A bogus rapture

By Femi Aribisala

June 6, 2010 03:46PM
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Moses says we will know a false prophet when what he says does not come to pass (Deut 18:21-22). So how is this for a prophecy?

Paul’s False Prophecy

Paul said: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thes 4:16-17).

Without a doubt, this is a false prophecy. Paul did not expect to die. Instead, he expected to be carried away on some kind of Jesus Airways. Therefore, he included himself with those ostensibly to be “caught up” to heaven. He said to the Philippians: “The Lord is at hand” (Php 4:5); the very thing Jesus warned us a false prophet would say (Lk 21:. But alas, nobody was “caught up.” Paul said furthermore: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Cor 15:51). This also turned out to be pure fantasy. Everyone to whom he addressed this deception has slept the sleep of death, including Paul himself. Why should any right-thinking Christian believe Paul again after such big gaffes?

Unscriptural Rapture

Nevertheless, Paulinists have fabricated a doctrine out of this blunder. About 180 years ago, they called it “the rapture.” This unscriptural doctrine says the Lord is coming “very soon” to carry Christians away to heaven; leaving unbelievers behind to face tribulation on earth.

However, Jesus does not exclude his followers from tribulation in this world (Jn 16:33). In fact, Jesus’ desire is that believers should remain in the world. He says so to God: “I do not pray that you should take them out of the world” (Jn 17:15). Therefore, there has never been, and there will never be, a “rapture” of Christians. Revelation says believers are destined to “reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10). Why then would we be “raptured” out of it?

In Jesus’ doctrine, it is the wicked that are “raptured” (taken away) while the righteous are “left behind;” the exact opposite of Paul’s bogus prophecy. Jesus says: “As in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left” (Mt 24:38-41).

It was the wicked that were “taken away” by the flood, while righteous Noah and his family were “left behind.” Jesus then predicted that Noah’s pattern would apply to the Jews within forty years: “This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Mt 24:34).

So who was “left behind” in A.D. 70 when, according to Jesus’ prophecy, “the flood” came by way of the Roman army to Jerusalem? Over one million unbeliever-Jews were taken away and slaughtered. However, Jesus’ disciples all escaped unscathed to Pella. They were left behind.

Jesus says: “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire” (Mt 13:41-42). Again, unbelievers were the ones “raptured” by the Romans and burnt outside Jerusalem in Gehenna in A.D. 70.

Jesus also says: “The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away” (Mt 13:47-48).

Rapture of the Wicked

Jesus only talks about the “rapture” of the wicked, while Paul’s false prophecy says the wicked are left behind. Other scriptures disagree with Paul: “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found” (Ps 37:10). “The wicked will be cut off from the earth” (Prov 2:22).

However, Jesus says: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5:5). The psalmist says: “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever” (Ps 37:29). Solomon also concurs: “The righteous will never be removed” (Prov 10:30). That means the righteous will never be “raptured.” Neither will they live with the Lord in the air.

Where, oh where, does Paul get his doctrines from? He just fabricates them out of thin air, confident the uninformed would be none the wiser.

source

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Opinion/Columns/5575593-147/story.csp

So paul is now a false prophet eh? Where is the elusive holyt spirit to come and help you guys explain this endless quagmire and confusion? . . .When will you guys stop deluding yourselves and accept that you are blindly following other peoples baseless thoughts, fantasies, opinions, myths and ideas that are not gounded in reality?

mazaje:

So paul is now a false prophet eh? Where is the elusive holyt spirit to come and help you guys explain this endless quagmire and confusion? . . .When will you guys stop deluding yourselves and accept that you are blindly following other peoples baseless thoughts, fantasies, [size=15pt]opinions[/size], myths and ideas that are not gounded in reality?

Your post is also an opinion which is very relative to you and might not be the true state of things no?

toba:



Your post is also an opinion which is very relative to you and might not be the true state of things no?

Reality supports my opinions more than the baseless opinions of others you follow blindly, opinions which have no basis in reality, no?

i don't know if Paul is a false prophet or not . one major thing i will like you do is that you don't add or remove what has been written in the holy scripture.
 
   just follow what is written. thanks.

mazaje:

Reality supports my opinions more than the baseless opinions of others you follow blindly, opinions which have no basis in reality, no?

Thats what u think that ur so called 'opinions' are supported by realty. How did u come to such conclusion that ur own opinion isnt baseless&those of ours are baseless?

Rapture or Rapturing is a bogus and satanic doctrine.

Sorry guys, I'd being away for some time, and expected more analysis of the writers assertions.

If Apostle Paul is proven to be a false prophet, will that not be a serious blow to the Xtian beliefs and doctrines?.

To think rapture is the end game in Xtian theology tied to the second coming of Christ

The rapture is wondrous home-going event all true sons of God should look forward to.

noetic16:

The rapture is wondrous home-going event all true sons of God should look forward to.

How does this comment address any of the issues raised in the quoted article?

Gidtruth:


How does this comment address any of the issues raised in the quoted article?

do u expect me to give evidences or arguments for the rapture? do u expect me to convince u of the rapture?
I am not interested in doing so.

noetic16:

do u expect me to give evidences or arguments for the rapture? do u expect me to convince u of the rapture?
I am not interested in doing so.

And will that be beacuse the doctrine is bogus or out of sycn or difficult to explain in plain language?

Gidtruth:

And will that be beacuse the doctrine is bogus or out of sycn or difficult to explain in plain language?

ur conclusions though ignorant reflect ur inability to entertain new truths and revelation. I am not interested in a debate. There is going to be a rapture.

On a side note . . . Let me state that after reading several resources on rapture, I became confused, So I asked God and I received an answer. I am satisfied with the answer I received. There is going to be a rapture and a lot of church-going folks will be disappointed.

noetic16:

your conclusions though ignorant reflect your inability to entertain new truths and revelation. I am not interested in a debate. There is going to be a rapture.

On a side note . . . Let me state that after reading several resources on rapture, I became confused, So I asked God and I received an answer. I am satisfied with the answer I received. There is going to be a rapture and a lot of church-going folks will be disappointed.

Noetic, i have read your comments on other issues this is very unlike your robust replies and comments.
If you had carefully read my last response, it is obviously not a conclusion as there is a question mark at the end of the sentence.
I can't recall any new truths whatsoever you have supplied to this thread about the subject matter.

As per revelation, which you received, we don't have the details, how are we sure they don't contradict Jesus Christ's words?

there is nothing like rapture.  the teaching of rapture is only as a result of misunderstanding of wat the bible says. the bible makes it clear that flesh and blood cannot ascend into heaven so were does the teaching of rapture come in, it is not even stated in the bible. wake up people, i am a christian, i read, study and believe the bible. i just dont accept teachings that are not biblical. if you have a backup for rapture from the bible , you are free to defend it. am waiting.
 
luv,
small man.

Gidtruth:

Noetic, i have read your comments on other issues this is very unlike your robust replies and comments.
If you had carefully read my last response, it is obviously not a conclusion as there is a question mark at the end of the sentence.
I can't recall any new truths whatsoever you have supplied to this thread about the subject matter.

As per revelation, which you received, we don't have the details, how are we sure they don't contradict Jesus Christ's words?

mathew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The above are the words of Jesus. what would the angels gather the elect for?