Dispensationalism and the Rapture.

[37818]

. . . I don't like Dispensationalism nor the Rapture. I can't find either in the Bible. Both are sectarian innovations not over two centuries old.

Dispensationalism is a way of understanding biblical history.

The 7 dispensational view:

1) Dispensation of Innocence (Genesis 1:28).
2) Dispensation of Conscience (Genesis 3:23).
3) Dispensation Human Government (Genesis 8:21).
4) Dispensation of Promise (Genesis 12:1).
5) Dispensation of Law (Exodus 19:8).
6) Dispensation of Grace (John 1:17).
7) Dispensation of God's Kingdom (Ephesians 1:10).

Of course that is just a very brief outline.

Irenaeus' view of the dispensations were 4:
1) From creation to the flood.
2) From the flood to Law.
3) From the Law to the Gospel.
4) From the Gospel to the Eternal state.

Now the Rapture refers to 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "shall be caught up." αρπαγησομεθα
The word Rapture is transliteration for the Latin.

. . . deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus . . . .

[seanD]

I remember reading a commentary about the word "meet" in 1 Thessalonians 4. The argument was that the word was customarily used when the host of a house would go out and meet guests they were expecting and escort them back into the house. This made sense to me in light of a round earth. As Jesus returns, he'll gather his elect from all around the world as he's returning, in order that they may all be gathered at the location (presumably Jerusalem) that he touches down, as opposed to being caught in the air in which they'll stay and live permanently. I can't remember the commentary so I unfortunately can't cite it.