Featured The Rapture: How close are we?

Many people will always believe it is to be soon. That does not negate the possibility of it being soon. God also doesn't care what number of people believe it to be soon. He only cares about the course of the future history He has already laid in place, and when the timing is right, whether "too many" or "not enough" or "just the right amount" believe it is time, it will be time.

 

I would say that since the rapture is a man made, 19th century doctrine, not very close

 

Perhaps all of the saved will not be at Bema Seat.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

Then explain please what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 2 Timothy 2:2-10?

Mods, if I need to start a new thread for this, let me know. Thanks.

 

:thumbsup: Exactly. The date and time is fixed. It doesn't hinge upon what man believes or doesn't believe.

If all 7 billion+ of us believed it was tomorrow, that wouldn't make it happen.

 

the rapture is there in the NT, the question that we agree is if it is the second coming event or seperate event, and just the timing of it!

 

The Rapture is scheduled for 63 days after Obama and Congress balance the budget, and FOX will provide live coverage.

 

Now that's scripture I can go along with.

 

Rapture has defined by dispensationalism is separate from the second coming of Jesus. The scriptures you mentioned, second coming scriptures. There is no separate rapture for christians, only one event, the return of Jesus.

 

That's mere opinion. Can you substantiate that?

 

When I was younger I always thought it would be soon.

Then I began to wonder what "soon" meant....

 

seems that Paul described jesus coming FOR his saints, while John described Jesus coming back WITH his saints!

 

Matthew 23 -Jesus writes off the Jews.
Matthew 24 in a private conversation, with only his church, He tells them to look for His second coming "after the tribulation".
Paul tells us in 1Thes. 5, that The Lord's return won't take the elect off guard.
In 11Thes. 2 he states the only timeline we have...that the second coming won't take place until the 1. a falling away of some, and 2. The Man of Sin be revealed.
Rev.20 tells that the first resurrection includes all saints, and details those who are martyred in the Trib. It specifically spells out the length of the mil., and says the rest of the dead will not rise until after the mil., where they will face the Judgement.
There's a start. Don't look up Rapture in a concordance, you won't find it. In fact, Rapture is an abstract, not a concrete noun. It isn't capable of being an event.
And, yes, the pre-trib nonsense is less than 200 years old. I think we have spotted the falling away...

 

Don't look up Trinity either. However the greek word Harpazo is.

 

didn't the Vulgate call it the 'snatching" away of the saints?

 

Which is what rapture means. Making a big deal out of the word rapture is just silly. Folks who do usually have not much of an argument.

 

Rev is right. The debate is not about the meaning of the word but if there will be one return or two.

I say one

 

The rapture is not about a return given what is understood about the rapture is that Jesus will not set foot on the earth. There is a clear distinction whether one agrees with the rapture or not. Not that you intended to but calling them both a return is a mischaracterization.

 

When Jesus was born, then died and went to be with the Father for 3 days, and returned during the resurrection, is that considered one coming or two?

 

Pauls' view though was that Jesus would come back to resuurect His saints, and Johns' view was that He would on a seperate event return to earth to bring judgement and justice!