The flesh and the spirit always view information differently, the flesh sees human solutions and physical realities. The spirit looks for the purposes of God and ways to over-ride the flesh- holding a completely different value system. The flesh longs for self gratification, the spirit longs for God's glory. Rapture is just a word, but subject to analysis from both perspectives. Hence the flesh holds a high hope for a spectacular ride into the heavens and the mystical departure from the bonds of earth. But the spirit longs for the intimacy of the relationship, the joy of the presence of the beloved, and doesn't really care about the physical components so much, or the definitions of the active elements.But we live in the body, and are both flesh and spirit. There will probably always be a discussion of the physical events and the spiritual changes.And both will occur. This mortal will in the twinkling of an eye be changed to the immortal, and the groanings of the bondage to futility will be replaced with the joy of being complete in the full image of Christ.The rapture will be a wonderful blending of so many things about which we have no prior experience.Even so come Lord Jesus, we wait with eager anticipation of Your Goodness at a level beyond comprehension!
_________________Tom Cameron
DEADn wrote:I just want the meat of why the rapture is true and why the rapture might be false.
_________________Lisa
I recall the day I was raptured. In fact it lasted for three days, days where I was barely conscious of my surroundings, I was so taken up to the heavenly sphere.It came after a time of intense trials but at last I surrendered entirely to the Lord, consenting to losing my life for His sake and forsaking all. In a flash I was transported to the heavens and such a profound awarenesss of His presence that I had never known before.I barely slept for those three days where He poured out His love for me in an ocean of blessedness. He opened up the scriptures to give me understanding of what I had been going through and to read of others who had been raptured too and made pure.In the end I had to ask for release as I did not think that my body could survive it for much longer and then read of others at a later date who had asked the same. I think it might have been Torrey.I pray that my brothers and sisters who oppose entire sanctification would be blessed this way too and all arguments would cease and we would be as one.
Yes no arguing. If you want to go that way only post scripture that shows it isn't real. All I really want to see is the pro's and con's on the rapture. Really don't need any commentary on it.
_________________John
I agree with Lysa, so many opportunities Jesus had to lay out the logistics of the rapture... that He never took. There are just too many ways that Jesus would have to apologize and manipulate to pull it off the way it is commonly taught by its proponents.My opinion, and take that for what it is worth, is that when Jesus instructed the disciples how to pray He told them to pray: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," He was instructing in a prophetic stream, declaring the desire of the Father. That desire is the restoration of perfection in the earth where His crown jewel of creation lives.The ancient prophets spoke of that restoration prolificly in their contributions to scripture, and Paul's prophecy in Romans 8 about the whole creation coming out of the bondage to decay and into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God steers me to believe that rapture is first personal for me and my fellow believers- then spreading to the rest of creation.But the nitty-gritty of the rapture is what happens to me when I am slammed with the fullness of Christ in that final transformation. I do not need to go anywhere like the sky, I am already as Jesus put it- "Where I am, ye shall be also."So it really is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."Not in any way to diminish the experience of Krautfrau! What she describes is very much the same thing Paul experienced when he said he was caught up to the 3rd heaven, "whether in his body or out he did not know." But as wonderful as that is, it is not the final and permanent transformation. Perhaps it could be described as a First Fruits sampling of the glory to follow, an unforgettable treasure to store up in one's heart as we wait for "the day." And proof for the one who has such an experience that rapture is real. And a quick scan of the news these days indicates we won't have to wait too long before all of this comes together!In my opinion...