I had wanted to write this at the Dove site after reading bro Frank Molver's article about true Christians, make believe Christians and unbelievers but decided to just write it here first...somehow the article inspired me to want to share a fresh revelation from the Word that had been going through my mind during meditations for the past two, three weeks.

It's about the 'falling away' verse in 2nd Thess2 being directly related to the 'catching away' verse in 1st Thess4! Could it be possible that Paul had already made it so plain and simple but we couldn't see it clearly ( or not allowed to ) until this last hour?

We can see a clear angle to this when we begin to read from 2nd Thess2:5 first which says, "DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS STILL WITH YOU I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS?" ( NKJV )

All of a sudden it dawned on me that Paul must be referring
to something that he already told them very clearly in 1st Thess! He was bodily present with the believers during 1st Thess, hence the "when I was still with you" in verse 5.

So, WHAT was that something that he already told them so clearly about? ( and it must be related to or concerned with the subject of "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" which is THE subject matter of chapter 2 as stated clearly in verse 1 of 2nd Thess2.)

The ONLY place where the subject concerning the coming of Jesus Christ was clearly laid out or explained to them during his 1st Thess visit is found in 1st Thess4 beginning from verse 13 through 18.

At verse 17, he mentioned being "caught up" or "caught away". This is such a familiar verse to all of us that I will not need to emphasize this one but will bring your attention to the "falling away" and how it could be the SAME event!!

I'll just paraphrase or emphasize verses 2,3 and 5 of 2nd Thess2 ( verse 1 has already been explained ) in order to make it short and as simple as possible to see it from this angle that i'm talking about....." Do not be so troubled and shaken by what you have read or received from others, thinking that its from us, that, the Day ( season ) of Christ's Wrath and punishment upon the earth has arrived!( and you have been left behind! ) Let no one deceive you in any way about this! That Day ( season ) of the Lord's wrath upon the earth WILL NOT COME UNLESS the "falling away" ( which may just be a simple description of what happens simultaneously to those who were not "caught away" where Paul is now emphasizing the opposite side of the same event of the Rapture to the Thessalonians which they should understand as it was told to them very clearly "while he was still with them during his visit in 1st Thess!! )and only AFTER that event of some being 'caught away' and some being 'separated' simultaneously, will the man of sin, the lawless will be revealed for all to see!" Verse 5, "do you not remember that when I was still with you in 1st Thess4:17, I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS ALREADY?!!"

( please note that the greek word for 'falling away' is 'apostasia' which is the same as 'apostasion' which can mean four(4) things; 1)apostasy as in those who have defected from truth ( and had to be left behind? ) 2)forsaken ( by God at the Rapture? ) 3)separated ( from the wise? )and 4)divorce or divorcement ( from the head of the Church and suffer divorcement of a marriage/betrothal's vow? ) Strong's 646,647 )

If the above is right on, then it's also plain and simple that Paul had told them that those left behind ( which also confirms that there WILL be those who will be left behind! ) in the Rapture would have to suffer through the 'day of Christ's wrath on the earth' which is the tribulation period and that's why they were so afraid that they were somehow left behind and Paul had to re-assure them again and bring to their remembrance of the whole sequence with emphasis on the catching away/falling away ( Rapture event ) happening FIRST and then the revealing of the AC before the "day of Christ" which is the tribulation period, which have indirectly given us another insight into 1st Thess 4:17 from the left behinders view!!!!!  God Bless!