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In what I have studied I see no Biblical basis for the rapture. This concept was popularized in the 1830s and has since been promoted through various methods. Careful studying of the scriptures does not reveal a rapture that is separate from the return of Christ.
I, like you see in the scriptures a thing that will happen suddenly - the coming of Christ at which time those that are his will be changed. I think the rest of the world's inhabitants will die at that time, and some who are dead will rise and be given spiritual bodies. I am not sure what happens after that. But I do believe what some call the "rapture" is what I call the resurrection which is the blessed hope. I know there will never be a consensus of agreement on this so I just don't bring it up.
In what I have studied I see no Biblical basis for the rapture. This concept was popularized in the 1830s and has since been promoted through various methods. Careful studying of the scriptures does not reveal a rapture that is separate from the return of Christ.
Keep studying......eventually you might get it.....
In what I have studied I see no Biblical basis for the rapture. This concept was popularized in the 1830s and has since been promoted through various methods. Careful studying of the scriptures does not reveal a rapture that is separate from the return of Christ.
I do not believe in rapture theory. This doesn't mean such a rapture isn't true. But to the best of my knowledge of Scripture the rapture is nothing but a huge assumption based on a couple of readings from Scripture which actually teach us about the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ.
The rapture theory teaches that there won't be any Christians on earth when the Antichrist appears. This is a line of bull and I'll never buy into it. There are many very good and faithful Christians who believe in the rapture. Unfortunately, they will be disappointed when they are stuck on earth with the Antichrist and not raptured up to heaven. The early Christians were severely persecuted and the end time church will also be severely persecuted for their faith.
The rapture is not an absolute. Its an interpretation and a very dubious one for all that. So I agree with your post 100%. But hold your view in a graceful manner without looking down on other Christians who do believe the theory. Give them time to study their Bibles and to form their own opinions because many Christians do abandon rapture theory after reading the Bible.
In what I have studied I see no Biblical basis for the rapture. This concept was popularized in the 1830s and has since been promoted through various methods. Careful studying of the scriptures does not reveal a rapture that is separate from the return of Christ.
The event which is popularly referred to as the rapture is quite Biblical. Paul refers to it in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 by the Greek word ἁρπάζω - harpazó which is usually translated into English as 'caught up.' In the Latin Vulgate however, it is translated as 'rapiemur' which is where we get the English term 'rapture.'
1 Thess. 4:17 Deinde nos, qui vivimus, qui relinquimur, simul rapiemur c um illis in nubibus obviam Christo in aëra, et sic semper c um Domino erimus. (Latin Vulgate)
1 Thess. 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (NASB)
harpazó = rapiemur = caught up = rapture.
The issue is when the rapture will take place. The main views are pre-tribulational, post-tribulational, and mid-tribulational. There is also a partial rapture view.
Paul makes it pretty clear that the catching away or rapture of the church will take place before the day of the Lord to which he refers in 1 Thessalonians chapter five. The day of the Lord begins with the Tribulation. Therefore the rapture will take place before the Tribulation begins.
A problem with the post-tribulational rapture view is that since the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the church take place at the same time, if the rapture and resurrection took place at the end of the Tribulation when the Lord returns, then everyone would be in resurrection bodies and there would be no mortals left to go into the Millennial kingdom. Since the Bible is clear that people will be born, and death will be possible in the Millennial kingdom, that means that people who come to believe in Jesus during the Tribulation and survive to the end of the Tribulation will go into the Millennial kingdom in their mortal bodies. A post Tribulational rapture would make that impossible.
In saying that a careful study of the Bible does not reveal a rapture that is separate from the return of Christ [at the end of the Tribulation], you imply that those theologians who hold to the pre-trib rapture have not carefully studied the Bible. For example, the late theologian Charles C. Ryrie held to the pre-trib rapture view. Do you really want to imply that he had not carefully studied the Scriptures? You might never come to accept the pre-tribulational view of the rapture, but don't insult theologians who do hold that view and are very well studied in the Scriptures.
Charles Caldwell Ryrie (March 2, 1925 – February 16, 2016) was an American Bible scholar and Christian theologian. He served as professor of systematic theology and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and as president and professor at what is now Cairn University. He is considered one of the most influential American theologians of the 20th century.[1] He was the editor of The Ryrie Study Bible by Moody Publishers, containing more than 10,000 of Ryrie's explanatory notes. First published in 1978, it has sold more than 2 million copies.[2] He was a notable proponent of classic premillennial dispensationalism.
The event which is popularly referred to as the rapture is quite Biblical. Paul refers to it in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 by the Greek word ἁρπάζω - harpazó which is usually translated into English as 'caught up.' In the Latin Vulgate however, it is translated as 'rapiemur' which is where we get the English term 'rapture.'
1 Thess. 4:17 Deinde nos, qui vivimus, qui relinquimur, simul rapiemur c um illis in nubibus obviam Christo in aëra, et sic semper c um Domino erimus. (Latin Vulgate)
1 Thess. 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (NASB)
harpazó = rapiemur = caught up = rapture.
This is the second coming of Christ. The verse has nothing to do with a disappearance of Christians during the tribulation. And just because a Latin word is used here makes no difference. The entire theory is named after the word from this verse which does not mean a second coming before the second coming nor does this verse imply that Christians will not be on the earth during the Antichrist.
There is the resurrection of the dead which comes first. Then Christ returns and the believers are caught up in the air with Christ. This happens at the end of the reign of the Antichrist. So many Christians will be oppressed and mercilessly slaughtered by liberals and their muslim allies. The reign of the Antichrist is rising now as we speak.
This is the second coming of Christ. The verse has nothing to do with a disappearance of Christians during the tribulation. And just because a Latin word is used here makes no difference. The entire theory is named after the word from this verse which does not mean a second coming before the second coming nor does this verse imply that Christians will not be on the earth during the Antichrist.
There is the resurrection of the dead which comes first. Then Christ returns and the believers are caught up in the air with Christ. This happens at the end of the reign of the Antichrist. So many Christians will be oppressed and mercilessly slaughtered by liberals and their muslim allies. The reign of the Antichrist is rising now as we speak.
I've already explained that Paul indicated that the rapture of the church occurs before the day of the Lord which begins with the Tribulation. I further showed that if the rapture of the church didn't take place until Christ's return at the end of the Tribulation there wouldn't be anyone left in mortal bodies to go into the Millennial kingdom and repopulate the earth. For that reason alone, a post-Tribulational rapture is impossible.
I brought up the Latin translation to show where the English term 'rapture' comes from.
I've already explained that Paul indicated that the rapture of the church occurs before the day of the Lord which begins with the Tribulation. I further showed that if the rapture of the church didn't take place until Christ's return at the end of the Tribulation there wouldn't be anyone left in mortal bodies to go into the Millennial kingdom and repopulate the earth. For that reason alone, a post-Tribulational rapture is impossible.
I brought up the Latin translation to show where the English term 'rapture' comes from.
I saw nothing from Paul stating anything close to the rapture theory. You may believe what you want about this issue since I do not see this issue as one of salvation but an interpretation of Scripture. I just never saw any point of believing it. But if there is a rapture then I will know. If there isn't a rapture then I will not be disappointed.
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