Is the rapture in Catholocism?

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chelcb

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No, not at all.

We believe that know one knows the hour in which Jesus will return to claim his bride the Church and pass the final judgement. We believe that when he returns in glory that he will separate the good from the bad and we will see his glory in all things and he will put an end to evil once and for all. We look forward to the resurrection of our bodies, all souls in heaven and in purgatory will reunite with their bodies and even those in hell will be reunited with their bodies and they will be sent to hell along with Satan and all the unholy angels where they will never again bother anyone.

I hope this helps, Hector.
 
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nyj

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Wolseley

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Hoonbaba

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Hi Hector,

Just to give you an idea on where the 'rapture' theory comes from, it's based on Matt 24:37-41.  Well, let's read Matt 24:37-41 very carefully:

37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Now we can easily conclude a few things:

1)  Jesus is comparing the days of Noah to coming of the son of Man (i.e. he's using an analogy)

2)  In the days of Noah, people were living their lives as they pleased and the flood came and 'took' them all away.

3)  Jesus says the same idea would apply at the coming of the Son of man.  They would be living their lives as they pleased and some would be left, the others would be 'taken'.

4)  We know that in the days of Noah, those who were 'taken' were killed.

5)  So what does that say about those who would be 'taken' at the coming of the Son of Man?


*hint* taken/took = died right?  So what does it mean to be 'left' or 'left behind' as many would say?

Can't figure it out?  Our bible tells us that to be left behind means to be saved by God's grace just as Noah was saved by God's grace in the ark. =)

But for some silly reasons many fundamentalists can't see the simple logic.  Hope this helped!

God bless!

-Jason
 
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seebs

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I have been informed by a fundamentalist that the words translated here are quite different, and that it's "obvious" that the two usages are different in the original.

I have no opinion. If God wants me to disappear in a puff of smoke, I will. If He wants me to stay here, I will. This is not the sort of thing I feel competent to have a strong opinion on.
 
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aggie03

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I am not a catholic, but I do not believe that the teaching of a rapture is correct - so I don't believe that anyone needs to "sweat about it". I thought that by outlining some of the reasons why I don't believe it to be a correct doctrine might help with your studies.

First, the teaching of a rapture comes from Revelation 20, in particular verse 4 - so let's look and see what that verse actually says:

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:1-10 (ASV)

You can pretty much find most of the teachings of the rapture outlined in these verses. The problem lies with the interpretation of these verses.

To begin with the book of Revelations is one of signs and prophecies - which means to me that there are many things which contained within cannot be interpretted as being literal. For instance chapter 20 talks about binding Satan with a chain - how can you bind a being that is spirit with something that is physical like a chain? It also mentions the word abyss - which is a bottomless pit, well, every pit has a bottom.  This is highly figurative language and should be regarded as thus.

Another intesting thing, if we are going to interpret this passage literally, then as verse 4 states only those who were beheaded would be able to take place in the so called rapture. This simply isn't so - Christ died to save every one, not just those who have been beheaded. Also, if this were the ressurection that were to happen when Christ does appear again, then there are other verses that talk about bodies being raised and those who are asleep in Christ being caught up WITH those who are living:

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 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; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

- 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (ASV)

This verse plainly illustrates that they dead and the living will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the AIR. Not only does the two groups ascending together counter "rapture thought" but the fact that Christ never physically sets foot on the earth again completely obliterates the idea of a physical reign on earth. We will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the AIR.

There's much more studying that I've done, so if this doesn't help or if you simply want more information, let me know. And a final thought - the word, even the concept, of "RAPTURE" is mentioned no where in the Bible. If it was so important and so critical and is what was really going to happen don't you think that God would have at least mentioned it?
 
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I hate labels, I don't think I am a protestant. I don't protest at all ;) but ok, people like labeling other people, I am what is commonly know as a protestant (Christian non-denom).

Anyways, the rapture they way is mostly popular seems a bit nonsense to me; people dissapearing a la "left behind" is not in God's character. If there's something Christians must endure, He will give us the strength to do it.  I honestly believe that is not in God's nature to all of the sudden take people away from the battle. Last time I checked my God wasn't afraid. Last time I checked my God was invincible. And He will give us the strength (if we live to see it) to carry out the will of the father in that perilous and difficult time. I can see many things that are leading the way for that to happen, but when will them happen? Jesus clearly states that NOBODY except for father knows it.

Now, as a Christian I really don't put much thought to this, as no one really knows in exact detail (yeah, yeah, some of you KNOW, aha) and quite frankly I want to live for God not by fearing Hell or wanting Heaven. Not 'cause I don't want to be left behind... I live for God because I love Him (and that because He loved me first).

God bless you,
028
 
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Hoonbaba

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Today at 01:57 PM luigi028 said this in Post #14

I hate labels, I don't think I am a protestant. I don't protest at all ;) but ok, people like labeling other people, I am what is commonly know as a protestant (Christian non-denom).

Anyways, the rapture they way is mostly popular seems a bit nonsense to me; people dissapearing a la "left behind" is not in God's character. If there's something Christians must endure, He will give us the strength to do it.  I honestly believe that is not in God's nature to all of the sudden take people away from the battle. Last time I checked my God wasn't afraid. Last time I checked my God was invincible. And He will give us the strength (if we live to see it) to carry out the will of the father in that perilous and difficult time. I can see many things that are leading the way for that to happen, but when will them happen? Jesus clearly states that NOBODY except for father knows it.

Now, as a Christian I really don't put much thought to this, as no one really knows in exact detail (yeah, yeah, some of you KNOW, aha) and quite frankly I want to live for God not by fearing Hell or wanting Heaven. Not 'cause I don't want to be left behind... I live for God because I love Him (and that because He loved me first).

God bless you,
028

Amen =)

I think Jesus's prayer in John 17 gives us reason to believe that he doesn't want us to 'suddenly disappear' (see John 17:15 and then John 17:20)

If anything, Jesus doesn't want us sitting around waiting to be raptured, but rather walking faithfullly with God, doing his will =)

-Jason
 
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