Raptured in thought
All my life I have always thought that when someone dies they proceed to heaven. I thought when my father and mother passed that they were at peace with the Lord in heaven. Throughout my Christian walk I held on to the doctrine of the rapture hoping that before the darkest times on earth arrive I would be beamed up to meet the Lord. Then I heard teachings on the subjects of going to heaven and pre, mid and post rapture doctrines and decided to research these topics. After I spent months to years researching I began to teach what I discovered during Sunday school and was surprised how attendees protected the doctrine of going to heaven and the rapture. I began to dig deeper into each topic and this short post pulls the covers back on both doctrines, and both are extra scriptural doctrines. With all that said, let’s begin.
The Rapture:
This doctrine began in 1585 and was then called futurism that later became what we call today “The Rapture.” This doctrine created to turn attention away from the papacy and the reformation association of the anti-Christ with the pope and was begun by three Jesuits: Francisco Ribera, Luis de Alcazar, and Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine. See Rapture Theology’s Ominous Origins.
Then in 1830 John Darby picked up the false doctrine of the rapture in 1830. See The origin of Rapture False Doctrine. One word of concern for this site, it see the rapture doctrine beginning with Darby which is not factual. Darby pickup up the futurism doctrine that begun in 1585 and began the dispensationalism movement.
Another resource that is Seeds of Abraham Apostolic Fellowship.
When we die do we got Heaven?
Short answer is no. Once again, here is a doctrine that is extra biblical, meaning that this understanding is not supported by scripture. See Do Christians go to heaven when they die?
On the issue of going to heaven Paul has something to say concerting this understanding, and what he has to say can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:35–49. What Paul tells us is that we are asleep until the Lord returns, there is no shooting off to heaven to be ahead of everyone else. For me, I think Jesus tells us something of that place of rest when He hunk on the cross and told one of the thieves that today he would be with the Lord in paradise. Paradise is the abode of Adam and Eve before the fall in the biblical account of the Creation; the Garden of Eden. Some religions translate paradise as heaven so for me, this means we will all rest in paradise (heaven) until the Lord returns and those of us who have died will rise first to meet the Lord and then those who are alive will be gathered.
Over the centuries Christian understanding has evolved into something foreign to Scripture and the teachings handed down to us. We need to stick with what the Scriptures say and not decide that we know better. We need to stop making things up and creating doctrines that are deceptive, misleading, and in some cases, utter nonsense. Allow the Holy Spirit to unpack the Scriptures within you to allowing growth and maturity to sprout. It is your responsibility to make certain the seed that was planted in your heart continues to grow and produce good fruit, Galatians 5:22.
I endeavor to keep posts as short and concise as possible because if you are like me, I do not enjoy reading from a computer, laptop, tablet or phone unless I must. I do pray that what we write (be it poorly, controversial, or divisive) helps in further study and revelation.
God Bless
Michael
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