ON RAPTURE The word Rapture as used by many born-again Christians refers to a passage in First Thessalonians, chapter 4, which talks about Christians being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Catholics believe that the event of our gathering together to be with Christ will take place, though we do not generally use the word “RAPTURE” to refer to this event (though the term “rapture” is derived from the text of the Latin Vulgate[Bible] of 1Thess.4:17—“we will be caught up”. Many Christians believe, and the Left Behind books of the bible promote, that this being caught up to meet the Lord will occur before the Great Tribulation which is headed our way in the near future. Christians will simply vanish, meet Jesus somewhere in the air, and then return with Him to Heaven to await the end of time. But notice, in verse 17, Paul says that ...we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up. Remember that...those who are left get caught up to meet the Lord. The Left Behind books got their name from Luke 17:26-37 and Matt.24:37-41 which talk about the coming of the Lord being like the days of Noah and the days of Lot. According to the passage: As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man...they ate, they drank, they married and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field, one is taken and one is left. Two women grinding at the mill, one is taken one is left. See, Rapture enthusiasts say, One is taken, one is left...the Rapture! [For them,] Jesus takes the Christians/good people and leaves behind non-Christians/bad people! [But there are] two problems with that interpretation: FIRST, Jesus coming is being compared to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. After the flood, who was left? Noah and his family...the good guys...the bad guys were taken! After Sodom and Gomorrah went up in smoke, who was left? Lot and his daughters...the good guys...the bad guys were taken! SECOND, remember 1Thessalonians? It says that those who are left get to meet Jesus in the air. The good guys are left behind to meet Jesus. In other words, you [would] want to be left behind so that you can get caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air and accompany Him back to earth at His 2nd and final coming. There will be no Rapture as understood and preached by many “born-again” Christians...that view is erroneous. Thus, the correct deductions from scriptural passages is that it is only at the end of time, at Christ’s second coming will there be a RAPTURE and not before; then those who “ARE LEFT BEHIND” – those who have lived a good life and are still alive at that time will be raptured to the glory of the Kingdom of God. The resurrection of the dead “IN CHRIST” will also occur at that same time (cf. Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50; Rev.20). Therefore, there is no secret Rapture where Christians leave the earth before the end of times i.e., before Christ’s second coming in glory. Often used to support the erroneous “Left Behind” view of Rapture is the twentieth chapter of the book of Revelations. However, the one thousand years of Christ’s reign on earth in Rev.20 does not refer to an earthly golden age without sin and evil in which the world will be totally Christianized, rather it refers to our present period in which our Lord Jesus Christ reigns in heaven; and on the earth through his body the Church, with the saints in heaven – the Triumphant Church by virtue of the Communion of Saints offering assistance to the Pilgrim Church which awaits his second coming here on earth (cf. Luke 18:8). It is also important to note that the thrones of the saints who reign with Christ during the one thousand years appear from the scriptures to be set in heaven (Rev. 20:4; cf. 4:4, 11:16) and the text nowhere states that Christ is physically on earth during this reign with the saints, thereby lending a lot of weight to the above understanding. IN CONCLUSION, many spend much time looking for signs in the heavens and in the news. However a more balanced approach is the one given by the apostle, Peter: “I have aroused your sincere mind by way of reminder; that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.” They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” (2Pet.3:8-14). SOURCES: 1. Answers 4 Catholics 2. Catholic
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 02:38:08 +0000
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