The "Split Rapture" is also called the "partial rapture"

On whether the rapture is split or not, I believe the rapture is not split, but all the saints are raptured out (caught away) at the same time.

I start with the basic fact that both Lot and Noah were delivered from the calamities in their day. Both of these men are given to us as examples: to watch, pray and be ready.

Matthew 24:36-42 – Noah was delivered, so we should watch and be delivered. Genesis 6:8 states that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Luke 17:28-37 reveal that Lot was delivered, but we are admonished to remember Lot’s wife, who was delivered from the destruction of the cities of the plain, but was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back, or yearned for the old life of sin and rebellion. II Peter 2:7,8 reveals that Lot was saved, a righteous man. If it were not for this passage, I would believe that Lot was a superficial Christian, a lost man. We are warned to watch continually, for we know not when the Lord will come. If we do not watch, we will be saved, yet so as by fire, as I Corinthians 3:15 states, "If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

I believe all the saved will be raptured (caught out) at almost the same time. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 declares, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 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. 16 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: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." God will not leave any of the saved behind to go through the tribulation period. He will take all the saved, dead and alive, to be with him. If Christ would leave only the unfaithful alive, he would be treating them differently from the unfaithful dead. There is no scripture in the entire Bible that speaks of a "purifying" of the saved during the tribulation period. There are many scriptures that speak of trials and troubles purifying the saved, drawing them closer to God and his ways.

To answer some questions in scripture:

I. Revelation 2:21-23 – I believe Jezebel and all her prophets are lost. The question remains about those that follow her – are they believers?

A. First of all, the term "great tribulation" appears only three times in the entire Bible.

1. Matthew 24:21 states, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." There is little doubt this passage is talking about the seven-year tribulation.

2. Revelation 2:22 states, "Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds." The scripture before us.

3. Revelation 7:14 states, "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." It is fairly apparent these saints are those Gentiles that are killed during the tribulation period. So once again, the term "great tribulation" refers to the seven-year tribulation period of Revelation.

4. Comparing these three scriptures, I conclude the term "great tribulation" refers to the tribulation period in the book of Revelation.

B. Now, I have no doubt that the people who commit adultery with Jezebel will be cast into great tribulation, not only in this world, (during the time of Jacob’s trouble – the great tribulation period spoken of in Revelation) but also in the world to come (eternity).

1. I also believe the assumption that those that commit adultery with Jezebel are saved is erroneous.

2. The scripture does not say they are saved, or even that they are church members.

a. There is no mention in scripture that this false doctrine is being taught during a church service, or with the authority of the church.

b. The church is simply "putting up with" this false doctrine, not speaking against it or condemning it.

3. The scripture does state that the doctrines of Jezebel and her cohorts are in the church at Thyatira; therefore we conclude they are church members. It could be that Jezebel was not in the church, but her evil influence was spread to the church members. This happens quite openly today. Many truly saved Baptist are more influenced by the world than we care to admit. We fall into the following traps:

a. Charismatics are very excited about their "worship"; therefore true Baptists cannot get that excited.

b. Some folks have taken the Bible doctrine of election to the extreme; therefore we cannot believe in that doctrine.

c. Others have taken the Bible doctrine of whosoever will (soul-willing) to the extreme; therefore we cannot believe that doctrine.

d. Some folks have taken separation (clothes, hair, so forth) to the extreme; therefore we cannot be separated from the world and be Baptist.

4. Church members that hold the doctrines of Jezebel are lost. (I use the term "hold" to speak of a continuing long-term exercise, and not just a short term "looking and rejecting".)

a. According to Revelation 2:24, there were some in the church at Thyatira that held to the doctrines taught by Jezebel.

b. These are church members, who are not continuing in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, as described in Acts 2:42.

c. Revelation 2:20 declare these lost church members were committing fornication and eating things sacrificed unto idols.

d. According to Acts 15:20 these were the very things they were to abstain from.

5. Their works prove their spiritual condition.

C. I reject the idea that the "great tribulation" in Revelation 2:22 is not necessarily the tribulation period of Revelation, but great tribulation that comes because of sin.

II. Revelation 3:3 states, "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."

A. This passage does not teach that any of the church at Sardis will go through any part of the tribulation

1. Jesus warns this church that if they shall not watch, they will not know what hour he will come.

2. The plain implication is that those that watch for the return of the Lord will be able to tell when he will come.

3. They are not setting a time, but know than when evil days come, the Lord’s return is then.

4. Paul looked for the rapture in his day, as described in I Thessalonians 4:13-18.

5. We see evil days all around us; therefore we know the rapture is very, very near.

B. This passage does not teach a split rapture, any more than I Thessalonians 5:1-9.

1. Paul warned the Thessalonians to be aware of the times and seasons, lest that day overtake them as a thief, verse 4.

2. This is exactly what Jesus is doing to the church members at Sardis.

3. In Matthew 24:36, 42-51, Jesus warns believers to continually watch and be ready for the rapture, and the end of the world.

a. There are calamities coming to the believer who begins to smite fellow believers and to live like the lost.

b. The wicked believer will not only lose blessings in this life, he will also lose eternal rewards.

c. The wicked, unfaithful, worldly believer will be saved yet so as by fire, but have all his works destroyed by the fiery eyes of the judgment of Jesus Christ.

d. His works are wood, hay and stubble; therefore they will be destroyed when Christ looks upon them.

C. I see no indication that any of the church at Sardis will go through any part of the tribulation.

1. I see great warnings to them that they will be surprised when the rapture comes.

2. The reason they will be surprised is because they have left off serving God and have begun to live worldly lives.

3. God does not want his children living like the world.

D. If this verse teaches a partial or split rapture, the motivation for Christian service as taught in all the rest of the Bible is compromised.

1. As explained in Revelation 2:4, the motivation for service is because we love God.

2. Matthew 22:36 reveals that the greatest commandment of the law is to love God with all our heart, all our souls, and all our might.

3. The principle of those that teach you can lose your salvation if you do not do certain things is the same principle of those that teach you will go part of the tribulation if you do not do certain things.

4. They teach service because of fear, not because of love.

5. I John 4:18 emphasizes, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

III. Revelation 3:10,11 states, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

A. I do not think these verses refer to the great tribulation described in Revelation.

1. There is a "common" temptation, or a temptation that comes upon the entire world.

2. I Corinthians 10:13 states, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

3. If we keep the word of the patience of Jesus, he will also keep us from temptations.

4. How do we resist temptation?

a. By fighting the temptation or submitting ourselves to God, thinking what he wants us to think, and doing what he wants us to do?

b. James 4:7 states, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

c. We do not fight temptations directly, but resist temptations by submitting ourselves to God, and then he gives us power to resist the devil.

d. Then, and only then, will the devil (and the accompanying temptation) flee from us.

B. Verse 10 - I see nothing in this passage that indicates a split rapture.

1. This verse is a promise to believers.

a. Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

b. Does this verse mean that we work for our salvation?

c. No, It means we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12.

2. Jesus said in John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

a. Does this passage give a license to sin?

b. No, It means once we are saved by the grace of Almighty God, he will keep us forever.

c. Once we are adopted into the family of God, he will never un-adopt us.

C. Many people separate spiritual salvation from soul salvation and body salvation.

1. I don’t. I believe in a three fold salvation, as described in I Thessalonians 5:23, which declares, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I believe when God begins a good work in a person, he will continue. I John 2:25,26, "…If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." I must say that this eternal life is more than just forgiveness of original sin (and I certainly do not want to lessen that), but eternal life continues in the soul and body.

2. Spiritual salvation is that salvation that involves justification, sanctification of the spirit, forgiveness of original sin, adoption, and so forth.

3. Soul salvation involves progressive sanctification, allowing God to be the king of our lives, trusting God with everyday circumstances, so forth.

4. Body salvation involves glorification, or the change of this vile body into a body of complete wholeness, perfectness and righteousness.

D. Verse 11 – Again, I see nothing in this passage that indicates a split rapture.

1. The warning here is not that a person will go through the tribulation if they do not do certain things.

2. The warning is that following any man, except the God-man, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, will cause you to lose your crowns (rewards).