Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ? Someone asked me that today, and I didn't know the answer. I think one is Protestant and one is Catholic, but beyond that I don't know the difference. Help me out?
2006-12-05 07:09:22 · 14 answers · asked by sister steph 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The idea of a pre-tribulation rapture is not Catholic at all.
It was an invention of 19th century fundamentalist Protestantism.
None of the popes in history heard of it, none of the original "reformers" had any notion of it, and the apostles didn't know about it.
It is a recent theory in Protestant Christianity.
The whole idea is that we are to escape the Cross and the purifying suffering that we need, which is not following the example of countless martyrs down through the ages, the saints, or those who proved their virtue and fidelity to Christ under trial.
The Church is going to go through the tribulation, for as Christ suffered His Passion and Resurrection, so will the Church.
Where Christ goes, so do His followers.
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2006-12-05 07:28:18 · answer #1 · answered by Catholic Philosopher 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (all believers in Christ) from the earth. The Rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected, and along with believers who are still living will meet the Lord in the air. This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His Millennial Kingdom. The Second Coming is described in Revelation 19:11-16.
The important differences between the Rapture and Second Coming are as follows:
(1) At the Rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At the Second Coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth (Revelation 19:14).
(2) The Second Coming occurs after the great and terrible Tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The Rapture occurs before the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).
(3) The Rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 5:9). The Second Coming includes the removal of unbelievers as an act of judgment (Matthew 24:40-41).
(4) The Rapture will be “secret” and instant (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The Second Coming will be visible to all (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29-30).
(5) The Second Coming of Christ will not occur until after certain other end times events take place (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15-30; Revelation chapters 6-18). The Rapture is imminent, it could take place at any moment (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
2006-12-05 15:28:35 · answer #2 · answered by K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "Rapture" is the belief that when Christ comes again, in the air [phase one of the Second Coming], that dead and living Believers will be caught up to meet Him. The dead being raised incorruptible; the living, their bodies being changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
Many who believe in the "Rapture" then expect the redeemed will accompany Christ back to Heaven, to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb; meanwhile the 7 year Tribulation (Great Tribulation) will unfold on earth.
The Second Coming of Christ back to this Earth, when His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives and an earthquake will split the Mount of Olives in two; then He shall establish His peaceable Kingdom on this Earth.
Protestants may be more in line with the "Rapture"; BOTH, if they believe the Scriptures, expect Christ to return, at which time the Lord God will give unto Him the throne of His ancestor David.
2006-12-05 15:17:18 · answer #3 · answered by kent chatham 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All of those of The Church of which Jesus The Christ is The Head(not the roman catholic) will be called up(raptured) by Christ to return with him to Heaven... He will not actualy return, but we of The Chruch will meet Him in the air. The second coming will be when he actualy sets up His kingdom here and rules for a thousand years untill God ends this earth.
2006-12-05 15:15:46 · answer #4 · answered by idahomike2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer for the Catholic is different, and the answer is, unfortunately ambiguous. Depending on which protestant it can be the same answer as to the Catholic or it could be what is refered to as the rapture, after which the end times come, followed by the millenial kingdom. The millenial kingdom, to a Catholic exists in heaven, and we work to see it arise in more and more reality on earth.
2006-12-05 15:16:25 · answer #5 · answered by BigPappa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "rapture" is a misunderstanding of the metaphors in the book of Revelation, which has been made more popular by a recent book series.
The second coming of Christ marks the end of this world and the judgment.
2006-12-05 15:37:20 · answer #6 · answered by steven.henderson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ahhh, I think that the rapture is when all the believers of christ are taken to heaven and the second coming of christ is when jesus comes back to earth.
2006-12-05 15:22:43 · answer #7 · answered by Michael 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Rapture is supposedly when God will take all the pre-determined people to a safe-haven before he unleashes the 4 horses of the Apocolypse. Christ will return after all the destruction, anti-Christ, etc. and establish his kingdom on Earth.
...or you can chose to believe that the Kingdom of God is within you and forget all that other stuff. ;-)
2006-12-05 15:22:07 · answer #8 · answered by Darlene G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Rapture is when half of the world's population disappears in extraterrestrial vessels. The Second Coming occurs after this.
2006-12-05 15:11:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rapture is a teaching that the saints (believers) will be called up to met with Jesus.
The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to this earth.
2006-12-05 15:45:20 · answer #10 · answered by 2 know Him & 2 Make Him known 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋