Unbiblical view?

Dear Editor:

This is in response to the never ending Guest Editorial saga in your newspaper every Friday promoting the so called imminent pre-tribulation rapture theory of Christians and dooms day prophesies for the world. Without a doubt the author means well with his commentary but in my opinion the scare tactic misses an opportunity to bring people to Christ. It troubles me to publicly disagree with a fellow Christian but personal contact letters have been unheeded and I feel it is important to express a proper Biblical point of view to your readers.

As an example the author made a cardinal error in his last article in interpreting scripture by selecting particular passages and never harmonizing their meaning with other Biblical passages that on the surface appear to be contradictory. The author correctly quoted the Bible in 2nd Corinthians 5:10 that states unequivocally that all of us, condemned or not, must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. But then the author goes on to recite other scriptures Romans 8:1, John 5:24, 1John 4:17, that he uses to actually negate the verse in 2nd Corinthians. The author then makes the point that the "saved" are never judged. However, closer analysis of the verses in Romans, John and 1 John actually are in harmony with the Corinthians passage and state that the "saved" will be able to pass safely through judgment to enter God's Kingdom. They still must appear before the judgment seat of Christ but are not condemned. This is clearly outlined in Matthew 25: 31-46 in our Lord's parable of the sheep and goats. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Hebrews 9:27 emphasizes the same thought "As it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment." The Bible does not lie and the Bible does not contradict.

But then again how can there be a so called pre-tribulation rapture of Christians taken from the earth that initiates 7 years of havoc on earth when we all have to appear for judgment? The answer is to twist the scriptures so that "saved" Christians do not have to go through Christ's judgment. This distortion and violation of scripture is necessary to promote the pre-tribulation rapture theory. The pre-tribulation rapture is a product of a fertile and wishful imagination that parses portion of the Bible while totally neglecting others. In Christ's parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13: 24-30 Christ explains the tares, the wicked ones, are gathered first not the Christians. How can a person familiar with the Bible promote a snatching away of Christians followed by a 7 year period of devastation on earth? It is not biblical.

The pre-tribulation rapture theory appeared in the early 1800's by John Nelson Darby. I think it is highly suspect that it recently became a so called fantasy doctrine while the previous 1800 years of Church history never mentioned it.

The rapture obsessed author could better serve his fellow man by focusing on the merits and importance of becoming a follower of Christ. Our lot has already been cast when we die our earthly death. Thousands of years of history and the Bible tell us that each of us must die and we have a 99.9999% likelihood we will die before the world ends. Preaching the end of the world scenario week after week and year after year makes Christians look foolish when it does not occur.

Saving a soul from eternal condemnation and separation from God is much more important than threatening mankind with a 7 year holocaust on earth. Seven years on earth compared to eternity does not even move the meter on the scale of life. As we study the Bible we should all pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and not rely on an expository that seems to agree with our sometimes mistaken interpretations.

I pray that the author of the subject articles will use his column to spread the good news of the Gospel and not to promote a shaky unbiblical heresy. Besides we should all trust God to do the right thing no matter what the future is. My future is in God's hands and none other.

Jim Wesch

McCook