Rapture believers- pre/mid/post, and why?

[Lone_Gunman]

I grew up in the '80's Assembly of God church, and always heard a lot about the rapture. It was, it seemed, a cornerstone belief.

Everything I've read seems to show me that the "rapture" occurs with the second coming of Christ. That the dead in Christ, and the saints are caught up with Christ at his return. I will admit that I've not studied this particular issue in depth, and my understand comes almost completely from the book of revelation, which I've read in its entirety, several times.

I've always been a "pan" tribulationist, in that I believe that as long as I'm living in Christ it will all pan out in the end, but I'm curious what other Christians believe.

So what do you believe, and why? Scripture references are appreciated.

[eb47]

Reserved...

[Lineman101]

How about showing by Scripture that it teaches a pre, mid or post rapture and a susequent tribulation preceeded with a quasi-second coming. Then after 7 years, either based on 360 or 365 days, because the time is shortened, a third visible to the rest of the world return. I love my Brothers, but captain, it just ain't there. But since this is a very involved field of debate and cannot be answered in a few verses, what would you like to specifically address first? I'm interested.
For example, why would the beloved John in Revelation 1 tell those reading the letter that he, himself, was in the tribuation with them? Different tribulation? Multiple tribulations? Past and future tribulation peroids?
God bless,
Lineman101

[Lone_Gunman]

How about showing by Scripture that it teaches a pre, mid or post rapture and a susequent tribulation preceeded with a quasi-second coming. Then after 7 years, either based on 360 or 365 days, because the time is shortened, a third visible to the rest of the world return. I love my Brothers, but captain, it just ain't there. But since this is a very involved field of debate and cannot be answered in a few verses, what would you like to specifically address first? I'm interested.
For example, why would the beloved John in Revelation 1 tell those reading the letter that he, himself, was in the tribuation with them? Different tribulation? Multiple tribulations? Past and future tribulation peroids?
God bless,
Lineman101

Hey man, I just want to know what other Christians think about this...


From reading some of your other posts it seems that you believe that the tribulation has already happened, and the book of revelation was written for people in the past, correct?

[American Samurai]

I believe in an Amillenial view of the end times.

[Lineman101]

Hey man, I just want to know what other Christians think about this...


From reading some of your other posts it seems that you believe that the tribulation has already happened, and the book of revelation was written for people in the past, correct?

Sorry, I hope that I didn't sound like I came at you with all barrells. I hold that the "tribulation" of Revelation has already happened. But that the end of Revelation is still yet future. I see the Revelation as the vindication of Christ against unbelieving Israel for their utter rejection of Him and His plan of ultimate redemption. But like you, I was also raised in an Assembly of God church. So weighing my AOG teaching against what the Scripture communicates, I see the AOG position as very weak and with verses that must be taken out of context to make the necessary argument for pre, mid or post rapture. But I do hold to rapture, I see the Scripture teaching it at the Second visible coming of Christ with the eternal state immediately following that event.
God bless,
Lineman101

[Lineman101]

I believe in an Amillenial view of the end times.

I guess that my view would be considered Amillenial. But I don't 100% classify it that way. A millenium is spoken of in Revelation. I see this as quality of life and not quanity of years of life. I see the "thousand" as used in the Old Testament when it is used by or of God when it is communicating His possessions. Like cattle on a thousand hills, thousand years as one day, so forth...
God bless,
Lineman101

[RAMCLAP]

I'm Amillenial. First posed by St. Augustine. I'm not going to detail this. It's just the point of view of Amillenialists. Most of the Olivet discourse is about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 which ends the Jewish age. Not about the return of Christ. The beast and the Man of Lawlessness are not the same. The Beast we are told at that time there were six. They were on the 5th (Nero) with one more to come. Satan is bound at the Cross and cannot stop the Gospel from going out to the nations(the Millenium) until just prior to the Return of Christ when he is unleashed to deceive the nations and attack the Church. The two witnesses are not Moses and Elijah but the Old and New Testaments brought back to life with Guttenburg's printing press. We live in the Millenium now. The period between the Advents. There are wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and pestilence until Christ returns. The only event left until fulfillment is the releasing of Satan.

Anyhow, that's how I sees it.

[cabdmd]

I think that although there are different opinions about the timing of the rapture only one of them is correct, and arguments can be made for all three positions. That being said, I feel that He is coming post tribulation. Much is made about Daniel 9 in the Dispensational pre-trib camp, but the focus there is Israel and not the church in my view.

[Lone_Gunman]

Sorry, I hope that I didn't sound like I came at you with all barrells. I hold that the "tribulation" of Revelation has already happened. But that the end of Revelation is still yet future. I see the Revelation as the vindication of Christ against unbelieving Israel for their utter rejection of Him and His plan of ultimate redemption. But like you, I was also raised in an Assembly of God church. So weighing my AOG teaching against what the Scripture communicates, I see the AOG position as very weak and with verses that must be taken out of context to make the necessary argument for pre, mid or post rapture. But I do hold to rapture, I see the Scripture teaching it at the Second visible coming of Christ with the eternal state immediately following that event.
God bless,
Lineman101

No worries. Thanks for fleshing out your take on things.

[Barang]

Just one of the verses that that talks about the coming God's wrath upon unrighteous men excluding the believers.

Revelation 3:10English Standard Version (ESV)
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

[Lineman101]

Just one of the verses that that talks about the coming God's wrath upon unrighteous men excluding the believers.

Revelation 3:10English Standard Version (ESV)
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

I would see the operative word here as "you." Jesus was addressing those persons with him at that time. He did not use the word "them" as if He was addressing a future class of believers.
God bless,
Lineman101

[Lineman101]

I'm Amillenial. First posed by St. Augustine. I'm not going to detail this. It's just the point of view of Amillenialists. Most of the Olivet discourse is about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 which ends the Jewish age. Not about the return of Christ. The beast and the Man of Lawlessness are not the same. The Beast we are told at that time there were six. They were on the 5th (Nero) with one more to come. Satan is bound at the Cross and cannot stop the Gospel from going out to the nations(the Millenium) until just prior to the Return of Christ when he is unleashed to deceive the nations and attack the Church. The two witnesses are not Moses and Elijah but the Old and New Testaments brought back to life with Guttenburg's printing press. We live in the Millenium now. The period between the Advents. There are wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and pestilence until Christ returns. The only event left until fulfillment is the releasing of Satan.

Anyhow, that's how I sees it.

[RAMCLAP]

Ah. So you are a Preterist? Always have lively discussions with my Preterist friends.

[Lineman101]

Closer to partial Preterist. But a partial would see, I think, the Millennium, the period between the Advents. I don't see that. That is why I used "Closer."
By the way, the current form of Dispensational Pre-Millennial Tribulational teaching was never taught in the early Church. In the early 1800's, Darby introduced this to the Church. Most people don't know that. Prior to this, the Church held to Historic Pre-Millennialism. I was indoctrinated by the Assembly of God in tribulation thinking. But as you can tell, my views are certainly not what I was taught.
God bless you,
Lineman101