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The questionable Pretribulation Rapture

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by Tim too, Sep 2, 2003.

  1. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    I will show IT IS WRITTEN: [​IMG]
    The Anti-messiah shall reign for 7-years,
    the Tribulation period.
    The rapture (caught up) will follow a resurrection.
    The rapture/resurrection will occur without
    previous notice and before the Tribulation period
    (wrath).
    The rapture (caught up)/resurrection (gathering)
    is at the beginning of the Tribulation period
    (time of the Anti-messiah)

    The Anti-messiah shall reign for 7-years,
    the Tribulation period. FOR IT IS WRITTEN
    in Daniel 9:26-27 (nKJV):

    "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah
    shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
    And the people of the prince who is to
    come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary
    The end of it shall be with a flood,
    And till the end of the war desolations
    are determined.
    27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with
    many for one week; But in the middle
    of the week He shall bring an end
    to sacrifice and offering. And on
    the wing of abominations shall be
    one who makes desolate, Even until
    the consummation, which is determined,
    Is poured out on the desolate."

    Please note the lower case "h" in "he" in verse 27
    refering not to Messiah in verse 26 but the
    to the "prince that shall come".
    Note it is written that the Anti-messiah's seven years
    are divided in the middle by the abomination
    of desolation, dividing the 7-year period into
    to parts each 3½-years long (1260 days, 42 months).

    The rapture (caught up) will follow a resurrection,
    FOR IT IS WRITTEN in 1 Thessalonains 4:13-18 (KJV1873):

    But I would not have you to be ignorant,
    brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
    that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
    no hope.
    14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
    again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
    will God bring with him.
    15 For this we say unto you by the word of
    the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
    unto the coming of the Lord shall
    not prevent them which are asleep.
    16 For the Lord himself shall descend from
    heaven with a shout, with the voice
    of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
    and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
    17 Then we which are alive and remain
    shall be caught up together with them
    in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
    and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
    18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

    The rapture/resurrection will occur without
    previous notice and before the Tribulation period
    (wrath) FOR IT IS WRITTEN in
    1 Thessalonains 5:1-10 (KJV1873):

    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.
    5 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, 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,
    10 Who died for us, that, whether
    we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
    11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together,
    and edify one another, even as also ye do.

    The rapture (caught up)/resurrection (gathering)
    is at the beginning of the Tribulation period
    (time of the Anti-messiah)
    FOR IT IS WRITTEN in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (KJV1873):

    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,
    and that man of sin be revealed,
    the son of perdition;

    I have shown IT IS WRITTEN: [​IMG]
    The Anti-messiah shall reign for 7-years,
    the Tribulation period.
    The rapture (caught up) will follow a resurrection.
    The rapture/resurrection will occur without
    previous notice and before the Tribulation period
    (wrath).
    The rapture (caught up)/resurrection (gathering)
    is at the beginning of the Tribulation period
    (time of the Anti-messiah)
     
  2. Tim too

    Tim too New Member

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    Doubting Thomas,

    It is a pleasure to see your post. I think that the problem is the we as Baptist have been bombarded and deluded so long with the pretribulation theology that most people don't have any idea when the tribulation began. According to pretribbers it is a event coming, but according to the Bible it began when Christ ascended to be with the Father and will increase in intensity and be great indeed under the final antichrist. Jesus compares the increasing intensity to the birth pains of a woman in labor.

    "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains . Matthew 24:2-8 NIV

    Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. Revelation 5:1-6 NIV

    Before the seals of the tribulation are opened there is no one in heaven to open it. But then look, after Christ finished His atoning work here He appears in the middle of the throne as a "lamb looking as if it had been slain." He is worthy to open the scrolls and He does so. That began the tribulation. We are in it and it is only going to get worse.

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
     
  3. Tim too

    Tim too New Member

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    How could these be pretribulation saints if they come out after (they weren't there before)the great tribulation?

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
     
  4. Tim too

    Tim too New Member

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    Is the son of perdition not the antichrist? If he is, how can the church be raptured before the tribulation if he, the antichrist is to be revealed during the tribulation?

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
     
  5. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    My take is that on the day the last trump sounds, and the living saints hear "come up hither" and the dead in Christ rise from their graves, their souls having reunited with their now changed and glorified bodies, to meet the Lord in the air, that will also be this earth's last and final day.

    The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be very visible, and all eyes shall see him, even the eyes of those that pierced him, he shall be coming in all his glory with all the armies of heaven.

    Then, those who are not elect, those whom the Bible calls the "wicked", shall all stand before the Great White Throne, and books will be opened, and the sea shall give up all its dead, and all the double dead shall be resurrected, and they shall be made to answer for their sins, be found guilty and cast into hell for ever more, together with death and the grave.

    All this in one day.

    No 7 years' tribulation while a great wedding is being held in outer space.
     
  6. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    Tim too: "How could these be pretribulation saints
    if they come out after (they weren't there before)
    the great tribulation?"

    Please do NOT ADD TO THE written WORD OF GOD. [​IMG]

    Revelation 7:13b says this:
    " ... These are the ones who come out
    of the great tribulation ... "

    But your questions seem to add to it
    so it reads:

    Revelation 7:13b:
    " ... These are the ones who come out
    AFTER the great tribulation ... "

    In fact, the rest of the Bible teaches
    that the church age, born-again Christian
    elect saints come out (the falling away)
    of the world before the Tribulation Period
    starts.
     
  7. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    In this context, what does "day" mean?
    Feel free to consult a dictionary.
    If you can't find about a dozen meanings
    of "day" then you haven't tryed very hard.
    I still find the "48-hour-day" missing
    from the dictionaries. The "48-hour-day"
    is how long a day lasts from the moment
    it begins on the earth until the last
    moment of it ends on the earth.

    BTW, i've found that all the theories
    of the end times seem to vary ONLY
    by the definition of simple words:
    FIRST and DAY especially. [​IMG]
     
  8. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    You are a-mill
    and a-trib? That is a new one for me. [​IMG]
     
  9. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    Tim too: "Is the son of perdition not the antichrist?"

    Yes, they are one and the same.


    Tim too: "If he is, how can the church be raptured before
    the tribulation if he, the antichrist is to be
    revealed during the tribulation?"

    How can the church NOT be raptureed before the
    Tribulation period?
    Don't you read what i write?
    I can understand if you don't believe what i
    write, but at least READ THE STUFF :( thank you.
    Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation
    all agree: the Rapture happens before the Tribulation
    period starts.

    I think when 100s of Millions of People are raptured
    and Billion of People are Resurrected, the people
    left behind will want to know: WHAT HAPPENED?
    The AC (antichrist) will have an answer for them.
    The AC will thus reveal himself.
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Tim too

    Tim too New Member

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    The problem I am having is that you are talking out of both sides of your mouth. You want to say that these, in Rev 7:13 are “the un-numberable quantity of born-again, church-age, Christian elect saints who CAME OUT of the Tribulation Period.” But then in the same breath you want to say they came out “before the Tribualtion Period at the pretribulation rapture/resurrection.”

    The verse says "out of" but you keep trying to say before. :confused:

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
     
  11. Tim too

    Tim too New Member

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    Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that] [Day] [will] [not] [come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition , 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thes 2:1-4 NKJV

    Paul says that we are not going to be gathered to the Lord until after "the falling away comes first" and the man of sin, the son of perdition is revealed.

    If the antichrist is revealed during the seven years of the tribulation how do you explain this problem?

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
     
  12. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that] [Day] [will] [not] [come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition , 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thes 2:1-4 NKJV

    Paul says that we are not going to be gathered to the Lord until after "the falling away comes first" and the man of sin, the son of perdition is revealed.

    If the antichrist is revealed during the seven years of the tribulation how do you explain this problem?

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
    </font>[/QUOTE]Ah, you are reading
    the AND in verse one different from me.
    I believe the AND in verse one to connect
    two different sets of events:

    Oh I already wrote it up years ago:


    \o/ Glory to the Lord \o/ [​IMG]

    \o/ Praise be to Jesus \o/ [​IMG]

    2 Thessalonians 2:1 (KJV1873):
    Now we beseech you, brethren,
    by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    and by our gathering together unto him,

    Two events mentioned here:
    1) the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
    2) our gathering together unto him

    Titus 2:13 (KJV1873):
    Looking for that blessed hope,
    and the glorious appearing of the great God
    and our Saviour Jesus Christ

    Two events mentioned here:
    1) blessed hope
    2) the glorious appearing of the great God
    and our Saviour Jesus Christ

    These two events are mentioned seperately
    throughout the Bible. The Rapture, which
    was a mystery in the O.T. is not mentioned
    in the N.T.

    Rapture Passages (the gathering):

    Matthew 24:31-44
    Mark 13
    Luke 21
    John 14:1-3
    Romans 8:19
    1 Corinthians 1:7-8, 15:51-53, 16:22
    Philippians 3:20-21, 4-5
    Colossians 3:4
    1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:19, 4:13-18, 5:9,23
    2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2:1, 2:3
    1 Timothy 6:14
    2 Timothy 4:1,8
    Hebrews 9:28
    1 Peter 1:7,13, 5:4
    1 John 2:28-3:2
    Jude 1:21
    Revelation 2:25

    Second Advent Passages
    (Jesus comes again in power and glory):

    Daniel 2:44-45, 7:9-14, 12:1-3
    Zechariah 12:10, 14:1-15
    Matthew 13:41
    Matthew 24:15-30, 26:64
    Mark 13
    Luke 21
    Acts 1:9-11, 3:19-21
    1 Thessalonians 3:13
    2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 2:8
    1 Peter 4:12-19
    2 Peter 3:1-14
    Jude 1:14-15
    Revelation 4-19

    Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that] [Day] [will] [not] [come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition , 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thes 2:1-4 NKJV

    The falling away/rapture/resurrection/gathering
    is BEFORE THE Tribulation Period;
    the Second Coming/Day of Christ is after
    the Tribulation Period.
    [​IMG]
     
  13. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    The problem I am having is that you are talking out of both sides of your mouth. You want to say that these, in Rev 7:13 are “the un-numberable quantity of born-again, church-age, Christian elect saints who CAME OUT of the Tribulation Period.” But then in the same breath you want to say they came out “before the Tribualtion Period at the pretribulation rapture/resurrection.”

    The verse says "out of" but you keep trying to say before. :confused:

    In the love of Christ,
    Tim
    </font>[/QUOTE]Same thing: "out of" and
    "before".

    If you skip "out of" class, do you
    leave before class or in the middle of class?
    I skip the whole thing [​IMG]

    Matthew 24-25, Mark 17, and Luke 21
    contain the Mount Olivet Discourse
    of Jesus. He has two examples:
    Noah and Lot. Noah was taken out of the
    earth BEFORE the flood, not from the
    MIDST of the flood.
    Lot was taken out of Sodom BEFORE the
    destruction began, not from the MIDST
    of the destruction.

    I believe if Jesus had wanted to tell us
    about a gathering/rapture/resurrection
    in the middle of the Tribulation Period
    He would have used the story of
    Daniel and the Lion's Den (God kept
    Daniel safe from the Lions in the MIDST
    of the Lion's Den).
    He would have used the story of
    the Three Hebrew Children (God kept
    the Three Hebrew Children in the MIDST
    of the firey furnace)..

    No Fellow Child of the King, we are going
    to get took out when Jesus comes to get
    us BEFORE the Tribulation Period begins.
    Amen! [​IMG]

    Comparing the rapture/resurrection (R) AKA: gathering
    with the Second Advent (SC): when Jesus comes
    to destroy the Antichrist and set up the
    Millennial Kingdom AKA: Glorious Appearance.

    1R. Jesus comes for His own
    (John 14:3, 1 Thess 4:17)
    1SC. Jesus comes with His own (Rev 19:14)

    2R. Jesus comes in the air (1 Thes 4:17)
    2SC. Jesus comes to the earth
    (Zech 14:4-5, Acts 1:11)

    3R. Jesus comes to claim His Bride
    (1 Thess 4:16-17)
    3SC. Jesus comes with His Bride
    (Rev 19:6-14)

    4R. end of the Gentile Age
    (Matthew 24:3, 24:31-44)
    4SC. end of the Tribulation Period
    (Revelation 19)

    5R. Tribulation period begins
    5SC. Millennial Kingdom begins

    6R. Saved are delivered from wrath
    (1 Thes 1:10, 5:9; Rev 3:10)
    6SC. Unsaved experience the wrath of God
    (Rev 6:12-17)

    7R. No Signs precede the Rapture
    (1 Thess. 5:1-3, Matthew 24:31-44)
    7SC. Signs precede the Second Coming
    (Luke 21-11-28, Matthew 24:21-30)

    8R. Focus: Lord and Church
    (1 Thess 4:13-18)
    8SC. Focus: Israel and kingdom
    (Romans 11)

    9R. World is deceived (2 Thess 2:3-12)
    9SC. Satan is bound (Rev 20:1-2)

    10R. No judgement mentioned on earth
    10SC. Follows the Tribulation period
    judgement and followed by the sheep/goats
    judgement.

    11R. Time of joy.
    11SC. Time of sorrow.
     
  14. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    I need to run off to work. [​IMG]
    Check in with ya'll later.

    May God look down this day with
    favor upon Tim_too, his family,
    and his ministry. May this be done so
    that we might give all the more honor
    and glory unto our blessed Lord and
    Savior: Messiah Yeshua. Amen! [​IMG]
     
  15. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    As I pointed out in a previous post, those who are “taken” in the passage are taken in judgment. Those who remain are the righteous. This passage most definitely does not teach a “rapture” where the righteous are gathered from the earth.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage. (15:51-53 refers to the final resurrection of the dead and the transformation of the living, but does not mention that this takes place in the context of a rapture.)

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in 3:20-21. (I don’t understand your reference to “4-5”. There is no chapter 5 and verses 3:4-5 don’t seem to relate at all.)

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    1:10 and 5:9 mentioned missing the wrath of God (however you interpret that), but does not mentioned the rapture.

    2:19 and 5:23 do not teach anything regarding the rapture.

    4:13-18 makes a reference (v.17) to a rapture, but many of us see it as a clear reference to meeting the Lord as He returns on the last day. Nothing in the passage indicates that it will be secret or not immediately precede the final judgment.

    1:7 and 2:1 do not necessarily teach a secret rapture.

    2:3 - I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in these passages.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.

    I cannot find anything that teaches rapture in this passage.


    CONCLUSION:

    The New Testament does not teach a secret rapture where the elect will be gathered from the earth before a period of tribulation.

    Traditionally Matthew 24 has been profoundly misinterpreted to built the doctrine (the RIGHTEOUS are left behind!) and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 has been used to bolster this argument. But one you remove the faulty interpretation of Matthew 24 from the discussion, 1 Thessalonians simply refers to the end of the age when the church will meet the Lord in the air as He returns - like a crowd rushing to greet a conquering King.

    If you do not agree, please show me a passage that clearly teaches a pretribulation rapture.
     
  16. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

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    There is no explanation. I don't see how it could be any more clear than what Paul says right there in 2 Thessalonians.

    ... concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him ... [don't be disturbed by a false claim] ... as though the day of Christ is at hand ... that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed ...

    In the pre-wrath rapture order of events, all of this makes perfect sense, since the onset of the Day of the Lord is when the rapture occurs. The Day of the Lord itself is the beginning of God's outpouring of wrath upon the world.

    Paul talks about them here as if they're one and the same -- and they are. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, our gathering together with Him, and the Day of Christ are all the same. And they are all preceded by the revealing of the man of sin.

    In the pre-trib rapture, you have to make the whole passage a scramble of events and extended time periods. Translated into pre-trib, this passage would read:

    ... concerning the first secret coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together with Him at the secret rapture, do not be concerned about a false report that some other event called the Day of Christ is at hand, because that day will not come until after 3 1/2 years after you're secretly raptured, when the man of sin is revealed, which you can't be around to see anyway, so I'm not sure why I mentioned it ...
     
  17. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    Baptist Believer: "I cannot find anything that teaches
    rapture in this passage."

    Your loss. [​IMG]
    One wise man told me to study a passage until
    I saw Jesus there. Did you see Jesus in any
    of these passages?
     
  18. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

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    teach us then.
     
  19. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    It’s not a loss to me if it is a false doctrine that has no basis in the scripture – and that certainly seems to be the case.

    Traditionally, the “strongest” and “clearest” passages regarding the secret rapture of the church have been considered to be in Matthew 24 and in 1 Thessalonians 4, but Matthew 24 has clearly been misinterpreted by secret rapture advocates and 1 Thessalonians 4 ties the rapture event to the day when Christ returns visibly to judge the nations – there’s nothing secret about it.

    The other passages you (and so many others) have thrown out have nothing to do with a secret rapture.

    EVERYONE LOSES if we allow manmade doctrines to undermine the gospel.

    I do not say this to be harsh, but rather to provoke you to reconsider your opinion.

    I see Jesus throughout those scriptures, but I don’t see what you claim is there. If it is truly in the scripture, please try to make it clear to me. I’ve searched in vain for years for scriptural evidence of a secret rapture (because that’s what I was taught when I was a youngster in church), but I’ve never seen a hint of it even after reading the Bible from cover to cover a couple of times and the New Testament more times than I can count.
     
  20. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    Dear Brother Baptist Believer:

    I don't believe in a "secret rapture".
    I don't teach a "secret rapture".
    You are shadow boxing with "secret rapture".
    That may be lots of fun, but is
    hardly productive. Tell us what the
    rapture is, when it is (relative to other
    end times events), and how to get ready
    for it. Then, perchance if you are right,
    something productive would have been done.
    I shall try to do likewise.

    God bless [​IMG]
    - Ed
     
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