About the Rapture

All over the world, millions of Christians are waiting for the Rapture. They are waiting for their bodies to be changed (into glorified ones) and then suddenly disappear from this earth. It has been widely believed that the Rapture of all Christians will, and can, take place at any time on any day. Many preachers have painted a breathtaking scenario of what they believe will be the outcome of the “sudden” rapture – the disappearance – of millions of Christians. They teach that chaos will rule the day when Christians suddenly disappear from homes, schools, office-buildings, cars, buses, trains, ships, planes and other private and public places or vehicles. The “sudden” catching away will cause their clothing, shoes, money bags, pens and other personal belongings to fall off from their bodies as they fly heavenward to meet Jesus Christ in the air. The non-Christians around will become frantic as they see Christians disappear before their eyes. They will witness chaos all around them. Vehicles without drivers will collide with other vehicles on the roads; likewise, ships without pilots on the seas. Pilot-less airplanes will crash into each other in mid air or crash to the earth. Also, there will be riots as looters grab goods from shops and properties owned by Christian families who have disappeared. And all over the world thousands, perhaps millions, of people will die or be injured as a result of these vehicular crashes, riots and lootings.


Is there a Scriptural basis for this scenario? The awesome scenario presented by these preachers is derived from the following verses of Scriptures:


1 Cor.15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1 Cor.15:52: 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.
1 Thes.4:16: 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:
1 Thes.4:17: 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.

THE ENDTIME APOSTOLIC MINISTRY

The Endtime Apostolic Ministry differs from the Early Apostolic Ministry in that it does not have the same kind of impact that the Early one had when the First Century Apostles first preached the Gospel to the world. The first group of Apostles spoke the Word and established the Church on 12 foundational stones. All the revelations of Christ were spoken and revealed then. They were later written and laid down in the epistles. But with the departing of the Apostles, cunning and deceitful men came into the midst of the Church and began to tear away the foundational stones of the Apostles. Over time the Apostolic foundations were so displaced and broken up that the Church became nothing more than an institution of man-made religious traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is the “mother of all evils” transgressing against God's Word, and the organized denominational churches are her “daughters”. Yes, the Roman Catholic Church is the “Mother of Harlots” and the organized denominational churches are her harlot daughters (Rev.17:5). For this reason, the Bride must separate herself from this leavening lump and get back into the Original Word — not just the “survival” tool of the Written Word but the Spoken Word that will perfect her and bring her to complete maturity in Christ for the translation.


Since the Church of Christ began with, and was established by, the Apostolic Ministry, so she will end with, and established by, the same Ministry. The Endtime Apostles will hold the reins on the Word and set the Church in line with the revelation of the Word. They will put back in place the 12 Apostolic Foundational Stones which were displaced and broken up by organized religions. Unlike the First Century Apostles, the latter ones do not thrust themselves into the world to sow the Gospel Seed and to establish churches since the Grace Age is closing out. For nearly 2000 years the world has, one way or another, heard the Gospel, but the Church has been falling further away from the true FAITH, even in these “latter times” (1 Tim.4:1-3). This is the Age of Laodicea (Rev.3:14-22) when the spirit of the world indulges even the churches to have their “rights”, to do what they feel is right, just because they are “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”. But they know not how “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” they are! And Christ cannot take such a church as this to be His wife. The Spirit of the Lord will not ignore this distressing condition and just continue to sow the Gospel Seed. There is a time to sow, and there is a time to gather in the harvest. And this is the hour for the harvest, the gathering of the grains! Read Matthew 13:24-30. That's right; as Jesus stole away from the bustle of preaching to the public and privately revealed the mysteries and truths of God to his disciples, so He is doing the same with His true elect in this last hour. Why? Because God treasures His WORD above His NAME (Psm.138:2 cf. 12:6; 119:11,158,162). Therefore, God has to put the true Church back in order with the Word and cause her to mellow down in the “Son” (the Word of God) before Christ could grant her the position to sit with Him in His Throne.


Give notice that the scripture says that the Rapture will occur very fast, in the twinkling of an eye. That is fast! So fast that those who are left on the Earth will not realize what has happened, but they will see the results of it having occurred. They will not see those who come out of the graves, nor will they see those who are alive fly off into the sky. Why? Because their bodies will be changed into supernatural, spiritual bodies, that cannot be seen with the physical eye.


Now the question arises, will all believers be taken in the Rapture? The answer is no, they will not. Although, not being taken in the Rapture does not mean that you won’t be saved and receive eternal life.


The only criteria required for receiving eternal life is that you must believe the Gospel. What is the Gospel? It’s very simply stated in John 3:16 and I quote: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That’s it in a nutshell. It’s not as complex as some preachers would make you think it is. All that is required of a person is to believe there is a God and He sent His only begotten Son into the World for the purpose of atoning for our sin. Believe that and be saved. Not just exactly what does it mean to believe the Gospel? It doesn’t mean just to state that you believe it. It means that you must be convinced in your heart that it is true without any doubt whatsoever.


Now if all believers are not taken in the Rapture, why not? I’m glad that you asked, now I’ll tell you why all believers will not be taken in the rapture.


In order to be eligible to be taken in the Rapture, you must be a member of the Body of Christ. To be a member of the Body of Christ, you must be baptized into it. Not just baptized by water in a baptismal pool, you must be baptized by the Holy Spirit of God. That takes place when the Spirit of God takes up a dwelling place in your body. This does not happen when you first are convinced in your heart that the Gospel is truly a fact. There is a requirement that you must meet before you can receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and become ready to be taken in the Rapture.


The Apostle Peter stated what must be done in Acts 2:38. Peter said: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” First of all Peter said to repent. To repent means to turn from disbelieving, to believing the Gospel. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said to repent and believe the Gospel. (Mark 1:15) In Peter’s instruction it states that you repent for the remission of sins. This is misleading by using the word “sins”. This plural word sins was introduced by the bible translators because of their doctrine at that time saying a person must repent of all their sins. There is only one sin you must repent of and that is the sin of disbelief. That’s what Jesus said about repenting and believing the gospel. Peter’s instructions to repent of your sin (unbelief) and be baptized is what must occur for a person to receive the Holy Spirit.

Finally, you must believe the gospel, be completely convinced that it is true and be baptized in water and God will give you the gift of the indwelling of His Spirit, then you will be sealed and ready for the rapture.

One advantage of being taken in the Rapture since you have become a member of the Body of Christ is that you will not have to face the Great White Throne Judgment. Only those believers and unbelievers who have not been baptized into the Body of Christ and have not received the Holy Spirit will face the final Judgment.

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