Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 12/23/2011

Question
Hello Mr. Cooper P. Abrams III,

(Let me just say that as best as I can remember, I have always read answers and rated the answers to my questions. I can say, God willing, that I will read your answer in full.)

I believe in a pre-trib rapture. Now, I thought that all Christians who have been truly born again - born of the Spirit - would be raptured. However I recently found a bunch of internet articles that say there is more to it and now I am all confused. A lot of people say whether you are raptured or not does not just depend on whether you are a child of God, but it depends on the state of your devotion to and/or maturity in Christ.

For example, the writer of this web page (http://tasteheavennow.net/why_repent/end_times.htm) says that only the Christians who are living in the "holy of holies" will be raptured before the tribulation. The Christians who are living their lives in the outer courts will be left behind to endure the Tribulation.

Another webpage used Luke 21:34-36 and the Parable of the Ten Virgins in support of their view that not all but only some Christians would be raptured. They say the ten virgins are all representative of truly saved people. They say that the wise virgins who had come prepared with extra oil are an allegory for those Christians who have completely died to self and taken care of all sin in their lives. They say that the other five virgins who did not have extra oil were Christians who truly believed but were not ready for his return because they were not following Him with 100% or that they were not in submission to Jesus 100% would be left outside.

Then there was a third webpage that talked about something called the first fruits rapture. They said that salvation is a free gift but actually inheriting the Kingdom requires lots of hard work. Only those who have done this "hard work" will be raptured. Everyone else is just out of luck. They say that these people are still saved, its just, they missed out on the prize (yes, they borrowed Paul's words) and will have to go through the Tribulation.

Finally, there was this video on Youtube that said if one does not keep the sabbath, or if one has a sin he continues in (stubbornly holds on to) then he is not ready and will not be raptured.

I am just really concerned now. Let me explain. I answered an altar call when I was four. But then I drifted away from the Lord for the next several years until he got hold of me when I was eighteen. It has been a few months since that time I have come to realize - by the power of the Holy Spirit no doubt - that there are several sin issues in my life that need to go. Some God has removed but others are deep rooted and are taking a bit of time to get out.  Christ is doing His work in me and thus thanks to Him progress is being made in the right direction. But I'm not mature in Christ yet. I haven't completely died to myself yet. I still struggle with not getting caught up in the worries of this life and I still struggle with sins (like pride or slandering). I still struggle with living in faith and not leaning on my own understanding. I struggle to put others ahead of myself. I want to do what is right and please God because He loves me and did so much for me! However the growth process is not instant. I want Him to be the center of my life and I want to obey Him in completion, but His work in me takes time.

According to the writers of the webpages I mentioned, this would disqualify me from being raptured should that happen in my lifetime.  Now I am really scared. The last thing I want is to go through the terrible, did I say terrible, tribulation.

So I must ask: what is required to be raptured? What does it mean to watch and be ready? Will only mature and "fully with it" Christians be raptured before the Tribulation?

Thanks,
Tressa

Answer
Hi Tressa,
   I am sorry this is late, but I only received notice this morning your question was pending. I have been losing e-mail for the past month and cannot figure what is happening. I always answer promptly because I know the question are important to those who post them.
   What you have done is run into a lot of false teaching by people who do not understand the Bible and either post their opinions or falsely interpret God’s word.
    1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 plainly explains the rapture.  Note the following:

  “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

  Paul is writing to assure believers that the rapture had not happened and they had not missed it.   Note he calls them brethren.  That term is only used in the Bible of saved born again believers in Jesus Christ.  Next in verse 14 he states clearly who are the “brethren” being those who “believe that Jesus died and rose again.”     

         Next he clearly states who will be raptured.....”even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” meaning those who have died in who were saved.

  Verse 15 declares that those believers who are alive at the coming of Christ will not “prevent” meaning “to precede’ phthano those who have died and return with Christ.

  “ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” v15

  V16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

  Paul says that first the dead in Christ shall be resurrected.

  V17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

  Next, both the resurrected dead believers and those alive at the coming of Jesus Christ will be “caught up” (raptured) together.

  V18 “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

  Where is the comfort in the false teaching you mentioned.   Where in this passage or anywhere in the Bible does it say what thes false prophets are saying.   Note the statements:
  
  Those raptured are called “brethren.”
  The are “asleep” meaning have died “in Jesus.”
  Paul says “we” that are alive meaning Christians.
  The “dead in Christ” shall rise first.
  “We” will so shall be with the Lord forever...only saved people will be in heaven.
  Those alive are offered the sure hope and comfort of being raptured.

  You stated these false teachers said......“whether you are raptured or not does not just depend on whether you are a child of God, but it depends on the state of your devotion to and/or maturity in Christ.”    No where in the New Testament is such a blatant untruth taught.   It that were the case why did Paul not mention it in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18?

  I went to the web site you referenced.   Did you notice that the verse this false teacher quoted all refer to Israel, or do not mention the rapture at all.   
         The parable of the ten virgins is found in Matthew 25 and Jesus is talking about the end times and was addressing Israel at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ which happens at the end of the seven year Tribulation.   Christians are not in view.   Jesus was offering the promised kingdom to Israel that God told them He would give them in the Old Testament.   He was warning them to be ready, meaning believing in Him, which takes place in the Tribulation.  
The virgins that were ready went into the Kindgom, and those who were not ready, meaning had not believed, the unprepared were not allowed to enter the promised kingdom which Jesus will establish in the coming Millennium.   This is talking about the rapture.  You might like to read my article at http://bible-truth.org/OlivetDiscourse.html which explains Matthew 24-25.

  Please understand Christian in this the Church Age are the bride/body of Christ.  Will will be in the Millennial kingdom, but God has offered us a better position as His bride.  Saved Israel, meaning Jews who believed during the seven year Tribulation will go into the thousand year reign of Christ we call the Millennium.   The Lord will set up His kingdom and rule from Jerusalem.   Only those saved during the Tribulation, both Jew and Gentile will go into the Millennium in their natural bodies.   Christians in this age of the Churches will be there in our resurrected bodies and serve the Lord in administering the His kingdom.  At the Lord Second Coming all the unsaved on the earth will be destroy and taken from the earth and only believers who survived the horrors of the Tribulation will go into the Millennium and repopulate the world.

  Sabbath keeping is an Old Testament law given to Israel (Jews)  and we never given to Christians in this age.   Paul cleared this up saying “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Colossians 2:16)

  The writers of these web sites you mentioned do not understand God’s word and the end times and are greatly misleading people.  They are false teachers.  I have tried to explain this a simply as I can, but if you have further questions please write.   Thank your for writing and seeking God’s truth.

  As God’s word states, those who are saved will be raptured when the Lord first returns.  ““Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  (1 Thess. 4:18)
Cooper Abrams
Bible-truth.org
Fellowship Baptist Church
Brigham City, Utah