By “rapture” is meant a pretribulation rapture.
That’s right. In Scriptural reality there is no other.
Certainly there will be a catching up at the end of time
No, not at “
the end of time.” Time does not end with the rapture of Christ’s true church. Nor does time even end with the return of Christ to this physical earth.
for Enoch, Elijah and Mary, it came sooner.
Enoch and Elijah had/have nothing to do with the rapture of Christ’s true church. Mary, however, does. She will be resurrected with a glorified body like Christ’s (Phil. 3:20-21) along with all those who have “
fallen asleep in the Lord” (see
1 Thess. 4:15),1 Thess 4:17 “
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
There is no proof of a pre-trib rapture in the Bible
You subscribe to this false conclusion because you utterly fail to understand God’s Scripturally revealed, prophetic program for Christ’s true which He (Christ) is presently building. As well as His Scripturally revealed, prophetic program for national Israel (which is separate), based on the unconditional covenant promises.God made with that nation (
literally revealed in the O.T. Scriptures). You fail to understand these prophetic and covenant truths because your church spiritualizes them and erroneously apply the kingdom promises to your church - claiming your church to be, itself, the “kingdom.”
or in any teaching of any Christian church or community until the 19th century.
Up until the fourth century believers were premillennial in their understanding of the kingdom. IOW, the predominant view was that of the Jewish understanding of the kingdom - which was
literal,
earthly,
political and
spiritual. What they did not do was spiritualize or allegorize it, as did the school of Origen (which was a minority). They believed that Christ would return to this earth and usher in a
literal,
earthly kingdom and
literally fulfill what was said to Mary at the Annunciation:Luke 1:31-33 "
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."They did not spiritualize the throne of His father David, nor His reign over the house of Jacob. It would be a literal, earthly kingdom. In fact, those who did not believe in Christ setting up a literal, earthly kingdom on earth at His return were considered heretics, and not “
orthodox.” The change came after the fourth century, greatly influenced by Augustine’s popular, literary work, “The City of God.”
Even Justin Martyr and the early chialists said nothing about a pretribulation rapture.
Of course not. Eschatological doctrines, based on a
literal delineation of the prophetic Scriptures, did not begin to develop until the 20th century. Until then the main doctrinal focus in Christendom was the deity of Christ followed by justification by faith in Christ alone. Keep in mind that not even the doctrine of the Trinity was developed until the fifth century. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t always there revealed in the Scriptures.
Speaking of Mary, do you accept Her assumption? If not, how can you explain Mt 16:26-28?
There’s nothing to “explain” about the “assumption” of Mary in those verses.
1 Thess. 4:18: Paul is referring to the parousia, not a pre-trib rapture.
No, he is not. He is speaking directly to Christ’s church.
The pre-trib rapture is anti-Semitic
This, of course, is
the silliest statement ever. Christ’s church (also His bride), which He is presently building and will catch up to Himself, that she may be with Him (Jn. 14:2-3), is called out from
both Jews and Gentiles. Such absurdity. It’s a desperate statement, indeed, made by you Amillennialists. Pre-Trib’ers thoroughly recognize, according to His prophetic promise revealed in the O.T., that God, at the return of Christ will “
restore the fortunes of Israel.” Which will be fulfilled during the earthly, Millennial reign of Christ; He being national Israel’s rightful King and Messiah. His bride (His church) returns with Him to reign with Him (Rev. 3:21).