The Apostle Paul's teachings on the Rapture
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
PART I
TRADITION AND THE RAPTURE

"..you make void the Word of God by your traditions.."
(Mat.15:6)


Jesus spoke directly and clearly to the Pharisees about Tradition and what it causes. He reminded them that even though their intentions seemed honorable to them, good intentions pave the road to Hell. Paraphrasing Mat.23:27, 'you're as the graves on the hill, painted white on the outside, but full of dead men's bones on the inside'.

The subject is the Rapture of the Church, but the Traditions concerning, and surrounding this event have resulted in confusion.

Confusion is a tool the enemy uses to keep you from any truthful understandings or realizations. God reminds us that He is not the author of confusion in ICor.14:33.

So why is there so much confusion about The Rapture, as an event, as to its timing, as to its scriptural reference and as to its significance to End Times?

Tradition is the answer.

Because people have come, over the years, to place such value on tradition, the revealed has become veiled and the true meaning of God's Word is now clouded, and interpreted as meaning many different things to as many different people. However, God's Word was never meant to be unclear.

Traditionally so and Scripturally so are not necessarily, nor usually synonymous.

Understanding God's word stripped of tradition is what's required to meet the challenge of demystifying or un-confusing the soon coming event known as the Rapture of the Church.

TIMING AND THE RAPTURE

"...But of that day and that hour knoweth no man..." (Mark 13:32 & Mat 24:36)
This scripture is most TRADITIONALLY quoted in confirming that we can't know the timing of the Rapture of the Church.

Mark 13:32/Mat 24:36, has nothing to do with the Rapture of the Church! At the time, Jesus was explaining to his disciples [Jews] about the passing away of Heaven and Earth in relation to the longevity of His Word. Heaven and Earth do not pass away at the Rapture of the Church. This is what only the Father knows, when Heaven and Earth will pass away, when He makes all things new again. The Rapture of the Church is the event when the Body of Christ, both living & resurrected are called to Heaven, by the head of that body, our Lord, Jesus, the Christ.

In fact, all of the scripture quoted to tell us that we can't know the time of the Rapture, is really directed towards the second coming of Jesus, when He returns with the raptured saints to do battle with his enemies. The second coming and the Rapture are two separate events.

Jesus warned us that TRADITIONS make void the word of God.