The following are some good questions asked by a saint via email and we agreed it would be best to answer them on my blog to edify the entire body of Christ.
See the email in black and my answers in blue below:
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1) people keep saying that Jesus is coming as a thief (as I know the Bible does say a lot of times) Would you say that this is only for those who are not watching or ready? They say this means it is "imminent"...and without warning. They say we should be watching for Christ and not looking at or for any signs. What are your thoughts on that?
The doctrine of imminence has NO biblical basis at all.
Here is a link to a article on it
The thief simply means not one of us know the day or the hour of His return.
Scripture per Jesus tells us this:
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [a]heaven, but My Father only". Matt 24:36
We can know the season or the times as the disiciples asked Jesus in Matt 24 for the signs of His coming. But we cannot knw the exact timing. Imagine if I said to you I will be coming to your house in winter. You may look for that visit in winter but the day and hour you do not know amen?
Read all of Matthew 24 in context and it is clear that Jesus gives them the sings to watch for then be ready as then He can come.
See my article link below for more points on my the doctrine of imminence is NOT biblical.
To say Jesus could have "returned at anytime" is foolish as that means anytime like..... before Revelation was even penned by John? I think not....
People say the parable of the virgins could mean that the 5 are taken in the rapture and the others have time to repent later...but when Christ says He didn't know them doesn't that mean there is NO second chance?
There is no evidence of that and they are twisting God's word here....
The big problem is they have made it into two different events. A pre trib rapture then Christs big return. Scripture NO WHERE teaches two events, just one after the tribulation. ( see Matt 24 / 1 Cor 15 and 1 Thess 4
The virgins clearly are examples of saints born again, ready & living for and looking for Christ.. The 5 left out were NOT His and were not ready / living for Him and they miss out on salvation.
What are your thoughts on the verses about "one being taken and the other left". Pre trib people say this means it is secret.
Again if we discount the idea of a separate rapture ( God's Word never teaches it and it was NOT even thought of till about the 1800's with a man named Darby who started it ) the idea of a secret rapture just fades away. The verse about one taken and the other not is... the return of Christ. Paul mentions we are changed in a blink of a eye. 1 Cor 15;52 / There is one return at the end of the tribulation ( Matt 24 ) and there is NO secret rapture taught at all in scripture.
Look at this verse....in Matt 24:31
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
When do we the elect get gathered? After the tribulation, at the last trumpet and at His return. It is very clear if we just read scripture vs running on man made theology.
They were saying that the church has to be gone before God can again deal with Israel???
Not sure what basis they are saying this but there is NO biblical grounds to say God has to take out the church to deal with Israel? We know that the tribulation is GLOBAL and not just about Israel. Jesus says so in Matt 24 in fact unless he returns no life will survive. See verse 22
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
We are the elect and He is coming to get us AFTER the tribulation.
And do you think that some parts of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24 were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem? Some say that "the abomination of desolation" has been fulfilled in that. I don't really understand about what that could mean, but it does say that whoever reads is to understand...hmm, it's very hard to understand.
This is called Preterism.... the idea it has already happened but it is a faulty theology. Why? Lets read Matt 24
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
A clear reading of Matthew 24 shows the abomination of desolation happens when? Right before the tribulation right? Then Jesus says unless He returns no life will survive. Clearly the world did not go into that time back in 70 AD so it cant be true as He is not a liar. Read all the things that will happen in the last days and NONE of them have happened yet as He describes them.
People use verses that say that God will not allow His people to suffer but will allow them to escape (in the rapture).
Again this idea falls apart when we see NO secret rapture taught at all in the bible.
Also, look at the prophets and disciples of God. All of them were allowed and asked to go through MUCH tribulation even torture and death. Why do saints today think we should escape it all? Did Jesus say this:
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16;33
If we read the bible from Genesis to Revelation, the idea that God would not ask His people to suffer persecution and tribulation is a plain silly for anyone to claim.
This is a HUGE flaw in pre trib theology and it is dangerous as people will not be prepared to suffer as they think they will be wisked away, not so!
Jesus even asked the Father not take them out of the world but to keep them!
Read Rev 6:11
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Who says God will not allow His saints to suffer death?
But would you say there is also an equal number of verses saying that God will keep us safe through trials (and ultimately our souls are safe in Him)?
The bible is full of promises of Him being with us NOT Him promising to take us out of any suffering or persecution or death. You can find many wonderful verses indeed like.... Matt 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
But Jesus also told us to be ready to be hated and give our life for His name. See Matthew 10
A big issue most miss is in the tribulation, we will not suffer Gods wrath, no. We will suffer satan's wrath... for Christ's name. See Rev 13;7
It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
I know you said in your articles that the saints will suffer satan's wrath, but people will say that the rapture has to happen because God will not be angry at us.
God is not going to pour wrath on His people, no. But look how he poured wrath on Egypt all the time the Jews were right there none were touched. Look how he called Lot out of Sodom safely. See how He sustained Noah through the wrath. The book of Revelation talks about Gods judgments on the world and they are not aimed at the body of Christ but the rebellious world.
Rev 9 tells us who is being judged by Gods wrath
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Those are not saints amen?
A sniper in war shoots at only the bad guys, his aim is true and he does not intend to hit the good. Gods aim is far better then mans an His wrath will hit those he deems.... amen?
What about a book called Things to Come by J Dwight Pentecost.
Mr Pentecost was a evangelical false teacher who among other things kept pagan Christmas, Easter and he had a false gospel to eternal life. He was also on staff at the very unbibilical Dallas Theological Seminary that was the birth place of MANY false hersy teachings and false teachers over the past decades. He indeed taught pre trib rapture that God's word does NOT teach thus he was deceiving people.
I hope these answers will edify you into the truth of Gods Word and the future to come!
See this article where I did a refuting of a pre trib teacher and it has various areas that echo what I have said above:
It is my prayer that true saints get ready for the tribulation as the world is headed right into it and seemingly fast.
Repent and obey the gospel and fear nothing or no one but the Lord.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10
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