The official movie poster for "Left Behind" starring Nicolas Cage.
Posted on 07/31/2014 8:11:14 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
"This doctrine is not really found in the book of Revelation. If you read the book of Revelation, you won't find any mention of the rapture there," said William Craig, a Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Professor of Philosophy at Houston Baptist University.
Instead, Craig says, the idea of the rapture comes from a "misinterpretation of 1 and 2 Thessalonians where Paul is describing the coming of the Lord and resurrection of the dead, which will occur at His coming."
"If you compare what Paul says there to what Jesus says about the End Times, Paul uses the same vocabulary, the same phraseology. I think it's very plausible that Paul is talking about the same event that Jesus predicted, namely the visible coming of the Son of Man at the end of human history to usher in his kingdom," said Craig. "But proponents of the rapture view, say that Paul is not at all talking about the second coming of the Christ there. What he's really talking about is this invisible preliminary secret return of Christ to snatch believers out of the world before the great tribulation occurs. I think there's no textual warrant for that at all."
According to Craig, the rapture became a popular theory about the End Times due to the influence of the Scofield Reference Bible, which was published in the early 20th century and promulgated John Darby's mid-18th century's views on the rapture. Later, Christian institutions, among them Dallas Theological Seminary, and churches began teaching the validity of the rapture.
"A good many Bible-believing Christians absorbed this view as their mother's milk as it were and have never thought to question its Biblical credentials," said Craig.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
bookmark for the coming battle.
Mr Cage is trying to work his way out of Bankruptcy. He’s probably good for this role though because he appears to be lost.
He is factually correct. This did not exist in Christianity until the 1800s or so.
I’ve read pretty extensively on this. I personally don’t agree with the author of this article.
Well, one way or another, followers of The Lord Jesus Christ living at the time will find out first hand.
So the Tribulation isn’t happening either then?
Thanks. Missed that until now.
He also appears to have miraculously regrown a full head of hair.
All depends what your understanding is. There used to be four teachings of the end times scenarios, today there are three, because too much has happened for the fourth to be a viable option.
That leaves three, and from my studies on them, they all make great arguments for their belief. they can all back their stance up with Scripture, and they all have very good Theological teachers who agree on everything else, but eschatology.
So, have a good time debating it, because as far as I am concerned only the father knows as Christ told His disciples.
I advise everyone to be ready at all times, because like a thief in the night, so too will the Lord return.
I used to be a pre-tribulationist - the first year I was a Christian. Then I studied the subject.
I’m now “pre-wrath, post trib”.
A lot of Christians, IMHO, are going to be very confused when they are still here as the civilized world crumbles around them.
So, it may not mean a lifting of the body but rather a greater attention to God because the person is paying greater attention to the Holy Spirit.
“If you read the book of Revelation, you won’t find any mention of the rapture there,”
Looks like there’s a rupture about the rapture.
Yep. Rapture/left behind is a recent construction, and not Biblical.
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