[I wrote this two years ago but things are still the same]
Something rather sad happened at my church last Sunday. I’ve enjoyed going to that church for over a year and I’ve met some very like-minded folks there.
But yesterday something was taught that I find disturbing. I was glad to know that there was going to be a series taught on the book of II Thessalonians. It contains one of the clearest places in the New Testament which speaks of the conditions immediately prior to the return of Jesus. In fact, this letter was written to the Thessalonians specifically to address this subject.
[Some may think that this is just getting into Biblical minutia. But what’s being talked about here is of exceptional importance to the foundation that’s laid for many millions of sincere Christians.If what’s taught from the pulpit is dangerously flawed, the result is that Christians who receive that teaching without question are denied key components of their Christian knowledge and have allowed themselves to be deluded about the future that God clearly spells out for us in His Word. And they are unprepared for the future God tells us will happen.]
In I Thessalonians 4:17, Paul gave perhaps the clearest explanation of the return of Jesus to this world. He said, 
“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet 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.” The word “rapture” is not found in the Bible. But this verse is the one that’s the clearest in describing what we now call “the Rapture”.
But then somehow the Thessalonians got things mixed up or misunderstood what Paul said to some degree and some of them came to the conclusion that Paul was saying that “the day of Christ was at hand”, in other words, that Paul had told them that Jesus could return at any minute. So he wrote to clarify that, very specifically.
I’ll pick up in verse 2 of II Thessalonians chapter 2 where Paul addresses this. He said, “… don’t be shaken in mind … that the day of Christ is at hand. 
For that day will not come except there come a falling away first and the man of sin [the Biblical Antichrist of the last days] be revealed, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
It’s one of the clearest Scriptures in the Bible to show that before Jesus returns to the earth, the Antichrist of the endtime will be seen by the believers in Jesus.
But sadly it was taught from the pulpit in the church I go to that the believers in Jesus will not in fact see this happen, even though the Apostle Paul clearly told the Early Church that they would.
This is the essence of what’s called the “Pre tribulation Rapture” doctrine. I won’t go into the details of this here as I have already done so in other places. But it’s disheartening to hear a sincere and Godly preacher tell a congregation that I feel a part of that they’ll never see or experience what Paul has said because they’ll be whisked away before, when very clearly Paul told the Early Church the exact opposite.
But this dear pastor is just teaching what’s been taught from evangelical pulpits for decades so that this false teaching has become embedded in modern Christian thought, although it’s not based on Scripture. And that verse right there which they’re teaching from is one of the clearest places in the Bible which disproves this modern false doctrine!
But some would say,
“Mark! Why does this matter to you?! As a Christian, shouldn’t you be out feeding the poor and clothing the homeless instead of quibbling over Bible doctrine?!”
Neville Chamberlain
Have you ever heard of Neville Chamberlain? During the 1930’s in Europe, it was an exceedingly troubled time. Communism was seen as a rising tide of Godlessness and totalitarianism which was destined to take over Europe. Rising against Communism, at the other extreme, was Fascism.
But much of Europe was just exhausted by the severe years of
the Great Depression and they just didn’t want to look war in the face. So Hitler methodically drove Germany to greater and greater military might and preparedness.
But the prevailing desire of public opinion, the majority view was summed up by Neville Chamberalin, the Prime Minster of Great Britain back then who declared there would be, “Peace in our time.” That’s a lot like what the preachers tell their congregations nowadays, that they’ll suddenly be raptured before “the great tribulation” comes that Jesus warned of. (Matthew 24:21)
There was no “peace in our times” for the people of Europe. The quasi-Antichrist of those days, Adolf Hitler, struck Europe and very nearly conquered ever inch of it for a time. But the unpreparedness of the rest of Europe was a key factor in Hitler’s rise.
It’s the same today. Millions of Christians are being taught, “Peace in our times.” “You don’t need to be prepared! No need to strengthen your convictions or be prepared for the battles of the final days before the Lord’s return! Sleep on now and take your rest!”
And so they do. The British and others were weak and unprepared in the days leading up to World War II and they were easy pickings for the forces of darkness of their day. And it’s exactly the same today, thanks in a large part to this horribly disarming false doctrine of PreTribulation rapture that means the body of Christ can leave church each Sunday and mostly do their own thing till next Sunday, instead of being strengthened and prepared for the endtime battles to come.
I’ll end this with another thing Paul told the Thessalonians which may have an eerie prophetic ring to it. In I Thessalonians 5:3, the Apostle Paul said, “For when they shall say “peace and safety”, then sudden destruction comes upon them as travail upon a women with child and they shall not escape.” May we all pray and do what we can to shake off this false doctrine of a PreTribulation rapture which is bringing such slumber and false peace on the believers in Christ in our times.
I totally agree with you Mark – I also wrote a short blogpost about 2Thes 2 recently
http://wpnet.co/tiramisu/the-second-coming.html
It’s really a battle. The thing is, if they abandon their “PreTrib” teaching, then their whole edifice crumbles. They have to admit that they are mostly “sleeping at the switch.” They are not preparing their sheep for the battles to come or even for wining souls right now. They wouldn’t let their flocks be so manipulated by worldly, secular political agendas if they realized that much more important things are on the horizon than the next US election. The PreTrib rapture doctrine is one of the cornerstones of the Laodicean church age that has almost utterly gripped Protestant Christianity worldwide.
You’re right Mark, their whole comfy position will crumble and they would be forced to put their supposed Christianity into action.. and that would take effort and time, which they are too busy to follow thru on. Maybe I’m a bit old school, and there may be some good churches out there, but it’s always a risk in going to them, as their pet doctrines will come up eventually and one has to either quench the fire or stick it out for whatever reason.. just saying.. I have a friend whom I know has some beliefs contrary to mine, so I have to tread lightly if I want our friendship to continue, and perhaps down the road, if I spoon feed him, he will see the light..
Maybe it’s like the verse says about becoming “all things to all men that I may by all means win some”. I know what you mean and I am aware that many have limitations on how far they can and will go or how much they can and will receive. But since we owe the gospel and good news to all, it may be a case of “a time for every purpose under heaven”. For me right now and so far, this has gone reasonably well and I have found some receptive people in these circles. But that’s not to say that I don’t understand what you are saying and where you are coming from there. GBY, Mark
What a disapointment, those people believe their pastor and he is leading the sheep astray . Is there any way to talk to him? Praying for you!
Some of my friends already did talk to him on Sunday. But it’s not really him. It’s a doctrine that has been embraced across virtually all evangelical and born again churches world-wide for nearly 100 years. If he didn’t teach it, he would probably be kicked out of his pastorate, as has happened in some famous cases. But more and more individuals are searching the Scriptures and finding, like we have, that the body of Christ will go though “the Great Tribulation”, as Jesus Himself said in Matthew 24.
I think unless we speak the truth to our own brethren, even if they’re from a different background or religious affiliation, we cannot help them. We do not have to prove anything to them, we just have to deliver the truth and keep at it whenever they try to argue with us. At the right time, time will prove the truth. When the things will be fulfilled, they will know there was a prophet among them. Till then the only thing that will help them is our sample of love and acceptance, but still speaking the truth.
Yep, Lily, that’s right. God has shown all of us so much grace; only by that do we understand or see anything in the Spirit or in the Word. So it certainly behooves us to be patient and to keep witnessing and sharing His truth with others. Love is still the greatest thing, not our prophetic interpretations. Sometimes our love and God-given fruits of the Spirit will speak to people and be the witness that leads them to the prophetic or endtime truths we are hoping they will see. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Mark, what I often think about is why do some people think that they won’t have to go through persecution when all God’s people before them did? God could have taken the Early Christians away from Roman persecution but didn’t. I guess they’re buried under the rubble of these false doctrines; like you said about that pastor “it’s not him”, it’s a wrong spirit. There’s so much in the Word about suffering for His sake, I think they just prefer their cafeteria style Bibles, and just go along with whatever their told. There’s so much they don’t realize about suffering for His Name’s Sake.
Well…..All I can say is AMEN! All we have to do is keep on keeping on with HIS truth (in love) and wait it out! Patience, patience , patience…… it takes faith. He will bring it all to pass and then they will see. LHU to continue to be the sample of Love and to keep speakng HIS truth….Love you Mark and pray for you.
excelent stuff, good and kindly squire of the realm!
stiff upper lip! keep it up!
GBY Mark, thanks for your faithfulness to publish the truth. It looks like this whole, false “pre-tribulation” doctrine is a prelude to Daniel’s prophecy in Chapter 11:” And they that understand among the people shall instruct many…” these many will probably include many of the poor, misled pre-trib believers who will no doubt in their consternation and confusion seek out those who have known the truth all along. It will be then that real humility and love will be needed to help them through those last three and a half years til the glorious coming of our savior Jesus!
Amen, Ronald. In the video that should be out in a few weeks, about “The 7 Last Years”, from Daniel 9:27, I mention that verse, Daniel 11:32 about “they that understand among the people shall instruct many”. It’s a very significant verse and promise for the last days before the coming of the Lord.
Great story, thanks for sharing. Yeah, there are actually a lot of people like that in Texas. Sadly, there are also the other kind and they make most of the news. GBY!