Why I am Now Convinced of a Pre-Trib Rapture

[Evang.Benincasa]

Sean when Jesus said that you must first bind the strong man and then you can rob his house was that physical? Did Jesus want to take a chain and bind the strong man?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Wow this place has an innumerable numbers of angels, an innumerable number of people, and a 144,000 virgin men. This is physical though? This was going on in the first century A.D.? Sean, care to explain?

bump for Sean

[Evang.Benincasa]

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by mfblume

No Sea. the CITY stands for the church. And we COME TO THE CHURCH and are in it. As individuals we are sons and daughters. But the BODY is the church and the city. Heb 12 is speaking of us as individuals. WE COME TO THE CHURCH. the CITY is the church. The individual is not the church.

Now, once again, you're not answering me. How can we have COME TO IT if it's not even down on earth yet and still needs to come to earth from heaven?

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Excellent point my brother.

αλλά προσεληλύθατε Σιών όρει και πόλει θεού ζώντος Ιερουσαλήμ επουρανίω και μυριάσιν αγγέλων

The above selection of scripture verse isn't speaking of something in the future for the readers. It says αλλά προσεληλύθατε Σιών όρει, it literally says that the reader has already entered the Zion Mountain. Nothing futuristic is ever implied by the writer of Hebrews.

[Esaias]

What does the apostle mean when he says "the spirits of just men made perfect"?

Is he speaking of those brethren who are both justified and perfected (entirely sanctified, or "matured")?

Or is he speaking of those who died and are in heaven?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

What does the apostle mean when he says "the spirits of just men made perfect"?

Is he speaking of those brethren who are both justified and perfected (entirely sanctified, or "matured")?

Or is he speaking of those who died and are in heaven?

I believe what I put in bold blue.

Matthew 5:48 Jesus was telling them something they could do in their present, not in their future.

[Evang.Benincasa]

1 Corinthians 2:6

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them THAT ARE PERFECT: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

[Evang.Benincasa]

Hebrews 5:12-14

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a BABE. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of FULL AGE, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

[Esaias]

Is this perfectedness or maturity received or obtained through consecration and faith? Or a process of development? Or both?

[Esaias]

Brother Benincasa, are you coming to Dallas area any time soon? lol