The Rapture Trap

Book excerpt: 'The Rapture' as believed by many today is Satan's theological horror story for end-times evangelicals, to send as many of them to hell as possible.This is the bold contention of evangelical theologian Nathanael Lewis. Building on his previous works that smashed pillar after pillar of 'Pre-Trib Left Behind' belief with detailed research in the New Testament and the early church, he presents a compelling argument that covers all the major arguments and proof texts, and much more, showing: * In an already highly praised chapter, how the covenant structure of the bible renders all need for artificial 'dispensations' utterly unnecessary, and exposes their deeply troubling theological roots* How Paul's letter to the Romans demonstrates that 'the mystery' is not something brand new and revealed only to Paul, but something thoroughly grounded in many promises in the Old Testament about Gentiles coming to worship with Israel* How all claims that Paul had a new gospel or was the herald of a separate dispensation are utterly undercut by Paul's own testimony and the account of Acts* The New Testament's theology on the vital spiritual role of suffering and Tribulation in God's plan for the church* How the bible does not teach imminence as commonly taught, but directly contradicts it in both gospels and epistles, and also the true meaning of 'thief in the night' imagery* By a detailed examination of end time phrases such as 'Day of the Lord' through the whole Bible that dispenational interpretations are badly adrift* The key to understanding the structure of Revelation in relation to the wrath of God* That at the core of the Left Behind teaching is a heretical position that is designed to deceive evangelicals in such a way as to be vulnerable to last-days apostasy and therefore eternal damnation.Along the way he shows that treasured evangelical doctrines about salvation, eternal life and Judgement Day are very different to the true New Testament teaching.Nathanael Lewis is a sinner saved by grace, a theologian with an MTheol (Hons) from St Andrews University, poet, composer and pianist and expert on the situation of Christians in Pakistan.A minimum of 6% of the sale price of this book will go to charities and NGOs, mainly those helping persecuted Pakistani and/or Middle Eastern Christians