Do Brethren Christians realize Rapture Doctrine is not taught by the early church?

Question

whats more the title Rapture comes from Latin origins I would think Protestant believers in Rapture would use a different word.
From my investigation rapture theology starts with Charles Nelson Darby less that 150 years ago.

to Guy with no-name: I am talking abou the the IDEA and you quote from 1Thessalonians17 where it reads those who are "left and REMAIN are caught up" in the day of the Lord meaning the end of time, the second coming of Christ. Not the day before.

I've noticed alot of people like to quote scripture out of context 1Th4:17 states those who are left at the last day not those who are taken away prior to it.
Read it again folks

question to bigvol66: you mention Matt24 where the endtimes are compared to the days of Noah, well what happened during those days?
God leaves the good people and takes away the bad. As with the days of Lot the good are also left and the bad are the ones taken away. In both cases we have the complete opposite of Rapture theology. Sorry bigvol66 but in case of Rapture my bumper sticker reads "leave me behind"
sorry about the pun on Left Behind but thats only a fictional book that really is doing much spiritual harm to those that take it as true.

barrettin once again we are not arguing the word rapture but the idea Rapture is not in the bible or taught by early Christianity. I mentioned rapture had Latin origins because I thought it was very interesting considering many of these folk who accept this doctrine as true shun anything of Latin origin, or at least they think they do!

Those suggesting I read Ephraim the Syrian I am surprise as this would be extra biblical material coming from a prodominately bible-alone protestant culture but lets look at this more closely.
Ephraim taught that Mary was sinless and that the communion of saints (praying to saints) was very Christian.

Ephraim the Syrian
You alone and your Mother are more beautiful than any others, for there is no blemish in you nor any stains upon your Mother. Who of my children can compare in beauty to these? (Nisibene Hymns27:8 [A.D. 361]).

You victorious martyrs who endured torments gladly for the sake of the God and Savior, you who have boldness of speech toward the Lord himself, you saints, intercede for us who are timid and sinful men, full of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us, and enlighten the hearts of all of us that so we may love him (Commentary on Mark [A.D. 370]).

If Ephraim is really saying what you claim he is are you willing to agree to all his writing?

Answer 1

Yes we do.

Rapture and dispensationalism, two totally non-theological arguments. Both, I believe based in the vision a Scots girl had in the late 1800's (although I could be totally wrong on the date).

Answer 2

Why should that matter? It is "taught" in the Bible. And the Bible is much older than any theology of Charles Nelson Darby.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (King James Version)

"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."

That sounds a lot like rapture to me. What's the problem with using the word "rapture?" Would it make you happier if instead of rapture we say "meet the Lord in the air?" It means the same thing.

Answer 3

I am not certain about the teachings on rapture in the Unitarian Church. I venture to guess we don't believe in it the same way, as it traditionally relates to the resurrection of the dead in both Jewish and early Protestant teaching. We probably agree that rapture is a state of mind about the coming of the Savior and can be understood better through a careful study of Revelations. The first teaching is not rejected, but it is debatable as to whether or not one can experience the Rapture without Divine Intervention. I would say that certain individuals throughout history have experienced the blessings of Maria and have seen miracles. Because of this, they have entered a state of rapture.

Answer 4

The original Christian Church never taught such a thing, and still doesn't today, because the various forms of this doctrine are just a collection of modern manmade traditions less than 200 years old. As such it cannot be considered Christian truth, and the original Christian Church, the Holy Catholic Church, teaches only Christian truth. .

Answer 5

Epharaem the Syrian said, in 373 AD, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins."

One post-trib author offered a reward to anyone who could find a quote that predated MacDonald. He had to quickly cough up the money when someone identified a scholar who wrote about the pre-trib rapture several years before Charles Nelson Darby. As of late, dozens of examples have been found, and the literary surface has hardly been scratched.

Answer 6

My view is that it is incorrect to say "rapture theology" is not taught in the NT. The theology is there but there is no word for it such as "Rapture". NOw this is not as unusual as you might at first think. Afterall there is no "Holy Trinity" mentioned in the Bible although God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is widely recognized. Does the absence of "Holy Trinity" negate the Holy Trinity? Try finding "communion" or "Euchrist" in the New Testament? Does the absence of these words negate the Theology? I don't think so!!
So why would "Rapture" be any different?

Answer 7

The Secret Rapture is a flase doctrine


Where in the Bible does it say 7 yrs of tribulation?
No where

What does the Bible say about the Secret Rapture?

“No single verse specifically states Christ will come before the Tribulation.”
Tim LaHaye (author of “Left Behind”)

Even the people that teach the Left Behind Scenario know that the Bible does not say that it will be according to their teachings


Friends the belief in the SECRET RAPTURE is a dangerous doctrine because it is not Biblical. Please read with an open mind. Nowhere in the scriptures does it make any reference of a “SECRET RAPTURE”. Many people reference I Thessalonians 4 but they don’t actually read the whole chapter read verse 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.

In 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. I Corinthians 15:52

These are some of the nosiest verses in the Bible how can it be a secret?


Where is the scripture that says “7 years of Tribulation”?

It cannot be found, because it is not in the Bible

Did God save Noah from the flood or through it

Did God save Israel from the plagues or through them

Did God save Daniel from the lions den or through it


But doesn’t the Bible say that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night?

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which THE HEAVENS SHALL PASS AWAY with a GREAT NOISE, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be BURNED up. II Peter 3:10

He comes as thief because it catches people by surprise... BUT when He comes everything is destroyed


What does the Bible say will happen when Jesus comes back

For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matt 24:27

Everyone will see it you can’t miss it


Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
Psalms 50:3

I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth. I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were broken down At the presence of the LORD, By His fierce anger. Jeremiah 4:26

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:30,31
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. II Thessalonians 1:6-8

1 angel rolled away the stone and 100 Roman soldiers collapsed in fear like dead men.

1 angel killed almost 200,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night

Jesus is coming with all his angels who will take flaming fire vengeance how can this be a secret?


But doesn’t the Bible say 1 shall be taken and 1 shall be left?


Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Matt 24:28

Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?”
So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Luke 17:36, 37


Notice how Jesus answers where the body and the vultures are gathered. The vultures devouring the flesh because those “Left Behind” will be dead.

The secret Rapture was created by a Catholic monk named Ribera. It was supposed to be used in the Counter Reformation, but no one believed it.

There is no Secret Rapture when Jesus comes he comes in glory the world does not go on for 7 years. When Jesus comes probation for sinners is over. We need to be ready now. Life does not continue on Earth after Jesus comes.

here is a video that talks about this subject
http://prophecycode.org/Resources/Video/PCVideo/ProphecyCode_2.asx

And I agree protestants are supposed to believe in the Bible only. It is one of the main reasons why we left the Catholic church because they taught tradition is equal to the Bible, yet now many are quoting tradition over the Bible.

Answer 8

I think you need to review Matthew chapter 24 among others and see that not only was it taught in the early Church (one of it's pre-eminent doctrines, I might add), you have to realize that there was no "church" as we know it during Christ's life. He died to create the Church, therefore since Jesus was teaching about the Rapture and living under the dispensation of law, you have to understand that once Christ died and the Church was born that the doctrines He taught were the groundwork for the economy of the Church age, including the Rapture.

Answer 9

"Pastor Billy," do a bit more research and you'll see the Rapture is actually not a new teaching; it was taught by early church writers and pastors! Here's an example:

"All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins." -Pseudo-Ephraem (c. 374-627)

If you truly want to know more, go to www.pre-trib.org to read scholarly articles on this subject. Here's a brief history on the Rapture: http://www.pre-trib.org/article-view.php?id=250

Peace.

Answer 10

That is right, and I have never believed in that fantisy myself. God has never taken His people out of harms way, in fact He uses it to test belief (faith) and obedience of His people, are you willing to obey God even unto death? If so, the yours is the kingdom of heaven. Study the Scripturs, God never changes. Study the Scripturs, God has only one Holy, Sanctified Day. Study the Scriptures.

Answer 11

Thessaloniki was a place of the early church and yes as you can see in Thessalonians it does talk about the Rapture. It does not go under that name that is the name given to this particular event.