There are many being taken in by the rapture theory, unfortunately it is a theory without biblical truth. This belief is that our Lord is returning to gather His people out of the earth so they do not have to go through the tribulation. To believe this lie would be having our Lord return three times to the earth, the resurrection, to gather His church and a third and final return to reign forever! Scripture teaches us the day of the Lord will be AFTER the tribulation! We find this answer in the book of Matthew that all tribes (All people) of the earth will mourn, and if He were to come and take people then all tribes would not be here at His return (Matthew 24:29-31) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The rapture theory sure sounds good to be taken away from the tribulation that is coming, after all who wouldn’t want to avoid hard and difficult times. To believe God would remove His people that He has instructed in His will is to take away the infinite power He has to protect His own. Why would His people be equipped with His whole armour, only to be removed at the time of much tribulation and battle they are called to do???? (Ephesians 6:10-18). We have His promise that He will most certainly Protect and keep His people as seen in the following passage! (Revelation 3:10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

The fly away doctrine is taken out of context from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 which is teaching us of the return of the Lord, and not the taking away or flying away of people! What has been sadly overlooked in these passages is that the Lord will be returning and will then REMAIN here on earth, and is not leaving and taking people with Him as rapture theorist’s believe! He will not be leaving, but will REMAIN on earth to set up His righteous kingdom once and for all. In the following passages the Lord will be bringing with Him those who have previously died in Him, and this poses the question if He were returning to take anyone out then WHY would He be bringing back those who have died only to retake them away again?????

It is vital to understand the word REMAIN, so when you read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 it teaches of the day when the Lord returns to REMAIN and not leave.

REMAIN= To stay in the place that one has been occupying, to stay in the same place or with the same person or group, To abide or to dwell, If you remain in a place, you stay there and do not move away.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The truth is “The rapture” so many buy into is really THE DAY OF THE LORD when Christ returns to dwell forever to reign in His righteous kingdom, and no man knows the hour!

In a previous post written about the rapture a comment from Mary brings up excellent points and I am including her comment here: Great job Julia. People who remain faithful through great tribulation will get special rewards. Those that endure through the great tribulation will wear white robes and receive special acknowledgment. I always wonder why people think God would spare all the Christians living now from tribulation and not all the other believers throughout history. They say God wouldn’t want them to suffer. I guess God did want all the other martyrs to suffer, just not them? I agree that the rapture teaching will leave many confused and bitter against God when the rapture doesn’t happen. It’s such a harmful teaching and I feel it’s the devils work to mislead Christians. This might be what causes the great falling away.