Question about End of Days, Rapture, Tribulation

[Blitzfike]

Taking anything out of context creates difficulty in understanding the meaning as put forth by the author. Much of the problems and wars in the past were due to someone taking parts of the bible out of context to try to put their personal view forward as being God's will. As a Christian, I try to take the bible teachings in the context of the whole and not just the parts that appeal to my current needs. That said, I personally believe that for your soul/spirit to enter Heaven, you have to accept Jesus Christ as your savior, and that he was sent by God to pay for the sins of Man. John 3-16 has been the mantra for being saved, and one should read chapter 3 in its entirety to better understand the context. Acts chapter 16 verses 16-38 tells of Paul and Silas being thrown into prison, verses 30-31 are the direct reference to being saved by believing in Christ. The part I have difficulty with is the content of verse 31 referring to the man and all in his house being saved by his belief. 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” I have always been taught that each person is responsible fo their own salvation by believing in and accepting Christ as their savior. Bottom line, if I believe and am wrong, all I lost is the effort I put into trying to be an acceptable Christian. If I don't believe and I'm wrong, I have lost eternal salvation. Seems like a simple choice for me.

 

[CHenry]

Taking anything out of context creates difficulty in understanding the meaning as put forth by the author. Much of the problems and wars in the past were due to someone taking parts of the bible out of context to try to put their personal view forward as being God's will. As a Christian, I try to take the bible teachings in the context of the whole and not just the parts that appeal to my current needs. That said, I personally believe that for your soul/spirit to enter Heaven, you have to accept Jesus Christ as your savior, and that he was sent by God to pay for the sins of Man. John 3-16 has been the mantra for being saved, and one should read chapter 3 in its entirety to better understand the context. Acts chapter 16 verses 16-38 tells of Paul and Silas being thrown into prison, verses 30-31 are the direct reference to being saved by believing in Christ. The part I have difficulty with is the content of verse 31 referring to the man and all in his house being saved by his belief. 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” I have always been taught that each person is responsible fo their own salvation by believing in and accepting Christ as their savior. Bottom line, if I believe and am wrong, all I lost is the effort I put into trying to be an acceptable Christian. If I don't believe and I'm wrong, I have lost eternal salvation. Seems like a simple choice for me.

This sums it up for me as well.
Simply ask Jesus into your heart and prays get answered.

 

[doctorjj]

read a bible, not the internet

Best advice ever!

 

[nofearfactor]

Im agnostic now but grew up Catholic, my wife is a long time Methodist and we have had 12 years of discussions on this subject and Im all messed up with what to believe. I just remember that the Catholics had a really skewed view of the 'end of days' as if they dont take it literal, and I dont remember studying anything about it in those after school Catechism classes. My mother is a devout Catholic going to Mass almost daily, believe my stepfather is or was a deacon or something like that at one time of the Baptist church before he converted for my mom. One thing I remember is that we never discussed this at all in our house growing up, like it was taboo or something, my mom has always brushed me off when I wanted to know anything about the Book of Revelation. I discussed it with my non Catholic friends tho who were taught it, but we werent. But one weird thing that confuses me is my mom has been in an uproar with me for years about being cremated, she says my body needs to be here for a reason, which leads me to believe that she believes something about the end of time.

 

[ronny]

Reminds me of 9mm vs. .45.

 

[Progun223]

The dispensationalist/pre-tribulation rapture eschatology was not taught until the 1800s by John Nelson Darby. The "Left Behind" type of teaching is not found anywhere in scripture. Revelation was written for us, not to us. Revelation was written to a first century church in the middle of a Caesar cult, facing the threat of being killed for allegiance to Christ. Much of what is spoken of in Revelation was fulfilled in the first century under the persecution of the Roman emperor Nero. Jesus is coming back, but that will be the final judgement. Having said all that, the current world system is very anti-Christ, and I think before it's all said and done, Christians here may have to give their lives for Jesus just as they are doing in other countries today, and have been for 2000 years.


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[FamousAJ]

Taking anything out of context creates difficulty in understanding the meaning as put forth by the author. Much of the problems and wars in the past were due to someone taking parts of the bible out of context to try to put their personal view forward as being God's will.

Like ISIS is currently doing.

great convo thus far...

 

[Okie4570]

Like ISIS is currently doing.

great convo thus far...

God and Allah the same entity? That's another thread brother

 

[TerryMiller]

God and Allah the same entity? That's another thread brother

Think of it from this point of view. Arabs trace their ancestry back to Abraham through Ishmael. Christians and Jews trace theirs back through Isaac to Abraham.

Abraham had one god.

 

[Okie4570]

Think of it from this point of view. Arabs trace their ancestry back to Abraham through Ishmael. Christians and Jews trace theirs back through Isaac to Abraham.

Abraham had one god.

That's how I explain that as well, was just jabbing AJ a bit