Gino,

I know that I am not worthy and yet I believe in a partial rapture (to use your terminology) but now I’ll explain what I mean by those words.

By partial I do not believe that the Bride of Christ will in any way be incomplete but rather that the complete Bride will be made up of only a part of the Body of Christ in the same way that Eve was a complete person but she was made from a part (rib) of Adam’s Body. Just as the Philadelphia church is part of the 7 churches.

By the statement “not worthy” I mean that in my own self or own works of righteousness, I recognize that I am not worthy and in my own works of the Law I can never be worthy because I cannot perform enough to reach the standard set by the Law. The Law as “Schoolmaster” has convinced me that I need a savior.

Therefore I have accepted God’s substitute covering for my unworthiness in the covenant of Jesus’ sacrifice for me and I have submitted my life to Him and through sincerely seeking Him have learned to hear His voice and have daily followed and obeyed Him and His daily directions for my life and as long as I continue to do this, I know that I have been made worthy by the washing of His blood to completely cleanse me of all unrighteousness and I have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony. I therefore have this confidence that He is faithful who promised that He will take me to be with Him when He comes that where He is there I may be also.

There are those that Jesus describes as not worthy of Him but it is not because of their failure to keep the Law, (for none of us are worthy on that basis) but rather because they have not submitted themselves to Him and learned to trust Him with their lives and yet they assume that mere belief in Him will be enough to save them. The scriptures tell us that even demons believe, yet they are not saved. Jesus said if someone loves family or anything in their life more than Him then they are not worthy of Him. Our life must be laid down for Him in order to qualify for worthiness for the rapture. Gold, silver, precious stones are the works that happen when Jesus instructs us to do something and we obey and do it. Wood, hay, stubble is any works done in Jesus name that Jesus does not recognize as something He authored but was done presumptuously by people who were not submitted to Him. Many will present these kinds of works to Jesus on that day (rapture day, I believe) and He will say depart from me ye that work iniquity, I do not know you or where you came from.

Paul said Jesus is the foundation that everyone builds on and that everyone’s works will be tried by fire on a certain day. If their works are gold, silver, precious stones then it will remain and they receive a reward (which I think is to be raptured). If their works are wood, hay stubble it will burn up and they will be ashamed but can still be saved yet so as by fire (which I believe is the tribulation period).

The test by fire is also in one of Jesus’ parables described as a huge storm bringing wind and waves and crashing against two different kinds of houses. One is built on a Rock and one is built on sand. From a casual glance no one can tell the difference and as long as there is no storm; the sand-built house seems perfectly fine. Just like wood, hay stubble is perfectly safe until fire is applied to it. But the house on a Rock will survive the storm as also the gold, silver, precious stones will survive the trial by fire.

I believe that the rapture day is the day Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 3:13 when he said that everyone’s works will be tried as to what sort it is whether it can stand the fire or if it will be burned up. Likewise that is the day described as the huge storm of Jesus’ parable too and some houses will stand and some houses will fall flat and be destroyed. Some Bible teachers, like Chuck Missler teach that all Christians will be raptured at the same time and then will come the judgment seat where our works will be tried to see if we get reward or not. Yet Paul said the DAY would declare what sort our works are not a judgment outside of time in eternity where it would be if it were after the rapture.

In conclusion, I believe in a “partial” rapture from the standpoint that not all Christians will be raptured but only those who have been obedient to Jesus’ leadings in their lives because they have made Him the Lord of their life. Remember, Jesus said the difference between the wise and the foolish who were both building a house was that the wise heard His words and did what He said while the foolish also heard His words but did them not.

I also said that I do not count myself to be “worthy” in the sense that I in no way have kept the Law and in my own performance of my righteousness I could never qualify that way. Yet I expect to be raptured because of the covenant I have entered into with Jesus as my Lord and He is worthy and gave me His righteousness and took my unworthiness on the cross. And since He is my Lord, I obey Him and have a history of works of obedience (and these were easy of yoke and light of burden) in my life having done so even when it meant being persecuted as He also was. I have known His voice and have been following Him because many years ago I made a choice to do so and will follow Him when He appears as I love His appearing and will not fear to go out to meet Him.