THE RAPTURE
By Andre Austin
I have speculated that an idea of rapture was developed to explain away the Kingdom coming down to death before all of Jesus contemporizes died. For thousands of years the average age of man was 30 years. Jesus was executed in 36AD. We have Paul in some of his writings around 51Ad start to talk about a 3rd heaven and a rapture where followers of Christ are alive with Jesus in the clouds and in the air.
The Great Bertrand Russell wrote in his Why I am not a Christian: “There are some standing here which shall not taste death till the Son of Man comes into his kingdom and there are a lot of places where it is quite clear that he believed that his second coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living” (p.16). Well in order for this to be true you would have to develop a rapture or 3rd heaven concept see in (Thessalonians 4:16-18 & 2 Corinthians 12:2). Paul’s third heaven is different because he doesn’t know if a person is taken out of body or whole body. This does not surprise me because he believes Resurrection is purely spiritual with no blood or flesh in heaven ( 1 Corinthians 15:42-50). For Paul a third heaven is possible to retain a body but heaven no body. The Egyptian were the first to have the concept that the heaven was for the spirit and the body was for the earth.
We will know when god’s kingdom comes to earth because all man made kingdoms will be destroyed which has not happened yet. Paul was confused because he says everyone has an appointment with death but gives an exception to the rapture group who never face a death but their souls must exit their body which is a form of death. (Just as man is destined to*die*once, and after that to face judgment,Hebrews 9:26-28*). The whole point of Jesus second coming is to judge and assign placements but rapture seems to skip it for some.
This isn’t my only problem with Paul. Paul also thought a spirits freedom was exclusively in the realm of Faith excluding works. James thought freedom was obedience to the law through faith & works and Jesus told us the truth set souls free from the slavery of sin. Law came about because of sin. You can’t get rid of law and get rid of sin until god’s Kingdom comes down on earth. Law and order must be maintained. Jesus can’t judge without law. Therefore law and judgment go hand and hand with his kingdom and all those supposed humans in the rapture must face a death and then be judged.
I believe the rapture concept came about because people believed that they wouldn’t die before his kingdom would come. Paul’s stories weren’t set straight and were untrue and following him puts you digging in a hole of contradictions.
By Andre Austin
I have speculated that an idea of rapture was developed to explain away the Kingdom coming down to death before all of Jesus contemporizes died. For thousands of years the average age of man was 30 years. Jesus was executed in 36AD. We have Paul in some of his writings around 51Ad start to talk about a 3rd heaven and a rapture where followers of Christ are alive with Jesus in the clouds and in the air.
The Great Bertrand Russell wrote in his Why I am not a Christian: “There are some standing here which shall not taste death till the Son of Man comes into his kingdom and there are a lot of places where it is quite clear that he believed that his second coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living” (p.16). Well in order for this to be true you would have to develop a rapture or 3rd heaven concept see in (Thessalonians 4:16-18 & 2 Corinthians 12:2). Paul’s third heaven is different because he doesn’t know if a person is taken out of body or whole body. This does not surprise me because he believes Resurrection is purely spiritual with no blood or flesh in heaven ( 1 Corinthians 15:42-50). For Paul a third heaven is possible to retain a body but heaven no body. The Egyptian were the first to have the concept that the heaven was for the spirit and the body was for the earth.
We will know when god’s kingdom comes to earth because all man made kingdoms will be destroyed which has not happened yet. Paul was confused because he says everyone has an appointment with death but gives an exception to the rapture group who never face a death but their souls must exit their body which is a form of death. (Just as man is destined to*die*once, and after that to face judgment,Hebrews 9:26-28*). The whole point of Jesus second coming is to judge and assign placements but rapture seems to skip it for some.
This isn’t my only problem with Paul. Paul also thought a spirits freedom was exclusively in the realm of Faith excluding works. James thought freedom was obedience to the law through faith & works and Jesus told us the truth set souls free from the slavery of sin. Law came about because of sin. You can’t get rid of law and get rid of sin until god’s Kingdom comes down on earth. Law and order must be maintained. Jesus can’t judge without law. Therefore law and judgment go hand and hand with his kingdom and all those supposed humans in the rapture must face a death and then be judged.
I believe the rapture concept came about because people believed that they wouldn’t die before his kingdom would come. Paul’s stories weren’t set straight and were untrue and following him puts you digging in a hole of contradictions.