I posted a challenge on Twitter for someone to show me where the pretribulation rapture was taught in the Bible. I received one response from ATimeToChoose. His response was that it was taught from Genesis to Revelation, and he gave 2 examples one was of Enoch in Gen 5:24 being taken before the flood, and Rev 4:1 he said typified the pretribulation rapture as well. I responded by agreeing that Enoch was in fact raptured but it does not follow that this passage teaches that the Church will be raptured before the tribulation. With respect to Rev 4:1 again to interpret this as teaching a pretribulation rapture is a big stretch not supported in any clear or direct way. Only by assuming a pretrib rapture can one try to force that kind of interpretation.

He asked why I thought it was a big deal and that I would be pleasantly surprised if I was wrong (assuming I’m really a Christian of course). My Twitter response to that was that there is a real danger of Christians falling away at that time if they believe they shouldn’t be here during the tribulation.

That kind of lays the backdrop out of which this post comes from. Shortly after this exchange ATimeToChoose ran another tweet with a link to his blog where he had written a post to address my original question about where the Bible teaches pretribulationism, which I link to here and recommend the reader go here first before reading the rest of this post. Also let it be known that I appreciate the time and effort that were put forth by ATimeToChoose in what I believe is his sincere attempt to instruct me in what he believes to be true. The following is written in the same spirit…

…As I have already dealt with Enoch and Rev 4:1, I don’t feel the necessity to cover it again.

In 2 Thes 2:6-8 Paul is talking about evil in the world being restrained prior to the revelation of the Antichrist. Nowhere in this passage does it say that the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth because the Spirit indwells believers and all the believers have been raptured. What you have here is a presuppostion that there is a pretribulation rapture and then you try to find passages like this one, and interpret it to fit your premise. This method of interpretation is called eisegesis. Further if one accepts this interpretation, it creates numerous problems that strike at the heart of the gospel. For example if we assume that people can be saved during the tribulation, how is that possible without the Spirit of God being present. Without God’s indwelling Spirit how would believers endure the tribulation? By the power of the flesh? God forbid. How can this be reconciled with Christ’s words, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world?” If God’s Spirit is not present on earth during the tribulation then how would one be saved? If different than by grace through faith by His Spirit then what you would have is a different gospel during the tribulation. Gal 1:6-8 Paul warns us not to be deceived by another gospel and that teaching a different one was a cursed thing. In case there is any doubt about the gospel being different during the tribulation in Rev 14:6 an angel proclaims the “everlasting gospel” to those who dwell on the earth during the tribulation.

Since we are looking at 2 Thes 2, lets back up a little, starting at verse 1. Paul say in the first 2 verses not to believe the day of the Lord was at hand (imminent). Why? Because first the Antichrist will be revealed (vs 2-3). How is that relevant to us if we won’t even be here? (That’s a rhetorical question)

On a personal note to my brother ATimeToChoose: It is never a futile effort to contend for the faith, it is a Divine command. I appreciate you trying to do so for me and now in obedience to my conscience, I’m returning the favor. May God continue to have mercy on both of us.