Friday: Further Thought – The Book of Matthew
Look at this quote from Ellen G. White: “It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ. ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.’ Titus 3:5. When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came into the world to save sinners.
Image © Bill Osborne from GoodSalt.com
We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 317. What a powerful idea: it’s our “utterly helpless condition” that makes Christ as our Redeemer a necessity. This truth is no different when we first come to Jesus or if we have been walking with Him all our lives. Like those in the genealogy of Jesus’ human side, we are sinners in need of grace. Our obedience to the law, our overcoming sin and temptation, and our growth in Christ, however much these are parts of the Christian life, are the results of salvation and never the cause. Whether the thief on the cross or a saint translated at the second coming of Jesus, we are all in an “utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity.” How crucial that we never forget this foundational truth.
Discussion Questions:
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Some who believe in the "secret rapture" do so because:
they say there are two Greek different words used for "coming" - one is the secret coming and the other the coming in glory - but if you track down all the references and their Greek words it doesn't hold up
they say in Matt one is taken and the other left meaning the one taken goes to heaven but if you compare it with Jesus reference to Noah and Gen you will see that those who are taken are destroyed while the only ones "left" are those in the Ark
Sorry I don't have my Bible with me to quote exact references, I can look them up later if anyone is interested.
Fact is, for me living in Australia all my life, I have never discussed with anyone that they know of or believe in the secret rapture. it is just not part of the Australian culture that I have mingled in over 4 states and 2 territories, coastal and western living, city and country experiences, and nearby Vanuatu Islands on mission trips. For me talk of Secret Rapture only seems to come from America.
The above comment by Ms de Beer seems to be helpful.
Godbless us today. Mrs A Stolz.
From my experience, I agree in hearing a lot about the rapture from the US and this belief is spreading in Europe also. I heard one well know preacher (non-SDA) who tried to justify the rapture from the book of revelation by stating, because 'Church' is not mentioned after the first 3 chapters it indicates that the church has been taken to heaven and those left behind only face the tribulation. Even though there are those who are steeped in false doctrine, we are to plant the seeds of truth in their hearts with love, so when the Holy Spirit convicts them of the truth they will recall what they have heard. Jesus had laid out the work to be done on earth through his people when he said in John 10:16 (NKJV) "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd"
Lets go out and work in the vineyard for this is our calling. God bless, and wish you all a blessed sabbath.
In stark contrast to this section of articles is the doctrine of the
secret rapture. This doctrine is a dispensational view,
proposing that the people of God will be secretly taken to
heaven while everyone else remains on the earth to receive a
second chance. The secret rapture doctrine is false, and gives a
false hope. It does not encourage people to change their lives
and make themselves right with God.
This is what Scripture has to say about getting right with God:
Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have
mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon
(Isaiah 55:7).
“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has
committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and
right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the
transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered
against him; because of the righteousness which he has done,
he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked
should die?” says the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 18:21-23 NKJV).
There is a clear "if" in these verses. Salvation is conditional to
obedience. When the judgment comes, we will be held
accountable for our deeds, and won’t have another chance.
The people of God will experience the tribulation and feel the
wrath of the Antichrist. Their only hope will be the return of
Christ. Just as the blood of the lamb was to be painted on the
doorposts of the Israelite dwellings during the night of the final
plague in Egypt ( Exodus 12:7-13 ), so the blood of Christ the
Lamb must be painted on the doorpost of the heart to alert the
destroying angel that we have been purchased by God’s
sacrifice.
And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We
have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We
have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His
salvation (Isaiah 25:9 NKJV).
The Secret Rapture and the Word of God
The following passage is often quoted to support the secret
rapture:
For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that
Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came
and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of
Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken
and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one
will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not
know what hour your Lord is coming (Matthew 24:38-42 NKJV).
This text does not prove a secret rapture. It merely points out
that at the return of Christ, some will be saved and others will
be lost.
The dispensationalist view that the Antichrist will arise after the
secret rapture is also not in line with the teaching of Scripture.
The Bible clearly teaches that this power will arise from the
Church, not after the Church:
Brethren, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that
the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come,
by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from
us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would have continued with us; but they went out that they
might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John
2:18-19 NKJV).
The secret rapture is not a Biblical teaching.
Shriley de beer can you elaborate because i dont understand matthew 24:40 when it says one will be taken and the other left
Read the story of Noah and the flood. You will see that the wicked were taken by the flood and the good were the only ones left alive in the Ark.
Jesus said the last days would be like the days of Noah.
Nothing secret, all died, only Noah and family lived, the whole of the earth destroyed, then by water, when Jesus comes it will be destroyed by fire
Why one taken, one left, one destroyed, one saved?
Because we don't know what is in the heart,but He does.
There is only one second coming, when Jesus comes with all His angels and every eye will see Him.
Complying with Isaiah 28:9-10, we must look further than Matt 24:40. Isaiah 24:1-6 emphasizes the judgment on the Earth, "... therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left." Then in Luke 17 this topic is again addressed. There we are told repeatedly one is taken and one is left; and then in v. 37 it is asked of the Lord to where one shall be taken, "And he said unto them, wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles [margin: vultures] be gathered together." And this is further explained in Matt 24:28 "For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together." Those taken do not go to heaven; They are the wicked to which we are told in Rev 20:17-18 an angel standing in the sun cries with a loud voice to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven to come and gather themselves together unto the supper of the great God; that they may eat the flesh of men and horses of all men, both free and bond, both small and great." Those taken up to join the Lord in the clouds at his second coming.
We should note also what the bible in revelation 1:7 states that every eye shall see him, implying to us that the salvation and condemnation of the righteous and sinners respectively will be a public scene where each will be
made aware of their final destination. Hence the aspect of secret rapture is non biblical .
Just to repeat Shirley's explanation about the "taken" idea.
"...the flood came, and TOOK them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other left." (Matt 24:39-41)
It seems wonderfully clear that when the people were TAKEN in the flood, it means that they died. The logical structure of Jesus' thought appears to carry this same thought over into the time which immediately precedes His return.
Death will be so prevalent.
And the two women at the mill, grinding grain, suggests to me a time of urgency. Normally only one person was required to operate the mill, but in times of haste or urgency, a second person was added. But even then there will be no escape - the plagues will be sweeping through the earth. (Amos 5:19)
"Like those in the genealogy of Jesus’ human side, we are sinners in need of grace. Our obedience to the law, our overcoming sin and temptation, and our growth in Christ, however much these are parts of the Christian life, are the results of salvation and never the cause."
Are the result of salvation? What does that mean?
What does grace mean in the above quote?
Is one saved and then they obey the law and overcome sin & temptation..in that sequence?