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Sunday 8 November 2015

chuck missler false teacher: the pre-tribulation rapture deception! part 1

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)

The history of the pre-tribulation rapture theory is unquestionably sordid and divisive. Initially, the theory was promoted in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren. It was subsequently promoted in the US in the early 20th century due to the wide circulation of the Scofield Reference Bible. Prior to 1830, this theory was completely unknown, and yet despite its many flaws, it has gradually gained a stranglehold on the church. Current promoters of the pre-tribulation rapture are primarily The Prophetic Witness Movement International (PWMI), The Pre-Trib Research Centre (PTRC), The Berean Call and various independent bible teachers, including Chuck Missler. Anyone doing an in depth Bible study on this subject will quickly realise that something is very wrong with the teachings of the pretribulationists. The scriptures tell us: Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Ephesians 5:11); and this is precisely what I intend to do with Chuck Missler's YouTube teaching: Ten Reasons For A Pre-Tribulation Rapture over the coming weeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1xoON5GLSw 

Reason 1:  God will keep Christians from the Great Tribulation based on Revelation 3:10.

Many pretribulationists mistranslate Revelation 3:10 in an attempt to justify a rapture prior to Daniel's seventy weeks. 

Because you have KEPT my word about patient endurance, I will KEEP (tērēsō)YOU FROM  (ἐκ) the hour of trial (peirasmou) that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

téreó  = keep, guard, observe, watch over.  
ἐκ = out of 
peirasmos = trial, testing, temptation.

The hour of trial in this verse appears to be the persecution of the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation. Greek téreó is to keep/guard/watch over/observe. The Philadelphian Christians kept/guarded/observed (tetērēsas) Christs word. As a result of their faithfulness Christ will keep/guard (tērēsō) them from (ἐκ) the hour of trial/temptation.

Missler defines the Greek preposition ἐκ (out of) as a word from which we get "exit", but he only gives a half truth, since ἐκ actually means to exit something from within. In context it would not make sense to say that Christ will keep/guard them if they were to "exit" (be raptured) prior to the Great Tribulation. The only other place where téreó and ἐκ are found together is John 17:6: I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you KEEP THEM FROM the evil one.
Joe Schimmel gives an excellent in depth teaching on Revelation 3:10:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGi9PBUJwAg

Missler: "There are people that believe that the rapture will occur at the end of the Great Tribulation. This puts the bridegroom in this kind of programme: Come we are going to get married, then I am going to beat the living daylights out of you, then we will go have dinner. Comfort one another with these words."

Missler thinks this profanity is a great joke, as if the persecution of believers during the Great Tribulation is an outrageous suggestion. He attributes the persecution of the church during this period directly to the Lord himself, but Jesus Christ warned: THEY (the wicked) will deliver you up to tribulation..... (Matthew 24:9)

Persecution/tribulation is directly linked to the falling away of believers: 

.....yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation (thlipseōs) or persecution (diōgmou) arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:21; Mark 4:17)  

And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. (Matthew 11:6 also Matthew 5:29; James 1:12)

The scriptures repeatedly refer to a proliferation of spiritual deception and false teachers in the end times. Matthew 24 gives us an important link between false prophets, tribulation and falling away:

Then THEY (the wicked) will deliver you up to TRIBULATION (thlipsin) and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will FALL AWAY (skandalisthēsontai) and betray one another and hate one another. And many FALSE PROPHETS will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24: 9-14, see also 1 Timothy 4:1)

skandalizó =  to set a snare, entice or cause to stumble, cause to sin, cause to become indignant, shock, offend. Are those teaching a pre-tribulation rapture setting a snare that will cause shock, indignation and even hatred when their false teaching fails to materialise? Proverbs tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12). Instead of strengthening believers to face the Great Tribulation, many false teachers are feeding the Body of Christ false hopes of deliverance and escapism. In actuality believers are called upon to endure through this terrible time (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Revelation 2:10). Some pretribulationists are already offended with those who point out their error, such as Paul Wilkinson of The Berean Call, who calls post-tribulationists "heretics". Some say that the timing of the rapture is not a salvation issue, but it appears to be just that for those who will fall away, if in fact they are enticed do so by those giving them a false hope of escape from the Great Tribulation.

Missler and his pre-tribulation friends would be well advised to heed the warning of Jesus Christ himself:

.....but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin (stumble), it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42)  

Reason 2:  Christians are not the object of God's wrath. (Revelation 6:16; cf 1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Missler: "The Great Tribulation has its source as the wrath of God."    
This is absolutely NOT the case!!! 

For God has not destined us for wrath (orgēn), but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ..... (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

orgé (wrath) is a completely different word and has a completely different meaning to thlipsis (tribulation).

It is correct that the church is expressly exempted from God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10). However, "the hour of trial" (peirasmou) in Revelation 3:10 is NOT referred to as God's wrath. The day of God's wrath is imminent AFTER the sixth seal is opened and AFTER the cosmic disturbances of Revelation 6:

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the WRATH (orgēs) of the Lamb, for the great day of their WRATH (orgēs) has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17).

Further confirmation that Gods wrath does not fall at the beginning of the Great Tribulation is found in Revelation 6:9-10. The martyrs call out to be avenged AFTER the fifth seal is opened, but they are told to "rest" until the number of their fellow martyrs should be complete. These are the tribulation martyrs who will be killed by the beast (Antichrist). The wrath of the beast is indicated here, not the wrath of God.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9-10)

Reason 3: Christians will "escape" (not endure) the tribulation based on Luke 21:36.

But stay awake at all times, praying that YOU may have STRENGTH (katischusēte) to ESCAPE (ekphugein) all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)

katischuó = prevail against, overpower.
ekpheugó = flee out, away, escape.

Believers are exhorted to pray for strength to prevail or overcome. Why would they need to prevail if they are raptured? The rapture harpazó (snatch away) is a future passive verb; in other words the rapture does not depend upon our strength in any way (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

But the one who ENDURES to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13; Matthew 10:22; Luke 21:9) Matthew 24 refers to to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, but in eschatological terms, these events also prefigure the Second Advent.

How glibly Missler changes the entire meaning of the scriptures by misinterpreting single words here and there to suit his own agenda! I do not doubt that Missler et al are well aware of the weaknesses of the pre-tribulation rapture theory, and yet for reasons known only to themselves they continue to aggressively promote it right under our noses. We should also consider that Missler is a dishonest man, since he is an admitted plagiarist. He also has very dubious associations as a member of the secretive Council for National Policy (CNP) founded by Tim LaHaye. In my view, it would be utter folly to put any confidence in Missler as having pure motives as a teacher of truth.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Paul's instruction to Timothy: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15). The teachers of pre-tribulation rapture deception provably fail this test, they are NOT "approved". 

TO BE CONTINUED..... 

12 comments:

  1. Excellent article, and video. Many,(including our mutual ex PWMI friend in S.Wales) even though they may now reject the actual pre-trib rapture as such are still not aware how much else their theological beliefs have been heavily polluted by the theology (Dispensationalism) that gave rise to the pre-trib doctrine.
    Many errantly think that pre-tribulationism is a stand alone teaching, and are totally ignorant of just how much Dispensationalism has carved up what should be plain straight forward Bible doctrine in regards to eschatology and much else.

    I think to UNLEARN is so much harder than to learn, especially when one is relatively advanced in years? Unlearning previously cherished 'truths' is so very difficult? Undoing one's Dispensational theological mindset to my thinking is almost akin to unscrambling an egg? You literally have to go back to your ABC's!
    Post trib/pre-wrath believers DON'T use the word rapture (to the best of my knowledge) the EVENT is just called the Second Coming. That is not to say that there isn't a catching up or 'rapture' of the "dead in Christ" and "those that are alive and remain at His coming", if you get my gist? They don't make a god of the rapture-as pre-trib does?

    As for Missler, yes you would think someone of his acumen would have caught on by now!?
    Again, my beef is only against the teachers of Dispensationalism.
    Mr Prasch is so right to call Darby a cult leader-so many deluded followers are unaware they are heavily influenced by a cult leader!
    Apologies for using so many words when half would do-but these things need to be laboured on.
    God bless.

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  2. Treena,
    I am so sorry that you "have been attacked behind the scenes for writing this post".
    But these are the days we now live in? There are some very unsavoury exchanges on certain blogs of late, it makes me cringe when these folk are speaking thus under the Christian label; best not to publish?
    I would tell your attackers to do their own research. If you have put something on any post of yours that can be proven to be factually inaccurate, you would certainly correct it, I hope, wouldn't you?
    The problem starts when we try to fit the Bible into our own theological framework, rather than the other way around?
    God bless you.

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  3. I wish the anonymous poster above would offer his name Treena, especially if he is going to refer to me as "our mutual ex-PWMI friend in S.Wales"!!

    I trust you know that he is an extreme Calvinist who believes in ELECTION and not just the normally accepted "predestination" doctrine, thus disqualifying any form of FREEWILL in mankind's salvation!

    He continues to comment on a lot of my articles on my various blogs in his usual "anon" fashion, and because of my continual requests he has PROMISED to write to me by private email informing me who he actually is!!

    So far, NOTHING has been forthcoming!!

    Not such a good attitude for this mature and supposedly well educated and knowledgeable Christian!! He even has not even replied to my several answers to his queries and questions, but he does find time to comment here on your blog!

    Very unsatisfactory behaviour to my mind! I will NOT be posting any more of his comments on my blogs unless he delivers on his PROMISE to me!!!

    Maranatha Blessings,
    Nev.

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  4. Neville,
    I KNEW you would post here!
    I don't know why you are so angry. I am not an "extreme Calvinist"-just a blood bought believer in Christ our Lord. Certainly I believe in pre-destination/election, and the flipside is reprobation. Like Treena, I "don't like Calvinism", but the grand question is this-"is it scriptural?" I believe it is! Likewise, my flesh prefers pre-tribulationism, again, the grand question is "is it taught in the Bible?" Luther said "freewill is a name for nothing" and I agree with him. Like Calvin, Knox and others, Luther was a reformer, previously a Roman Catholic priest who came out of great darkness, we owe these men more than we can know?
    As stated above, I don't like the way your blog has degenerated into something of a slagging off match. Granted, it is NOT all your fault, and it cannot be pleasant for you to be called all those names? I think you would be better off ignoring these posters rather than replying?
    You say "So far nothing has been forthcoming!!" I would remind you that I "promised" you "I would contact you BEFORE posting on your blog again", well, give me time? I last posted on your blog on 6/11/2015-about THREE days ago! Give me time? Besides, read my words again-I said "I would contact you again BEFORE posting" well I have NOT broken that promise?
    Besides, I am not "well educated and knowledgeable", but an ex second hand car dealer with 2 O levels grade B & C. I grant you that God has taught me much since coming to faith in 2002.
    So, IF, that is IF, I am inclined to post again on your blog, I PROMISE I will e-mail first.
    For someone who believes that pre-trib is error, why post so much from Rapture Ready? Makes no sense to me.
    May we all grow in GRACE and TRUTH?
    Thank God for the Doctrines of Grace?
    God bless you.

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  5. Playing with words again my friend!

    If you are not going to supply your name, please DO NOT post on my blog again, as I will not publish them as previously stated! Secretive people like you are the bane of many a blogger's life!

    You come on to my site asking LOTS of questions which I respond to, then go "silent"!

    You say you have not had the time yet, but you managed to find the time to write on Treena's blog TWICE! How inconsistent of you?

    Regarding RR items on my blogs, if you look carefully, you will notice that I publish arguments on the Rapture and The Second Coming from all sides of the spectrum, as I am not so "narrow minded" as many I come across!

    I have resigned from the PWMI yet I will still attend and support many of their meetings in Wales and the West Country!

    The tenets of the PWMI are very sound indeed (except for the pre-trib Rapture), but does that make all of the lovely Christians involved within WRONG? Just like you are wrong on ELECTION/SELECTION, God still loves you and Colin and Paul and Chuck, and many, many others!!!

    Maranatha Blessings,
    Nev.

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  6. It is so very interesting that Neville says "God still loves you and Colin And Paul and Chuck..." I am trying to co-ordinate my bearings here. Treena is calling Missler a "false teacher", and yet Neville says God loves him! So it matters not what we teach-God in Christ will save us regardless?
    I would FAR rather be "narrow minded" than follow the "broad way that leadeth to destruction" that our Saviour teaches against-read the context of Matthew 7.13?
    I cannot quite understand Neville's reasoning-it is so utterly opposed to Scripture. Truth is singular, and error is plural. To publish "arguments on the rapture and the Second Coming from all sides of the spectrum..." only leads to the greatest confusion!
    As Spurgeon said "Dogmatism! Where have you been? Please come back! Glorious old dogmatism we NEED you NOW!" If Luther had said "excuse me sirs, I have a THEORY-that is we MAY be justified by faith alone" then we WOULD still be under the shackles of popery? But NO!!!! God BLESS him! Luther KNEW and BELIEVED his Bible-he could see (he WAS a Roman Catholic Monk!-When will you smell the coffee?)that Justification is CLEARLY taught in God's Word! It is beyond the present scope/time of this post for me to expound this most basic doctrine, but I fear many today are in total ignorance of it?
    "Lovely Christians"? Please read Genesis 18.27, Job 40.4, Isaiah 6.5, Daniel 10.8 etc. I am NOT a "lovely Christian" and if our Old Testament brethren are to be believed, then there is NO such thing as a "lovely Christian"?
    May God bless His word to you.

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  7. I don't really want this to become a battle ground between you and Nev Anon - could you communicate with him directly on his blog? God bless x

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  8. Treena,
    Apologies! Understood.
    Waiting for part 2!
    God bless you.

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  9. Thank you for your wisdom in this matter Treena, for I think our friend has now been "snookered", to coin a phrase!

    He cannot comment on my blog without first emailing with me his private details, which he has promised to do TWICE, not just the selective one he chose to mention above.

    I do not want him to come onto my blog with his many questions without supplying his name. I reply and he ignores my responses! Very nice Christian attitude that???

    He is very welcome to comment on your blog as much as he wants Treena, but please ask him to NOT mention my name or to attempt to draw me into his ideas which I have little agreement with!

    Maranatha Blessings,
    Nev.

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  10. A good refutation of the popular defenses of the pre-trib rapture theory.

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