Corner Baptist Church

The Rapture (Get Ready!)

The word Rapture is not found in the Bible but means “Caught Up”

The phrase "caught up" is harpazo (här-pä'-zō) in the original Greek text. When the Greek text was translated into Latin, the word harpazo was translated into raptus, rapiemur and rapturo from which we, at some point, adopted an English version of the Latin words and came up with the word rapture as a term descriptive of the Lord's catching up of the saints.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18

 13But 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.

 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 15For 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.

 16For 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:

 17Then 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.

 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The next great event in the plan of God is the calling-out of the True Church also called the Bride of Christ. The important thing to remember is that this True Church is made up of believers only (Saved People). NO lost people will be raised at this return of Jesus. Note in I Thessalonians 4:17 the word CLOUDS then read Acts 1 and note the word CLOUD in verse 9. When Jesus comes in the Rapture NO-ONE will see him but the Saved will hear his call.  In the Rapture Jesus will return the same way he ascended in Acts 1. The Rapture could take place at any moment the question is are YOU ready?

ACTS 1: 7-12

 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

There is only one way to be in the Rapture and that is to be Born Again (Read St. John  3).