![]() “Early Christians believed in the Rapture.” The Bible simply isn’t clear on the Rapture-it’s doubtful that we’ll know the truth until Christ, Himself, arrives to reveal it. Rather, these verses seems to say that Christians will simply be glorified in some wayat the Second Coming-“caught up” with Christ and made anew along with the rest of creation.Īnd that’s saying nothing of the possibility that all or part of these verses could merely be symbolic. There seems to be nothing here that indicates that believers will be secreted off the planet. While this verse, as well as the similar 1 Corinthians 15, are often interpreted as referring to the Rapture, this is problematic, and far from certain. And the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the Lord.” Instead, those who believe that the Rapture will occur base those beliefs on a few key passages which they interpret in a very certain way.Ī full examination of these scriptures would take many weeks, but let’s look at the most commonly-cited verse on the Rapture.ġ Thessalonians 4:16-17 reads, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. It might surprise you to know that the Rapture isn’t actually mentioned anywhere in the Bible. “The Bible clearly teaches about the Rapture.” The Rapture is far from being a well-established idea in the Christian church, and in fact, when it comes to official doctrine, is a minority view. Catholics, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, for instance, take this stance. The majority of Christian denominations don’t believe that scripture supports the idea of the Rapture at all. Still others believe that the rapture will not occur until the end of the Tribulation. ![]() Others believe the Rapture will occur in the middle of the Tribulation. Some believe that believers will be taken up before the Tribulation, avoiding the suffering. While a number of Christians do believe in some form of Rapture, these beliefs vary widely, and many Christian sects don’t believe that the Rapture is scriptural at all.Įven among groups that emphasize the Rapture-mainly Evangelicals-there are several different ideas concerning when it will happen in relation to the return of Christ and the period of disasters leading up to that return, called the Tribulation. The idea that the Rapture is an essential and fundamental belief of Christianity is a common misconception. “All Christians Have the Same Beliefs About the Rapture.” Let’s take a look at what you’re probably getting wrong about the Rapture so that you can gain a clearer picture of this mysterious event. As with any theological belief, truth is important-every verse in the Bible helps us to better know the character of God, and how we understand the Bible affects how we see and teach about God. The Rapture may seem simple, but in reality, this is an idea that is steeped in interpretational problems, disagreements, and downright falsehoods. Several Biblical scriptures are often used to support the idea of the Rapture, primarily from the books of Revelation and Thessalonians, but things aren’t quite as straightforward as they seem. The massive success of the “Left Behind” books shows the world’s obsession with the idea of the Rapture, also known as "the Blessed Hope." And it’s no wonder-the idea that all believers will be taken up into Heaven, sparing them from the agonies of death, is a compelling one. In their absence, the rest of the world is left in chaos as those who have been left behind search for answers amidst a barrage of supernatural disasters and global destruction The books tell the story of the end times, in which Christian believers have been “raptured”-taken directly to Heaven. So what was the driving force behind the popularity of the “Left Behind” books? Jenkins released the first of their “Left Behind” books, which would go on to become one of the most successful religious fiction franchises ever.
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