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Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?
Crisis Magazine ^ | November 24, 2014 | DENNIS BONNETTE

Posted on 11/24/2014 1:07:14 PM PST by NYer

the-fall-of-man-hendrick-goltzius

Pure myth! That is today’s typical view of a literal Adam and Eve. Yet, contrary to current skepticism, a real Adam and Eve remain credible—both in terms of Catholic doctrine and sound natural science.

By calling the Genesis story a “myth,” people avoid saying it is mere “fantasy,” that is, with no foundation in reality at all. While rejecting a literal first pair of human parents for all mankind, they hope to retain some “deeper” truth about an original “sinful human condition,” a “mythic” meaning. They think that the latest findings in paleoanthropology and genetics render a literal pair of first true human parents to be “scientifically impossible.”

The prevailing assumption underlying media reports about human origins is that humanity evolved very gradually over vast periods of time as a population (a collection of interbreeding organisms), which itself originally evolved from a Homo/Pan (human/chimpanzee) common ancestor millions of years ago. Therefore, we are not seen as descendants of the biblical Adam and Eve.

This universal evolutionary perspective leads many Catholics and others to conclude that a literal Adam and Eve is “scientifically impossible” for two reasons: First, paleoanthropologists deny the sudden appearance of intelligent, self-reflective, fully-human primates, but rather view the emergence of consciousness and intelligence as taking place slowly and incrementally over long periods of time. Second, in light of recent findings in molecular biology, especially from studies based on genetic data gleaned from the Human Genome Project, it is claimed that the hominin population (the primate group from which modern man is said to have arisen) has never had a bottleneck (reduced population) of a single mating pair in the last seven or more million years: no literal Adam and Eve. Many succumb to the modernist tendency to “adjust” Church teaching to fit the latest scientific claims—thus intimidating Catholics into thinking that divinely revealed truths can be abandoned—“if need be.”

This skepticism of a literal Adam and Eve begs for four much needed corrections.

First, Church teaching about Adam and Eve has not, and cannot, change. The fact remains that a literal Adam and Eve are unchanging Catholic doctrine. Central to St. Paul’s teaching is the fact that one man, Adam, committed original sin and that through the God-man, Jesus Christ, redemption was accomplished (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15: 21-22). In paragraphs 396-406, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, speaks of Adam and Eve as a single mating pair who “committed a personal sin, but this sin affected the human nature that they would then transmit in a fallen state” (CCC, 404). “Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back toward God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle” (CCC, 405). The doctrines surrounding original sin cannot be altered “without undermining the mystery of Christ” (CCC, 389).

Today, many think that Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Humani generis did not definitively exclude theological polygenism. What they fail to notice, though, is that the Holy Father clearly insists that Scripture and the Magisterium affirm that original sin “proceeds from a sin truly committed by one Adam [ab uno Adamo]” and that this sin is transmitted to all true human beings through generation (para. 37). This proves that denial of a literal Adam (and his spouse, Eve) as the sole first genuinely human parents of all true human beings is not theologically tenable.

Second, rational human nature itself requires that mankind made an instant appearance on planet Earth. Paleoanthropological claims of gradual appearance of specifically human traits fail to comport with a true philosophy of human nature. Reflecting classical Christian thought, St. Thomas Aquinas demonstrates that true man is distinguished essentially from lower animals by possession of an intellectual and immortal soul, which possesses spiritual powers of understanding, judgment, and reasoning (Summa theologiae I, 75). While these qualitatively superior abilities are manifested through special forms of tool making or culture or art, they need not always be evident in the paleontological record. Sometimes true men share mere animal survival behavior and sometimes truly human behavior is lost to modern sight due to the ravages of time. What matters is that genuinely spiritual powers are either present or not, and that these alone bespeak the presence of true man. Irrational animals, including subhuman primates, are capable of complex sentient behaviors often approaching or imitating the rational activities of true man. But an animal either possesses a spiritual, intellectual soul or not. Thus at some point in time, true man suddenly appears—whether visible to modern science or not. Before that time, all subhuman behavior manifests merely material sensory abilities. The fact that positivistic scientists cannot discern the first presence of true man is hardly remarkable.

Third, a correct understanding of the scientific (inductive) method reveals that it cannot ever logically exclude the possibility of two sole founders of humanity. Natural scientific studies employ the inductive method of reasoning. Empirically observed data is employed to form testable hypotheses. Molecular biologists use computer models in an attempt to validate such hypotheses and reach conclusions about genetic conditions in early primate populations. In this process, some researchers have committed the logically invalid move of inferring from particular data to the universally negative claim that a literal Adam and Eve is impossible. Such methodology produces, at best, solely probable conclusions, based on available evidence and the assumptions used to evaluate the data. There is the inherent possibility that an unknown factor will alter the conclusion, similarly as was the unexpected discovery of black swans in Australia, when the whole world “knew” all swans were white.

Fourth, specific scientific arguments against Adam and Eve have proven not as forceful as many presently believe (Gauger 2012). For example, some have claimed that effective population size estimates for the last several million years would not permit just two true humans to have lived during that time. Still, the technical concept of average effective population size estimates should not be confused with an actual “bottleneck” (a temporarily reduced population) which may be much smaller. Effective population size estimates can vary from as high as 14,000 (Blum 2011) to as low as 2,000 (Tenesa 2007), depending on the methods used.

Such calculations rely upon many assumptions about mutation rate, recombination rate, and other factors, that are known to vary widely. All of this entails retrospective calculations about events in the far distant past, for which we have no directly verifiable data. For such reasons, some experts have concluded that effective population size cannot be determined using DNA sequence differences alone (Sjödin 2005; Hawks 2008).

Indeed, the most famous genetic study proclaimed as a “scientific objection” to Adam and Eve turned out to be based on methodological errors. An article by geneticist Francisco J. Ayala appearing in the journal, Science (1995), led many to believe that a founding population of only two individuals was impossible. Ayala based his challenge to monogenism (two sole founders of humanity) on the large number of versions (alleles) of the particular gene HLA-DRB1, which are present in the current population. Accepting the common ancestor theory, he claimed that there were thirty-two ancient lineages of the HLA-DRB1 gene prior to the Homo/Pan split (approximately seven million years ago). Over time, these “pre-split” lineages, themselves, evolved into the new additional versions present today. Because each individual carries only two versions of a gene, a single founding pair could not have passed on the thirty-two versions that Ayala claimed existed some seven million years ago—either at that time or at any time since. A bottleneck of just two true humans, Adam and Eve, was “scientifically impossible.”

However, Ayala’s claim of thirty-two ancient HLA-DRB1 lineages (prior to the Homo/Pan split) was wrong because of methodological errors. The number of lineages was subsequently adjusted by Bergström (1998) to just seven at the time of the split, with most of the genetic diversity appearing in the last 250,000 years. A still later study coming out of Bergström’s group inferred that just four such lineages existed more than five million years ago, but that a few more appeared soon thereafter (von Salomé 2007). While two mating hominins can transmit four lineages, the few additional later ones still require explanation.

These genetic studies, based on many assumptions and use of computer models, do not tell us how the origin of the human race actually took place. But, they do show (1) that methodological limitations and radical contingency are inherent in such studies, which are employed to make retroactive judgments about deeply ancient populations that can never be subject to direct observation, and (2) that present scientific claims against the possibility of a literal Adam and Eve are not definitive (Gauger 2012, 105-122).

Philosopher Kenneth W. Kemp and others have suggested that interbreeding between true humans and subhuman primates in the same biological population might account for presently observed genetic diversity (Kemp 2011). Such interbreeding is not to be confused with the marriages between true human siblings and cousins which would have occurred in the first generations following Adam and Eve, which unions were a necessary part of God’s plan for the initial propagation of mankind (Gen. 1:28).

The difficulty with any interbreeding solution (save, perhaps, in rare instances) is that it would place at the human race’s very beginning a severe impediment to its healthy growth and development. Natural law requires that marriage and procreation take place solely between a man and a woman, so that children are given proper role models for adult life. So too, even if the union between a true human and a subhuman primate were not merely transitory, but lasting, the defective parenting and role model of a parent who is not a true human being would introduce serious disorder in the proper functioning of the family and education of children. Hence, widespread interbreeding is not an acceptable solution to the problem of genetic diversity.

Moreover, given the marked reduction in the number of ancient HLA-DRB1 alleles found by the later genetic studies of Bergström and von Salomé, it may turn out that no interbreeding is needed at all, or at most, that very rare instances of it may have occurred. Such rare events might not even entail the consent of true human beings, since they could result from an attack by a subhuman male upon a non-consenting human female.

A literal Adam and Eve remains rationally, scientifically credible.

Since the same God is author both of human reason and of authentic revelation, legitimate natural science, properly conducted, will never contradict Catholic doctrine, properly understood. Catholic doctrine still maintains that a literal Adam and Eve must have existed, a primal couple who committed that personal original sin, which occasioned the need for, and the divine promise of, the coming of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Editor’s note: The image above is a detail from “The Fall of Man” painted by Hendrik Goltzius in 1616.



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Religion & Science; Theology
KEYWORDS: adam; adamandeve; creation; crevo; crevolist; eve; evolution; fazalerana; gardenofeden; genesis; hughross; originalparents; origins
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To: editor-surveyor

Why?


1,021 posted on 12/02/2014 3:18:53 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: editor-surveyor; Partisan Gunslinger
You are simply ignoring Yeshua’s plain explanation.

Sigh...

Why don't you and PG get together and translate the Bible as it SHOULD have been done these oh so many times.

I'm sure you'd have a market for it.

1,022 posted on 12/02/2014 3:21:13 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: editor-surveyor

Nobody is born again yet, but Yeshua.


1,023 posted on 12/02/2014 3:22:08 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

So who are the ones arrested and who’s testimony brings many to the truth if all Christians are gone?


1,024 posted on 12/02/2014 3:30:13 PM PST by Partisan Gunslinger
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To: Partisan Gunslinger; boatbums

Dude, what you are weaving here makes no sense within the context of Israel defined in Romans 9-11.

Also on the church “caught up” Paul tells us we are changed immediately:

1 Corinthians 15:

50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.


1,025 posted on 12/02/2014 8:13:42 PM PST by redleghunter (But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.)
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To: Partisan Gunslinger; Elsie; boatbums

>>So who are the ones arrested and who’s testimony brings many to the truth if all Christians are gone?<<

Revelation 14:

1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.


1,026 posted on 12/02/2014 8:22:04 PM PST by redleghunter (But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.)
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To: redleghunter
Genesis 1:26 And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let *them* (that would mean more than one) have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

Here's the expanded context which torpedoes your assertion "them" meant a whole bunch of people.

Genesis 1: 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

See bolded above. "Them" be Adam and Eve. Or are you implying Eve did not have dominion because she was a woman? Eve couldn't rope a steer?

No this is not describing the creation of the Adam and Eve. Not one word in this description regarding 'farming'. Or of the creation of the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:5 specifically states ......... and there was NOT a man to till the ground. This declaration was made after the seventh day of rest by the Creator. Recorded history apart from the Written Word, also contains a 'gap' between hunter/gathers and agricultural farming.

Furthermore, the science of DNA demonstrates it is not possible for all God's children to be the progeny of only two people. There is no getting around what is fact.

We are not told IF Eve was required to create steers or rope one to survive. But I imagine she had a tough life after getting booted from the Garden of God. The way modern Christians like to weave webs, their Eve probably picked apples or pomegranates.

1,027 posted on 12/03/2014 12:35:40 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
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To: redleghunter
It is this ridiculous claim that all God's children came from just two people... It is not ridiculous. That is exactly how God literally revealed creation and the propagation of humanity. It only becomes 'ridiculous' when folks have to add to what is revealed to make a man-made theology as in the "Kenites" fit the Word.

Obviously the rapture doctrine does not include Christ's own Words recorded in Matthew 13, whole chapter. Christ even explains His parables. It is just as great a sin to falsely accuse, and omit from the WORD.

Revelation 22:18-19, 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, IF any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 AND if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Also found in Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32.

Of course for context the quote begins in Revelation 22:16 "I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches, I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star."

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Rapturemites do not have control in the dispensation of the 'water of life'.

1,028 posted on 12/03/2014 1:04:31 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
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To: redleghunter
You did not address the issue at hand. Do you deny the church will be ‘caught up’ at some time in history or is that figurative for you? 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.(KJV) So Murray taught to toss these verses out of the 1 Thessalonians? Or are these verses for the 7000 only?

The subject of I Thessalonians 4 is what. Flying away to save ones soul? Why ignore the context of IThessalonians 4?

Why does not IThessalonians 4:11 get the same amount of attention as does IThessalonians 4:17. Verse 11 says And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Yet the whole rapture doctrine is based upon the man made divination of one single verse IThessalonians 4:17 ignoring II Thessalonians 2.

Paul even tells us who the false messiah is... IIThessalonians 2:4.

4 Who opposeth and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the MOST HIGH.'.....

God knew the future and what would be, He even had Ezekiel write all about it in Ezekiel 13 the teaching to His people to fly away to save their souls. Well, He said Ezekiel 13:20 Wherefore thus saith the LORD GOD: 'Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

There is not going to be a rapture no matter how much some believe, and use whatever means necessary to make it so.

1,029 posted on 12/03/2014 1:37:25 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
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To: Partisan Gunslinger
Good thing God changed Paul's name. Look what uproar Stephen caused by preaching the gospel. Acts 7 and then we read Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

That rapture doctrine brings out the best in people now does it not?

1,030 posted on 12/03/2014 3:19:50 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
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To: Partisan Gunslinger
So who are the ones arrested and who’s testimony brings many to the truth if all Christians are gone?

You are a teacher of Israel and yet do not know these things?

There will be PLENTY of folks who know the Way, yet had not made the decision left behind.

One in the field, one in the bed...

Surely you've read these things?

1,031 posted on 12/03/2014 5:08:03 AM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Just mythoughts
No this is not describing the creation of the Adam and Eve.

Yes it is. It is the Man and the Woman. Why are you making this difficult. Why can't you take scriptures at face value?

1,032 posted on 12/03/2014 6:04:02 AM PST by redleghunter (But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.)
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To: Just mythoughts

Your last post is what we call in the Army...”being all over the map.”

Meaning the post was incoherent.


1,033 posted on 12/03/2014 6:05:26 AM PST by redleghunter (But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.)
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To: Just mythoughts
Again, you did not address my post. Do you deny a “caught up” of the church?

Secondly, ‘souls’ are not just ‘flying away’, but if you examine the literal words of the passage it says our “corrupt bodies” will be changed for the incorruptible.

You are dealing in canned ‘apologetics’, which means you are using arguments which are not relevant to what I posted.

1,034 posted on 12/03/2014 6:11:09 AM PST by redleghunter (But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.)
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To: redleghunter
Dude, what you are weaving here makes no sense within the context of Israel defined in Romans 9-11. Also on the church “caught up” Paul tells us we are changed immediately:

Yes, changed immediately at the seventh trump, no dead wave, no living wave.

1,035 posted on 12/03/2014 10:38:15 AM PST by Partisan Gunslinger
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To: Just mythoughts
Good thing God changed Paul's name. Look what uproar Stephen caused by preaching the gospel. Acts 7 and then we read Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. That rapture doctrine brings out the best in people now does it not?

It's really amazing, the licentiousness of people that you know have sat in a church for decades. Of course the problem is that most churches don't teach all of the bible, they have their favorites verses they go over and over. I never studied until my early thirties and I thought I was a good guy. Studying verse by verse showed me that the bible isn't only John 3:16, it teaches you when to confront and when not to confront, and by what rules to play by, and then I knew, all that time I thought I was a good guy I was actually a jerk. People who go to church but don't study verse by verse remind me of me in my twenties with their arrogance. And then add on quoting out of context, citing false sources, namecalling on no evidence, falling endlessly over a stumblingblock when an understanding of God's Word would remove the stumblingblock, laughing at the death of fellow Christians, obessession over PC and the rules of the Godless left, and trying to nail fellow Christians on the rules the left has laid down!

As far as the rapture doctrine, you're right, and we haven't seen the worst yet, the arrests are coming, and the ones delivering God's men and women to death (Satan) I'm sure will be more arrogant than ever. But that's part of the plan. :^)

1,036 posted on 12/03/2014 11:16:59 AM PST by Partisan Gunslinger
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To: Elsie
You are a teacher of Israel...

I'm not a teacher, I'm a discusser. Even the 7000 aren't necessarily teachers, the Holy Spirit will speak through them, the ones that are delivered up anyway, they won't premeditate what they will say.

...and yet do not know these things? There will be PLENTY of folks who know the Way, yet had not made the decision left behind. One in the field, one in the bed... Surely you've read these things?

So the rapture has two classes of Christians, those that are too good for the tribulation and lifted into the clouds, and those that know but will be left behind to testify?

1,037 posted on 12/03/2014 11:22:57 AM PST by Partisan Gunslinger
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To: redleghunter

1,038 posted on 12/03/2014 11:24:40 AM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Partisan Gunslinger
So the rapture has two classes of Christians, those that are too good for the tribulation and lifted into the clouds, and those that know but will be left behind to testify?

I'll assume you didn't skip over the point on purpose, because you copied it here.Let me REpost it:

There will be PLENTY of folks who know the Way, yet had not made the decision left behind.

1,039 posted on 12/03/2014 11:27:18 AM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
I'll assume you didn't skip over the point on purpose, because you copied it here.Let me REpost it: There will be PLENTY of folks who know the Way, yet had not made the decision left behind.

So the left behind quasi-Christians are skilled enough in the Word they can get up and convert those who aren't even Christian, even though no one had been able to convert them up until then, yet they haven't made their mind up about whether or not to believe in Jesus before the tribulation starts?

1,040 posted on 12/03/2014 11:44:33 AM PST by Partisan Gunslinger
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