I remember coming across someone who believed the rapture already happened around 70 A.D. They believe the true church was already taken up to be with the Lord and that there was no true church left presently.
I don't believe this but I found it to be sad that he subscribed to this belief because of his discouragement with American Christianity.
Hi Wynona,
They are called, Preterists. We have several on here. I don't know much about it purposefully because clearly we are not in the heavens/earth, so I don't waste my time.
I can not see how blaming American Christianity as a cause for preterism is logical. It's not new under the sun..
This was a false teaching during the apostles days-- those who were saying the resurrection was already passed.- Paul warned about it.
2 Tim 2:14-19
Remind
them of these things, and solemnly
exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless
and leads to the ruin of the listeners.
15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
16But avoid worldly
and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
17and
their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
18men who have gone astray from the truth,
claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some. 19Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.”
2 Thes 2
1Now we ask you, brothers
and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3No one is to deceive you in any way! For
it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
5Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
6And you know what restrains
him now, so that he will be revealed in his time.
7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains
will do so until He is removed.
8Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
9that is, the one whose
]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders,
10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved.
11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,
12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
I have never run across Jesus' resurrection was Jesus' 2nd Coming idea before. It's a type of preterism, I guess. I'm sure there are multiple variants.... like a virus...
I'm not sure how to show someone who manipulates the text. If every time he reads coming- he thinks- his own death- I don't know what to say. It's not as if he is being reasonable.
He has convinced himself. It's similar to what cults do with the scriptures. They form a belief on a single word or single verse and then twist every verse they can to fit into said belief. It's a tough thing when it happens.
Paul includes himself in “those who are alive and remain” at the coming of the Lord.
How is Paul one of those who are alive and remain if Jesus still hasn’t returned?
Paul was alive then so he worded it that way - he died expecting Jesus' return. We all do.
So.. in
Acts- the angels said that Jesus would return in the same way as they saw Him go up, and you think the angels were saying that they would each see Him individually returning when they die? Do I have this right?
Coming on the clouds in glory?
You are playing word games in your own mind. When you see the word, COMING- You think of your death. You need to quit that. It's not what it says anywhere.
I guess to you we die-- go to heaven or hell- and that's that? Do I have that right? Are we in the new heavens and earth now in your mind or?
All of this happens in an instant--- not a million times over as people die--
Thes 4
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
and- 1 Cor 15:49-56
Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” – Colossians 3:4
“While we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” – Titus 2:13
“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:8