Download or read book The Pretribulation Rapture Doctrine and the Progressive Dispensational System written by John A. Alifano and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2004 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since its inception in the early nineteenth century, the basic tenet of dispensationalism (a school of Protestant theology which holds that God deals with humankind in different ways in different periods of time called dispensations) has been that the church and Israel are two sharply distinct peoples of God. The distinction is theological in nature; specifically, anthropological (pertaining to humanity), soteriological (pertaining to salvation), and eschatological (pertaining to last things). The tenet of theological distinctiveness has always been the cornerstone for the dispensationalist's belief in the pretribulation rapture of the church: the belief that at the first stage of Christ's two-stage second advent he will endue all who comprise the true church with a resurrected body like his own, and transport; i.e., rapture, all to heaven before the seven year period of turmoil known as the Tribulation begins on earth. The rapture marks the end of one dispensation when God focused his attention primarily on the church, and the start of another when God will focus his attention primarily on Israel. Today, almost two centuries later, progressive dispensationalists have rejected the view of a sharp theological distinction. From their study of Scripture they observe a soft non-theological distinction. They describe the church and Israel as different redemptive dimensions of the same humanity that share in a holistic and unified eternal salvation. An already and not yet eschatological framework is the cornerstone of their system. This thesis will argue that progressive dispensationalism cannot integrate the pretribulation rapture doctrine into its reconstructed dispensational system on any basis of theological distinctiveness between the church and Israel. This will be accomplished by first setting forth the theological systems of the three major forms of dispensationalism that have existed during its history, namely, classical, revised, and progressive dispensationalism, and second, by showing that each of three kinds of theological distinctiveness, namely, anthropological, soteriological, and eschatological distinctiveness, are present in the classical and revised systems and therefore these systems can support the rapture's integration, but are not present in the progressive system and therefore this system cannot support the rapture's integration. The thesis closes with an explanation as to why progressive dispensationalism is more compatible with amillennialism than with premillennialism.
Download or read book Dispensationalism and the Pre Tribulation Rapture of the Church written by Paul Grafton-Holt and published by . This book was released on 2019-06-22 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the subject of the tribulation from a dispensationalists' point of view. They believe that Christians will be spared from going through the great tribulation, as outlined in the book of Revelation. The tribulation period is one of 7-years duration with the last three and a half years being the most significant. During this event it will be a difficult time to be a Christian as the Antichrist will have been revealed to the world and he will be persecuting those who refuse to take the mark of the beast. They will not be able to trade and will be forced underground if they are to survive. The Antichrist will seek to kill all Christians who refuse to bow down to him and thus the final persecution will begin.The Bible does make it clear that there will be a rapture of Christians during this period before Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth. Some posit, like dispensationalists, that the rapture will take place before the tribulation, others that it will be afterwards and yet more still that it will be around the mid-point. There is no doubt there will be a rapture, that is well established in the biblical accounts. Beatty, however, refutes this when he says:'No doubt the twentieth chapter of Revelation validates the teachings of Jesus that only two resurrections will occur. The third resurrection theory does not stand up to scriptural scrutiny. Since this is the case and we have established that the rapture is a resurrection, then we must conclude that the rapture is the first resurrection found in Revelation 20.' However, there does not have to be three resurrections, but two. There is a rapture of the saints part-way through the tribulation. These are heaven-bound after their being raptured and remain so until Christ descends to earth with them, and the resurrected saints in tow, to conquer His foes in the battle of Armageddon. The second resurrection is that of the reprobates to face judgment at the Great White Throne before their banishment to the fiery pits of hell. Thus the rapture is not a resurrection per se. The Church is raptured to heaven and then resurrected in their new imperishable bodies, with the rest of the dead saints, to follow Christ back to earth.The question this book addresses is whether dispensationalists have the correct view in that the rapture of the church will precede the 7-year tribulation. This will be done, essentially, through an exegesis of the texts they cite in favour of this view.
Download or read book The Pretribulation Rapture Theory and Dispensationalism Revisited written by J. Mike Byrd and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pretribulation Rapture Theory and Dispensationalism Revisited reviews and critiques a confusing array of popular theories that address the return of Jesus Christ and the churchs rapture. It proposes that a clarifying approach rests in letting Scripture interpret Scripture, which yields a simpler, more natural, and consistent explanation of the pretribulation rapture and dispensationalism. Drawing upon thousands of hours of Bible study, J. Mike Byrd presents an analysis and a related proposal that avoid both unthinking conformity to popular notions and oversimplification for the sake of palatability. The Pretribulation Rapture Theory and Dispensationalism Revisited addresses methods of interpretation, defines dispensationalism and the Dispensational Principle, examines the scriptural testimony surrounding the day of the Lord and the day of Gods wrath, surveys the issues regarding imminence, and discusses the rapture, the resurrection, and Christs second coming. If you wonder what Scripture clearly teaches about the this worlds demise, the end of human existence, and the onset of Gods sure and certain work to establish his reign, then The Pretribulation Rapture Theory and Dispensationalism Revisited should offer you the scripturally grounded review, analysis, and explanation you need to understand the Scriptures teachings on these ultimate issues.
Download or read book Exposing the Fallacies of the Pre Tribulation Rapture written by Billy Broadwater and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2014-06-20 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pretribulation Rapture theory has had a foothold on many Christians in America for over a hundred years. This teaching is not allowed to be challenged in many Christian circles. Exposing the Fallacies of the Pretribulation Rapture takes the building blocks of this theory and dismantles them one by one in a serious, thought-provoking analogy of this doctrine. Is the seven year tribulation really a biblical term? Is the church literally raptured in Revelation chapter 4? Are there signs that precede the return of Christ? Is the rapture really an invisible event? Are Christians exempt from tribulation? Where did the true roots of the pretribulation rapture come from? What does the day of the Lord have to do with the rapture? These questions and many more are answered in Exposing the Fallacies of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Not only is there a thorough examination of the rapture, but also a detailed account is given of the numerous discrepancies among leading pretribulation teachers over Bible passages on the second coming. Billy Broadwaters in-depth Bible based research for over twenty-years brings home the truth about the rapture.
Download or read book The Rapture Exposed written by Barbara R. Rossing and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2007-03-30 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The idea of "The Rapture" -- the return of Christ to rescue and deliver Christians off the earth -- is an extremely popular interpretation of the Bible's Book of Revelation and a jumping-off point for the best-selling "Left Behind" series of books. This interpretation, based on a psychology of fear and destruction, guides the daily acts of thousands if not millions of people worldwide. In The Rapture Exposed, Barbara Rossing argues that this script for the world's future is nothing more than a disingenuous distortion of the Bible. The truth, Rossing argues, is that Revelation offers a vision of God's healing love for the world. The Rapture Exposed reclaims Christianity from fundamentalists' destructive reading of the biblical story and back into God's beloved community.
Download or read book The Blessed Hope written by George Eldon Ladd and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 1956 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus Christ is coming again! That is the Blessed Hope which has since the earliest days of the Church energized Biblical Christians looking for the full revelation of God's redemption. The author sketches the history of interpretations of Christ's second coming and then carefully and lucidly examines the Biblical passages on which this doctrine is based. His conclusion is that the Blessed Hope is the second coming of Jesus Christ, not a pretribulation rapture that believers in a secret coming of Jesus. Yet he concludes that there should be liberty and charity within the Christian community for all who hold to the expectation of "the blessed hope and appearing in glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Download or read book Church and the Tribulation written by Robert H. Gundry and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the opening chapter, Robert Gundry states, "It is hoped that the following pages will contribute to an understanding and appreciation of the posttribulational position and that it will do so in a manner characterized by 'wisdom from above. . . First pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy' (James 3:17)." In keeping with this expressed desire, the author presents his thesis regarding Christ's second coming, not as a polemical argument, but as a reasonable and tenable position. This book propounds the thesis that Jesus will return after the tribulation and that the first resurrection will occur at that time. Dr. Gundry believes that biblical evidence points most naturally to this conclusion. Because of his discerning analysis of Scripture, his careful logic, and the thoughtful presentation of his views, he is one of today's leading spokesmen for posttribulational eschatology.
Download or read book The Rapture Question written by John F. Walvoord and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1979 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This re-edition of the classic examines four views of the church's role in the tribulation: partial rapturism, pre-tribulationism, mid-tribulationism, and post-tribulationism, with special emphasis on the debate between pre-tribulationism and post-tribulationism. Bibliography and index are included.
Download or read book Pretrib written by Alan Kurschner and published by . This book was released on 2022-08-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does God Work with Israel and the Church at the Same Time? Is There a Connection between the Rapture and the Second Coming? In the first part of Pretrib, Dr. Alan Kurschner makes the case that God has worked with both Israel and the church at the same time in the past, and he continues to do so at this time, and he will work with both at the same time in the future. In the second half of the book, Dr. Kurschner contends that the rapture is neither disconnected from, nor identified with, the second coming. Rather, the rapture belongs to the second coming. The implications from the author's examination reveal that while church saints will be raptured before the day of the Lord's wrath they will first encounter the Antichrist's great tribulation. By reading Pretrib: Examining the Foundations of Pretribulation Rapture Theology, you will be walked through compelling lines of biblical reasoning that harmonizes all the evidence into a coherent picture. Sometimes we need to take a step backwards to challenge long-held beliefs, in order to get a running start and discover new, biblical ways of seeing truths. This book helps to do just that.
Download or read book Three Views on the Rapture written by Craig A. Blaising and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rapture--or the belief that Jesus' living followers will, at some point, join him forever while others do not--is an important but contested doctrine among evangelicals. Scholars generally hold one of three perspectives on the timing and circumstances of the rapture, all of which are presented in this important volume of the Counterpoints series, Three Views on the Rapture: Alan D. Hultberg (PhD, Trinity International University and professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology) explains the Pre-Wrath view. Craig Blaising (PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary and president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) defends the Pre-Tribulation view. Douglas Moo (PhD, University of St. Andrews and professor of New Testament at Wheaton College) sets forth the Post-Tribulation view. Each author provides a substantive explanation of his position, which is critiqued by the other two authors. A thorough introduction gives a historical overview of the doctrine of the rapture and its effects on the church. The interactive and fair-minded format of the Counterpoints series allows readers to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions.
Download or read book The Rapture the Rhetoric and Reason written by Rev. Eddie J. Smith and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2021-08-25 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author dares to refute dispensationalism in its arch-claim that it is a "literal" interpretation of Scripture. He also refutes their claim that God has two people, Israel and the Church. The Church has not replaced Israel but has become an extension of Israel. God has one holy people (Gal. 3:28-29). In the Parable of the Wheat and Tares it is the tares that are taken first (in death) and the wheat is left behind - exactly the opposite of what dispensationalism vehemently preaches (Matt. 13:30) 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 clearly teaches that the Antichrist must appear before the Day of the Lord appears. Dispensationalism is a heretical doctrine that divides the flock of God -- it does not unite. Even dispensational leaders cannot agree on fundamentals such as the names and numbers of the dispensations. Dispensationalism is a changeling, a creature slowly evolving into an even more complicated and confusing system than it was under Darby. And there is no imminent coming of Jesus Christ. As long as there is a sign to come to pass there can be no "any moment" coming. But what does it matter what one believes as long as they believe? The answer is given to us in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. All ten virgins were awaiting the arrival of the Bridegroom. But he delayed his coming and five virgins proved foolish in running out of oil for their lamps because the Bridegroom delayed his coming! When our Lord returns and delays his coming to the midnight hour dispensationalists will be woefully unprepared and many will play the role of the five foolish virgins.
Download or read book Biblical Studies on the Prophecies of the Rapture and Revelation written by Larry Phillip Russell and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2017-11-16 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biblical Studies on the Prophecies of the Rapture and Revelation - is an introduction to and exploration of the Bibles teachings on the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. It distinguishes the Rapture from the Revelation. It affirms the Premillennial / Pre-tribulation Rapture / and Dispensational views. Explored are various theological positions of the Return of Christ, Biblical history, Church history, and insights from key Scripture passages. Russell writes for inquiring laity, clergy and seminarians. This work provides edification, inspiration, a wealth of Biblical knowledge; working together strands of history, theology, Biblical studies, statistics and even humor. The book addresses the Unconditional Covenant God made with Israel; kindly refutes Replacement theology / the Amil and Postmil views; defines Daniels 70th Week; considers the future Tribulation, Millennium; reminds of Gods Sovereignty and Providence, warns of sensationalism, date setting; presents signs of the times, and touches on Apostasy. The book is a comprehensive eschatological work with significant amounts of doctrine, Biblical history, the history of Christianity, and interrelated eschatological considerations. It also admonishes practical Christian living and encourages seeking paths of holy living. If you desire to understand the distinctions between the Rapture and the Revelation, seek a challenging and rewarding journey of study, and if you would find your faith strengthened and your understanding increased, this book will be a helpful guide to your exploration.
Download or read book Trapped by the Pre Trib Rapture written by and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Last Days of Dispensationalism written by Alistair W. Donaldson and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2010-10-28 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How we understand God's future purposes for the world must shape, to a significant degree, how Christians live life in the present. The decades since the publication of Hal Lindsey's, The Late Great Planet Earth, have seen a great deal of "end-times" speculation. Signs of the end-time apocalypse occurring soon have been heralded across our radios, televisions, the internet, and through written forms of media, urging people to either be ready for the rapture or be left behind to endure the horrific suffering of the tribulation as God's end-time program unfolds. Is this really what the Bible teaches about the purposes of the God of whom our Bible declares "so loved the world" that he gave his only son in order that all things be reconciled. The Last Days of Dispensationalism carefully examines this popular understanding known to us as dispensationalism and urges us to think again and to see within the Bible's grand salvation narrative and in the person of Jesus Christ a better message of redemptive hope for the future and a greater sense of meaning and purpose for the present.
Download or read book Dispensationalism Before Darby written by William C. Watson and published by . This book was released on 2015-04-02 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For years, critics of premillennialism have argued that John Nelson Darby was the source for the doctrine of the rapture and dispensationalism. Building upon years of research in seventeenthcentury and eighteenth-century English theological writings, William Watson argues that dispensationalism and the ideas associated with it were long part of British theological discourse. Drawing upon hundreds of early printed English books and years of archival study in primary sources and British libraries, Watson demonstrates that Darby's thought was neither aberrant nor original. To the contrary, he was following a long line of British clergy who anticipated the restoration of Jews to a national homeland and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.
Download or read book The Church in the Coming Great Tribulation written by Steve Urick and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2013-06 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christians today are widely being taught that the next event on the prophetic calendar is the "any moment" and "signless" Rapture of the Church. Thus, the bride of Christ will not have to go through the Great Tribulation. But is that what the Bible truly teaches? The Church in the Coming Great Tribulation examines the biblical doctrine of the Rapture and its timing in relation to the Day of the Lord, as revealed by Jesus and the apostles. If you have questions about the Rapture, or doubt some of the things that are being taught by modern-day prophecy teachers, this timely work sheds light on the subject and will help clear up any confusion you might have.
Download or read book A Biblical Case for the Premillennial Post Tribulational Rapture of the Church written by Randall Monroe and published by . This book was released on 2019-03-06 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his defense of a premillennial, post-tribulational rapture, the author provides a unique and distinctive approach to the premillennial rapture debate. While most evangelical Christians are very familiar with the teaching of the pretribulation rapture, very few Christians are aware of exactly how pretribulational teachers actually arrive at their conclusions. Thus, at the very heart of this debate is the all- important question, "How are the Scriptures being interpreted by Dispensationalists? We must ask, "Precisely what interpretive principles and methods are routinely being employed?" Dispensationalists frequently claim that the pretribulational rapture doctrine is the natural result of a "literal interpretation" of the Scriptures. However, this claim is demonstrably false. The author resoundingly refutes this claim by carefully explaining the highly questionable interpretive principles that Dispensationalists routinely employ, as well as the major assumptions and suppositions that Dispensationalists use to promote the concept of the pretribulation rapture. Furthermore, the author points out the serious theological contradictions created by the pretribulation rapture doctrine. The author clearly demonstrates that a truly literal interpretation of the Scriptures naturally leads to a premillennial, post-tribulational rapture. As a further defense of his position the author presents the results of his in-depth study of the eschatology of the early Church. The words from the likes of The Didache, Polycrates, Irenaeus, Hermas, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Cyprian and Victorinus clearly establish the fact that the Christians closest to the Apostolic age clearly understood the New Testament Scriptures to teach a premillennial, post, -tribulational rapture of the Church at the glorious post -tribulational Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
