which Paul speaks. Those who do not love Christ’s appearing will be left to go through the Tribulation. In ac tuality, however, Paul was approach ing death as he points out in earlier verses. The crown is one of the five to be given as rewards at the judg ment seat of Christ. The passage, however, says nothing about the Rap ture as being part of the reward. All believers in Christ will be caught up together at one time. Then the re wards will be apportioned. One last verse I want you to see in this regard is Luke 21:36, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to es cape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Some have distortedly in terpreted this to mean that some will be translated before the Tribulation while others will be left. Notice, however, that the Rapture is not men tioned or inferred in the entire con text. The signs here occur at the time when the Son of man returns to set up His millennial kingdom. The partial rapture theory condi tions the event upon human works, as opposed to the principles of grace. It also divides the body of Christ which is in opposition to Paul’s con sistent teaching of unity. Finally, it precludes a partial resurrection of those Christians who have died. This is why the theories are unthinkable. If I am to be saved from the great Tribulation, by virtue of my person al achievements and spiritual fitness, I will most certainly go through the tribulation, and indeed, I would be lost forever. Thank God, however, I am saved and kept by grace through faith, awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rapture me unto Himself and to the place He has prepared for me. Salvation is all of grace from start to finish. The exact time of the Rapture is not known. Setting of dates for this event has been one of the gross er rors of some unthinking teachers and writers. We do not hesitate to make this statement, however, that the Rapture is the next major event
One of the most faithful members of the Biola staff for more than 15 years is Miss Doris Wetzler, administrative assistant serving in the President's office. Each month she has freely given of her time to prepare dinner for the members of the Board of Directors, which is where our photographer caught her for this picture.
in God’s prophetic program. There are certain unmistakable signs He has given us in His Word. The fact of His coming is certain while the exact time may be uncertain. When our Lord discussed with His disci ples His coming for His own, He used the language of eminency. Look at His promise in John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fa ther’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.” There are no intervening events between Christ’s going to the Fa ther’s house in heaven and His re turn to take His own from earth to heaven. This was undoubtedly a new revelation to His disciples. They had been looking for Christ to establish His kingdom on earth right then. They wanted to share with Him in His reign. Even after the Lord’s resurrection, the disciples continued asking Him if He would at that time restore the kingdom to Israel. Their hope was entirely different from the hope of Israel as a nation. It was personal, even as ours must be today. 14
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