[Linux4christians] OT: Rapture: Fact or Fiction?

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

What you write would be good in a perfect world but we are far
from that for sure.  It is also technically non-Biblical.

What I mean is that Jesus warned us to not invest time in debates
about minor matters of doctrine as that distracts us from what is
most-important - salvation.

I have gone through the NT of the Bible line-by-line, and am
working my way through the OT, and my reading is that there
is no such teaching as predestination, the "rapture" is pre-wrath,
Hell ceases with the new-Genesis of the eternal new-Heaven
and new-Earth -- yet another person will study the very same
text and come to an opposite conclusion.

Resolving doctrinal matters like the rapture, predestination, etc.
is not necessary to the core question of salvation.

The history since Jesus ascended is that folks have invested
more energy in disobedient debate about the minors than they
have in intentional obedience to His Greatest Commission
and His Greatest Commandment.

Doctrinal unity will not happen prior to the return of Jesus,
and He and the authors of the NT were aware of that and made
allowances for disagreements to stand - but to not stand in the
way of fellowship.

I will say this, anyone who demands adherence to their pet
doctrine on such matters is in rebellion against the Word of
God and does not qualify as a Biblical "elder" and one should
not permit oneself to be under their authority.

A doctrinal 'preference' is not Biblical certititude nor is is a
Biblical mandate -- Jesus reserved His harshest condemnation
for leaders who imposed personal doctrine upon His truth --
and Paul spoke harshly of such leaders as well.

 > Christopher Rose wrote:
>  The problem with an answer like that is that is dodges the issue. The
>  same has been said of predestination. I have been through many
>  debates regarding end time prophecy and predestination over the
>  course of the last ten to fifteen years. Most of them end with me
>  being told that if I don't believe as they do, then I am not a
>  Christian. However, these are the things that Christians should
>  discuss so that we may truly be one universal Christan church (the
>  ancient texts say "catholic", but I know some get worked up over that
>  term). If the whole of the Christian church can truly come together
>  on a universal set of doctrinal statements regarding what we believe
>  in all these arenas, then we will have the best set of evangelical
>  tools ever. Thus our ever present and perpetual need for pastors,
>  teachers, and theologians. Through study, discussion, and prayer we
>  can give the church a single unified voice and body. However, it also
>  means touching issues we find distasteful and would rather dodge,
>  such as end time prophecy and predestination (oddly, these two
>  doctrines are somewhat closely related, but that is a discourse for
>  another time).
>
>  Respectfully,
>
>  Christopher L. Rose
>
>
>
>  May 15, 2011 01:31:34 PM, dcolburn at bibleseven.com wrote:
>
>  ===========================================
>
>  My first ministry-mentor did not like getting tangled up in
>  doctrinal debates so his take was "I am an O-Millenialist." and when
>  pressed to explain he'd say "Oh well, whatever God decides to do is
>  fine with me."
>
>  ;-)
>
> > Christopher Rose wrote: The statistics I've heard say that most of
> > the Christians throughout the world are amillenialists. I just
> > happen to be one of them.
>


-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
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