Rapture Part 1 of 4

 Things I used to believe about God that now I believe were incorrect.

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.for women only*

Groundwork.

I believe God's word is infallible.   2 Tim 3:16. "All scripture is God breathed."  My church may teach something different.  I may disagree with God.  But in the end, His Word stands.

It is impossible for God to tell a lie.  Hebrews 6:18.  If I believe scripture is saying two opposite things, then I have misunderstood scripture or it was poorly translated/transcribed.

Now to today's past misunderstanding of scripture. 

All Christians Will Be Raptured Before the Great Tribulation.

First of all we need to define the Great Tribulation.

The Book of Daniel in the Old Testamnt of God's word prophesies about the "end times" of this current Age of Grace.  There will be seven difficult years.  The second half (3 1/2 years) will be horrific destruction and persecution of all religions with many supernatural calamities.

Matthew 24:21 "For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall by any means ever occur."

Matthew 24:29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

This post is not specifically about the end times but about the rapture, so we will not dwell on the Tribulation today.

The next term we need to define is rapture.

Rapture is the lifting up of people unto God or Christ.

We will focus first on one group for this post - The Man Child.

Revelation 12:5. " And she brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

Rev 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for thousand years.

Rev 20: 6 clearly states that there is more than one resurrection/rapture.  This man-child consists of the saints who have left this earth (died) and are resting in Paradise.  (see post on Heaven/Paradise).  But they are not average believers.  They are of the group - Overcomers.

Simply put, Overcomers are mature believers in Christ Jesus.  They have overcome the degradation of the various churches described in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.  Meaning they do not take part in the apostasy and heresy of these churches which Jesus admonishes.  Overcomers have also overcome this life of sin.  There is no more work for God to do in them.They are fully mature and are like Christ.  Overcomers will experience special rewards.

This rapture of the man-child overcomers will occur sometime before the second half of the tribulation.   They will go directly to the throne of God in the 3rd Heaven.  We will address what they will do there in another post.  

Next up:  Who are the First Fruits?

*  this post is for women only because God's word clearly says as a woman I am not to teach or have authority over any man. Karla