The Rapture

[Guest jckduboise]

QUOTE(WhySoBlind @ Aug 5 2006, 08:44 PM)

No, I'm not confused at all.

<snip>

Recall, the secret rapture theory ...QUOTE

The meaning of theory.

The word "theory" has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on the context and their methodologies. In common usage, people use the word "theory" to signify "conjecture", "speculation", or "opinion."

In common usage the word theory is simply a guess. A guess is not fact, it is just that a guess.

Well I guess that theory would be the only way to explain the "rapture".

blessings

[Pax]

I have been raised in the Babtist church but have attended nondeminanational and Assembly of God churches also. I have always been taught and believed in the rapture of the church in all of these. The other night I saw a T.V show that says the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible. I have looked in the Bible where I thought it was and it is not there. Help Please.

The Rapture isn't Biblical. Anyone can take a few passages out of the Bible and come up with any theory. The Rapture theory is only 150 years old. Don't you think someone would of figured out the Rapture before 150 years ago if true? Martin Luther didn't ever talk of a Rapture, John Calvin never talked of a Rapture, St. Thomas Aquinas never spoke of this. The Rapture makes for a good story and sells lots of books, but that's about it.

[st. Worm]

I have been raised in the Babtist church but have attended nondeminanational and Assembly of God churches also. I have always been taught and believed in the rapture of the church in all of these. The other night I saw a T.V show that says the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible. I have looked in the Bible where I thought it was and it is not there. Help Please.

The Rapture isn't Biblical. Anyone can take a few passages out of the Bible and come up with any theory. The Rapture theory is only 150 years old. Don't you think someone would of figured out the Rapture before 150 years ago if true? Martin Luther didn't ever talk of a Rapture, John Calvin never talked of a Rapture, St. Thomas Aquinas never spoke of this. The Rapture makes for a good story and sells lots of books, but that's about it.

What do you mean its not there Pax?? Don't you know its right there next to the 7 year Tribulation in the Book of Illusions?

With regard to all of the prophecy book sales and the like. as PT Barnum used to say, "there is a sucker born every minute."

sw

[Pax]

I have been raised in the Babtist church but have attended nondeminanational and Assembly of God churches also. I have always been taught and believed in the rapture of the church in all of these. The other night I saw a T.V show that says the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible. I have looked in the Bible where I thought it was and it is not there. Help Please.

The Rapture isn't Biblical. Anyone can take a few passages out of the Bible and come up with any theory. The Rapture theory is only 150 years old. Don't you think someone would of figured out the Rapture before 150 years ago if true? Martin Luther didn't ever talk of a Rapture, John Calvin never talked of a Rapture, St. Thomas Aquinas never spoke of this. The Rapture makes for a good story and sells lots of books, but that's about it.

What do you mean its not there Pax?? Don't you know its right there next to the 7 year Tribulation in the Book of Illusions?

With regard to all of the prophecy book sales and the like. as PT Barnum used to say, "there is a sucker born every minute."

sw

The two authors of the "Left Behind" series have became very rich off of this nonsense. My mother who is a diehard Baptist and Rapture believer was visiting me last week. All she could talk about was the war in the Middle East and how the Rapture was right around the corner. My response to her was, I thought the Rapture was going to happen right after the world trade centers were brought down???

[st. Worm]

The two authors of the "Left Behind" series have became very rich off of this nonsense. My mother who is a diehard Baptist and Rapture believer was visiting me last week. All she could talk about was the war in the Middle East and how the Rapture was right around the corner. My response to her was, I thought the Rapture was going to happen right after the world trade centers were brought down???

No, no,no...

Dont you remember? It was going to happen at Y2K.

I know some people who are still stuck with freeze dried ice cream and barrels of water from Y2K!

Really, the end times people have almost created a cult apart from the orthodox faith at this point and many have made this silliness a requirement for all believers. Just out of curiosity I visited a baptist church recently where both the service and Sunday school were nothing more than a dispensational end times propaganda indoctrination. The only comment made in the class about amillinealism was that "isn't that what Jehovah's Witnesses believe?"

The endless posts on this site about endtimes related dreams and the like tell me that many have fallen head first into these relatively new theories in a dangerous way. They have completely rejected the Reformation teaching of Sola Scriptura and now seek God in a dream during a restless night's sleep. Many apparently believe that we will see a legitimate reinstitution of the Old Testament temple and sacrificial system which in reality is nothing more than a rejection of the sacrifice made once and for all already by our Savior. Such thinking is the true spirit of the anti-Christ. Very disturbing.

sw

[st. Worm]

This is not an attack on those rejecting the rapture but a sincere question. As someone who does believe in the rapture and that only those who are ready to go when Jesus returns will be taken, my message is simple, walk as close to Jesus as possible and shun evil. To those who do not believe in the rapture, what is your advise to the church? How are you personally preparing to survive the great tribulation period?

Thanks, and I look forward to reading your comments. It just doesn't make sense in my mind to scare people about the evil times awaiting them without having a course of action for them to take.

As some of us have noted Butero, the Rapture and Tribulation as presented by the Left Behind crowd is a figment of their imagination. They do not exist Scripturally and are a relatively recent invention. When Jesus returns it will be for the last time. No second chances, no new Temple, no Tribulation, no left behind. It will be over and all things will be made new. It will be the time of the final judgement.

My advice is keep your eye on the prize, trust in Christ, and confess and repent of your sins, daily putting the old Adam to death. Feed your faith by hearing God's word preached and partaking of the sacrament.

sw

[Guest jckduboise]

This is not an attack on those rejecting the rapture but a sincere question. As someone who does believe in the rapture and that only those who are ready to go when Jesus returns will be taken, my message is simple, walk as close to Jesus as possible and shun evil. To those who do not believe in the rapture, what is your advise to the church? How are you personally preparing to survive the great tribulation period?

Thanks, and I look forward to reading your comments. It just doesn't make sense in my mind to scare people about the evil times awaiting them without having a course of action for them to take.

As some of us have noted Butero, the Rapture and Tribulation as presented by the Left Behind crowd is a figment of their imagination. They do not exist Scripturally and are a relatively recent invention. When Jesus returns it will be for the last time. No second chances, no new Temple, no Tribulation, no left behind. It will be over and all things will be made new. It will be the time of the final judgement.

My advice is keep your eye on the prize, trust in Christ, and confess and repent of your sins, daily putting the old Adam to death. Feed your faith by hearing God's word preached and partaking of the sacrament.

sw

Thanks for answering my question St. Worm, but I guess I was looking for advise on a practical level, that is, on how to survive the great tribulation period? Are you suggesting that if one does those things you mentioned, they will make it through? To me, following Jesus is something we should be doing regardless of whether we believe in the rapture or not, of course, from my viewpoint, living a holy lifestyle is necessary to go in the rapture so it would be the type of advise I would be giving.

though I thuroughly enjoy being in agreement with you Butero this is one area where we differ greatly in opinion and obviously portions of our faiths..

there is the great probability that when Christ told us not to worry that we would be provided for during ALL times of any proportion of tribulations in our lives and the 3 1/2 yrs of The Tribulation that He was making a promise to us that we would be kept in the shelter of His wings and that there would most likely be supernatural provisions made for us just as they were during the days of Moses and the jewish people going to the land of milk and honey.

To say that we could not live through it because there would be no way to survive takes everything you believe God has done so far and flushes is it down the drain. It puts limits on Gods awesome abilities and shows that your trust in His ability is not as it must be.

God always has made this promise to us and has always kept this promise. He isn't going to go back on His word of this either.

Place more trust in that Butero..the days are coming and you will see it..you will be kept in His shelter and you will be provided for by Him in ways that will blow your mind.

Blessings to you my brother

[larryt]

The two authors of the "Left Behind" series have became very rich off of this nonsense. My mother who is a diehard Baptist and Rapture believer was visiting me last week. All she could talk about was the war in the Middle East and how the Rapture was right around the corner. My response to her was, I thought the Rapture was going to happen right after the world trade centers were brought down???

No, no,no...

Dont you remember? It was going to happen at Y2K.

I thought it happened on the day of Atonement in 1994? Didn't Harold Campy go up at that time?NOT!

LT

[larryt]

This is not an attack on those rejecting the rapture but a sincere question. As someone who does believe in the rapture and that only those who are ready to go when Jesus returns will be taken, my message is simple, walk as close to Jesus as possible and shun evil. To those who do not believe in the rapture, what is your advise to the church? How are you personally preparing to survive the great tribulation period?

Thanks, and I look forward to reading your comments. It just doesn't make sense in my mind to scare people about the evil times awaiting them without having a course of action for them to take.

Prayer and study of the Word is the only way to prepare for the day to come. Survive? Why should I look to survive? There is nothing I can do to guarantee my survival. If my Lord Jesus wants me to survive I will survive. Nothing can happen to me apart from the will of God. If I am to give my life to glorify my Saviour, so be it.

LT

[st. Worm]

This is not an attack on those rejecting the rapture but a sincere question. As someone who does believe in the rapture and that only those who are ready to go when Jesus returns will be taken, my message is simple, walk as close to Jesus as possible and shun evil. To those who do not believe in the rapture, what is your advise to the church? How are you personally preparing to survive the great tribulation period?

Thanks, and I look forward to reading your comments. It just doesn't make sense in my mind to scare people about the evil times awaiting them without having a course of action for them to take.

As some of us have noted Butero, the Rapture and Tribulation as presented by the Left Behind crowd is a figment of their imagination. They do not exist Scripturally and are a relatively recent invention. When Jesus returns it will be for the last time. No second chances, no new Temple, no Tribulation, no left behind. It will be over and all things will be made new. It will be the time of the final judgement.

My advice is keep your eye on the prize, trust in Christ, and confess and repent of your sins, daily putting the old Adam to death. Feed your faith by hearing God's word preached and partaking of the sacrament.

sw

Thanks for answering my question St. Worm, but I guess I was looking for advise on a practical level, that is, on how to survive the great tribulation period? Are you suggesting that if one does those things you mentioned, they will make it through? To me, following Jesus is something we should be doing regardless of whether we believe in the rapture or not, of course, from my viewpoint, living a holy lifestyle is necessary to go in the rapture so it would be the type of advise I would be giving.

Well I am afraid I disagree that living a "holy lifestyle" will help Butero. The only holiness recognized by God is the holiness of Jesus which we get credit for only by faith in Him. Until we die or until Christ returns should that happen first we have no standing with God through good works or holy living. There are only believers and unbelievers and they will be seperated at the End. Not that I am against fighting against our inclination to sin but like I said, the rapture as you believe it is not biblical. There will be no rapture that leaves others behind. There will be no second chances and no 7 years of Tribulation before Jesus returns for what would be a third time. The true rapture will mean the end of the age and the coming of the New Jerusalem where Christ will reappear. The Final Judgement will occur and God's true elect will be brought completely into His Kingdom to live and rein with Him forevermore. Amen

sw