Ask an EOC: What is the history of the rapture?

Ask an EOC: What is the history of the rapture?

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Commentary by Nicholas Damascus | FāVS News

Eastern Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and some mainline Protestants view the rapture as heretical teaching of the Christian faith. It was not preached or believed prior to A.D. 1830 when John Nelson Darby individually proclaimed that his teaching is what the Bible says Christ will do when he comes again. Jesus, Paul, Peter, John or any of the writers of the Bible or Christian church fathers did not preach about the rapture.

The rapture teaches four comings of Jesus — first, his birth in Bethlehem; second, his secret coming to snatch away (rapture) the select few; third, his thousand-year reign; and fourth, the final judgment at the end of time. In the Bible, there are only two, not four, comings of Christ. 

What does the Bible say?

Passages of Scripture that allude to the event of the rapture are in actuality referring to the second coming or final judgment of Christ. He will return a second time to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. 

The rapture teaches that select born-again Christians will float into the clouds — no matter where they are or what they are doing — to meet the Lord in the clouds. 

Some questions to ask that logically follow this teaching include the following. If the raptured are driving, will the passengers die? If they are a pilot flying a plane, will their passengers die in a plane crash? If they are a surgeon in the middle of surgery, will the patient die? If they are parents with young children and babies, who will take care of the abandoned children?    

For a better explanation of this teaching from an Eastern Orthodox perspective can be viewed below.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.