LaHaye's "Rapture" Ideology Was Not Even Considered Until 1830, page 1

SpeakerOfTruth:

Here is a contradiction in terms: First of all the thread starter works under the pretense of being a ‘Speaker Of The Truth,’ then presents the theory in the OP without quoting one verse of Scripture! The assertion that LaHaye’s Rapture Ideology (with which I certainly disagree) was not even considered until 1830 is a joke in itself, because one cannot offer physical evidence for or against what Christians believed prior to the invention of the printing press. Are there records of what 'every' Christian sect has believed for the past 2000 years? No; get real! What should matter to the reader is what Scripture actually says on this Bible topic without regard for what mere men think at all.

Speaker >> This is probably the biggest lie that the church tells its congregation, other than that all other religions come from Babylon. Anyway, there is nothing in the Bible that would suggest that Jesus is going to favor any group over others and some how sweep them away before the terrors of the Anti-Christ.

Always be wary of strangers bearing thesis statements about things which ARE NOT. Why not spend your efforts writing fancy dissertations on what God ‘is’ teaching in Scripture; rather than waste time describing what might very well be beyond the grasp of your current apprehension? Before we go one step further, I encourage everyone to read Vines’ definition of the Greek term “musterion” (#3466 = mystery). Read This! (very important to this topic)

musterion primarily that which is known to the mustes, "the initiated" (from mueo, "to initiate into the mysteries;" cp. Php_4:12, mueomai, "I have learned the secret," RV). In the NT it denotes, NOT THE MYSTERIOUS (as with the Eng. word), but that which, being OUTSIDE the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known ONLY BY DIVINE REVELATION, and is made known in a MANNER and AT A TIME appointed BY GOD, and to those ONLY WHO are ILLUMINED BY HIS SPIRIT. In the ordinary sense a "mystery" implies KNOWLEDGE WITHHELD; its Scriptural significance is TRUTH REVEALED. Hence the terms especially associated with the subject are "made known," "manifested," "revealed," "preached," "understand," "dispensation." The definition given above may be best illustrated by the following passage: "the MYSTERY which hath been HID FROM ALL AGES and GENERATIONS: but NOW HATH IT BEEN MANIFESTED to His saints" (Col_1:26, RV). "It is used of . . .” www.antioch.com.sg... See the full definition here (plug in ‘mystery’).

Next, do we find Paul himself connecting this ‘Rapture’ (1Thes. 4:17) topic to ‘the mystery’ (Eph. 3:3) anywhere? Yes we do! Paul writes,

Behold, I tell you A MYSTERY; we will not all sleep, but we will 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 will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1Corinthians 15:51-53.

Now, hold the true definition of the term “musterion” in the forefront of your mind (read it again if needed) and ask yourself if the Doubting Thomas’ of this topic have yet to have these things revealed to them by the illumination of God’s Spirit! Paul is obviously teaching SOMETHING right here to these Corinthians, which he will do again to the Thessalonians in describing the same trumpet where the dead are raised first:

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then WE WHO ARE ALIVE and remain will be CAUGHT UP [Harpazo #726 = Rapture together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1Thessalonians 4:15-17.

Now, how many ATS members and guest readers truly believe The “Rapture” Ideology Was NOT EVEN CONSIDERED Until 1830?? I believe we must be willing to accept that early Christians faced the same misinterpretations from factions (1Cor. 11:19 = sects) like Christians find among our Denominations today. To think early Christians somehow banned together and believed the same exact doctrines is shortsighted and foolish. The presence of over 2000 denominations in the USA alone shows the basic inclination of people to disperse and congregate again within groups that polarize around similar ‘interpretations’ of the same verses. Since Paul’s teachings in 1Cor. 15 and 1Thes. 4 did not suddenly appear in our modern day Bibles, but have been there from the beginning, we should come to realize that men interpreted these things in many different ways. What we do not see is Paul trying to connect his “Rapture” (1Thes. 4:17) to any ‘end of the age’ events of Matthew 24, which was not even written for another decade after his Thessalonian Epistles. I explain the difference here ( www.abovetopsecret.com... ). I encourage SpeakerOfTruth to read from Paul’s teaching and to ‘speak the truth’ on what Paul ‘is’ teaching. GL.

Speaker >> While it is certainly true that believers will be "divinely" protected that does not imply their abscence. What most don't understand about the "end times" is that the Anti-Christ's reign will only be 3 and a half years.

That is a line of bullony from someone who does not know this topic very well. What does Daniel see?

"Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a FIRM COVENANT with the MANY FOR ONE WEEK, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." Daniel 9:26+27.

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