tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post8292710766804938618..comments2023-10-02T07:38:25.596-04:00Comments on Disciple Dojo: Are you "rapture ready"??JMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04764107457421094503noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post-62318378766939096622008-05-20T10:53:00.000-04:002008-05-20T10:53:00.000-04:00Hey Autumn, Good question. If you haven't had a c...Hey Autumn, <BR/>Good question. If you haven't had a chance to listen to Sunday's sermon, I'd recommend it. Talbot spoke about this very verse. You can hear the message at www.gsumc.org.<BR/><BR/>The key is what you said in your post--this is describing <B>the Resurrection of the body</B> that will happen at the Return of Christ when He comes in Judgment "of the quick and the dead" (Apostle's creed, also see Dan.12). <BR/><BR/>The "meeting the Lord in the air" is patterned after the Roman practice of a Triumphal Entry procession by the Emperor. When an Emperor would return to his city in triumph, all the people would go out into the countryside to welcome him home as rightful king. They would meet him and then follow him back into the city for the celebrations. Paul is using this metaphor, but applying it not to the king of Rome, but the King of the Universe, Jesus the Messiah, as He one day returns in ultimate victory, raises the dead, judges the world, and sets up the New Creation where God will live with humanity forever. <BR/><BR/>Notice Paul doesn't say where we'll go once we meet Him in the air. He says we'll be with Him forever. And according to Revelation 21, what happens at the return of Christ and final judgment? "<I>And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband</I>." (Rev.21:2) <BR/><BR/>We don't go off to be with Jesus in Heaven forever--much less for 1007 years!--we will rise to meet our returning King and follow Him in triumphal procession as He brings "up there" to "down here".<BR/><BR/>Hope that helps. <BR/> <BR/>Blessings,<BR/>JMSJMShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04764107457421094503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post-7384384373866300642008-05-20T00:58:00.000-04:002008-05-20T00:58:00.000-04:00JM - I was wondering what your studies have shown ...JM - I was wondering what your studies have shown regarding 1 & 2 Thessalonians? Paul talks about the second coming in chapter 4 as a comfort to the church. The Thessalonian church thought that only those who were alive at the time of the coming of Christ would share in the resurrection (or I guess this is also called the rapture) Paul talks about this as a comfort to the people. He tells the church that Christians that have died will be raised first and go before the living to the meet God in the sky. Verse 17 says "Then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them int he clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." Just wondering your thoughts on this?<BR/><BR/>AutumnAutumnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00120274372446391620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post-34871353656862100942008-05-19T20:05:00.000-04:002008-05-19T20:05:00.000-04:00Google "Pretrib Rapture Diehards," "Famous Rapture...Google "Pretrib Rapture Diehards," "Famous Rapture Watchers," and "Pretrib Rapture Desperados" if you don't faint easily. Same author has written THE RAPTURE PLOT (see Armageddon Books online) which is a veritable "encyclopedia" of the pretribulation rapture - how and when it really began and by whom. Google "Scholars Weigh My Research" to see candid reactions to his research. JonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post-54871812049928602642008-05-16T11:15:00.000-04:002008-05-16T11:15:00.000-04:00Yes, I want my Dispensational friends to see this ...Yes, I want my Dispensational friends to see this and realize the unbiblical nature of it so that their passion and zeal can be freed from error in regards to this idea of a rapture. <BR/><BR/>I'm encouraged by Progressive Dispensationalism in that it is starting to reject many of the eccentricities of the system and come back toward orthodoxy.<BR/><BR/>BTW, have you read "Surprised By Hope", by NT Wright? It's excellent and I think you'd really enjoy it. <BR/><BR/>Later bro,<BR/>JMSJMShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04764107457421094503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510431931234434994.post-71861332614704993242008-05-16T08:02:00.000-04:002008-05-16T08:02:00.000-04:00I have to agree with you, my friend. My dispensati...I have to agree with you, my friend. My dispensational friends have this one wrong.<BR/><BR/>LemLem and Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593060254895979822noreply@blogger.com