The "secret" Rapture theory

[3 Resurrections]

I have to say here that your Preterism requires such a twisted interpretation of scripture it must be rejected and tossed in the trash bin.

What's so complicated? Revelation's introduction (Rev. 1:3) and conclusion (Rev. 22:10) both state that John's visions of the future were events that were "at hand" in his own days. That means you don't have to anticipate those disasters hanging over your head. You should be relieved.

 

[Victoria]

2nd coming ~ No metaphorical language can be applied to this since Christ coming will be visible to all in that day.

Amen!

1st resurrection ~(once more) We know that the scripture teaches that "The First Resurrection" is the new birth, secured by Christ's resurrection from the dead. . But again, either that is true, or our God is not telling the truth when He says it! One or the other, take your pick. God's Word teaches us that Christ is the first born from the dead (he being the head of an elect body) that in all things he might have preeminence. That's the first resurrection from the dead. So the question is, "is Christ the first born from the dead or not?" Because if that's not true, then the resurrection wherein God says "we were raised up in His death," is frankly all a monumental deception. If it is true, then as Christ is the first raised from the dead, and we who were raised up with Him have part in the first resurrection. And if it's not true, then when Jesus told Martha (who thought that Lazarus would be first raised up in the last day) that, "HE was the Resurrection," it was all a lie, and all those raised in Him are not really raised up in His First Resurrection. We must then ask ourselves, "are believers raised up with Christ in a Pretend Resurrection, or was it with Christ as the first born from the dead?" Were we ever dead and raised up before Christ raised us up? The answer is no. So then this must of necessity be the "first" resurrection, just as we are told Christ is the first raised from the dead. If we really believe that Christ was the "first" from the dead, then the answers are obvious. We were raised up with Christ in his "First Resurrection." Again, maybe not according to some theologians, but according to the Holy Scriptures we were. And interpretations do belong to God.

I believe you're confusing being made "spiritually alive" (saved) w/ the future "glorified bodies" all believers will receive once caught up to meet the Lord in the air. We'll need them in order to operate in the heavens. Our bodies will be like unto His.

For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
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.
(Philippians 3:20-21)

Colossians 2:13

• "And you being Dead in your sins, and the un-circumcision of your flesh, hath he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespass."

Ephesians 2:5-6

• "Even when we were Dead in sins, hath He made us Alive together with Christ (by Grace ye are saved).
• And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

And so according to "scripture alone," it would seem that many are really missing the whole point about both the first resurrection from the dead, and our being raised up to reign with Him in heaven. For if it's not the first (in God's defining of the first), then we have chaos, confusion, and a contradiction in the scriptures which sticks out like a sore thumb.

Colossians 1:18

• "And He is the Head of the Body, the Church; who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have Preeminence."

Colossians 2:12

• "Buried with Him in Baptism, wherein also ye were Risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the Dead."

Scripture teaches us of two principle resurrections of the dead. It speaks of the resurrection in Christ (John 11:25, Ephesians 2:5) which is the called the first. But it also speaks of another resurrection at the last day (John 11:24, 1st Corinthians 15:52). Only one can be the first resurrection of the saints. And I want to say that again for emphasis. ONLY ONE can be the first Resurrection. And that is what many theologians cannot seem to comprehend. You cannot have two separate events, both called the first resurrection in scripture. That is confusion and God is not the author of confusion. In Revelation 20:5, the First Resurrection refers to what has occurred that made those souls who have died able to live and reign with Christ, while the souls of those who were unsaved (the rest of the dead) could not go to live and reign with Christ. The rest of the dead (unsaved who died) "they lived not again" until the second resurrection when they must be raised from death to stand for judgment before the throne of God. What the chapter is doing is contrasting the souls of the saved, which though they are dead, yet they still live and reign with Christ in heaven, with the souls of the "rest of the dead" (the unsaved) who didn't have life again until the second Resurrection. The ones who reign with Christ after death are those who have had part in the first resurrection. The expression, the First Resurrection clearly refers to the souls of the saints that are raised first, in distinction from the raising of these wicked (rest of the dead) that occurs after the millennium. This is at the the second resurrection. It is totally consistent with the Amillennial view.

There are those who attempt to split hairs, who say that Christ's "resurrection" is not the exact same phrase as "first resurrection." And so they conclude Christ's resurrection is not the same as a first resurrection. But besides from this logic being self-serving, since Christ clearly says He's the Firstborn from the dead that He might have preeminence, it's also inaccurate. If (as righteous Joseph says), "God shall give an answer of peace, and interpretations belong to Him," then God (Sola Scriptura) must define the First Resurrection, not man. And Graciously, He does. But again, "if we will receive it!" And again, He does it unambiguously.

Acts 26:23

• "That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles."

Christ is the "First Resurrection" from the dead according To God. From the context it should be clear to anyone with no preconceived ideas that Christ is the first resurrection, the first that should rise from the dead. And note, it's according to God's Word, not according to Amillennialists, or Augustine, or Origen. So who would dare to declare that these things are untrue? The sad truth is that many will dare to declare it, but unambiguously this is the raising of Christ from death to life. And God defines Him as the first. And so, as saith the scriptures, "Let God be True, and every man a liar (Romans 3:4)". Once again, Amillennialism triumphs biblically and is found to be nothing more than what is defined by the Word of God. The first resurrection was instituted at Christ's preeminent resurrection. His ascension to the throne was the start of the Millennial Kingdom reign, and all those who have part in that resurrection are they who reign with Him in the Kingdom. And upon these, the second death hath no part. And that is what Revelation 20 is declaring.

Revelation 20:6

• "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

Red, the apostle John wasn't writing to us in Revelation, he was writing to Israel.
First bodily resurrection enters the kingdom on earth.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:5-6)


Now, onto the second bodily resurrection.

Judgment at the Throne of God

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15)


Revelation 21 talks about Israel. No mention of the Body of Christ b/c we'll be in the heavens.

 

[Red Baker]

@Victoria

Oh, I thought you were being sarcastic in that reply to 3 R's.
I was just joking w/ you

I was....but, it is true my grandmother was a Thomas. I was having a little fun.

The revelation of the mystery can only be found in Paul's epistles. Ephesians 2, & 3 alone won't reveal, in full, God's manifold wisdom. In my own words, I understand that God wants me to rightly divide "aka" to know the difference between the nation of Israel, & the Body of Christ. I learn that we're a spiritual body eternal in the heavens, & that born again Israel, in ages to come, will be a physical nation eternal on the earth. If we don't rightly divide, we cannot interpret the Old, & New Testaments consistently w/ accuracy.

There is only one elect body, not two, and Christ is the head of that one body. See #98 above, and I can add to it later today.

 

[Red Baker]

@Victoria

Red, the apostle John wasn't writing to us in Revelation, he was writing to Israel.
First bodily resurrection enters the kingdom on earth.

I believe you're confusing being made "spiritually alive" (saved) w/ the future "glorified bodies" all believers will receive once caught up to meet the Lord in the air. We'll need them in order to operate in the heavens. Our bodies will be like unto His.

Frist, Victoria, there is not one book in the NT, written to Israel after the flesh, not one. You need to prove this with scriptures. You did not get this from searching the scriptures, you got this by blindly believing what someone told you without searching this out to see if those things were so, this is not what noble Christians do, dear sister ~ Acts 17:11.

Secondly, I know the difference bewtween our new birth, which was indeed a resurrection from the dead by the same power that raised our Lord from the dead. I understand perfectly that the resurrection of our bodies will be on the last day, yet in the future, which will be the second resurrection.

Christ is the FIRST resurrection in the sense in which he was raised from the dead ~I said:

1st resurrection ~(once more) We know that the scripture teaches that "The First Resurrection" is the new birth, secured by Christ's resurrection from the dead. But again, either that is true, or our God is not telling the truth when He says it! One or the other, take your pick. God's Word teaches us that Christ is the first born from the dead (he being the head of an elect body) that in all things he might have preeminence. That's the first resurrection from the dead. So the question is, "is Christ the first born from the dead or not?" Because if that's not true, then the resurrection wherein God says "we were raised up in His death," is frankly all a monumental deception. If it is true, then as Christ is the first raised from the dead, and we who were raised up with Him have part in the first resurrection ~ which secured our spiritual resurrection in time. And if it's not true, then when Jesus told Martha (who thought that Lazarus would be first raised up in the last day) that, "HE was the Resurrection," it was all a lie, and all those raised in Him are not really raised up in His First Resurrection. We must then ask ourselves, "are believers raised up with Christ in a Pretend Resurrection, or was it with Christ as the first born from the dead?" Were we ever dead and raised up before Christ raised us up? The answer is no. So then this must of necessity be the "first" resurrection, just as we are told Christ is the first raised from the dead. If we really believe that Christ was the "first" from the dead, then the answers are obvious. We were raised up with Christ in his "First Resurrection." Again, maybe not according to some theologians, but according to the Holy Scriptures we were. And interpretations do belong to God, not to man.

Colossians 2:13

• "And you being Dead in your sins, and the un-circumcision of your flesh, hath he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespass."

Ephesians 2:5-6

• "Even when we were Dead in sins, hath He made us Alive together with Christ (by Grace ye are saved).
• And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

And so according to "scripture alone," it would seem that many are really missing the whole point about both the first resurrection from the dead, and our being raised up to reign with Him in heaven. For if it's not the first (in God's defining of the first), then we have chaos, confusion, and a contradiction in the scriptures which sticks out like a sore thumb.

Victoria, I think you are the one that is confused and you truly need to rethink what you ahve been taught~no pun intended.

 

[Red Baker]

3 Resurrections

This Acts 26:23 verse is translated poorly in the KJV. The literal translations do a better job. "...that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations." (YLT) This does NOT mean Christ was the first to rise, but He was first to proclaim light to the people and to the nations by His having risen from the dead. The sentence order gets twisted in the KJV and others translations. Christ was the first to initiate the evangelistic thrust of the gospel to the Gentile nations once He arose from the dead ("...go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature..." - Mark 16:15.)

Later RB