If you want to get real freaky or conspiratorial if you choose to go that way, lets talk about the mark of the beast, which may already in the works.. It is an RFID chip that we will all get it will be implanted in the hand or wrist. The bible says hand or fore head. This chip will carry all your personal info. If you choose not to get it you may not be allowed to participate in commerce. It may never happen, but there are many pushing for it.. Read up on the RFID chip and the mark of the beast but be aware there are as many articles discrediting this as there are exposing it.
Interpretation of the bible is like interpretation of deer sign. Sometimes we just get it wrong. Sometimes we read the sign right, but still fail to implement it. Other times (often for me) I know what I should do, and still choose to 'hunt the wrong wind'. The journey is mine. I need to take care as to whom I listen to. I just hope my life with Christ is more successful than my hunting is. I just hope I'm looking for him if/when the time comes.
Ok...so i have researched this subject to the furthest extent I could...mostly because I was going round and round with my father in law about it. This is what I found about it. I realize this is a lot of information, but it's a complicated subject.... Definition: the belief that faithful Christians will be bodily caught up from the earth, suddenly taken out of the world, to be United with the Lord "in the air." The word rapture is understood by some...but not all, to be the meaning of 1 Thes 4:17. The word rapture does not occur in the bible, but is a term adopted by churches to describe this event. Here are my issues with this teaching... #1....When Paul said that Christians would be caught up to be with the Lord, what was the subject being discussed? I think the meaning of a verse can be distorted if you don't apply the context of the entire passage. For example, instead of only reading 1 Thes 4:17, read verses 13-18. "We would not have you ignorant brethren, concerning those who are asleep in death, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, god will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." Evidently some members of the congregation in thessolonica had died. Paul encouraged the survivors to comfort one another with the resurrection hope. He reminded them that Jesus was resurrected after his death; so at the coming of the Lord, those faithful Christians among them who had died would be raised to be with Christ. So then...who are the ones that will be caught up in the clouds? Verse 15 explains that they are faithful ones "who are left until the coming of the Lord," meaning they are still living at the time of Christ's coming. Will they ever die? According to Rom 6:3-5 & 1 Cor 15:35, 36, 44, they must die before they can gain heavenly life. But there is no need for them to remain in the death state waiting for Christ's return. They will be instantly "caught up" to be with the Lord. #2....Will Christ appear visibly on a cloud and then take away faithful Christians into the heavens while the world looks on? I have several issues with this.... Did Jesus say whether the world would see him again with their physical eyes? John 14:19 & 1 Tim 6:16 both indicate no. What is the meaning of the Lord's descending from heaven? Could the Lord descend from heaven without being visible to physical eyes? If you are familiar with the account of Sodom & Gomorrah, God said that he was going to go down to see what the people were doing. But when God made his inspection, no human saw him, although they did see the angels he sent. So without having to return in the flesh, Jesus could turn his attention to his faithful followers on earth to reward them. In what sense then will humans "see" the Lord coming in a cloud? Jesus foretold: "they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory"....Luke 21:27...in no way does this statement contradict John 14:19.....consider that at Mt Sinai, what occurred when God came to the people in a thick cloud...Ex 19:9. The people saw visible evidence of his presence, but none of them actually saw God with their eyes....so when Jesus said he would come in a cloud, he must have meant that he would be invisible to human eyes but we would be aware of his presence. Is it possible for Christians to be taken to heaven with their physical bodies? 1 Cor 15:50....I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God...." #3 will faithful Christians perhaps be taken to heaven secretly...disappearing from the earth without dying? Rom 6:3-5, 1 Cor 15:35, 36, 44 both teach that only a spirit body can enter heaven #4....Will all faithful Christians be taken miraculously from the earth by the Lord before the great tribulation? Matt 24:21, 22....then there will be great tribulation such has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. In fact, unless those days are cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short." This does not say that the "chosen ones" will all have been taken to heaven before the great tribulation. It holds out the prospect to them of surviving that great tribulation on earth. Rev 7:9, 10, 14.....talks about a great crowd coming out of the great tribulation....in order to come out of something, a person must first go into it, or be in it. So this great crowd must be people who actually experience the great tribulation and come out of it as survivors. #5....Will all Christians be taken to heaven AFTER the great tribulation? Matt 5:5 and Ps 37:29 say that humans will inherit the earth If all faithful ones are taken along to heaven, who would be here to inherit the earth? No one....which would not serve God's purpose So why are some taken to heaven to be with Christ if we are to inherit the earth? Rev 20:6 "they shall be priests of God and Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years." Since they are to "reign", there must be people over whom they reign...Here on EARTH. Who are the ones on earth? Matt 5:5 & Ps 37:29 It is just clear to me that the rapture as I understand the teaching, is an escape plan for Christians to survive the great tribulation....but the bible shows that God will protect his faithful ones right here on the earth, which is on harmony with his original purpose when he created Adam and put him in paradise. With that being the case, I do not believe in the rapture.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Some things in the Bible are absolute. When God says "Thou shalt not" that is exactly what he means. Other part, however, rely heavily on interpretation and symbolism. That's how it stays relevant through our time. God knew exactly what he was doing when he inspired the authors to write what they did. Sometimes things don't become clear until after the fact. The old testament predictions about Jesus, for example. The Bible clearly says to be ready and not be afraid of the end times. That's good enough for me.
The rapture if you believe it or not is not as important as a complete and steady everyday relationship with Christ. Truth is, if you have a relationship with him you have nothing to worry about rapture or not, because you know where your heading. To be with the father. Amen
What constitutes a "relationship" in this instance? I've been to church just a handful of times in my 26 years here... And have never read a page from the bible. I'm not Catholic, Lutheran, etc but consider myself a Christian that believes in God. I have a strong belief that I know where I'll be headed when the time comes.
"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many might works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matt 7:21-23) Hard to know or be able to do the will of the Father unless you open up His will and read it.
everyday Prayer, reading the word, worshipping him, listening to the holy spirit. You dont know someone really well unless you have a relationship with them. John 14:6-7New International Version (NIV) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
A Pastor once told me that there will be alot of good hearted people going to hell because they dont have a relationship with Jesus and scripture doesnt lie.
Hey, you won't have to answer to me and my words or what I think, but we all will have to answer to Christ, His Words, and be judged by what He thinks... "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."(2 Cor 5:10) The first verses I gave you were from Jesus and the second is from the apostle Paul.
"You cant question us Christians, our Bible, and our God, unless you know Jesus Christ personally because he actually speaks to us in the holy spirit......but we can certainly question you, your beliefs, your God or lack thereof". That is not right to me and I would bet that sentiment is growing among many groups of people. I could write a long book and make up all kinds of things and then tell people they either accept it or go to hell. Great.
Yeah, just like every group in the world, there are bad apples amongst Christians. Do you believe Christians who have lived a crap life will go to heaven just because they have a relationship with Jesus?
So you're saying the roughly 5 billion people who are not Christians and have not read the bible will be heading to hell as well?
You do not have to attend church, but the bible does encourage fellowship and the study of the scriptures..
Praying to shorten that number daily before his return. But if scripture says it then i believe it, God could have destoryed us all but he choose to use us to spread his word and save others. He gave his son for us, lease we could do for him is his read his word and know his will.
