A Reality Check on the Rapture

Disclaimer: I do believe in the rapture, and I do believe that it will take place. I know that puts me at theological odds with several of my friends, but I think it is possible. In fact, several of my unsaved friends at work and on the web have made fun of those who think tomorrow is the day. Confession time: I have to be careful because I secretly want to poke fun at them too.

Just because I think that a rapture is possible, or even likely, doesn't mean that there will be a rapture on Saturday, or even that I guarantee that a rapture will take place some day in the future. I may be totally wrong about it. However, if there is a rapture on Saturday, or the next day, I'll be gone. Don't check the blog anymore, it won't be updated unless God has blogger in heaven.

The fact is, statistically speaking, tomorrow is a more likely day for the rapture than today is. After all, if God already knows the number of days before Christ is to return, then tomorrow is closer to that day than today is, unless today is the day, in which case tomorrow will have missed the mark. Confusing?

So, to be clear, I can't imagine a human somehow pulling off what Christ could not (Jesus himself doesn't know the day of the Second Coming-Matthew 24:36, 40, 42). However, should the rapture happen tomorrow, I won't be here to answer any comments you might post to this blog article. Just saying...

5 comments:

Unknown said...

good post.
~AM

The Navy Christian said...

Thank you both!

Jin-roh said...

See you Sunday! :-D

Unknown said...

I told my students that IF an event occurs tomorrow that is predicted to happen, THEN they will be teacherless on Monday, AND ithey should not ask me any questions about their grades. Now that's conditional reasoning if I ever saw it! Two lessons in one!!

Okay, on a serious note now, you perked my interest when you imply there might not be a rapture. What is the meaning of this theology? Message me or call me sometime. Or just wait till I see you tomorow.

The Navy Christian said...

Nate, I think both of your paragraphs were serious notes. I told my students the same thing and I told members of my staff as well. I'm writing a post about that now.

As to your second paragraph, most of Christianity believes that there are not two parts to the 2nd Coming, meaning there is no actual rapture, tribulation, and then triumphal return as we learned growing up. For the most part, they are called Amellinialists. I must confess, I find it difficult to counter their arguments, but then again I'm not a gifted apologist. However, after some study and research, there are holes in the Amellinialist theology as well. In my learned opinion, it's fine to believe in the possibility of a rapture as there is scriptural evidence for it, but I wouldn't make it the centerpiece of your theology. Did I not send you my paper on the doctrine of the rapture?