A lot of folks are writing similar things... here is mine. Use as you wish. “Left Behind” is Fiction The impending release of the Left Behind movie means that many will be asking questions about “the Rapture.” While this is a matter on which Christians may disagree, and is not a “church-dividing” issue, it is not one on which the Scriptures are silent. There are variations, but a theology of the Rapture says that God will rescue the church (the “real” Christians) by lifting them out of the troubles (the tribulation) that will precede Christ’s second coming. There are a lot of problems with this idea. Here are a few of them: • The idea of the Rapture was invented in the 19th Century by John Nelson Darby. This is a new teaching that the church knew nothing of for over for 1800 years. The work of the Holy Spirit is not to bring new teachings, but to remind us of all that Jesus said in his earthly ministry (John 14:26). • Rapture theology depends on there being “degrees” of Christians. In other words, some people are better Christians than others. The really good Christians will get raptured; those who don’t measure up have to suffer and prove themselves. Aside from the fact that this is just a new take on the medieval idea of Purgatory (which is rejected by all Protestant churches as unbiblical), it ignores what Paul says in Romans “All have sinned and fallen short ...” (Romans 3:23); therefore we rely on God’s grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). • There is no Biblical reference to a Rapture. Some of the commonly cited “proof texts” for the Rapture actually argue against it. For instance, in Matthew 24, Jesus says that the “coming of the Son of Man” will be like “the day Noah entered the ark” and everyone else was “swept away.” He goes on: “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.” (Matthew 24:40-41 ESV) Since Jesus is using the parallel example of Noah, it is the one who is taken who is in trouble, not the one who is left! • Rapture theology assumes that we can read predictions of the future from the Book of Revelation. But the “time line” of Revelation is intentionally confused to keep us from making these kinds of predictions. Indeed, when the disciples asked Jesus about the time line, “He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” (Acts 1:7-8) In other words, the future is God’s business; you have work to do now. • As for what Christ’s return will be like, there is no two or three stage return. Paul tells us that some will be asleep (dead) and some will still be alive, “but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1st Corinthians 15:51-52) Finally, and most importantly, why does the church exist? According to Paul, the mission of the church is to serve the world and teach about Jesus. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) Instead, Rapture theology declares that when the world needs the church the most, the church will be taken away. It declares that God has decided to spare the church while the world suffers. That is simply contrary to the Biblical message. Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25 ESV) The call of Christ is not to escape the troubles of this world, but to endure them for the sake of sharing the Gospel with the world. In the meantime, we have friends and neighbors who need to hear the Good News: that Jesus has prepared a mansion for us in his Father’s house, and he will take us there in his time. Pastor Tony Stoutenburg Hayward, WI
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:29:52 +0000
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