Left Behind

[OnceByten]

Has anyone here read this series?? I am currently reading book 2 Tribulation Force.

I am finding these books excellent reading. The first book opened my mind to alot of things, and now I find that I have a ton of questions.

I would love to talk to some of you about these questions if that is ok?

First off: What is your take on the rapture of the church? These books make it seem that all the people that have received God in their lives are just gone, disappeared. The theory is that they are taken to heaven. Do you think that this depiction is somewhat acurate to what may really happen??

Second: Do you need to go to church to take God into your life? I guess what I mean by that is: even though I don't go to church and if I decided to take God into my life and read the bible and other writtings about it, and talk to people that are educated about it, is that enough? Or does God only recognize those people that actively go to church/temple/synagog??

Third: I have always been slightly annoyed by people that go out "witnessing" I find them offensive in the fact that they seem to be ramming it down my throat. But since reading this first book I can understand why people would want to share this feeling. Do you personally share your religion and beliefs with others? If they asked you not to talk about it would you respect their wishes and stop?

Fourth: and probably most important. Do any of you know where I can find a beginers bible stufy online?? I have so many questions and things that I want to try and understand that I think it would be good for me to get in touch with people that are farmiliar with the bible and it's translations.

[Grimey]

1. Christians are split on the rapture. Those who believe it will occur think it will happen in the manner you said. Christians are also split on when it will occur. It is considered an in-house debate, so don't get too caught up in it.

2. You don't need to go to church to believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and rose from the dead to purchase a place for you in heaven. You don't have to go to church to be recognized by God. However, the Christian life is meant to be lived with time spent in fellowship with other Christians. There are a bunch of verses on it; here are just a couple -- Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron. So one man sharpens another." Hebrews 10:24-25 "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near." Somewhere on www.marriedadults.com (http://www.marriedadults.com/), James has loaded a page of "one anothers." They are all the verses talking about how Christians should treat "one another." You can't do that if you aren't spending time together. There are five basic disciplines of the Christian life: studying the Bible, prayer, fellowship (spending time with other Christians), witnessing, and obedience to God.

3. The witnessing question -- see also number 2. Witnessing is all how you do it. Not everyone is as tactful as you would like them to be, however, that is true about any subject you could talk about. Most people who witness do so because we are commanded to by the Bible -- Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. " It is in other places too. They also do it because they are excited about the fact that they have been forgiven and reconciled to God, and they want everyone else to be in heaven with them.

4. Go to www.christianbook.com (http://www.christianbook.com/) and buy any of these books. They are great.

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=14232
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=07074
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=3990407

The best way to get into touch with people and ask questions is to join a good, Bible believing church. The other thing you can do is post your questions here. James created this section for people who wanted answers straight from the Bible.

Finding a good, Bible believing church when you are new to it can be difficult. Ask for a copy of their doctrinal statement (their core beliefs). If it isn't similar to the one for www.marriedadults.com (http://www.marriedadults.com/), then I would post it here and ask questions about it. I couldn't find one at FrappyDoo. I'm guessing that is because FD is not really a Christian board. You can also compare it to some churches or organizations that are considered solid --

http://www.equip.org/essentials/index.asp
http://www.ligonier.org/statement.php
http://www.gty.org/bible_faqs/bible_content.php?qa=essentialdoctrines.htm


Here is a good website -- http://www.equip.org/ -- It provides a lot of answers to questions about the Bible. They guy who runs the organization has a show on the radio call "Bible Answer Man." People call in, and he answers their questions from the Bible. He has some different views than those in the Left Behind series. One thing you will learn as you grow in Christianity is that there are hundreds of views on how the end times will occur. Who knows which view is correct? God and God only. We all need to have a little humility about it.

Other good reading: http://www.gty.org/bible_faqs/bible_faq.php

One last thing. You need to get a good study Bible. I recommend choosing from these:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0875526438/103-2146235-7388622
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0840710917/103-2146235-7388622
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0849912229/103-2146235-7388622
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0785257292/103-2146235-7388622

[pack momma]

Good questions, I am going to formulate my thoughts, before weighing in on this. too bad there is no place to draft posts first.

[dreuby]

If you were on a desert island, you couldn't go to church - but that wouldn't stop you becoming a Christian, or going to heaven. But like any new thing, learning a language or a craft for example, you could do it alone, but it would be easier if you went somewhere and met with others, learning with them, and getting encouragement from them.

We're told to "go forth and tell all nations" - but that doesn't necessarily mean knocking on doors or standing in shopping centres. I do my witnessing online - I don't have the gift for speaking to strangers in the street as some do. But you can witness simply by the way you live your life.

Here are some good sites for Bible studies, etc:
http://www.actsweb.org/ I get their daily reading by email, plus there's lots of stuff on the site.
http://www.got-god.net/know_god1.htm Some answers to basic questions for new (and more experienced!) Christians, or for those who want to know about what we believe.
http://www.gospelcom.net/ lots of resources, and links.

[Justawoman]

Second: Do you need to go to church to take God into your life? I guess what I mean by that is: even though I don't go to church and if I decided to take God into my life and read the bible and other writtings about it, and talk to people that are educated about it, is that enough? Or does God only recognize those people that actively go to church/temple/synagog??

Read Matthew 18:20

[jamesglewisf]

Matthew 18:15-20
15 "And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 "And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. 18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst."

Don't forget the context. It was expected that you are active in the church. That doesn't have to be a brick building, but it does need to be a gathering of believers.

[jamesglewisf]

Number 2 -- No mention of attending church to be saved -- Romans 10:1-15
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks thus, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or' Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). " 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; 13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!"

[OnceByten]

Thank you to all of you that replied to this thread. And thanks for the links too. I am going to check them all out.

I have ALOT of reading to do!!

[Justawoman]

Don't forget the context. It was expected that you are active in the church. That doesn't have to be a brick building, but it does need to be a gathering of believers.


Churches had to get started somehow Jim. They just didn't "poof" and appear. Two or more had to assemble and build on that. What constitutes an active church? Does it have to have more than two people? I don't believe so. Two people can be as, if not more so, active than a whole building of well meaning so called christians. I don't think the first churches started out well established and with huge crowds.