Question: What is your position on the rapture of the church?

Answer: Our position is based on what the Bible teaches. The word rapture comes from the phrase “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. In that context the Bible teaches that the church will be raptured at the second coming of Jesus Christ along with all believers whether dead in Christ or alive at His appearing. This rapture will come at a time that will catch the world by surprise (like a thief in the night 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) and bring sudden destruction upon all who are not in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

 
We believe the second coming of Christ will be a loud, bright, every-eye-will-see-Him, literal, ending history-as-we-know-it event (Matthew 24:26-31; Revelation 1:7; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 3:10).

Question: I have heard recently, and I don’t recall from where, that the Bride of Christ is the 144,000, but I’ve read in the Great Controversy, pages 426 & 427 that the Bride is the City of God. Please clarify if possible. Thanks.

Answer: I believe both of these thoughts are correct and harmonize. Truth often does that (faith and works; mercy and justice). The bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem and the 144,000. They are connected. The New Jerusalem includes the redeemed/ 144,000 (Rev 21:9-17). That appears to be the reason why the city has twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes over each gate. Ephesians 2:19-22 also indicates as does 1 Peter 2:5 that the redeemed are spiritual stones making up a building of whom Christ is the chief cornerstone. Hebrews 3:6 calls the redeemed God’s house.