Dear Jill,I thank you for our email and I will try to answer the best I can scriptually for that is where we place this...how does the scripture answer this question that you ,and I am sure many others question...WHY DOES NOT THE COMPLETE CHURCH GO IN THE FIRST RAPTURE? That is really what you are asking.
I am now talking about the first rapture as there are others...The first rapture are those who will be snatched away just before the Tribulation starts and the seals are opened.
As I mentioned in my recent message on Five Doves..many years ago and even again recently within the last year the Lord has spoken to me in several dreams and confirmations of the dreams that He wants me to continue to WARN PEOPLE TO BE READY!! This message is not just been given to me but many others Christians throughout the world and there are websiites just like Five Doves and others that are actually doing that. Choo Thomas in her book HEAVEN IS SO REAL WAS TOLD BY JESUS THAT HIS BRIDE WAS NOT READY..HEAVEN WAS but not HIS BRIDE. HER BOOK CAME OUT i BELIEVE in 2003..it has become one of the best seller books of the Charismatic books that have been recently written. He told her to tell people to tell them to BE READY!!! GET OUT OF THE WORLD SYSTEM...THEY ARE SAVED but living for the world and themselves and not for the Lord...They have not yet taken up their cross and followed Him completely. Mary Baxter wrote a book several years ago about Heaven and hell and it is atonishing what the Lord showed her. I could go on and on about people and their involvment with telling others to BE READY...NOW i AM TALKING ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN ...THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SAVED. Do not get this confused and think these people are not saved..they are..but like I said...they need to repent of their lifestyles..BE WATCHING AND living for HIM.
ONE OF THE DOWNFALLS OF THE CHURCH IS THAT THEY ARE NOT TELLING PEOPLE THE TRUTH. THEY HAVE NOT RIGHTLY DIVIDED THE WORD OF GOD.
I like yourself for many years believed that everyone would be taken in the rapture. It was not until several years ago when this was disclosed to me that is a lie...a deception.
My suggestion would be to read Rev.3:8 and 10 where the Lord is addressing the Philidelphia Church...those are the ones that are going to be raptured...Then go down and read about the Loadician Church..the lukewarm church...they are going to be left here tried by fire (tribulation fire) also the 10 virgins which represent the whole church body...5 are ready..5 are left.. Also read in Rev. 4 about the door that was opened..that door is the same door that the Bride will go through and it is the same door that was closed to the 5 virgins who were not ready. They are all saved..but many went back into the world again after they were saved and dirtied their garmets...they will be washed during the first half of the Tribulation.
Also read Luke 21:36 'WATCH YE THEREFORE, AND PRAY ALWAYS, THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, AND STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN" These words were spoken by Jesus after He had told them what would happen..the destruction that would come.. They are saved...but He says we are to pray always....He would not ask us to do so UNLESS something could cause us to stumble...NOT BE READY...NOT TO BE WORTHY TO ESCAPE THAT HOUR OF TEMPTATION THAT HE IS SPEAKING OF IN REV. 3 which is the 7 year Tribulation.
Jill, you have the choice of believing the way you do for that is how I believed and millions of others..but that does not always mean that what we believe is scriptual. It does not sound good to think Christians are not all going. I have a son who claims he is a Christian..yet his life style is completely the opposite from what the Lord wants of him. He lives a lifestyle of alchol ...has totally destroyed his life..yet I believe he is saved but will have to turn around completely during the Tribulation. I know of Christians who are living a lifestyle of adultry...yet they think they will be raptured..they will if they change..repent. The Lord says in His word 'YOU CALL ME LORD, LORD AND YOU DO NOT DO THE THINGS I HAVE COMMANDED YOU TO DO..BE GONE, I NEVER KNEW YOU. They I am sure would claim to be Chrsitians.
REMEBER, HE IS COMING FOR A CHURCH WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE...He helps us to get rid of the spots and wrinkles...but we have to cooperate...die to ourselves daily.
If You have any questions, please feel free to write. There are many other scriptures to back up what I have said. Lyn Mize wrote an excellent book many years ago called THE OPEN DOOR and it goes into much detail of what is in question here.
GOD BLESS...MARANATHA..Virginia