Since it appears that controversial topics (Your Brother) are generating the comments this week, I have decided to add another subject. In my reading this week I came across the following viewpoint:
"Another argument for the pretribulation rapture is based on 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7, “And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way” (ASV). The standard Dispensationalist understanding of this passage is that the restrainer spoken of is the Holy Spirit. Pretribulationists argue that since the Holy Sprit dwells and works to restrain evil by means of the church, a removal of the Spirit entails a removal of the church. Once the church is raptured the Antichrist will be revealed. Although this passage is a difficult one that has resulted in many different interpretations, the idea that this passage teaches the removal of the Holy Spirit is theologically impossible and totally contradicts the Dispensationalist’s own interpretation of the events that are supposed to take place during the tribulation. After the rapture a Jewish remnant of 144,000 is converted to Christ. These Jews will be the greatest evangelists the world has ever seen, who bring multitudes to Christ from every nation. What is wrong with this understanding of Scripture? It places the Dispensationalist in the position of either denying his own interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 or of denying the biblical teaching regarding the Holy Spirit’s role in converting sinners. The Bible teaches that no one can be converted without the regenerating and drawing power of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:25-26; Jn 1:13; 3:5-8; Ac. 5:31; 11:18; 16:13-14; 1 Cor. 2:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:11; Tit. 3:5). Yet, Pretribulationists teach that the 144,000 Jews are converted after the departure of the Holy Spirit. They also teach that the preaching of these converted Jews will be a hundred times more fruitful without the Holy Spirit than the preaching of the church with the Holy Spirit throughout the so-called church age. Multitudes are said to be converted to Christ from every nation during the absence of the Holy Spirit in only 1260 days! The truth is that if the Holy Spirit is removed, there would be no converts during the tribulation—not even one."
Where is the error?
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6 comments:
Now I'll be the first to comment on my own post. In doing so, I am going to recommend a position paper by a denomination to which I do not belong.
This can be found on the AG website.
http://www.ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_downloads/pp_4182_rapture.pdf
Is it okay for a Baptist to read an AG position paper?
If the above link does not work, go to
http://ag.org/top/
and type in "rapture" in the search box on the left.
Doing so does not absolve you from having to share where the error is in the accompanying post. :)
Thanks for your great exposure of pretrib thinking (and I use the word "thinking" in a loose way). If their thinking is correct, then imagine a cop standing in the middle of a road with his arm up in order to restrain traffic and then, in order to let traffic go he doesn't just step aside but has to physically leave earth! Other insights into pretrib thinking can be viewed if one Googles "Pretrib Rapture - Hidden Facts," "Pretrib Rapture Diehards," "Thomas Ice (Bloopers)," "Edward Irving is Unnerving," "The Unoriginal John Darby," and "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty." Now you know why many are now leaving the pretrib fold for something more Scriptural and more in line with church history and present-day reality! Hector
Your link says: The mystery of iniquity is being restrained by The Spirit working through the church.
The Spirit will be taken away when the church is taken away - in that The Spirit resides in the (living) church.
Which isn't to say that He can't be parceled out again.
The Spirit is given individually, not universally. -- Which the accompanying post fails to acknowledge. It is not passed from believer to believer, but rather from God to Elect.
Of course, I may have missed the whole thing, since I'm still not very clear on any passage that is used to justify a rapture.
Okay, I was serious when I asked where the error was in the accompanying post.
YourBrother is correct when he says that the post does not acknowledge that the Spirit is given out individually. Regardless of one's opinion on whether or not the Bible teaches a rapture, either this man in green does not understand a dispensationalist's view, or I don't understand a dispensationalist's view!
Were Jews converted before the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
I am only commenting because I want you to know that I am reading your posts.
Ya'll are making my head spin. Challenging so much of what I've believed. It's unnerving. Yet I am still reading (and processing) because I'd rather know Truth than be comfortable.
That's our desire as well, to know the truth above all else.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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