1 Thessalonians 4 and the Rapture

Many American Christians have questions about something called “the rapture.” These questions are often tied to a particular flavor of premillennialism called “dispensationalism.” According to this framework, “the rapture” means “the idea that Christ will remove the church from the world prior to the great tribulation.”1 They believe the rapture is before the Great Tribulation, so it is “pre-tribulational.” This teaching relies heavily on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, along with other supporting passages.

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The Resurrection Body of Christ the Lord, Part 10

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Our Lord gave special significance to the last meal He shared with His disciples. He said, “I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:16 KJV). During that meal, “he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come” (vv. 17-18).

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The Resurrection Body of Christ the Lord, Part 7

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“All Israel” shall see their Lord and Savior, first by faith (in response to the preaching of the two witnesses of Revelation 11) and then (more than three years later) by physical sight at His second coming. Soon after that, they will behold Him serving them at the inaugural kingdom banquet! Our Lord told the Jews,

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The Resurrection Body of Christ the Lord, Part 6

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We have presented two reasons Israel’s national conversion to Messiah cannot occur at His Second Coming in glory. First, people are converted by hearing and believing His Word, not by seeing Him physically, even in His glorified state. Second, Israel must have experienced her spiritual transformation three-and-a-half years before Christ’s return in order to take His Gospel message to all the Gentile nations of the earth (Matt. 24:14).

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Romans 11 and the Parable of the Olive Tree (Part 2)

In Part 1, we followed along as the apostle Paul explained that God has not forsaken the people of Israel. Instead, He is temporarily punishing them. Now, he explains why the punishment is necessary. So, Paul deploys a sort of parable to explain God’s divine rescue plan.

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Chafer Conference Examines ‘Israel: Past, Present, and Future’

The Chafer Theological Seminary Pastors’ Conference met for the 19th time at West Houston Bible Church this past Monday through Wednesday, March 4 to 6. In the aftermath of Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the conference focused on “Israel: Past, Present, and Future.”

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