IS THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH FOUND IN PAUL’S EPISTLES ONLY?

Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

October 10, 2015

We are told repeatedly by many dispensationalists that the “rapture” as they call it, is found in Paul’s epistles only. I have heard this all my life. But is it true? Let’s ask the foremost authority who is Paul. Brother Paul, is the “rapture” you wrote about found in your epistles only? Paul answered that question nearly 2000 years ago in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:54-55. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15 when Paul wrote about the coming of Christ for the church and the resurrection of the dead and the translation of living saints, he wrote in verse 15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Do you see what Paul said about Christ’s coming for the church? He said; THIS WE SAY UNTO YOU BY THE WORD OF THE LORD.  What Paul said to them about Christ’s coming for the church was based upon the word of the Lord, which was the Old Testament.

If so, the next question is, where is this found in the Old Testament? Paul answers this question in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 where he wrote: So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Notice carefully that when Jesus comes again to change these corruptible bodies into incorruptible bodies verse 54 says; THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN. Written where? In verse 55 Paul quotes Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. Therefore, the word of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 according to Paul is Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. When Jesus comes again and the dead are raised and the living caught up without dying Paul said, THEN will Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 be brought to pass.

When they wrote; O grave where is thy victory? they prophesied of the dead saints at Christ’s coming who will be resurrected from the grave. When they wrote; O death where is thy sting? they prophesied of the living saints at Christ’s coming who will never taste the sting of death. These two prophecies will come to pass when the Lord comes again for the church.

The mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51 is not Christ’s coming or the resurrection. The mystery is according to Paul: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP. This means those alive when Jesus comes will never die. They will be caught up without dying. But yet this was written down in the prophets Isaiah and Hosea. In Paul’s day most people thought all saints would be dead by the time Christ came again, but Paul shows us some will be alive and will never die when Jesus comes. But this mystery is like many others; it’s hidden in the Old Testament according to 1 Corinthians 15:54-55.

Dispensationalists tell us that in Paul’s epistles alone is found the coming of Christ for the church, but Paul the apostle of the gentiles tells us that it was prophesied in the word of the Lord 100’s of years prior to him in Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. The hope of the church is found in the Old Testament just like the gospel we preach, justification by faith, righteousness by faith, the indwelling Spirit of God, and our inheritance in the kingdom of God, and many other doctrines.

My advice is believe what Paul said and ignore what dispensationalists say about Christ’s coming for the church. Paul was infallible in his writings and they are not.