As much as our government has been infiltrated by the enemy, so has the church. Maybe even moreso.
This is a dangerous doctrine. IT IS NOT FROM SCRIPTURE.
I do realize some big lofty names in the bible scholar community are big time rapturists. Moody - for example. But I've been on a quest for a week or so to find anyone of them making solid arguments with actual scriptural foundation to support the dubious claims of the rapture doctrine - and they just simply cannot support it in the scripture.
If you want me to explain further I'll be happy to. But what you should do is go to the bible and find where it makes any claim that Christians will be removed from earth BEFORE or in the middle of the tribulations described in prophecy.
The oft cited verses in Mathew are literally right after Jesus warns you not to be deceived and explains how not to be deceived by knowing the signs of the season of His return. In Luke he even says that "two men will be lying in one bed, one will be taken the other left behind." I don't know why there are two dudes in one bed but I want the rapturist to question why someone sleeping in bed would be raptured (I notice many claiming that you must be alert and watching at the special time).
In Thesolonians 4: Paul clearly teaches that the dead in Christ will be resurrected before the beloved verse about we who are alive at the time going to meet Jesus in the air. I don't have a problem with that - just don't misunderstand that the dead in Christ go "FIRST".
In Rev 20 - Jesus gives us more clarity and explains that in the "First resurrection" people who refused the mark of the beast unto death would rise in that "First resurrection" too.
The rapture doctrine is dangerous for our generation. We appear to be appointed for this time, please do not be deceived.
Really smart Biblical scholars have been having the pre-trib/post trib debate for many years. I think most Baptists believe we will be taken up before the tribulation. If a bunch of believers disappeared, there will be car accidents, crashing planes, looting, martial law, ushered in mark of the beast, gun confiscation, etc. A real post-apocalyptic scenario. The news will claim "aliens".
I think they are smart bible scholars. But for some reason they can't figure out whether the "rapture" happens before or after the "first resurrection". So I have to question their authority to explain scripture. It's not hard to read.
Revelations 20 4-6 "4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
They like to pretend there is a rapture before this mentioned in Thessalonians where Paul clearly says the dead in Christ are raised first.
So they end up with 2 "first" resurrections and for that matter 2 "second comings" of Jesus.
Who are the ones that are on the thrones and judgement given to them?
"they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw..." I think that colon : is there to help us understand that "they" are the ones described after the colon. and "they" lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. All the same people are 'they' in this verse.