Christian Message Boards: The Rapture Trap

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Posted by JefffreyLloyd (Member # 1151) on :

I just finished Paul Thigpen's "The Rapture Trap: A Catholic Response to 'End Times' Fever" and wanted to share a GREAT point it makes:

"The rapture doctrine in particular will actually set up believers for the Antichrist's deception if they should be alive on earth at the close of the age. Imagine your situation if the Antichrist should actually come to power, but you were convinced that you would be snatched out of the world before God would allow such a thing to
happen. In that case, you would refuse to recognize the Antichrist for what he was. Your misguided [rapture] doctrine would blind you to his identity." - The Rapture Trap, Page 184

I have always wondered why so many Christians could fall for the Antichrist's deception, when the Bible tells us his M.O.

But if most Christians believed the Rapture hadn't happened yet, they could be easily fooled that the person claiming to be the Anti Christ really isn't the AC.

My point hits home with me when someone on this message board just said, "The scriptures tell us the AC will NOT be reveled until the Church is gone."

The Church will NOT be gone, their is NO such thing as a rapture as most Protestant Christians know it. The Church will have to go through some tough times. Why should we be so lucky to be snached out before the trib.?

Christ will not come twice, but once in heavenly glory with the Saints of heaven.

I strongly recommend this book:

URL=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0965922820/qid=1046749056/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-4517146-7909611?v=glance&s=books&n=507846]The Rapture Trap[/URL]

Posted by art (Member # 6) on :

your quote:
In that case, you would refuse to recognize the Antichrist for what he was. Your misguided [rapture] doctrine would blind you to his identity."

So say you!
We are looking for our Lord Jesus Christ to return, we are not looking for antichrist, however we certainly know what to look for in the make up of the man of sin. We for the most part have studied Daniel, Matt 24, 2 thes, and Revelation and are full aware of his profile.
Our blessed hope is our Lord Jesus Christ coming to take us home but there are always those who come in amongst us and try to take that away and rob us of our joy and hope.
However "IF" we see a super peace maker making his entrance, and all the world marvelling at him
and he causes all small and great to take a mark, then we will know that we were wrong and that our time of rapture is years away, if indeed we survive the destruction, the plagues and the martrdom of real born again christians.
But until I learn otherwise, my eyes are on Jesus Christ, not the antichrist.This would thrill the heart of satan, to have people looking for antichrists appearing. An abomination to say the least.

Posted by becauseHElives (Member # 87) on :

Amen Art,

TIT 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

LK 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

I do not know the exact sequence of events as they will unfold before the return of the LORD YESHUA, but I do know we are to be looking for YESHUA’S return, not the
anti-Yesha.

If you know the real MESSIAH, you will not except a false Messiah.

Posted by Trafield (Member # 758) on :

I agree with you Becausehelives...

The parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25) show that all ten virgins fell asleep because the bridegroom was a long time in coming, but only the five that had their oil (the Holy Spirit) where worthy to go through the door. The other five were not true believers. So we must know Jesus first and foremost.

That being said, I do believe that scripture teaches that the rapture is not imminent and that there are things that must happen before it can occur, namely the revealing of the antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to 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.
3Let no one in any way deceive you, 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.

Matthew 24:15-22
15“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.
18“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
19“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
21“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Posted by Ntercesser (Member # 332) on :

I know i'm not all up on my Bible as i wish i was but i do recall that the AC will "decieve even the elect" and also that there will be many people saying that the Messiah is over here or over there.
Satan has been decieving Men for around 6,000 years. He knows a few things.

Thank you Jeffery for your warning, we all need to be made aware of possible traps. No one can hear God perfectly, because we are still human, and should not be so quick to say you're wrong or you're wrong when we ourselves do not know everything.
No one knows the future except God, who things tells His five wise virgins shortly before anything happens. We still need to have our eyes and ears up for false doctrine.

Posted by becauseHElives (Member # 87) on :

Ntercesser,

The elect will not be deceived, notice he phrase ( if it were possible)

MT 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible , they shall deceive the very elect.

MT 24:24
John Wesley's Bible Notes

They would deceive, if possible, the very elect - But it is
not possible that God should suffer the body of Christians to
be thus deceived.

JN 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

I do not want to give the impression that I hear perfectly from the Holy Spirit, but we all have the ability through the gift of the Holy Spirit to be lead into
( all TRUTH) and to know the things that are to come.

YEHWEH BLESS you and give you your hearts desires,

Posted by Hannahgirl (Member # 756) on :

AMEN and AMEN Jeffery !!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD THOUGHTS THERE....I agree TOTALLY.
[Kiss]

Posted by Hannahgirl (Member # 756) on :

Added response; (all good responses by the way)

I can't believe that someone else is finally in my court on these things. I have never thought we would be (caught up) before the anti-christ was revealed, because of that very scripture (and that day will NOT come until the abomination that causes desolation be REVEALED). I have never read 2 second comings in the word and never read that it would be secret (but that every eye and every nation would see him coming on the cloud with the MIGHTY ONE - GOD ALSO)

I do believe our eyes should always be focused on CHRIST.....but we must be discerning and be ALERT to the other scriptures being fulfilled too......the anti-christ revealed, or else we could be fooled too. We must worship one and watch for the other, like one would watch for their ENEMY.

[eek]

Posted by J23 (Member # 634) on :

I heard what Jeffory just said and I agree with him, that Rapture teaching is tricky and misleading and taken by so many to heart.

For so long I figured that the whole theory was a lie, made up to deceive, because Paul's words do not go with what the Law says, his words actualy contradict the Law, hopefully by a mistake on his behalf.

The other part is that there is actually a time that has been assigned for the deliverance of the Church, it's true, but there s going to be tribulation, whichwill start at the same time as this war if this war is the one that Jesus said would have nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom.

The Son of God told us that the people who are Patient towards him will be spared from a time referred to as 'The Hour Of Temptation' which I understand to be the time when the Beasts are let loose to do as they want for 42 months. Read Revelation chapter 3. I assign the deliverance of the Church to what people call the Rapture, it is what Jesus described as FLIGHT, and in Revelation 12 it has been confirmed by a significant woman being given wings of a great eagle TO FLY into a place in the wilderness that God has prepared for her.

The woman is primarily the descendants of Jacob (the Israelites) but it is also the Church because of a covenant towards the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. The Israelites do not pry to the Virgin Mary, neither should anyone who wants to be considered as the Church for FLIGHT.

There will be about 42 months of tribulation before FLIGHT is granted, therefore the carrying of our crosses will be a test for us all.

During the first 42 months of the tribulation the A will be concentrating more on war, then he'll set up the abomination that causes desolation, then there'll be destruction from up above, so much that the Church will be put away to safety. That's my understanding. The last 42 months is not really for the Church to endure at all, but even so, the elect will still come out of the latter tribulation; those days will be shortened for their sake.

Peace & Righteousness,

J23

People need to check for the Law and understand that it is the only thing that can be relied on, because no matter what anyone chooses to believe it is only the Law that will be fulfilled. Therefore do not set your heart up for disappointment and then later try and blame it on God. Hear the Law.