America in Bible Prophecy

Do you think believing in the Rapture is extreme?

 

It depends which group your in. I'll get to Bob's later assertions as soon as he's finnished. However, not how he says there's not enough detail in my assertion then next he says there detail being ignored. Which is it?

 

Which group I'm in? What do you mean? I do believe in a pre-trib rapture.

I find it odd that depending on which view I hold, you or anyone can label it "extreme."

 

The group that believes in the rapture and say "this is what I believe but I could be wrong and God is right no matter what I think" and the other group that says "God and I are on the same page and the rapture is true and anyone who does not believe it will burn". Those are the two groups I'm thinking about.

 

I don't know anyone who believes that people who disagree with the rapture will "burn!" If there are, they are probably hyper-dispensationalists and I don't even know anyone like that.

This is taking a really far out view there and making it sound like it's popularly held.

Why don't we discuss the subject instead of extremists. I could bring up the extreme hyper Calvinists who call me a heretic (including here on the BB) for not being a Calvinist. I've run into more of them than anyone else as far as extremism goes. I mean, we could go on like this all day with extreme views that are held only by a small fringe.

I consider it an insult even to bring this other view up. Everyone I know who believes in the Rapture is very sound biblically and does not go off on end times stuff.

 

If one is choosing to ignore Revelation then they are missing a specific blessing given by God to His children. It begins; Rev 1:3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.


I sure don't want to be one of those who ignores what God has said in Revelation and is preoccupied with the things of this world such as building wealth for a cushy retirement while the world starves around them.

Careful what you say about God's word and Revelation. Knowledge of the end times and Jesus' return carries a special blessing from God to His children. I would not place it at the bottom of my priorities.

:thumbsup:

 

Very well stated Steaver!!

Covers my feelings pretty completely

Also re: an earlier post, I have never known or heard of a "rapturest" that believes you are doomed to hell just because you don't believe in the rapture.

Far as I know, that is not a requirement for salvation, but I do believe you are missing a part of His blessing by denying same.

 

And if you take it out of a 1st century fulfillment then you ignore that very verse which states these things were "at hand". And in case one misses it verse 3 re-states it.

Then I would encourage you not to ignore the time-statements.

Would those be the same "end times" that the NT writers said were present in their generation?

 

Because it says "the time is at hand" this somehow equates to what? One day, two days, taht very moment? To assign a specific span of time to this without supportive scripture would be subjective. It needs to be evaluated objectively with the full counsel of God's word.

First of all, Revelation is given as seen here from the perspective of the Lord and not from a human view point.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The same Greek words appear in Luke 18:7-8 (en tachei), where the delay is clearly a prolonged one....

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Now, should I go with subjective exegesis with no supportive scripture or objective exegesis allowing scripture to interpret scripture?

Yes, they would be. The last days began with Jesus' ministry. It doesn't say the last two days, or one hundred days, or 1260 days, or 120000 days.
:jesus:

 

"Near at hand" is true for everyone who reads the Bible because we are to expectantly wait for Jesus - we are to be "on the alert" as though he is coming back at any moment. If the scriptures had said that his return is far away or a long time away, what would that mean? That would make it even more confusing.

We are to be ready for Jesus to come back anytime, so "near at hand" expresses that. It expresses a day by day expectancy for those in Peter's time and for Christians in 500 AD, in 1200 AD, in 1800 AD, and now (and future if Jesus tarries).

 

The phrase "at hand" in scripture doesn't mean it's near. It means it has arrived and is within that person's grabbing distance (hence the phrase "at hand'). When John saw Jesus and said "The Kingdom of God is at hand", he was saying "The Kingdom of God is here" it has arrived and is withing the grasp of anyone who wishes to experience it.

That very moment. It means "the time is here".

 

Amen! Just like Marcia explained. Everyday the kingdom of God is "at hand" just as the last days are "at hand" everyday.

:jesus: