It_Staged

*WHAT IS RAPTURE?*

SUMMARY REMINDER

*The "rapture" comes from Paul's "caught up" remark in verse 17 of 1 THESSALONIANS chapter 4.*

The words *"caught up"* are translated from the Greek word *harpazo,* and latin verb *"rapere"* which means *"to carry off", "sn**ch up"* or *"grasp hastily".*

The translation from harpazo to "rapture" involved two steps: *harpazo* became the latin word *raptus;* raptus became the English word *rapture.*

A dictionary meaning for rapture says: *"the transporting of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven".* So when we mention the rapture it means the removing or taking away of the Christian believers just before the seven years tribulation begins.

*THE RAPTURE WILL BE TWOFOLD.*

TEXT:

*1 THESSALONIANS 4:15-17 "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."*

From the above scripture, we see that "the rapture " will be in twofold; *1.* The Resurrection of the "DEAD IN CHRIST". *2.* The translation of the "LIVING SAINTS"

*GLORIOUS BODY - THE MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE.*

TEXT:

*PHILIPIANS 3:21 "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."*

The body is yet to overcome it's pain, mortality and weaknesses.... *WHY?*..Sin has subjected the body to weakness, mortality, and death; and death brings the body into a very low estate, which is very humbling and mortifying to the pride and vanity of man.... *HOW?*... Adam's sin wrought the moral ruin of the human race. The demonstration is simple, i.e death is universal; all die. Little children, moral people and religious people equally die with the depraved - From Adam to date death reign on the body and no one dies without a sickness.

*Therefore the Bible says in ROMANS 8:22-23; "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."*

At the rapture when the dead in Christ are first raised, their vile bodies shall be made like unto Christ's glorious body, then, we who are alive shall have our bodies changed, and made immortal.

*1 CORINTHIANS 15:53 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality"*

The rapture is the day when the corruptible shall receive incorruptible, dishonour shall receive glory, weakness raised in power, the natural body changed to spiritual body and believers shall receive a powerful and glorious body. It is the day when the redemption of our bodies shall be complete.

*1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-44 "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."*

*NOTE;* Death is inevitable; blessed are those who die in the Lord: but not all shall die. Some will be alive at Christ's appearance in the air to take His saints home; and all true and genuine Christians alive or dead at His appearance shall be changed from natural corruptible bodies into a glorious and powerful spiritual bodies, not capable of corruption. This is the MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE.

*THE RAPTURE WILL BE A SURPRISE.*

TEXT;

*MATHEW 24:42-44 "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye THINK NOT the Son of man cometh."*

We see from this that when Christ comes back it will be when we are not expecting Him. He will come as a thief comes.

*A thief does not announce his coming. He comes for a certain purpose.*

The thief does not take everything there is in the house, when he comes. He takes only the precious things;

*1. THE JEWELS,*
*2. THE GOLD,*
*3. THE SILVER,*
*4. FINE WEARING APPAREL.*

The thief does not come to stay... As soon as he secures what he is after he departs.

*So Jesus, at the rapture will come and take away the precious saints only.*

The thief leaves much more than he takes. He leaves;

*1. The house,*
*2. The furniture*
*3. The household utensils.*

So the Lord at the rapture will leave the wicked *(those without Christ and whose hope are in earthly things).* Jesus will also leave behind the great mass of the heathen for those who will be raptured will be comparatively few.

*Get a copy of my new book, "DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND!" For details of the Rapture, Bema Seat judgement, and the second coming of Christ*

The man of God,

*APST. AUGUSTINE SMART*