I think rapture myths are being used to control gullible well meaning christians to not taking action. Why change things if god is gonna teleport you to heaven like scotty in star trek.
We assume the rapture occurs out of the blue when all is good. The question for me the past few years is how bad could it be when and if it occurs. There could be unprecedented persecution before the rapture and then really unprecedented persecution afterwards. The economy could be a wreck before the rapture and sin could be rampant before the rapture.
My church was evangelical, literalist, full immersion, “don’t add or take away”, no instruments, bareback pews ...
But I don’t remember being taught or Bible study with any of this rapture/tribulation/holy roller stuff.
That’s the reasoning behind religion being the opiate of the masses, and it’s not just evangelicals. People will put up with a lot of privation and abuse if they think this life is inferior to what is supposed to be coming.
Interesting because I haven't met a Christian yet that thinks like you guess they do.
Most of us are MORE motivated to share Christ with others because otherwise, they have to go through the Tribulation and nobody wants to see the people they love do that.
I always find it interesting when people try to guess the motives for others doing something. It shows what THEY'D do in the same situation because they think others are like them.
It's called *projection* and is very enlightening.
No that is not the reason some do not take action. Some wrongly use theology to tell themselves that mankind cannot be good and therefore why try. My opinion on that is that basic civilized, moral, decent behavior is in the realm of common grace. God gives all mankind a mind, a conscience, an ability to make judgments. Mankind will never be perfect but by God’s grace mankind is capable of being civilized and showing general good judgment. We all have a duty to work toward that. What gets one into heaven is another matter.
As for the end times, things will get very bad even before the rapture. But how many times in history have people thought “this is it”? We cannot know if perhaps God will grant us more grace and more time. We are to watch for the signs and yet no man will know the hour or the day. Our responsibility is to do the best we can. The timing is God’s.
.
>> “I think rapture myths are being used to control gullible well meaning christians to not taking action” <<
.
Almost!
They are being used by Satan to prevent believers from doing what Yeshua asked them to do in order to be protected in the place he will prepare for that purpose in the desert.
.
.....Or make you think you will not suffer for your faith in Jesus.
I have to agree with you. And that tactic is working spectacularly amongst my family. When I ask why they aren’t taking a stand on this or that or even doing something simple like installing their own water wells in case something happens the inevitable response is ‘I’ll never have to worry about that, I’ll be raptured. If you don’t believe we’ll be raptured before things get bad you’re not really a believer’ and so forth.
I stopped trying to rationalize with them.
I think it’s a defense to avoid dealing with the world.
It’s escapism, pure and simple.