Being a retired chaplain, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at yesterday's Pearls Before Swine comic strip. (Click the image to see a larger version at the comic's Web page.)
The comic amused me on many levels, but it also highlights a sad truth. I don't believe in the so-called "rapture" (it's not biblically valid at all, and was never part of the teaching of the early church), but an awful lot of people seem to spend an awful lot of time arguing about it. In fact, so many alleged Christians spend so much time arguing about when and where we've come from, and when and where we're going to, they forget that being a Christian necessarily implies living out one's faith today, and every day. That's the Biblical principle, anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, the end of the world can look after itself. If I'm still around at the time, I daresay I'll find out about it!
Peter
5 comments:
Missed that one.n Seems to have a bit of truth though.
What I find amusing about the whole rapture thing is that few talking about being "caught up" talk about the more likely "dropping dead." The net effect is the same and neither gives you a do over. Maybe it's because the dropping dead to glory song lyric has yet to be written. It'd be interesting to hear what Uzzah has to say on the subject.
I saw a bumper sticker that said, "When the Rapture comes, can I have your car?"
Sums it up for me, because I won't be going anywhere.
There is even a rapture prank video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0VYLFdhzZ8
The idea of a "rapture" is dubious hokum, relies on theological cotton candy, and has been marketed about the same way Nigerian banking e-mails and Ponzi schemes have: as a con to make a buck.
The early church was convinced Jesus was coming back any minute.
And that what was important was how you lived your life from now until then, not buying your "fire insurance" and booking your travel plans.
For those of the Christian faith, what should be the primary concern is the inevitability of meeting Jesus, one way or the other.
How or when is irrelevant.
Whether is settled orthodoxy.
And that is the inescapable point.
The rest is two childish disciples arguing about which one would be greater in Heaven, which must look to the Almighty like toddlers arguing about the merits of their sand castles.
If one's view of Eternity has no effect on their daily Reality, we have all the proof of their faith we need to see or hear.
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