Left Behind or Led Astray?: The Church Fathers [Excerpt]

A sneak peak preview from our DVD, "Left Behind or Led Astray?: Examining the Origins of the Secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory."

Despite the fact that some pre-trib proponents claim that the pre-trib rapture goes back to the early church fathers, even pre-trib leaders often admit that this is false, and that the early church understood Jesus’ and the apostle’s teaching that the church would go through the tribulation. A close look at what the church father's taught verifies what many pre-trib leaders admit...

To learn more about our DVD, "Left Behind or Led Astray?" visit:
http://www.leftbehindorledastray.com
To learn more about our ministry, please visit:
http://www.goodfight.org

Left Behind or Led Astray? [Official Trailer]

Left Behind or Led Astray?: Examining the Origins of the Secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a new DVD by Good Fight Ministries which examines the origins of dispensationalism.

What if the Church is not raptured before the tribulation?
What if the church has been left ill-prepared to face Antichrist?
What if millions become part of the great falling away when the rapture doesn't happen when they expect?

The first in a series, we examine the claims and teachings of Dave MacPherson, Dr. Walter Martin, Charles Spurgeon, C.I. Scofield, John Nelson Darby, Emmanuel de Lacunza, Edward Irving, Tim LaHaye and others.

Features Joe Schimmel, Joel Richardson and Jacob Prasch.

Please Note: We believe that this is an in-house debate and not something that Christians should divide over. However, we also believe that this is a very important issue for millions of Christians who may not be prepared for the end times. Our heart is to lovingly share the Word of God in order to prepare the Church.

To learn more about our ministry, please visit:
http://www.goodfight.org

Left Behind or Led Astray? [Official Trailer]

Great approach to the topic.  As usual, Good Fight Ministries gets the scriptures right, and Hollywood only embraces that which gets the scriptures wrong.  The rapture can't happen today or tomorrow, yet millions of Christians believe the lie, discarding the simple truths of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4, where Paul says the "Day of the Lord" (rapture, return of Jesus Christ) cannot happen before two major events occur, events which we know will happen 3 1/2 years into the final 7 year period.  (See Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-22)  Good stuff!

Left Behind or Led Astray?: Examining the Origins of the Secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a new DVD by Good Fight Ministries which examines the origins of dispensationalism.

What if the Church is not raptured before the tribulation?
What if the church has been left ill-prepared to face Antichrist?
What if millions become part of the great falling away when the rapture doesn't happen when they expect?

The first in a series, we examine the claims and teachings of Dave MacPherson, Dr. Walter Martin, Charles Spurgeon, C.I. Scofield, John Nelson Darby, Emmanuel de Lacunza, Edward Irving, Tim LaHaye and others.

Features Joe Schimmel, Joel Richardson and Jacob Prasch.

Please Note: We believe that this is an in-house debate and not something that Christians should divide over. However, we also believe that this is a very important issue for millions of Christians who may not be prepared for the end times. Our heart is to lovingly share the Word of God in order to prepare the Church.

To learn more about our ministry, please visit:
http://www.goodfight.org

Understanding Daniel's 70th Week and the Rapture - Comparing Matthew 24 and Revelation 6

It's so simple when you stop listening to all the best-selling authors and just read the scriptures.  Suddenly, it all makes sense...

 

 

Revelation: The Fuel Project Guide (Part 11 - Three Points)

One of the short answers to the problem mentioned here is to remember as Christians we are promised protection from the "wrath of God".  We are not promised deliverance from suffering for our faith or from the wrath of Satan (Rev. 12:12).

In this part we clear up a few questions that may have arisen from the previous video.

Revelation: The Fuel Project Guide (Part 10 - The Pre-Tribulation Theory)

Good work here pointing out the grievous Biblical error of the modern church that the Lord might return at any time and believers will be "raptured" without sign or suffering.  There are very clear signs (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4) and the whole of scripture testifies that to be a follower of Christ entails suffering. 

In this part we pause to address the idea that the church will not be asked to suffer for Christ's name.

Revelation: The Fuel Project Guide (Part 3 - The Signs Of His Coming)

The problem with scripture is human beings incessant desire to interpret it in some way.  Most of it, including most prophecy, needs no interpretation.  Just faith that it's true.  Because what we believe or perceive is not the issue, only what is true matters.  If you and I believe the truth, then we are on the right path and truly blessed. 

The Fuel Project study guide to the Book of Revelation.

On the Mount of Olives, Jesus told his disciples what signs would signal the end of the world and his imminent return. In this part we examine those signs. This is the last of the introductory parts before we dive into the Book of Revelation itself.

John MacArthur OUTRAGE - Take Mark of Beast, still be saved

File this under when good theologians go bad.  This is a disastrous result for Mr. MacArthur thanks to him holding fast to the false pre-tribulational rapture.  Daniel's 70th week, the final 7 year prophetic period that starts when the Times of the Gentiles ends in Jerusalem, is NOT, I repeat, is not the tribualation.  The "great tribulation" begins when God begins to pour out His wrath on an unrepentant world.  This begins in Matthew 24:15.  We can align this with Paul's prophecy in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and Daniel 9:24-27 to see that this great tribulation begins in the final 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week. 

MacArthurs error causes him to rationalize that some will be saved even after they take the mark, even though the Bible is emphatic that this is not possible. (Revelation 14:9-11)  MacArthur makes this statement and continues to stand by it even though the pre-trib view requires a belief that the Holy Spirit is removed from the Earth during this final 7 years? (2 Thes. 2:7)  How are people saved without the Holy Spirit?  Answer:  Not happening. 

This helps explain why the time of accepting the "mark" will be voluntary, not mandatory.  Although refusal likely will mean death (see Revelation 6:9-11), it will be the ultimate dividing decision that any human being will make in history.  Refuse, die and live forever...accept, live, and die forever.  See more on the mark under the heading "The Mark" to the right.  I've posted Nephtalis reply to this bizarre statement by MacArthur in the second video below.

 The part regarding John MacArthur's statement begins around the 4 minute mark...

Left Behind - Tim LaHaye's Masonic Ties and Connections

I've thought over the years that most of those who had swallowed the pre-trib tale of the return of Jesus were simply duped and felt (or were made to feel) unable to study the scriptures and read the obvious truths for themselves.  However, Tim LaHaye lost me completely when he attacked those who disagreed with him in a book he wrote just to defend his Pre-Trib view.  (Short version - The Pre-Trib view states that Christians will be "raptured" up to be with Jesus before any real suffering or difficulty begins on the Earth.) 

This article points out Tim LaHaye's connections to the late Sun Myung-Moon, who had declared himself to be Jesus Christ, and therein fulfilled the exact meaning of being the Antichrist.  Moon had the "spirit" of the Antichrist, but is not the Antichrist himself.  For evidence of the bizarre/Satanic, just check out the release dates on which Tim LaHaye chose that his "Left Behind" books would be released.  FYI - The reason the Pre-trib idea is so dangerous is that it lulls Christians into a false sense of security in "soft" nations like the USA.  Those Christians are therefore unprepared to face the suffering described in Revelation 6 (which will come upon the whole world, believers included.)

Tim LaHaye's Masonic Connections


Left Behind: LaHaye's Masonic Connections by James Whisler [jamesers99@the-onramp.net]     I have written in the past about the significance of the Left Behind movie's production date and release dates running simultaneously with the top four Satanic holidays. I have since then calculated the odds of this happening by chance. I will give a quick review first.      There are 8 primary holidays in witchcraft and Satanism. In the Illuminati they are known as the 8 nights of human sacrifice for obvious reasons. There are four major and four minor ones:

1) Candlemas or Imbolg -- Feb. 1,2- major
2) Ostara- March 21 (Spring Equinox) - minor
3) Beltane or Roodmas - May 1 (founding day for the Illuminati in 1776)- major
4) Litha-- June 21 (summer solstice) - minor
5) Lughnasadh or Lammas- August 1 - major
6) Mabon- September 21 (autumnal equinox) - minor
7) Samhain or Hallowe'en- October 29-31 - major
8) Yule- December 21 (Winter solstice) - minor

Luciferians seek Satanic blessings by not only performing their jobs in their sacred locations where they believe there are vortexes of occultic power (seehttp://www.cuttingedge.org/n1040.html) but also seek Satanic blessings by initiating their projects on their Satanic holy days.

On May 1, 2000, Beltane (major Satanic holiday) they began production on the movie 'Left Behind'. 13 weeks later on August 1, Lughnasadh (major Satanic holiday) they released the 'making of Left Behind' for sale. 13 weeks later on October 31, Samhain (major Satanic holiday) they released the 'Left Behind' movie for sale 13 weeks from that date on Feb.2, 2001 Candlemas (major Satanic holiday) they released 'Left Behind' into the theaters across the country. (see these dates on http://www.upcomingmovies.com/leftbehind.html.) The odds that Peter LaLonde hit those four Occultic days by chance with his production and release dates is 1 in 17,458,601,160. Or one in seventeen billion, four hundred fifty-eight million, six hundred and one thousand, one hundred sixty. If you believe this is a coincidence then you probably believe it was a coincidence that Jesus died on Passover, was resurrected during Feast of Firstfruits and that the Holy Spirit fell and the church was born on the Feast of Pentecost.  But how could these guys be seeking Satanic blessings? After all, isn't the movie a great witnessing tool? Only if your gospel message is changed to being raptured to avoid the hard times which are coming to this earth. There was no true message of the cross, the atoning blood of Christ, repenting and believing on the name of Jesus for salvation. No scripture was used for this purpose, no sinner's prayer. An unsaved person watching that movie has no idea of the true meaning of salvation. And if he is converted by someone, due to the messages in the movie or book series, he will walk away from this faith when he realizes the tribulation has started and that he was lied to.  Is this another coincidence below? The picture on the left is the cover of the recent book (1999) by Tim LaHaye called The Power of the Cross. The one on the right is a centuries old Masonic symbol and can be seen on an official site of the Knights Templar at http://www.korrnet.org/f&am/kt.htm   Some might mistake it for a Christian symbol, but Masonic author Ray Denslow reveals its true meaning:

"The Cross and Crown may be said to be confined almost exclusively to the historical degrees in Masonry as exemplified in the various orders of knighthood of York and Scottish rites. In Gaul we find the cross to have been a solar symbol when it had equal arms and angles; to the Phoenicians it was an instrument of sacrifice to their God, Baal; and to the Egyptians, the crux ansata was his symbol of eternal life." (Ray V. Denslow, Masonic Portraits, Transactions of ths Missouri Lodge of Research, vol. #29, p.7---emphasis in the original)

Masonic authority Albert Pike also wrote of the meaning of the above symbol in his book Morals and Dogma, explaining that it has a sexual connotation to it as well. (Why is this symbol on a 'Christian' book cover).     Was it also a coincidence that LaHaye and his associates set up their Pretrib Research Center in a place that's considered a vortex of occultic power in Washington D.C. They were located on L'Enfant Promenade,  a street named after the Mason Pierre Charles L'Enfant who designed the city in Masonic and Occultic symbols.  ( http://www.cuttingedge.org/n1040.html )     From there, coincidently, they moved their research center to the Dallas area, another city that is sacred to freemasonry because of its proximity to the 33rd degree of latitude.     Christians aren't supposed to believe in coincidences.

Gratefully in Jesus Christ alone,
James Whisler
 

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WHY HAS THE THIS SYMBOL BEEN USED FOR LAHAYE'S BOOK?
"The Power of the Cross" Why is the Luciferian Freemasonry Knights' Templar symbol on Tim LaHaye's book?
  EXTRACT: "MASONIC AND OCCULT SYMBOLS ILLUSTRATED"
pp. 349-352
by Dr. Cathy Burns
1998, Pub. Sharing. KJV quotes.
ISBN1-891117-12-2  349 MASONIC AND EASTERN STAR SYMBOLS  One Masonic symbol that appears to be Christian is the cross and the crown emblem. However, this is not the case. Masonic author, Ray Denslow, reveals: KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

"The Cross and Crown may be said to be confined almost exclusively to the historical degrees in Masonry as exemplified in the various orders of knighthood of York and Scottish rites. In Gaul we find the cross to have been a solar symbol when it had equal arms and angles; to the Phoenicians it was an instrument of sacrifice to their God, Baal; and to the Egyptians, the crux ansata was his symbol of eternal life."'44 [Emphasis in the original] In The Masonic Report we find more about this emblem:  "Question: What does Masonry's emblem of the 'Cross and Crown' actually symbolize? "Answer: The 'Cross' of Freemasonry is a philosophical cross, according to Albert Pike, 'Morals and Dogma,' p. 771. It is philosophical in the sense that it represents the generating fecundating principle by the perpendicular shaft, 350 MASONIC AND OCCULT SYMBOLS ILLUSTRATED and the matrix or womb of nature, the female producing principle by the horizontal shaft. The philosophy of the Masonic cross is totally phallic. "The 'Crown' of this Masonic emblems is also phallic, it being the first emanation of the Cabalistic Sephiroth...."4' A former Mason also explains:  "The other York Rite jewelry you may see is the Templar symbol....It is a large Maltese cross with a circle in the center.  Inside the circle is a red Latin cross within a crown. Around the arms of the cross is the Commandery motto, 'In Hoc Signo Vinces.' (In this sign, conquer!) "Although this may seem harmless enough, the motto is originally attributed to the emperor Constantine, who used it in conjunction with a supposedly
heavenly vision to begin the subversion and politicization of Biblical Christianity into the false, apostate Alexandrian cult....  "A similar shell game is played with the word 'sign.'... The sign Constantine referred to was NOT a Christian cross, but a kind of 'X' which had both Christian and pagan associations. In modern magic, it is the sign of the slain and risen Egyptian god, Osiris (another version of the 'slain and risen' Hiram Abif).  -Again Masonry has downgraded Jesus and replaced Him with its own 'christ'." [Emphasis in the original]  351 MASONIC AND EASTERN STAR SYMBOLS  Two other groups (both with Masonic connections) use the cross and crown. Charles Taze Russell was a Mason who started the Jehovah Witnesses.'4'  He used the red cross and other distinctive features of the Knights Templar logo.'" He also used the Masonic symbol of the winged sun-disk with snakes and he is "buried in a pyramid with masonic symbols on its capstone." 149 352 MASONIC AND OCCULT SYMBOLS ILLUSTRATED The other group that uses the cross and crown emblem is Christian Science. This group was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in Massachusetts but Mason Henry Steele Olcott, who was co- founder of the Theosophical Society with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky,'" was an associate of Mary Baker Eddy.'" Some Eddy Brothers held seances and it was at these seances that Blavatsky met Col. Henry Steele Olcott.'" Mary Baker Eddy herself had married a Mason and this was the only secret society which she allowed other Christian Science members to join.'" She even had some of her material published in the Freemason's Monthly Magazine. "4 Several people connected with Christian Science such as directors and board members and a number of the editors of The Christian Science Monitor were Masons.'" Even the presidents of the Mother Church in 1922-23 and 1923-24 were Masons.'" Editor of `Despatch' Magazine & "Beauty for Ashes" Booklet
ChildrensDevotions also access daily email devotions
Endtime Ministries...Christian Resource Centre
Editor of Despatch W. B. Howard
Ph. 0754941672 Fac. 0754948617 Mob. 0407636611
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Why is the Luciferian Freemasonry Knights' Templar symbol displayed on the cover of Tim LaHaye's book?  Tim and Beverly LaHaye are associated with Sun Myung Moon, whose teachings are permeated with phallic themes. See: The Council on National Policy & Sun Myung Moon.The reader is encouraged to check out the LaHaye's profiles on our Council for National Policy Database.  Tim LaHaye was the first president of the CNP in 1981. Numberous other CNP members have occult and one world government affiliations. Anyone who investigates this 500+ member organization will discover the strange bedfellows of the so-called Christian Right.  If you have not done so, please read our expose of the Council for National Policy and Database of Past/Present Officers and Prominent Members  Barbara Aho
Watch Unto Prayer

The Pre-Trib Rapture Myth - Part 3 - The False Doctrine of Imminence

Imminence is the teaching that Jesus Christ may return at any moment.  He may return before you finish reading this article.  Any second now...except...Jesus did declare all of these prophetic signs that He said MUST occur before He returns...I guess that means the prophecies must be fulfilled before He returns then, right?

- Jesus gave a number of specific signs that must occur before He returns, but Paul points out two major points.  The "great apostasy" or falling away, where a massive number of those who had formerly professed to believe in Jesus Christ turn away from Him.  The second is that the Antichrist must first be revealed (from the wing of the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem - Matt:24-15-22) to the whole world before Jesus Christ will return.  These can be found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4.

- Imminence is redundant and unnecessary.  Jesus had already told us that our life might be over at any moment (Luke 12:13-21).  To say that the idea of imminence "keeps us on our toes" is redundant and unnecessary.

- The teaching of imminence appeals to a generation of "believers" who seek their own comfort and lay up for themselves "teachers to tickle their ears" (2 Timothy 4:1-4).

- Those who live during the end of the age (probably very, very, very soon) will not be prepared for the suffering which is promised for all who follow Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:8, 2:3, 3:12, 1 Peter 4:12-14, Acts 14:22, etc.).  If you believe you will be raptured before the really bad stuff begins, before the real crushing persecution (thlipsis in the Greek, tribulation in English) comes, you won't be prepared to endure the night that is coming.  See the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

The church should be preparing, right now, this very moment, for the greatest suffering we might imagine.  We should begin with God's word and prayer, and ask Him to prepare us for the role He has prepared for us in His will.  We should expect to suffer.  The night will be very dark indeed.

Brannon Howse Threatens To Sue Over Debunking - When People Call Themselves Christians but don't Act Like Christians

Two topics near and dear to my heart pop up in this video.  First, the pre-trib rapture error, the one that says you or I might be "snatched away" at any moment is simply not true, and needs to be called out for what it is.  Secondly, when Christians disagree, they should work it out.  If that's not possible, the more gracious will always back down.  Why would someone who claims to be a Christian teacher threaten to file suit against another Christian simply for an educated disagreement?  Perhaps they aren't what they claim to be...


 

The Pre-Trib Rapture Myth - Part 2 God's Character

A second point that is lost on those who advocate the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view, (that is the idea that the Lord might return any moment and snatch all His faithful believers away to heaven) is that the idea violates what we know of God's eternal character.  How so you say?  Let's take a look.

The scriptures are full of references to the fact that God is eternal and He does not change.  (1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 13:8, etc.)  Knowing this, those characteristics of God set out at any point in the scriptures are to be taken as true and unchanging.  God is perfect, and that which is perfect does not change, as any change would be to take on imperfection.  If God sets down a statement, a theme in scripture, we can understand it is eternal and unchanging.  So it is when God describes what is set out for His people.

We read that God's prophets have always been met with opposition and often are killed by the very people they are sent to save.  (Matthew 22:31, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, etc.)  It is so with all who choose to follow Him today.  Believers who seek to live a truly godly life will suffer persecution  (2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 4:12-16.)  Knowing this, and knowing Jesus prophecy that the last days would be like "the days before the flood" (Matthew 24:38-39), that is, in the entire world only eight persons were left alive who were found faithful and saved.  (Genesis 7:7)

Therefore, the rapture will not me an any-moment disappearance of millions of nominal Christians, but when it comes, there will be very few Christians left, for the reasons I will point out in later articles.  Jesus Himself prophesied that, when the "Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the Earth?" (Luke 18:8)

It is God's eternal nature at work through His people.  In this, we know that just as all those brave men and women who came before (Hebrews 11), believers in this age too will be required to suffer for their faith.  We won't just be snatched away before anything terrible happens.  If you haven't noticed, terrible things are already happening all around us, every day.  Let us, as faithful Christians, be ready to take up our cross (Matthew 16:24-26) and make the sacrifices our Lord may require of us, even if that sacrifice is our very life.  Never forget, we have a kingdom to gain!


 We fight in this life not for what we might gain here, but for a better country (Hebrews 11:13-16), a kingdom to come...

The Pre-Trib Rapture Myth Part 1 - Origins

I'm going through a short series on the pre-trib rapture myth. The pre-trib view states that we might be raptured away at any moment. The Bible fails to support this idea, anywhere, in anyway, but that hasn't stopped the popularity of this lie as it has spread through churches in the West. Who wouldn't want to think that Jesus will "snatch" them away before something bad happens. We will discuss why this doesn't work from a biblical framework in the coming days. Part 1 here is the origin of the view. It was not voiced in any church writings or documents before the 19th century. Unfortunately for the pre-trib view, it's off to a bad start.

Let me add, what is most important here is the Lord gave us the scriptures to know Him (John 17:3) and to know His plan. I hope this series helps us to see His plan clearly, and to be prepared for the great storms that have gathered on the horizon.

 

 

Origin of the Pre-Trib Rapture Theory

 

 

The pre-trib rapture theory is not something that God has revealed to us in these last days. Indeed it is a doctrine from demons that has been perpetuated through well-meaning men for the past few generations.

 

There is no known writing existing, or referred to by other writers, of the pre-trib rapture teaching prior to 1830. None of the early Church fathers or anyone else throughout Church history wrote about the saints being raptured before the end-time Great Tribulation. This does not conclusively mean that the theory is false, only that it is a historical fact that this teaching did not exist among the early Christians or the Church fathers or any Christians throughout history until 1830.

 

Reportedly the origin of the pre-trib rapture teaching was with a fifteen-year-old girl named Margaret MacDonald in the town of Port Glasgow, Scotland. Supposedly in 1830 she had a dream or vision that Christians were raptured just prior to the Great Tribulation. In 1831 or 1832 a Presbyterian pastor in London, England named Edward Irving heard about this dream or vision that Miss MacDonald had and started teaching it to his congregation. These are well-known reports among scholars of eschatology.

 

These reports concerning the origin of the pre-trib rapture theory may or may not be true. What is well-documented is the fact that John Nelson Darby, the founder of a group known as the Plymouth Brethren, after visiting Miss MacDonald began teaching this new theory.

Later, by 1917, C. I. Scofield had published his improved edition of the Scofield Reference Bible which contained the dispensational pre-tribulation teachings of Darby and others. Soon many Bible Colleges such as Moody Bible Institute and seminaries such as Dallas Theological Seminary became staunch promoters of dispensational theology that included the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture.

 

In 1970 Hal Lindsey, who attended Dallas Theological Seminary, popularized this teaching with his book titled The Late Great Planet Earth. Several million copies have been sold and a movie by the same title was made.

 

The widespread acceptance of a doctrine does not make it true. What really matters is not whether some Bible colleges and seminaries teach the pre-tribulation rapture theory, or whether many pastors teach it, or whether many Christians accept it as true; what really matters is what does the Word of God say?

 

Most Christians in this country are not spiritually ready to go through what is on the horizon if it is as late as we think it is. The days of the Great Tribulation will be the worst time that this world has ever seen. And this earth has seen some very bad times. Probably not many Christians will be ready to go through the Great Tribulation, but believing that you are going to be raptured out before it begins is certainly not conducive to spiritual preparation for it.

Read more at - http://www.bethelministries.com/pretrib.htm