We are concerned over this error because its effect has been to disarm God's people, leaving them spiritually and emotionally unprepared for the tribulations of the near future. The "rapture" error has had a devastating effect on the spiritual strength of the believers.

The teachers of this unscriptural hope believe by stressing an any-moment removal of Christians from the earth they will encourage (or frighten) people so they will come to the Lord and serve Him. There are three problems with such an approach to evangelism and Christian growth:

It is not based on the Scriptures but on tradition and emotion.

It may momentarily cause an individual to seek the Lord but does not produce the long-term growth necessary if the believer is to stand in the "evil day."

It is not going to happen, and so the believers remain woefully unprepared for the spiritual darkness that is on the horizon.

Let us say there is a classroom of unruly children. If someone warns that the teacher may come at any moment the children will become orderly and quiet. However if the teacher does not come within ten minutes the classroom will once again be unruly. If a student keeps saying, the teacher will come at any moment, it then will make no difference. Wolf! wolf! has been cried too often.

The obedient child is moved by none of this. Whether the teacher comes or not the good child will keep on doing his studies.

So it has been with the "rapture" teaching. On occasion it has shocked unbelievers or careless believers into a fervent seeking of the Lord. But when the Lord does not come in a year or two the effect wears off and carelessness sets in again. After that, repeated reminders that the Lord may come at any moment does not have nearly the same effect.

It absolutely is true that the Lord Jesus commanded us to watch and pray for we do not know when He will come. This is not a basis for an any-moment pre-tribulation "rapture," however, for the Lord Jesus told us He would come "after" the great tribulation.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (Matthew 24:29)

The teacher of the "rapture" will say, but the coming of Matthew 24:29 will take place seven years after the "rapture." He will proceed to explain that if the "rapture" were to come after the great tribulation, and we know the tribulation has not taken place as yet, then we would take our ease because we would know the Lord was not coming immediately since the tribulation has not occurred. So goes the fleshly reasoning.

But a few verses later the Lord tells us that no man knows of "that day and hour," obviously referring to the coming of Matthew 24:29. So the fact that we do not know of the day and hour does not indicate that a "rapture" will take place before the great tribulation.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36)

To be continued.