Can somebody explain "Rapture" to me

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anon said:
Thanks for the replies. Now if I am understanding correctly, the “Rapture” is a physical event in which Christians will be instantly teleported into heaven when Jesus Christ comes the second time. The bad people get “left behind”, so to speak and suffer? From reading the posts, it seems like this is not a universally accepted Christian doctrine (e.g., some Catholics don’t accept it). Is this just a Protestant view of Christianity, or do some Catholics accept it as well? Thanks for the replies:)
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Yes, it is an event where born-again believers in Christ are “raptured” just before the great 7 year tribulation. Jesus takes his bride and then satan has his way with the world for 7 years. During this time those left behind will suffer like no other time in history. Those who convert to true Christianity will probably be executed.

1Th 4:13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17
Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
 
MrS said:
so where do you see 7 years???
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The answer is much much more in depth which I will not get into. But the short answer is it is the last week in Daniel’s 70 Weeks. The prophetic timeclock of Daniel starts again (after the rapture) to complete the last week of Daniel’s 70 weeks.
 
flameburns623 said:
In any case, adherents of the Rapture doctrine would NOT say that Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or other Christians automatically have not received the Light of Christ (a synonym for ‘receiving the Gospel’ or for ‘receiving Christ’)–though there may be proportionally fewer who have received Him in those Churches because the EO and RCC do such a poor job of teaching the Gospel.
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I was an evangelical for 25 years and probably would have posted the same thing years ago. I would have been wrong then and you are, with the greatest respect, wrong now. No one talked about a Rapture until J.N. Darby around 1830. He lit the fuse of dispensationalism.

Protestants in the Calvinist and Arminian camps (as well as everything in between) learn to understand and defend “theological systems”. They tend to mistake these for the Gospel. The Gospel is living and breathing and it is contiguous with the Apostles. It transcends mere “systems” and requires action.

The Catholic Church is indeed not very good at teaching “systems”. But it is very good at encouraging a boots-on-the-ground living of the Gospel.

To give credit where it’s due, the likes of Calvin and Darby have produced absolutely magnificent extrapolations of the historical Faith. It is extremely inconvenient that many of these systems are mutually-exclusive and cannot be reconciled with each other. There is safety in the Catholic understand of the Faith.
 
believers said:
Yes, it is an event where born-again believers in Christ are “raptured” just before the great 7 year tribulation. Jesus takes his bride and then satan has his way with the world for 7 years. During this time those left behind will suffer like no other time in history. Those who convert to true Christianity will probably be executed.

1Th 4:13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17
Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
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Where does it say that this will occur before the tribulation? This verses simply state that Christian will go up to meet Jesus as he is descending. It says nothing about Christ ***reascending ***to heaven with anyone.
 
JoeyWarren said:
1 Thess. 4:16-17 - Paul writes that “we will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Many Protestants call this experience the “rapture” (even though the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, although is derived from the Latin vulgate of this verse – “rapiemur”).
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For the record, the word “rapture” comes from the Latin word “rapturo,” which in turn was a translation of the Greek verb “caught up” found in 1 Thes 4:17.
 
a_priori said:
I was an evangelical for 25 years and probably would have posted the same thing years ago. I would have been wrong then and you are, with the greatest respect, wrong now. No one talked about a Rapture until J.N. Darby around 1830. He lit the fuse of dispensationalism.

Protestants in the Calvinist and Arminian camps (as well as everything in between) learn to understand and defend “theological systems”. They tend to mistake these for the Gospel. The Gospel is living and breathing and it is contiguous with the Apostles. It transcends mere “systems” and requires action.

To give credit where it’s due, the likes of Calvin and Darby have produced absolutely magnificent extrapolations of the historical Faith. It is extremely inconvenient that many of these systems are mutually-exclusive and cannot be reconciled with each other. There is safety in the Catholic understand of the Faith.
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You mentioned Arminians. At least in my experiences, dispensationalism has been exclusive to the Reformed, Calvinist camp. I’ve never encountered an Arminian who had dispensationalist beliefs.
 
lak611 said:
You mentioned Arminians. At least in my experiences, dispensationalism has been exclusive to the Reformed, Calvinist camp. I’ve never encountered an Arminian who had dispensationalist beliefs.
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There are indeed Arminian dispensationalists. The central point is that there is much cross-pollination between protestants where shades of grey and highly nuanced distinctions become hills people die on hermeneutically. It generates more heat than light. The historical Catholic Church should be one’s integration point in Christ.
 
deb1 said:
Where does it say that this will occur before the tribulation? This verses simply state that Christian will go up to meet Jesus as he is descending. It says nothing about Christ ***reascending ***to heaven with anyone.
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Yes, I’m aware of that. There’s a lot more but I’m not willing go through all of scripture to explain. No one knows when Jesus will return, just know that the rapture will happen and probably very soon considering the way the world is going. If you’re not on the Jesus is the only way program, I highly suggest you turn to Him completely in faith.
 
believers said:
Yes, it is an event where born-again believers in Christ are “raptured” just before the great 7 year tribulation. Jesus takes his bride and then satan has his way with the world for 7 years. During this time those left behind will suffer like no other time in history. Those who convert to true Christianity will probably be executed.

1Th 4:13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17
Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
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I am a little confused. How is any of your quotes different from the second comming? Also, the Rapture theology I was taught spoke of it being a quite event, “thief in the night” and the like. But your bible passages speak of a much more spectacular event “…descend from heaven with a shout…” ,
In your theology is there a 3rd comming after the 7 years?
 
anon said:
Sorry, I am a newbie here. I keep hearing Christians talk about this term “Rapture” and am confused. Is it like in the movies when out of nowhere Christians are teleported into heaven? Is that what Catholics believe and are waiting patiently for? Thanks!🙂
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It’s a song by Blondie.

Rapture - Blondie

Toe to toe
Dancing very slow
Barely breathing
Almost comatose

Wall to wall
People hypnotized
And they’re stepping
Lightly
Hang each night in
Rapture

Back to back
Sacrailiac
Spinless movement
And a wild attack

Face to face
Sadly solitude
And it’s finger
Popping
Twenty-four hour shopping
In Rapture

Fat fine Freddie
Told me everybody’s high
DJ’s spinnin’
Are savin’ my mind
Flash is fast, flash is cool
Francois sez fas
Flashe’ no do
And ya don’t stop
Sure shot
Go out to the parking lot
And ya get in your car
And ya drive real far
And ya drive all night
And then ya see a light
And it comes right down
And lands on the ground
And out comes a man from Mars
And ya try to run
But he’s got a gun
And he shoots ya dead
And he eats your head
And then you’re in the man from Mars
You go out at night, eatin’ cars
You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
Mercurys and Subarus
And ya don’t stop
You keep on eatin’ cars
Then, when there’s no more cars
You go out at night and eat up bars
Where the people meet
Face to face
Dance cheek to cheek
One to one
Man to man
Dance toe to toe
Don’t move too slow
‘Cause the man from Mars
Is through with cars
He’s eatin’ bars
Yeah, wall to wall
Door to door
Hall to hall
He’s gonna eat 'em all
Rapture

Be pure
Take a tour
Through the sewer
Don’t strain your brain
Paint a train
You’ll be singin’ in the rain
I said don’t stop
Do punk rock

Well now you see
What ya wanna be
Just have your party on TV
‘Cause the man from Mars
Won’t eat up bars
Where the TV’s on
And now he’s gone back up to space
Where he won’t have a hassle with the human race
And ya hip-hop
And ya don’t stop
Just blast off
Sure shot
‘Cause the man from Mars
Stopped eatin’ cars
And eatin’ bars
And now he only eats guitars
Get up!
afn.org/~afn30091/songs/b/blondie-rapture.htm
 
Nebuchadnezzar said:
I am a little confused. How is any of your quotes different from the second comming? Also, the Rapture theology I was taught spoke of it being a quite event, “thief in the night” and the like. But your bible passages speak of a much more spectacular event “…descend from heaven with a shout…” ,
In your theology is there a 3rd comming after the 7 years?
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No third coming. But, he will come like a thief in the night for those who are waiting for him. People who think it’s about a song by blondie will probably miss it completely. I can’t find blondie anywhere in scripture.
 
One of the great classics of the late 60s early 70s on this popChristian theology was a book “Late Great Planet Earth”.

Here and here are sites that reviewed the predictions in this book in the light of later events. Hmm… Seems like the 40 year generation after the founding of Israel is up. The 10 nation common market is now up to what…12 or 13? Ethiopia?

So what does Hal do? We now have an updated “Late Great Planet Earth”. And Hal is just as popular as ever as a popChristian expert in the area of the return of Christ.

The historic track record of Darbyism is in the false prophet range.
 
believers said:
If you’re not on the Jesus is the only way program, I highly suggest you turn to Him completely in faith.
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This is the biggest turn-off of all about fundamentalist dispensationalism. It is a merely smug bludgeon to try and scare the biblically ignorant into belief.

I am not a disciple of Jesus because I’m a-scared I’m going to be “Left Behind” – I’m a disciple of Jesus and a born-again (through water and the Spirit) Catholic because he is my Lord and my Savior. And that’s the program you need to get with. 🙂
 
When each of us dies, our souls are immediately taken to the presence of God and judged. This is called the Particular Judgment. At this point we begin our eternal destiny. If we are going to hell, our souls go directly there. If we are deemed worthy of heaven, our souls will go directly to heaven, or if we are going to heaven but are in need of purification, we may go to Purgatory first for a while (everyone in Purgatory will eventually go to heaven). Whatever our fate, our souls will stay there (heaven or hell) until the end of time, at which time the Second Coming will occur.

At the Second Coming at the end of time, those Christians still alive will be taken to heaven (what some Protestants think of as of the rapture). Then will occur the General Judgment. At that time the souls of the living and the dead will be reunited with their bodies and brought together in God’s presence and judged before all. Those who have already been judged in the Particular Judgment will be brought from wherever their souls were -heaven, hell or Purgatory-- and have their judgment confirmed before all, so that both the justice and mercy of God will be manifest to all.

After this, time and Purgatory will be no more and all will enter with their souls and bodies into their eternal destiny, either hell or heaven.

This is an extremely bare-bones sketch, so if you want to get the details, see the five articles I linked below:

rosary-center.org/ll57n1.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n2.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n3.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n4.htm
rosary-center.org/ll49n6.htm

In addition, you have to learn to recognize erroneous teachings about the End Times popularized by fundamentalists. In other words, toss out the “Left Behind” and “Late, Great Planet Earth” baloney. Here are some resources to help you develop some discernment in these areas:

catholic.com/library/rapture.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0011fea2.asp
catholic.com/library/false_profit.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0211fea3.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0001fea1.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9510ntg.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0209fea5.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1998/9812chap.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0304bt.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9705chap.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9409fea4.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9410fea2.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0009bite.asp
carl-olson.com/rapture_articles.html

Here’s a website with several articles from a Catholic perspective regarding this subject. The writer is Carl Olsen, the author of the best selling book “Will Catholics Be Left Behind?”

carl-olson.com/rapture_articles.html

I’d also recommend going to the Catholic Answers home page and putting “Rapture” or “Left Behind” into the “Search” feature. You’ll find several good articles there from reliable writers. Here is one of their Special Reports on this:
catholic.com/library/false_profit.asp

If you’re looking for other good books on the subject by Catholics, look for the following:

The Rapture Trap, by Paul Thigpen
catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=948

Rapture, by David Currie
catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=3447

If you prefer tapes or CDs, I’d recommend:

The Rapture Files, by Tim Staples
The Rapture Revealed, by David Currie
(both available from St. Joseph’s Communications)
saintjoe.com/

Will You Be Left Behind?, by Carl Olsen
(Same link as above)

Catholics & The Rapture, by Patrick Madid
surprisedbytruth.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=52

Introduction to Prophecy, by Steve Wood
Delusions of Rapture & Prophecy, by Steve Wood and Paul Thigpen
familylifecenter.net/cart/display_results.cfm?category=Biblical%20Prophecy&user=51422080
 
flameburns623 said:
No one has ever been born ‘before’ Jesus: Jesus is eternal. Before His Incarnation, one accepted Him by receiving what He revealed of Himself either through Judaism, or before that, as Christ revealed Himself to individuals from Adam to Moses. This is a distraction from the point of the thread, BTW.
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Then we have an odd dating system. Is the real year (infinite)+1?
 
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