Introduction
In my main teaching about the rapture of the church I have used some key scriptures to make the case for the rapture of the church. However, there are more scriptures than the ones I used in that teaching. So, in this teaching, I have provided a much more comprehensive list for you to consider.
I have divided the scriptures into two groups. The first group contains those scriptures that are clearly referring to the rapture of the church and the second group contains those scriptures which might be referring to the rapture.
Primary Scriptures
John 14:1-3
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Behold I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 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 will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep 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 not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with Him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Thessalonians 2:1, (3)
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,……….Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
Titus 2:13
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 9:28
so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
1 John 2:28 – 3:2
Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
Revelation 3:10
Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I will also keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Secondary Scriptures
Romans 8:19
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8
So that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20-21
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of Peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 6:14
that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Timothy 4:1
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom,
1 Peter 1:7, 13
so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ;……..Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Conclusions
The vast majority of Christians and especially church leaders do not believe that there is any such thing as the rapture of the church. However, it is my view that those who hold this position have not searched the scriptures properly and they have failed to appreciate the difference between Jesus coming to meet the church in the air and Jesus coming back to earth. They have also failed to understand Jacob’s Trouble and what The Great Tribulation is all about. And finally, they have also failed to understand the wedding teachings of Jesus and how the marriage of the Church to Jesus will unfold.
On a day that only the Father knows, the Church that is on the earth at the time, will be taken up to meet Jesus in the air with resurrection bodies. This will be done in order to rescue the Church from the wrath that is to come during The Tribulation.
The rapture of the Church is the next significant event in church history and it is very close to happening. Therefore, all churches and Christians should be studying this subject and getting ready for it.
Acknowledgement
I am indebted to Chuck Missler who did the real work in identifying these scriptures.