--- Rapture? ---
Written: December, 2023

The rapture is one of those religious "doctrines" I usually don't talk about at all, because I do my best to avoid telling people what "not" to believe. The word rapture is not found in the Bible, so... There never seems any value in talking about doctrines based on or described by words not found in Scripture. Rather, I try to focus on what Jesus Christ "did" teach. Telling people how their faith is wrong usually only exasperates the teller and infuriates the hearer. Criticizing the faith of others can turn them away from really "hearing" the words of Christ. Christ warned against doing that... (Mark 9:38-40) Telling people they are wrong is especially upsetting when they have learned a couple of scriptures they are convinced supports an idea they have been led to, and, are now hearing you tell them they are wrong about in their faith. Jesus just told people what was true, so they could simply build faith in that truth. He didn't waste time more than necessary on what was false. Jesus was perfect and taught by his father exactly what we all need to hear. (John 7:16-17; John 12:46-50) All the rest of us are just trying to learn. So, what you "should" believe are the things I try to preach; as I also convey that a summation of what you "should believe" are the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Mat 17:5; Gal 3:23-29) We should all be joined to Christ in giving praise to his Father ... (John 12:28; John 17:1-10; John 20:30-31; 2 Tim 3:14-17; Acts 3:19-23)  יהוה is God's Bible given Hebrew Name. sent Jesus to teach you how to step from death into life. (John 5:24; John 7:16-18; John 12:48-50; John 3:31-36) That must begin with recognizing God's only later day command (since Jesus began his preaching work - Heb 1:1-6). That command, spoken to us from heaven, is to listen to God's son. (Mat 17:5) Having gained that knowledge, wisely make the choice to read the Gospel accounts of the life and teachings of Christ. (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) So, then, because I try to avoid asserting what people should not believe, I won't tell you the rapture is a false teaching. I don't believe I have the right to judge such things for you. (1 Cor 4:1-5) You have to build you own faith. I do have to say I don't personally believe in the rapture, at least not in the way it is taught by most of the churches. Having confided my lack of belief in the rapture, the scriptures compel me to next explain "why" I don't believe. (1 Pet 3:15 of 10-16) Only you can, and must, decide what YOU believe. It is the responsibility of your life! (John 17:3; Isa 45:22-24; John 3:16; John 6:47; Acts 16:31) One reason I consider this material is to warn: Arguing about religious doctrine is one of Satan's most powerful tools to obscure and direct your attention away from the simple truth brought by Christ. (John 18:37)

An example of how doctrines come to exist, and then of the great harm they do, would be if someone opened the Bible and read where God said "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" was justice. (Exo 21:22-25) How could that be a doctrine, you might ask; since it is quoted directly from the Bible? You would be partially right, it is scriptural; and, taken right out of the Bible. Those deceived turn that scripture into a doctrine, however, when they ask you, based on that lone scripture [or a few similar ones], to join them in doing harm to someone they believe has harmed them. They are able to turn "that scripture" into "their doctrine" because they are using it out of context. Whether they have been deceived themselves and just passing it on, or deliberately deceiving you, the result is the same: If you follow them, you would be deceived by a doctrine of men; is this case men misapplying scripture to mislead. Your simple solution? You just need to know a bit more. You just need to listen to Jesus so as to fully understand: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth was part a law code given the ancient Nation of Israel. It was during the period their Jewish Nation was being used by God to produce the promised Savior of the world. (John 4:22 of 19-26) The "Law" was a part of our tutor leading to Christ! Now that Messiah has arrived, we are no longer under the tutor. (Gal 3:23-29) Our Savior and Messiah gave us a new law to put love above justice. (Mat 5:43-48) He went so far as to say such love would identify his true followers. (John 13:34-35) So, don't you see, doctrines of men can be very dangerous for the ignorant. Ignorance is dangerous because being misled can keep people from coming to know God. The ignorant are also dangerous for others, because the ignorant often harm the innocent. The Dark Ages was a period of about 1000 years during our history when the so called Holy Roman Church unwittingly tried to destroy Christianity: While asserting they were serving Christ, they killed [at least] hundreds of thousands of people, because those people wouldn't join and endorse their doctrine of Catholicism... Can you really imagine? Only 100 years ago, Catholics and Protestants were still slaughtering each other in Ireland. The invasion of Israel and subsequent war in Gaza is about religion, it is about Zionism. It's easy to recognize the folly of Religionists and their doctrine when we can see people using religious doctrine to murder each other in what they imagine is God's service. Religionists who attack and try to undermine your faith can be a bit harder to spot, but just as spiritually dangerous. They try to judge and thus harm each other spiritually. You have probably had some member of one of the many religious sects start up a conversation with you, or even come to your door, ostensibly to join in an interchange of encouragement based on Christ's message. (Rom 1:12 of 7-12) I have seldom seen one of such people who really wanted an upbuilding conversation with me. While claiming they are preachers of Christ, all I have seen are mostly religious warriors for their chosen sect. They draw you into a conversation, but usually with ears tuned to listen for words they can use to find fault with what you believe. One of such keywords is the cross. Many Religionists want to argue about whether Christ died on a cross, or on a stake, or on a tree. Choosing to argue about such unknowable information [the Romans employed all three methods when Jesus lived], is not sharing the message about Christ's sacrifice in love. They more want to find fault with "your" belief. Their intent is to compel you toward faith in their sect, because they have found something wrong with what you believe; so, you need to recognize only their sect can help you. Although they might not realize, such people are not trying to follow the scriptural pattern of upbuilding others; (Rom 1:7-12) but actually working to stumble the faith of people not joined to them. They are glorifying their sect rather than Jesus and . (John 5:39-44) Jesus warned against being like that. (Mark 9:38-42) Your protection against being deceived by the doctrines of men, even when the deceivers quote scripture out of context to mislead, (Mat 4:5-7) or try to argue about asserted facts that go beyond what is written, (1 Cor 4:6) is just listening to the words of Jesus Christ for yourself... (John 18:37) He came to set you free of being infected by such religious people. (John 8:31-32) Never try to justify your religious sect. (John 8:33) Just remember always: You need to listen to Jesus. (John 8:31-32; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

In a class teaching bank personnel how to identify counterfeit money, for example, the instructor said the best way to identify what is counterfeit is to handle and become intimately familiar with what is real. Really know what each bill looks like and feels like. If you do that, said the instructor, when something is wrong, you will spot it immediately. Whether that is true about money, I am convinced it is true about knowledge of God and his son. (Mat 17:5; John 17:3; Pro 30:4) If you spend time listening to and learning from Jesus what is true, (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) you will know what is not... If you are sure you are really listening to Christ, (Mat 7:15) there is no reason to spend a lot of time learning what is not true. Even after saying all that, however, and believing every word, there are some teachings people claim are from the Bible you do well to be cautious of. (Mark 13:21-23) Jesus said we should be extremely cautious of anything that might not be a real Bible teaching, but rather a "doctrine" created by men. [What is a doctrine? Sects of men and women often feel the need to gather and define themselves a doctrine about some matter of other, so everyone "they approve" can know what to believe. (Mat 15:8-9) Simple fact of protection: If you wouldn't believe some thing someone says to you, just from your own simple reading of the Bible and apart from their doctrine of explanation, you  probably  shouldn't believe it at all. You must know: God sent Jesus to explain the Bible... (John 18:37)] Humans are not qualified to create doctrines of explanation for the Bible. That's what the words of Christ do. His words are the only thing that can. Some doctrines men create require you to put faith in words not even found in the bible, like the rapture and the trinity. Just please really think about that: God sent Jesus to teach you what He wants you to know, (John 5:24; John 7:16-18; John 12:48-50; John 3:31-36) yet some men imagine they need to make up new words to explain God's message. Like Jesus wouldn't have made up the word rapture if it needed to be done? Another type of doctrine is when people debate unknown details of Bible teachings, such as whether Jesus died on a stake or a cross or on a tree as some translations word it. [The Romans used all three methods of crucifying people. So, no one can really know today what Jesus was nailed to. Yet and still, many Religionists argue and debate and try to focus your attention on which piece of wood Jesus was crucified on. Does that impact your faith that he died for you?] When you recognize you are being drawn into a debate about any of such doctrines, which really just amount to the teachings of men, (Rev 22:18-20) just ask yourself, "wouldn't I better served becoming familiar with what the son of God told me; working to become intimate with what Jesus said?" (1 Cor 3:1-11) Being careful to listen to Christ will save you a lot of heartache and wasted time and effort. Who would really wants to judge another person wicked or lost to God because they believe differently about what Jesus was nailed to and crucified upon? Really?

So, if you want to believe in the the rapture as taught by he churches, that is certainly your decision and I don't judge you for it. While you don't need to worry about my judgment, as I am just trying to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling, (Philippians 2:12 of 12-18) even as I assume you are doing; you should not fail to be aware you do have a judge. We all have a judge! Jesus specifically said you are judging your-own-self by what you choose to place your faith in. (John 12:48) Just be certain your faith is in the words Jesus spoke. Don't be deceived: Just ask yourself, are you listening to Jesus Christ, or to some sect of men as you spend more time reading their organizational writings containing their doctrines of faith, than you do reading the words of Christ from the Bible? (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

[Note: There does seem one clear difference between the days of Noah and Lot, and their re-fulfillment or re-enactment in our day in time. The Bible says those people of history were ignorant: They "were not aware what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away." Having heard these words of Christ, however, those killed in our day at Armageddon will not die ignorant! (The willful choice to remain ignorant becomes stupidity; which is no longer justifiable ignorance... John 15:22) Those ancient judgments might not have been to final and eternal destruction. If some of those destroyed in Lot and Noah's days did die in ignorance, they might receive a resurrection... Who will live and who will die is God's decision, of course! Point is: Armageddon "is" the final and eternal destruction by God of all that is wicked. (Rev 19:17-19; Rev 16:16) There will likely be no resurrections from that destruction. That seems likely because God says everyone in our day will know, so as to become responsible; and thus not die in ignorance. (Isa 45:22-25) Taking away ignorance is why I share these words of Christ... (John 15:22) Ignorant people can't be God's friends... That's why you should share Christ's words with people you know, and especially those you care about.]


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