Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition), 1 Thessalonians 2:3
In Revelation 3 Jesus tells us that our Father wants us hot, or cold, He does not want people to be lukewarm. There is a Truth and it is this, our Father always get’s His way. So during the last 3 1/2 years of this earth age, our Father will cast away the lukewarm christians and clearly identify them. These lukewarm people will flood to the anti-christ’s church and the reason will be that they believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.
Think about why people really believe that there is a pre-tribulation rapture, and the reason is fear. There is an overwhelming belief in them of self preservation, ego, and pride. In Christ we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1:7. In Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us to desire the well being of others far above ourselves, Matthew 23:11. People who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture basically are saying that when the world needs us the most, forget you people, we are out of here because things get too tough. This is never how our Father has empowered His children to act. When the Apostles were imprisoned, beaten, and even killed, they ran right back to the Temple where they were arrested to preach the Truth that would set the people free, Acts 5. The Prophets of old went to the towns and cities and were beaten and killed for sharing the Truth. Jesus did not run because things were tough. Our Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He never changes and God will not change during the Great Tribulation. He will use us wonderfully and a great multitude of brothers and sisters will be saved during this time, Revelation 7:9.
So our Father has allowed a lie to be believed by the lukewarm and it is a belief in a pre-tribulation rapture. The lukewarm will believe that a rapture is going to occur, even when the Great Tribulation is happening all around them. They will see the anti-christ performing miracles and they will hear his great speech and they will flood to him thinking that he cannot be until they are gone. They will fall away thinking that a pre-tribulation rapture is still going to occur. They will be deceived and they will side with the anti-christ, our Father will have spewed them out of His mouth as Jesus said that He would and this is the great falling away.
I use to believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. A lot of saved people still do. But watch for all of that to change. I have seen our Father revealing more and more Truth about this over the last year and I believe that it will even grow stronger. There is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ and if you did believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, don't fret it. Just share the scriptures that clearly say that there isn't to those who do believe in one and watch the Word of our Father not fall void to the earth. It will set the truly saved free and encourage them and it will make the lukewarm mad, as Truth always does. Be blessed and be encouraged, our Father is going to pour His power and might out through His children as never before during the Great Tribulation.
3 comments:
[Amen and Bravo, Brad! Saw this hot article on the web. Pat]
Pretrib Rapture Pride
Pretrib rapture promoters like Thomas Ice give the impression they know more than the early Church Fathers, the Reformers, the greatest Greek New Testament scholars including those who produced the KJV Bible, the founders of their favorite Bible schools, and even their own mentors!
Ice's mentor, Dallas Sem. president John Walvoord, couldn't find anyone holding to pretrib before 1830 - and Walvoord called John Darby and his Brethren followers "the early pretribulationists" (RQ, pp. 160-62). Ice belittles Walvoord and claims that several pre-1830 persons, including "Pseudo-Ephraem" and a "Rev. Morgan Edwards," taught a pretrib rapture. Even though the first one viewed Antichrist's arrival as the only "imminent" event, Ice (and Grant Jeffrey) audaciously claim he expected an "imminent" pretrib rapture! And Ice (and John Bray) have covered up Edwards' historicism which made a pretrib rapture impossible! Google "Morgan Edwards' Rapture View" and journalist/historian Dave MacPherson's "Deceiving and Being Deceived" for documentation on these and similar historical distortions.
The same pretrib defenders, when combing ancient books, deviously read "pretrib" into phrases like "before Armageddon," "before the final conflagration," and "escape all these things"!
BTW, the KJV translators' other writings found in London's famed British Library (where MacPherson has researched) don't have even a hint of pretrib rapturism. Is it possible that Ice etc. have found pretrib "proof" in the KJV that its translators never found?
Pretrib merchandisers like Ice claim that nothing is better pretrib proof than Rev. 3:10. They also cover up "Famous Rapture Watchers" (on Google) which shows how the greatest Greek NT scholars of all time interpreted it.
Pretrib didn't flourish in America much before the 1909 Scofield Bible which has pretribby "explanatory notes" in its margins. Not seen in the margins was jailed forger Scofield's criminal record throughout his life that David Lutzweiler has documented in his recent book "The Praise of Folly" which is available online.
Biola University's doctrinal statement says Christ's return is "premillennial" and "before the Tribulation." Although universities stand for "academic freedom," Biola has added these narrow, restrictive phrases - non-essentials the founders purposely didn't include in their original doctrinal statement when Biola was just a small Bible institute! And other Christian schools have also belittled their founders.
Ice, BTW, has a "Ph.D" issued by a tiny Texas school that wasn't authorized to issue degrees! Ice now says that he's working on another "Ph.D" via the University of Wales in Britain. For light on the degrees of Ice's scholarliness, Google "Bogus degree scandal prompts calls to wind up University of Wales," "Thomas Ice (Bloopers)," "be careful in polemics - Peripatetic Learning," and "Walvoord Melts Ice." Also Google "Thomas Ice (Hired Gun)" - featured by media luminary Joe Ortiz on his Jan. 30, 2013 "End Times Passover" blog.
I see no scriptural references in your article to back up your argument. Please provide verses to support your claims.
I'd like to hear your interpretation of 2 Thess 2:6-8. As believers, we are not destined for wrath (1 Thess 5:9, Romans 5:9) which is the prevailing theme of the book of Revelation. God is pouring out His wrath on the "world" NOT His children.
I personally ascribe to the pre Trib view but I am not afraid to lay down my life for my beliefs nor do I desire to see anyone else die apart from Christ. You make the accusation against those who hold the pre trib view that we don't care about those left behind. This couldn't be farther from the truth. If anything it motivates me to share Jesus with others who need to know Him before it's too late.
My question to you is this. Are you as concerned for those who are perishing around you every day to the point that you are actively sharing the gospel? Are you there for those people? You probably walk past a multitude of them everyday and there's no worse wrath a person can experience than being sentenced to an eternity in hell.
The following paragraphs come from articles by Paul Benson “Let's Get it Right” https://pbenson.me.
I believe, if people want thorough response to the pre-trib falsehood, they will find it covered by Paul Benson.
How many who think they can *claim Rev. 3:10 as a promise would care to also claim another ‘promise’ in John’s letters. If Rev. 3:10 is for you why not 2:10 also:
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10
Does not this verse also carry a promise to the Church? Why is one a promise to you, and not the other? Because one tickles your ears, and the other does not?
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:22. There are those who say that the elect spoken of here are the Jews. What about the Christian that is “in Christ”?
The word elect is used 16 times in the N.T. (KJV). The underlying Greek word eklektos is used 23 times and is always translated ‘elect’ or ‘chosen’. It is also enlightening to search the word ‘election’. A thorough look at all these passages shows NOT ONE reference to national Israel NOW being the elect. The fact the believer is now the elect of God is undeniable as you look through the verses in question. Examine each verse and ask yourself if this is a reference to national Israel or those who are in Christ.
(Also read Romans 11) The Word of God clearly teaches we the followers of Christ are ‘the elect’ of God; and therefor we are the ones being gathered unto Christ in Matthew 30:31. https://pbenson.me/2016/10/31/the-elect-of-god-today/
Strong's Number G646 matches the Greek ἀποστασία (apostasia),
which occurs 2 times in 2 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV
The KJV translates Strong's G646 in the following manner: to forsake (wit G575 (1x), falling away(1x) the same may be found in Vine's or Thayer's- Never catching away as Pre-Trib will tell you.
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