the coming of the Lord is under scored; it is declared that all who have died in Christ will accompany him as He returns. Then in verses 15-18 of I Thessa- lonians 4, the truth of His return is amplified and the mechanics of the rapture are referred to in verses 15- 17. Paul speaks with divine authori ty. This is not Paul’s philosophy of the future. It is not a statement of the Apostle’s ideas on imortality. Paul does not add one more opinion to the opinions of his or our day. Nothing can meet the need of human hearts like the Word of God. There will be a generation of be lievers alive when Jesus Christ re turns for His Church, for this is the declaration of I Thessalonians 4:15: “that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord.” To be alive is of course to be living in the body. To remain is to be left behind or to be left over. It refers to those who have escaped death. When Jesus Christ returns for His Church, the living generation of be lievers will not go in advance of or precede the dead in Christ. The word “prevent” in verse 15 is archaic; precede in correct. All of Christ’s church will be translated to glory and at one- time. I Thessalonians 4:16 states the fact that the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout. The shout (Greek, keleusmati ) is a cry of com mand, a military shout or a summons. We are told that the voice is arch- angelic. The trumpet is an instru ment used in the Old Testament (Num. 10:1-10) which represented divine authority. All of this serves to point up the fact that our Lord speaks with the authority of God. In the mechanics of the rapture, the Christian dead are raised first. This has to do with all the Christian dead who are “in Christ.” This is an expression which is Pauline in character and points us to the pecu-
MULTIPLY Your Ministry EXTEND Your Life and Influence through THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP . . . THE B IO U FELLOWSHIP includes all those who have a desire to invest in the work of the Lord at BIOLA on a regular basis. For an investment of $1.00 (or more) per month, you can be a member of THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP, and the BIOLA BROADCASTER will be mailed automatically to you each month. For an investment of $5.00 (or more) per month, you will receive a gift subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS Magazine after your third gift has ben received. Yes, I would like to be a member of THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP. Please send me a packet of envelopes for my regular contribution. I am enclosing $ ....................... . for the work of BIOLA as my investment this month. I wiU endeavor to give ....................... . (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually).
............Radio ............ General Education Exp. .............Building Fund ............ Other Mr. Mrs........................................ Miss Address.................................
City ....... ..........................
S ta t e ................. ........ Zip
33
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker