The Rapture: A Biblical Study

[Tex]

Hi Tex, Your words: "Rapture theory is not compatible with an educated understanding of scripture."

I certainly disagree. If at any time you believe a living christian's feet will lift off the ground to meet the Lord in the air whether the duration is five seconds or five years, that is the one and only thing the word 'rapture" means. It is equal to the word "harpazo", nothing more, nothing less! The event some call "the rapture" isn't a theory, it's a biblical fact! The 'theory" aspect only refers to it's timing.There are four major rapture theories, pretrib, midtrib, prewrath and posttrib. Everyone that is a futurist pre-millennial on this board falls into one of these categories, whether they like the terminology or not.

I don't believe that any Christian's feet will lift off the ground to meet the Lord in the air. I don't think Paul is making prophetic claims here. I think "we will be caught up with the Lord in the clouds", but not in a historical sense. This all comes from Thessalonians 4. The verse before it talks about how resurrection happens "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air". So that "caught up with the Lord" is about the same time as separation of goats and lambs. But wait, that's not the end of the verse. The whole verse 17 is Then we who are alive, who are left, 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." The "rapture" isn't some part of the purification/recreation of the world, it is the final step. We live with God forever and ever. Paul describes it as being caught up in the air with Christ, but I really don't think we'll all be flying around in the clouds for all eternity. I like dogs, and dogs can't fly. I'd miss them. Paul simply threw in a description of the glorious lives we will have with Christ after resurrection. Then he concludes with "Therefore encourage one another with these words." Certainly, Paul is talking about the end game of a Christian.

 

[Trekson]

Hi Tex, Much of what you write is kinda confusing. For example: "I think "we will be caught up with the Lord in the clouds", but not in a historical sense." I don't know what you mean by "historical" sense. And: "The "rapture" isn't some part of the purification/recreation of the world, it is the final step" combined with "So that "caught up with the Lord" is about the same time as separation of goats and lambs." Puts it into the post-trib category.
Finally: "Paul describes it as being caught up in the air with Christ, but I really don't think we'll all be flying around in the clouds for all eternity." I don't think anyone believes that. As for Paul not making prophetic claims...That is exactly what he is doing!