Paul, writes assuringly to the anxious grace believers of his day, as seen hear below. He makes clear that “the day of Christ [The Rapture]” had NOT yet arrived (verses 1-2 below) even though there were False Reports (Fake News of the day) saying; these believers had ‘missed the Rapture’ and that the judgments of “the day of the Lord” were upon them.

 “Now we beseech you, … by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him [at Rapture], ² That ye [believers] be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by [untrue] letter [circulating] as [though it was] from us, as [saying] that the day of Christ is [already] at hand [taken place].” (2 Thes. 2:1-8 will continue below)

So, there were those back in the 1^st century who were lying, speaking fake news about the future events of the Rapture, the resurrection to heaven… as Though They Had Already Taken Place. And this is precisely what many are saying today, such as the ‘Preterist’ advocates. Preterism is a Christian eschatological view, that interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already happened. This school of thought interprets the Book of Daniel as referring to events that happened from the 7th century BC until the first century AD, while seeing the prophecies of the Book of Revelation as events that happened in the first century AD. Preterism holds that Ancient Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian church at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. They essentially believe in what’s called ‘Replacement Theology,’ somewhat like the Catholic church. You can read of my refutation of the great error of ‘Replacement Theology’ at my website: http://artlicursi.com/articles/great-error-%E2%80%9Creplacement-theology%E2%80%9D

The hearers of this Fake News in Paul’s day were having their faith “shaken” or “disturbed” (2 Thess. 2:2). The result today is the same as in the 1^st century, “they upset the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:18).

Paul says NOT SO! to the lying fake news! He says their believer’s sufferings in his day were the normal expected Christian persecution such as believers of all ages may have to endure. So, Paul then gives them information as to what Must Occur FIRST, before the worst judgments of the “day of the LORD” in approaching His 2^nd coming. In answer, Paul, below, offers the truth here in 2 Thes. 2:3-8.

“³Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [“of the Lord” in judgment] shall NOT come, except (UNTIL) there come [a wholesale] falling away [full Apostasy of the Jewish church at large in that day] FIRST,

and [THEN] that ‘man of sin’ [Anti-Christ] be revealed, the son of perdition [Anti-Christ]; ⁴ Who 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. ⁵ Remember ye not, that, when I [Paul] was yet with you, I told you these things?

⁶ And now ye know what [The Holy Spirit] withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

 ⁷ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work [in Paul’s day]: only he [the Holy Spirit] who now letteth will let, UNTIL He Be Taken Out Of The Way [by the Rapture of the body of Christ].

⁸ And THEN shall that Wicked [Wicked one, the Antichrist] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming [Christ’s 2^nd Coming]:” (2Thes. 2:3-8)

Let’s now consider Paul’s words in 1 Thes. 5. Because 1Thes. 5 follows Paul’s description of the Rapture in 1Thes. 4, many Bible students mistakenly assume that chapter 5 continues the same thought of chapter 4, as if “sudden destruction” applies to the Raptured “body of Christ.”  Not so! As you will see the subject changes in chapter 5.

“For when they [of Israel] shall say, Peace and safety; then ‘sudden destruction cometh upon THEM, [not ‘you’ grace believers] as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3 (KJV)

Often the Bible verses of one chapter, or a sequence of chapters may speak of two time periods (E.g. Isa. 9:6-7). The idea of applying “sudden destruction” to the believers of the church, “the body of Christ,” is ridiculous contextually and that idea would certainly contradict the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) of the Rapture that Paul said would “comfort” the believers (1Thes. 4:18). I will further prove this mistaken idea to be incorrect.

Yes, in 1Thes. 5:1-3 Paul is writing to his “brethren,” the grace believers of 1Thes. 5:1), but it concerns the judgments that will come upon those still on the earth after the Rapture. Many Gentiles on earth during the Tribulation will die at the hand of ‘the Four Horsemen’ (Rev 6:8). Two-thirds of Israel’s population are to die before the 2^nd half 3-1/2 year “Great Tribulation” (Zech. 13:8-9), leaving 1/3 to pass through “the refiner’s fire” of 1Pet. 1:7 in the “Great Tribulation.”

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land [of Israel], saith the LORD [of Israel], Two Parts therein [of Israel] shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. ⁹  And I will bring the Third Part through the fire [of the Tribulation trials], and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people [the believing ‘little flock’ remnant of Israel]: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zech. 13:8-9)

So yes, Paul in 1Thes. 5:3 [seen above] is writing to the grace church, but about “THEM,” that is those upon whom judgment is coming. Paul says, “THEY [the non-believers of Israel] shall NOT escape (1Thes. 5:3).” Paul does NOT say ‘sudden destruction… is coming upon YOU,’ the Thessalonian grace believers to whom he is writing.

Many Christians then also mistakenly mingle Paul’s words with Jesus’ words seen in the four Gospels (i.e., Matt. 24, Lk. 17, 21), assuming Jesus and Paul are addressing the same events, as if applying to the “body of Christ.” Most forget or don’t acknowledge that Jesus had come to and was a “minister of the circumcision [Israel] only (Rom. 15:24). Jesus never spoke a word concerning Paul’s “mystery” that includes the Rapture of the Gentile “body of Christ.”

Paul’s words in 1Thes 5:1-3 do somewhat agree with the Lord’s prophesies concerning judgments coming upon the world and Israel in the Tribulation… but NOT the church. In Matt 24:30-31 (below) Jesus spoke of the “sign” that “all the tribes [Gentile nations] of the earth mourn” and then of His “coming in the clouds” to “gather together His elect [od Israel],” at the end of the “Great Tribulation” judgments.

“then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the SON OF MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN with power and great glory. ³¹ And he shall send HIS ANGELS WITH a GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET, and THEY SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT [remnant of Israel] from the four winds [North, South, East, West], from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt. 24:30-31)

Many misapply Matt 24:30-31 because these phrases, “he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and … gather together his elect,” only sound similar to Paul’s words concerning the Rapture of the church in 1Thes. 4:13-18. Actually, God is very precise; His exact ‘words’ mean something and differences count. Jesus and Paul are referring to 2 different comings of Christ. By looking closely at the verses preceding Matt. 24:30-31 in context, we see that Jesus is clearly speaking of His 2^nd coming… in judgment at the close of the Tribulation period. Let’s now consider Matt. 24:13-21 since it precedes and sets the context for Matt. 24:30-31. Note my verse by verse commentary on Matt. 24:13-21 below which his in Arial print. You will then see how that Jesus’ words in these verses obviously describe “the Great Tribulation” toward “the end” (v14 below) of the Tribulation and … why His words do NOT apply to the genuine believing members of “the body of Christ,” … which will have already been Raptured to heaven several years earlier.

“¹³But HE [the Israelite] THAT SHALL ENDURE [faithfully] unto THE END, the same SHALL BE SAVED.

(This indicates that this Scripture does NOT apply to the Gentile Christian believers under today’s “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2). We know all grace believers are assured and sealed unto their salvation “by grace through faith in Christ (alone).” A grace believer’s subsequent failure to endure faithful unto the Rapture does not negate their salvation as it would of Israelites who are under “the Law”.)

¹⁴ And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM [to come on earth] shall be preached [by the 2 witnesses and the 144,000] in all the world for a witness unto all nations [all races]; and THEN SHALL THE END [of the age] COME.

(Christians are saved only according to Paul’s “The Gospel of the Grace of God” (Act 20:24), not according to “The Gospel of the Kingdom” that Jesus gave the Twelve for Israel Only.)

¹⁵ When YE [of Israel] THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, stand in the holy place [of the Temple], (whoso readeth, let him understand :) ¹⁶ Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains [of Petra, in Edom, today’s Jordan]:

(Clearly, according to Dan 9:27 and 12:11, “THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION” with Antichrist occupying the Temple ‘as God’ occurs near the middle of the Tribulation, at 3-1/2 years, some 1,290 days before the full end of the Tribulation with Jesus judging the nations.)

¹⁷ Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: ¹⁸ Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. ¹⁹ And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! ²⁰ But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: ²¹ For THEN shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE. (Matt. 24:13-21)

(The terrible sufferings of the “Great Tribulation” will be such as man has never yet seen. This has not yet occurred.

“… except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matt. 24:22)

So, Paul in 1Thes 5:3 is NOT writing about the members of “the body of Christ” but rather concerning Israel during the Tribulation period.