Jesus Christ and the Rapture

http://destinedforheaven.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/jesus-christ-and-the-rapture/ ^

[destinedforheaven]

Someday soon Jesus Christ is going to return for His bride – the church. To clarify the church represents all believers who are otherwise called Christians. Imagine how dark this world is going to be when all the lights of the world leave. It’s a scary thought, so we need to focus on sharing the love of Jesus before time runs out. We are not given the exact date of God’s return, but many places are found in the Bible that give us signs indicating that it is imminent.

Directly after Jesus Christ returns for His church...

[gunsequalfreedom]

Do you have a list of the signs, hopefully with dates?

[GSP.FAN]

Rapture...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2k6ym_blondie-rapture_music

[skr]

God bless you. Well said.

[Terry Mross]

I’m with you! As a child I heard preachers saying “the time is near”. But, man, how anyone can miss the signs of today is beyond explanation.

[freedumb2003]

>>Directly after Jesus Christ returns for His church...<<

Respectfully, I would like to point out that theologically and according to tradition and The Word, The RCC is Christ’s Church (and bride) and the RCC does not subscribe to the idea of the Rapture.

Do you deny the ordination of Peter (”upon this ‘Rock’ I shall build my church”) or do you suggest the RCC has erred?

Just curious...

[Tennessee Nana]

Welcome to FRee republic, noob...

The rapture, the catching away...

In the twinkling of a eye...When we least expect Him....

Jesus will come and we’ll be gone...

in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52,

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

[anniegetyourgun]

Keep looking up - ignore the predicted scoffers & mockers. Maranatha!

[Secret Agent Man]

Scripture also says:

“For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?”

The word for Peter in greek is Petros (pebble). Christ uses “Petra” meaning Himself. Christ is the chief cornerstone, the sure foundation of His church.

From the Thayers Lexiacon: the distinction between Petra, the massive living rock, and Petros, a detached but large fragment

And I would declare the RCC has erred many, many times, but that isn’t the topic of this thread.

[freedumb2003]

>>The word for Peter in greek is Petros (pebble). Christ uses “Petra” meaning Himself. Christ is the chief cornerstone, the sure foundation of His church.<<

Scripture is pretty clear that the renaming of Simon to Petros/Peter (which means “rock” or “cornerstone” as you accurately note) is an important milestone (no pun intended). It is hard to ignore the plain text but, as with all things Biblical, there are shades of interpretation.

[TheBattman]

Respectfully, I will make a correction for accuracy

and according to tradition and The Word

The only "Word" that points out the RCC as "THE Church" is the word of men far after the New Testament was penned.

The "ordination" of Peter? I have heard that so many times in conjunction with that one somewhat out of context scripture. It is selective interpretation to say that Jesus was putting His finger on Peter and saying that He would build His Church on a man.

What comes just before Christ's words is what some call the "great profession" - When Jesus specifically asked his Disciples who the world thought he was, he got a variety of answers. But when asked "who do you think I am" - Peter's response is a great profession of faith: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

And Jesus response - yes, HE was talking to Peter (petros), and on this rock (petras) - this faith.

Ephesians 2:20 tells us that the Apostles labored to build the foundations of the Church. Yet according to RCC tradition, Peter was the foundation.

The Bible is clear that the foundation, the Chief Cornerstone, is Christ Himself. The keys later mentioned so often attributed to Peter and the Popes that followed are handed to the church body as a whole to exercise.

"The Church" is built upon faith - faith in Jesus Christ.

[freedumb2003]

So Matthew 16:18 (from The Word) is open for interpretation — that is fine, but it doesn’t make your particular interpretation any more or less “accurate” than anyone else’s.

But it is interesting.

[MHGinTN]

Well and beautifully stated.

[johngrace]

I think we(RCC) do not define the same word “rapture” . But never the less what it means is there. We believe when Christ Comes We will be with Him. It does read “caught up”. I have been checking it out because The visions of Pedro Regis are talking along these lines. I know its private revelation but he is hitting on all predictions. He predicted Haiti ,Chile and the axis of the world off center. I have been following since last September 2009 . The Virgin Mary says we will be taken out of the worst.

[Doctor Don]

I’m ready for that great escalator ride into the Heavens!

[eskimomosul]

I LOVE MY SAVIOUR..I TRUST IN HIM ONLY.HE IS MY ROCK AMIDST THESE GROWING TUMULTS.PRAISE HIM,PRAISE,PRAISE HIM...

[GiveMeLibertyOrDeath]

A lot of info here about the origins of the doctrine of the rapture, and a much more biblical interpretation of it IMHO.

http://www.dimensionsoftruth.org/Bill_Britton/rapture5.html

[TheBattman]

First rule of interpreting scripture (or ANY literature for that matter) - context. Taking a single verse, regardless of where you find it, without looking at the context is VERY dangerous. Another important concept in interpreting is language. One thing many people do not understand about New Testament Greek - the grammar rules are very different from modern English. Yet the translations deemed by many to be "the most accurate" - primarily because they are more "word-for-word" - can cause issues as well. Doesn't mean they are wrong - just that they complicate the matter. And one has to look at how the Bible as a whole (it never contradicts itself, despite what those who choose to try to say to the contrary) deals with the subject. How does Paul refer nearly every time to "church" (ekklēsia)? As a particular local institution. While this only partially is connected to the initial debate - it is another building block. What was the structure of "The Church" in the earliest days? Paul returned and reported back to those in Jerusalem - but the Bible doesn't in any way say that one particular church was over the others. There was a somewhat co-operative effort to send missionaries throughout the world (the Great Commission), but no church is isolated as a dominant or controlling church. An interesting piece of history - the term "Pope" started to be used in reference to the Bishop of Rome around the 4th Century. This coincided with vastly increased political power related to the Roman authorities (secular). There was quite a bit of dissent from some high-profile leaders within the Catholic Church, one very notable dissident was Cyprian of Carthage - who essentially paid with his life. Yet at some point later in Catholic history - that same-said "heretic" was canonized and is now tagged as a "Saint". There's another interesting word - Saint. Again, the New Testament's use of the term varies significantly from the RCC's use. The New Testament writers use the term to describe believers in general at a specific location. Just some interesting stuff. And boy, have we hijacked this thread!

[johngrace]

I think the context is about the rapture in this discussion.

[Semper Mark]

Maranatha!