I’m going to share an excerpt from the introduction to my latest book. Before I do that, I want to make some introductory remarks. Much confusion exists about eschatology (the study of last things) because of a failure to rightly divide the Word.
2 Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJV)
My book is written from a dispensational point of view. Replacement (sometimes called “covenant”) theology conflates the promises of God to the nation of Israel with the church. The end result is confusion. I believe that the Rapture is an event that is exclusive to the church. I think it’s imperative that we understand when the church began and what it’s comprised of. So, before I post the introduction to my book, let’s take a moment to look at ecclesiology (the study of the church).
What is the church? We can find the answer in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (NKJV)
The church is the body of Christ, with Him (Jesus Christ) being the Head of the body. The next question is, who or what comprises the church? The answer can be found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—
Eph 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
Eph 2:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
Eph 2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (NKJV)
First, we see that initially there were just two groups: Jews and Gentiles. Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the Gentiles were strangers from the covenants of God. There are four unconditional covenants God made with Israel. They are: The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3, 13:14-17, 15:1-21, 17:1-21, and 22:15-18), the Land Covenant (Deut 29:1-30:20), the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7:11-16), and the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34). The only way a Gentile could receive any benefit was to become a proselyte to Judaism. The Mosaic covenant (the Law) was a conditional covenant, and as such, is no longer in force.
Paul goes on to say that the Law functioned as a “wall of separation” between Jews and Gentiles. The dietary restrictions alone made social interaction between Jews and Gentiles almost impossible. Those who attempt to force Christians to keep the Law are trying to rebuild the very thing God broke down…the wall of separation! The Cross of Jesus “abolished” the law of commandments and ordinances and subsequently brought about a third entity. There are not only Jews and Gentiles, (see I Cor 10:32) but now there is a third entity…the “one new man” which is the church (comprised of believing Jews and Gentiles). Note that all of that took place after the death of Christ!
So how does one become a part of the “one new man” (the body of Christ, the church)? Paul answers this in his first letter to the Corinthians.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (NKJV)
The means by which one becomes a part of the church is Spirit baptism. If we can determine when that first took place, we can find a starting point for the church age. Matthew’s gospel is the only one of the four that mentions the church.
Mat 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (NKJV)
I want you to notice that Jesus Christ speaks of the church as a future entity. He states, “I will build my church.” This is crucial because many believe that the church started with Adam or Abraham. (Christ did not say “I will continue to build my church.”) Immediately after this statement, He explains His future crucifixion which would accomplish this agenda. I believe the church began on the Day of Pentecost. After His resurrection, Jesus demonstrated His resurrected body for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3). At one point, He appeared to over 500 people (see I Cor 15:6) in His resurrected body. That would stand as convincing evidence in any court of law! Just prior to His ascension and the Day of Pentecost, He stated these words:
Act 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (NKJV)
Remember earlier that we discovered that Spirit baptism was the means by which one became a part of the body (I Cor 12:13)? And remember that the church is the body (Col 1:18)? Acts chapter 2 records the first incidence of Spirit baptism in the scriptures. Acts 2 does not explicitly state that these believers were baptized with the Spirit. However, later in the book of Acts, Peter makes it clear that this is what they experienced. Perhaps 7-10 years later, Peter is given a heavenly vision and instructed to visit the household of a Gentile named Cornelius. This is described in Acts chapter 10. In Acts chapter 11, Peter is confronted by the Jewish leadership because he had gone in to eat with the Gentiles (11:1-3). Remember earlier when I said that the Law served as a “middle wall of partition” between Jews and Gentiles? This is further proof of said division.
When Peter gives his defense to the men from Judea in Acts 11, he gives us the proof that we need to determine when Spirit baptism first took place. Notice what Peter says:
Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
Act 11:16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ (NKJV)
Peter states that what happened in Cornelius’ home was identical to his own experience in Acts chapter 2. And with that being the case, this proves that Peter was baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. This is when the Church age began! Now, I will post the introductory chapter from my book, “The Rapture: Reasons to Believe.” I hope you will enjoy!
Introduction
Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (KJV)
You thought this was a book about the end times, didn’t you? Don’t worry, it is! This book is a defense of the pre-trib rapture of the church. I thought it would be appropriate to start with the birth of the church. Dispensational scholars agree that the church was born on the day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter two. What this author will attempt to do is prove that just as the church was born in a miracle, so will the church age end with a miracle…the rapture of the church!
A great deal of humility is in order here. Admittedly, there are many things we cannot state dogmatically regarding how every detail of prophecy will work out. Thankfully, eschatology is not a matter where true believers must agree on every point. One’s position on eschatology should not be a litmus test for fellowship. There are non-negotiable issues concerning the faith, but this is not one of them. A German Lutheran theologian from the early seventeenth century named Rupertus Meldenius coined a profound saying:
“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
Unfortunately, when the topic of eschatology (particularly, the doctrine of the rapture) comes up, emotions tend to run high. This has caused many to abandon the discussion altogether. Many pastors refuse to teach or preach on the subject for fear of controversy. When it comes to terms like “pre-trib” or “mid-trib”, they opt for a position of “pan-trib” …it will all “pan out” in the end! I don’t believe this is the correct approach, either. Just because there are varying opinions on a doctrine, doesn’t mean that they are all correct or that we should avoid it altogether. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were commended, because they searched the scriptures daily to test Paul’s teaching. I invite you to do the same with what I will share with you in this book. To get the most out of this study, please consult with the Bible as we proceed. Take time to look up the references; it will be well worth your effort!
Since the church age was a mystery in the Old Testament (Eph. 3:4-6), we won’t be looking there for a defense of the rapture. I do believe there are types and shadows of the rapture in the Old Testament, and we will look at those as secondary evidence but not primary. We will look at relevant passages in the New Testament as our primary evidence. While it’s impossible to answer every objection, we will also attempt to deal with those we most commonly encounter.
This book is not about doing “newspaper exegesis” or attempting to set dates for the rapture or other prophetic events. All such endeavors are doomed to failure (Matt 24:36). Instead, this book will focus on the doctrine of the rapture and the sequence of events leading up to the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It is this author’s conviction that the rapture will take place prior to the seven-year Tribulation (also called Daniel’s 70th week and the “time of Jacob’s trouble”). The exegesis (a fancy theological word that just means explaining or interpreting a biblical text) in this work will attempt to prove this beyond any reasonable doubt.
Having stated that, whenever I use the word “rapture” in this book, it is understood that the phrase “pre-trib” (meaning before the seven-year Tribulation) is implied. I always like to begin any Bible study with a word of prayer. The greatest Teacher of all is the Holy Spirit. Would you agree with me now?
Father, thank you for your Word! As we read and study the Scriptures together, would you open our understanding and give us clarity? Above all, grant us a heart to be doers of the Word and not simply hearers. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!
(You can order a copy of the book here: https://a.co/d/bxGmjSW )
Let's Study the Scriptures Together 