Do most Baptists believe the Rapture?

[RED that's ME]

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[JPPT1974]

I think I missed this one. Let's not forget that Paul speaks with apostolic authority. We all hold that his words are inspired by God. Therefore, Paul's statement is a message from God. I'd hardly minimize it by saying that Paul "created" the situation, anymore than Moses created the Law.

Paul speaks with the authority of the Lord like Jesus of course, and John the Baptist did before him.

 

[actionsub]

the SBC teach a Pre-Trib rapture

Mmmm....in a word, no. The SBC as a denomination have no specific stance on the end-times other than Jesus IS coming back. It's one of the few areas of their doctrinal statement where they've left things up for grabs. Check their webpage for a document called "Baptist Faith & Message 2000" (aka BFM 2000).

The majority of SBC congregations, however, have been influenced by dispensational thought and do teach pretrib rapture; but it's not an official denominational position.

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

That's true, the word rapture isn't in the Bible. Actually, that word comes from a Latin translation of the Bible.

Neither is the word "Bible" or "Trinity", but we believe in the existance of these don't we?

 

[arunma]

Like I said, I believe in the rapture. I just don't believe in pre-trib theology.

 

[Stacey]

I believe in the rapture.

 

[arunma]

As far as I can tell, the Rapture has always been an essential doctrine of the Christian religion (even though the word "rapture" is relatively modern). The doctrine of the Rapture is implicit in the Nicene Creed, which is one of the earliest Christian confessions of faith. It says:

"He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end."

So I don't see how any orthodox Christian could possibly not believe in the Rapture.

 

[Andyman_1970]

As far as I can tell, the Rapture has always been an essential doctrine of the Christian religion (even though the word "rapture" is relatively modern).

Essential as in required for salvation???

I think you'd be hard pressed to find any references to the term rapture, or the idea that saints will one day be flying all over the place when Jesus returns earlier than the mid 1800's.

"He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end."

While that speaks of Jesus' second coming, that quote from the creed makes no mention of saints flying around. There is an interesting thread in the Non-Denom. section on this subject.

http://www.christianforums.com/t2005332-will-there-be-no-rapture-at-all.html

 

[MagusAlbertus]

I got some noise from my Sunday school class when i suggested that the pre-trib rapture would occur in a way that those left-behind wouldn't notice.

But no one church has everything right, so I'm 98% happy with others in the SBC.

though, as said before, it's not part of the base-doc

Essential as in required for salvation???

don't worry about those that would stick irelevant things into requirements for salvation...

for example, reformed babtists say that belief in scripture as inerrant is required for salvation. Now, although scripture is inerrant in it's original wiring, given social historical and literary context, such a belief isn't required for salvation!

The only requirement is faith in Jesus.

 

[arunma]

Well Andyman, the Creed does say that Jesus will judge the living and the dead. This suggests that the dead will be raised to life, which as I said earlier, seems to imply the Rapture. But maybe I'm reading that into it.

Let me rephrase. The doctrine of the Second Advent is essential to Christianity. I usually roll the Rapture and the Second Advent into one doctrine (post-trib and all).

 

[Andyman_1970]

This suggests that the dead will be raised to life, which as I said earlier, seems to imply the Rapture. But maybe I'm reading that into it.

The ressurection of the dead, I agree, but no mention of them flying through the air.......................

Let me rephrase. The doctrine of the Second Advent is essential to Christianity.

Ok, I'm with you so far...........

I usually roll the Rapture and the Second Advent into one doctrine (post-trib and all).

With all due respect I think that's an assumption (IMO false) many Christians make. While the Scriptures both OT and NT are clear about the Messiah's second coming, IMO the the Text's used to substantiate the rapture are taken out of context.

 

[arunma]

With all due respect I think that's an assumption (IMO false) many Christians make. While the Scriptures both OT and NT are clear about the Messiah's second coming, IMO the the Text's used to substantiate the rapture are taken out of context.

Well, if we were talking about the doctrine of the pre-trib Rrapture, then I'd agree completely. But if the Rapture occurs after the tribulation, then it means that the dead in Christ will be raised at the Second Advent, before the Millenial Kingdom. The doctrine of the Rapture comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:17. But if we can agree that the Rapture is the same thing as the first Resurrection, then Revelation 20:5-6 puts a timeline on it. It says, "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years."

Based on this interpretation, I don't think that 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is taken out of context. But again, if we were talking about pre-trib Rapture theology, then I would agree completely.

 

[Andyman_1970]

We're assuming Paul was literal (in the "meeting the Lord in the air") in his letter to the Thessalonians. As I said in a previous post on here we need to remember Paul was a Jewish rabbi, and Jews described events with symbols, images, metaphor, much different than our Greek/Western/Literal way of thinking. Also Jesus makes no mention of such an event (saints flying around that is).

 

[JPPT1974]

I believe that Jesus will come at a time when we least expect Him to come.
He will come down like a thief in the night. But instead of stealing, He will come and lift all of us up to heaven.
People that accepted Him as their Savior & Lord will be with Him forever.
And people that don't won't!