http://www.biblegateway.com/
Ok. My points, I think, are easy to track from Scripture.
First of all, reincarnation is dismissed, in case anyone asks.
Hebrews 9:27.
NIV.
27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
NASB.
27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
KJV.
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Death ONCE, then judgement.
If one just reads this, it's easy to see how some people ended up with the doctrine that judgement
for each person IMMEDIATELY follows that person's death.
The one catch, of course, is that Scripture shows judgement occurring for lots of people at once,
and that all in the future, NOT one at a time at each person's death.
It does not say "IMMEDIATELY after this the judgment" or "IMMEDIATELY after this comes judgment".
In the absence of an explanation that outlines judgment much later, an IMMEDIATE judgment remains
a possibility. However, the outlining of the judgments clearly show them as future events.
No matter if you think the Christians are in the First Resurrection, or if you think they precede it in
a "Rapture", they're still judged in the future.
This should not be a major surprise to most regulars here, but it WOULD shock a lot of people.
I operate under a few basic assumptions, when studying the Day of Judgment.
The first is that each person will be judged ONCE, and be exempt from any later judgments as a result.
(Other assumptions center around the usual- the Bible is accurate, the translators make mistakes but
the originals lacked mistakes, etc.)
=============
Now, then, I make GREAT exception over the inconsistent translation-at least in the KJV where I studied it out-
of the Greek words "krima" and "krisis". Both words are virtually interchangeable as "judgment."
However, they are not translated CONSISTENTLY (at least in the KJV.)
Sometimes they are translated "judgment", sometimes "condemnation", sometimes "damnation."
Now, those are words that have VERY different meanings.
"Judgment" can be FOR a person or AGAINST a person. The word "judgment" does not indicate the direction of a verdict.
"Condemnation" means a judgment was made, a verdict was rendered-AGAINST the person.
"Damnation" is even stronger than "condemnation", the ULTIMATE verdict was rendered AGAINST the person.
In the interest of clarity, there should be ONE word in English for ONE word in Greek. (In this case, for BOTH words in Greek, actually.)
That it should be "judgment" and not "condemnation" nor "damnation" is clear when seen in this verse:
Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
"Condemnation" could not fit in this sentence, nor could "damnation."
But it's the same Greek word as in verse 29 here:
John 5:28-29.
28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
As the translators rendered this, the good people go to the resurrection of life-and presumably live,
and the bad people go to the resurrection of damnation-and presumably suffer an eternal punishment- destruction, eternal flame, whatever your theology claims.
However, repair the translator's error, and the resurrections become "life" and "judgment",
which are not opposite words.
The translator let his doctrine affect his work. But we can repair that easily enough, if we dare to.
The problem then becomes the doctrines based on the translational errors- the expectation that the second resurrection
equalled damnation for the attendees. When one reads the actual account of it, however, that is not what it says.
=====================
For the first of the events, as I see them, we look at the "Rapture", the Blessed Hope, our gathering together unto him.
Right now, things are as they are now. You need no verses to tell you what it's like now.
Things will change, however, at a point in the future. What changes them, and how do they change?
KJV
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
"A falling away". "Ha apostasia." Literally, "a moving away from."
Some people say it's a negative movement, and transliterated it "apostasy."
Some people say it's a positive movement, and translated it "departure." (twi did, anyway.)
Frankly, it doesn't really matter WHICH you render it, since there's 2 events simultaneous to each other,
one is an apostasy, one is a departure.
II Thessalonians 2:7
7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
The "apostasy", the rise of the Man of Sins, the Son of Perdition, ("the anti-Christ") can't happen while God's Protection prevents it.
The thing is, God's Protection is on THE CHRISTIANS.
Remove all the Christians from the planet at once, (in a "Rapture", say), and God's Protection goes with them,
leaving the planet unprotected, which would permit the rise of evil and the beginning of the End Times.
============
This has happened before, on a much smaller scale......
Genesis 19. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The cities were so wicked, they were slated for destruction- except for Lot, the only righteous man in TWO cities.
Lot was told the cities were going to be destroyed for their wickedness. He was told to leave immediately, and to make
his family leave immediately.
It's pretty straightforward. Until you read verse 22.
15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:
19Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
God's Protection was on Lot. As soon as Lot left the cities, they were given over to destruction.
======================
I Corinthians 15:51-54
51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54So 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.
I Thessalonians 4:13-17
(KJV)
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For 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.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(NASB)
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
I consider the end, "so we shall always be with the Lord" to be of critical importance in understanding the events to come.
From the time of the fulfillment of that verse onward, we will be with Jesus. Where he is, we are. Where we are, he is.
=================
I'm sure lots of people are still convinced that WE don't go anywhere until the First Resurrection.
That's all the way in Revelation 20, after Jesus returns dramatically and delivers a major smackdown at the end of Revelation 19.
Of course, it's also after all the events of Revelation 1-19.
I'd like to mention "wrath" for a moment.
Romans 5:9
KJV
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
NASB
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
I Thessalonians 1:10
KJV
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
NASB
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
I Thessalonians 5:9
KJV
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
NASB
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
=====
What is "the wrath to come"?
It's in Revelation. The early chapters are warnings, and announcements of things that will shortly come to pass.
Events begin happening with the breaking of the seals- those begin in Revelation 6.
KJV
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
==========
NASB
1Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come."
2I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
3When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come."
4And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.
5When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come " I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
6And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."
7When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."
8I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
9When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;
10and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
11And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.
12I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
14The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;
16and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
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Terrifying things happen- conquest, slaughter, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, and more.
It's "THE WRATH OF THE LAMB", "THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH."
Am I concerned about living through it? Not a bit.
I'm saved from wrath, I'm delivered from wrath, I'm not appointed to wrath.
Now, those people who expect Christians to live through "the Tribulation" and not be "Raptured" are welcome to compose any
theory they like on how they can be saved from earthquakes, etc while living through them,
or find some other event and call that "wrath" as well. (I haven't found another future "wrath", so I don't give good odds
for finding another event CALLED "wrath.")
To me, the most logical reason we're not appointed to suffer through the day of wrath is that we aren't here at all-
We are gathered together out of here, the Protection of God leaves the Earth, the Man of Sins is revealed,
and the End Times proceed. The day of wrath happens, and is finished before we return years later
(at the end of Revelation 19, still with Jesus as he returns to Earth to open up a tremendous can of whupass
on the Man of Sins and all of his.
