In Matthew 24 Jesus talks about two men in a field working...one leaves suddenly and the other is left behind.

 

 

Question is who is the person that is taken up and who is the person left behind.

 

In a parable from Jesus, he tells that an enemy sold grass in the midst of wheat. If they were to take up the grass, the wheat would be ruined. So, the master says to wait till harvesting and take up the grass FIRST to be burnt.

 

So, the question is, who will be the group taken up first?

So, I shouldn't make my house payment that is due on April 18th?

 

 

Write a check. Shucks, go ahead and pay it off.

So, I shouldn't make my house payment that is due on April 18th?

 

You probably better make your payment...the first trumpet just affects a third of the trees and all the green grass.

I'm not arguing for or against, but I always wondered why people used the line, "The word rapture is never used in the Bible" as a defense against it. To me, it would be no different than saying, "The word trinity is never used in the bible" to disprove the existence of the Father, Son and Spirit as one God.

 

Just felt like pointing that out...carry on now.

Every Southern Baptist church I ever went to held the rapture as the truth. They even talked about it at a SBC church camp I went to once.

Since I am not a Baptist, can you tell me a little bit more about this doctrine?

I have not heard of it. Please explain to me what they believe the "rapture" is...

Since I am not a Baptist, can you tell me a little bit more about this doctrine?

I have not heard of it. Please explain to me what they believe the "rapture" is...

 

Have you read the "Left Behind" books? Basically the rapture doctrine is the belief that at some point Jesus returns to take the dead in Christ and the Christians on Earth. Then the tribulation and the anti-Christ follows and then the final judgment and Second Coming. This belief was made popular in the 1800's among evangelicals. In order to come to the "Left Behind" scenario, you have to find a bunch of different and unconnected verses and try and connect them.

Since I am not a Baptist, can you tell me a little bit more about this doctrine?

I have not heard of it. Please explain to me what they believe the "rapture" is...

 

Truth be the told, the rapture itself is as certain a doctrine as the the trinity.

 

It is simply the "catching up" of all believers to Christ when He returns.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 & 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 are the main references for it.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

 

 

 

The debate lies in varying beliefs about the timing of the rapture and ties into a greater debate about the interpretation of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation and Daniel mainly (but also some others). Some people believe in a 7-year tribulation at the end of the age...some people believe that Christians won't have to go through that period and thus, the "rapture" will occur before the 7-year tribulation begins. Others believe it will occur at the midpoint (3 1/2 years) of the tribulation, others differentiate between the wrath of God and the wrath of Satan and believe in a "pre-wrath rapture", and still others believe the "rapture" will occur just before Christ returns to earth (at the end of the age).

 

That's a brief summary, but it should get you started...or at least give you some point of reference on what's being discussed. There is plenty of stuff on the internet concerning this topic...:thumb:

Have you read the "Left Behind" books? Basically the rapture doctrine is the belief that at some point Jesus returns to take the dead in Christ and the Christians on Earth. Then the tribulation and the anti-Christ follows and then the final judgment and Second Coming. This belief was made popular in the 1800's among evangelicals. In order to come to the "Left Behind" scenario, you have to find a bunch of different and unconnected verses and try and connect them.

Okay, I see what you are saying... I had not heard it called the Rapture... I have only heard; (read about) Armageddon- Second Coming- Millineum Reign....

 

No I have never read any Baptist literature. If that is what Left Behind Books are.

My inlaws are Baptist, and nothing personal, but have never cared to know anything about it, they argue with the other side of their family which are Pentecostal and they both say each is going to hell... So no interest there for me... Very happy with where I am.

Truth be the told, the rapture itself is as certain a doctrine as the the trinity.

 

It is simply the "catching up" of all believers to Christ when He returns.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 & 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 are the main references for it.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

 

 

 

The debate lies in varying beliefs about the timing of the rapture and ties into a greater debate about the interpretation of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation and Daniel mainly (but also some others). Some people believe in a 7-year tribulation at the end of the age...some people believe that Christians won't have to go through that period and thus, the "rapture" will occur before the 7-year tribulation begins. Others believe it will occur at the midpoint (3 1/2 years) of the tribulation, others differentiate between the wrath of God and the wrath of Satan and believe in a "pre-wrath rapture", and still others believe the "rapture" will occur just before Christ returns to earth (at the end of the age).

 

That's a brief summary, but it should get you started...or at least give you some point of reference on what's being discussed. There is plenty of stuff on the internet concerning this topic...:thumb:

Gotcha ya... Catching up like being Translated/Transfiguration...

 

Tribulation- now is that referring to the seals in Revelation or is that place in life where a person may be?

Gotcha ya... Catching up like being Translated/Transfiguration...

 

Tribulation- now is that referring to the seals in Revelation or is that place in life where a person may be?

 

With regards to this discussion it's with regards to the bolded...

 

But, as I said, regardless of what you believe about the Book of Revelation or Bible prophecy, the rapture itself is clearly stated. Differing opinions about when it will happen, rather than if it will happen, are what the rapture debates are all about.

This is a Baptist thing? I thought everyone believed this way.

This is a Baptist thing? I thought everyone believed this way.

 

Every Baptist I have ever heard talk about it believes in the pre-millenial pre-tribulation rapture. I however, do not. There's also a compelling case to be made that the entire book of Revelation is commentary about Christians' plight under Roman rule.

I have a question are you a sleep after death, waiting on the rapture or do you depart immediately to heaven? Good luck with that one...

Every Baptist I have ever heard talk about it believes in the pre-millenial pre-tribulation rapture. I however, do not. There's also a compelling case to be made that the entire book of Revelation is commentary about Christians' plight under Roman rule.

 

I too after years of consideration believe in this thought!

I have a question are you a sleep after death, waiting on the rapture or do you depart immediately to heaven? Good luck with that one...

 

I've always thought that your spirit goes immediately to be with Christ (I would presume to call that heaven) based on 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:23. We receive our glorified bodies at the rapture (or whatever you prefer to call the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 & 2 Corinthians 15:51-58).

 

Whether that's the exact way it is, who knows? But, I'm confident that those who are saved in Christ go to be with Him when they die. The Bible seems to be pretty clear about that.