THE COMING RAPTURE

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The Rapture is the climax event for the Bride waiting for the Lord’s return here on Earth. It is the moment when the Church will be caught up with Christ and be glorified with Him. The Bible offers us glimpses into how this will occur. In Colossians 3:1-4, the Apostle Paul provides profound insights that can help believers understand what it means to be “revealed with Him in glory.” Let’s dive into this text and other scriptural references to explore how the Rapture will unfold and what it means for those who await Christ’s return.

Colossians 3:1 –
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Paul begins by reminding believers that they have been raised with Christ, meaning they are no longer spiritually dead but alive in Him. This “raising” is not only symbolic of the believer’s transformation but also foreshadows their future glorification. Paul encourages believers to “keep seeking the things above,” which refers to focusing on spiritual matters rather than the concerns of this world.

The idea of being “raised with Christ” is more than just spiritual renewal; it anticipates the ultimate event of the Rapture. Believers are called to fix their eyes on the heavenly reality, the place where Christ is seated. Just as Enoch walked closely with God and was taken up, so too are believers called to live with an eternal perspective, preparing for the day they will be caught up with Christ.

Colossians 3:2 –
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

This verse is a call to shift our focus away from earthly matters and to concentrate on the spiritual realm. Material possessions, worldly status, and temporal pleasures can distract us from the eternal reality. In the context of the Rapture, it’s important to understand that the earthly realm is temporary, while our glorification with Christ is eternal.

The Apostle Paul urges believers to continually renew their minds, setting their thoughts on heavenly things. It is easy to become entangled in the affairs of this world, but as Christians, we are called to rise above it. This requires a mindset similar to Enoch’s, one that walks in communion with God, anticipating the glorious return of Christ.

Colossians 3:3 –
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Paul explains that believers have died to their old, sinful nature. This death symbolizes the believer’s spiritual transformation, where sin no longer holds dominion. However, while believers are spiritually alive, their full life is “hidden” with Christ. This indicates that there is more yet to be revealed—glory that will be fully manifested in the Rapture.

Just as thorns appeared in creation as a result of Adam’s sin (Genesis 3:17-18), representing the curse of sin in humanity, so too do the remnants of our sinful nature remain. However, believers are called to “die daily,” crucifying the flesh, and living in the Spirit. In this process, their true, eternal life in Christ is unveiled bit by bit.

Colossians 3:4 –
“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

This verse encapsulates the essence of the Rapture. When Christ returns, those who belong to Him will be revealed with Him in glory. This is not just an abstract spiritual truth; it is a concrete promise. The glory that believers will share with Christ is not something distant or ethereal—it is the very nature of God that will be revealed in them.

When Christ will be revealed, that is also that time that all of those that will be raptured will also be revealed. They will appear in their through form – their glorified state form. So as long as Christ is not yet fully revealed on us, we will not be also fully revealed. As long as Christ is not fully appeared, we will also appear.

Believers will experience glorified bodies and be united with Christ, not just spiritually but physically. This return will be the full manifestation of Christ’s reign and believers’ transformation into His likeness.

Romans 8:28-31 –
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?“

Paul reassures believers that God’s plan has always been to conform them to the image of His Son. Justification, sanctification, and glorification are all part of God’s eternal plan for His people. So sure is this plan that Paul speaks of it in the past tense, as though it is already accomplished in the eyes of God. God’s purpose for humanity is for them to dwell both in the physical and spiritual worlds, as glorified beings.

Our glorification is as certain as our salvation. God’s predestined plan guarantees that those He has justified will also be glorified. The Rapture is the culmination of this divine purpose, where believers will receive their glorified bodies and be with Christ forever.

1 John 3:1-3
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

“We shall see Him as He is,” John writes, indicating that the transformation of believers into their glorified state will occur when they see Christ face to face. This means that the more believers see and understand Christ, the more they will be transformed into His image. The full revelation of Christ will trigger the Rapture and the glorification of believers (Eph. 4:13).

As we see Christ more clearly, we are progressively transformed. The Rapture represents the climax of this process, where we will see Him in His full glory and be completely changed into His likeness.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”

The Rapture is not merely an event where believers are passive observers; rather, Christ will be glorified through His people. The Rapture will be the moment when Christ’s glory is fully manifested in His Church. As His Bride, we are integral to this event. It is through us, His Body, that Christ will be glorified to the world. This revelation of Christ through His Church will cause others to believe and glorify God.

Believers are not just spectators in the Rapture but active participants. The glorification of Christ will occur through His people, who are His body. This will be a world-changing event that not only exalts Christ but also reveals the true nature of His followers.

At the Rapture, Christ will reveal Himself fully to His people, and through them, to the world. Believers will know the process, and their role in this monumental event. They will not be left in the dark but will participate in Christ’s glorification, being transformed as they are caught up with Him.

Believers who are alive at the time of the Rapture will be transformed in the twinkling of an eye. Those who have died in Christ will be raised first, and all together, they will meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Rapture is not only the culmination of God’s plan for His Church but also a testimony to the world of His power and glory.

As the time of the Rapture approaches, believers are called to fix their eyes on Christ and the heavenly realities. The more they seek Christ and understand Him, the more they will be transformed into His image. The Rapture will not be a surprise to those who are in Christ; rather, it will be the moment when their true, glorified nature is revealed to the world.

The Rapture is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to glorify His people. As we continue to grow in our knowledge of Christ, we can rest in the assurance that we will be revealed with Him in glory, participating in His return and eternal reign.