Counterfeit Christianity

Chapter Five - Pre-Tribulation Rapture Flunks Every Test

        Since over half the body of Christ believes in Pre-Tribulation Rapture, perhaps over half the readers of this book may become angry or upset. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine contends that the Lord Jesus will return in the clouds before the tribulation period and “rapture” the church up from earth to be with Him forever; thus, escaping the coming destruction during the tribulation period of seven years immediately before the end of this world. The triumphant church will return from heaven with the Lord as His mighty army on white horses, to destroy all evil, including Satan’s kingdom of darkness.

            Meanwhile, some people remaining on earth will see that the church has been raptured up into heaven and will look for Bibles so that they can be converted into Christians. Within less than three and a half years, these new converts will be the greatest Christians the world has ever seen.

        This doctrine is very popular among Christians, but remember, truth is not determined by majority vote or popularity. The truth is the truth no matter how many believe it, crusade against it, reject it and fight against it. It is not relative to the social trends and political correctness of the day.

BE A SEEKER OF TRUTH

 Truth is not easy to find in these perilous times. The devil has been very busy spreading his lies and deceptions in order to hide God’s truth and destroy the church. Indeed, the Bible says that if it were possible, even the elect of God will be deceived. Matt. 24:24.That being the case, we need to fight for the truth. Test every word through the Holy Spirit and Bible, the only two dependable sources of truth. Don’t automatically accept everything you hear just because the teacher or preacher is famous, has wonderful credentials, is handsome, or is charming. Don’t even assume that he preaches all truth just because he can cast out devils and heal the sick. That is not God’s test for truth.

            The message of this chapter is simple: There will be no Pre-Tribulation Rapture. We will go through Tribulation like God's people always have. We will have to stand and fight.

HISTORY OF THE RAPTURE DOCTRINE

        The idea that Jesus will return before Tribulation was derived from a vision given to Margaret MacDonald in 1830. Some argue that it was John Darby who introduced the doctrine back in 1827, as if it is important to give him credit for the false doctrine. It was not a doctrine of the early church. The word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but that fact is immaterial to this discussion. It was a complex vision and some individuals promote the idea that the MacDonald vision means that the Lord would take His people out of the world to escape tribulation. Is it true? Here is the vision:

MARGARET MACDONALD'S REVELATION

as published in The Restoration of Apostles and

Prophets In the Catholic Apostolic Church (1861).

    "It was first the awful state of the land that was pressed upon me. I saw the blindness and infatuation of the people to be very great. I felt the cry of Liberty just to be the hiss of the serpent, to drown them in perdition. It was just 'no God.'  I repeated the words, Now there is distress of nations, with perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear. Now look out for the sign of the Son of Man. Here I was made to stop and cry out, O it is not known what the sign of the Son of Man is; the people of God think they are waiting, but they know not what it is. I felt this needed to be revealed, and that there was great darkness and error about it; but suddenly what it was burst upon me with a glorious light. I saw it was just the Lord himself descending from Heaven with a shout, just the glorified man, even Jesus; but that all must, as Stephen was, be filled with the Holy Ghost, that they might look up, and see the brightness of the Father's glory.