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Doctrinal Pointers by Gerald B. Stanton, Th. D. ' Prof, o f Systematic Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary Will There be a Partial Rapture?
T he rapture of the Church has long been the “ blessed hope” of the people of God (Titus 2:13). It has comforted them in their distress (1 Thess. 4:18), purified their lives (1 John 3:3), and caused them with eager anticipation “ to wait for his Son from heaven” (1 Thess. 1:10). According to Scripture, the resurrec tion of the dead in Christ and the translation of liying saints is the next revealed event in the program of God. Logically, the question then arises: Will the Entire Church be Taken at the Rapture? On the basis of passages such as First John 2:28, which speaks of abiding in Christ lest we be ashamed before Him at His coming, and First Corinthians 9:27, which implies a loss of reward for intemperance, a small minority of believers have vigorously maintained that only part of the Church will be raptured, the rest being left upon the earth to go through the purifying fires of the great tribulation. Those who will be raptured before the tribulation com mences are those who are “watching” for Christ, or who because of the pur ity of their lives are counted as “ over comers.” The ones who advocate this theory invariably include themselves in this favored portion of the Church. As one has well said: “ Partial rap- turists expect to be taken up in ‘bunches,’ but I have never met one yet who did not expect to be taken up in the first ‘bunch.’ ” Now it is true that the coming of Christ for His own is a purifying hope, and it is admitted freely that some do not watch for Christ at all, and none look for His coming with the joyful antic ipation which should mark the Bride who awaits her Beloved, yet there are a number of major Objections to the Partial Rapture Theory In brief, these are as follows: (1) The theory is a co-'ningling of legal ism with grace, conditioning the privilege of rapture upon human works. The grace of God, and not fear of tribulation, is the Biblical mo tive for a life well pleasing to God. It should be sufficient to note that
in First Corinthians 15:51 it states that “we shall all be changed,” and this written to the carnal church at Corinth and not to a select group who are counted as “ overcomers.” (2) The partial rapture theory discredits the vital Pauline doctrine of the un ity of the body of Christ. This union between Christ and His Church is set forth under several figures such as the Vine and the branches, the Shep herd and the sheep,, living stones built upon Christ as the Chief Cor nerstone, the Bridegroom and the bride, the Head and the body, etc. It is most certain that Christ will not receive unto Himself a dismembered body or a partial bride. By one Spirit have we all been baptized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13), this again writ ten to the church at Corinth. The bride of Christ, bom of the Spirit, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and espoused to the Son of God as a pure virgin, hardly needs to be plunged into earth’s worst hour as the preliminary to her wedding feast and hour of greatest glory. (3 ) A par tial rapture of the last generation of the Church implies a partial resur rection of the dead in Christ at His coming. Obviously, not all believers of past generations could be classified as “ watchers” or “ overcomers,” and the Lord would not penalize the one last génération of believers while al lowing all others to enter heaven solely on the grounds of His grace. Ei ther a partial resurrection of the dead in Christ would be implied, or, what is worse, support would be given to the unscriptural notion of purgatory after death. Both of these implications are untenable. (4) It might be dem onstrated quite easily how the partial rapturists accomodate the Scriptures they use to suit their theory, but one more difficulty should suffice to dis prove the view under consideration. The partial rapture theory confuses the Biblical doctrine of rewards. Rap ture is set forth as a reward for those who are by their manner of life ac counted worthy to rec.eive it. The Scripture does promise a crown of righteousness to all them that love
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Accordion Manufacturers & Wholesalers Outlet Dept. KB, 2003 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago 22, III. His appearing (2 Tim. 4 :8), but the giving of rewards will be at the judg ment (or bema) seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10) which is in heaven after the translation of the saints and not on earth at the instant of Christ’s coming. Thus the promise of Christ’s coming remains the hope of the entire Church. In spite of our failures and imperfections we may look up with confidence and not with fear, joining in the song of Denham Smith, who wrote: And this I shall find, for such is His mind, He’ll not be in glory and leave me behind. e n d . 25
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