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Thread: Are you ready for the Rapture?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Are you ready for the Rapture?

    Are you ready for the Rapture?

    Is the concept of the rapture of the church even mentioned in scripture?

    As a theological milestone, how can we differentiate the Rapture from the Second Coming?

    Is the idea of the rapture a solid theological premise or do only a few Christians believe in it?

    Is the rapture a new idea or has it always been a concept present in church history?

    Who first came up with the idea of a rapture of the church?

    Can we predict when the rapture will take place or will it be a surprise?

    Is it possible to be ready for such a cataclysmic event?

    What do you think?

    exile
    "There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage." --John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. 1776

    "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6 (E.S.V.)

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    No man knows the hour or the day, not even the Son of God or the Holy Spirit know. This one the Lord God Almighty is holding close to his chest.

    Am I ready? Yes.

    "As a theological milestone, how can we differentiate the Rapture from the Second Coming?"
    Not sure you can or why you'd want to. IMO they are one and the same. He will come again.
    " “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 "


    "Is the idea of the rapture a solid theological premise or do only a few Christians believe in it?
    Is the rapture a new idea or has it always been a concept present in church history?
    Who first came up with the idea of a rapture of the church?"

    No idea, and to me not really important.

    "Can we predict when the rapture will take place or will it be a surprise?"
    No we can not predict it, it will come when it comes. Most will not be ready.

    "Is it possible to be ready for such a cataclysmic event?"

    Of course. All you have to do is accept the lord totally.
    Accept that it is HIS will that will be done, not ours.
    Maintain a solid steadfast relaitinship with the Lord. Repent of your sins, try not to sin again. Do good works in his name.

    The last does not have to be horrible terrible work. Spending an hour with an old friend visiting. Visit those you know who are sick and need of company.
    "Mathew 25 :40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

    So doing a few good works in his name is not hard. By their fruit you shall know them. Those who bring forth worthless fruit or no fruit shall be cut back and cast into the fire. But those who bring forth good fruit shall be pruned and encouraged.

    When the Lord comes again in the air at the last trump he will seperate the sheep from the goats. And the sheep will all be of his flock, lovingly tended.
    And the goats shall be cast down.

    I am no bible scholar. And yet the Holy Spirit asked me to answer you as best I may.

    Most of your questions IMO don't really apply.

    Keep your faith polished bright.
    Honor the Lord
    Surrender to his will
    Repent honestly of all your sins. Leave your burdens at his feet.
    Go forth and try to spread the good news. Helping and loving others. Forgiving those who cause you pain.
    Cleanse your heart of all ill feeling, anger, hate. The Holy Spirit can not stay in a heart cluttered with these.
    Once you have a pure heart and a humble attitude pray that the Holy Spirit would visit you, guide you.
    Once that happens, peace which surpasseth all understanding, peace like a river descends upon you. And it becomes much easier.

    Once you learn to still your mind and listen you can hear him.

    At that point the rapture has no fear for you. For you have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I am ready but I don't believe the rapture will be. It is just a man made end of times story.

    One should always be ready, not for our salvation but just because right is right and wrong is wrong and we should always do our best to be right. Sure I guess it is better if people to right because they want salvation. Sure it is better if people do what is right because they fear damnation and the fires of hell. Best is if people do what is right because they believe in doing what is right for its own reasons.

    If you believe in God and do good so you will be saved you are committing the sin of selfishness - greed.

    Praying for or even just hoping for the Rapture because you believe you are ready for it and want to experience it is selfish - evil.

    Wanted to put humanity out of its misery now is like putting a dog down for a lame foot. There is still plenty of good in the world and hope for the future. I might be ready for the Rapture but the Planet is not we are far from the time.

    A reminder, right and wrong are not limited to the ten commandments. The ten commandments are just an invitation to follow the letter but not the spirit of the law.

    It is much better to demonstrate virtue than it is to work to avoid sin.

    The guiding virture is Charity - Charity — Love for one’s neighbor as oneself - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Charity, which “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14, ESV).

    Prudence is basically practical common sense. It’s saying or doing the proper thing, at the proper time, and in the appropriate manner. It’s also the ability to know and judge whether to say something or do nothing at all.

    Justice is the virtue that seeks to promote fair play. It’s the desire and resolve to give each person his due. It demands that you reward goodness and punish evil. Justice can be one of three different types:

    Commutative justice is based on the principle of quid pro quo, which is Latin for this for that. Commutative justice requires, for example, that a customer pay a fair price for worthwhile goods.


    Distributive justice involves the relationship between one and many — between an individual and a group — a person and the government, for example.

    Social justice concerns the relationships between individuals and groups between one another and everyone. The common good and equal treatment are the cornerstones of social justice.

    Temperance is the virtue by which a person uses balance. It’s the good habit that allows a person to relax and have fun without crossing the line and committing sin.

    Fortitude is the ability to persevere in times of trial and tribulation — the ability to hang in there when the going gets tough. It’s courage to do the right thing no matter what the cost.

    If you feel some moral quandary, check to see what the Charitable thing to do would be. Who benefits and who is hurt. Remember hurt can be subtle or in the future. Does your comfort depend on indebting future generations. Did your stash of ammo come at the expense of others who came to find empty shelves. Did you leave the shelf empty, take the last box or did you leave more than you took.

    When you bought your groceries did you give any to the food bank?

    Are you doing God's work or just working for yourself.

    Worrying about and calling for the Rapture is just working for yourself.

    Tim
    Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS

    The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

    The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Here it is: 1 Thess 4:17 "... we will be caught up.."

    Paul wrote that to the church in Thessalonica to a people who feared those who had recently died would miss the coming of the Lord for his people. He wanted to assure them (and, by extension, us) that, dead or alive, no Christian can possibly miss that event. In fact, he stresses that the dead will arise first! Then, we who are alive will also be caught up to join them with the Lord in the air. The physically "caught up" of dead and living believers at that time is the Rapture of the church.

    Rapture is simply an untranslated Greek word relating to raptors (meaning birds of prey such as hawks, owls and eagles) swooping down to grasp and carry away the sought objects.

    Thus the Rapture of the church (the church is the "body/bride of Christ" and includes all believers) is a totally separate event from the Lord's second coming. The next time is when he will complete his second coming on a white horse, followed by all of us. That second coming is when he'll actually land and establish his one thousand year kingdom on earth.

    The millenial (1,000 year) kingdom will end with one last Satanic rebellion.

    After the 1K kingdom ends, the Great White Throne will see the resurrection and separation of the few remaining "sheep" of the kingdom age and the vast number of "goats" of all ages. After that there will be a Great White Throne judgement for sentencing the already condemned "goats".

    See John 3:16-18 to see who will be rewarded and who will be sentenced. Note there is no reference to a heavenly court to see if anyone has been "good enough" to be saved so fears of not measuring up are misplaced. God measures the heart; get your heart right and everything else will be alright!


    Now, this is a very brief overview of my "end times" scenerio; but, is it correct? Well, I think it is but it's not really mine and I sure wouldn't die for it! However, I have studied the questions and many expert's proposed answers for several decades. I don't like loose ends and it's the only view I've yet seen that answers all questions without leaving any loose scriptural strings hanging in unsupported space.

    Anyone with web access to Youtube should search for Dr. David Jeremiah's messages on the end times. (And almost anything else! )

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Are any of these conjectures relevant to how I should live my life? Are answers to these questions going to have an effect on how you live and whom you serve? Personally, I find these wranglings about as useful to MY daily walk with God as "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?". The ONLY thing that matters to me is what I do from day to day. In the end (whenever that may be) my relationship with God through Christ is all that matters! If your not ready, get ready!

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy

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    The Parable of the Ten Virgins

    “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." - Matthew 25:1-13

    Stay woke. Don't be "left behind".
    “If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.” - Ronald Reagan

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thundarstick View Post
    Are any of these conjectures relevant to how I should live my life? Are answers to these questions going to have an effect on how you live and whom you serve? Personally, I find these wranglings about as useful to MY daily walk with God as "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?". The ONLY thing that matters to me is what I do from day to day. In the end (whenever that may be) my relationship with God through Christ is all that matters! If your not ready, get ready!
    To YOU, the coming rapture has no great meaning and staying ready is certainly the proper goal for all of us. But eminence of the sudden call for God's people to "come up here" is exciting and the very thought of it has daily meaning to a lot of us.

    It was Exile's specific "rapture" questions I addressed and none of what I posted is a daydream, every bit of it is written in God's Book.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1hole View Post
    To YOU, the coming rapture has no great meaning and staying ready is certainly the proper goal for all of us. But eminence of the sudden call for God's people to "come up here" is exciting and the very thought of it has daily meaning to a lot of us.

    It was Exile's specific "rapture" questions I addressed and none of what I posted is a daydream, every bit of it is written in God's Book.
    Get ready! Be ready! Stay ready! The scriptures where written to bolster the faith of those who become impatient and disillusioned because Jesus isn't come quick enough to please them. Don't become tired of doing good, keep the faith, fight a good fight, and run the race like there will only be one winner! Peace!
    Last edited by Thundarstick; 08-11-2020 at 05:15 AM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thundarstick View Post
    Get ready! Be ready! Stay ready! The scriptures where written to bolster the faith of those who become impatient and disillusioned because Jesus isn't come quick enough to please them. Don't become tired of doing good, keep the faith, fight a good fight, and run the race like there will only be one winner! Peace!
    There you go.

    I get (I stay!) a bit excited contemplating the coming Rapture, and have for decades because there are no prophecies left to be fulfilled before it comes but, excited or not, your post is the bottom line for us all isn't it?

    I do get frustrated with those who think and teach that only those who are prayed up, confessed up, worked up, paid up will get to go up! Truth is, IF any of us had to be worthy of heaven to get there none of us will ever get there but believers are accorded Jesus' perfect life record. Therefore no true believer is going to be "left behind" at the Rapture because the Son of God has already paid our sin penalty! Thus, regardless of our errors in minor doctrines, all Christians can live and eventually die (physically) in Jesus' perfect peace! I wish everyone knew that. <><

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1hole View Post
    There you go.

    I get (I stay!) a bit excited contemplating the coming Rapture, and have for decades because there are no prophecies left to be fulfilled before it comes but, excited or not, your post is the bottom line for us all isn't it?

    I do get frustrated with those who think and teach that only those who are prayed up, confessed up, worked up, paid up will get to go up! Truth is, IF any of us had to be worthy of heaven to get there none of us will ever get there but believers are accorded Jesus' perfect life record. Therefore no true believer is going to be "left behind" at the Rapture because the Son of God has already paid our sin penalty! Thus, regardless of our errors in minor doctrines, all Christians can live and eventually die (physically) in Jesus' perfect peace! I wish everyone knew that. <><
    I know you already understand but this is where we differ. "Truth is, IF any of us had to be worthy of heaven to get there none of us will ever get there" I disagree, God can tell who of us is worthy, God know our deepest secrets and the depth of our love for our brothers and sisters. On this will we be judged. We can be worthy of heaven but is hard.

    On this we will agree, "no true believer is going to be left behind" a true believer will have a deep and abiding love for his sisters and brothers.

    Tim
    Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS

    The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

    The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Yes, because I may be Raptured tonight. Always be prepared.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Anyone going to God's perfect heaven has to have a perfect, totally sin free life record but only ONE man has ever accomplished that. Therefore, in order to get to heaven, all imperfect men must be accorded that one man's perfect life record or perish.

    Anyone can "believe" what he wishes about earning his own salvation but a "good works" based life, i.e., lived as imperfectly self-righteous as the scribes and pharisees of Jesus' day, won't get anyone anywhere with God because all our works are as filthy rags before Him and it's not arguable (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:19-25; 6:23; 10:2-4; Eph 2:8-9) THAT'S exactly why Jesus sacrificed himself in our stead! In doing that, a loving Jesus purchased our salvation and presents it to us as an unearned gift. Therefore, if we are saved at all, we are granted - gifted - a pure salvation based entirely on what HE has done for us. Any good things we may do in life are simply our love gifts back to him and we are NOT "earning" our salvation!

    Bottomline, if men could possibly earn salvation there would have been no reason for Jesus to go to the Cross. Anyone saying salvation might be earned by doing good stuff diminishes the cost of Jesus' blood bought gift and demeans his suffering for us. Spiritually, following the path of our own "good works" are ego driven bad news and it leads proud men down the meandering broad road of life into the roaring gates of hell (Mat 7:13-14).

    None of that's my idea, it's all clearly written in the Book.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Right on, good post it is all about Jesus and what he has done for us that we can not do for our selves'.

    "All my hope is based on nothing less than Jesus Blood and Righteous."

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ioon44 View Post
    Right on, good post it is all about Jesus and what he has done for us that we can not do for our selves'.

    "All my hope is based on nothing less than Jesus Blood and Righteous."
    All your hope is based on the Bible you use being true.

    Tim
    Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS

    The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

    The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1hole View Post
    Anyone going to God's perfect heaven has to have a perfect, totally sin free life record but only ONE man has ever accomplished that. Therefore, in order to get to heaven, all imperfect men must be accorded that one man's perfect life record or perish.

    Anyone can "believe" what he wishes about earning his own salvation but a "good works" based life, i.e., lived as imperfectly self-righteous as the scribes and pharisees of Jesus' day, won't get anyone anywhere with God because all our works are as filthy rags before Him and it's not arguable (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:19-25; 6:23; 10:2-4; Eph 2:8-9) THAT'S exactly why Jesus sacrificed himself in our stead! In doing that, a loving Jesus purchased our salvation and presents it to us as an unearned gift. Therefore, if we are saved at all, we are granted - gifted - a pure salvation based entirely on what HE has done for us. Any good things we may do in life are simply our love gifts back to him and we are NOT "earning" our salvation!

    Bottomline, if men could possibly earn salvation there would have been no reason for Jesus to go to the Cross. Anyone saying salvation might be earned by doing good stuff diminishes the cost of Jesus' blood bought gift and demeans his suffering for us. Spiritually, following the path of our own "good works" are ego driven bad news and it leads proud men down the meandering broad road of life into the roaring gates of hell (Mat 7:13-14).

    None of that's my idea, it's all clearly written in the Book.
    Depending on what is written in the Book, a book, any book is fraught with peril. Depending on God to see you for who you are, if you are good, has no peril.

    Tim
    Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS

    The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

    The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by dtknowles View Post
    All your hope is based on the Bible you use being true.

    Tim
    Absolutely, What do place your hope in?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by dtknowles View Post
    All your hope is based on the Bible you use being true.

    Tim
    Every word in the KJV is true so I'm good come on Rapture. To quote other individuals.

    Not Looking for a hole in the looking for hole in the Air. Not Looking for the Undertaker Looking for the Uptaker. Helps me in to Sleep Good at Night. Just feels good writing it.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ioon44 View Post
    Absolutely, What do place your hope in?
    I place my hope in God.

    Tim
    Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS

    The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

    The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by dtknowles View Post
    I place my hope in God.

    Tim
    Which God?

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by dtknowles View Post
    I know you already understand but this is where we differ. "Truth is, IF any of us had to be worthy of heaven to get there none of us will ever get there" I disagree,...
    We disagree on that and a lot more than that. But, basically, you choose to agree with yourself and I chose to agree with scripture. ??? Only one of us can be right.

    .... God can tell who of us is worthy.
    He sure can! And God has said that none of us are worthy of heaven. But then I don't know which god you trust! I trust the One who says Jesus is the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6) and has written that all of our self righteousness - the very self righteousness you profess for yourself - is as filthy rags before Him (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:10). God tells us there is one narrow way and one name to access heaven but you wrongly seek to convince people that there are many ways and a wide path to heaven, and you "know" all that because you're really smart and have it all figured out (John 14:6; Act 4:12). Sadly, you know very much but you understand very little.

    ... On this will we be judged. We can be worthy of heaven but is hard.
    Wrong. YOU say "we can be worthy of heaven" but God says we cannot, it's much worse than hard and He knows it. So, in his love, God provided a worthy substitute to pay sin's cost for those who would totally trust in his son, the Lord Jesus, as saviour. I do, all Christians do. But you do not; instead you're trusting in your self righteousness and expect God to see things your way instead of his way. Good luck with that.

    On this we will agree, "no true believer is going to be left behind" a true believer will have a deep and abiding love for his sisters and brothers.
    You don't understand that "a true believer" is one who believes in loving God in the Biblical way and that is what produces the good works and love you're hoping will get you into heaven - it won't.

    Biblical "belief" includes trusting in, clinging to and submitting to the one believed in. But, you believe in an alphabet soup of gods, not Jesus, so you've chosen the wide path that leads to hell. I don't know you so I'll take your word for how deeply you love others but I know you only have a head knowledge belief in God and reject the rest. Therefore, you only have a comfortable religion and a wimpy god (Mat 7:21-23).

    You think you grasp it all better than anyone else but you do not. Instead, you have fallen into Adam's original-ego driven sin-trap of choosing to be your own God and deciding for yourself what is good and evil, i.e., what is right and wrong. That's sad for you and it didn't work out very well for Adam either.

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