Why I Still Believe in a Pre-Trib Rapture

We are living in a day when the writing of Peter has been fulfilled where he states:

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4And saying, Whereis the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.

While the scoffers and skeptics abound, the Blessed Hope remains ~ the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). As one pastor once put it, "I'm not looking for the undertaker, I'm looking for the uppertaker!" Today, I'd like to take some time to answer the critic who says, "There will be no rapture," as well as the critic which states, "If there is a rapture, it will be after the tribulation." I believe both critics are wrong Biblically and Historically.

It seems that most who do not believe in the Rapture state 2 prominent reasons for their unbelief: 1. The word "rapture" does not appear in Scripture; and 2. They say that it is a relatively new doctrine historically, only emerging since the 1830's. When you do an in-depth study of both Scripture and history, I believe that both arguments can be debunked.

As for the word "rapture" not appearing in Scripture, neither do the words "Bible" or "Trinity," yet we know that we have God's Book and that we serve a Triune God. The word might not appear but the concept does. We find this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord, Himself, shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then WE which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The phrase, "caught up," was translated by Jerome with the Latin word, from which we get our word "rapture." The question, in light of Scripture, should never be if the rapture will occur, but when will it occur. Again, I believe Scripture is plain on this matter as well. The Apostles believed it could happen at any moment. Jesus through John in Revelation 3:10 says, "...I will keep you FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION which shall try the whole earth." Paul uses the phrase "we which are alive and remain." Surely, he expected to be a part of those living at the time of Christ's return. They believed it was imminent and would be prior to the Great Tribulation.

As for the historical argument, they usually say that this doctrine wasn't taught until 1830 by a man named John Darby. I will illustrate how false that is. I've already shown you that the Apostle Paul believed it was imminent. So did the Church Fathers of Asia Minor in the 2nd Century ~ men like Irenaeus, Papias, Justin Martyr and Hypollitus to name a few. Add to that list the Shepherd of Hernias, who taught "imminence" and the escape of the Tribulation to come. Here are some of his words:

"You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. Go, therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the greattribulation that is coming. If then ye prepare yourselves, and repent with allyour heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and ye spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly."

Fast forward to the 4th Century and listen to the exhortation of Ephraem of Nisibus:

"All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins."

You can look at works from the 7th Century and 14th Century by Codex Amiatinus and Brother Dolcino and hear the same thing being taught. Then in the 16th Century the words of Joseph Mede:

"I will add this more, namely, what may be conceived to be the cause of this RAPTURE of the saints on high to meet the Lord in the clouds, rather than to wait his coming to earth....What if it
be, that they may be PRESERVED during the Conflagration of the earth and the works thereof, 2 Pet.3:10, that as Noah and his family were preserved from the Deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark; so should the saints at the Conflagration be lift up in the clouds unto their Ark, Christ, to be preserved there from the deluge of fire, wherein the wicked shall be consumed?" ("The Works of Joseph Mede," 1672, London edition, Book IV, p.776)

Contrary to what these anti-Rapture teachers are saying, John Darby did not invent a new doctrine, he simply restated what the true followers of Christ had been saying all along since the time of the Apostles. That is, that Jesus could return at any moment and you best be ready to meet Him! So take courage Church! Our redemption is drawing nigh! Jesus is coming again and his reward is with Him! Don't feel intimidated by these "intellectuals" and "thinkers" who attempt to impress you with their high sounding rhetoric and seemingly all-knowing wisdom. Jesus left us with a simple task, "Watch, and be ready, for at such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man is Coming!" If you ask me, these anti-Rapture teachers are just messengers of Satan sent to buffet the Church and discourage us in these last days. 1 Thessalonians 4:18 tells us to "Comfort one another with these words." I take great comfort in the fact of his soon return! EVEN SO COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS! MARANATHA!!!