📢 Forum Update - Hello everyone! I've made an improvement to the forum that should make following active discussions much easier. Beginning today, forum topics will display the most recent replies first (while keeping the original topic post at the top), so you no longer have to navigate through multiple pages to find the latest conversation. This change also helps improve the browsing experience in long-running discussions with many pages of replies. If you notice anything that doesn't seem to be working correctly or have any feedback, please let me know. — Richard G. I have read that most evangelical/fundamental churches and Christians used to believe in the pre trub rapture. But that in recent decades the belief in the rapture has been shelved or ridiculed as extreme. Certainly, the RCC has rejected it in favor of a general return of Christ and a general judgement of all, believers and non believers Main line protestant and reformed churches seem to also reject it. (Several years aso, I received an email from this Redeemer Presbyterian Church where the speaker was going to show that the rapture, pre trub or not, was false.) But what is shocking is that supposed Bible believing churches that in their SOF's accept the pre trib rapture of all believers; yet in reality, ignore the rapture and tribulation and never seem to approach the subject. A church that I used to attend was going to do a sermon series on the seven churches in Rev 2 and 3; but instead of showing the exciting nearness of our eternal joyful unification with our Lord, the pastor used this to beret the congregation for their shortcomings. What about the wonderful promise from the Lord to the church of Philidelphia that they will never see the wrath of God.? (Rev 3:10) Maybe I have got this all wrong: maybe most Bible believing Christians do still believe in the pre trib rapture of the church; but they are so busy with building projects and pumping their flocks for more and more bucks and trying to shame them if they don't...Maybe the church has become focused on the Rick Warren "Purpose Diven Church" and all its mega bucks, instead of on what it is truly supposed to be; a body of Christ in the Holy Spirit who are pilgrims here in the life and whose main mission is spreading the gospel of salvation thru Christ's death for our sins, his burial, and his resurrection from the dead. Phil lf you can get a hold of Clarence Larkin's "Dispensational Truth," his charts and writings, make the pre trib rapture very clear. He also makes clear what the TRUE church is and is not. People are deceived into believing that this church or that denomination is the "true churh" Larkin show in his writings this error and how it condemns many who are relying on their church to show the way to Heaven. There is only ONE church that you need to be a member of before Christ's returns in the Rapture; that you name is written in its member rolls and that admits you to eternal live in Heaven. And that is the church you automatically became a member of when you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all your sins, was buried, and raised from the dead for your eternal salvation. (Rom 4:25). This is the true church of the born again saved only, the church of the first born or new born whose names are forever written Heaven. You as a member of this true church are the "Pearl of Great Price" that Christ paid it all with his precious blood to ransom and redeem us forever. (Matt 13) Any other church that you are a "member" of or not a member of cannot save you; that brick and morter church down the street that you joined can't get you eternal life. If you get a chance, look at Larkin's "Dispensational Truth" classic book and the chart on bottom of page 129 where he shows all these man-made churches and denominations thur the centuries like Catholic, Protestant or others will end up being left behind at the rapture if its members and others are not also members of the only church that counts for eternity, the church of the "First Born" (Heb 12:23). Who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit the moment the simply believed the good news gospel of our salvation. (Eph 1:13-24) You will notice in the chart that the church of born again is on a direct path to Christ in the rapture; but all other "churches" fall into the sea of apostacy and fall short of the glory of God. You will note that the darkest shading is given for the RCC, not surprising, as well as all cults. There is a similar larger chart (the failure of Christianity) on p. 78 of this same book. Again, people have been deceived thru the centuries into believing that this "church" or that "church" is the "true church." The devil has done a masterful job into getting people to blindly follow the teachings of men as truth, instead of what the word of God in the Bible says. Phil Many have also balked at the priority system God seemingly employs: First spirit, then soul and lastly body. Are we not told that if your right hand offend thee cut it off, for it is better to enter Heaven without a hand than not enter at all! TR Although the rain has always fallen on the just and the unjust and martyrdom has always been present the difference being that a wife beater enjoys inflicting the pain! Christ does not! But God gives everyone an even playing filed as faith is being tested again with the human body holding a low priority! As this flesh cannot live forever! With God's ultimate aim to filter out those who might later rebel against Him as the Angels did! Also a good argument that flesh and blood need to be glorified, whether infected or altered genetically! IMHO TR I loved that story too Yohanan, excellent!
My great grandmother came over on the boat from Italy too so I guess we are paisonos! I did not know her at all because she passed around the time I was born, but I remember my grandmother (her daughter) quite well and she sounds a lot like the story of your great grandmother. She used to pray for hours a day, she used rosary beads because that is all she knew and had been taught, but her relationship with Jesus was very obvious and very close. Thanks for sharing your story!
