I was brought up within a Christian Church which proclaimed that Jesus was the final TRUTH on issues of salvation and also on the core issues of theology/doctrine. If this is valid, then WHY must it come to an END? Is there some flaw in the core theology/doctrine? If Jesus is God, then why would this age of the CHURCH need to END? It appears to me that this END is now imminent and many are now waiting to escape from planet earth prior to the so-called Tribulation period which is soon to emerge. Think on this! Believers in Jesus Christ desire to escape our planet and its system!
A popular preacher on this issue is Pastor David Jeremiah who preaches this theology from San Diego, California. I have personally attended his church on two or three occasions. I have relatives who are members of this Church pastored by David Jeremiah. His following is in the millions (worldwide) and he is viewed as a solid authority on Christian Theology and Christian Eschatology. Listen to his message above in the video presentation. What is this bodily 'rapture' all about? Why the need to escape from our planet?
Millions of Church Age believers have adopted the viewpoint that this Church Age is ending and this means that real believers need (desire) to escape the coming wrath of our Creator God (Yahweh) whose wrath must come so as to cleanse the planet of all evil. This escape will happen via this bodily RAPTURE (into the clouds above). Amazing theology of these Christian believers who think (apparently) that they are SPECIAL in their God's sight (Jesus is their God)!
I find few to none who acknowledge Yahweh God (the historical God of Israel) as their God and Source. I am one of the few. It is this God (Revelation 4) which brings us this wrath period which all these believers desire to ESCAPE. Revelation seems to say that prior to the New Kingdom Age there must first be a period of Tribulation. Christian believers (like those who buy into the preaching of David Jeremiah) think that their destiny is this escape our planets tribulations via a bodily 'rapture' into the clouds above! It's all suppose to happen SOON (the message is that this is 'imminent')!
My personal sense is that this teaching within Eschatology is mostly fallacious and invalid. I will maintain that there will be NO bodily rapture for these Christian believers. Their teaching is basically invalid and without real merit. God is NO respecter of person's. The idea that a select few (called Evangelical Christians) will escape and leave everyone else to suffer the wrath (tribulation) is not sound teaching and it is not sound thinking IMO. What is at the CORE that is unsound? Why must this Church Age END?
The core problem IMO is that our Catholic/Protestant theology has developed (gradually and relentlessly since Pentecost) with a mindset of desiring to MAKE GOD in the image of a 'man'. Yes, Christian theology has made this 'man' (Jesus/Yeshua) into God Almighty via their theology. The original theology (prior to Jesus/Yeshua) was that 'man' was made in the IMAGE of God. But this idea did not work for many believers/theologians (after the death/crucifixion of Jesus) so they reversed the theology to let's make GOD in the image of man. Yes, a man (this ideal person Jesus) was made into God. A 'man' became God which reveals this theology of making God into the image of man (the precise OPPOSITE of what God originally stated after the creation of man.
This idea of making 'God in the image of man' happened gradually and subtly via Catholic theology and later Protestant theology. This 'man' Jesus was exalted to God Almighty with the decisions of the counsel of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Yes, this man Jesus (who had died at Golgotha around 30 - 33 A.D.) was elevated (theologically) to an equal with Yahweh God via the vote of Bishops at Nicaea. Later there was another counsel which claimed that Jesus (while living on our planet from 4 B.C. to 33 A.D.) was BOTH God and Man (simultaneously). This doctrine was then called the HYPOSTATIC UNION concept. Christians espouse this doctrine within their churches every Sunday.
This Catholic/Protestant theology emerged after the death of this Jew from Nazareth who actually preached the direct OPPOSITE of this doctrine. Jesus/Yeshua did NOT view himself as Yahweh God (the Father). He actually viewed himself as an 'anointed' servant of his God...Yahweh. He preached the direct OPPOSITE of what emerged within this Catholic/Protestant theology of man. Yeshua actually PRAYED to his God, Yahweh/Father. He submitted to the WILL of his God and his Father. But all this was reversed by our Catholic/Protestant theologians who desired that Jesus (the man) be God Almighty. Our Church Age has promoted this false theology for nearly 2,000 years. Amazing!
Yes, the CHURCH AGE must end and I think it will end soon. But those who have lived a false (idolatrous) theology for some 2,000 years will not get to ESCAPE (as they think) IMO. This bodily rapture idea is totally anathema to that which is reality in the NOW. Our real God is NO respecter of persons and this is clear to me when I study scripture (see Revelation 5: 1-4) for reference. God views all mankind as less that Godlike (perfect and righteous). Man has no right to create GOD IN THE IMAGE OF MAN. Think on this as you listen to all these false rapture preachers who seek ESCAPE for themselves and their flock. That is my VIEWPOINT.
Have a great day! I am: Donald B. Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, donaldswenson.blogspot.com.
http://kingdomecon.wordpress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment