Catholic views on the end times

[apfrita]

Here is the teaching of the Catholic Church about the Last Things:

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 and who are in a state of sanctifying grace 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:

www.pacifier.com/~rosarweb/ll57n1.htm
www.pacifier.com/~rosarweb/ll57n2.htm
www.pacifier.com/~rosarweb/ll57n3.htm
www.pacifier.com/~rosarweb/ll57n4.htm
www.pacifier.com/~rosarweb/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

---

Yes this is the accurate Catholic teaching and makes a lot of sense too.

However Catholics also believe in private revelations in addition to Revelation of Scripture, Church Tradition and the teaching of the Magesterium. One of the private revelations is that of Mother Mary to the seers at Medjugorje. They have been told that all that Mother Mary has revealed to them will happen in their lifetime. One of the elder seers viz. Mirjana is 48 yrs old as of today, Even if we assume that the average lifetime of a human being today is 75 yrs then to happen in her lifetime, all that has been prophesied would happen on or before 27 yrs from now i.e. on or before 2040. So some of the replies to this question about end-times definitively says that the end times wouldn’t occur during our lifetime is not correct. It can happen during our lifetime and as Catholics we need to be prepared anytime for the second coming of Christ or our death whichever comes first so that our souls would be in a state of sanctifying grace at the moment of our death or at the time of the second coming. When Jesus said that no one would know the day or hour of His second coming, he did not mean that we would not know the general time of his coming. That would be possible to be known from the signs of the times which have been described in detail in the gospels. The above explanation that it could happen before 2040 does not mean that we know the day or hour but it means that we could be the end-time generation and so we better be prepared by keeping our life in order by taking recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation whenever we sin. Delaying does not help because Christ rightly said we do not know the day or hour of his coming so it can happen today or any other time of our lifetime or after our death but in all cases what is important is that we remain in the state of sanctifying grace at all times. That is prudence.

 

[QuickCat]

No, they are not. In 1 Thessalonians 4, St. Paul is talking about what will happen to believers that are on earth when the Second Coming occurs. There is no “rapture” separate from the Second Coming and there will be no “earthly kingdom” after these events. Dispensationalism is a man-made, unbiblical doctrine cobbled together by fringe Protestants in the 19th century and never believed by any Christian before then, including the Apostles. Please see my previous post, especially the links to the articles.

In 1 Thess 4:13-18 our Lord comes “in the air” and we believers are “caught up.” He does not come to earth at that time. His 2nd coming is to the earth to establish the long promised kingdom for Israel. At the time of 1 Thess 4, believers will be changed [1 Cor 15:51ff]. We are to be watching for our “Blessed Hope” [Titus 2:13] and telling others about it. Oh Happy Day!
QC

 

[jesuspsr]

Thank you all so much for clearing this up for me! Being a convert, obviously i have a lot to re-learn! What i am finding amazing is that, all those things i was taught before never settled well with me. Now that i have joined the Catholic church everything is sliding right into place i understand why people say “welcome home”

Welcome home may the Holy Spirit continue to guide you on our journey

jesus g

 

[ajcstr]

Pay no attention to Christs words regarding the end! Why should we ignore the warnings given to us by Christ in the book of Revelation? In the Gospel of Matthew you quote, Christ specifically tells and warns us to “watch” for the end, not to “pay no attention to it!”
Matthew 24:42 "So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.

I think it is wise to always BE READY, but not worry so much about trying to figure out an exact date/time. In the grand scheme of things, we can lose our lives at anytime, regardless of when Jesus returns.

 

[QuickCat]

No, they are not. In 1 Thessalonians 4, St. Paul is talking about what will happen to believers that are on earth when the Second Coming occurs. There is no “rapture” separate from the Second Coming and there will be no “earthly kingdom” after these events. Dispensationalism is a man-made, unbiblical doctrine cobbled together by fringe Protestants in the 19th century and never believed by any Christian before then, including the Apostles. Please see my previous post, especially the links to the articles.

The apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, confirms the dispensational approach to the Word of God - Eph. 3:2. He says that the “…dispensation of the grace of God…” was revealed to him for us. Our Lord Jesus Christ recognized the dispensational approach in Luke 4;18-19. He is quoting from Isa. 61:1,2 and closed the scroll right in the middle of the sentence. It wasn’t time for reveal the “day of vengeance of our God…” The following URL gives a brief history of the belief of a coming kingdom, on earth, in the early church.
QC
pre-trib.org/data/pdf/Ice-ABriefHistoryofEarly.pdf

 

[pthorne]

For the Catholic view of the end times there are a few books that do this topic justice. First I would discount the sensationalist writings of LEFT BEHIND or LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH. Having a fear of God’s judgment is not the conversion sought. Having a sorrow for sin and love of God is brought about by the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Now the theologian and convert to Catholicism Paul Thigpen wrote a compellingly simple response: The Rapture Trap: The Catholic Response to the End Times.
David B. Currie another convert wrote: RAPTURE: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind.
Carl E. Olson wrote: WILL CATHOLICS BE "LEFT BEHIND. " This is about the most straight forward common sense understanding of End Times Truth with Catholic Teaching. Please read any one of these and become liberated in the Love of Christ. Revelation tells us more about our Catholic faith than the timing of Jesus’ second coming. In a time we think not, He will come! THE SECOND COMING IS NOT A MYTH! The notional preaching called the Rapture “of our day” about His Second Coming is mythological.

 

[Didascalia]

You may not believe in the Biblical doctrine of the “catching up” of all believers prior to the tribulation, but the apostle Paul did. Paul is the only Biblical writer to teach this doctrine. Don’t confuse our Lord’s 2nd coming to earth to set up His earthly kingdom with the “rapture.” They are two entirely different events.
QC

If there were any verses in the bible that stated, or even remotely indicated that Christians would be “raptured” before the tribulation, then I would of course accept or consider the idea, but no such verses exist in any shape, form or fashion; so therefore I cannot take the idea seriously! If Christians escape the tribulation, why then do we have from Christs own mouth words to the contrary…

Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.”

John describing the saints “under the alter” awaiting the martyrdom of their fellow “living” brothers on earth during the tribulation…
Revelation 6:11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also.

Not that any further proof is required that the pre-trib rapture is a myth, but it requires a third coming of Christ. Which is a complete nonsense!

 

[John_Radice]

There are twoo good Catholic books out there that can help you in dealing with the end times rapture and dispensationalism. One is “Will Catholics be Left Behind” and the other is the “Rapture trap”. Both explain the history and error of what we were taught and the Catholic position on end times and Christ second coming.

I’m really enjoying being a Catholic - for 6 weeks now - after 30 years in first a Pentecostal and then a charismatic-evangelical church, where such notions of the end-times were common, and there was too much interest in them. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit checked me from ever embracing them. I love the rest of my Pentecostal heritage, and find everything good in it has its perfect home in the one, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic Church. Hallelujah!

 

[jesuspsr]

I’m really enjoying being a Catholic - for 6 weeks now - after 30 years in first a Pentecostal and then a charismatic-evangelical church, where such notions of the end-times were common, and there was too much interest in them. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit checked me from ever embracing them. I love the rest of my Pentecostal heritage, and find everything good in it has its perfect home in the one, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic Church. Hallelujah!

Welcome home John and welcome to CAF

God bless

jesus g

 

[QuickCat]

If there were any verses in the bible that stated, or even remotely indicated that Christians would be “raptured” before the tribulation, then I would of course accept or consider the idea, but no such verses exist in any shape, form or fashion; so therefore I cannot take the idea seriously! If Christians escape the tribulation, why then do we have from Christs own mouth words to the contrary…

Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.”

John describing the saints “under the alter” awaiting the martyrdom of their fellow “living” brothers on earth during the tribulation…
Revelation 6:11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also.

Not that any further proof is required that the pre-trib rapture is a myth, but it requires a third coming of Christ. Which is a complete nonsense!

I gave you the Scriptures for the “catching up” of believers prior to the tribulation. You must remember that Mt. 24:9 was addressed to the Jewish disciples during our Lord’s earthly ministry to Israel [see Mt. 15:24]. Our Lord is warning the Jews of the coming tribulation period. On the other hand, the “catching up” of believers was a mystery until revealed to the apostle Paul - 1 Cor. 15:51ff. No other Biblical writer reveals the catching up of church-age believers. You are confusing the 2nd coming with the “catching up.” Two entirely different events. The 2nd coming is the subject of many O.T. Scriptures while the rapture was a mystery until revealed to Paul. QC

 

[Didascalia]

I gave you the Scriptures for the “catching up” of believers prior to the tribulation. You must remember that Mt. 24:9 was addressed to the Jewish disciples during our Lord’s earthly ministry to Israel [see Mt. 15:24]. Our Lord is warning the Jews of the coming tribulation period. On the other hand, the “catching up” of believers was a mystery until revealed to the apostle Paul - 1 Cor. 15:51ff. No other Biblical writer reveals the catching up of church-age believers. You are confusing the 2nd coming with the “catching up.” Two entirely different events. The 2nd coming is the subject of many O.T. Scriptures while the rapture was a mystery until revealed to Paul. QC

Matthew 24:9 Is not referring to the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD. Matthew 24 is set in the context of the disciples seeking knowledge of the end-times. Neither is it a warning to the Jews because it is specifically a warning for Christians and Christians alone.

 

[John_Radice]

Welcome home John and welcome to CAF

God bless

jesus g

Once I was actually received and made my first Communion, then my eyes were opened. It has been extraordinary, the shifts in my spiritual outlook which have been done in me. The Sacraments are real - God acts powerfully through them. I now feel I have arrived where I was always meant to be, and fellowships I have belonged to before seem so lacking. I feel profoundly integrated into Jesus ’ Church, profoundly connected to others in it and to the saints who have gone before us and who pray for me, and so close to and discipled by Jesus. It’s a deeply mystical thing, which the past 6 years of spiritual revival have led me most naturally to. The Catholic Church is the perfect home for my life-long devotion to the Holy Spirit. I am ridiculously joyful and grateful!

 

[pthorne]

Really, checking out the link on Early Church teaching which is a post by Thomas Ice. A hard and fast Pre-Tribber whose obvious bias is apparent. Alleging the early church consisted of premillennialists or taught millenarianism is preposterous. The Church Fathers protected the flock from heresy. As the Bible tells us; the Church is the pillar and bulwark of truth. The Bible does not even teach the Bible is the standard of faith or even what books make up the Bible. Only the Church does and only the Church is the pillar of truth as the Bible tells us.

No one knows the day or hour and we are to be ready for tribulation. The Rapture is myth and the teachings of men. It is not Biblical despite what the slicing and dicing of so called Scripture scholars say. The Catholic Church teaches that millenarianism is heresy and it was never a teaching of the Catholic Church.

 

[QuickCat]

Really, checking out the link on Early Church teaching which is a post by Thomas Ice. A hard and fast Pre-Tribber whose obvious bias is apparent. Alleging the early church consisted of premillennialists or taught millenarianism is preposterous. The Church Fathers protected the flock from heresy. As the Bible tells us; the Church is the pillar and bulwark of truth. The Bible does not even teach the Bible is the standard of faith or even what books make up the Bible. Only the Church does and only the Church is the pillar of truth as the Bible tells us.

No one knows the day or hour and we are to be ready for tribulation. The Rapture is myth and the teachings of men. It is not Biblical despite what the slicing and dicing of so called Scripture scholars say. The Catholic Church teaches that millenarianism is heresy and it was never a teaching of the Catholic Church.

(Edited) Dr. Ice is a very thorough Biblical Scholar. He cites book, chapter and verse in his citations. Be of good cheer, the Lord will come in the air for us shortly.
QC

 

[pthorne]

Quickcat: Book Chapter and Verse is wonderful. Knowing the proper interpretation is the question? Mr. Ice is extremely biased and has dedicated his life to pre-trib theology. So regardless of how scholarly he sounds he is very unbending to evidence to the contrary. Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still. He has taken a pretext - Belief in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and has filtered everything throughout history to support his teaching. This is not scholarly at all. Its misrepresenting history and the truth throughout the centuries. This means he takes out of context what history and the church taught to support his pretext instead of seeing history for what really was. He does not believe the historical Church and its authority. He can quote any aloof teacher of the past and presume because of a quote out of Scripture that their teaching is legit. No way! There is no support for his premise (Pre-Trib Rapture) in the early church or the first 15 centuries of the Church age regardless of what or who he quotes. I gave reference to some excellent books by Paul Thigpen and Mr. Currie (convert theologians to the Catholic faith) which show the erroneous teachings of our modern day Rapture Raptors.

You obviously accept the dubious notion that the Bible ALONE is the Rule of Faith? It is certainly infallible but not those who teach from it. The Bible does not teach the Bible alone and those who teach the Bible Alone really are “alone.” I am impressed with the other entries to this blog where the true Catholic teaching on the end times and judgment are depicted.

 

[livingwordunity]

The following is a New Testament biblical prophecy about what it will be like in “the last days”. Let me be clear. I’m not claiming to know the day or the hour or even the year or decade or century of when Christ’s Second Coming will happen. I don’t know when it will be. But I think much of what it says in this prophecy is already happening now.

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” - 2 Timothy 3:1-7

“profligates”

prof·li·gate
1: wildly extravagant
2: completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness "

li·cen·tious
1: lacking legal or moral restraints; especially : disregarding sexual restraints
2: marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness

Source

“holding the form of religion but denying the power of it” - nominal Catholics, Protestants, and Jews who claim the religion but who support evil and blasphemous things such as abortion and so-called “same-sex marriage”. They also claim that it’s impossible for a homosexual to change which denies our free will and also denies God’s ability to work miracles.

“those who make their way into households” - through television or internet?

“and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses” - abortion

“who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth” - relativism

 

[QuickCat]

Quickcat: Book Chapter and Verse is wonderful. Knowing the proper interpretation is the question? Mr. Ice is extremely biased and has dedicated his life to pre-trib theology. So regardless of how scholarly he sounds he is very unbending to evidence to the contrary. Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still. He has taken a pretext - Belief in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and has filtered everything throughout history to support his teaching. This is not scholarly at all. Its misrepresenting history and the truth throughout the centuries. This means he takes out of context what history and the church taught to support his pretext instead of seeing history for what really was. He does not believe the historical Church and its authority. He can quote any aloof teacher of the past and presume because of a quote out of Scripture that their teaching is legit. No way! There is no support for his premise (Pre-Trib Rapture) in the early church or the first 15 centuries of the Church age regardless of what or who he quotes. I gave reference to some excellent books by Paul Thigpen and Mr. Currie (convert theologians to the Catholic faith) which show the erroneous teachings of our modern day Rapture Raptors.

You obviously accept the dubious notion that the Bible ALONE is the Rule of Faith? It is certainly infallible but not those who teach from it. The Bible does not teach the Bible alone and those who teach the Bible Alone really are “alone.” I am impressed with the other entries to this blog where the true Catholic teaching on the end times and judgment are depicted.

If DR. Ice is a “pre-mill”, does that make you an “A-mill?” Check this out -

youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwwXqU?rel=0

Have a wonderful day in the Lord Jesus Christ. I will, too.
QC

 

[Cyberseeker]

There are many more protestants that do not teach this at all. Some of the biggest critics and those that have written books against dispensationalism come from different mainline protestants. The problem is that it is promoted by very cleverly written books that became very popular not just Tim Lahay but earlier authors like Hal Lindsey and Jack Van Impe.
I did mention two very good Catholic Books but if you look in the back at the reference books they use, they have many protestant authors as well as Catholic sources.

This is true. The sensationalist end-times doctrines which came out of the nineteenth century are being reassessed by by thinking people and many Bible teachers are going back to the historical last-days view.

As we drop some of these novel end-times theories, the main differences between protestant and catholic eschatology will be ‘purgatory’ (Edited).

 

[QuickCat]

This is true. The sensationalist end-times doctrines which came out of the nineteenth century are being reassessed by by thinking people and many Bible teachers are going back to the historical last-days view.

As we drop some of these novel end-times theories, the main differences between protestant and catholic eschatology will be ‘purgatory’ - the novelty doctrine of previous times.

A prominent a-mill Protestant has said: “No other group has done more to promote Bible study than those who follow the dispensational [historical, literal] approach.”
As I pointed out in a previous thread, our apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ used this approach.
Go in peace and have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ.
QC

 

[robwar]

A prominent a-mill Protestant has said: “No other group has done more to promote Bible study than those who follow the dispensational [historical, literal] approach.”
As I pointed out in a previous thread, our apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ used this approach.
Go in peace and have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ.
QC

With that kind of analogy, one could claim that of groups like Jehovah Witnesses. They do a lot of “Bible study”. Dispensationalism is neither historic as in what has been taught in either Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox and again is a 19th idea. While on the surface it may seem “Biblical” but again it is not. It cuts up the Bible and it is Bible verses strung together to fit the theory. While you may want to applaud the fact that more people are reading the Bible but if you are reading the Bible with a faulty understanding where does that really lead someone? Remember the devil knows the Bible too and did quote scripture to Jesus during His temptations.