There's always a VERBAL war of believers the rapture and when it is. These are the prevalent views:
*Pre-trib rapture
*Post trib rapture
*Mid trib rapture
What's interesting is Jesus didn't teach ANYTHING except resurrection ON THE LAST DAY.
That is what the apostles taught also! Unfortunately there are all these views, when the fact is the rapture occurs during the resurrection...and it catches away those believers alive when Christ returns!
The rapture is pretty clear when understood properly. It's fully described in 1 Corinthians 15:20-58! At verse 50 Paul describes how the resurrection, (which includes the rapture)...happens.
There are many who are taught and think there's a difference in 1 Corinthians 15:20-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 based on faulty interpretation. If both passages are read properly the latter is a brief description of the resurrection, where the former is a fuller description of the resurrection.
The resurrection includes the rapture on THE LAST DAY when Christ appears. The dead in Christ a raised first, followed by living believers being caught up to Christ.
That is the resurrection! It includes the the rapture. Those who follow the so called pretrib rapture cannot CLEARLY show it in scripture.
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 makes it real clear this is the resurrection:
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
The apostle is addressing the Thessalonians saints about their concern for those believers who have DIED! Paul is simply giving a more brief description than he does in 1 Corinthians 15.
I edit to add a portion of an article where Greg Bahnsen speaks about this very subject. At the end, I will provide the link:
When shall the saints be raptured from earth to meet their Lord? When shall believers be “caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” ever to be with Him (I Thess. 4:17)? The passage just cited makes it clear that the rapture coincides with (1) the resurrection of the saints (vv. 1316, and “together with them” in v. 17), and (2) the coming of the Lord from heaven (v. 16). Scripture elsewhere clarifies when these two events shall occur.
First, the resurrection of the saints will occur at the coming of Christ, which itself brings the end (I Cor. 15:23-24). Christ declares that he will raise us again on the last day (John 6:39-40, 44, 54). Moreover, the saints and the wicked shall exist together on earth until the “harvest” day of God’s judgment on the “tares” (Matt. 13:24-30); the redeemed and the wicked will not be separated from each other until the end of the age (Matt. 13:47-50). Therefore, the resurrection of the saints must coincide with the resurrection of the wicked (one following closely upon the other); when the believers come forth unto the resurrection of life, at that time all in the tombs will as well come forth, including the wicked who are raised to judgment (John 5:26-29). We see, then, that there is no significant gap between the rapture of the saints, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, the resurrection and judgment of the wicked, and the end of the age.
Secondly, the coming of the Lord mentioned in I Thes. 4:16 is also called the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ” when the saints shall be found unreprovable; this day coincides with the end (I Cor. 1:7-8). Moreover, the coming of the Lord mentioned in I Thess. 4:16 will bring the glorification of the saints (cf. Rom. 8:17, 23;I Cor. 15:43; Phil. 3:21; I John 3:2). Paul brings together the return of Christ and the glorification of the saints in 2 Thes. 1:710; he there makes it quite clear that these two events will be accompanied by the judgment of the wicked. This confirms what we read elsewhere, to wit, that when Christ establishes his bar of eternal judgment, all mankind including both the sheep and the goats (i.e., the redeemed and the reprobate) will be judged (Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46). We see, then, that there is no significant gap between the rapture of the saints, the coming of the Lord, the glorification of the saints, the general judgment of mankind (including the wicked), and the end of the age.
We must conclude from God’s word that the rapture will not eventuate prior to the very last day of history, that it will not leave behind the world of the wicked, and that it will not separated from the resurrection and judgment of the wicked. The pre-tribulational rapture seven (or three and a half) years before the Lord’s return is contrary to the teaching of the bible. Furthermore, it must be noted that the rapture of the saints will be anything but a secret event; it will be accompanied with the shout of Christ, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God (I Thess. 4:1617). Nobody will miss it.
Consequently, the Christian is not forced to choose between a humanistic affirmation of history and a biblical retreat from history. His perspective on history and his hope for it are found in neither divinized politics nor the rapture. A positive view of Scripture and a positive view of history go hand in hand. Prior to the resurrection of the saints (i.e., the defeat of the last enemy, death) Christ must reign till he has put every other enemy under his feet (I Cor. 15:25-26). Radical and dispensational theologians alike fail to see that in history prior to the parousia, the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15). This vision and hope indeed has consequences!
That is a well done treatment of when the rapture is, which is during the resurrection.
Link:
http://www.reformationonline.com/rapture.htm
*Pre-trib rapture
*Post trib rapture
*Mid trib rapture
What's interesting is Jesus didn't teach ANYTHING except resurrection ON THE LAST DAY.
That is what the apostles taught also! Unfortunately there are all these views, when the fact is the rapture occurs during the resurrection...and it catches away those believers alive when Christ returns!
The rapture is pretty clear when understood properly. It's fully described in 1 Corinthians 15:20-58! At verse 50 Paul describes how the resurrection, (which includes the rapture)...happens.
There are many who are taught and think there's a difference in 1 Corinthians 15:20-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 based on faulty interpretation. If both passages are read properly the latter is a brief description of the resurrection, where the former is a fuller description of the resurrection.
The resurrection includes the rapture on THE LAST DAY when Christ appears. The dead in Christ a raised first, followed by living believers being caught up to Christ.
That is the resurrection! It includes the the rapture. Those who follow the so called pretrib rapture cannot CLEARLY show it in scripture.
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 makes it real clear this is the resurrection:
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
The apostle is addressing the Thessalonians saints about their concern for those believers who have DIED! Paul is simply giving a more brief description than he does in 1 Corinthians 15.
I edit to add a portion of an article where Greg Bahnsen speaks about this very subject. At the end, I will provide the link:
When shall the saints be raptured from earth to meet their Lord? When shall believers be “caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” ever to be with Him (I Thess. 4:17)? The passage just cited makes it clear that the rapture coincides with (1) the resurrection of the saints (vv. 1316, and “together with them” in v. 17), and (2) the coming of the Lord from heaven (v. 16). Scripture elsewhere clarifies when these two events shall occur.
First, the resurrection of the saints will occur at the coming of Christ, which itself brings the end (I Cor. 15:23-24). Christ declares that he will raise us again on the last day (John 6:39-40, 44, 54). Moreover, the saints and the wicked shall exist together on earth until the “harvest” day of God’s judgment on the “tares” (Matt. 13:24-30); the redeemed and the wicked will not be separated from each other until the end of the age (Matt. 13:47-50). Therefore, the resurrection of the saints must coincide with the resurrection of the wicked (one following closely upon the other); when the believers come forth unto the resurrection of life, at that time all in the tombs will as well come forth, including the wicked who are raised to judgment (John 5:26-29). We see, then, that there is no significant gap between the rapture of the saints, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, the resurrection and judgment of the wicked, and the end of the age.
Secondly, the coming of the Lord mentioned in I Thes. 4:16 is also called the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ” when the saints shall be found unreprovable; this day coincides with the end (I Cor. 1:7-8). Moreover, the coming of the Lord mentioned in I Thess. 4:16 will bring the glorification of the saints (cf. Rom. 8:17, 23;I Cor. 15:43; Phil. 3:21; I John 3:2). Paul brings together the return of Christ and the glorification of the saints in 2 Thes. 1:710; he there makes it quite clear that these two events will be accompanied by the judgment of the wicked. This confirms what we read elsewhere, to wit, that when Christ establishes his bar of eternal judgment, all mankind including both the sheep and the goats (i.e., the redeemed and the reprobate) will be judged (Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46). We see, then, that there is no significant gap between the rapture of the saints, the coming of the Lord, the glorification of the saints, the general judgment of mankind (including the wicked), and the end of the age.
We must conclude from God’s word that the rapture will not eventuate prior to the very last day of history, that it will not leave behind the world of the wicked, and that it will not separated from the resurrection and judgment of the wicked. The pre-tribulational rapture seven (or three and a half) years before the Lord’s return is contrary to the teaching of the bible. Furthermore, it must be noted that the rapture of the saints will be anything but a secret event; it will be accompanied with the shout of Christ, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God (I Thess. 4:1617). Nobody will miss it.
Consequently, the Christian is not forced to choose between a humanistic affirmation of history and a biblical retreat from history. His perspective on history and his hope for it are found in neither divinized politics nor the rapture. A positive view of Scripture and a positive view of history go hand in hand. Prior to the resurrection of the saints (i.e., the defeat of the last enemy, death) Christ must reign till he has put every other enemy under his feet (I Cor. 15:25-26). Radical and dispensational theologians alike fail to see that in history prior to the parousia, the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15). This vision and hope indeed has consequences!
That is a well done treatment of when the rapture is, which is during the resurrection.
Link:
http://www.reformationonline.com/rapture.htm