Saturday, April 26, 2025

Pre-Trib Rapture Comfort Misunderstanding of I Thessalonians 4:18



One of the most common verses to try to prove
there must be a Pre-trib Rapture of the Church
is 1 Thessalonians 4:18.
Where it says 
" Therefore comfort one another with these words.  ".

I believe this is being used out of context.
Let me show you why.
And then you can decide for yourself.

The passage starts in verse 13 of chapter 4.
It is here that Paul clearly states the purpose.
He wants the Thessalonians to understand the future of
those believers that had already died.
And not be sad or grieving 
as though they would never see them again.
In verse 13 it says,

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, 
concerning those who have fallen asleep, 
lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

And then he goes on to tell them 
that when Jesus comes back,
He will raise the dead believers first,
and also 
He will gather those believers alive at the time.
And we will all meet together in the air at the Lord's return.

If you want to know where He is returning, 
I would say that  Acts 1:11 is a clear reference.
It tells us that He will descend back to the mount of Olivet
where he departed the earth nearly 2,000 years ago.

For context let's read the passages in question.
First 
in Acts chapter 1 verses 9-11 
we read,

Now when He had spoken these things, 
while they watched, 
He was taken up, 
and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 
And while they looked steadfastly 
toward heaven as He went up, 
behold, 
two men stood by them in white apparel, 
who also said, 
"Men of Galilee, 
why do you stand gazing up into heaven? 
This same Jesus, 
who was taken up from you into heaven, 
will so come in like manner 
as you saw Him go into heaven."

Focusing again
on the comfort passage in 1st Thessalonians,
let's read verses 13 - 18
You can decide what it is referring to.
It says,

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, 
concerning those who have fallen asleep, 
lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 
even so God will bring with Him 
those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, 
that we who are alive and remain 
until the coming of the Lord 
will by no means precede those who are asleep. 
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. 
Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Nothing here about removing the Church from the planet before the Tribulation.
Only the promise that when He returns we can expect two wonderful things to occur.

# 1 ) He brings the previously deceased believers ( those asleep ) back with Him,

# 2 ) Those believers who are alive 
        will be caught up and join them 
        to be with the Lord ( always ).

Please check out the other Videos on this channel 
that cover more on the topic
of the Post Tribulation Rapture 
versus a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

Thanks for making it to the end of this video.
Until next time,
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


No comments: