RAPTURE AND CHRIST JESUS'S SECOND COMING - THE RAPTURE THEORY EXPLAINED AND CONTROVERSY

THE RAPTURE VS. THE SECOND COMING

Question: "What IS The Difference BETWEEN The Being Caught Up Together AND The Second Coming of Jesus Christ?"

Answer: The Being Caught Up Together and The Second Coming of Jesus Christ are often CONFUSED. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a Scripture Verse (The Holy Bible) is REFERRING to The Being Caught Up Together OR The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. However, in STUDYING End-Times Bible Prophecy, it is Very Important to differentiate between The Two.

The Being Caught Up Together is when Jesus Christ Returns TO REMOVE The Church (All Believers IN Christ) FROM The Earth. The Being Caught Up Together is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Believers who have DIED (The Dead IN Christ) will have Their (The Dead IN Christ) Bodies Resurrected (The Spiritual Body) and, along with Living Believers (Their Natural Body CHANGED INTO The Spiritual Body), Will MEET The LORD (Jesus Christ) IN The AIR. This Will All Occur IN A MOMENT, IN A TWINKLING of an Eye. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is when Jesus Christ Returns to DEFEAT The Antichrist, DESTROY Evil, and ESTABLISH His (Jesus Christ's) Millennial Kingdom. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is described in Revelation 19:11-16.

The Important Differences between The Being Caught Up Together and The Second Coming of Jesus Christ are as follows:

At The Being Caught Up Together, Believers (The Dead IN Christ and Living Believers) MEET The LORD (Jesus Christ) IN The AIR (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Believers RETURN WITH The LORD (Jesus Christ) TO The Earth (Revelation 19:14).

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Occurs AFTER The Great Tribulation (Revelation chapters 6–19). The Being Caught Up Together Occurs BEFORE The Great Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

The Being Caught Up Together IS The REMOVAL of Believers FROM The Earth as an ACT of DELIVERANCE (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 5:9). The Second Coming of Jesus Christ includes The REMOVAL of Unbelievers as an ACT of JUDGMENT (Matthew 24:40-41).

The Being Caught Up Together will be INSTANTANEOUS, Believers will be SNATCHED AWAY INTO Jesus Christ’s Presence (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Will BE VISIBLE TO ALL (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29-30).

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will NOT Occur UNTIL AFTER Certain Other End-Times Events TAKE PLACE (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15-30; Revelation chapters 6–18). The Being Caught Up Together IS IMMINENT; it could take place at ANY MOMENT, in The Next Millisecond (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

Why is it important to KEEP The Being Caught Up Together and The Second Coming of Jesus Christ DISTINCT?

IF The Being Caught Up Together AND The Second Coming of Jesus Christ ARE The Same Event, Believers will have to GO THROUGH The Great Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

IF The Being Caught Up Together AND The Second Coming of Jesus Christ ARE The Same Event, The Return of Jesus Christ is NOT Imminent, BECAUSE there are MANY THINGS, which MUST Occur BEFORE He (Jesus Christ) can Return (Matthew 24:4-30).

In describing The Tribulation Period, in The Book of Revelation Chapters 6–19, NOWHERE does it MENTION The Church. During The Great Tribulation, also called “The Time of Jacob's Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), GOD Almighty Will AGAIN, TURN His (GOD Almighty's) Primary Attention TO ISRAEL (Romans 11:17-31).

The Being Caught Up Together and Second Coming of Jesus Christ are similar, BUT SEPARATE EVENTS. Both INVOLVE Jesus Christ Returning. Both ARE End-Times Events. However, it is Very Important to RECOGNIZE The Differences.

In Summary, The Being Caught Up Together IS The Return of Jesus Christ IN The Clouds to REMOVE All Believers FROM The Earth BEFORE The TIME of GOD Almighty’s WRATH. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ IS The Return of Jesus Christ TO The Earth TO BRING The Great Tribulation to an END and to DEFEAT The Antichrist and His (The Antichrist's) Evil World Empire.

EDITOR'S NOTE....

I personally believe in the Rapture, although not specifically mentioned in the Bible, there's more Spiritual knowledge being revealed both in the Old and New Testaments on how this can be the ONLY answer since we know that He can return at any moment now.  The tribulation will be 3 1/2 years of peace...while very tense...followed by 3 1/2 years of pure hell on earth, like never before.  We will know when the Mark of the Beast is mandatory, we'll know when we have a period of peace and therefore we can KNOW His day of return.  Scripture is very clear that we cannot know.  However, I do not feel this is a salvation issue at all!  Be ready every minute for His return for us. Belief in it or not will not prevent you from being raptured NOR will believing you will cause you not to be taken at His 2nd Coming.  I just share information from both sides and let you decide which belief you hold to.  I firmly believe we should stop arguing over this "theory" and start spreading the Gospel NOW and in truth.  We cannot wait for tomorrow.  Some people won't have a tomorrow.  Are we in the end times?  Probably...I don't know but when I prayed the answer I got was...LIVE AS IF WE ARE!  GREAT MESSAGE!  God bless, be ready for both and make sure others are too.  That is our ONLY and GREATEST duty to Him, other than to accept His forgiveness and follow Him.  God bless you all and never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Jesus!