.... 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.
............ For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
.............. and this mortal must put on immortality.'
(1 Cor. 25:51-53)
* I don't apologize for quoting such lengths of Scripture, for it is important that we actually read what is written. There are several clues given within these Scriptures as to when this event will take place. This is the event which is called 'The Rapture', though it is not called that in Scripture itself.
* This event is not the hope of the church which is the Body of Christ, but it was the hope held by believers during the Acts period, including Paul, before the revelation of the Mystery concerning the church of the one Body was given to him. The hope associated with the church which is the body of Christ, is to be found within the pages of the epistles written following that revelation, (Eph. Phil. Col. 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus).
In Christ Jesus
Chris