Statistics say that 25% of Christians believe in the 'anyday' rapture theory, commonly called the pre-trib rapture. Discussions between pre-tribbers and post-tribbers often end in heated debates.

It has been said that no one knows the answer. Others call the rapture a nonessential doctrine. I strongly differ on both accounts. Nothing in the Bible is NONESSENTIAL. Jesus is the Bible incarnate, and He wants us to know Him perfectly. He is the Great Physician, the Doctor of doctors, and He wants us to rightly synthesize the manifold facets of His Written Covenant to us, which is called the DOCTRINE of Christ.

In the first chapter of the book of Revelation He says, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and KEEP those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." His Word must be understandable if you can keep it, because you've got to GET IT to keep it.

Think on this: the pre-trib view allows for BOTH raptures. Pre-tribulationists call the post-trib rapture "the Second Coming".

Post-tribbers use the term "Second Coming" and "rapture" synonymously, since the post-tribber believes the two manifestations occur simultaneously. Post-tribbers totally disallow the pre-trib rapture. To a post-tribber, the pre-trib view and post-trib view are mutually exclusive.

What you have then is a controversy. Both sides cannot be correct. One group says, "Two."

The other folks say, "One." Since one doesn't equal two, somebody is wrong. It's very logical.

How is it that one camp got the message while the other one missed it? The answer is simple. The fact is that the Holy Spirit has told BOTH groups the same thing, but one group isn't listening. God is not a respecter of persons. He wants both groups to get the same information. They will thereby become one group, which is His goal according to John chapter seventeen.

Ephesians chapter four, verse thirteen says that the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher are given to the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith.

After decades of unresolved debate, it is clear that we must enter into the Great Tribulation before we will ever have UNITY, since the rapture doctrine is one of several elements that is DIVIDING the Church. That stumbling block will instantly vanish after the tribulation becomes clearly manifest.

As we enter into the tribulation, people will see Bible prophecies happen before their very eyes. New converts will seek the Lord of the Book. Christians everywhere will have a renewed zeal to follow the New Testament pattern established in the first century--a church led by apostles. These modern day apostles will lead the body of Christ into battle against the devil, who is angry, knowing that he only has a short time left. Though our flesh should perish, if we retain the testimony of Jesus Christ unto death, we shall win, for our Kingdom is not of this world.

Let us pray together with our Lord Jesus Christ:

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." (Jn 17:15)

See anthology of eschatological articles focusing on the rapture question: 
www.ezekielwar.com/rapture.htm |
Back to end-time graph: www.ezekielwar.com/tribline.htm

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