Is the Rapture a view held only by American Christians?

Rocky R.

Well-Known Member
The question just came to mind today. I've lived in America for almost all my life, and I've been in this country since Jimmy Carter was president. While true Christians around the world agree on the major, fundamental doctrines, pockets of believers will disagree on various things in Scripture. I've noticed the doctrine of the Rapture to be primarily a view held by American Christians. But, how many believers outside the United States teach and believe in a pre-tribulational Rapture? This is something I can't gauge correctly.
 

Lovin Jesus

Well-Known Member
I had to really think about this because that had never come to my mind.
After a little bit it occurred to me. No, it isnt a view held only by American Christians. Because when you think about it where did the rapture term originate from the Greek word Harpazo (take, snatch, pluck, carry off by force), and then the Latin word Rapio, (meaning to grab, snatch or take away).
Rapture is taken from Rapio.
By studying about the biblical Rapture we know that it was a mystery to the Old Testament Prophets and was only revealed when Jesus revealed of the mystery to his Apostle Paul appointed to the Gentiles.Some argue that the word Rapture isnt in the Bible, we know that many word that we read in English are taken from words of origin from other texts like Latin, Greek, and in the Bible Hebrew. This is where those words Rapio and Harpazo are taken from the Hebrew Old Testament writing and the Greek New Testament writings, so Rapture is an English/American translation of those words.

Because Paul had the revelation of that mystery then, the first ones he shared that revelation about the rapture to were the early church. There was no America at that time. As the church spread across the Gentle nations it became a global teaching that was included in the gospel. The word rapture is an English translation so rapture isnt a doctrinal difference from the original meaning but is a different translation
"Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source–language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.[1] The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between translating (a written text) and interpreting (oral or signed communication between users of different languages); under this distinction, translation can begin only after the appearance of writing within a language community."
Wikipedia

I think I can stop here because I think this answers your question.
Love in Jesus

Another note:
Though the rapture hope began before America had been founded, America has the largest number of Christian missionaries in the world and have taken the gospel with the rapture doctrine to various countries and islands. So, the rapture hope has spread worldwide.
 
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usoutpost31

Well-Known Member
I have seen some online rapture videos being made from believers in other countries (South Korea, for instance). So the pre-Rapture view is known elsewhere, I'm not sure how widely though.

Jesus' Second Coming is a common hope shared by Christians being persecuted, but I don't think, for them, they spend a lot of time studying eschatology. War, conflicts, famine, crashing economies, etc, going to prison or being martyred for their faith, their current trials and tribulation are enough for them.

They're looking for his Return, but pre or post Tribulation is not something that they're concerned about.
 

Tall Timbers

Imperfect but forgiven
Where Believers study the Bible in Spirit and in Truth they should come to understand that the Church is not appointed to wrath and will be taken up before the time of Jacob's Trouble. If they're not exposed to the teaching otherwise, they might use different ways to describe it, but they'll understand what's coming for the Body of Christ and what's coming for the world.
 
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cheeky200386

Well-Known Member
Where Believers study the Bible in in Spirit and in Truth they should come to understand that the Church is not appointed to wrath and will be taken up before the time of Jacob's Trouble. If they're not exposed to the teaching otherwise, they might use different ways to describe it, but they'll understand what's coming for the Body of Christ and what's coming for the world.
I completely agree. The Holy Spirit will lead believers to similar understandings, with time, from the written Word.
 
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Lovin Jesus

Well-Known Member
I completely agree. The Holy Spirit will lead believers to similar understandings with time from the written Word.

This! The Bible is Clear in this.

However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
John 16:13

But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:10-14

Only through the Holy Spirit can we understand the scriptures. This is one of His functions, understanding. Revelation.
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
This! The Bible is Clear in this.

However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
John 16:13

But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:10-14

Only through the Holy Spirit can we understand the scriptures. This is one of His functions, understanding. Revelation.
Yes. After the Holy Spirit came on the disciples in power, on the day of Pentecost, they no longer seemed halting. They seemed very sure of themselves after that. The Apostles John and Paul, in particular, seemed to trust in the "power from on high". John even goes to the point of reminding his readers in 1 John, that they did not need anyone to teach them what is true--that they had the Holy Spirit residing in them and that He would teach them everything they needed to know. (1 John 2:27)
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
I completely agree. The Holy Spirit will lead believers to similar understandings, with time, from the written Word.Ye
Yes--that is why we need the written word that the Holy Spirit inspired. The Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict Himself. Satan is clever and he is often able to convince churchmen that they are speaking from the Holy Spirit in contradiction to the word of God. That is why we are told to "test the spirits" in 1 John 4:1 (i.e. by the written word and the Word of God).
 

Hiftobaf

Active Member
To answer the original question, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, the Coptic Church and some branches of Protestantism don't teach the rapture. That's the bulk of Christians worldwide. They all believe in the Second Coming but generally don't spend a lot of time teaching eschatology.
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
The question just came to mind today. I've lived in America for almost all my life, and I've been in this country since Jimmy Carter was president. While true Christians around the world agree on the major, fundamental doctrines, pockets of believers will disagree on various things in Scripture. I've noticed the doctrine of the Rapture to be primarily a view held by American Christians. But, how many believers outside the United States teach and believe in a pre-tribulational Rapture? This is something I can't gauge correctly.
No--the teaching of the Rapture goes back to the very early days of the Church. The Greek Fathers all seemed to believe in the Rapture (harpazo in Greek). They thought it would happen in their lifetimes. But apparently, they forgot that God commanded His children to, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it..." (Genesis 1:28) It took until the 20th century to more or less "fill the earth". Before that time, there were great stretches of the planet which were certainly not teeming with human life. Satan has always worked against that command. "He was a murderer from the beginning..."
 
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Rocky R.

Well-Known Member
No--the teaching of the Rapture goes back to the very early days of the Church. The Greek Fathers all seemed to believe in the Rapture. They thought it would happen in their lifetimes. But apparently, they forgot that God commanded His children to, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it..." (Genesis 1:28) It took until the 20th century to more or less "fill the earth". Before that time, there were great stretches of the planet which were certainly not teeming with human life. Satan has always worked against that command. "He was a murderer from the beginning..."
Perhaps that's one of the reasons why he likes homosexuality so much -- 1) Sodomites don't reproduce, 2) Sodomites spread diseases that shorten life, 3) Sodomites invite God's judgment.

All true Christians believe in the Second Coming, as do believers outside America....but do they believe in the Rapture?
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
Perhaps that's one of the reasons why he likes homosexuality so much -- 1) Sodomites don't reproduce, 2) Sodomites spread diseases that shorten life, 3) Sodomites invite God's judgment.

All true Christians believe in the Second Coming, as do believers outside America....but do they believe in the Rapture?
It was apparently a doctrine that was believed in the very early church--up until the time of Augustine and the Latin Fathers which then influenced the RCC a great deal. Frankly, Augustine rejected a fair bit of what the early Church believed--such as the Millennium. Maybe it was because he spent so many years as a pagan before his conversion? He also did not read Greek and relied on an inferior Latin version of the Bible to formulate a lot of his theology and doctrine. Contrary to what you will see by anti-Rapture people, the doctrine of the Rapture was rediscovered by Protestants well before Darby.
 
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Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
Perhaps that's one of the reasons why he likes homosexuality so much -- 1) Sodomites don't reproduce, 2) Sodomites spread diseases that shorten life, 3) Sodomites invite God's judgment.

All true Christians believe in the Second Coming, as do believers outside America....but do they believe in the Rapture?
In addition, Satan knows that God detests sexual sin. So of course, he promotes it as an "in-your-face". :frown2
 

Dave_97

Well-Known Member
I was born and lived in Tanzania East Africa for 12 years of my life. My parents are Christians and have always believed in a rapture, 7 years of tribulation, and the ultimate return of Jesus Christ, his reign for 1000 millennium, then eternal state. So no I’m positive it’s not only an American held view. It’s a biblical view. The same Holy Spirit that teaches people here about eschatology, has done so across the world. I hope this helps!
 

Salluz

Aspiring Man of God
I was born and lived in Tanzania East Africa for 12 years of my life. My parents are Christians and have always believed in a rapture, 7 years of tribulation, and the ultimate return of Jesus Christ, his reign for 1000 millennium, then eternal state. So no I’m positive it’s not only an American held view. It’s a biblical view. The same Holy Spirit that teaches people here about eschatology, has done so across the world. I hope this helps!

That's really cool. Thanks for sharing
 

athenasius

Well-Known Member
It was the dominant view in evangelical protestant circles here in Canada for many years. Only in the late 80s and early 90's did that change to more of the other positions- no rapture, mid or post trib, amillennial etc.
 

Rocky R.

Well-Known Member
I was born and lived in Tanzania East Africa for 12 years of my life. My parents are Christians and have always believed in a rapture, 7 years of tribulation, and the ultimate return of Jesus Christ, his reign for 1000 millennium, then eternal state. So no I’m positive it’s not only an American held view. It’s a biblical view. The same Holy Spirit that teaches people here about eschatology, has done so across the world. I hope this helps!
That's awesome. All brethren worldwide believe in a literal return of Jesus Christ, but I had no idea the Rapture was also preached and believed upon outside the United States.
 

BrotherKev

Servant
I had to really think about this because that had never come to my mind.
After a little bit it occurred to me. No, it isnt a view held only by American Christians. Because when you think about it where did the rapture term originate from the Greek word Harpazo (take, snatch, pluck, carry off by force), and then the Latin word Rapio, (meaning to grab, snatch or take away).
Rapture is taken from Rapio.
By studying about the biblical Rapture we know that it was a mystery to the Old Testament Prophets and was only revealed when Jesus revealed of the mystery to his Apostle Paul appointed to the Gentiles.Some argue that the word Rapture isnt in the Bible, we know that many word that we read in English are taken from words of origin from other texts like Latin, Greek, and in the Bible Hebrew. This is where those words Rapio and Harpazo are taken from the Hebrew Old Testament writing and the Greek New Testament writings, so Rapture is an English/American translation of those words.

Because Paul had the revelation of that mystery then, the first ones he shared that revelation about the rapture to were the early church. There was no America at that time. As the church spread across the Gentle nations it became a global teaching that was included in the gospel. The word rapture is an English translation so rapture isnt a doctrinal difference from the original meaning but is a different translation
"Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source–language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.[1] The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between translating (a written text) and interpreting (oral or signed communication between users of different languages); under this distinction, translation can begin only after the appearance of writing within a language community."
Wikipedia

I think I can stop here because I think this answers your question.
Love in Jesus

Another note:
Though the rapture hope began before America had been founded, America has the largest number of Christian missionaries in the world and have taken the gospel with the rapture doctrine to various countries and islands. So, the rapture hope has spread worldwide.
BINGO !
 
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