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Will you please explain the "Rapture?" Many believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come, and then seven years of tribulation will occur. During these seven years, all the people on earth will get another chance to redeem themselves if they have "the Lord Jesus Christ in their heart." Is this what we also believe?

Rapture is a topic that is often discussed in today's conversations. There are three definitions associated with this topic you should be familiar with:

1. Rapture: The gathering of all generations from all nations in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again to judge them.



2. Second Coming: At the end of the ages, the Lord Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. Following the judgment a new Heaven and a new earth will replace the old earth, which has been desecrated by sin. As Coptic Orthodox we also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is already present through the Church.  Christians enter into the Kingdom through their participation in the sacramental life of the Church while waiting for the coming of the Lord.



3. Tribulation: The scriptures plainly tell us that much trouble and violence will engulf the entire world before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For studies related to these subjects begin with the Holy Book of 1 Thessalonians. In this epistle, St. Paul addresses how a holy life can lead to eternal life. A part of the historical background of this book is that the Christian Thessalonicas had given up hope in Christ's imminent return. They expected His return to earth to be immediate. Some had neglected their daily life duties and work. Others were sad and depressed for those who had passed away before the Lord's return. Many have been making calculations as to the time of the Second Coming.

St. Paul's purpose in the Holy Book of 1 Thessalonians was to encourage the Christians to seek spiritual excellence and not to focus on the exact time of the Second Coming. It is better to focus on preparation for, rather than the timing of the Coming.

Also I would encourage you to continue reading in the Holy Book of II Thessalonians regarding False Teaching on the Second Coming found in chapter 2.