The Pre-Tibulationist Rapture Controversy

[saint701]

Hello Christianity Oasis, All...

Blessings!

The original title of this article was, "Perspectives of the Rapture." In that article I was going to examine three rapture theories, the Pre-Trib, the Mid-Trib, and the Post-Trib. And...after close examination of scripture and a review of related material online, I was going to explain to you what I discovered about those theories. Briefly, here is what I learned.

First of all, my study reinforced my view that the return of Christ for His church is imminent; that is, He may come to catch us up at any moment, demanding of us that we watch and long for His return, for it could be this second or the next, or it could be at any point in the timeline of events presented to us in the Book of Revelation; that is to say, that moment in time is only known by our Father, and for that reason, Him being also our God, He might send our Lord Jesus to catch us away at any moment along the entire timeline of endtime events from right this moment to even after the Tribulation ends. We have been commanded to watch for His Coming continually, for it is always imminent, so lets stand guard and strengthen one another!

The other thing I discovered was quite disturbing. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory only proponents, (that is to say, those that say to us that the Rapture must come before any part of the the Tribulation begins), usurps the authority of God Almighty to send Christ Jesus to catch us away at any moment in time. That theory, first popularized by John Darby in the 1830s is inherently dangerous to those that espouse it, teach it, and preach it; and even more dangerous for those "hearers" that believe it. Here's why.

The most precious gift we have from God is our faith. And if our faith gets derailed we are left with little or no hope of our salvation. How can that be? When the one we love most does not come to us when we expect him to and bad things begin to happen to us and those we love. Then, depression may set in, and we might fall away because we have lost all hope. Let that mindset not be in any of us for it comes from a devil. For then apostasy occurs. What is apostasy? The term apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia ("ἀποστασία") meaning "rebellion", "state of apostasy", "abandonment", or "defection". It has been described as "a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christianity. So let us examine what the Apostle Paul had to say about that subject and see how it relates to our gathering to the Lord, (Rapture).

2Thes.2
[1] Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
[2] That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
[3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,, (APOSTASY), and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

That passage of scripture clearly states there are 2 conditions that must be met before our Lord comes for us. (1). There must first come a falling away, (apostasy), and (2), the man of sin is revealed. On that note, my understanding of the matter is this. I don't need to watch continually because, (1), the return of Christ for us is not imminent, and (2), there definitely will not be a pre-trib rapture. But, not so fast, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. Paul also has this to say to us.

1Thes.5
[1] But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
[2] For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
[3] For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
[4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
[6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
[7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
[8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, [b]putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
[9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,[/b]

So we have consolation to continue watching, walking in love with one another, encouraging and strengthening one another and doing what is right in the sight of our Lord. The coming of our Lord is always imminent...He told us to watch and so did the Apostle Paul. His generation watched for the Coming of the Lord, and all of us in this generation must do the same.

Now as for the Mid-Trib and Post-Trib Rapture Theories, I learned this about them...briefly...there are scriptures that can lead one to conclude that one or the other is a strong possibility. But I am not going to hang my hat on either doctrine...I am a continuing to the end kind of Christian whenever that might be...if I live to His coming or fall asleep from some tumultuous event I am the Lord's, and so are all of you.

But as for the Pre-Trib Rapture Theory, it lacks support in scripture. And if your only reason for being a believer is to escape the suffering of the tribulation, you may very well be disappointed when suffering comes upon you at a time you do not expect. That will endanger your soul. You may fall away and be lost forever. My counsel to every believe is this. Make the reason you seek to be raptured away into the loving arms of our Lord be that you love Him with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength...and make it a point to set your heart to watch for Him always because He may not come when you expect Him to.

Everyone suffers...so be willing to suffer and protect yourself from the pitfall of trying to escape it...you can't. The Apostle Paul had this to say to us. Acts.14 [22] Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God.



Blessings!
Love, in Christ Jesus, Saint701.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus.