I listened to a 'mid-Acts' preacher say, "If the quick and the dead are two different things .... and they are .... then so are "His appearing (the rapture) and His kingdom (the second coming)." That is NOT how the verse reads though:
2 Tim 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Well, now, with that illogical 'mid-Acts' reasoning, I wonder .... Would he group the quick and the dead together, and have them judged at His appearing .... and then 'nothing' happen at His kingdom? Why even mention His kingdom, if 'nothing' in the verse has anything to do with it, since he believes it is an entirely separate event that will occur 7+ years later? Or would he group the 1st thing of the 1st section, with the 1st thing of the 2nd section .... and then group the 2nd thing of the 1st section, with the 2nd thing of the 2nd section? So then, the quick would be judged at His appearing .... and the dead would be judged at His kingdom? Or would he use BOTH things in the 1st section with EACH of the things in the 2nd section? So then, the quick and the dead will both be judged at His appearing .... and then quick and the dead will both be judged at His kingdom? This question presents two problems. Here are the two scenarios: If the quick and the dead will both be judged at His appearing .... will the SAME quick and the dead be judged AGAIN at His kingdom? ---- OR ---- If the quick and the dead will both be judged at His appearing .... will it be a DIFFERENT group of the quick and the dead judged at His kingdom?
I understand that the "quick" are those that are alive, and the dead are obviously those who have died. I also understand that 'when' Christ appears .... He will set up His kingdom. That's more than I can say for the preacher I heard. He is a typical 'mid-Acts-er' who divides nearly everything .... making 'when' He appears 7+ years earlier, than 'when' He comes and sets up His kingdom.
1 Tim 6:14-15 That thou keep this commandment without spot (Eph 5:27, 2 Pet 3:14), unrebukeable (the same Greek word is also translated "blameless"), until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
'When' He appears is 'when' He will show Himself as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as Rev 17:14, 19:16.
1 Cor 15:23-24 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
'When' He comes .... is 'when' He will 'appear' .... and 'when' He will 'judge' .... and 'when' He will set up His kingdom .... at the end.
This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"
