An Alternative Take On The Rapture of the Church »
Posted By brettodactyl 6 months, 3 weeks ago in ReligionToday, amongst evangelical Christians, there is a common belief that the Church will be taken out of the world before the Great Tribulation. This article examines the origins of this belief and delves into Scripture to determine if this is accurate.
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brettodactyl
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brettodactyl6 months, 3 weeks ago
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I've found that in most of the Christian material I've submitted to Propeller, I've chosen to play it pretty safe. Of course, most of my submissions have been devotionals, which are solely to honor God, and that is of the utmost importance.
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Still, we can't ignore the fact that different Christians have differing interpretations of Scripture. From my understanding, a belief in the Rapture is definitely not a prerequisite for getting into Heaven, so as long as we can agree on that, we should be in pretty good shape for discussion.
You might ask what I believe; I'll tell you that I have always leaned towards belief in a Rapture, but I'm not as committed to it as some. My main concern is with salvation itself, and I do fully believe in Christ's Second Coming. The Rapture just seems iffy at the very least. Of course, when it's time, we'll know. I'm not worried either way, because I know that we just have to trust Christ. He will never let us down, even in our trials and tribulations. -
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Redneck6 months, 3 weeks ago
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FTA: "Matthew 24:40-41 "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.”
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The context of this reference is clearly to the random killings perpetrated by the Romans and their siege of Jerusalem and Judea."
The full text Matthew 24:32-41 speaks of the "coming of the Son of Man" saying, people will be like responding like in the days of Noah and this coming will be like a thief in the night. It says nothing about the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem or Romans killing one. This is disingenuous and has no basis in fact. It is conjecture. AND misleading.-
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Dionys6 months, 3 weeks ago
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From the New Interpreter's Bible commentary(1995) Vol VIII:
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"24:40-41 - Modern dispensationalism has understood those who are "taken" as those who are temporarily removed from the world at the rapture. Matthew has no rapture in his eschatological understanding. Those who are "taken" refers to being gathered into the saved community at the eschaton, just as some were taken into the ark. To be a believer is to endure faithfully the tribulation, which is part of the church's mission, NOT TO ESCAPE FROM IT. The point is that in the present the two men in the field and the two women grinding at the mill appear alike, but the parouisa will disclose that one is saved and one is lost. The eschatological judgement has a revelatory function..." (446)
Sorry, but I'll take the word of a group of Biblical scholars who live their lives devoted to Christ and the scriptures over poorly educated people making wild assumptions based on prooftexting bits and pieces taken out of context.
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Redneck6 months, 3 weeks ago
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I Thess. 4:13-18 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
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Article does not cite these verses. "Caught up together."
Granted we might meet Jesus in the air and immediately return to earth. But since God is systematic and orderly I seriously doubt it. There will be a "marriage supper of the Lamb" and I tend to think it will be between His coming for us and His returning with us. -
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Redneck6 months, 3 weeks ago
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2 Thess. 2:1-3
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1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[b] is revealed, the son of perdition,
Some scholars interpret "the falling away..." as "catching away". That would agree with a rapture doctrine would it not?-
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Dionys6 months, 3 weeks ago
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The actual Greek translation is the "Departure," and it refers to Christ's departure being neccessary for the second coming.
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There is no rapture doctrine, and it's not some rediscovered early church practice. The early Church believed Christ's return was immanent. But as it became more obvious that it wasn't, they revised doctrine and interpretations.
The 'Rapture' is made up of piecemeal bits of scripture according to the fantasy of someone trying to promote their skewed perspective of theology.
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Redneck6 months, 3 weeks ago
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FTA: "Rapturists claim that there are Old Testament precedents for the rapture. They appeal to both Enoch and Elijah as examples of rapture.
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By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Hebrews 11:5
One must understand English to make conclusions from texts. "Enoch did not see death" has only one meaning when accompanied with "because God took him" !!! With reference to Moses it says "God buried him." But the text does not say God buried Enoch. Then again the author ignores the implications regarding Elijah who "was taken by God" without "seeing death" and there was an eyewitness to his translation.
Now Paul says in I Corinthians 10 that all the OT records concerning Israel were written to instruct us, the Church. Do we need more than two examples of individuals being "raptured" by God because of their faith to develop a doctrine of a rapture which Paul's writings support? Now I ask you!
Further, many doctrines the early church practiced and held to were lost in the Dark Ages and have been recovered one by one since the Reformation. Should we be surprised to "rediscover" the truth of the rapture? Salvation by Grace through Faith, Water Baptism, and many other truths have been recovered. Why not the Rapture? It is not a doctrine which is leading people into sin or subverting other truths and it is not as Paul warns us to guard against "a new wind of doctrine" which subverts disciples.-
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