Jesus Is Coming Again Pt. 25 A Sudden, Rapid Resurrection & Rapture

Our studies about Jesus Christ's second coming have brought us to 1 Timothy. Paul is concluding his first pastoral letter to young Timothy and in the closing verses, he speaks about Christ's return.

"Put off's" and "Put on's" for all believers in Christ. 

(1 Timothy 6:11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Paul gave Timothy warnings about those who equated financial success and greed with godliness. 

He tells Timothy to flee from such destructive doctrines. This is another one of Paul's "put offs" which are things a Christian should avoid.

He follows this with a "put on" of things a Christian should embrace. 

All believers in Christ who seek to live the best life possible, must learn to seek after contentment and godliness. 

The words "follow after" mean to earnestly seek, or to diligently acquire the virtues Paul listed out. This is a verb with a lot of energy like a runner sprinting to win a race, or a soldier fighting off the enemy to keep them out of his fortress. 

Paul is showing us we must seek justice and uprightness in all our dealings with men. We must seek Godliness by allowing the Holy Spirit to thoroughly conform us to the image of Christ. 

We must maintain faith in Jesus, and in all that He has spoken.  We must faithfully use the talents God has given to us for His kingdom purposes.  

Psalm 16:5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

This is the lesson that Paul and Timothy learned, and we too, must learn this lesson. Rather than being obsessed with riches, land and possessions, Jehovah is our inheritance. 

Nothing is more glorious than learning this truth and it allows us to keep earthly things in their proper perspective (See Genesis 15:1; Lamentations 3:24). 

God will provide for all our needs. Our Father in heaven knows our needs and is committed to supplying them (See Matthew 6:25-34). 

Spiritual mandates for all Christians to practice. 

1 Timothy 6:12)  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

The first word translated "fight" means to metaphorically to contend for our faith, to stand and face our struggles, difficulties and dangers. 

As a verb, this word carries strong action. It means endeavoring to live for Christ with strenuous zeal, or striving to gain mastery in honoring God with our lives. 

The second word translated "fight" is a different word that means to carry the fight of faith into the arena of spiritual warfare. This connects with Ephesians 6 and our need to put on the whole armor of God (See Ephesians 6:10-20).

Paul called Timothy to "Live according to the Gospel, and defend the great cause of God. Unmasking hypocrites, expelling those who live with excessive self indulgence. Purge out the dross from among professing Christians, and build up the Church."

It is a high and lofty task that God has appointed to the ministers of His Word. 

Maintain a godly testimony for Christ until He returns.

1 Timothy 6:13-14  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;14)  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

God is the fountain of life, the One who can impart spiritual life to a repentant soul. Christ is the resurrection and He will raise us up at the resurrection of life and the rapture of the church. 

 The life of each Christian is hid with Christ in God, and when He who is thy life shall appear, then shalt thou also appear with him in glory! 

We must remember to always maintain a good testimony for Jesus Christ so that no one can call us hypocritical. We are commanded to keep a good witness faithfully, until Jesus Christ returns.

A resurrection mystery and transformation revealed. 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

The word "appearing" refers to the glorious coming of Christ in all His splendor and majesty. Jesus appearing will occur as a sudden revelation in a moment of time. 

In fact, Paul used terms to show the quickness and suddenness of the rapture of the church. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he used the entire chapter of 15 to speak about the resurrection of life. 

Then, he introduced something new that believers had not yet learned. The word "Behold" is meant to arrest our attention so that we rivet our focus on new truth.

Paul said "Behold, I show you a mystery" and this mystery is connected with the resurrection of life, and the rapture of the church (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

A "mystery" is a revelation of the plans of God that have been hidden through the ages, but are now made known by His apostles. 

What was a carefully guarded secret, is now publicly proclaimed for Christians to learn. Paul tells us that not all Christians will die ( believer's sleep) but all believers will be changed.

This connects with what he told the Thessalonian believers. The dead in Christ shall rise first and receive their new, glorified bodies (See Philippians 3:21).

The word "changed" means to exchange our old, fleshly bodies, for a new one that God has prepared for us.  

Notice the quickness and suddenness of the resurrection of life and the rapture of the church. It will happen in the "twinkling of an eye." 

The word "twinkling" means something happens very fast, in a single moment. Scientists determined that blinking an eye takes place in about 1/3 of one second! That is very fast indeed.

What will happen in that 1/3 of a second? The trumpet of God will sound, the victory cry of Jesus Christ shall resound and the voice of the archangel will be heard. 

Then, the dead in Christ are raised, given brand new bodies, followed by all living believers being caught up in the air to Christ. 

When Christ our glorious King shall appear!

1 Timothy 6:15-16  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16)  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

When Jesus returns, all believers shall see Him as He is. We will see the Creator, King and Judge of all. We will bask in the light of His glory and grace. We will worship Him and confer all honor and power to Jesus. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

The thought of the second coming of the Lord Jesus, was always prominent in the mind of Paul (See 1Corinthians 1:7-8, 4:5; 15:23; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:1-18.!5; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). 

Paul displayed fresh intensity for Jesus to come back, amidst the troubles and dangers of the closing years of his life. 

The return of Jesus Christ was an object of great hope and a strong motive for Christians serving the Lord (See 2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 2:12; 4:1, 4:8; Titus 2:13).

This post shows us that the early church consistently thought of the return of Jesus Christ as something that they would see happen. 

They longed for His return and lived their lives as if He would come back that very day.

Do we think about the return of Jesus Christ? Do we consider that we will give an account to our King as to how we used our time, talents, and money? Do we think in terms that Jesus could return at any moment?

I pray that the Spirit of God will speak to our hearts, and show us whether we are putting the world first, or Christ. 

I pray that He will impress upon our hearts that Jesus COULD return at any moment, and that we should live for Him without delay!

Bob