Resurrection—first

Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11) does not imply that he envisioned physical bodies flying through the air in his generation. He was addressing a specific concern among the Thessalonians. Would those who lived to see the end of the Mosaic age and subsequent parousia (presence) of Christ in the…

In this series of posts, I am proposing a better way to understand Paul’s comforting words to the Thessalonians: The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.…

Jesus spoke of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob entering the messianic-age kingdom on multiple occasions. One time was in the early part of his preaching career, during his “Great Galilean Ministry.” Matthew says a Roman centurion expressed faith in him by affirming his absolute authority: When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said…

In my last four posts, I have laid the groundwork for a revised understanding of Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11), especially his statements about the dead rising and the living being “caught up.” He says,  The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain…

A faithful friend has compounded my difficulties. I had admitted that Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11) poses significant challenges for my prophetic view, which I call inmillennialism. Over two years ago, I wrote a series of blog posts explaining that Paul used protensive language in this passage: he put…

This is the third and final post that I am republishing to prepare for a discussion of Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11), especially his words, “And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the…

Announcement The Southern Christian Writers Conference has chosen my book, Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days, as a finalist for their 2021 Notable Book Award. They will host their Book Expo and live stream the award ceremony on Facebook (here). The Expo starts at 10 am (CST) and the awards at 3…

The major challenge to my prophetic view (inmillennialism) in Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11) is in the following statements: The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.…

We reject Ralph Waldo Emerson’s dictum that “consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” He claimed Moses and other great thinkers “set at naught books and traditions” by speaking “what they thought.” Emerson said they gave no heed to consistency.  This is a falsehood. Moses spoke what God revealed to him.…

Some prophetic models teach the “thousand years” of Revelation 20 is in our future. They say this “millennium” is the kingdom age. Christ will reign for a literal thousand years. Inmillennialism maintains the “thousand years” of Revelation 20 is figurative. This symbolic number represents the entire Messianic Age. Christ established…