Both Jesus and Paul declared that the time of testing of the saints would continue until the APPEARING (epiphaneia) of the Lord. How could they continue to be tested if they had been raptured seven years earlier? In First Timothy 6:14 Paul admonishes Timothy to “… keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable until the APPEARING (epiphaneia) of Jesus Christ.” Timothy was to teach his disciples, who would teach their disciples, who would teach their disciples, etc. the gospel until the end of the age, not until they were raptured seven years prior to the end of the age. Each of those who teach the gospel will do so until his death or the end of the age at Christ’s return,whichever comes first.

In Titus 2:11-13 Paul tells the apostle that the saints’ blessed HOPE (for salvation) is (will come at) “… the glorious APPEARING (epiphaneia) of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Rapturists contend that when He appears at the end of the Great Tribulation He will be accompanied by His saints who have been with Him in heaven for the past seven years. But salvation is couched in the concept of HOPE based on righteousness. See Hope and Salvation. Paul asks in Romans 8:24 why a saint would have HOPE for salvation if he ALREADY HAS IT? He has hope because he is not yet saved.

If all dead saints will have been raptured and given salvation seven years before Christ returns, why did Paul tell Titus (2:11-13) that salvation would be awarded AT HIS APPEARING? First John 3:1-3 tells us that we will remain in our fleshly human bodies (unsaved), whether dead or alive, until Jesus APPEARS, at which time our flesh bodies will be changed into spirit bodies (born again) like that of Jesus:”… we will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.” Saints will see Jesus in His resurrected (spirit) body and will look like Him–totally spirit. If they will have been resurrected seven years earlier the bodily change will have already taken place, for flesh and blood (the flesh body) cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

Paul declared that our hope is in our resurrection from the dead (Acts 26:6-8). In First Corinthians 15:23 he states that the resurrection of the (firstfruits) dead will take place at the COMING (parousia) of the Lord. Second Thessalonians 1:7-10 and 1 John 3:1-3 prove that the saints will be glorified (changed from flesh to spirit-“born again”) when the Lord is REVEALED (apokalupsis) at His COMING (parousia). These references prove that all three Greek words used relative to the apocalypse refer to the same event–His return to earth to set up His Kingdom at the end of the Great Tribulation.

In First Corinthians 1:7 Paul told the saints at Corinth that they would have to wait for the COMING (apokalupsis) of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why would they have to wait for His coming if they will have been in heaven with Him for the seven years prior to His coming? In First Peter 1:7 the apostle told the church that their works will be rewarded at the APPEARING (epiphaneia) of the Lord. He also said that grace (salvation/reward) would be brought to the saints at the REVELATION (apokalupsis) of the Lord. Rapturists contend that their reward/grace/salvation will be given to them seven years earlier. Deceived false prophets have been deceiving the Institutional Church for some 2000 years. The church has believed them because she refuses to search out God’s Truth–His Word (Jn. 17:17). In Jeremiah 23:16,17,21 the Lord tells us that those who teach contrary to His Word are not sent by Him. He calls their gospel “great darkness” (Mat. 6:23).

Jesus promised to reward His saints with rest while He wreaks vengeance on those who trouble them. When? At His REVELATION (apokalupsis) when “He will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on the wicked” (2 Thes. 1:6-10). Note that He will reward the righteous and punish the wicked AT THE SAME TIME AND PLACE–at His second coming to earth. Revelation 11:15,18 backs up Paul’s words. In the rapturist schema there is no mention of God’s wrath at the time of the snatching away of the church in that all is to be done in secret, the wicked not knowing what has happened until people by the multiplied millions disappear. God tells it differently.

In Matthew 24:15-22 Jesus speaks directly to the Tribulation question when he says: “When YE (believers on earth) see the abomination of desolation …, THEN SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION.” He goes on to say “… but for THE ELECT’S (true saints) sake, those days (the Great Tribulation) will be shortened.” Note that THE ELECT will still be on earth at the end of the tribulation, and that the Lord will cut it short BECAUSE THE ELECT WILL STILL BE HERE. If the elect will have already been raptured seven years earlier there will be no need to cut it short. As has been shown in Scripture, the rapture ruse is one of Satan’s most effective ploys by which he lures believers into a sense of complacency.