TCH MINI-STUDY 40
THE DAY OF THE LORD IS NOT KNOWN!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep [physically dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. For 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:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [raptured] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). But of the times and
the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as
a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman
with child; and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). Scholars accept these verses as a reference to the rapture of the group
of believers know as the church. Within this context, we should also notice that the phrases the coming of the Lord and the day of
the Lord are references to the rapture of His church. Additionally, these verses teach that the exact time or day of the return of
the Lord, also referred to as the rapture, is not known.
The following verses verify that the exact time of the day of the Lord
is not known, nor intended to be:
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came,
and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:36-39).
Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your Lord doth come (Matthew 24:42).
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh (Matthew
24:44).
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of (Matthew
24:50).
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:13).
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD
A
Judeo-Christian Bible Study
RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
BY JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there
is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many
be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as
it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto
justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment cameupon all men to condemnation;
even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord”
(Romans 5:12-21).
THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
spirit
which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words
which
man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man
receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned”
(1
Corinthians 2:12-14).
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which
ye have learned; and
avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;
and by good words
and fair speeches deceive
the hearts
of the simple”
(Romans 16:17-18).
"I charge THEE therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
and his
kingdom; Preach the word [of truth, the gospel]; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables"
(2 Timothy 4:1-4).