The growing Catholic Bible Study/Apologetic class

This news was unheard off, when I started reading my Bible in 1999. I searched out in my place, well in those days I stayed in Sta. Cruz, Manila. So, definitely the parish near to me is the Sta. Cruz Parish Church. Though I am not sure if the parish had the Bible study that I am looking for. 

Today, the well read and informed Catholics are now reaching their Bibles, dusting it off, and start flipping its yellowish pages. There was a group of couples under the Marriage Encounter International who spearhead one of the most scholarly Bible study in Cubao. This group continues to study the Bible through Historical scholarly approach. Though it would sound much liberal, but I believe it stayed the conservative Catholicism taste. 

The other one is an Apologetic seminar headed by the Defensoris Fidei Foundation. This group focused on defending the faith against modern and ancient heresy. In my case, I attend both group. 

Since, I am still in infancy of really dodging the scripture in seriously, I need the scholarly type, and the Apologetic side. Filipinos had the resources of knowing their faith. The next question is do cafeteria Catholics stop choosing and dropping and start act like a mature grown man.

What every Catholic should remember...answering a blogger's great heresy

Catholic should start reading their Bible. Moreover, every Catholics should study the faith deeply or else wolves in sheep clothing might drag them up in the pit. 

There is a frenzy idea of being a Christian, and most of them would tell you that "Faith Alone" is necessary to salvation. 

In my experience talking to well known Catholic Apologist, these and Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone/Scripture Alone) are not new. These were heresies that some of the Saints battled and won, and most of them lost their lives to Christ's original teaching.

The so-called Born Again Christians would tell you or asked you something like these: "Are you saved?" Or sometimes gave you a non-solicited advice in reading the Bible, and would tell you that these 5-verses are the ONLY thing you should know regarding your salvation. 

My aim is to show you how they twist the Word of God to fit with their bellies... Here are the five verses  that they used to lure people to damnation.

1.  Ephesians 2: 8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you it is a gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.”  

  2.  Mark 7:8 “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

 3. John 10:28-29”I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand”

 4. I John 5: 13 “I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God”

 5. Romans: 5: 1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

 The verses above are used to justify faith alone or also known as SOLA FIDE. Except  number 2. It denotes that God hates human traditions. If you are thrown with these Bible verses what would you do? Nominal Catholics would shy away with this kind of confrontation. A true follower of Christ would reason back to them. Remember what Saint Peter said in his writings.

In 1 Peter 3:15 he said "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be READY to give an EXPLANATION to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,.." Our first Pope is telling us that we should be ready to give witness to our faith. 

Examining their claims sound convincing, especially if you are not reading your Bible. Now those verses above is correct! Meaning those verses shows that faith is necessary to our salvation. Did you catch the twist? Right! I did not say "Faith alone is necessary", the word ALONE makes it wrong. You see in the Catholic Faith; Faith and Works are integral to man's salvation. You can not separate the other one to the next, or else it wouldn't stand. 

Are Born-again are right when they say works are not needed in salvation? If we open our Bible turn to 1 Cor. 3:15 "But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved,^* but only as through fire." In this verse, man are saved through fire by the judgment of his works. 

Our Lord Jesus once said "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end^* will be saved."- Mat 10:22. Look at the under lined word; if you are just have faith not works how can you endure? Jesus statement are warning his disciples that their faith will be tested, and such tests need a person to endure suffering, and live as Christ did. 

Another one came from the writing of St. Luke. In his Gospel Jesus said " blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:14- It talks about paying off a deed. The verse before this talks about giving a banquet to those people who could not repay you back...Now that is works! Jesus assured us that we will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous. 

In Hebrew 10:6 it says "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones."  Do we still need to explain this verse?

 Lastly, we read what Saint James say about faith, in James 2: 14-17 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?ⁱ If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?^j So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead." 

Further reading of this verse; in verse 18 to 19 St. James also added: "Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. 19You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble."  Look at the under lined words... The demons also believe and afraid of God. So if you only believe and not testifying it through works, it means your faith is as good as the faith of the demons itself. 

Now about the No. 2 verse. It attacks the other pillar of Catholicism; "Tradition". The Holy Catholic Church stands in three pillars; Holy Majesternum, that is simply the authority of the Church, Holy Tradition, which are taught by the Apostles, and the Holy Scriptures, which is the product of the Oral Tradition.  

Tradition and Scriptures can not be separate. Like the faith and works, it is one. Majesternum in the other hand is not above the other two, but it acts as its servant. 

Anyway, Traditions are not banned by God. In reality, the Apostles taught about holding through Traditions. Saint Paul, in his letters to the Thessalonians he wrote: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours." - 2 Thess. 2:15 . 

In the same letter Saint Paul wrote: " We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us.^* For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you," - 2 Thessolonians 3:6-7 . These verses clearly states that Traditions taught by the Apostles are not illegal. 

But where this ill minded anti- Tradition sprung from? The verse Matthew 15:3 is correct, nothing is wrong about it. The problem how ever is the way it was used by heretics. They assume that all traditions are forbidden by God, but its not. The next verses will shed light on it. 

In verse 4 it says " For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ - this is part of the Law of God given to Moses. Now the Pharisee's add something to nullify the Law. 

In verse 5-6 it reads "But you say, ‘Whoever says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to God, need not honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition” - this is clearly turning away against the Law. Children no longer need to take care their parents once that such "help" is dedicated only to God. That is hypocrisy! That commandment did not came from God, but from the Pharisees. As much as they wish to collect more, they form this new instructions. 

Another thing is the ritual that they do. The washing of hands before eating is not part of the Law Moses receive from Mt. Sinai. That is a man-made tradition, made to fit their wants. 

Lastly, Saint Paul wrote to Timothy and he said: "And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well" 

2 Timothy 2:2.

Now come to think about it? What are those teachings of Paul? Timothy knows much better than the letters of Paul. Those unwritten teachings are taken cared for by the Apostles' disciples. These teachings are the Traditions in which every Catholics follows. 

 

Personal Savior? Is it Biblical? Is it an offical teaching of the Church? How do the Church taught on this?

http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap100000.htm

Appendix: A Personal Relationship With Christ

In light of the emphasis of contemporary evangelicalism on the role or place of a personal relationship with Christ, it behooves the authors to put this emphasis in an historical perspective, in this appendix.
Some Catholic Christians and some non-believers are often heard to say that the Church never taught that a "personal relationship with Christ" was necessary for salvation.

The term "personal relationship" is, first of all, not biblical. Neither word nor the compound phrase is found in the Bible. But then, neither are such terms as "Trinity", "Incarnation", "Eucharist", "Lord's Supper", etc., found in the Bible. The expression "personal relationship" comes neither from the language of the Bible nor from the history of Christian faith. The expression comes from the humanist psychology of the last hundred years, principally that of Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Eric Fromm. It also has its roots in over emphasis on the attitude of rugged individualism of the early development of America.

In using the expression "personal relationship" there is a danger in attempting to harmonize the formulas of the Bible with the formulas of psychology, psychiatry, and/or American nationalism. The language of the Bible and the languages of psychology, psychiatry, and nationalism reflect divergent perceptions and conceptualizations. Attempting to treat them as identical can only be artificial.
How did the Catholic Church of the past and how does the Church of the present teach the relationship each Christian must have with his or her Lord and Savior?

Many see the foundation for a personal relationship with Jesus implicit in John chapter three.

Jn 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."

Nicodemus, as Christians to follow for all ages, asked Jesus in return what was it that will allow a man to be "begotten from above." Jesus answered him repeating Himself:

Jn 3:5

Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

Again Nicodemus presses Jesus for a further explanation. Jesus answers only that belief and action - deeds, works done in God - will accomplish what is required.

Jn 3:12-21

... whoever believes in him ... whoever lives the truth ... his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

But Jesus seems not to be entirely clear on the requirements. But as the Church has taught through all ages, all of the Bible does present clear requirements for the Christian's relationship to Jesus.

The Catholic Church, using explicit Scriptures, has always found that the basis of a personal relationship with Jesus begins at the origin of the Christian life.

 The Church, from Pentecost onward, examines the language of Christ and Sacred Scriptures and the content of that language for God's desire for the Christian's relationship to Him. The Church begins at the beginning of life as a Christian.

The origin of the life of a Christian and of Christian perfection to which the Bible constantly calls us, is the Heavenly Father, Who communicates His life through the Son, and through the Son, the Holy Spirit.

1 Jn 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

The initiative for the life of a Christian is a movement descending from the Father to men: the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit sanctifies man.

1 Jn 4:10

In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us ...

2 Cor 13:13

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.

1 Pet 1:2

... in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: ...

The movement descending from the Father to man touches man first in baptism.

Rom 6:3-5

Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

Col 2:12-13

You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead (in) transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him ...

Eph 2:4-6

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

Through this participation the Christian is a new creature living in an atmosphere clearly new.

2 Cor 5:17

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

This new life of the Christian is directly a participation in the life of Christ, is the life of a member, joined with the Head, in the Body of Christ which is the Church.

Eph 4:15-16

Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love.

The movement through Christ in the Father, founded in participation in the divine life - the movement of life in its origin involves union with Christ and - through Christ - with the Father.

Jn 14:23

Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."

Jn 14:20

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.

Col 3:3

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The new life of the Christian is an assimilation of God through Christ. This life begins in baptism.

Gal 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Rom 8:9

But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Rom 8:14-17

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

The new life of the Christian is a personal gift of the Father.

Rom 8:32

He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

The response to this personal communication in the Christian is the gift or the donation of self to God through Christ.

2 Cor 11:2

For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

1 Cor 6:15

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

1 Cor 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Corresponding to this ontological state, the Christian life is not to be lived for itself, but for Christ and - through Christ - for God.

Rom 14:7-8

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Rom 6:11

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as (being) dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

How is this gift of self of the Christian to be made manifest? It is first manifested in service to God because service to God involves conformity to the divine will and also praise to God.
Christ is the model for the Christian of service in the divine will.

Heb 10:5-7

For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: "... a body you prepared for me ... 'As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"

Jn 4:34

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work."

Jesus teaches us that obedience to the will of the Father is our calling.

Mt 6:9-10

This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Mt 12:50

For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.

The total earthly servitude of Christ consummated on the cross was praise and glory to God.

Jn 17:4

I glorified you (Father) on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.

Just as with Christ, the servitude of the Christian is simultaneously praise to God.

1 Cor 10:31

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

Eph 1:11-12

In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

The gift of the self for the Christian is the denial of self.

Mk 8:34-35

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it."

Mt 19:21

Jesus said to him (the young man), "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

In the life of the Father through Christ, charity/love holds first place.

Mt 22:36-40

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

1 Cor 12:31-13:13

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ... So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Gal 5:14

For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Rom 13: 8-10

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Lastly, I would like to call the attention of Couples for Christ, to review the Talk 4 entitled "Repentance and Faith".  Some speakers though mused with Evangelical forms ONLY suggest a verbal acceptance of Jesus, not on the way the Church sees it...

ALIVE IN FAITH

To strengthen the faith is to study the faith a bit closer. I am a former member of Singles for Christ from U.P. Diliman Chapter. I and my GG (God's Gift) got married last year June 11, 2011.

Happiness and contentment is the sure feeling when someone or some group supports your growth. My spiritual journey jump start before I joined in. Before I met my wife, my purpose of joining is to know if, God is really calling me towards the Priesthood. I wish to be certain, I do not want to hurt Jesus and the Church.

Before I joined SFC, I am already reading Catholic Apologetic books, especially the book entitled "Rome sweet home" by Dr. Scott & Kimberly Hahn. I also developed the habit of reading the Bible, plus reading the Church Fathers. With these bit of exposure, Christian Life Program, is just a nut shell to break.

Though faced with a dilemma regarding Talk 4: Repentance & Faith; I believe the speaker did not know what the real deal with the Eucharist, the Church, and Salvation history., faced with these heart breaks I still sojourn my way up.

I also felt that my readings are bringing me in a more conservative tone. I love the SFC songs, though I prefer the Gregorian chants. Maybe due to my readings, I was well influenced by the Orthodoxy of the Faith rather than its other faces. With these in mind, I met my wife. Khae Sabado was a senior member, as far as I remember she was the assistant unit head of Claret Chapter, and I am just a newbie then. Some says we are not fit as partners; Khae is more lively, and I am more reserve. To cut the story short we got married, and still singing joyfully to the Lord.

A year later, I tried to connect with my friends in SFC- UP Diliman. I found out that there were new members who favored RH-Bill, in which the Church opposed due to its artificial contraception nature. I could not believe it so I tried putting a Anti-RH Bill quotes and some articles in the Facebook page. This is just to confirm my suspicions. I was shocked when SFC start arguing Pro-RH Bill. To come to think that those are new member, they should be fired up in their faith.

Though divided, I praise my friends who hold on. They kept the faith alive. They study the Bill and the Church's position very clearly, and produce an irrefutable argument against those SFC who supports it. I do understand that those who support are some in active members who wished to be heard, though their stand goes against the teachings of the Church.

I do hope that CFC-SFC should hold much more teachings on this topic. Although the root of division is not the RH Bill; it is the lack of Catholic teachings. It is true, some people joined in just to have GFs or BFs, but these certain reality should not stop us from spreading the Church's beauty.

I hope and pray that those young  single men and women, would end up like us. Happy, alive in the faith. Ready to answer the call of duty in defending the faith and morals.

Inside OLPH-Cubao

One Sunday morning, me and my wife went to a late afternoon Mass, I think it is around 6pm. As usual we sat in our favorite seats, though we are always sits near an electric fan. 


This time we sat nearly in front. In my left I saw one couple, the guy wears a torn-heavily used jeans, and his partner wears a mini-skirt with a sleeveless shirt. 


People looked at the couple with discontent. Ushers, can't help but only to look at them. I think these two are well known in Cubao, as they jeered a smile to everyone at the back. 
I remember one instance when it happened in our place. In Holy Cross Parish, under the Diocese of Novaliches, a reminder was always posted, NOT in the Bulletin board but at the entrance of the Church, plus a lady standing with a dozen of scarf in her reached. When someone went in with a scandalous clothes, she gave the, scarf to cover their skin. 


The Parish did not go easily, there are numerous calls in the Parish office, demanding this type action stops. They said this act is discriminatory to them. But the Parish Priest stand on his ground. Some Powerful Parishioner gave the Priest a thumb down, but the lonely Priest heads along with the Archdiocese's Instruction. The unexpected happen, a lot of people start changing their mind and choose to show duly respect to their Parish Priest; these people are the unheard, unpopular, who gave only 20 pesos as their biggest offering, but these people gave much more in the Church, they showed obedience and love to the Priest of Jesus Christ. 


I do hope that the same will happen in OLPH Cubao. It will not be easy, but it is worth standing on the fact that it is morally right. 


In the same effect, let us do our share. Let us dress properly inside the Church. Let us be a blessing to others by leading an example. Let us be contagious and let us spread the news about dressing properly inside the House of God. 

Eradicating Cafeteria Catholics

Cafeteria Catholics, were your average church goer. I mean average as they would go to Mass every Sunday; gave a handful of church donation; some of them are active in the Parish; and some of them are hardworking-Catholics. Don't get me wrong, I mean 'some'. These people get a high impact on people because most of the time, they are chosen to lead a big group. They are also called 'Biblically unsound BUT Politically 'polite'. 

These people never says negative about the other sects. Well, that is a good sign. But most of the time they agree with them. These people were so gullible that even sometime 'Pagan' insights are adopted, just because it sounds right, like for example believing the 'Law of Attraction'. This stuff are fed in the masses, as if the Church supports it. 

Generally, they pick and drop important teachings in the Catholic Church. One example is this; most Protestants especially the Evangelicals believe in the "Personal Savior". You might heard it along with a handful of Charismatics; they preached it, and taught it fiercely. In reality, the Church never taught about "Personal Savior", I challenge everyone to open your Catechism and look for this teaching, or even open your Bible....You wont find it. Even in John 3:16 it NEVER been mentioned.  Still these Cafeteria Catholics adopted it anyway. 

The 'Personal Savior' is actually 1/3 formula of "SOLA FIDE" or the Faith Alone Pillar of the Protestantism. This was made as a polemic way to help Protestant to justify that they need not a Church or a Creed or a Doctrine. They only need Christ. If you agree on this, please examine your claim and ask yourself, is this thing Biblically grounded? 

Another thing is the choice to practice 'safe sex methods'. Condoms, IUD, cervical caps or pills and other alike. The theory is that poverty is due to over population.  As a Registered Nurse, I do not support this at all. Poverty is imminent not only in our time, but even in Jesus' time. Do you think Jews need this population control thing? Nope. The only problem on this country is CORRUPTION! Plus, they argue that this is a right for women, for their health. That is wrong! Imagine you as a woman will agree to put these artificial articles inside your body? If these are artificial, then expect side effects. 

Do you know condoms are made ONLY for controlling 'sperm cells' NOT HIV/AIDS, and do you know that every rubber had a tiny microscopic whole that a HIV virus can enter freely? 

Imagine a handful of Catholics agree on this stuffs. 

How to eradicate them?

Each Parish should make this a colossal move towards sanctification of the Family. We are not going to burn these people in the stake.... But we will burn the source.... IGNORANCE! should be burn and destroyed.... How? Massive campaign, let every one know about the teachings and stands of the Holy Catholic Church in every topic. 

Adult Catechism, Academic Bible study with Apologetic, can help alleviate this problem. Let us know our Catholic Faith. It is time to WAKE UP! and STAND ON OUR FAITH! 

Is Rapture Biblical?

Are you Rapture ready?
Are you sure?
But wait is it Biblical?
Is it man-made?


Born-again Christian believed in Rapture, but the ONLY question is when? Does the idea of rupture is really as what they understood? Or it is just a product of their wild imagination. 


Before anything else, let us set some principles, before we dissect this absurd idea.


"But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone. [37] And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:36 [Douay-Rheims]


There are so many sects predicts the end of times. Some of them let you convinced about it through the "Global Crisis" or "Wars". But have you notice, all of them failed. If you believe them then you had deliberately ignored the verse above.


"Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come."
Matthew 24:44


Be ready. As a Catholic, we should NOT be afraid when the time comes. The Church always remind us to reaffirm our love and faith to God, through the Holy Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Confession. The key is that we should not be swayed by ill-minded people who ONLY spread terror in our hearts. 


Then again St. James writes " Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth: patiently bearing till he receive the early and latter rain." James 5:7 [DRB]. 
He seems not scaring you right? St. James only said "Be Patient". Let us be patient in all our struggles in life, holding a burning faith.


So where does this idea came from?

We read 1 Thess. 4:16-17 and it reads:

"Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort ye one another with these words."

Many Protestant called this Rapture. Hmmm, funny it does not says it is in the verse right? So where does this really came from? Actually they got it from the Latin Vulgate, hijacking the word "rapiemur". Other verses to support their claim are the following: John 14:3, 1 Cor. 15:2

The question what Protestant raised is when will it happen? They create three possible scenarios: 

1. Post-Tribulation

2. Pre-Tribulation

3. Mid-Tribulation

Now which of the three? All Protestant denomination differs, some chose, choice No.1 or some choice No.3.   Wew.... and yet they could not agree.... Though some create a wonderful reasons to choose all the three choices...Smart right? 

But where did this mind set sets in? Let us read Rev. 20:2-3 ; 7-8.

" And he laid hold on the dragon the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.  And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations, till the thousand years be finished. And after that, he must be loosed a little time." Rev. 20:2-3 [DRB]

" And when the thousand years shall be finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go forth, and seduce the nations, which are over the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, and shall gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  And they came upon the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city." Rev. 20: 7-8 [DRB]

The word "Thousand years" or so known as "Millennium" so we call them 'the Millennism' We should be reminded that the word 'Thousand year" is a literature language used by the writter in the Apocalypse. But it does not necessary that whenever we read 'thousand years' it means the correct number of years before the end of time. 

It is actually so absurd that when we read Daniel 7:10 we read:

"  A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened."

or 2 Peter 3:8 it says "But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

So the word "Thousand" should not be taken as a literally. To be able to understand what it really says in a particular verse, we must look or be familiarize with the culture, the language, the literary forms, and most especially how they use a certain word.

For example when we say it is "Raining cats and dogs" does it literally mean we see poodles, great Dane, and Egyptian Cats drop in the sky? 

To strengthen their claim, they devise these explanations, they try to go circle about the idea and here it is:

(1) Post-millennialism – this view interprets the “thousand years” as a very long time. This view also holds that God’s kingdom is being advanced in the world by His grace and the world will eventually be Christianized. Then Christ will return at the close of this period during a time of righteousness and peace. The problem with this view is that the Scriptures do not teach that the world will be even relatively Christianized before the Second Coming. For example, in Matt. 13:24-30;36-43, Jesus says the wicked and the righteous will co-exist until the end of the world, when they will be judged, and either inherit eternal life, or be thrown into eternal fire.

(2) Pre-millenialism (also called “millenarianism”) – like post-millennialists, this view also interprets the “thousand years” as a golden age on earth when the world will be Christianized. But they believe that this period will occur after Christ’s second coming, during which time Christ will reign physically on earth. They believe the Final Judgment occurs when the millennium is over. But Scripture does not teach that there is a thousand year span between the Second Coming and Final Judgment. Instead, Jesus said that when He comes a second time in glory, He will immediately repay every man for what he has done. Matt. 16:27. When Jesus comes, He will separate the sheep from the goats and render judgment. Matt. 25:31-46. There is nothing about any period of time between His coming and final judgment.

(3) Amillennialism – this view also interprets the “thousand years” symbolically, but, ulike the pre and post views, not as a golden age on earth. This view believes the millennium is the period of Christ’s rule in heaven and on earth through His Church. This is because the saints who reign with Christ and to whom judgment has been committed are said to be on their thrones in heaven. Rev. 20:4; cf. 4:4; 11:16. During this time, satan is bound and cannot hinder the spread of the gospel. Rev. 20:3. This is why, they explain, Jesus teaches the necessity of binding the “strong man” (satan) in order to plunder his house and rescue people from his grip. Matt. 12:29. This is also why, after the disciples preached the gospel and rejoiced that the demons were even subject to them, Jesus declared, “I saw satan fall like lightening from heaven.” Luke 10:18. Nevertheless, during this period, the world will not be entirely Christianized because satan, though bound, is still in some sense able to prowl around and attack souls. cf. 1 Peter 5:8. Of the three, this position is most consistent with Catholic teaching (the pre and post-millennium views have been rejected by the Church).

Source: www.scripturecatholic.com

Another thing to remember, that the Protestant claims ALWAYS tangled with other verses in the Bible... Let us analyze this one, take for example this verse:
" That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,  Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God." 2 Thess. 2:2-4 [DRB]


Read the above verse carefully.....read it twice.... then imagine what it says.... Most Protestant believe that the Second coming of Christ will be held with great Tribulation (Try to flip your Bible, and you CAN NOT read Tribulation in the Bible). 


So the question is when will the 1 Thess. 4:16-17 a.k.a "Rapture" will occur? Here are the Three theories mentioned earlier... 

(1) Post-tribulational view – this view holds that the rapture will occur right after the tribulation and immediately before the Second Coming of Christ. This view can be consistent with Scripture and Catholic teaching to the extent it holds that the rapture and Christ’s Second Coming occur together, after the tribulation and the Church Militant on earth. See, for example, Matt. 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; 2 Thess. 1:1-12.

(2) Pre-tribulational view – this view holds that the rapture will occur before the tribulation. The problem with this view is that it requires three comings of Christ – first, when He was born in Bethlehem; second, when He returns for the rapture before the tribulation; third, when He returns at the end of the tribulation and establishes the millennium. Scripture rejects three comings of Christ. In Heb. 9:28, it is clear that Christ will appear a second and final time, when he comes in glory to save us. This view also is inconsistent with Matt. 24:24-31; Mark 13:24-27; and 2 Thess. 2:1-12 where the rapture and the Second Coming occur together.

(3) Mid-tribulational view – this view holds that the rapture will occur during the middle of the tribulation. The problem with this view is that it also requires three comings of Christ – first, when He was born in Bethlehem; second, when He returns for the rapture during the middle of the tribulation; third, when He returns at the end of the tribulation and establishes the millennium. As seen in Heb. 9:28, Scripture rejects three comings of Christ. The view is also inconsistent with Matt. 24:24-31; Mark. 13:24-27; and 2 Thess. 2:1-12.

Though option one is quite convincing. How about this verse Rev. 21:2-5 and Ff. 
" And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people; and God himself with them shall be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.  And he that sat on the throne, said: Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me: Write, for these words are most faithful and true.


 But imagine this if we are snatch during this stage then we missed the best part... Imagine Jesus is coming down, with the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, then those who are Raptures are leaving earth, does it make sense at all?


Note not all Protestant hold one stand on this. They always differ... 

Finally, let us focused on how we can prepare ourselves. Not be busily ourselves in predicting absurd ideas, that could led into fear.