A CHALLENGE

A CHALLENGE

I would like to issue a challenge to those believers in Jesus who have been taught that the return of Jesus to earth to receive His Church/Bride could happen at "any moment". This is a very popular belief that is known as the Pretribulation Rapture, which had its roots back in 1832, when what has been often referred to as the "secret rapture" teaching, began in a break away group from the Presbyterian Church lad by a man named Edward Irving, who called his group the Apostolic Catholic Church. Around this time John Darby started the Plymouth Brethren movement who endorsed this teaching and made it part of his doctrine. Darby was a popular Bible teacher, and later when Dr C.I.Scofield brought out his popular reference Bible in the early 1900's which declared that all of history could be divided into seven dispensations, then when the secret rapture teaching was combined with Dr Scofield's dispensational teaching, apparently the Pretribulation Rapture doctrine was born. So with that brief background, which can be checked out in church history records, here is my challenge. I hereby challenge you to check out three scripture passages, and study them carefully without depending on your preconceived ideas about when the timing of the rapture might be.

1/ (Matt 24:1-36) These were words spoken by Jesus to His disciples, in which He answered two questions they had put to Him. Pay special attention to "time words" like "then", "Immediately after" etc. which helps to follow the sequence. Remember these are the reported words of Jesus, which are definitely true!

2/ (2 Thess 2:1-17) These are words written by the apostle Paul to this church he had planted several years earlier. And like all scripture it is inspired by the Holy Spirit

(2 Tim 3:16). Notice how clearly he declares that Jesus can't return until after the "man of lawlessness" (the antichrist) makes his appearance!

3/ (Rev 13:1-10) These words are part of the description of the "antichrist" who will arise at some future date, given by John when trying to explain what he saw in this vision, like all the other visions he recorded, were given to him by Jesus. Notice some of the expressions he uses about this man being given "authority" to do the things he will do to God's "holy people", often referred to as "saints". Who gives him this authority? We know from Jesus' statement recorded in (Matt 28:18) "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth". So I assume that He must have given this authority to this servant of Satan for a purpose. Could it be to purify His Church, to make her ready to be raptured? This is the conclusion I have come to after many years of studying these and many other scriptures. What conclusion have you come to?

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer