This document of the "Pre-Trib Rapture" is a study within a study written by Dan Corner of Evangelical Outreach and it comments on his answers. It is not to discredit Brother Corner for when it comes to the 1st principles of the oracles of God, he is scripturally accurate against the fallacy of "Once Saved, Always Saved" and contends against it with Godly jealousy! (it is the devil's doctrine!) But regarding "Prophecy" of the Scripture, it is apparent that he only has his feet in river. But I encourage everyone who reads this, to be like Ezekiel and go out a little farther! (Ezek 47) You will find that most of these "so called arguments" are shallow and a very weak interpretation of a "Pre-Tribulation Rapture!" So it appears on the surface like Brother Corner easily refutes them, but it's in the setting of a "Westernized Christian" viewpoint. The manifold wisdom of God is a lot deeper than we could ever phantom this side of heaven! It's unique how the Word of God can be milk to a baby and yet meat to the older! It is the many-fold wisdom of God!
The manifold/many-fold wisdom of God
#1 Most Orthodox Jews understand 1st principles clearly, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one!" But what IF one of those early Jews started teaching that Jesus (The Son) is called "God" and the Holy Spirit is called "God?" Is that heresy? Or do we err, not knowing the Scriptures?
#2 What IF you were an Orthodox Jew in the time of Jesus, would you have believed on Jesus when He came? Of course now you would say yes because now we understand clearly that there are two comings of the Messiah! But most of the Jews back in Jesus' day only understood the Messiah reigning and would have rejected any other teaching, even though the Scriptures declared that He would suffer and that He would be cut off! So was it wrong just because it wasn't what was being taught and accepted by the rulers of the synagogues?
Maybe they didn't understand because of the hardness of their hearts. But I pray that you keep your heart open to the Word of the Lord (1 Thess 4:15) and hear what the Spirit says to the Church!
The following is His study
EXCEPT where the text is displayed in "red" for the online version or "Gray" for the booklet version; it is as follows…
The following arguments are some of the chief reasons why millions of Christians believe in a pre-trib rapture. Many of these same people are unaware that there is another way to look at the pre-trib rapture proof-texts. Hopefully, after taking a close look at the following, many pre-trib rapture proponents will see things differently about the timing of the rapture. While there will be a rapture, the pre-trib rapture teaching, in the end, will show itself to be nothing more than a false hope
[This is not a False Hope? This IS the believer's "Blessed Hope"! Titus 2:13 It's not a "suffering the punishment and judgment of God along WITH the wicked" Hope" like "Mid" & "Post" Tribulation doctrines teach!] (and perhaps even a snare) for many who were not prepared spiritually [A "Christian" is to be prepared spiritually already; looking for and anticipating our Beloved. We are espoused to Jesus and should be ready at ALL times to go out and meet the bridegroom! The "Pre-Trib Rapture" Doctrine does not create laxity, in fact, contrary to this so-called "False Hope", the Bible clearly teaches, "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." I Jn 3:3 Also, Titus 2:11-13 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"] for those days because they thought they would escape rather than face the rough days ahead. [This is the sum of the "Western-Christians" view; They feel because we haven't suffered persecution in America, that we are appointed to "The 7- year Tribulation". The fact is that for some reason, maybe through culture or prosperity, American Christians believe that they are "the whole" of the church! Not realizing that the body of Christ, the Church, is made up of believers World-wide since Christ until this present time! The fact is that Christians have been suffering persecutions, trials, and tribulations all throughout history and even in most Countries TODAY! American Christians are not the sum of the Church, the epitome of Christianity.] It is my hope that many will reconsider their position of a pre-trib rapture after they see some of the chief arguments upon which it is based.PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 1:
God is a loving God and would NEVER allow his children to suffer through the great tribulation. Hence, we will be leaving through the rapture before it occurs.
[This comment to defend the "Pre-Trib Rapture" is weak and apparent that whoever made it has been tantalized by Western-Christianity! It's NOT what Holy Writ declares! Nevertheless]ANSWER:
God has always been and will always be a loving God. In fact, He is love (1 John 4:8; 4:16), but we must NOT misuse this attribute of His or misunderstand that He is also an infinite and eternal God, whose ways and thoughts are not like ours:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa 55:8,9)
Compare:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer 29:11 "To give you the fear of facing God's Wrath?" NO, to give you an expected end! Why would believer's suffer the same judgment and fate on unbeliever's?
Also, remember that God has allowed His most devoted servants to suffer incredibly in this life, even up to the point of martyrdom like John the Baptist, Steven, James and Antipas. Moreover, many prophets of God were killed by Jezebel in her day (1 Kings 18:4, 13). But most noteworthy is how the Father allowed His only begotten son, Jesus of Nazareth, to suffer horribly and then die on the cross for all of mankind. God's love permitted all of that to happen and will also allow for the last generation of saints to face the antichrist.
[Persecution and tribulations have happened throughout history "…that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22 Is it correct to say that Paul did not enter into the kingdom of God because they didn't go through the tribulation? No, that's ridiculous. But the allotted time of the 7 year Tribulation is purposed for the pouring out of God's wrath that has been filling up into vials since the foundation of the world and is reserved for all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men! Anyone reading Revelation can see that from Revelation 5 onward; Now the time has come for God to take vengeance; and point out that it is AFTER the Church age chapters 2-3!
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 2:
Jesus promised the church the following:
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (Rev 3:10)
Jesus said, He'd keep Christians
from this hour of trial coming on the whole earth. Hence, Christians will be delivered from the tribulation period. [This again is weak. Jesus addressed that particular Church concerning keeping them from that hour, not every Church in chapters 2-3. Besides the tribulation of the last-days is 7 years in length, Daniel's 70th week, 3 1/2 years + 3 1/2 years, 42 months + 42 months, "a time, and times, and half of time" + "a time, and times, and half of time", 1,260 days + 1,260 days!!! Not an hour!]ANSWER:
The Greek word found in Rev.3:10 and translated keep you from is also found at John 17:11 and 17:15 and can mean keep through. This is what will happen, if we are the generation of saints to face the antichrist -- we will be kept through that horrible time, that is, as long as we do our part for God to continue to keep us, as the Scriptures declare. See Rev. 13:10 and 14:12.
Also remember that the prophet Daniel went into the lion's den and the three Hebrew men -- Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego -- went into Nebuchadnezzar's blazing furnace! God did not keep them from such a severe life or death test.
[This is an excellent point, "God did not keep them from" but allowed them to go through! But using that same analogy, comparing it with going through "The 7 year Tribulation" it rather proves that even IF Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or the Church went through "The 7 year Tribulation" they would NOT be harmed or affected by it!!! "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," 1Thes 5:9]PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 3:
After Rev. 4:1, we read no more of the
church. God said to John, come up here, which symbolizes the rapture and the end of the Church age, which means Christians are not going through the tribulation. That verse reads:After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." (Rev 4:1)
ANSWER:
While we might not see the word church after the point of Rev. 4:1 in the book of Revelation, we still read of it with the term saints, which comprise the church. For example, we read:
He [the antichrist] was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. (Rev 13:7)
If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. (Rev 13:10)[This still does NOT necessarily have to specifically reference "THE CHURCH" for people will be getting saved throughout the Tribulation! And when they get saved, they'll be called…. SAINTS!!!
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. (Rev 14:9-12)
So while it is true that the word church is not found after Rev. 4:1, a synonym for it certainly is!
[This was perhaps the weakest of these rebuttals; I agree "Saints" is a synonym used in the "Churches", but to have Jesus exclusively use the words "Church" & "Churches" 20 times in the first three chapters of Revelation and then start to refer to that particular group of people with another term sounds more like people are LOOKING for any excuse not to believe in the "Pre-Tribulation rapture!" However, it is also noteworthy that the term "Saints" is used in the Old Testament nearly 30 times referring to the Jewish people!!! Daniel's 70th week is a time of Jacob's trouble! Jer 30:7 "…blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Rom 11:25 AFTER the fulness of the Gentiles be come in then God turns His attention BACK towards Israel]Also, it was to John alone
[But the Apostle John is a representative of the New Testament Church, having received the Messiah he was part of the early CHURCH] that God spoke the words come up here. To give a symbolic interpretation to any Scripture, which you are doing to say that phrase means the rapture, can lead to many strange, weird and unsound teachings. But those same words come up here are also found in another place in Revelation: [And when those words "come up here" are used of the 144,000 and used of the 2 witnesses, it is used representing their resurrection]Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (Rev 11:12)
Those words were spoken to the two witnesses of Rev. 11, who were killed by the antichrist and clearly cannot refer to the rapture, as some try to make it mean in Rev. 4:1.
[Reading the book of Revelation and without using any "Pre", "Mid" or "Post Tribulation" theology; can you point out where each group of people are resurrected? By noting the words "Come up hither" we can clearly see where the 144,000 are resurrected we can clearly see where the 2 witnesses are resurrected, but what about the Church? (Obviously Rev 4:1)
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 4:
Lot was taken out of Sodom before it was destroyed and Noah was in the ark before the flood. Scripture says:
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30)
Hence, Christians will likewise be delivered, as Noah and Lot were, through the rapture.
ANSWER:
While some might look at Lk. 17:26-30 and see the righteous being delivered (and in part it is referring to that), that passage is primarily emphasizing that the wicked will be
destroyed by God's judgment. [Regardless, whichever way you at it, the righteous ARE preserved and the wicked ARE destroyed! God keeps the righteous just like He kept Lot & Noah! Note: to get the whole of Lot's comparison read Genesis 18:16-33] The wicked people living during Noah's day and Lot's day were oblivious to the immediate danger they were in and continued to live an ordinary kind of life, without repentance of their sins and turning to God. Hence, they were all destroyed when God's judgment came. Notice the rest of the context of that passage:On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. "Where, Lord?" they asked. He replied, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." (Luke 17:31-37)
The disciples asked
where they were taken. Jesus answered by referring to their dead bodies and vultures being gathered there! That refers to the wicked people, not the righteous.[Take note that it was asked of Jesus in verse 20 concerning "when the kingdom of God should come" (There's a difference between "The Kingdom of God" & "The RAPTURE of the Church!"]
Notice the parallel passage in Matthew's gospel:
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Mat 24:37-44)
The wicked were
taken away by the flood, which killed them. [Amen]
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 5:
Finally, notice that Jesus will come
at an hour we do not expect him, Mat. 24:44. If He was coming at some time other than pre-trib, we would know when He was coming. Hence, the rapture can happen at any moment and must be pre-trib.[After reading the "Argument" & "Answer" over and over, this still remains a "Valid" & "Legitimate" argument! I hope this rebuttal isn't the only Scripture for trying to validate the "day or hour"]
ANSWER:
There are other Scriptures that must be examined besides the one saying that He will come at an hour we do not expect Him, such as the following one:
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. (Mark 13:24-27, KJV)
According to this Scripture, the gathering of the elect from earth to heaven (the rapture) cannot happen until first there is a radical change in the way we currently view the sun, moon and stars -- which means it cannot happen before this event occurs! Furthermore, that change will occur after the tribulation, according to the Lord Jesus.
["The ELECT" is everybody who has believed on the Lord Jesus, not exclusively "The Church." There are saints IN HEAVEN that shall be gathered for "the coming of the Son of man" (The 2nd Advent) and there will be multitudes getting right with God after they discover that they have missed the "Rapture of the Church" which will make them, obviously, part of the ELECT that will be ON EARTH.]PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 6:
In Luke 21:36, Jesus taught:
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.
So we will escape the horrible things that will happen on the earth through the rapture.
ANSWER:
What the saints will escape, according to that verse, is what comes after the rapture, which is the wrath of God. The saints will be delivered from the wrath of God, but not from the antichrist during the tribulation. Again, the tribulation is not the wrath of God.
[How he came to that conclusion, I'm not sure of. I'm still not sure of Brother Dan's position on "The Rapture of the Church." In the previous "Argument" it sounded as if he was "Post-Trib", now it sounds like he's positioning himself to "Mid-Trib", hopefully after clearing up most of these "so called" arguments he will come to the conclusion of "Pre-Trib!!!" Beloved, there's more you have to consider when searching for truth! I'm sure that if a Jehovah's Witness came up to most Christians who are unlearned with the Scriptures, they could get them to believe Jesus was "a god, but not the God" or that He was a "created being" etc. etc. When rightly dividing the Word of Truth, understanding God's patterns and dealings with people, Jewish customs and traditions, etc. etc. you will have to come to the conclusion of a "Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church!"
Luke 21:34-36
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Compare, and take heed to the warning at the end of v.46!!! No matter which one you believe "Pre", "Mid" or "Post-Trib" BE READY! BE READY AT ALL TIMES!!! MAKE SURE YOU'RE RIGHT WITH GOD RIGHT NOW!!!
Luke 12:42-46
42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
(The next pre-trib rapture argument is similar to this one.)
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 7:
The tribulation is the wrath of God.
The saints are delivered from the wrath of God, according to various Scriptures, so the rapture must happen before the tribulation.ANSWER
:It is true that the saints will be delivered from the wrath of God, but it is not true that the tribulation is the wrath of God.
[This statement makes no sense! The Tribulation is 7 years in length, 42months & 42months. If the "Wrath of God" is not poured out until the last 42months, it still falls into the category of the "Tribulation!" Brother Dan however, never gave his explanation of what he declares "the tribulation is". What is the purpose of the tribulation? Who is it for? And what is it to accomplish?] There are no Scriptures to back that up. Furthermore, the wrath of God begins at the overlapping point of Rev. 11:18 and Rev. 6:17, which is after the tribulation. [There's no way, not even logically, that you can put the tribulation as being done and over with after Rev. 6:17] The saints will go through the painful things cited before that point, but not the wrath of God. Notice those Scriptures:The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great--and for destroying those who destroy the earth. (Rev 11:18)
For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? (Rev 6:17)
[It is stated in the verse before Rev 6:17 "the wrath of the Lamb" (Who is God) v.16. And when it says that, the seals are being broken off the scroll, the judgments are beginning, the 7 year tribulation will have begun, any Scholar will agree that it so! The first 42months is known as "the Wrath of the Lamb" the second 42months is known as "the Wrath of God"
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 8
:The church will depart before the antichrist is revealed:
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. (2 Thess. 2:7,8)
ANSWER:
If we back up to the beginning of the chapter we read at v. 3 the following about the day of the Lord or the gathering of the saints to heaven (the rapture):
[This is a misinterpretation and misrepresentation of this passage of text! THE DAY OF THE LORD IS THE SECOND ADVENT, NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH! The Day of the Lord, the Day of the Messiah, when the Messiah comes!:Keep in mind, Paul was giving a brief summary of two events: "Now we beseech you, brethren, (1) by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) and by our gathering together unto him," II Th 2:1 Compare Matthew 24:3
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (2 Thess. 2:3, NASB)
Very clearly that verse
[When you know that the Day of the Lord is the 2nd Advent of the Messiah AND NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH it does not contradict, but rather supports a PRE-TRIBulation Rapture!] contradicts the pre-trib interpretation of verses 7 and 8, because two events must precede the gathering of the saints to heaven (the rapture): (1) apostasy and (2) the revealing of the antichrist. In other words, verses 7 and 8 can't be the rapture, for the event stated there happens before the rapture. Take a close look at verses 1-3:Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (2 Thess. 2:1-3)
How then should we view verses 7 and 8? What will be taken out of the way BEFORE the antichrist is revealed? It has to be the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, since the saints will be here to face the antichrist,
[IF this is true, then what Jesus said in John 14:18 "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Would be a lie, because HE would be leaving us "Comfortless" and Jesus said, HE (The Comforter) would abide with us forever v.16 IT HAS TO BE THE RESTRAINING POWER OF THE CHURCH! God's agent physically occupying upon the earth till He comes, Then the baton is passed to the 2 Witnesses and the 144,000. Then after they're Raptured out, the Gospel is preached from heaven by an angel (Rev 14:6).]as shown in this chapter and elsewhere in Scripture.
II Th 2:1-8
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 ("The day of the Lord/The day of Christ" is the SECOND ADVENT! NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!!!) is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the SECOND ADVENT! NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!!) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, (2 things precede THE DAY OF THE LORD, the SECOND ADVENT! NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!! 1."a falling away first, 2. man of sin be revealed") the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time (The Church is the hinderer of lawlessness,! We are the Salt, we are the Light, and we are spiritual law enforcement officers upholding righteousness upon the earth! And when we are gone, a floodtide of evil will sweep the earth!).
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.(This IS NOT the Holy Spirit who will be removed, taken out of the way! For No man can get saved except the Spirit draw him! And during the time of the 7 year tribulation multitudes will be getting saved and that's impossible if the Holy Spirit isn't here to draw them! What will be taken out of the way is the Church!)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (Referring to the SECOND ADVENT! NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!)
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 9:
I'm going up before the tribulation. If you want to stay around you can but I'm leaving.
ANSWER:
All Christians will leave the earth at the point of the rapture, regardless their position on the timing of the rapture
[Not everybody who claims they are "a Christian" will go in the Rapture of the Church! It will not be because of their position on the timing of the Rapture, but because they were not ready, Luke declares in 21:36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Many so called "Christians" are living vile and unholy and will not be spiritually ready and prepared. Compare Brother Corner's teaching against ":Once Saved, Alawys Saved". Just because people say they are "Christians", does not mean they will go to heaven! It's more than just mouthing words, you got to fight the good fight of faith, you got to endure to the end, you got to finish your course! Same thing with the hope of the resurrection, you got to be ready at all times, looking for that blessed hope the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Be ready to go out and meet the bridegroom . In fact, even the Christians who believe there will be no rapture will also go up at that point in time. So no one is getting out of here through the rapture merely because he wants to go!1 Cor 15:21-24
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE ARGUMENT NUMBER 10:
The rapture is mentioned at 1 Thess. 4:16-18. After it is mentioned we are told to "encourage" each other with those words. If we had to go through the tribulation that wouldn't be encouraging, but instead discouraging!
ANSWER:
If we start reading a few verses before v. 16, we can easily see what we are to encourage other Christians about:
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
According to that passage, Paul didn't want the Christians to grieve like the rest of (unsaved) mankind, who have no hope. The encouraging truth stated there is that living Christians will be with their departed loved ones who died in the Lord once again. The reunion will occur at the rapture. The unsaved people, on the other hand, have no such hope. Again, in contrast, Christians should not grieve like the rest of mankind. Hence, we can encourage one another with these words.
[That's like trying to take the meat out of the sandwich and just eating both ends of the bread! This comment still doesn't refute a "Pre-Tribulation Rapture!" It still says, "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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." WITH WHAT WORDS? "With these words", verses 13-18, leaving none of it out! Verses 16 & 17 are part of "these words." If it's satisfying and gratifying for you to think that you will go through the tribulation and suffer the jugdment and wrath of God, I'll be praying for you; but I'll take hope and comfort in the Scriptures, for this passage Paul spoke unto us "by the Word of the Lord", not by some denominational view. Jesus is the ark of my salvation!
Many fine Christians have only been presented one view of the rapture and that has been the pre-trib view. It may come as a surprise to them to learn that the Bible really teaches a post-trib rapture.
[Well finally we know where this teaching is coming from.] Though this truth may be disturbing, please know that it is always best to know the truth. Christians living in the final generation will have to face great persecution and hardships.[Christians have been facing great persecution and hardships all throughout history since the birth of the Church! Maybe most of this Study was done by a Westernized Christian viewpoint.] They must not take the mark of beast or they will lose their salvation. Sadly, many Christians will fall away (Matt. 24:9,10 cf. 2 Thess. 2:3) during the last generation of this age. To overcome the devil, note the following Scripture:They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Rev 12:11)
Many will overcome by dying martyrs at that time (Rev. 7:9-17) and that will occur before the rapture
[And AFTER the RAPTURE! There's has been a bloodline of many martyrs throughout history, that's why we have "The Faith" today!] (Rev. 20:4-6).
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