Hello Cornerstone!

One thing I both love and despise about our monthly time together exploring common misconceptions in the Christian faith is that misconceptions are usually found in very touchy topics. I love it because it means that we are throwing out false belief and replacing it with truth, and I despise it because we often have warm and strong emotions tied to these misconceptions. To get rid of them is to cause some sort of emotional pain. Nevertheless, it is a good thing! Like removing weeds from a garden so that the garden may flourish, it takes work, it’s messy, but it is good. 

That leads me to our common misconception for this month, which is rapture theology. Specifically, the view that there is such a thing as “the rapture,” specifically, a pre-tribulation rapture. 

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you may in a second! This view concerning the end times is extremely popular in America among evangelicals but is a very small minority view everywhere else. Rapture theology finds itself within a broader theological framework of dispensationalism. Both rapture theology and dispensationalism are extremely new. The framework for both views was birthed in the 1800s and really took off in the 1820s. This was due to a revival meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, in which a teenage girl had a vision that God was going to “rapture” His church before the tribulation. Pastors at this revival meeting then began to try and fit this vision into the text of scripture. It was then brought to the famous American evangelist Dwight L. Moody who then became the mouthpiece for dispensationalism and rapture theology along with other prominent pastors. Dwight L. Moody would then start the Moody Bible Institute. Another prominent dispensationalist, Lewis Sperry Chafer, started Dallas Theological Seminary. Through their influence, the writing of books, and teaching from the pulpit, rapture theology and dispensationalism spread like wildfire in America until the 1990s when the popular Left Behind series was released.

It’s important to note that this theology and framework was a lay theological movement. There was no strong and reliable scholarship driving it. Additionally, any theological framework that finds its roots a mere 200 years ago should be a red flag when Christianity is 2,000 years old. 

The common scriptures used to justify rapture theology are Mathew 24:36-51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. Due to time and length constraints, we’ll end by looking at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 

The Thessalonian church was worried that faithful Christians who died before the return of Christ would not be able to share in the blessings and riches of the new creation. Paul is assuring them and giving them hope. His driving point is when Christ returns, the dead will be raised, and the living will be transformed. Then, we will live with Christ eternally in a renewed creation, what scripture calls the New Jerusalem. 

Verse 17 is particularly used to try and justify rapture theology. But, after a quick look at the context, we can see that this has nothing to do with a “rapture.” Verse 17 says, “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” This is not saying that Christians will be zapped up into heaven to live with the Lord forever or that we’ll be zapped into heaven to be excluded from a tribulation.

Paul uses common language for a King that is victoriously returning from battle. In that era, cities often had walls. When the King would be approaching the city, a greeting committee was sent out to greet the king and usher him into the city and back onto his throne. Paul uses metaphorical language to say that Christians are the greeting committee that will greet our Lord when He returns and makes all things new. This is beautiful Christian imagery of hope and restoration. Rapture theology is the imagery of escapism. But, throughout scripture, we see that God is in the business of restoration, not escapism and destruction (See Revelation 21:1-5).

The Christian hope that has been consistent for 2,000 years is that there is one visible return of Christ in which we will be resurrected to live eternally with God in a renewed creation. 

There is so much that I was not able to dive into on this topic. But don’t take my word for it. Here are some great resources:

If you have questions or want to know more, you can connect with Pastor Donnie
who would love to answer any questions you may have!