Reason 5 of 7 - The Nature of the Church's Relationship with Christ

Does the believer's relationship with Christ

include a Rapture before

the time of the Great Tribulation?

Should we expect to be removed,

or is tribulation 

and suffering

something that Christians

might have to endure?

A closer look 

at some key scripture passages

should give us an answer.

Youtube Video =

https://youtu.be/5YSKAwr53ug

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Continuing in the 

Reason # 5 

in a list of 7 Reasons 

for a Pre-Trib Rapture is:

5. *The Nature of the Church's 

Relationship with Christ:*
- **Ephesians 5:25-27**: 

Christ will present 

the Church to Himself 

without spot or wrinkle.
- **1 Thessalonians 4:16-17**: 

The Church is caught up 

to meet the Lord 

in the air.
- **John 14:2-3**: 

Jesus promises 

to take believers 

to be with Him 

where He is.
These passages imply 

a special and 

protective relationship 

that is consistent 

with being taken 

before 

the Tribulation.

Thanks to David Floyd 

for this 5th of his 7 Reasons 

he posted in defense

of the Pre-Trib Rapture theory. 

This is reason includes 3 related points.

Let's look at the First Point given:

Ephesians 5:25-27**: 

Christ will present the Church 

to Himself 

without spot or wrinkle.

Now let's read the passage,

 Husbands, love your wives, 

just as Christ also loved the church 

and gave Himself for her,

that He might sanctify 

and cleanse her with the washing 

of water by the word, 

that He might present her 

to Himself 

a glorious church, 

not having spot or wrinkle 

or any such thing, 

but that she should be holy 

and without blemish.

While this is a beautiful truth 

about our relationship to our Saviour,

I don't see how this supports 

a pre-trib Rapture.

Let's move on to point # 2,

 

- **1 Thessalonians 4:16-17**: 

The Church is caught up 

to meet the Lord in the air.

Let's read the passage,

 For the Lord Himself 

will descend from heaven 

with a shout, 

with the voice of an archangel, 

and with the trumpet of God. 

And the dead in Christ 

will rise first. 

Then we who are alive 

and remain 

shall be caught up together 

with them in the clouds 

to meet the Lord in the air. 

And thus 

we shall always be 

with the Lord.

I have discussed this passage 

in several other videos

as it is 

one of the clearest descriptions 

of the what happens 

when the Lord returns.

1 ) He descends

2 ) there is a shout

3 ) there is a trumpet of God

4 ) The dead in Christ are resurrected 

5 ) Believers who are alive shall be gathered

6 ) We meet the Lord on His way to earth 

( remember it says 

he is descending from above )

AND

7 ) From that moment on, 

we will always be with the Lord

Sounds great!

I can't wait!

However, 

I would like to note,

there is nothing in this passage about 

this occurring 

Before the Great Tribulation.

And we are told in several other passages,

that his return includes 

physically descending 

to the mount of Olivet.

For more, 

please see a previous post on this passage,

The Rapture - Meeting the Lord on His way down to Earth,

https://youtu.be/eRhGB8XQqiM

Blogpost = 

https://cloudsonthehorizon.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-rapture-meeting-lord-on-his-way.html

Now let's look at 

The 3rd and final point 

in Reason # 5 

which is:

- **John 14:2-3**: 

Jesus promises 

to take believers 

to be with Him 

where He is.
These passages imply 

a special and 

protective relationship 

that is consistent 

with being taken 

before 

the Tribulation.

Let's start by reading this passage,

John chapter 14 verses 2 and 3

In My Father's house 

are many mansions; 

if it were not so, 

I would have told you. 

I go to prepare a place for you. 

And if I go 

and prepare a place for you, 

I will come again 

and receive you to Myself; 

that where I am, 

there you may be also.

Again, a wonderful promise.

Jesus is coming back.

He is going to have dwelling places for us,

and we will be 

where he is.

Nothing about removing the believers 

before the Great Tribulation.

He was trying to comfort the disciples 

with the promise 

of a future with Him,

even though He was about to leave them.

He made no promises 

about removing them from the earth.

In fact 

He specifically prays 

that they NOT be removed from the earth.

In John chapter 17 verse 15 

we read:

I do not pray that You 

should take them out of the world, 

but that You should 

keep them from the evil one.

And he includes all future believers 

in this prayer to the Father.

Reading further in the same passage,

Verse 20,

We read,

I do not pray for these alone, 

but also 

for those who will 

believe in Me 

through their word;

I would concluded that

The 3 points offered in reason # 5,

do not support a pre-trib rapture.

And they overlook the true nature 

of our relationship with God our Father.

There many scriptures about 

our relationship with Christ.

Romans chapter 8 

has a lot to teach us on this subject.

I would recommend that you 

read and study it closely.

In closing

I'd like to quote two key portions

from Romans.

Chapter 8 verse 17 and 18

we read,

and if children, then heirs—

heirs of God 

and joint heirs with Christ, 

if indeed we suffer with Him, 

that we may also be 

glorified together.

For I consider 

that the sufferings 

of this present time 

are not worthy to be compared 

with the glory which shall be 

revealed in us.

Also,

Chapter 8 verses 35-39

we read,

Who shall separate us 

from the love of Christ? 

Shall tribulation, 

or distress, 

or persecution, 

or famine, 

or nakedness, 

or peril, 

or sword? 

As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed 

all day long;
We are accounted as sheep 

for the slaughter."

Yet in all these things 

we are more than conquerors 

through Him who loved us. 

For I am persuaded 

that neither death 

nor life, 

nor angels 

nor principalities 

nor powers, 

nor things present 

nor things to come, 

nor height 

nor depth, 

nor any other created thing, 

shall be able to separate us 

from the love of God 

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The conclusion 

we can draw from this passage is

that God has not promised to keep us 

from tribulation, 

persecution, 

or death.

Only that we can not be separated 

from His Love for us.

And this is why we are to be 

eagerly awaiting our resurrection,

or transformation 

upon His promised return 

to rule and reign here on earth.

I will provide LINKS 

to additional Blog Posts 

and Videos on this subject in the description below.

And 

I will combine this 5th Reason discussion

into a playlist covering all 7 parts 

of this series on the 

7 common Reasons 

that are taught to support 

a Pre-trib Rapture.

Thanks for making it to the end of this video,

please leave your comments below,

and click on the Like button,

to help others find this information.

Maranatha.

--

Saved by Grace,

Andrew Cross

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, 

but exhorting one another, 

and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23-25

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