Where do Catholics stand on the Second Coming?

Yes, Catholics do believe the Messiah will return, literally.

However we don't focus or dwell on it....since really it doesn't matter when it happens...since we are all supposed to be "ready" for His return.

Most Catholics don't think much of the "left behind" series.

LaRae

 

I have wondered this too, based on some of the posts by Catholics here.

I was very suprised to learn that they feel in some way that Jesus returned in AD 70.

Larae,
Perhaps you could explain this a little better, if you don't mind, because the last time we tried to discuss it, it got really volitile and the doctrine didn't actually get discussed!

Do you know what I am referring to?

God Bless

 

Roman Catholic theology I believe is traditionaly Amillenium and therefore would reject the idea of a rapture but would be post trib as for as the Resurrection and the second coming.

The subject of Jesus returning in AD 70 does not mean they reject a physical second coming but deals with the Preterist intepretation of Mt. 24 and Revelation. This view general holds that Mt. 24 and Revelation are dealing with Christ coming in judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70. This view is not however just a Catholic view but is found among Protestants also. Some however do hold that Rev. 20-22 is referring to the second coming but not Rev. 1-19. Maybe some Catholics on the board can explain this better.... Where are our Catholic friends been at lately?

 

LaRae is right - they "don't think about the 2nd coming".

What does the Bible say about that??

"FIX YOUR HOPE COMPLETELY on the joy to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Pope Peter the Apostle).

Now you would "think" that Cathlics would "listen to the Pope" - but .... that tradition about "Amillenialism" seems to cut that short.

In Christ,

Bob

 

(1 Th 4:15 NKJV) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

The rapture, which is the catching away of living saints, CANNOT precede the resurrection. Even if the Catholics teach this, it's still the truth because the Bible teaches it - too many Protestants shy away from the Bible on subjects where the Catholics agree with it because they're afraid of agreeing with the Catholics even if they are right, and that's just stupid. Is the Bible your authority or is absolute disagreement with Rome your authority? If the latter, you will have to cease believing in the cross!

Bob: I think LaRae simply meant that they don't seek to set a time like all the crazy Protestant Televangelists with Y2k. Can you belive that people still follow those nuts after Y2k came and went with NOTHING happening? By the way, Bob, where do you get off calling Peter a 'pope' - repent!

[ April 10, 2003, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: SolaScriptura in 2003 ]

 

I affirm LaRae's reply, as Catholics we believe in the second coming but the actual mechanics are not stress post trib, pre trib, etc. Much of the book of Revelation is symbolic and difficult to understand the symbolism while I am sure there are those who find it crystal clear.

Like LaRae I have seen a few of my Baptist friends stand in line for the latest "Left Behind" book, we as Catholics do not focus so much on the end of times. However it makes a real interesting concept for a movie.

God Bless You All

Yours in Christ
Daniel

 

Hey Bob,

This was taken out of context, as LaRae had just previously said, in the same post you quoted from, "since we are all supposed to be "ready" for His return." As Catholics, we strive to live our life in Christ, expecting His return at ANY moment. Only the Father knows the hour at which the Son will return, so we do not speculate when that will be, as even the apostles such as Paul expected it to be an any-minute-now event. I strive to live each day as if it were my l last on this earth, in an attempt to bring others to Christ while maintaining that growing, personal relationship with Him, ready for Him to take me through death or His return to earth.

Because we do not stress a specific time or period or look for "signs of the times" does not make us unconcerned. The signs of the times have been here for 2,000 years. We await His imminent return, and prepare ourselves for that daily, even if it takes another million years.

God bless,

Grant

 

Most Catholics don't think much of the "left behind" series.

Most non-catholics don't either

 

So what was Peter's problem? Why did he tell the church to focus their hope COMPLETELY on that future event - the return of Christ? Was he just not living right? Just not ready at any moment?

In Matt 24 when Christ says to WATCH and be ready "SO you too when you SEE ALL THESE THINGS recognize that the time is near" - what is wrong with Christ? Did He say this just for all those that were not living right?

Romans 8 "We ourlseves GROAN withint ourselves - longing for the redemption of the body ... " at the return of Christ. What is up with Paul and all the saints? Are they just not living right? Why do they look forward to the bodily resurrection at the return of Christ?

1Cor 15 "If there is no resurrection... then we are among all people most wretched" Paul says that at the last trump - at the return of Christ -at the coming of Christ - the last enemy is conquered - the sting of death is removed.

In Phil 3 Paul against tell us that we "EAGERLY WAIT" for the return of Christ from heaven.

John in Rev 22 says "EVEN so Lord Jesus COME!"

Christ Himself says He longs for that day...and tells us to be aware of the signs.

In the days of Noah it was a "fatal mistake" not to be prepared for the day and hour in which you lived.

"So shall be the days of the coming of tghe Son of man".

In Christ,

Bob

 

I haven't read any of the Left Behind series but a Catholic recommended it to me last summer

 

"...rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" (1 Peter 1:13) does not mean "try to guess the day and hour WHICH NO MAN KNOWS, NOT EVEN THE SON!" Nor does it mean "write religious fiction about it and thereby degrade it" for religious fiction does nothing more than degrade religious truth.

 

I see that the 'Left Behind' authors have put-out another book! ...another waste of paper.

Regarding the 'Catholic' view of the Second Coming, they, like we Anglicans, recite every Sunday...

"Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again."

Second coming? Yes. Rapture? No.

 

Most non-catholics don't either </font>[/QUOTE]Considering the books are written for a pretty low reading level, I would hope so.

A good series of christian fiction to read would be 'The Christ Clone Trilogy' by James BeauSeigneur

Overall, a much better series. Though, I have to warn you, you must make it through the second book to realize the craftiness of the series. If you put down the series after the first book, as I first did, you will be missing out on some extraordinary writing and story telling

In Christ,
jason

 

I could be wrong, but I do remember something about the RCC's teaching, that Christ raptured his church around 70AD. How far off am I ?

I don't believe it, but I think that is what I heard.

 

I will put everyone's mind at ease on this issue.

Roman Catholics do not believe in The Rapture.

Roman Catholics do believe in the Second Coming of Jesus. How it happens is up in the air (no Rapture pun intended).

As for Christ coming in 70 AD, I am not aware of any such teaching in Roman Catholicism, either in my own past studies or from what I learned in the seminary. Some Roman Catholic teachings do tie in the "end time" things that Jesus spoke of (the temple will have no stone left upon another) to the events of the Destruction of the Temple and the whole thing with Masada, which did occur in 70 AD.


mozier

 

Mozier - I would prefer to think of it as you have said.

However, we have some Franciscan input on this message board that seems to indicate otherwise.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Brother Ed, (Catholic Convert) has also told me the rapture took place in 70AD. He is by my understanding, Eastern Orthodox and I don't know how differefnt the two are, but I definately remember other Catholics telling me about this.

 

The Catholic laity hardly ever knows what the heirarchy teaches - they live in religious chaos, half-way inventing their own theories and half-way accepting Calvinism.