There is a certain amount of controversy concerning the ‘rapture’ of the church. Paul talks about there will be a time when the dead in Christ shall rise, and we that are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet them in the air. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… A lot of churches don’t really talk about the rapture of the church, and, in fact, the word rapture doesn’t appear in Scripture anywhere, but the description of the event is there.
Now, some theologians describe themselves as pre-tribulation, meaning that they believe that the rapture will happen before the Great Tribulation, some are post-tribulation, meaning that the rapture happens after, and there are some that believe that the rapture will happen during the tribulation.
Now, it seems to me that post-trib is the correct belief. A lot of that stems from the fact that it seems to me that it is the church that goes through tribulation. I realize that a lot of the pre-tribs believe that there will be some that have come to know Christ before the rapture, but aren’t really living the Christian life when Christ comes, so they get left behind; and these are the people that form the church that goes through tribulation—an atonement for not being ready when Christ comes. I look at that, and I kind of like the idea; if I’m slipping a little when the time comes, I get a second chance (it will, of course, be much tougher, but, then again, I would have an added resolve of having seen the rapture and knowing that this time I really have to get it right). To be honest, though, I just don’t buy it. When Jesus told us the parable of the five foolish virgins, He makes a point of saying that the foolish virgins took no oil for their lamps, so when the bridegroom came, they weren’t ready. When they went and bought oil, and got ready, they were too late, the door was shut. In other words, they weren’t ready when they needed to be, but when they got ready, they found no place of repentance. God gives us second chances on many things, but it doesn’t appear to me that being ready for the rapture is at all negotiable.
It also occurs to me that Jesus introduced some people to John in the book of Revelation that He said came through great tribulation. We kind of get the sense that there is a time coming when the church will be persecuted on a global level, and that all Christians living then will suffer tribulation. While I can’t say for certain that will never happen, perhaps it will, I also can’t help but think that the great tribulation may very well have already started. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not trying to say that I personally have suffered tribulation, but I know that there are Christians in other countries, where Christianity is not prevalent, that have. I also know that the early church suffered great tribulation. The argument against the great tribulation having already started is that, if that were the case, John himself would have been one of the ones that Jesus introduced him to, and certainly should have recognized many of the others. At the same time, the two unnamed disciples on the road to Emmaus should have recognized Jesus, too.
Still, I don’t think it is that important whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, a post-tribulation rapture, or even a mid-tribulation rapture, as long as you are ready whenever the rapture happens. Now, if you are pre-trib, and think that you get a second chance after the rapture, and let that affect the way you live now, then you may be in trouble.
Now, some theologians describe themselves as pre-tribulation, meaning that they believe that the rapture will happen before the Great Tribulation, some are post-tribulation, meaning that the rapture happens after, and there are some that believe that the rapture will happen during the tribulation.
Now, it seems to me that post-trib is the correct belief. A lot of that stems from the fact that it seems to me that it is the church that goes through tribulation. I realize that a lot of the pre-tribs believe that there will be some that have come to know Christ before the rapture, but aren’t really living the Christian life when Christ comes, so they get left behind; and these are the people that form the church that goes through tribulation—an atonement for not being ready when Christ comes. I look at that, and I kind of like the idea; if I’m slipping a little when the time comes, I get a second chance (it will, of course, be much tougher, but, then again, I would have an added resolve of having seen the rapture and knowing that this time I really have to get it right). To be honest, though, I just don’t buy it. When Jesus told us the parable of the five foolish virgins, He makes a point of saying that the foolish virgins took no oil for their lamps, so when the bridegroom came, they weren’t ready. When they went and bought oil, and got ready, they were too late, the door was shut. In other words, they weren’t ready when they needed to be, but when they got ready, they found no place of repentance. God gives us second chances on many things, but it doesn’t appear to me that being ready for the rapture is at all negotiable.
It also occurs to me that Jesus introduced some people to John in the book of Revelation that He said came through great tribulation. We kind of get the sense that there is a time coming when the church will be persecuted on a global level, and that all Christians living then will suffer tribulation. While I can’t say for certain that will never happen, perhaps it will, I also can’t help but think that the great tribulation may very well have already started. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not trying to say that I personally have suffered tribulation, but I know that there are Christians in other countries, where Christianity is not prevalent, that have. I also know that the early church suffered great tribulation. The argument against the great tribulation having already started is that, if that were the case, John himself would have been one of the ones that Jesus introduced him to, and certainly should have recognized many of the others. At the same time, the two unnamed disciples on the road to Emmaus should have recognized Jesus, too.
Still, I don’t think it is that important whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, a post-tribulation rapture, or even a mid-tribulation rapture, as long as you are ready whenever the rapture happens. Now, if you are pre-trib, and think that you get a second chance after the rapture, and let that affect the way you live now, then you may be in trouble.
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