Thursday, September 15, 2011



The Imminent Rapture
Please take a moment, Dear Reader, to pray for God's Spirit to be your only Guide before proceeding. It is the only way to be certain not to be deceived.

Behold I come Quickly"
In Revelation 22, Jesus said to John, "Behold I come Quickly, and My reward is with Me to Give to every man according as his work shall be" (Rev.22:12). If we look at all Scripture Passages addressing the coming of Jesus, none portray Immanency more than this. A central message within Pre-Trib Rapture promoters is that Christ's coming, specifically the Rapture, is Imminent. Pre-Trib's point is that It could happen at any moment. Pre-Trib says there are no more signs that must take place before the Rapture, but says there are a great many signs before Christ's Second Coming. Pre-Trib says that after Jesus gathers His Church and take them to Heaven, Antichrist and the Tribulation will be signs proceeding Christ's Second Coming. Let's see what Paul says:

2 Thessalonians 2
We all know that Scripture never contradicts Scripture, so let's see what Paul says about the Immanency of Jesus coming to gather His people. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit,, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the Day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a (the) falling away first, and that Man of Sin [Antichrist] be revealed, the son of perdition. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2Thess.2:1-4). Pre-Trib considers 2 Thessalonians 2 to be one of their primary proofs of a Pre-Antichrist Rapture, but as anyone can see by reading it, Paul said the complete opposite. You can search the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and never find a single Bible Prophecy placing Christ's coming before Antichrist's workings. Our first Scripture, the one saying, "Behold I come Quickly," might seem like it does, but only with a surface reading, but Pre-Trib's official position concerning that prophecy from Revelation says that it is not a Rapture Scripture, but rather a Second Coming Prophecy. So let's be sure we understand what Pre-Trib is saying. According to Pre-Trib, when Jesus was with John on the Isle of Patmos, 60 years after His crucifixion, when He said to John, "Behold I come quickly," He was not referring to the time He would come to earth to take His people to the "place in His Father's House (the Mansions) He  had prepared for them," He was actually referring to a second coming 7 years after He took His people to Heaven. Dear Reader, think about that for a moment to see if it makes any sense at all.  Let's look now a little closer to see what it really says, and see why Pre-Trib cannot use the Scripture as one of their "Rapture" proof texts.

"Let Him that is Filthy be Filthy Still"
The whole Pre-Trib Rapture Theory is bases on people being, "Left Behind" after Jesus comes to, "Gather His Church," and, on the "Left Behind" people having a "Second Chance" to get saved and accept Jesus as their Savior. Pre-Trib says that among those "Left Behind" there'll be the 144 Thousand who will be given special rewards. Underscore "Rewards," because Jesus told John that when He, "Comes Quickly, His Reward is with Him to give every man." Obviously if Jesus comes and rewards every man at that time, any that are rejecting Him at that time will not be given another chance. The way we can know absolutely that there'll be no switching sides after Jesus "Comes Quickly" would be to read the Scripture just prior to where Jesus said He would, "Come Quickly." Let's do it. The following appears to be an announcement from Jesus before He "Comes Quickly." "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still" (Rev.22:11). If such a declaration is made sometime before Jesus comes, obviously the whole idea that there will be people switching sides after He comes cannot be.

Conclusion
There are many other Scriptures showing that Antichrist and the Tribulation occur before Jesus comes to take His people to the "Mansions" He has prepared for them. "Let not you heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's House are many Mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn.14:1-3). 

So, as it turns out the one Scripture that might support the "Imminent" doctrine of Pre-Trib actually refutes it.
Thank you SO much, Dear Reader, for your time and interest. Let's pray together for God's Spirit to guide us as we continue studying His Word!
Your Brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr.
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Check Our Other Blogsites:


Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr

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