Do Mormons believe in the rapture?
by BretQ. Do Mormons believe in the rapture?
A. If you asked a Mormon about the rapture, you might not get a clear answer. The word, “rapture” isn’t part of our vocabulary in this context, and you won’t hear a lesson about it on Sunday. As far as my research goes, there isn’t a consensus among other Christians concerning what the rapture is either, but the basic idea is that righteous individuals will experience Heavenly glory at an event where they encounter Christ. And yes, we believe that will happen.
Do we believe in the popular idea that all or even some of the righteous souls on this earth will all be taken away permanently, leaving the rest behind? No, this earth is God’s creation and He will not abandon it. In fact, quite the opposite will occur, and the earth will be burned at His coming (Nahum 1:3-5). This is a crucial part in returning the earth to a state like the Garden of Eden which is described by John as a “new heaven, and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) and is symbolic of our personal conversion (Noah’s flood = Baptism. Renewal of the earth by fire = Baptism by fire and spirit. John 3:5). The righteous will be spared during this period and will live on the newly cleansed earth during the Millennium of Christ’s reign. The righteous that will be spared will be the honest and just people of the earth, not members of any specific church. This includes all people who are honest, chaste, and live according to their own level of light.
Prior to this renewal, God will be pouring as much light, truth and spirit onto the earth for our benefit. This is to help all to endure what may be termed the “tribulation,” another word not found in our vocabulary in this context. This coincides with our belief concerning the increasing wickedness and suffering that will exist before Second Coming of Christ. With God’s help, it is and will continue to be possible to be happy in spite of what is happening around us. And also because of God’s help, it is our responsibility to search out those in need of a caring heart.
The subject of the Second Coming is extremely complex in its details and yet very simple by nature. One could focus intently on every sign, every prophecy and every scripture and still miss the very point of the matter, that is, that Christ is returning and we must be ready to receive Him. Study the scriptures and the words of the prophets for yourself to learn about His gospel.
PRETRIB RAPTURE – HIDDEN FACTS !
How can the “rapture” be “imminent”? Acts 3:21 says that Jesus “must” stay in heaven (He is now there with the Father) “until the times of restitution of all things” which includes, says Scofield, “the restoration of the theocracy under David’s Son” which obviously can’t begin before or during Antichrist’s reign. Since Jesus must personally participate in the rapture, and since He can’t even leave heaven before the tribulation ends, the rapture therefore cannot take place before the end of the trib! Paul explains the “times and the seasons” (I Thess. 5:1) of the catching up (I Thess. 4:17) as the “day of the Lord” (5:2) (which FOLLOWS the posttrib sun/moon darkening – Matt. 24:29; Acts 2:20) WHEN “sudden destruction” (5:3) of the wicked occurs! (If the wicked are destroyed before or during the trib, who would be left alive to serve the Antichrist?) Paul also ties the change-into-immortality “rapture” (I Cor. 15:52) to the posttrib end of “death” (15:54)! (Will death be ended before or during the trib?) If anyone wonders how long pretrib rapturism has been taught, he or she can Google “Pretrib Rapture Diehards.” Many are unaware that before 1830 all Christians had always viewed I Thess. 4’s “catching up” as an integral part of the final second coming to earth. In 1830 it was stretched forward and turned into a separate coming of Christ. To further strengthen their novel view, which the mass of evangelical scholars rejected throughout the 1800s, pretrib teachers in the early 1900s began to stretch forward the “day of the Lord” (what Darby and Scofield never dared to do) and hook it up with their already-stretched-forward “rapture.” Many leading evangelical scholars still weren’t convinced of pretrib, so pretrib teachers then began teaching that the “falling away” of II Thess. 2:3 is really a pretrib rapture (the same as saying that the “rapture” in 2:3 must happen before the “rapture” ["gathering"] in 2:1 can happen – the height of desperation!). Other Google articles throwing light on long-covered-up facts about the 178-year-old pretrib rapture view include “Famous Rapture Watchers,” “X-Raying Margaret,” “Revisers of Pretrib Rapture History,” “Thomas Ice (Bloopers),” “Wily Jeffrey,” “The Rapture Index (Mad Theology),” “America’s Pretrib Rapture Traffickers,” “Roots of (Warlike) Christian Zionism,” “Scholars Weigh My Research,” “Pretrib Hypocrisy,” “Pretrib Rapture Desperados” and “Deceiving and Being Deceived” – all by the author of the bestselling book “The Rapture Plot” which is available at Armageddon Books online. Just my two cents’ worth.
Indeed, it is my understanding that Christ’s second coming will not happen until after this tribulation of the Saints. In fact, it will probably be the marked end of the tribulation as the elements will melt at His coming (2 Peter 3:10). That being said, I wouldn’t say that He cannot leave Heaven until that time. The restitution of all things has already begun, and we are in the dispensation of the fullness of times. Christ appeared to call a prophet to usher in such an important time in the earth’s history.
Thanks for your thought-provoking comments. Speaking of the rapture, I came across an article on Google just now titled “Walvoord Melts Ice” which covers the assertion by some evangelicals that “apostasia” (II Thess. 2:3) actually refers to the event they call the “rapture,” and it brings out some objections to that belief. Most interesting in that it shows that evangelicals disagree among themselves about all this.
Sandra
Christ returned in 1914 and is ruling in heaven now and getting everything ready for his 1000 year earthly rule from heaven with the 144,000. He hurled satan down to the earth at the start of his kingdom rule in heaven.” And war broke out in heaven: Michael (jesus heavenly name) and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled the original serpent the one called devil and satan who is misleading the entire inhabited earth,he was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him.” Revelatin 12:7-9. Once satan was thrown from heaven then jesus was able to set up his kingdom in heaven and this marked the start of his return or 2nd coming if u like. He is judging the inhabitants of the earth right now and once the Great Tribulation starts then the judging is complete and there is no turning back for the unrightous.
During the great tribulation the true followers of christ will be turned against and persecuted for their faith,when this happens God will step in and that will be the start of Armageddon or if u like the final phase of the great tribulation.Once the wicked are destroyed and satan is abyssed by christ then the kingdom that is established already in heaven will be established on earth aswell and the righteous will have 1000 years of peace where we will gradually grow to perfection again like Adam was originally. Also during the 1000 year reign of Christ the ressurection of the dead will take place on the earth.And then after the 1000 year reign satan will be released once more for a short time to test the newly resusurected ones faith. He will turn some to his side sadly but then they along with satan will be destroyed and we will all live forever on paradise earth as perfect men and women as was the original purpose for humans before adam and eve sinned.
Thanks for sharing your views! Be sure to keep looking around the site.
Althought this is old, this is the first result related to my serach about Mormons believing in the Rapture. I read 50% of what you said and didn’t need any extra unsure commentary about the topic. Many will use just part of the Bible to get to their own conclusion. Why? Because many are not sure if they will get raptured or not. Because many don’t want to think they have a God to obey 24/7 if they want to be saved. Because many do not want to repent and recognize they are sinner as everyone else is. When you come to a conclusion like ” every honest, chaste, etc. will be saved” you clearly haven’t understood the word at all. This is not about wisdom, its about praying God that you can find the way to walk the path He want you to walk His way, and not the way that is more comfortable for you. It is difficult to deny yourself and become a new creature in Christ, but it will be worth it the day of the rapture. Jesus said”Take heed that no man deceive you.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Matthew 24 5-6. also ”
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Mathew 24 38-51
It is more than clear that there will be a rapture before God’s Wrath come upon those disobedient who want to do whatever they want with their lives and who do not repent from their sins. God Bless you and I hope to make a point of reflexion and not for arguments.