Yes, the more I look into this doctrine, I keep seeing references to 1 Thessalonians 4 as a central passage. I thought Dr. Imes addressed this passage well in our event:
Yes, I agree. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 seems like a very public event.
Further, this passage says that Christ will descend from heaven. But it never says that Christ will go back up. It says that believers will meet the Lord in the air. But as Dr. Imes and others explain, this is so we can join Christ as he descends to earth.
Finally, 4:18 says we are to encourage one another with these words. Sometimes, the doctrine of the Rapture appears to frighten people, especially kids. But the purpose of this teaching is to comfort the Thessalonians and us that all believers will be joined together at Christ’s return.
Let’s create a new Topic to discuss this! Great question.
I’d love to start a conversation on this verse too!
Dr. Grudem has definitely produced some helpful resources. However, I shy away from quoting him for a few reasons. In his defense of the eternal functional subordination of the Son to the Father, he appears to have veered into heterodox teaching:
If God is one in essence, power, and will, then the submission of one divine person to another in the inner life of God is a category error and a significant one at that. We believe that Grudem has misread, not just a few obscure theologians in church history, but the ecumenical creeds as well and, most importantly, Scripture itself.
(Another possible new Topic!)