"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying 'Peace and Safety', destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:3 NIV)
Christians all over the world referred to this event as the rapture, when those who believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation will be caught up in the air to meet him. This is no special reward for being better than anyone else, but simply the fulfilment of the promise which Jesus Christ made, that he would return for his bride, the Church. As God removed Lot from Sodom (see Genesis 19), before sending judgement upon it, he has removed his Church from the earth in order to bring the judgements upon the earth which he has spoken of in the book of Revelation. These are very difficult days ahead, and I would urge you to turn to Jesus Christ now, asking him to forgive you of everything you have ever done wrong before it is too late! Then, seek to do God's will and not your own, regardless of the price. Read what Jesus said in the New Testament, so you will know what to do.
At the time of writing, the rapture has not yet occurred. I, along with millions of other christians around the world believe it will, since we know that God keeps his promises. What he has said he will do, he will do. He promised to send a saviour for the Jews and the Gentiles, and he kept that promise by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross. although it is not entirely clear from the Bible whether the rapture will occur before, during or after the seven years of 'Tribulation', I have taken the view that it will happen before these seven years but I am ready to go through it if that is what God would have me do.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17 NIV)
Not only has God given the world an incredible amount of evidence of the truth of the New Testament, he has also given evidence through the evidence of changed lives. I was on the point of suicide when I became a Christian, and now I am married to a exceptionally caring woman (and no, she did not make me write that!) who with God's help, I am able to love. Only he gives us the ability to love one another when we hurt each other, as we often do. Knowing him is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. You can find out how and why I became a Christian by reading my story "Hungry for More".
© John Airey, johnairey@geocities.com, Background © Albino Frog Software, Inc.