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NASB | 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord! [John 14:3; 1 Cor 15:52; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; Col 3:4] |
Subject: Will there be a partial rapture? |
Bible Note: Partial Rapture Will there be a partial rapture? '2.2.1 Partial Rapturism 'According to the partial rapturism view, not all believers will be taken at the translation (rapture) of the church, but rather only those who are "watching" and "waiting" for that event, who have reached some degree of spiritual attainment that makes them worthy to be included. '2.2.1.1 Reasons for holding this view 'The partial rapturist believe that a clear inference from Luke 21:36 is that those Christians who do not "watch" will not "escape all these things that shall come to pass," and will not be accounted worthy "to stand before the Son of Man." They gather from such passages as: 'Matthew 24:41-42; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; that those only will be taken who "wait," "look for," and "have loved His appearing" (Thomas Waugh, When Jesus Comes, p. 108). '2.2.1.2 Comments 'The partial rapturists have made the following mistakes: 'It is based on a misunderstanding of the value of the death of Christ (i.e. doctrines of propitiation, reconciliation and redemption) as it frees the sinner from condemnation and renders him acceptable to God. The believer is justified, made acceptable to God, placed in Christ positionally, to be received by God as though he were the Son Himself. The individual who has this perfect standing of Christ can never be less than completely acceptable to God. The partial rapturist, who insists that only those who are "waiting" and "watching" will be translated (raptured), minimizes the perfect standing of the child of God in Christ and presents him before the Father in his own experimental righteousness. 'They must deny the New Testament teaching on the unity of the body of Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, all believers are united to the body of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 5:30). If the rapture includes only a portion of those redeemed, then the body, of which Christ is the Head, will be a dismembered and disfigured body when it is taken to Him. 'They must deny the completeness of the resurrection of the believers at the translation (rapture). Since not all the living saints could be raptured, logically, not all the dead in Christ could be resurrected, inasmuch as many of them died in spiritual immaturity. But since Paul teaches that "we shall all be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:14), it is impossible to admit a partial resurrection. 'They confuse the Scriptural teaching on rewards. The rewards are given by God as the recompense for faithful service (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Philippians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Timothy 4:8). Nowhere in its teaching about rewards is the rapture included as the reward for watching. 'They confuse the distinction between law and grace. If this view is correct, the believer's position before God, eternally, would depend on his works, for what he did and what attitudes he developed would then be the basis of his acceptance. (...) '2 Timothy 4:8. This is used by the partial rapturist to show that the rapture must be a partial one. However, the subject of translation is not in view in this passage, but rather the question of reward. The second advent was intended by God to be a purifying hope (1 John 3:3). Because of such purifying a new life is produced because of the expectancy of the Lord's return. Therefore those that truly "love His appearing" will experience a new kind of life which will bring a reward. '1 Thessalonians 1:10. This is used by the partial rapturist to teach that the church that was unprepared for the rapture will meet the Lord in the clouds on His way to the earth at the second advent. Such a view coincides with the interpretation of the posttribulationist and will be shown to be contrary to the teaching of Scripture in the next section. '2.2.1.3 Conclusion 'An examination of the Scriptures used by the partial rapturists to support their position shows that their interpretation is not consistent with true exegesis. From these considerations then, I conclude that the partial rapture position is untenable.' ____________________ www.biblicist.org/systematic/9.htm |