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Pre-Tribulation Rapture nonsense Posted on June 30 2011 Question: Thu, June 30, 2011 Question by Andrew Peart: Thank you for your teaching on the Rapture and how this has been twisted by modern thinking to be the opposite of what is biblical. Why do you think this is so, is it just for pure commercial gain? And second thought is, the church as a body has not seemed to dispute any of the notions claimed in the fictional accounts over the last 20 or so years. Answer: Dear Andrew, For the life of me I can't figure out why people hold to this theory (Pre-Tribulation Rapture) when there's not a shred of scriptural support for it. One thing I do know is that virtually no serious biblical scholar or theologian in the first 1800 years of church history put any stock in this position; nor do any reputable contemporary theologians. "Prior to the nineteenth century, all Christians, futurists included, believed that a commonsense reading of Scripture inevitability led to the conclusion that the second coming/ bodily return of Christ and the rapture/ resurrection of believers are simultaneous events." - Hank Henegraaff, The Apocalypse Code, pg. 17 The study notes found in the (Cyrus) Scofield Reference Bible (published in 1917) appear to be the inspiration behind Hal Lindsey's (The Late, Great Planet Earth) and Tim LaHay's (Left Behind Series) creative fiction. Lindsey's outrageous predictions and interpretations (1970's onward) started a frenzy among gullible Christians and non-Christians alike. By 1990 his book had sold an estimated 28 Million copies! The run however came to a screeching halt in the nineties when none of his predictions came to pass and he was labeled a false prophet. Nevertheless, he became a very rich man in the process. The vacuum created by Lindsey's exit was soon filled. LaHay and Jenkins began pumping out books beginning in 1995. Keeping to Lindsey's skewed theology, LaHay and Jenkins took it to a whole new level. Over a 12 year period, sticking to this theme, they pumped out 16 best sellers. By 2007 they sold over 65 Million copies (not including films and related products). At $20 per book, that's 1.3 Billion dollars! I would never want to presume upon the motives of these men. But one thing is for certain, their theology in this area is seriously flawed. When weighed against the intellectual giants of church history - the titans of the church; men like Augustine, Knox, Luther, Calvin, Owen, Bunyan, Whitfield, Edwards, Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, Packer, Sproul, and hundreds of others, their eschatological view is in the extreme minority. It goes to show you that there's a lot of itching ears out there. It has been said that the average layman sitting in the pew in the 17th century knew and understood his Bible better than the average pastor and preacher in the pulpit today. Another has said that the average Puritan had more theology in his baby finger than most preachers today have in their entire body. Makes you wonder. Although this is generalizing, we have raised an entire generation (or two or three) of Christians who are, for the most part, biblically illiterate; and because of this many are susceptible to every wind of doctrine. Virtually in every Christian book store I enter it is becoming increasingly harder to find books on Christian doctrine. Books that teach on Theology (study of God), or Christology (study of Christ), or Soteriology (study of salvation), or Ecclesiology (study of the church), etc. Instead, there's no end to self-help books or psychology books that are dressed up in religious language, or "How To" books, or shelf after shelf of so called "Christian" romance or fiction. As a pastor this is down right discouraging. Not discouraging because I can't find good books (I can find all I want on line). Discouraging because I get see what the publishers, distributers, and retailers are promoting and what the Christian culture is reading and accepting as normal. Complaining to a friend of mine once (who owns such a store), I asked him, "Why don't you carry the weightier works of the great thinkers and theologians of the church - past and present?" His answer was predictable as much as it was pragmatic: "They don't sell" he said. "Nobody wants them any more...except guys like you." So the reality is this. The theologians and teachers of the church are not silent when it comes to refuting this doctrine and defending the truth. The problem is is that they are not heard. Those who control the airwaves and media influence the minds of the masses the most. There is far more money to be had in giving the people what they want rather than what they need. For a fuller and more biblical address of this topic please listen to May 23rd's sermon entitled, "What Is Rapture?" It can be located under the tab "Audio" on this website. Steve Chapman Tags: Commercialism - Rapture		Tags Election Resurrection Death Spiritual Growth Godhead Bible Divinity Second Coming Depravity of man Trinity Sinning saints Redemption Spiritual Appetite God of Israel God's blessing Hell The human will Commercialism Divine Judgment Most recent entries Struggling with the “Trinity” Is there one God or many; one Lord or many? When the redeemed sin and God still blesses If God exists why is there evil? 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