The rapture
 

I know some Christians believe in the rapture, and some do not. I also know that calvinism believes in "chosen ones" and predestination..

but what if the awakening is the rapture?
Has anyone here been through a spiritual awakening? I think alot of us have.


Thoughts on all of the above welcome.

Much of what the Bible says, can just as readily be interpreted as part of everyone's personal voyage.

Jatd,

Some salient facts: The rapture is never specifically mentioned in the bible. Many people...mostly ministers......who were assumed to credible and knowledgeable at the time predicted specific dates for the 'rapture' to occur. Every one of them has been incorrect. If one is to read 1Thess. 4:16-17 it would seem to be the most logical verses to develop a theory of the rapture. As I read them today I was struck by how much they have in common with many accounts of near death experiences. e.g. in an NDE we meet loved ones who have preceded us in death(the dead were taken up first) and we then meet the light(the Lord, Christ or God). We then live forever(which I can interpret as actually now living in an awakened state for the rest of our mortal lives).
It is in this manner that I would tend to agree with your speculation that the rapture could be a term synonymous with awakening.
While I am sure that those who proposed the idea of rapture were sincere in their beliefs unfortunately I think it has been used as a marketing tool by churches to convince people of the danger of being left behind. Once again, I do not think such use(for marketing purposes) is intentional but is motivated by sincere belief in the reality of the rapture.
The sad thing is that it should be within the ability of the church to instruct in methods to achieve awakening. They have the knowledge at some levels to do this as is witnessed by the accounts of saints and mystics. The truth is is that the audience does not seem big enough for the church to aggressively promote this type of instruction. There are very few people who are willing to have the discipline necessary to achieve genuine awakening. It is easier for the church to fulfill its expected and normal functions. I used to blame the church for this but no longer have this emotion. I simply realize that it is an arduous process to attain sainthood and realize also that "many are called, but few are chosen" and that "the path is wide but the gate is narrow".

Hello Jatd.
I once thought I had an amazing spiritual awakening, and told my mentor about it.
He laughed at me and told me that I only had a spiritual experience.
He further explained that an awakening is just that, an awakening, not awoken.
And that throughout life we will have spiritual experiences that contribute to our awakening. There will always be deeper truths to be realized.

About the rapture. I created a beautiful large painting of my version of the rapture. I incorporated Rev:1-7 as the central composition.
Unfortunately that painting got destroyed in a house fire.
However, the painting meant a lot to me, because the underlying message is:
Be on guard of my truth, and to remain honest, loving, and faithful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Molearner Jatd,

There is nothing to speculate about. The Bible is true, and the verses concerning the Rapture are specific. Because God's timetable doesn't suit yours, and human patience wanes, you are given to speculation.

Everything will occur as St. Paul stated, as is stated also in Revelation, in God's good time. You can easily research it and read the verses yourself.

Another word for it is "translation". And, since as St Paul stated it will occur in, " a moment, in the blinking of an eye", I don't expect that anyone will see people flying through the air.

Personally, I would expect it would occur at the outset of a global manmade event.

Again, also, there is no human awakening that is sufficient to end the conflicts and problems of human nature in the world.
Which issues and problems will be resolved upon Jesus' return with "the clouds", the saints.
Many of whom had been "Raptured", prior.

Actually, the above statement by St. Paul is, "In the twinkling of an eye".

Matthew 24:43
"But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up."

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"...lo, I do come as a thief; happy is he who is watching, and keeping his garments, that he may not walk naked, and they may see his unseemliness,'"

-Jesus

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"1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief."

I remember Enoch's rapture. He was taken into higher realms of consciousness without dying. The same thing happened to Jesus' mother Mary. She was a very special soul for being the Mother of Christ.

The Bible calls its Rapture, other religions call it De-materialization. This also happened to Elijah and many other individuals of other faiths.

It is unseen for the masses and usually happens on an individual level.

The prophecies for mankind as a whole seems to mean that humanity at large will transform to a higher state of being. Human beings will evolve to the next step, more crystallized, more spiritualized, and reminiscent of glorified saints.

Many clairvoyants are receiving messages that pertain to this event. It is a process that will happen over time.

But the Rapture just like the Final Judgment usually pertain to individual souls and their own voyage back into Spirit.

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Corinthians-15-52/

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

I'm enraptured by life. If people tried that they wouldn't need to waste this joyous existence of ours thinking about things like the rapture.

it's been a long time since i've read edgar cayce, but i remember him saying that the original language of the bible, the word 'change' literally meant our molecular structure would change.

mother earth is evolving spiritually. as are we. (or most of us. lol)

there will come a time when we will make that leap spiritually, becoming what we were meant to be.

i think cayce was the real deal, and his interpretation makes more sense than people being jerked up into 'heaven'.