Tag: rapture longing

I do not like to write about things like this, but what you are about to read is ugly. The way pre-tribbers use this particular defense of the pre-trib rapture – longing – is just plain ugly. Prepare yourself before reading further.

The Holy Bible makes clear that one indication of being a child of God is loving or longing for Christ’s return, His appearing, at the last day.

“In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.” — 2 Timothy 4:8 (AMP)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” — Titus 2:11-14

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” — Hebrews 9:28-29

The rapture: Longing for Christ

In their efforts to shame anyone who does not adhere to the dispensationalist pre-tribulation rapture theory, some people are bold and cold enough to suggest that those who do not support it are lacking in their love for God. First, they cite the above verses describing what any true child of God feels about the rapture: longing. Those in Christ long for the appearing of our Lord and Savior. We hunger to be with Him forever and ever, and to know the closeness with Him we lack until that day.

The ugly way they use this is to say that anyone longing for His appearing will want it to be as soon as possible. That must mean, then, that those who do not adhere to the pre-tribulation rapture lack this longing and are not truly His child. Take it one more step and you can then reject anything and everything they say, including insight into Scripture proving the pre-trib rapture to be false.

The “rapture longing” proof for the pre-tribulation rapture is perhaps the most despicable of them all.