finitum non capax infiniti

I’ve read and talked to a lot of people who are obsessed with the “rapture,” which is the idea that someday Christians will disappear and then all hell with break loose on earth so God can tie up his loose ends with Israel. I know, I know…if you are pre-trib you are probably thinking that was not a good and fair description…and you’re correct. I know there are plenty of reasons to believe in the pre-trib rapture and I know many people who hold to it who are intelligent people who love Jesus. I just do not understand it. I’ve tried, but I don’t.

Back to the rapture obessed people…I’ve heard a lot of things from this crowd. Popes being anti-Christs, the EU being the renewed Roman Empire, reading apocalyptic literature “literally,” and so on and so forth. I’ve heard a lot of strange things, but none have been stranger than the subject of this week’s “say what?!?”

I’m not quite sure what the fine folks over at Secrets of Survival are doing with their website. They have articles on “Russian Nuclear Weapons Hidden in USA During ‘Cold War’,” “Top 10 Volcanoes Most Likely to Erupt,” and some fine “How To” articles on topics such as “How to Survive a Bomb at a Public Event” and “How to Survive Rising Sea Levels Caused by Global Warming” (wow, I honestly wish I was joking at this point).

I shouldn’t knock them too hard, because they have finally figured it out: there are going to be TWO raptures! Apparently, the “good” Christians are going to disappear before the tribulation…then, the disobedient Christians and those who had a second chance and get saved during the tribulation disappear at the end of the tribulation…then (I’m getting winded), Christ will return for this second (or was it fourth?) coming. Sounds like a George Lucas movie I’d love to watch (as long as that annoying, gangly Jar Jar guy isn’t in it).

This is how they lay it out: 

Loving, obedient Christians faithful to God’s ways are rewarded by being raptured before the tribulation starts, whereas sinful Christians and unbelievers who have never found Christ, are left to go through the tribulation, at which time they are likely to finely accept God’s commands for our lives and finally come to true belief in Christ… or reject God and in the end be condemned to Hell. 

And if you were wondering how you could avoid the tribulation and be among the first to disappear, they offer this lovely tid bit of advice:

Now as a believer in Christ, you must pray to God for sanctification (1 Thess. 5:23) by his Holy Spirit, so that you can escape sin, and be made holy and righteous, in the image of Christ. You must become purified, without spot or blemish, by the renewing of your mind…You must not want anything to do with this world, and instead look forward to the return of Jesus Christ. 

Hate to be Johnny Rain Cloud here…but (a) perfection cannot be reached this side of the parousia, (b) at salvation, ever believer is made holy and righteous in our union with Christ, (c) the early church apostles, who followed Christ around in the flesh, cared a lot for this world; for the poor, widows, orphans, and social justice and so should we, and (d) while I admire and condone a life focused on growing in grace and righteousness, this viewpoint, essentially, preaches salvation based on works….or, “disappearance-order” based on works.