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The "rapture" is an invented concept that only dates back about 150 years, but if some Christians want to believe it that's fine with me.
Too many Christians get all caught up (Ha, no pun intended) in details that won't really matter in the end. The important thing to know is, as long as you have your relationship with God solidly in place everything will be fine, no matter when or exactly how Jesus returns
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (harpazó) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
The word 'rapture' comes from the Latin word 'rapturo' which itself is a translation of the Greek word 'harpazó' which means to be caught up, seized, snatched. The word rapture therefore refers to the event spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17.
Since 1 Thessalonians was written by the apostle Paul around A.D. 50-54 according to conservative scholars, and since Paul wrote about the event in which believers will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and since the English word 'rapture' is taken from the Latin word 'rapturo' which itself is a translation of the Greek word 'harpazó of which Paul speaks, it is therefore an error to state that the rapture is an invented concept that only dates back 150 years.
Mike, I appreciate the fact that you backed up your argument strictly by Scripture. Since this is the only place in Scripture where Paul talks about this event, I think that is why it's hard for some to believe or accept it as possibly being true.
If you just read the Gospels and Jesus words, you'll find all you need. Jesus will return, "as a theif in the night", with the angels and in all his glory. All the dead will rise, they will be gathered together in one place, judged, separated and this age will end.
Remember that the book of Revelation has a lot of symbolism in it, in the numbers and descriptions, like Jesus having a sword for a tongue. We are in the tribulation now. The "rapture" that people talk about is just simply the separation of the righteous from the wicked. There is no thousand year millennium. The thousand years they are talking about is the New Testament era. You can't take the numbers of revelation all literally. Otherwise you would have to say that the only people in heaven will be 12.000 from each of the tribes of Israel.
My church has been doing a series of Sunday School lessons on the end times or eschatology. What ever view you hold, it's nothing to be divided over or even debate. It's just that I am curious about anyone's reasoning behind the view that you have because I never really studied eschatology enough to know where I stood.
But after finding out that there are 4 basic views, and carefully studying those 4 views, I have come to the conclusion that I hold to the traditional church's position that has been held for about 150 years. Jesus will return to rapture his church or believers as well as ressurrect those believers who are dead; the Great Tribulation happens, then after the Great Tribulation, the church returns with Jesus as He sets up his 1000 year or millennium kingdom on earth, and finally the great white throne judgment happens for those who rejected Him and those who have rejected Him are casted into the Lake of fire. Then we who are believers will be in the new heaven and earth with God and Jesus forever. So I hold the pre-tribulation/premillennialist view.
Ya forgot about Armageddon after the thousand year reign...
I don't get hung up on the entire question. My view might be correct or it might be wrong. It makes very little difference on my Christian walk in this world TODAY. Having said that, I take the Amillennial view. It seems to me to be in the most accord with the rest of scripture.
My church has been doing a series of Sunday School lessons on the end times or eschatology. What ever view you hold, it's nothing to be divided over or even debate. It's just that I am curious about anyone's reasoning behind the view that you have because I never really studied eschatology enough to know where I stood.
But after finding out that there are 4 basic views, and carefully studying those 4 views, I have come to the conclusion that I hold to the traditional church's position that has been held for about 150 years. Jesus will return to rapture his church or believers as well as ressurrect those believers who are dead; the Great Tribulation happens, then after the Great Tribulation, the church returns with Jesus as He sets up his 1000 year or millennium kingdom on earth, and finally the great white throne judgment happens for those who rejected Him and those who have rejected Him are casted into the Lake of fire. Then we who are believers will be in the new heaven and earth with God and Jesus forever. So I hold the pre-tribulation/premillennialist view.
Paul taught let no man deceive you that day (rapture) will not happen until there is a falling away and the man of sin is revealed. 2 Thess. 2:1-3
Multitudes will fall away when persecution starts in America. Some fall away because their wife or husband fall away. Some fall away over porn or alcohol. How much more when they were taught they wont have to suffer or maybe die for Yeshua....and then they find themselves and their family told if they refuse the mark they cannot buy or sell.
I try to keep an upon mind concerning Eschatology.
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