For those alive right now are we living in The Kingdom Of God? I have read “The Rapture Trap” by Paul Thigpen and watched a few videos on you tube dealing with this subject from a Catholic perspective, and am having a tough time wrapping my head around the convoluted end time scenarios that float around some Protestant circles. A novice at apologetics I am of the opinion that at Pentecost if not before like in the birth of Jesus Christ, we are indeed living in the Kingdom of God.
Any information on this matter would be appreciated.
Hello,
I am not an expert on rapture and tribulation theories, but here is what I gathered as an observer:
-Catholics believe the communion of saints, the church, include Christians in heaven and earth as one body (Eph 1, Col 3), which is not separated by death (Rom 8).
-Catholics believe the 1,000 year reign is already here in a larger sense.
-Catholics believe there will be one second coming of Jesus as described in Matthew 25 and other parts of scripture.
-Some non Catholics believe that heaven is empty of humans spirits. They will only go to heaven after the second coming.
-Some non-C’s also believe the 1,000 year reign will only ensue after the second-coming, rapture and tribulation. The church in heaven is totally cut off from us now.
-This non-C version of events means that the second coming will happen in stages - e.g. the rapture verses the tribulation- because the elect will not have to suffer the tribulation.
Catholics believe in a rapture, but do not hold these view regarding “stages”, a future 1,000 year reign, and “tribulation” as an accurate interpretation of scripture.
My understanding is these theories were developed by John Nelson Darby in the 19th century.
