New Testament scholar believes rapture is 'nuts'PDFPrintE-mail
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Written by Chris Perver  
Wednesday, 24 January 2007 17:00
Bring on the monthly prognosticators! A New Testament professor in Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago says she believes the "rapture" theory, that so many Christians around the world hold to, is "nuts", and advocates that Christians "reclaim" (read "reinterpret") the book of Revelation. Dr Barbara Rossing, who has written a book entitled "The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in The Book of Revelation", said that there is a powerful feeling of "an end" in our culture, and there is a need that Christians properly addressed apocalyptic issues.  

Quote: ""As Christians, that cannot be our message," said Professor Rossing. "We need to read the Bible for the future; for the end of the world, said the New Testament scholar. We can learn from early Christians and New Testament communities about how to live in hope for the future "since they too believed that they were living at the end of the world, the end of the ages." "As we frame our thinking for the 21st century," she said, "frame the question of 'God's Unfinished Future' in ecological terms [and ask] how can we as Christians find a biblical vision of hope for the future that address ecological economics; that addresses the future of this earth; our home; and is God's home and will not be left behind."

Dr Rossing is proclaiming that the book of Revelation is a warning message from God, but advocates that Christians teach that God's ultimate aim is to heal this planet, not destroy it. That is true, don't get me wrong. But Rossing errs in her theology, which she claims to be a Doctor of. There is no "unfinished future" mentioned in the Bible, the future of mankind is already written down for all to see. The God I serve is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. The events spoken off in Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc. will unfold exactly as foretold, because God is the author of the book. Dr Rossing said that the disciples believed they were also living in the "end of the age". The truth is they were, Scripturally speaking the "end of the age" (in regards to Israel - Hebrews 1:1-2) has been going on for the last 2000 years. But the events written in the Scriptures concerning the last days (in regards to this world) could not have been fulfilled in their lifetimes, due to political alliances and technological advances described as taking place in the last days, and that is why there is a sense of "an end" in today's culture. To Dr Rossing, this fear of impending judgement is wrong, and the Bible must be reinterpreted in order to portray a more positive message. After all, how could a loving God destroy His own creation? In fact God's love demands that He judge the world. Love for the world to not leave it in its sinful state, and love for the saved to deliver them from it. 

Dr Rossing is a false teacher. She proclaims peace to the world, but does not seek to warn the lost of the judgement to come. Sadly she is like so many other false teachers today, believing that the Church has taken Israel's place, and that they can continue their comfortable lives on this earth indefinitely. Like the false prophets of old, God has not sent them though they claim to speak in His name. Those that have not truly accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour will receive their judgement, along with the souls they have deceived.

2nd Peter 2:1 
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Isaiah 47:13 
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.

Source Spero

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