There is no
Rapture?
By Keygar
What if there’s no rapture? What if an angel appeared to me
right now and said “sorry mate, you got it wrong, there isn’t any rapture,
you’re going to have to go through the tribulation, do you want to call it
quits?”
“No way” I’d say (by God’s grace, after getting up off the
ground). God has got me this far, I’m sure He can get me all the way to finally
be with Him. If I have to lose my head (literally) during the tribulation, I’m
sure He’ll give me the grace to endure to the end. Would I want to keep my life
anyway, and be like the Christian haters who will run the earth during that
time? In a fit me thinks, and my head has never been much to look at anyway.
It amuses me though, and saddens me, how many so-called
Christians really verbally attack other Christians who do actually believe in a
rapture event. I even wonder if they are Christians. They certainly don’t
exhibit the fruit of love, patience and tolerance. I have no problem with or
grudge against those Christians who don’t believe in a rapture. Who knows, they
might be right. DOES IT REALLY MATTER to the point of being rude about it.
Surely the main thing is to eventually be with Christ forever no matter what
suffering or persecution may or may not precede that.
And what about those who argue on and on that the rapture
is in the middle of the tribulation, or at the end, or one thousand three
hundred and twenty two days, ten minutes and thirty seconds after the
antichrist appoints his next treasurer (I say next because there’s always at
least one crooked treasurer). Some of them really get hot under the collar,
even calling others who don’t agree with them apostate, or crazies, leading the
church astray.
“Why then”, I hear you ask, “do you even have a website
about the rapture, seemingly promoting the belief in a pre-tribulation event”.
I’ll tell you why, because it’s a free country (thanks to God). If you
want to start a website promoting a belief that Aliens will rule the earth from
Fiji in 2047, go for it. I for one won’t call you foul names and threaten to
expose you as an infidel. Just don’t expect me to sign up that’s all.
Then there are those who don’t believe in the rapture and
emphatically pronounce, “show me where in the Bible is the word, rapture”. Well
I can’t. It’s not there. But the word “electricity” is not in my mobile phone
user guide either, but that’s what the phone runs on. The word “wreckers” is
not in my automobile manual either, but if you read it carefully you can deduce
that if you don’t follow certain practices regarding servicing and safety
mentioned in the manual, that’s where my car will end up, at the wreckers. If
you are going to dismiss the possibility of an event just because you can’t
find the commonly used word to describe it in a book, then you are fairly
shortsighted I think. BUT, if that’s what you want to do, I won’t ask that you
be removed from the earth. I’ll not send you insulting emails. I’ll not call
you a fool. I’ll not say you are a blight on society. I’ll RESPECT your
decision. Can you RESPECT mine?
Is believing in a rapture a cop out? I don’t think so. Is
it wrong for a child to look forward to Christmas? Is it wrong for a person to
look forward to the return of a loved one? Is it wrong to prefer to escape
difficult times and persecution if possible? Of course not, otherwise, the next
time you see a bus bearing down on you, just stand there in front of it and
hold up a “bring it on” sign. No other generation of Christians has been asked
by God to endure as horrible and tortuous a period as the tribulation will be.
Why should we be different? Why would God especially expect our generation of
Christians to endure it? But, what if He does expect just that? Well ok then, I
for one am not going to question the Almighty. I’ll trust Him NO MATTER WHAT
(by His grace).
Is believing in a rapture beneficial? I think so. It gives
me a reason to be optimistic. It gives me a reason to stay ready to meet
Christ. It gives me encouragement to do something to serve Him now, as He may
return any moment. It gives me HOPE amidst a rotten world system. It gives me a
joy of anticipation just like the afore mentioned child looking forward to
Christmas. I believe there is clear evidence of a rapture contained in the bible. That evidence has already been covered a thousand times
by scholars and theologians whose shoe laces I am not worthy to tie, so I won’t
go into it again.
But,
ultimately,
my faith and hope and joy doesn’t lie in "a rapture", it lies in the
person
of Jesus Christ. He alone I REALLY am totally sure about. Not the rapture, not the
scoffers, not the world, not the politicians, not other Christians, not my
family, but ONLY, Jesus Christ. I am happy just writing about it. I can’t wait
to get to heaven, whenever that will be.
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