It sounds as though the Lord plans to save the saints by destroying Antichrist with the power of His coming. It states nothing about what will take place seven years later.

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (II Thessalonians 1:9)

The Lord will come and save the saints by destroying Antichrist—at that very point in time!

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (II Thessalonians 1:10)

How can Christ be glorified in His saints and admired in them if they are going to disappear?

If verses seven through ten are not speaking of the "rapture" but of a third coming of the Lord (according to the current tradition), why, then, is Paul presenting these verses as though they are the solution to the sufferings of the saints in Thessalonica? If they are to be delivered by a rapture and not by the coming of the Lord to destroy Antichrist, why does it not state this in the inspired text?

To maintain that verses seven through ten are not Paul's solution to the sufferings of the saints in Thessalonica but that they are to be delivered by a secret ascension seven years in advance, is blind adherence to tradition. From our point of view it does not represent competent scholarship, an intellectually sound difference of opinion.

As one minister put it, "We cannot change because it is not possible we could have been wrong all these years." The person who has no vested interest in the controversy would fail to see validity in the argument that "it is not possible that we could have been wrong all these years." All of us know only too well how possible it is to be wrong over a period of time. The question is, are we sincerely seeking the truth or are we afraid to face the results of having been incorrect in our understanding? The truly honest individual, the seeker after truth, is willing to change his position because he values truth more than his immediate comfort.

There is no doubt that the teaching of the pre-tribulation ascension of Christian people has contributed to the present miserable weakness and immaturity of the Christian people, their unwillingness to accept and prepare for the fact that one day they may have to suffer for Jesus. Perhaps it is time now for God's ministers to look again at the teaching of the pre-tribulation disappearing of the saints and evaluate the evidence in spite of the possibility of having been incorrect for many years. The Lord's flock must be prepared for the Gentile holocaust that lies ahead.

Now we beseech you, brothers, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (II Thessalonians 2:1)

Remembering that the original letter was not divided into chapters, Paul continues his discussion of the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with His angels.

Paul is saying, "with reference to the return of Christ of which I am speaking, who shall save us from persecution by the power of His appearing, and in the light of our gathering together to be with Him."

To be continued.