The Conclusion of the Matter.
YES, There is a Rapture for the Church because JESUS said so for the Phiadelphian Church
in John 14, Rev 3 and Rev 12
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
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Not to single you out, there's just so much tangled mess on this thread it's hard to know where to begin, so I guess I'll start with the last poster.
First of all, what He is referring to in John, is the symbolism of the customs of an ancient Jewish wedding. So too, is the section about the wise and foolish virgins. Granted, without knowing the context that has been neatly nearly stripped away by the Hellenists, the text is nearly unrecognizable as such.
The bridegroom first met with the bride's father, and they agreed upon a bride price. Once agreed upon, he went home to add on a room for him and his bride, TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE. The length of time it took to build it and furnish it varied, but this was the betrothal time and legally binding.
He also built a wedding sort of canopy, held aloft by his friends, that he sat on. Once done with all his labors, he and his friends and family, came like A THIEF IN THE NIGHT without warning, with torches, singing and making noise (WITH A LOUD SHOUT), to go get the bride, who had been making herself ready all this time, also. She and her friends, also carried oil torches and ran out to meet the groom, whereupon she was LIFTED UP IN THE AIR TO JOIN HIM ON THE PLATFORM, forever to be with her groom, and they all went back to his father's house to be married, consummate the wedding and have a feast that lasted 7 days.
As you can see, hopefully, the story is about UNION WITH THE BELOVED FOREVER IN COVENANT, not about location. It would be a poor choice of a shallow bride if she was more concerned with where she was going to live with her beloved than the fact she was going to be one with her beloved. Now since it's obviously a SPIRITUAL union, having been made perfect by the Spirit are ye now needing to lean on the flesh again???
Furthermore, we are given tastes of this union whenever the times of refreshing come, that are when the Spirit feeds us something choice that has the effect of translating us out of the kingdom of darkness (the carnal mind) and into the kingdom of light (the mind of Christ). Because the wisdom of the flesh is sensual and BELOW the wisdom that is spiritual and ABOVE, we are CAUGHT UP every time this happens to us.
We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved, spirit, soul, and body. We are NOT waiting to fly away, we are awaiting the redemption of our bodies, that the corruptible put on incorruption, as Paul said he didn't want to be UNCLOTHED (put off his flesh body from his spirit body), but CLOTHED UPON. If Paul wanted to be clothed upon, why oh why, would anyone think that being unclothed would be a good thing? The scripture says to take care that your FLIGHT be not in winter (death of the body).
I rebuke openly anyone I hear that says, "I just want to go home and be with Jesus." I call it what it is: a thief trying to rob Him of a body to dwell in. Peace
