I am reluctantly joining the current pre-trib debate. I have hesitated very much in writing about this, as I know that most have already hardened into one side or the other, and I refuse to engage in pointless debate.
But after prayer, I read this [about a different topic] on a post to my Facebook “It is love to warn someone of deception and falsehood. It is a believer’s obligation if you know the truth to warn a brother or sister of deception and of wolves in sheep’s clothing. To say nothing at all is to not care about that person’s soul.”
So I am going to post this, because I believe the time is right.
I’ve been noticing an escalation in the age-old rapture debate with people taking sides on what at first glance seems a trivial and even minor doctrine of scripture, compared to everything else in the gospel.
And the endless debate isn’t even about the FACT of the rapture, but its TIMING.
Now it’s getting even more unworthy of the Body of Christ, with some calling others heretics, and breaking fellowship, and even saying that anyone who doesn’t believe the classic pre-seven-year theory is ignorant, stupid, apathetic, backslidden or “will be left behind to suffer God’s wrath”. Where does such thinking and talking come from? It’s not from God!
I haven’t made the rapture timing a focus of my writings, because there are more important and less divisive things that need to be said. I hate confrontation and I am grieved by pointless sniping at the jots and tittles of doctrine. Didn’t God warn us against debating over words for no particular reason?
The Church started arguing over the rapture almost from day one! And how are we to respond? Let’s see what the bible commands….
[Please go to my website to read the remainder of this article. Click on the link.]
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Well said sister! It is always a blessing to me when I read a post that is so in line with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit . May The Lord Jesus continue to bless and keep you in all your labours for His Name’s sake.
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Bravo!
I recently lost a dear pre trib friend even though my article was much shorter than this – and ended with the gentle message that no man knows the day or hour; so we hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
However, I did warn that I fear for those who teach the flock that a pre trib rapture is absolute and definite. As you say, it cannot be proved by literal interpretation of the texts – and a Church expecting to be taken out before Satan’s calamities escalate – to me seems cruel.
Yes, cruel.
Why should WE be rescued when for 2 millennia our brethren have not?
A Body who is not prepared for events on planet Earth becoming MUCH worse, will be sorely tried, probably lose faith and will have trouble persevering, enduring and standing firm.
Now the wrath of God being poured out is something quite different. That also prepares the way for The Lamb to return to cut short these days and save the planet – and to wreak vengeance and justice before His millennial reign of peace.
I thank God that we will be snatched away by then at least.
Like you, I was taught the pre trib rapture – although it never made sense to me as to why WE got it when others didn’t.
So, having studied eschatology for nearly 30 years, and from examining the scriptures myself, I hold to the doctrine of imminency – be ready, watching, waiting – after all, my heart could fail at any moment or I could be hit by a bus. Be prepared to meet Him at any moment.
However, scripture also shows clearly that we will not know His wrath – the horrors of which are clearly stated in Revelation.
That is why I say with confidence, no man knows the day or hour; so we hope for the best (to meet Him sooner rather than later) and prepare for the worst…
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Thank you for this article Tricia.
As I read it I could see a lot of my own journey being described.
I was also led astray for a time by WOF teaching and also tended to push aside those niggling doubts I continually had.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a Christian was when I decided to study the BIBLE to find what IT said about end times and the rapture. Until that point I’d followed the widely accepted pre-trib teachings I’d been exposed to through church and through popular Christian books.
Going to the bible alone not only changed my beliefs about the rapture, it also made me aware of how so many of my beliefs had been shaped by something other than the truth of scripture. Then I later began to see how much I’d been conditioned to put my primary trust in the teachings of man instead of turning to scripture myself, swallowing the idea that scripture is too hard for the average person to understand so someone with training is needed to explain and interpret it.
But really, scripture isn’t as difficult as we’ve been led to believe. So often the main difficulties have been due to the fact that scripture hasn’t been supporting a lot of what we’ve been taught to believe, an we’ve therefore “needed” someone to reconcile the apparent contradictions between scripture and the doctrines of our churches.
Of course there will be a lot that we can’t understand at first, but with a growing familiarity of scripture, mysteries tend to clear up. I’ve often described the process as being like a study of Mathematics. Before someone can understand more complex mathematical concepts, they need to get a grasp of basic arithmetic. Likewise, we often need to develop some basic background knowledge of the broad story of scripture before we’re able to understand many specific things we read.
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Thanks for your comment!!
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