C
CWBetts
Guest
I used to be among those seperated bretheren that baught into the fairy tale of the Rapture. Further study has confinced me that thi particular man-made dogma of fundamentalism is pure hogwash. Here are some of the issues I have with the Rapture:
1.) It can be found nowhere in early Christianity. It can’t even be found among the reformers like Calvin, Luther, and Wesley. It was invented in the late eighteenth century, but didn’t become popularized until the mid nineteenth century bu John Nelson Darby. Even among protestent beliefs, it is a new kid on the block.
2.)When compared with what was written about the end-times in ths Scriptures, it just doesnt match up! When Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a wheat field what is said? Here is the parable from the NRSV-CE (Mtt. 13:24-30):
He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said yo him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? where, then did these weeds come from?” He answered, “an enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him “Then do you want us togo gather them?” But he replied, “No; in the gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn”’
Jesus explains that He is the sower and the field is the world. The good seed are the faithful, and the bad seed are those who have been corrupted by the devil, who is the enemy. Lastly the reapers are angels who come at harvest time, or the end of the age. What happens, according to this parable? The evildoers of the world are taken away, leaving the faithful behind! The faithful are not gathered until after the evil are judged and cast into hell! This flies directly in the face of what we are told about the Rapture, where the faithful are “caught up” before the tribulation, leaving the wicked behind. Something does not match up here.
4.) We are going to have to endure troubles and persecutions. In fact a blessing comes along with persecution:
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prphets who were before you. (Mtt. 5:10-12)
There are lots of other things to be told, but this is enough to get the thread started.
1.) It can be found nowhere in early Christianity. It can’t even be found among the reformers like Calvin, Luther, and Wesley. It was invented in the late eighteenth century, but didn’t become popularized until the mid nineteenth century bu John Nelson Darby. Even among protestent beliefs, it is a new kid on the block.
2.)When compared with what was written about the end-times in ths Scriptures, it just doesnt match up! When Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a wheat field what is said? Here is the parable from the NRSV-CE (Mtt. 13:24-30):
He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said yo him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? where, then did these weeds come from?” He answered, “an enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him “Then do you want us togo gather them?” But he replied, “No; in the gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn”’
Jesus explains that He is the sower and the field is the world. The good seed are the faithful, and the bad seed are those who have been corrupted by the devil, who is the enemy. Lastly the reapers are angels who come at harvest time, or the end of the age. What happens, according to this parable? The evildoers of the world are taken away, leaving the faithful behind! The faithful are not gathered until after the evil are judged and cast into hell! This flies directly in the face of what we are told about the Rapture, where the faithful are “caught up” before the tribulation, leaving the wicked behind. Something does not match up here.
4.) We are going to have to endure troubles and persecutions. In fact a blessing comes along with persecution:
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prphets who were before you. (Mtt. 5:10-12)
There are lots of other things to be told, but this is enough to get the thread started.
) and actually believed them. Now that I’m actually paying attention to my beliefs, I understand my mistake.