15
votes
How do believers in eternal conscious separation/torment reconcile their belief with Jesus' words at Matthew 10:39?
Your argument that writhing in the lake of fire constitutes life is your flawed premise.
That's the second death.
That may not comport with your preconception of 'life'; that is, any conscious state, ...
11
votes
What did the early church believe about the "rapture"?
Thanks to books like Left Behind, the English word rapture often conjures up images of bodies mysteriously disappearing into thin air, followed by several years of severe tribulation, leading up to ...
- 42.3k
11
votes
Accepted
How do proponents of Apokatastasis deal with the "Everlasting punishment" texts in scripture?
Those who believe in Apokatastasis believe Revelation 20:10 is grossly misunderstood. The Greek says:
καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου, ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ...
- 2,482
11
votes
Accepted
What, specifically, if anything, is heterodox about LDS eschatology?
I apologize that this answer is missing sufficient links to scripture or church leaders. It's late and I'm out of time. However, nearly all of these subjects have been treated in detail here on ...
- 3,814
10
votes
Accepted
According to Catholicism, did St. Paul believe that end of the world was imminent?
The Catholic Church has a nuanced approach to Biblical inerrancy. A dogmatic constitution of the Second Vatican Council states inerrancy applies only to
that truth which God wanted put into sacred ...
- 6,568
9
votes
Who first associated the fourth beast of Daniel 7 with the Roman Empire?
Several commentators before Jerome make this connection. We'll mention three,1 starting with Cyril of Jerusalem (313–386), who indicates that he is not the originator of this interpretation:
The ...
- 42.3k
8
votes
How do Jehovah's Witnesses respond to the charge that they are false prophets (because their end-of-the-world predictions didn't come true)?
In their publication Reasoning from the Scriptures they address this question.
They don't claim to be inspired prophets but faithful students of the scriptures who in their constant efforts to keep on ...
- 7,084
8
votes
Is there any denomination that fully embraces Dispensational Premillennialism?
Dispensationalism tends to be most prevalent in baptist, charismatic, and non-denominational churches. However, the largest baptist and charismatic denominations (like the Southern Baptist Convention ...
- 42.3k
8
votes
According to Catholicism, do the saints and martyrs in heaven rise again on judgment day?
Yes according to the Catholic Church the bodies of the saints and martyrs in heaven rise again on judgment day.
St Thomas Aquinas states in his Summa Theologica:
The saints in heaven, since they ...
- 67.7k
8
votes
Accepted
How do non-soul sleep adherents interpret 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18?
Essentially, the passage is simply seen as an euphemism for death — and quite a common one, given that a dead person often looks like they are sleeping: the Greek personification of sleep, Hypnos, was ...
- 2,795
8
votes
Accepted
What is the biblical basis for Christian denominations to believe in a visible appearance of Christ Jesus when he returns?
Here are a few references to Jesus return:
Heb 9:28, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who ...
- 819
7
votes
What did the early church believe about the "rapture"?
The original question asked:
What did the early church actually believe about what we call the "rapture"?
There are two prominent meanings of the word "rapture". The most common meaning today is ...
- 22.2k
7
votes
Accepted
What is an overview of Reformed beliefs about hell?
Like most labels, Reformed theology defies clean boundaries, especially on a divisive topic like this one. But if we consider the term broadly, we will notice that the positions tend to follow those ...
- 42.3k
6
votes
What is the "city of seven hills" in St. Malachy's Popes Prophecy?
What is the "city of seven hills" in St. Malachy's Popes Prophecy?
The problem with prophecies in general is that it is almost impossible to know the correct interpretation(s) to them until ...
- 67.7k
6
votes
What is the Catholic view of the rapture?
The rapture, properly understood, is fully compatible with Roman Catholicism. The English word rapture comes from the Latin word raptus ("a carrying off"). This Latin word (or a similar ...
- 42.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Do any denominations read Matthew 24:5 as meaning believers in Christ using his good name to deceive many?
For many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Christ," and they will lead many astray. (Matt 24:5, ESV)
In addition to the account of Jesus' words in Matthew, we have parallel accounts in both ...
- 4,322
6
votes
Accepted
Since Mormons believe in multiple earth-like planets, do they believe that the "fall" was likewise needed on each of them?
Do Mormons believe that the fall was likewise needed on each inhabited planet?
No authoritative LDS doctrine on this subject, except that the first man and woman on other worlds had the name Adam and ...
- 8,697
6
votes
Accepted
Did Saint Paul attend the council of Nicaea? Which other councils did he attend?
The 1st Council of Nicea was held in 325 AD, long after the Apostle Paul was dead (Paul was believed to have been martyred in Rome about 67 AD). The only Council he definitively attended was the ...
- 442
6
votes
Accepted
Identify this story about the end times from the Desert Fathers
The story appears in the alphabetical collection of The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Benedicta Ward. It relates to a saying of the 3rd century Egyptian monk (and martyr), Ischyrion.
...
- 5,637
6
votes
What is the biblical and historical basis for the belief that the Second Coming of Christ hasn't happened yet (as of 2021)?
The Second Coming of Christ won't be hidden. The whole world will see it.
24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which
flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. (...
- 11.4k
6
votes
How do Catholics deal with prophecies of future perpetual animal sacrifice?
I'm not sure where the idea that sacrifices go on forever comes from when reading Isaiah 60:7.
Jeremiah 22:18 could be answered in this way: Jesus abolished the levitical priesthood by offering ...
- 4,727
6
votes
How do Catholics deal with prophecies of future perpetual animal sacrifice?
How do Catholics deal with prophecies of future perpetual animal sacrifice?
Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for ...
- 67.7k
5
votes
Why do Seventh-day Adventsists believe in a great end of days conflict about the Sabbath day?
The Biblical predictions refers to the predictions found in Revelation of the reunification of Church and State, specifically in America, in the last days.
Below is what is believed by most Seventh ...
- 3,270
5
votes
Accepted
What is the Biblical basis for saying the Apostles did not necessarily expect the final judgment to occur in their lifetime?
The apostle John provided a word of caution, showing a bit of a misunderstanding on the part of the apostle Peter regarding Christ returning soon. This is in John's gospel account, at the end. After ...
- 27k
5
votes
Accepted
Do JWs believe the water canopy theory and do they think it will be restored?
The belief of Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions regarding a water canopy that existed at the time of earth's creation is not a concept that is a result of doctrine but one that is advanced in ...
- 324
5
votes
How do Jehovah's Witnesses interpret Jesus' words in Matthew 24:1–34, about the generation that would not pass away before great tribulation?
The following is found on the JW.org website. It is from 2014. Prior to this it was taught that some of the group of Christians who were old enough in 1914 to comprehend the significance of the ...
- 7,084
5
votes
Accepted
What is the basis for arguing that the gospel has already been preached to "all nations"?
Some argue that "throughout the whole world" here is best interpreted as an
indication of the universal offer of the gospel to all nations, i.e. outside the confines of the Jewish community.
This ...
- 42.3k
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