Post by Sheila on Mar 20, 2024 15:24:44 GMT -5
Although many denominations or churches within a denomination support the doctrine of the rapture, it's not really based on anything taught in the Bible. While some believe it was always a part of church doctrine, others believe it was one of the doctrines pushed aside at some point and later "rediscovered".
We'll set aside the proof texts from the Bible used to support the rapture for now and take a look at the teachings of the church from the second and third centuries. All are referring to situations people who are Christians before the Tribulation and are still alive when it occurs will face.
- Didache (2nd Century): A deceiver [Antichrist] will come into the world, man will face the fiery trial, and those "who endure in their faith shall be saved by the curse itself".
- Irenaeus (3rd Century): The one who is to come [Antichrist] will put the church to flight. The tribulation is necessary to Christians as another way to separate the true believers from those who aren't.
- Hippolytus (3rd Century): The prophets provided the information about the Tribulation to prepare Christians so they aren't deceived during the time of tribulation.
- Cyprian (writing from 200-258): Christians are armed for the reign of Antichrist through the warnings of the prophets and the Word of God. Afterward, Christ will avenge our suffering.
- Victorinus (writing from 269-271): During the Tribulation, the devil will avenge himself against the church.
In the Middle Ages, the church did move away from a literal interpretation of end times prophecies. They viewed them more as a spiritual battle, not a real one. However, in a way, they were still teaching that the church would face an intense battle during the end times.
It wasn't until the early 1800s that the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture came into being. It wasn't due to someone reading the Bible and tying a bunch of verses together and saying, "Look at this! The Bible says the church will be pulled out of the world before the Tribulation!" Quite the opposite. Margaret McDonald recorded everything she could remember about a vision she said she received from God. Along came John Darby, who hears the details of the vision. He began to study Scripture and chose passages that seemed to support the vision and began teaching about the rapture around 1833. In America, the idea became popular and C.I. Schofield incorporated the teaching into his study Bible. Soon conferences were convened to discuss end times prophecies. The first meeting included 114 bishops, professors, and ministers. The size of the conferences grew and many more people began to accept the doctrine of the rapture. However, upon deeper study of the facts related to how the idea of the rapture came about, many of those who had previously accepted it, rejected it and returned to teachings of the early church. [1]
So if the verses used to support the doctrine of the rapture aren't about the rapture, what are they about? Those would have to be addressed individually and one at a time. If anyone would like to discuss them, we can do so if you list the ones you want to discuss in a response to this thread. If the rapture isn't going to happen, why do people teach it and believe it? This is just my opinion and people can give their own reasons, but I think a lot of people are afraid to face real persecution and hanging onto this belief helps them to not worry about what may happen within their lifetimes. Another question that's been asked when people hear others reject the doctrine is "Why would God punish Christians with all of those horrible judgements?" The answer is he won't. Yes, Christians will face severe persecution and some will even be put to death; however, they will not suffer from any of the plagues and other things listed as affecting unbelievers. According to the doctrine as put forth, anyone who becomes a believer during the Tribulation will be sealed by God and not suffer those things. So I ask, if the church isn't raptured, couldn't God just as easily seal all of the members of the church and protect them from the judgements? The answer is a resounding "Yes".
All of the evidence shows that the doctrine of the rapture was created by coming up with the idea (through a supposed vision) and then finding verses to support the doctrine. While people still receive visions today, they shouldn't be accepted as proof of a new revelation from God about something that should become doctrine after the final revelations provided by God as found in the Bible. George Eldon Ladd sums it up in his book The Blessed Hope. "The Blessed Hope is not deliverance from Tribulation; it is union with the Lord at his coming. The hope of the early Church throughout the early centuries was the second coming of Christ, not a pre-Tribulation rapture" [2].
1. Although I'm not listing direct references, there are many good ones available via a Google search for information about the rapture.
2. The Blessed Hope; George Eldon Ladd; Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co; 1956
We'll set aside the proof texts from the Bible used to support the rapture for now and take a look at the teachings of the church from the second and third centuries. All are referring to situations people who are Christians before the Tribulation and are still alive when it occurs will face.
- Didache (2nd Century): A deceiver [Antichrist] will come into the world, man will face the fiery trial, and those "who endure in their faith shall be saved by the curse itself".
- Irenaeus (3rd Century): The one who is to come [Antichrist] will put the church to flight. The tribulation is necessary to Christians as another way to separate the true believers from those who aren't.
- Hippolytus (3rd Century): The prophets provided the information about the Tribulation to prepare Christians so they aren't deceived during the time of tribulation.
- Cyprian (writing from 200-258): Christians are armed for the reign of Antichrist through the warnings of the prophets and the Word of God. Afterward, Christ will avenge our suffering.
- Victorinus (writing from 269-271): During the Tribulation, the devil will avenge himself against the church.
In the Middle Ages, the church did move away from a literal interpretation of end times prophecies. They viewed them more as a spiritual battle, not a real one. However, in a way, they were still teaching that the church would face an intense battle during the end times.
It wasn't until the early 1800s that the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture came into being. It wasn't due to someone reading the Bible and tying a bunch of verses together and saying, "Look at this! The Bible says the church will be pulled out of the world before the Tribulation!" Quite the opposite. Margaret McDonald recorded everything she could remember about a vision she said she received from God. Along came John Darby, who hears the details of the vision. He began to study Scripture and chose passages that seemed to support the vision and began teaching about the rapture around 1833. In America, the idea became popular and C.I. Schofield incorporated the teaching into his study Bible. Soon conferences were convened to discuss end times prophecies. The first meeting included 114 bishops, professors, and ministers. The size of the conferences grew and many more people began to accept the doctrine of the rapture. However, upon deeper study of the facts related to how the idea of the rapture came about, many of those who had previously accepted it, rejected it and returned to teachings of the early church. [1]
So if the verses used to support the doctrine of the rapture aren't about the rapture, what are they about? Those would have to be addressed individually and one at a time. If anyone would like to discuss them, we can do so if you list the ones you want to discuss in a response to this thread. If the rapture isn't going to happen, why do people teach it and believe it? This is just my opinion and people can give their own reasons, but I think a lot of people are afraid to face real persecution and hanging onto this belief helps them to not worry about what may happen within their lifetimes. Another question that's been asked when people hear others reject the doctrine is "Why would God punish Christians with all of those horrible judgements?" The answer is he won't. Yes, Christians will face severe persecution and some will even be put to death; however, they will not suffer from any of the plagues and other things listed as affecting unbelievers. According to the doctrine as put forth, anyone who becomes a believer during the Tribulation will be sealed by God and not suffer those things. So I ask, if the church isn't raptured, couldn't God just as easily seal all of the members of the church and protect them from the judgements? The answer is a resounding "Yes".
All of the evidence shows that the doctrine of the rapture was created by coming up with the idea (through a supposed vision) and then finding verses to support the doctrine. While people still receive visions today, they shouldn't be accepted as proof of a new revelation from God about something that should become doctrine after the final revelations provided by God as found in the Bible. George Eldon Ladd sums it up in his book The Blessed Hope. "The Blessed Hope is not deliverance from Tribulation; it is union with the Lord at his coming. The hope of the early Church throughout the early centuries was the second coming of Christ, not a pre-Tribulation rapture" [2].
1. Although I'm not listing direct references, there are many good ones available via a Google search for information about the rapture.
2. The Blessed Hope; George Eldon Ladd; Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co; 1956
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