What Did Jesus Say About The Rapture

What the Bible Really Says About the Rapture

What would the end of the world look like in reality? The Leftovers, a new HBO series premiering on Sunday night, makes an attempt to address that question, kind of. In the program, which is inspired on a novel by Tom Perrotta, 2 percent of the world’s population vanishes overnight and without explanation. Almost all of the disappearances are linked to some sort of religious event, and the show explores what life may be like for those who are left behind afterward — with all of the feelings of sadness, shame, and uncertainty that might accompany something like that.

Rapture is never mentioned in the book, and the names of those who have vanished appear to have been picked at random from a large pool of candidates.

Although the word rapture does not exist in the Holy Bible, the concept of Judgment Day does appear in all four of the canonical gospels.

And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive and remain will be snatched up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for all ever.

  1. We shall be transformed when the trumpet sounds, and the dead will be resurrected incorruptible.
  2. It is planned that two ladies will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be abducted and the other will be left.
  3. 24:40–41; Luke 24:40–41) So, when did the Day of Judgment become connected with a literal rapture of the church’s membership?
  4. As an illustration of how many theologians are suspicious of doomsday prophesiers, see Robert Jewett’sJesus Against the Rapture (available on Amazon).
  5. Christians in the United States learnt about it through a Bible from the early twentieth century, and the concept gained popularity among Christian fundamentalists in the country until it became a cultural touchstone.
  6. The Texan evangelical Hal Lindsey is a prominent figure in this school of thought.
  7. Lindsey argued throughout the 2008 election cycle that Barack Obama was preparing the way for the Antichrist to come.

However, the concept has definitely caught the minds of many individuals, whether they are self-styled apocalyptic prophecy or simply authors wishing for a big seller. Based on how well HBO’s new series has been received, the concept has a long way to go still. More TIME Magazine’s Must-Read Stories

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Even Jesus wouldn’t buy ‘the rapture’

Christian Bale portrays Moses in the upcoming cinematic adaptation of the Book of Exodus from the Bible. Some reviewers have claimed that the film, directed by Ridley Scott, “whitewashes” the Bible. The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood The religious renaissance in Hollywood THE STORY’S KEY POINTS

  • Jay Parini: A new HBO series is based on a novel that explores the Christian concept of ‘the rapture.’ He claims that the rapture concept is a fun television concept, but that it is nonsense invented by a theologian in the 1800s
  • The premise is that Jesus would return and gather “saved” people before the tribulation period begins. Parini: The Bible makes no mention of the rapture. Its proponents invent new metaphors based on the metaphors of the apostles.

Note from the editor: Jay Parini, a poet and writer who lives in Vermont, is a professor at Middlebury College. He has just released a biography of Jesus, titled “Jesus: The Human Face of God.” Jay Parini may be found on Twitter at @JayParini. Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed in this essay are those of the author. (CNN)- On April 1, HBO will premiere “The Leftovers,” an original television series inspired on Tom Perrotta’s novel of the same name. The story is based on the fundamentalist Christian concept of the rapture.

  1. As the story goes, Jesus comes and summons 140 million people to heaven, leaving billions of others stunned, perplexed, and grieving in the wake of his return.
  2. As he pushes a grocery cart, the father of a little kid appears to have gone.
  3. Chaos erupts in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York – and throughout the rest of the world as well.
  4. Jay Parini is a well-known sportscaster.
  5. Jenkins, titled “Left Behind,” had previously been published.
  6. The first of three film adaptations, which was released in 2000, was the first.
  7. As if anybody hadn’t already noticed, the rapture has transformed into a commercial behemoth, constantly morphing and evolving to find new and immensely entertaining venues.

The rapture concept is as follows: Jesus is returning, and when he does, he will first arrive before the so-called tribulation period begins, calling those who have been “saved” up into the clouds with him.

Then Jesus will return a third time, this time for a final judgment.

Although it is true that only fundamentalist Protestant churches bother to think about the rapture, it is also true that only fundamentalist Protestant churches bother to think about it.

A theologian from the United Kingdom and Ireland, who lived in the 1830s, was the first to propose the notion.

In 1908, Cyrus I.

Scofield is credited with popularizing the concept.

70, but rather a prophecy about the future.

Elaine Pagels, a Princeton researcher, just published a book titled “Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation” in which she describes her findings.

According to popular belief, the origin of rapture thinking can be traced back to the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, in which he writes: “After all, the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding shout, the voice of an archangel, and the blast of God’s trumpet in his ears.

  1. “Sexy” is a Jesus film for the modern generation.
  2. First and foremost, it’s vital to realize that Jesus himself never spoke of the rapture at any point in his life.
  3. It’s all a dream, or at least a metaphor for something else.
  4. We read in Luke 19 about a returning king, but a critical reading of this verse reveals that Luke is referring to God returning to Jerusalem, rather than Jesus returning to Earth.
  5. These individuals will be revived, although this is an ambiguous phrase that implies not necessarily resuscitation but evolution, a complete metamorphosis.
  6. This phrase contains the essential word “meet,” which means that those who are still living will be lifted up on clouds to meet the Lord who will be waiting for them there.
  7. In any event, Paul is exaggerating when he imagines a heavenly welcome committee awaiting the return of the Lord to meet the people.
  8. However, it is astonishing how texts may be misinterpreted, and how relatively fresh theological beliefs – like as the rapture – can become firmly ingrained in specific communities.

However, it is terrible theology, and Jesus himself would have been surprised to hear that thousands of years after his death, such views were still in circulation today. At the very least, he won’t have to go through another episode of “The Leftovers.”

What the Bible Has to Say About the Rapture

A great lot is dependent on your interpretation of the term “should.” Christians do not have to believe in the rapture or even need to believe in it in order to be saved, if that is what you’re asking, the answer is no. Although there is much that can be said in support of it, the doctrine of the rapture cannot be considered as one of the essential elements of the Christian faith. When the Philippian jailer inquired, “What must I do in order to be saved?” Paul and Silas responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your household will be saved.” In contrast, if you are asking whether it is reasonable, sensible, or biblically supported to believe in the rapture, we would have to say that it is so.

  1. The first and most straightforward is found in I Thessalonians 4:13-18: It is important for you to be aware of those who have passed away, brethren, so that you do not grieve in the same way that others who have lost hope do.
  2. This is why we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and will be present until the coming of the Lord will in no way precede those who are asleep in their graves.
  3. And the first to rise will be those who have died in Christ.
  4. As a result, we will be with the Lord at all times.
  5. The second passage, I Corinthians 15:51-52, has content that is similar to the first: Look, I’ll reveal a mystery to you: we will not all sleep, but we will all be transformed – in a split second, in the blink of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet.
  6. Due to the interpretation that has been given to these passages, several other passages of Scripture have been traditionally understood as referring to the rapture.
  7. However, the two examples we’ve provided are the most significant.
  8. The fact that scholars have interpreted these texts in a variety of ways is also important to point out.
  9. The fact that this is one of those issues that, in the words of The Westminster Confession, is “not alike clear unto all” indicates that it is one of those issues.
  10. ResourcesIf a title is currently unavailable through Focus on the Family, we encourage you to purchase it from a different retailer instead.
  11. Justifications for Belief What Every Christian Should Know on a Day-to-Day Basis: The Most Important Truths for Developing Your Faith Christianity at its most fundamental What the Bible teaches is as follows: Clear, simple, and understandable explanations of the Bible’s teachings.

Referrals Insight for Living is a publication of the Christian Research Institute.

The Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–10

Faith Baptist Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa, delivered the faith pulpit in April 2002.

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The Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–10

The Context of the Situation “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand,” Paul writes in verses one and two of the letter. In this article, all Bible quotations are from the King James Version. There are a number of things that may be said about these passages. (1) Paul is writing to the believers in Thessalonica concerning the rapture of the church.

  • 1 John 4:1), “by word” (a false preacher—cf.
  • 1:18), and “by letter, as from us” (a forged letter bearing Paul’s forged signature—cf.
  • 1:18).
  • This “day,” which some Greek sources translate as “day of the Lord” rather than “day of Christ,” alludes to the time when Christ will interfere personally in human affairs by inflicting catastrophe upon the entire world.
  • Consequently, the erroneous doctrine was that the day of the Lord had arrived and was already in the presence of all.
  • Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, 229–231).
  • We know from 2 Thessalonians 1:4 that these believers were already subjected to persecution, thus this conclusion was not out of the realm of possibility for them.

Specifically, in v.

Daniel’s prophecy (9:26) that “the prince that shall come” will confirm a covenant with many for seven years before breaking it “in the middle of the week” is known to those who are aware of it.

By linking him to Daniel’s prophesy, II Thessalonians 2:4 establishes the identify of this individual rather than the period of his revelation.

There have been a variety of perspectives expressed about the identity of the restrainer.

Pentecost identifies five of them, which are as follows: There are five types of restrainers: the Roman Empire, human government and law, Satan, and the church.

The church was the fifth restrainer.

In the first place, the Roman empire could not be the restrainer since such a perspective confines the restrainer to the past, but Paul suggests that the one being restrained (the man of sin) would exist in the future, during Christ’s millennial reign.

Third, Satan is unable to act as a restrainer because a house divided against itself will eventually fall.

Nonetheless, in verse six, something is restricting, but in verse seven, the restrainer is a person, indicating that the church may be participating in the restraining process.

Even though all three Persons of the Godhead are omnipresent, the Father is physically present in heaven, and the Son is physically present at the right hand of the Father.

Please pay close attention to the promise made by the Lord Jesus Christ to all who believe in Him: “If any man thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.” The scripture says that “out of the belly of the believer will flow rivers of living water,” and this is exactly what happens (John 7:37–38).

  • According to 2 Thessalonians 2:7, the Restrainer will restrain “until he is removed from the way.” It has been asserted that this statement cannot relate to a geographical removal, but can only refer to the act of stepping aside (cf.
  • A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament (2nd ed., revised and augmented by F.
  • Danker from Walter Bauer’s 5th ed., 1979) lists this very verse as an example of this word’s use “to denote change of location,” according to the authors of A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament (page 159, bottom right-hand column).
  • Thus, the removal of the Restrainer alludes to the departure of the Holy Spirit from this world, which takes place in conjunction with the rapture of the Church.
  • The first option is the one that has historically been offered, and it continues to be the most common viewpoint today.
  • This stance will be defended by almost any conventional piece of commentary.
  • Edmond Hiebert’s The Thessalonian Epistles.

The second alternative that is feasible sees the “falling away” as a reference to the rapture of the church as the cause of the “falling away.” E.

There are four arguments that, when considered together, appear to imply that Paul was alluding to the rapture when he used the term “rapture” in his writing.

Note that this argument does not imply that the word always or even typically has this meaning in every situation or circumstance.

It’s a difficulty in part because this word is only used twice in the New Testament: here and in Acts 21:21, where Paul is informed that some are accusing him of teaching a deviation from the Law of Moses.

This term or an earlier form is found in Joshua 22:22, 1 Kings 21:13, 2 Chronicles 29:19, 33:19, Isaiah 30:1, and Jeremiah 2:19.

In many instances, the term carries with it the connotation of religious departure as well.

Because of this, it is possible to claim that the word itself was more generic.

There are just three allusions to a theological departure among the fifteen passages, and each of these three is qualified either by the context (Luke 8:13) or by a descriptive word (1 Timothy 4:1— “from the faith” and Hebrews 3:12— “from the real God.” Several of the subsequent passages make it obvious that a bodily departure is intended (for example, the angel who rescued Peter from jail withdrew from him—Acts 12:10, and Paul prayed for the removal of a thorn in the flesh from him—2 Corinthians 12:8).

  • By William Tyndale (c.
  • It was interpreted by Beza (1565) as “departing.” Reason2: The use of the definite article (“the”) lends credence to the notion that the falling away is synonymous with the rapture.
  • Paul does not refer to a falling away, but rather to THE falling away.
  • Using the article in this stanza, Robertson believes that it is appropriate.
  • In Word Pictures in the New Testament, chapter four, verse fifty-nine, p.
  • However, there is no such reference.
  • However, in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1, there is a reference to the rapture of the church as having occurred previously.
  • Verse 3 of the Bible explains that two events must occur in order for Christ’s return to be fulfilled: (1) the “falling away” and (2) the exposure of the man of sin.
  • Assuming that this is the way Paul writes, then verses 6 and 7, which describe the loss of the Holy Spirit and the church, would be a more extensive account of the initial incident in verse 3 (the “falling away”) than the rest of the chapter.
  • Because Paul’s objective in writing gives weight to the concept that “falling away” is the rapture, it is worth noting that Keep in mind where you are.
  • In this letter, Paul is informing them that they cannot possibly be in the Tribulation because two events must take place before the Tribulation can begin: the “falling away” (which is defined as the separation from Christ) and the revelation of the man of sin.

Conclusion According to II Thessalonians 2:1–10, the removal of the Restrainer and the “falling away” pertain to the rapture of the Church, then the passage provides two evidences that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation.

Rapture Bible Verses

What does the Bible say about Rapture? – Scriptures on the End Times The Rapture – the lifting of the Church into heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17)—is the next event on the prophetic calendar. The Rapture is when Christ comes back and takes every Christian that is still on this world and resurrects all of those who have died and brings them to heaven with Him. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8, Paul indicates that the Lord’s coming will come like a thief in the night. No one knows the date or time. However, there are some signals of the End Times that we may all be aware of.

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EDITOR’S NOTE:These extra materials might aid you as you research the rapture and end times.

  • Realizing the Imminent Second Coming of Jesus
  • What exactly is the Rapture, and is it a biblical concept? What Is the Sign of the Apocalypse? 10 Things Every Christian Should Be Aware Of
  • Who is the Antichrist, and how will his ascension be manifested? What does the Bible say about the Mark of the Beast
  • Who Are the Four Horsemen of Revelation? What Do They Look Like? Their Significance and Significance During the Apocalypse

Many people are confused and anxious about the time of the rapture because they are unsure when it will take place. People have been attempting to determine the precise day and hour that the prophesy of Jesus’ return will take place for centuries. In order to get answers concerning the rapture, the greatest place to go is in the Bible! Please read and consider the following Bible scriptures about the rapture that we have prepared for you. The Bible contains all of the information we require from God.

Let us have faith in what He has revealed and live a life of delight in the knowledge that we shall spend eternity with Him in paradise!

iStock/Getty Images Plus/RomoloTavani used for the photo credit.

What Does the Bible Say About the Rapture?

  • What exactly is the Rapture? Is there any reference of the Rapture in the Bible
  • When will the Rapture take place
  • What will will place at the Rapture
  • Those who will be left behind when the Rapture takes place are unknown. Is the Rapture going to take place before, during, or after the Great Tribulation period? Are recent occurrences a sign that the Rapture is approaching?

What is the Rapture?

The term “rapture” does not exist anywhere in the Bible at all. “Take away” is derived from the Latin wordrapare, which meaning “seize,” “snatch,” or “snatch up.” This text given by the apostle Paul describes the Rapture, in which loyal Christians are lifted up to meet Christ in the air. The name Rapture is used to refer to this event. However, we do not want you to be ignorant of those who have passed on, brothers and sisters, so that you do not grieve in the same way that those who have lost hope do.

Therefore, we announce to you by the word of God that we who are alive and remaining until the return of Christ will in no way precede those who have died.

Then we who are yet living, who are left, will be snatched up in the clouds with them, to meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with the Lord for all of ever.

Would they be denied the opportunity to see the beautiful events of Christ’s second coming and resurrection? In this way, Paul reassured them that God would save both those who had previously died and those who were still alive at the time of their death.

Interpretation

Paul did not offer any further information about this occurrence, and it is not recorded anywhere else in the Bible. The Bible does not provide any answers to questions regarding the details and timing of the Rapture. Because of the absence of specifics, several ideas and interpretations have been proposed.

Majority Interpretation

There are also more New Testament verses that speak of the resurrection of the dead and the gathering of the faithful when Jesus returns (Matthew 16:27, 24:30-31,25:31-32, 26:64, Mark 12:18-27, 13:26-27, Luke 17:26-35, John 5:21, 5:28-29, 1 Corinthians4:5, 6:14, 15:12-32, Philippians 3:20-21, Colossians 3:4, 2 Peter 3:8-10, Revelation1:7). These additional passages make use of a variety of metaphors and imagery to explain marvelous happenings that we are unable to comprehend fully (1 Corinthians 2:6-10, 13:9-12).

Most Christians do not attach much weight to the specific imagery Paul employed in 1 Thessalonians because they do not understand what it means.

Dispensationalism

During the 1700s and 1800s, theologians Pierre Poiret (1646 – 1719), John Edwards (1637 – 1716), Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748), and John Nelson Darby were among those who created the Dispensationalism paradigm of Bible interpretation (1800 – 1882). When it comes to Bible prophecy, dispensationalism takes a very literal approach and offers unique meanings and particular significance to events that occur during the end times. These views were promoted by the Scofield Reference Bible, which was initially published in 1909 and is still in print today.

There are a number of different theories concerning when the Rapture will take place:

  • Before the start of the tribulation period, the rapture will take place when John ascends to heaven (Revelation 4:1-2). According to this view, Christians will be taken up before the Great Tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27
  • Revelation 7:14) and will be spared the suffering associated with it. The rapture occurs in the middle of the tribulation period, when the two prophets ascend to heaven (Revelation 11:11-12)
  • The rapture will take place at the conclusion of the seven bowls (Revelation 16:17-21).

The Rapture in Popular Culture

In recent years, notions regarding the Rapture and other events preceding Christ’s second coming have produced an entire industry that has sprung up around them. The LateGreat Planet Earth, written by Hal Lindsey in 1970, as well as theLeft Behindseries by Tim LaHaye and JerryB. Jenkins, have been at the vanguard of this movement. There are also websites, TV preachers, lecture series, movies, and videos available in addition to the numerous publications. The inventive and colorful embellishments of Bible predictions, along with current political and social views, are included in several of these works.

Will the Rapture Happen Soon?

A countless number of groups and individuals have compared events of their time to Bible prophecies over the past 2000 years and come to the conclusion that Jesus will return soon. Some have established a certain date for Christ’s return and sent their followers into the desert in order to await his arrival. Every single one of those prophecies turned out to be incorrect, but that hasn’t stopped people from making predictions about Jesus’s return in the near future in the current day. The vast majority of mainstream Bible scholars, on the other hand, do not believe that current world events are evidence of Christ’s imminent return.

Only theFather is aware of this.

The second coming of Jesus will be abrupt, unexpected, and unmistakable, as if lightning flashed across the sky from one end of the world to the other (Matthew24:23-51, Mark 13:21-23, 13:32-37 Luke 17:20-37).

Read this related article: What does the Bible have to say about the Second Coming of Jesus?

a summary of events surrounding the second coming of Christ and the end of the world that incorporates biblical references 1 Pamela P. Enns’ book, The Moody Handbook of Theology, published by Moody Press in Chicago in 1989, is on page 515–516.

What is the Rapture and When Will it Happen?

There’s nothing quite like an apocalypse forecast to set the news media a hive of activity. The radio broadcaster Harold Camping garnered national attention in May when he predicted that Judgment Day would occur on May 21. It was one of the most well reported prophecies in recent memory, and it drew widespread attention. Naturally, this did not happen.) Others other apocalypse forecasters have been looking ahead to 2012 for several years; some believe the Mayan calendar will bring the world to an end on December 21.

  1. Eschatology is a popular but famously difficult field of Christian theology, with several difficulties associated with it.
  2. In evangelical end times studies, the rapture is one of the most hotly debated topics, especially when it will take place in connection to other eschatological events like as the tribulation and the coming of Christ to earth.
  3. Hultberg was recently interviewed by Biola Magazine on the rapture, its numerous interpretations, and why it is necessary for Christians to take the rapture and its implications seriously.
  4. During the time of Christ’s second coming, all Christians will be taken up (i.e., “raptured”) into the presence of the Lord in the air, according to this concept.
  5. It is stated directly in 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17, and it is taught more or less implicitly in 1 Corinthians 15:51–55, and it is taught more or less openly in John 14.
  6. What role does the rapture play in God’s grand scheme of things for the rest of the universe?
  7. A major part of God’s redeeming goal is to restore what was lost in Adam, to restore the right functioning of his reign in creation via the vice-regency of a humanity living in appropriate relationship to him (though this involves much more than what I’ve discussed here).

As a result, to the extent that the rapture and the resurrection are linked, the rapture contributes to the restoration of the world.

Remission from this judgment is promised to the church, and the rapture is intended to carry out this promise in a tangible way.

Generally speaking though, when I state that rapture doctrine is connected to church doctrine, I am referring to the fact that the division formed amongst believers by rapture raises the question of how diverse groups of believers are related to one another in God’s wider family of believers.

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Exactly why is there such a division among believers?

When I say that it touches on themes of normative Christian experience, I’m referring to the fact that it raises the question of why God would allow the church to suffer in this way.

The church, some contend, will not suffer under Antichrist because God will not allow it to.

According to the many schools of thought, the rapture will occur before the tribulation, after the tribulation, or before the vengeance of God.

Those who hold to the pretribulation perspective believe that God will rapture the church before the end of this age’s last seven years (often called the 70th week of Daniel, from Daniel 9:27, or the tribulation).

It is dependent, in part, on the ability to distinguish between the coming of Christ to rapture the church and the coming of Christ to return to earth and rule.

Quickly following this, the church will be snatched up to be with Christ in the air and will immediately return to earth with him.

Therefore, much as in pretribulationism, a distinction is drawn between Christ’s second coming to gather the church and his ultimate return to earth; but, unlike pretribulationism, the church will be subjected to the last persecution of the Antichrist before being raptured by Jesus Christ.

In your opinion, what are the most compelling arguments in support of this position?

I believe the Scriptures teach that the church In particular, Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 13 are used to support the first claim.

Without a doubt, both ideas take into account countless corollary concerns and passages.

Is it reasonable for you to assume that the rapture will not be completely unexpected as someone who holds the prewrath position?

Because the prewrath stance necessitates the advent of Antichrist and his abomination of desolation prior to the rapture, it follows that the rapture is not imminent in the sense of being able to occur at any time in this view.

In order to avoid being accused of teaching a “any moment” rapture, I must approach “imminence” scriptures such as Matthew 24:42–44 in a different way than I would if I were teaching a “imminence” rapture.

In essence, according to my interpretation, the Bible teaches the “unknowability” of the date of the rapture, rather than its “imminence at any time.” Until the number of intermediate events and/or the length of time between specific events and the rapture are known, the biblical concept of “imminence” will be maintained.

Do you believe it conveys the idea that Christians are simply looking forward to getting away from the world and leaving it to its own destruction?

Those who make the rapture the central focus of their Christian lives, whether by secluding themselves in a cave awaiting Christ’s return or merely (and gleefully?) preaching the destruction of unbelievers, or by ignoring larger issues that promote Christian unity and virtue — issues that are much more clearly taught and prescribed in Scripture — are those who are overly preoccupied with the rapture.

  1. In the Thessalonian writings, Paul warned against anything akin to the first problem, while Jesus warned against something akin to the second problem in John.
  2. Evangelicals are seen with derision by the secular world as a type of kitschy joke that makes them appear foolish (the presence of “date forecasters” such as Harold Camping does not help matters).
  3. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, defending what the Bible teaches is always going to be a farcical exercise.
  4. What all “date setters” have in common is weak hermeneutics; they employ untenable interpretative procedures that cannot be justified.
  5. What, in the face of differing views of the end times, do you believe are the most significant eschatological truths or realities that all Christians should hold to in their hearts and minds?
  6. Things that are unquestionably stated in Scripture and are vital to our faith are essential; things that are less clearly revealed are non-essential.
  7. That is the church’s happy hope in the future.
  8. It is necessary to believe in the resurrection of the dead, with some going to eternal life and others going to endless misery.
  9. He is the editor and co-author of Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or Posttribulation (Talbot School of Theology, 1989).

Alan Hultberg (M.Div. ’89) is an associate professor of Bible exposition and New Testament at Talbot School of Theology. A doctorate in divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School has been bestowed upon him.

What Is the Rapture? See What the Bible Says.

There are many Christians who believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be in two phases. First, He will come forbelievers, both living and dead, in the “rapture” (read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). (read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). In this view, the rapture—which is the transformation and catching up of all Christians, dead or alive, to meet Christ in the air—will be secret, for it will be unknown to the world of unbelievers at the time of its happening. The effect of this removal, in the absence of multitudes of people, will, of course, be evident on earth.

  • (Matthew 24:30, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:13, Revelation 1:7).
  • Signs of the end of the world?
  • After 1,000 years, living unbelievers and the wicked dead now raised to life will be judged at the great white throne judgment.
  • (Revelation, chapters 19-22).
  • Many other evangelical Christians believe that Christ’s return and the rapture will not occur until the seven years of the tribulation have ended.
  • (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
  • All Christians do not agree on every detail of what will occur in thefinal events of this world’s history.
  • What is important is that all Christians hold in common that Christ will ultimately return bodily, visibly, and gloriously to reign and rule with His resurrected and transformed saints forever and ever.
  • Are you rapture ready?

What Did Jesus Say about End Times?

Slide number six of six “At that point, he told them, country will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. It is predicted that there would be tremendous earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in many locations, as well as terrifying catastrophes and significant signs from God” (Matthew 21:10-11). The prophet Jesus also spoke of war and several other disasters. In reality, the apocalyptic catastrophes that will take place during Christ’s second coming will be on a par with the creation of the cosmos (Matthew 24:21).

Consider the rise in the number of weapons of war since the time of Jesus Christ. troops battled with swords, spears, and arrows during his time period.” Today, the thermonuclear death zone extends all the way around the planet, including the United States.

10. Jesus Invites All

Jesus does not have a preference for specific types of people. The Lord asks people of various racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds to open their hearts and allow Him to enter their lives. “Therefore, be sincere and repent. I’m right here! I approach the front door and knock. In the event that someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, as well as he with me” (Revelation 3:20). His final remarks before His ascension, recorded in Acts 1:8, prompted His followers to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples across the world.

If you look closely, you’ll see that there is no doorknob on the outside.

He only enters the house when we open the door for him personally.

It’s quite OK for us to respond to him with something!

Get down on your knees for a moment and join the millions of people who will one day proclaim in unison, “Jesus Christ is Lord!” Consequently, to the glory of his Father, God exalted Jesus to the highest position possible and bestowed upon him the name that is above all other names, so that at the mention of his name every knee should bow, both in heaven and on earth as well as under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Philippians 2:9-11 – Image courtesy of Getty Images Earlier this year, Dr.

Thousands of pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders throughout the world have benefited from Roger’s mentoring and teaching, in addition to his work as an author and sought-after conference speaker.

Throughout Casas, the importance of incorporating new generations is profoundly instilled in order to ensure that the church continues to thrive far into the twenty-first century and beyond.

Barrier holds doctoral degrees in Greek, religion, theology, and pastoral care from Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Golden Gate Seminary, among other institutions.

His most recent piece is “Got Guts?” Get your Godly on!

The pastoral teaching website he co-founded with his wife, Dr.

Please note that the following Ask Roger piece includes comments from Roger’s daughter, Brie Barrier Wetherbee, who is a sought-after Bible teacher and conference speaker, as well as an author, analyst, and Christian theologian.

Crosswalk is a place where Dr. Barrier puts his over 40 years of pastoral expertise to work every week, addressing questions about theology or practice from laypeople and providing advise on church leadership difficulties. Send him an email at [email protected] with your questions.

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