HERE IS THE HERESY
The current “Rapture Teaching” has its foundation in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. While yes, a rapture will happen it certainly is not imminent. This scripture in context will take place at the return of Christ to the Earth to bind Satan 1000 years and instill His Millennial Reign. At this season of the age Christ is not even close to returning.
HERE IS THE TRUTH
The only “Rapture” of believers will come at the Second Coming of Christ. His return is not imminent because there are so many prophetic events that have yet to take place. We are a long way up the timeline of prophecy before the (counterfeit) Temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem. This is an absolute mile marker along that timeline.
HERE IS THE TEACHING
It makes no difference to me what venue you receive your spiritual nourishment from. Maybe it is only on a Sunday morning as you gather in a “church building” to worship God. Maybe you add to that another layer of your favorite television minister, teacher or preacher. Possibly it is one of your YouTube subscriptions you visit as you bolster your current biblical worldview. Regardless of the fountain you drink from when it comes to the present day “Rapture teaching” I assure you the water is tainted. Tainted with a problematic prophetic perspective that does not conform to historical biblical teaching.
I was born-again Nov 1985 on the island of Guam. At the time I was in the USAF stationed at an Air Force base on the northern tip of the island. I was listening to a telecast of an evangelist named Jimmy Swaggart. Back in the 80’s he was a very prominent and public figure that was widely known at the time. This was not the first telecast of this popular evangelist that I had listened to. As I reflect back I know Holy Spirit was drawing me to Jesus for months through this evangelist and his weekly telecasts. Soon I would begin my Jesus Journey at the doorsteps of the Tamuning Baptist Church.
“We don’t know what we don’t know” is a phrase often attributed to Donald Rumsfeld. It was during a 2002 press briefing surrounding Sadaam Hussein & the possibility of Iraq’s nuclear weapon capabilities. During this press conference he did in a roundabout way swerve into that lane, yet I personally reflected back upon the Blind Spot quadrant of the Johari Window for a greater understanding of the term. In this one of four quadrants we learn what is known to other people is unknown to us. What a friend or family member may observe about us oftentimes is unknown or invisible to us. This is all too common a reality when it comes to the beginnings of our Jesus Journey and the accompanied walk of faith. We don’t know what we don’t know and it is here where we find ourselves walking into the mousetrap of denominational thinking. Let me explain.
Once we repent of our sins and begin to walk the roadway of righteousness, by osmosis we will seek out a local “church” to begin attending. Once we find a group of believers that we feel comfortable with we open up our hearts and minds to what we see and hear. As we seek to learn and grow in our newly found faith we accept what we are being told as the gospel truth. Genuinely the pastor or teachers believe 100% of what they are teaching. Undoubtedly they embrace wholeheartedly that they are promoting proper biblically based teachings.
This was my mindset in 1985 and I blissfully continued in such for 8 years. The teaching on the Rapture was very much set in stone amongst all the local “churches” I had experienced during that time. At a local bible study my friend, James Welch shared that he didn’t believe in the current teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture. I remember to this day the encounter and my utter SHOCK in his belief. As I turned away I placed that Polaroid moment into my mental back pocket. Surely it would emerge years later and I would gaze intently upon that moment. It wasn’t until I graduated from 4 years of Bible College when Holy Spirit would led me to UOGW*. Here is where He began to move me into the adjacent Johari Window quadrant called the Open Area. Now I was poised and positioned to learn what He would reveal about the current Rapture teaching. I have since come to learn and believe that the post-tribulationist view of a snatching away or “Rapture” is the historically accurate biblical perspective.
I have no intention to reinvent the wheel here with a long and drawn out teaching. Rather I think an independent and trusted voice for many years (while he was living) would be a much better communicator on the matter. If you take the time to listen as Dr. Martin teaches on the subject you will come away with more questions answered then asked. His teaching is about 90 minutes and what a great way to spend time on your next long commute.
I leave you with this:
- Learn all you can
- Love all you can
- Read the Red
- Pray for the Power
* University of God in the Wilderness (UOGW)
