This thread is dedicated to the few thoughtful and respectful posters who can agree or disagree without being uncivil about discourse.
As you can plainly see I have presupposed a rapture which will involve a portion of the total number of Christians on the earth.
I predict that if we are living at the time of Jesus's secretive rapture, some of the Christians will be left on the earth and some of the Christians will be taken suddenly to heaven.
AFterwards the great global revival in the Christian public will probably take place, having noticed that this event has signaled the end of the age.
To any brothers or sisters of anyone who doesn't agree with what I write here, I still love you in the Lord.
I wrote above -
As you can plainly see I have presupposed a rapture which will involve a portion of the total number of Christians on the earth.
How can that be?
It can be because if you study the passages related to Christ catching away believers from the earth, they are CONDITIONAL and not AUTOMATIC.
Their CONDITION is not the same as that for being saved.
Their CONDITION is about walking in the Spirit once one HAS been saved consistently.
IF - THEN is the flavor of most of the verses we associate with rapture, if we associate any with that event.
The word "rapture" like "trinity" I don't think can be found in the Bible.
@sonship saidAs an aside: Does this aspiration for 'civil discourse' mean that you're not going to call anyone a "stinky leper" or an "unclean dog" on this thread?
This thread is dedicated to the few thoughtful and respectful posters who can agree or disagree without being uncivil about discourse.
Ever since Hal Linsey's best seller The Late Great Planet Earth millions of Christians have thought that the entire body of Christians will be automatically raptured before the great tribulation.
(Some Christians do not at all adopt even a belief in a Rapture period)
But the "IF - THEN" nature of too many verses show that I have no assurance that in the moment which a rapture occurs I would be taken IF certain conditions are not met.
Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent.
IF therefore you will not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall by no means know at what hour I will come upon you." (Rev. 3:4)
IE. IF watching - you will be ready.
IF NOT you will be shocked.
Compare:
"At that time two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left." (Matt. 24:40,41)
I used to thing TWO meant a Christian and a non-Christian.
Then the day came when I realize that it just says ... "two".
"Two" could mean two Christians. And I think down in the Christian heart, we all probably realize this.
I submit the one LEFT conforms to this experience -
IF therefore you will not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall by no means know at what hour I will come upon you." (Rev. 3:4)
@FMF
If we are alive at the time of the first rapture, and I am here the next day to post on this Forum, you will have great vindication and I will be too ashamed to show up to post anything.
IF you left here at that time (and I have no assurance of that either) you may write -
" Hey sonship, we noticed that many Christians around the world mysteriously cannot be found today. A lot of Christians are talking about the rapture and the end times. But you're are still here. What happened ?? "
If that happens I will be too ashamed to face you.
Until then, ( and I pray and hope that would not be the case ) you don't concern me with your criticisms in the least.
Only a remnant of Christians will be found watching and ready. So the majority looking up and realizing what has happened, will give up the world, give up degraded Christianity.
At that time I predict that great world wide revival of Christians will occur. In some aspects it will be too late. But not in all aspects. But they will have to pass through the time of the great tribulation.
If Christians are not clamoring to read books by men like Watchmen Nee and Witness Lee now, I believe those books will be in high demand then. For the ministry of these brothers was all about watching, walking in the Spirit, being ready, and living such as to expect Jesus to come for you at any moment.
I am serious.
@sonship saidWhich Christian denominations realize this "REVIVAL" you are referring to is needed, to your way of thinking? All of them?
So I do not expect a great world wide Christian spiritual revival before the event of some of the total body of Christians on the earth be divided as - those found watching and are taken AND those not found watching and are caught by surprise and are LEFT to then realize REVIVAL is needed indeed.
@sonship saidDo Watchmen Nee and Witness Lee have some ideological points that other Christians don't agree with or don't know about ~ but need to [in your opinion] otherwise there is some grave hazard that they face? Is that what you are serious about?
If Christians are not clamoring to read books by men like Watchmen Nee and Witness Lee now, I believe those books will be in high demand then. For the ministry of these brothers was all about watching, walking in the Spirit, being ready, and living such as to expect Jesus to come for you at any moment. I am serious.
@sonship saidAnd this "remnant of Christians" you're talking about has something to do - specifically - with whether or not they have read the books of Watchmen Nee and Witness Lee?
Only a remnant of Christians will be found watching and ready. So the majority looking up and realizing what has happened, will give up the world, give up degraded Christianity.
@sonship saidWhat on Earth is a “secretive rapture”?
This thread is dedicated to the few thoughtful and respectful posters who can agree or disagree without being uncivil about discourse.
As you can plainly see I have presupposed a rapture which will involve a portion of the total number of Christians on the earth.
I predict that if we are living at the time of Jesus's secretive rapture, some of the Christians wil ...[text shortened]... rothers or sisters of anyone who doesn't agree with what I write here, I still love you in the Lord.
Every item you post my “error” antenna twitch.