Who Will Be in the Rapture?
Some teachers suggest that only those who are victorious and spiritually pure will be taken up while claiming that not every one who has been born again will be. However, such teachings do not come from the relevant biblical passages but rather from misinterpretations of parables. Therefore, we need to study the scriptural texts related to the rapture. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding this: "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
When Paul wrote the above letter, he was writing to the Corinthian believers who were carnal Christians. A carnal Christian is a believer who, while genuinely saved, remains dominated by their sinful, fleshly nature rather than growing in spiritual maturity. These Corinthians are seen as spiritual children; however, they behave like fleshly people — "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-4)
Paul was fully aware that the members of the Corinthian church were carnal christian. Yet, when it comes to the final rapture, it is evident that even the Corinthians will be included in the event, as all things will change momentarily. The term "all of us" here clearly refers to the members of the Corinthian church. Therefore, the notion held by certain teachers—that not everyone who is saved will participate in the rapture, but only those who are sanctified—this idea is incorrect.
Sanctified in Christ
Again, Paul the Apostle wrote about this matter concerning the holy people to the church in Corinth, saying: "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours" (1 Corinthians 1:1-2). Here, Paul refers to the church in Corinth as being "sanctified in Christ Jesus," meaning they are set apart by God through Jesus. However, in verse 3, he wrote again: "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?" ( 1 Corinthians 1:3) Paul wrote even further, "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?" (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).
The church in Corinth had such sins; yet why did Paul write at the beginning that they were sanctified in Christ Jesus, being set apart by God through Jesus? The reason is their holiness was not because of their actions but due to what Jesus had done for them. Their standing (position) before God was made holy and cleansed through Jesus. This cleansing and holiness are their position, meaning that they were made holy in Christ; it is the experience of being cleansed by Christ. However, their state (condition) was still sinful and unclean. Salvation and being raptured do not depend on one's condition but on one's position in Christ.
Relationship between head and body
Being raptured is the act of connecting the head, which is Christ, with the body, which is the Church. The Church is seen as the body of Christ in this way: "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Ephesians 1:23). The Church is the body of Christ. The body of Christ cannot be divided. As it says in Scripture, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;" (Ephesians 4:4). If only those who are victorious will take part in the rapture, only part of Christ will be raptured, while another part remains in the world. This cannot happen, for the body of Christ cannot be divided.
Differences in Growth and Maturity
Each person who has been born again through the Holy Spirit becomes a believer, but they differ in their stages of growth and maturity. Just as infants need time to grow physically, so too does the spirit require time to mature. In the physical body, we find stages such as newborn babies, children, teenagers, young adults, and elders. Newborn babies do not pay attention to cleanliness because they are unaware of its importance. It's not due to being non-human or not being born; rather it is simply because they have not yet learned about it. However, once they reach the stage of youth, they naturally become more attentive to cleanliness without needing any instruction. Teenagers are even cleaner than their parents. In like manner, when the spiritual aspect matures, attention to its purity increases as well.
It is very regrettable that among believers there are many who are spiritually immature. These spiritual infants remain stuck in their childish stage and therefore pay no attention to spiritual cleanliness nor do they perform any work. Just as young children enjoy playing with filth, these spiritual infants also take pleasure and become attached to things of this world along with those who do not believe, though they are unaware of them due to their spiritual infancy. No matter how much they are warned, they cannot hear because they are spiritually tender. Therefore, it is necessary to feed them good food so that they can grow and mature and thereby become pure.
Christ will not take away only those who are spiritually mature in the rapture, but also those who are like spiritually immature infants. Because of this, whenever various winds of teaching blow, we must remain steadfast, focused on growing in spiritual maturity without being carried away by those numerous teachings. "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:14-15)
