The word rapture has become well-known even among unbelievers. High profile ministers have written books about it. More than one movie has been made about the sudden disappearance of people. In some cases, it is dreaded. In other cases, it is eagerly anticipated. Let us return to the Bible for more details of what it actually is.
According to Hebrews 9:28, the rapture will complete our salvation from this present suffering of sin. The weight of the rapture on the world is without measure. The salvation of our souls relies on the shed blood of Jesus while he hung on the cross. Those who were devout will cooperate with God’s Holy Spirit through means the Bible calls sanctification. To be saved is a one-time experience. To be sanctified is a progressive spiritual growth that never ends until the rapture.
When we see what Paul had to say in Romans 10:9-10, we can be comforted that all true believers will be taken in the rapture. No one will be left behind, not even the dead. The blossoming of faith will be realized. Those people who received our testimony and accepted Christ will be taken. Those people for whom we prayed, sometimes for years, will be taken in the rapture. Everyone from time immemorial from the beginning of history will go up in the rapture.
We have no way to prepare for the rapture other than to cooperate with God’s salvation through Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We say this because 2 Peter 3:10 tells us that the rapture will be unexpected and will occur as quickly as a thief in the night. The rest of the world will be dumbfounded by the sudden disappearance of family, friends, and neighbors. One second everything seems “normal” and the next second millions of people will be gone.
It is a glorious anticipation that we can have because all of our frailties and illnesses will not go up with us. We will have a new body like that of Christ according to 2 Corinthians 5:1-4. Thinking about how my mother suffered, had she lived, would be 112 years old. She had a heart attack, stroke, gangrene, and eventually the loss of both her legs. Her new body is complete as will all of us who have afflictions. In the rapture a new healthy body will wrap itself around each believer.
Whenever you are discouraged with this world, remember that Christ will come for his own. He will appear in the sky as all believers will rise to meet him while our mortal bodies will be changed. We view death as so final and so heartbreaking but take heart, my friend. All of our loved ones will rise first to be with Christ. Death was defeated by the resurrection of Jesus. He shares that victory with all of us. A new healthy strong life will begin at the rapture. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Philippians 3:20-21.
Christian Writer 