The Rapture

We are often bombarded with news of doomsday scenario in the newspapers and television media footage of diaster and war. All these are the 'birth-pangs' of much more to come in 'these last days'. The Lord Jesus spelt all these out when He told His disciples of the signs to watch in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24.

Events unfolding before our eyes, like the frequent earthquakes, famines and military conflicts in different parts of the world testified to these biblical truths. When these truths are shared, most people who are not directly affected by these events are unwilling to believe what the scripture says. And even if they do, many do not see these happenings occurring in their lifetime.

The bible is unequivocal about the coming event in the prophetic timeline - the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ - in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 : "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

What is this Rapture? It is a catching away of born again Christian believers who have their spirit saved from eternal condemnation. Those believers who are already dead - biblically known as asleep in the Lord - will rise first to be followed by those who are alive at the time when the Lord Jesus Christ appears in the clouds. Both groups of born again believers will be 'caught up' in the air to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in their redeemed natural bodies in heaven. The redeemed natural body will be like the sinless body of Adam and Eve before the Fall at the Garden of Eden. It will also be like the sinless body of Jesus when he walked the earth, tempted in all ways but yet without sin.

How can one be part of this group of 'called out' people to be rescued from the calamities that will befall planet earth during the times of the seveen year tribulation? The answer is simply by believing on the saving grace of the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is an act of faith which is available to all who believe, regardless of skin color, nationalities and status in life. The Word of God specifically states that the saving grace is by faith and is a free gift to all who believes (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9).

For further details, please click here: The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.