Pre-Post Rapture Question

[Rdean]

All my adult Christian life I've heard the arguement(s) from both sides as to whether the rapture is pre or post trib as well as most of you too have heard. I'm going to step out on a limb here and say something that might be contriversial....in as much as I have studied this issue I have come to believe that IMHO the rapture occurs pretrib. Some of my friends are post trib and get very angry when trying to debate this issue. I usually just go "oh well" I'm saved and thats all that counts. To me it seems, even on the internet, that post tribbers get very hostile with their view and I really hadn't seen any of that same reaction with the pre-tribbers. Until now. I, like a lot of you, probably read alot of update end time articles and keep current with whats going on with in regards to last days events. Well this weekend on hellivision and print I'm starting to see more and more pretrib stancers state that if you are not actually waiting and literally watching, by the signs given in the Word, for His return that you'll miss the rapture. Of course the bridegroom story comes up in this explanation but I even heard the ellusion to even the post trib believers as part of those people that can miss the rapture. I know alot of great Christian friends that are walking with the Lord on a daily basis that take no thought in a stance on when the rapture will occur. I wouldnt think that just because they give no thought on that subject that they'll miss out on it?? In the Christian world it sounds like its getting more nasty out there especially over the airwaves regarding rapture position let alone the arguement that some may have as to whether one will happen. I've always assumed that the post trib rapture believers would just be going up 7 years sooner then they think?! What do you guys think? Will Christians miss the rapture if they are not literally watching, looking and praying everyday for His return? Curious to know your responses
Blessings

[mattfivefour]

There is one requirement to be taken in the Rapture: that you are born again. When we are truly born again our eyes are on Christ. His nature lives within us and, as we surrender more and more, the Holy Spirit produces the fruit in us that marks His life. But the fruit does not save us; it is the faith in Christ and what he accomplished at the Cross that does so. (Titus 3:4-7)

Watching a looking for Him are greatly misunderstood by many Christians. The context and the Greek words used in the NT make it clear that "watching" does not mean sitting back and watching for Him to return but rather always being ready for Him to return. It means faithfully doing what Christ told us to do when He left: proclaiming the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone and building up one another in the truth. This is something that all true Christians try to do. They cannot help it, because the Spirit of Christ lives within them and thus always leads them to do His work. That doesn't mean we are perfect and it doesn't mean we will not fail ... or even fall into sin. It does mean that we regret and weep over our sins and confess them to Him; it does mean we try always to please Him. But it is HE who holds us in His hand, not we ourselves. The legalists like to add works to grace because then they have something special to boast of; and they love rituals because by keeping the rituals their flesh is satisfied. But none of that is scriptural. It's the old nature trying to survive. (Galatians 3:1-2) Christ alone bought us (Acts 20:28; Revelation 5:9); Christ alone opened the way into the throne room of God (Hebrews 10:19-20); Christ alone purchased our eternal life with the Father in Heaven (Colossians 1:13-14); and Christ alone will bring us there. (Hebrews 7:25) Not one will be lost (John 6:39). And all who are His go in the Rapture. (Romans 5:9)

I hope this helps.

Matt

[readytogo]

In short, we are saved by what we know that Jesus did on the cross for us--not for when we believe that he'll come back for His bride. When the rapture happens, all who belong to Him will go regardless of their position on the tribulation.

[GlennO]

readytogo said:

In short, we are saved by what we know that Jesus did on the cross for us--not for when we believe that he'll come back for His bride. When the rapture happens, all who belong to Him will go regardless of their position on the tribulation.

AMEN! expressed concisely!

[Mad Matt]

Amen mattfivefour,
I have to admit the Bible says nothing about spreading the rapture, but it does say to spread the Gospel. If you are saved and whatching (obeying the commandments) you have nothing to fear. Spiritual infighting reminds me of class and racial warfare in todays society. Let God take care of God's will. Meanwhile obey His commandments with temperance, meeknes, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, peace, and joy, and you will have love.

[mattfivefour]

Amen mattfivefour,
I have to admit the Bible says nothing about spreading the rapture, but it does say to spread the Gospel. If you are saved and whatching (obeying the commandments) you have nothing to fear. Spiritual infighting reminds me of class and racial warfare in todays society. Let God take care of God's will. Meanwhile obey His commandments with temperance, meeknes, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, peace, and joy, and you will have love.

[daygo]

Yes am with you guys, however just a thought, when jesus rebuked the leaders of his day about not knowing the signs and the season, just how will jesus view the christians of today not knowing the signs and the season of his return, my guess is he will be well miffed. Hence the scipture somewhere about finding faith on the earth upon his return.
Am not saying they are not saved or go through the trib. Just a thought thats all.

[Juliebeth]

Post tribbers are very agressive and I had one tell me that he`ll be `smiling at me in the tribulation` right before I removed him from my FB. I am pre trib because there are many verses that support the view. The Bible says that nothing will seperate us from the love of God in Jesus so I don`t think they will miss out because of there alternate views.

[mattfivefour]

Yes am with you guys, however just a thought, when jesus rebuked the leaders of his day about not knowing the signs and the season, just how will jesus view the christians of today not knowing the signs and the season of his return, my guess is he will be well miffed. Hence the scipture somewhere about finding faith on the earth upon his return.
Am not saying they are not saved or go through the trib. Just a thought thats all.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day because they claimed to know the scriptures and the scriptures pointed to Him. (John 5:39) It was their willful blindness and their religious pride which Jesus was condemning.

This cannot apply to those who are truly Christ's, who have made a heart profession not an intellectual one, who have a personal relationship with Him not a religious one, and in whom His Spirit dwells.

But there are many who profess to be His who do not know Him, but merely know about Him. By their words and their actions they demonstrate they have never really known Him. Their efforts are all fleshly because they have never been born again, never made new. They have only an intellectual apprehension of Him. His word has only penetrated their intellect, not their hearts. They are like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, they are proud in their beliefs, and arrogant in their hearts. To them Christ will say, depart from me, I never knew you. (Matthew 7:21-23) Even if their acts are religious, but of works not faith ... for whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) Jesus states that if people are truly followers of God they you would do the works He did (John 8:39). for us as Christians, this means that on the basis of our faith in Him and what He did at the Cross, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who is at at work in us ... and inevitably we will more and more manifest Christ's nature, which is the fruit of the Spirit that He alone can produce..

Just some thoughts.

[daygo]

Very well said mattfivefour.

[The.sheepdog]

I never understood how Post and even mid tribbers can believe what they do. They know all but a very few Christians will die in the tribulation. They know that Jesus said we would be kept from wrath. Whose wrath did they think He meant? If they were already saved it certainly wouldn't be Jesus' wrath!

Corrie Ten Boom was one of those also. An awesome lady who underwent time in a Nazi concentration camp with her sister. Her sister died in that camp saying that Jesus would save them. It is no wonder Corrie felt saints would have to go though the tribulation. She had lived it. But she was wrong.

The rapture comes when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. That means when the number of saved is the number that God is waiting for it will happen at that instant! Wont that be a rush for the last few saints that accept Christ! We all remember the rush of joy and feelings when we were saved. Just imagine that amplified and you open your eyes in front of Jesus, and in a new body!


The AntiChrist cannot proceed until the Restrainer is gone. The Restrainer, the Holy Spirit, is inside of the born again and was placed there as a down payment on the rapture. If the Holy Spirit has to leave to allow the evil to commence that means the born again also have to be gone. The age of Grace will have ended.

So how could a born again mid or post tribber be left? They wouldn't be left without the Holy Spirit. That was Jesus down payment on the Rapture and heaven. They couldn't. They will go when we are all taken.

And I bet you wont get a single complaint either!

[Jumpmaster]

All my adult Christian life I've heard the arguement(s) from both sides as to whether the rapture is pre or post trib as well as most of you too have heard. I'm going to step out on a limb here and say something that might be contriversial....in as much as I have studied this issue I have come to believe that IMHO the rapture occurs pretrib. Some of my friends are post trib and get very angry when trying to debate this issue. I usually just go "oh well" I'm saved and thats all that counts. To me it seems, even on the internet, that post tribbers get very hostile with their view and I really hadn't seen any of that same reaction with the pre-tribbers. Until now. I, like a lot of you, probably read alot of update end time articles and keep current with whats going on with in regards to last days events. Well this weekend on hellivision and print I'm starting to see more and more pretrib stancers state that if you are not actually waiting and literally watching, by the signs given in the Word, for His return that you'll miss the rapture. Of course the bridegroom story comes up in this explanation but I even heard the ellusion to even the post trib believers as part of those people that can miss the rapture. I know alot of great Christian friends that are walking with the Lord on a daily basis that take no thought in a stance on when the rapture will occur. I wouldnt think that just because they give no thought on that subject that they'll miss out on it?? In the Christian world it sounds like its getting more nasty out there especially over the airwaves regarding rapture position let alone the arguement that some may have as to whether one will happen. I've always assumed that the post trib rapture believers would just be going up 7 years sooner then they think?! What do you guys think? Will Christians miss the rapture if they are not literally watching, looking and praying everyday for His return? Curious to know your responses
Blessings

Rdean,

That question at the last part of your post is a good question.

I've thought alot about that lately, in light of a great apostacy all around us, many deceivers saying many things that are contrary to the Word of God.

Jesus said in Luke 17:

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Remember Lot's wife.

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. (Luke 17:26-33)

EXPLICIT WARNINGS HERE:

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

AND HERE:

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds; (2 Peter 2:6-8 )

The Bible says:

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

I believe this is the time, if there ever was a time, to examine ourselves, repent of any sins and get on our face before God and intercede for our families, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors.

Jumpmaster