Narrow Is The Path

[existential mabel]

just recently with the way of the world and with studying the bible especially the epistles in regards to the rapture...i got to thinking about the church i went to and how i hadnt heard of any of the things that i was discovering in the bible. coincidentally a church friend phoned right whilst i was thinking this and so as the conversation got warmed up i asked her

what did she consider the end times to mean

did she know much about the prophecies...the 7 years tribs oh that number was coined by a man ....wha whoah

what i am supposed to be watchful for ...for the return of Jesus and the judgement

what am i supposed to be hopeful for ....

what is the good news

had she heard of the blessed hope

had she heard of Rapture ...no not really considered it

i said i had these questions as i realised from my study of the bible it has not been mentioned..the good news is the only item mentioned in regular church but not in a way that is fruitful or deepening way.

i was all too aware that she hadnt really thought about much of these things and was slightly defensive about them and almost implied that i was pushing my views...all i want and need is dialogue to understand why the church is not talking about these things.

[R. Hartono]

You need to find out where n who n when the beast of Revelation 13 appears.

[existential mabel]

the questioning was to emphasise the journey i am traveling these days without the church. i felt i needed to start talking about it. have conversations about what i am learning. listen to mature Christians take on it and find out if they have any idea about the list of questions above.

the Good News is not to mentioned hardly at all in the C of E church although it is in the Evangelical church but they stop there and i was looking to fill in the blancs

[Logostician]

I can't tell if you're saying the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible or not.  But it is.

1 Ths 4:17

Then we which are alive shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The words "CAUGHT UP" appear in Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible as "RAPTURA".  This is the source of our commonly used English term rapture.  I see some Christians who dispute the rapture saying it isn't in the Bible because they don't see the word "rapture" in the English translations.  But it's in the Bible. It is in the Latin Vulgate Bible in unmistakeable literal language.  Meanings can be argued.  But the language is there.  It is also a fact that all Bible translations are taken from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek original writings.  There are no English words in the original writings, so we shouldn't get too excited about not seeing the word "rapture" in our English Bible translations which vary among each other.  The Latin Vulgate translation says RAPTURA. Our English translations vary among themselves, but the KJV says CAUGHT UP.   They both come from the Greek word HARPAZO, which means to catch up, or catch away, to pluck or pull away.  They all mean the same thing in different languages.

People may argue about the precise nature and timing of the rapture.  But it's real part of the Bible.

Lastly, there is no Bible knowledge test to enter heaven.  All you have To do is love Jesus.  It's good to study the Bible to strengthen your relationship with Jesus. In fact two or more people studying the Bible together is a church.

Mat 18:20

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.

But a man the feeds the poor or engages in any charitable activities in the name of Jesus is much loved by Jesus too, and showing his faith in him.

Jas 2:17-18

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Worshipping God in church (or anywhere else), and studying his word, is loving God.  Neither of these things is a contest or a test.  They are both ways to draw closer to God and each other.  Charitable works toward our neighbor is loving our neighbor.  Jesus calls on us to do both.

 

[existential mabel]

Yes I have been studying this since lock down ..in regards to this post I was ‘thinking out loud’ about all the things I have found out since not going to church far more than I ever did at church!

ok so back to the list

1. the Good News

2. the blood atonement - when i have ventured to mention this to a christian, that i know,  they were uncomfortable and had not heard of it

3. the blessed hope + what is that

4. the end times

5. prophecies

6. what am i to be watchful of

7. the rapture

8. the tribulations

the purposes of this thread is to help me to  make sense ....and also its making me see that the church is not prepared. or is that incorrect.

Do we have to know all or some of these things to be spared from what is coming?

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by existential mabel