Christian Views and Teachings on Eschatology - The Rapture Flashcards
How is the rapture an eschatological teaching?
It’s a description of how the world will end told by Jesus to his disciples - it is a belief of some Christians about how the world could end
What will happen to those who have been faithful Christians?
They will be taken up to heaven with Jesus to be with God forever.
What word does rapture originate from, what language is this word from and what does it mean?
rapare
Latin
to sieze, snatch or take away
What will happen to those who have already died when the rapture occurs?
If they have been faithful Christians they will be saved
They will be taken up to heaven first and then faithful Christians who are alive at the time of the rapture will be taken up.
When will the rapture happen?
No one knows apart from God, not even Jesus.
What evidence is there to suggest that the rapture will occur?
Descriptions of it in the Bible = consistent
Bible says it cannot be predicted - people have been unable to predict it
Fact of life that everything will end - e.g. accepted that everyone dies.
What does the Bible say will happen during the rapture?
Jesus will come down - second coming - give all believer their resurrected body and take them up to heaven with him.
what is the belief of dispensationalism regarding the rapture?
They believe in the literal truth of the Bible - the rapture will occur exactly as it is written in the Bible.
Believe that the ‘end times events’ in the Bible have special significance.
Rapture = most important part of Jesus’ second coming.
What do the majority of Christians believe about the rapture?
They believe that Jesus will return but that the rapture will not happen as it is written in the Bible when the second coming happens.
Why do the majority of Christians not believe that the rapture will happen?
Descriptions vary between passages
Few passages use the image of faithful being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and Paul did not use the description in his later writings.
Most Bible dictionaries and encyclopaedias do not mention the rapture at all.
What do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe about the rapture?
They believe that it will happen
Who was C.T. Russell?
One of the founding members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (a denomination of Christianity).
What prediction did C.T. Russel make about the rapture?
He predicted that it would happen in 1874.
What did Jesus say about people claiming to be or know when the Messiah will come again?
Jesus said they should not be believed.
What will happen during the millennium?
Believers will remain in heaven while God will work on earth with the people of Israel
