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Early Church Fathers Were Awaiting the Rapture
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The early church fathers were eagerly awaiting the return of the Lord in the catching away of those who were looking for Him, in an event which is known as, from the Greek, "harpadzo," or the rapture. Since the men who were used by the Lord to write the New Testament were expecting the Lord's imminent return, how much more should we be expecting it today? They weren't just writing this off the tops of their heads. They were the holy men of old, who were inprired by the Holy Spirit and they were in full agreement about the return of the Lord and the Church's preparation for it.
From the Apostle Paul's writings in the New Testament, we see the following references to the rapture, as well as his instruction to the church and how Christians should conduct themselves in light of the Lord's imminent return. Paul wrote the Book of Romans in A.D. 56 and continued writing the Pauline epistles, which comprise two-thirds of the New Testament, until his death in A.D. 61.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible (body) must put on incorruption, and this mortal (body) must put on immortality."
Philippians 3:20-21 "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Paul was writing to the first century church).
Colossians 3:4 "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Paul was writing to the first century church).
1 Thessalonians 1:10 "and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 "For this we say to you (first century church and all who have believed in Jesus with saving faith), 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 (have died). 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 (harpadzo, Greek) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words." This passage is written just as directly to the first century church as it is to the twenty-first century church.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Titus 2:11-13 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying unglodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."
James was a leader in the church at Jerusalem, immediately following its birth, and in his epistle, he emphasizes the fact that the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7-8 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord...Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."
Unbelievers tried to kill the Apostle John by boiling him in oil, and when they were unsuccessful, he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, where he received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the last book of the New Testament.
1 John 2:28, 3:2 "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming...Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
Revelation 3:10-11 (To the church of Philadelphia) "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one take your crown."
Revelation 4:1 "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.
Revelation 22:20 "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely, I come quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
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