Hi Jerry,
What I believe is very simple, based on scripture and also on what happened in Jerusalem in 70AD and which Jesus foretold would happen.
I know that the word RAPTURE is not in the N.T. This is NOT why I do not believe in a rapture of saved Christians. The idea of a rapture does seem to be in the N.T. but I believe the verses are not understood in terms of the times of that age....which we would call hermeneutics in exegeting the texts.
Very clearly and simply,,,this is what believe, which is supported by church theologians and not of my own making:
The end of the world will come one day.
Jesus will return.
The dead in Christ (who have been buried already) will be resurrected to their glorified bodies. They will already be in heaven with God in Spirit,,,but their bodies will now join them.
Then those that are still alive on earth will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and they also will receive their glorified bodies.
All together we will go to be in heaven, not just in our Spirit selves, but also in our glorified bodies. Everyone that ever lived that was a believer....together with Christ.
I do NOT believe that we will be taken away so as not to be part of the "great tribulation".
If there's going to be a great tribulation - which is most probable - I think we will certainly be part of it.
I think that this teaching, which did NOT exist in the early church, became very popular because it offers comfort to believers with the hope that they will not be a part of the tribulation.
Now, as also for_his_glory believes, I think this is a very dangerous doctrine.
If there is no rapture,,,what will happen to the faith of those Christians that thought Jesus would take them away beforehand? They will most probably lose their faith and with it their salvation.
(or maybe not...maybe God will be merciful with them..we cannot know this).
I hope this was clear.
I also don't really care that we all agree on everything...but I did say WHY I think it might be dangerous to teach this rapture idea.
It is a very dangerous theory that has no Biblical basis found in the
scriptures. This is why I teach against it as when pretribbers see the wrath of God being poured out in the world, I believe this will begin the falling away as many who have no truth found in them we end up taking the mark of the beast. God will send them strong delusions into believing the lying signs and wonders of the beast out of the earth being the son of perdition who is the last antichrist and false prophet.