Introduction to “Examining the Pretrib Rapture: A Brotherly Response”
In this 19-part blog series, I will carefully examine and respectfully respond to the arguments presented in the popular YouTube video “The Pretrib Rapture Deception: A False Hope” by my brother in Christ, Servus Christus.
While I disagree with some of the conclusions drawn in the video, I approach this topic with humility, recognizing that sincere believers can come to different interpretations of end-times prophecy. My goal is not to attack Servus Christus personally but rather to engage in brotherly dialogue around an important theological issue.
I appreciate the evident passion and study Servus Christus has put into this topic. However, after prayerful consideration, I believe some flaws in the arguments against the pretribulation rapture view warrant a thoughtful response.
Throughout this series, I will examine the key points raised in the video, look at relevant Scripture passages, and offer an alternative perspective supporting the pretribulation rapture position. I invite readers to study the Scriptures for themselves as we reason together about these matters.
My prayer is that this series will encourage deeper Bible study and promote unity among believers, even where we may disagree on secondary doctrinal issues. May we all grow in our understanding of God’s Word and in our love for Christ and His church.
Servus Christi’s Claims about Church History
In his video “The Pretrib Rapture Deception: A False Hope,” Servus Christi makes several claims challenging the validity of the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. While Servus Christi raises some thought-provoking points, carefully examining historical and biblical evidence suggests his arguments may not be as conclusive as they first appear. Let’s examine his key claims:
1. The Novelty of Pre-Tribulationalism
Servus Christi argues that the pre-tribulation rapture is a novel doctrine not found in church history before around 1830. He states:
“This doctrine this pre-tribulational rapture doctrine is a very novel concept you will not find this taught in church history prior to on or about 1830.”
While it’s true that the fully developed pre-tribulation rapture doctrine as we know it today was not widely taught before the 19th century, historical evidence suggests that key elements of pre-tribulationalism existed much earlier in church history.
Several scholars have identified pre-1830 writings containing proto-pre-tribulational concepts:
- The Shepherd of Hermas (c. 140 AD) speaks of believers escaping a coming tribulation.
- Ephraem of Nisibis (c. 306-373 AD) wrote of the Lord rescuing believers before tribulation.
- Brother Dolcino (d. 1307), Increase Mather (1693-1723), John Gill (1697-1771), and Morgan Edwards (1722-1795) are cited as early proponents of rapture-like concepts.
- In the 18th century, belief in a rapture of the church before tribulation was “commonplace in Britain” according to some scholars.
While these examples may not represent a fully developed pre-trib doctrine, they show that the core concept of believers being removed before tribulation was not entirely novel in 1830. The idea had precedents stretching back to the early church.
2. The Sudden Appearance of the Doctrine
Servus Christi claims:
The concept of a pre-tribulation rapture did not suddenly appear out of nowhere in 1830, as is sometimes claimed. Rather, it seems to have developed gradually over time, with various elements of the doctrine traceable to earlier periods in church history:
- The early church fathers, while generally holding to post-tribulational views, taught the imminence of Christ’s return, which is a key component of pre-tribulationism.
- Some scholars have identified potential pre-tribulational concepts in writings from as early as the 2nd-4th centuries, such as in the Shepherd of Hermas and Ephraem the Syrian’s sermon “On the Last Times.”
- Throughout the medieval and Reformation periods, there were occasional expressions of belief in a rapture separate from the Second Coming, though not fully developed into the modern pre-tribulation view.
- In the 17th-18th centuries, more explicit pre-tribulational ideas began to emerge among some Puritan and Protestant writers, as documented by scholars like William Watson.
- The modern articulation of pre-tribulationism is generally associated with John Nelson Darby in the 1830s, but he built upon and systematized concepts that had been developing for some time.
- After Darby, various Bible teachers and scholars further refined and popularized the doctrine throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.
It’s important to note that doctrinal development over time is not necessarily a mark against a teaching’s validity. Many important Christian doctrines, like the Trinity, took centuries to fully articulate. As scholar Norman Geisler points out, “heresies can be early, even in apostolic times (cf. 1 Tim. 4 and 1 Jn. 4), and (re)discovery of some truths can be later (like pretrib)”. The key issue is whether the doctrine can be supported by sound biblical exegesis, not simply when it was first clearly articulated.
3. The Doctrine’s Origins in Prosperity
Servus Christi suggests:
“This doctrine that the church will be rescued from tribulation this great tribulation came at a time and a place of relative prosperity and ease in the western world it is spoiled western christendom only in the last couple of hundred years that thought god’s people should be exempt from hardship”
While it’s true that the fully developed pre-trib doctrine emerged in a relatively prosperous time, it’s important to note that many early proponents of the doctrine, like J.N. Darby, lived in times and places that were far from easy or prosperous. The doctrine didn’t arise from a desire to escape hardship, but from careful study of Scripture.
4. The Church’s Historical View
Servus Christi claims:
“Very clearly for the preceding nearly two millennia you don’t find the church at large embracing this concept quite the opposite and why because persecution was rampant”
While it’s true that the pre-tribulation rapture was not the dominant view for much of church history, this doesn’t necessarily invalidate the doctrine. As mentioned earlier, many important doctrines took time to develop. Moreover, the presence of persecution doesn’t preclude belief in a future deliverance. Early church fathers, though largely post-tribulational, still taught the imminence of Christ’s return – a key feature of pre-tribulationalism.
Conclusion
While Servus Christi raises important questions about the historical development of the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, a closer examination of the evidence suggests that his characterization may be overly simplistic. The core concepts of the doctrine have deeper historical roots than he acknowledges, and its development follows patterns seen in other important Christian doctrines.
Ultimately, while the historical pedigree of a doctrine is important to consider, it should not be the sole basis for accepting or rejecting it. As with all doctrines, we should examine the pre-tribulation rapture primarily based on Scripture rather than its historical development alone. The debate over the timing of the rapture continues among sincere believers, and it’s important to approach these discussions with humility, charity, and a commitment to biblical fidelity.
