The Dispensationalists have as their "major verses" I Thessalonians 4:16-18. They say this "proves" their "Darby Rapture theory".
Here it is:
"For the L-rd Himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout and the Voice of the Archangel, and the Trump(et) of G-d: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the L-rd in the air: and so shall WE ever be with the L-rd. Wherefore comfort ye one another with these words." I Thessalonians 4:16-18 (Emphasis added)
"WE" NOT "YOU"
Notice the Apostle Paul said: "WE". He did not say "YOU"! In other words, Paul CLEARLY INCLUDES HIMSELF in this group!
That fact is totally overlooked by the sensation-driven "Rapturites". The event that Paul describes includes himself: "WE"!
I THESSALONIANS 4 IS A DESCRIPTIVE ALLEGORY
According to the early Assemblies when all of them were One in Agreement, Augustine: who DID understand what Greek meant, unlike the first "Dispensation-developers": (Scofield had almost no knowledge of the original languages of Scripture), I Thessalonians 4:16-18 is a picture of the moment of Salvation and how we are become "in the world but not of it." in our Spirits, and likewise, the moment we are taken to Heaven, using allegorical description (a comparative description, Spiritually speaking).
TWO PLACES AT ONCE
Paul says "and WE which are alive and REMAIN", that is, we are "caught-up" while we "remain". What we experience at Salvation is our Spirit actually being "taken to Heaven". This is how these verses are Fulfilled in us:
"And has Raised us [up] together, and has made [us] Sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6
and also how:
The Kingdom of G-d is within you." Luke 17:21
And this is precisely how the Believer can:
"Come Boldy unto the Throne of Grace." Hebrews 4:16
All this while we still "remain" here on earth!
It has nothing to do with people flying out of cars that wreck on the freeways and jumbo jets colliding with skyscrapers because the drivers or pilots "get Raptured"!
It tells us of our Spiritual Heavenly Transformation that Miraculously occurs at Salvation, and how our Spirits become "with the L-rd" when we are Saved.
THIS
I Thessalonians 4 also Prophetically speaks of our passage into the next Life which will be EVEN GREATER!
This is COMFORT!
In other words, if you thought Salvation was GREAT, forget about it! Your passage to the next Life will be Beyond Description!
That is the "Comfort" this verse brings to the Believer in Yeshua. Not the "scariness" of being "left behind", but the COMFORT of Knowing your being "In Christ" is Secure NOW, and your passage to the next Life will be INFINITELY MORE GLORIOUS INDEED!
Your Salvation Experience is a true shadow of the "Good Things to Come"! And also your Eternal Security is Assured!
THEREFORE DON'T EVER FORGET PAUL SAID "WE"!
The Apostle Paul said "WE". He included himself. He was not lying, and Paul was not "Raptured" (unless they want to invent now some "First Century mini-Rapture")
Does this not make their "end time prophets" FALSE PROPHETS? and their "end-time prophecies" FALSE PROPHECIES?
Yeshua Prayed that we not be "taken out of the world". Seems these "end-time prophets" forgot that verse too.
"I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world." John 17:15
Be not deceived. When Yeshua comes back to this earth, it will be ONCE. No "round-trip", and "EVERY EYE shall see Him". This means there will be no "secret Rapture" either.
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