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From: iuzzolin@unmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Assumption
Message-ID: <926@unmvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 14-Sep-85 01:32:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: unmvax.926
Posted: Sat Sep 14 01:32:33 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Sep-85 02:36:39 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Lines: 45


I think I can shed some light on the doctrine of Mary's assumption that
might make more sense to Protestants.

As I understand it, saying Mary was assumed into heaven is basically
saying that she was raptured.  The following is the scriptural reference
to rapture.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with
the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And
the dead in Christ will rise first;  then we who are alive, who are left, 
shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall
always be with the Lord."  1 Thess 5:16  

For those not familiar with the rapture, Hal Lindsey's Late Great Planet 
Earth is a good book to read.

Mary was not the first person to be taken into heaven bodily.

"When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah.
Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years,
and had other sons and daughters.  Thus all the days of Enoch were three
hundred and sixty-five years.  Enoch walked with God; and he was not 
for God took him."   Genesis 5:21   ( for all the other people in this 
list it says "... and he died." )

"And as they (Elijah and Elisha) still went on and talked, behold, a 
chariot of fire and horses separated the two of them.  And Elijah went
up by a whirlwind into heaven."  2 Kings 1:11

"And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom;
and the earth shook and the rocks were split;  the tombs also were opened
and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and
coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the holy
city and appeared to many."   Matt 27:51

I have heard that in Israel grain is planted in the spring.   Later in the
spring you will see, among the short wheat that will ripen in the fall, some
stalks that are already full grown.  These are the first fruits, wheat that
ripens before the normal time.  Those who belong to Christ will be raised
when Christ comes again, but Christ, those mentioned in Matt 27, and Mary
are God's first fruits.
-- 

Carlyn Iuzzolino