The Rapture

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ESV

(15)  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 note:

God will catch up the saints alive on the earth into the air and unite us forever with Christ. Living saints bodies will become immortal and saints who have died will experience resurrection with immortal bodies. Both kinds of Christians will meet in the air with Christ with whom we will remain never to experience separation from Him. Since we will always be with the Lord from then on we will return to earth with Him at His second coming, participate in His earthly millennial kingdom with Him, and finally dwell with Him in the new heavens and earth. Old Testament believers will evidently experience resurrection at the end of the Tribulation. 

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ESV

 (51)  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(52)  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 note:

 Christians alive on that day will not have to die but will be transformed immediately. A trumpet blast will open the way for the new heaven and earth.

• 15:52 twinkling of an eye.

 This was Paul’s way of showing how brief the “moment” will be. The Greek word for “twinkling” refers to any rapid movement. Since the eye can move more rapidly than any other part of our visible bodies, it seems to well illustrate the sudden transformation of raptured believers. 

• trumpet will sound. To herald the end of the church era, when all believers will be removed from the earth at the rapture 

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV

(16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV

(17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 note:

According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 the living saints follow.

Revelation 3:10 ESV

(10)  Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

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Once Saved always Saved

Is once saved, always saved biblical?

Once a person is saved are they always saved? Yes, when people come to know Christ as their Savior, they are brought into a relationship with God that guarantees their salvation as eternally secure. To be clear, salvation is more than saying a prayer or “making a decision” for Christ;

salvation is a sovereign act of God whereby an unregenerate sinner is washed, renewed, and born again by the Holy Spirit.

(John 3:3 ESV)

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(Titus 3:5 ESV)

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

When salvation occurs, God gives the forgiven sinner a new heart and puts a new spirit within him.

The Holy Spirit will cause the saved person to walk in obedience to God’s Word.

(Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV)

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  (26)  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  (27)  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Numerous passages of Scripture declare the fact that, as an act of God, salvation is secure:

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