tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442192224088715892.post8890678069662652929..comments2023-05-12T05:17:00.376-04:00Comments on The Equipper: Signs??Dr. Keith Shearerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219876139184778544noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442192224088715892.post-30715384391286982762009-08-06T12:41:07.885-04:002009-08-06T12:41:07.885-04:00Well, Alan's comment is fascinating to me.
Fi...Well, Alan's comment is fascinating to me.<br /><br />First, my guess is that most readers don't even see the connection between my article on "signs" and his comment.<br /><br />Second, it is fascinating that he would make his "challenge" in relation to this article on "signs". This is likely because his eschatological position holds that there are signs for the rapture of the Church, one of those signs being the AntiChrist coming on the scene before the rapture. The reason I find this so fascinating is that it proves an observation that I have been making for years, specifically, that positions like Alan's are more focused on signs than they are on Christ, and sadly in this case, more focused on AntiChrist than on Jesus Christ. Alan's position has many things standing between him and Jesus, and between him and his glorification (to which I believe he is headed, as our brother in Christ).<br /><br />Third, I have no reason for wanting to "get around" 2 Thessalonians 2:8, as he has accused. The AntiChrist will be brought to his end by the appearance (epiphania) of Christ's coming (parousias) at the end of the Tribulation period. This is the Second Coming phase of Christ's appearing, not the Rapture of the Church phase. The Rapture of the Church occurs at verse 3 of the referred to chapter, not at verse 8 ("apostasia" cannot mean "falling away" as its English transliteration implies; its root means "stand" not "fall" and is used in the context of resurrection; "apo" plus "stasis" is the standing away from the earth, not the falling away from the truth, contrary even to the understanding of most "dispensationalists" - see the outstanding article by H. Wayne House, "Apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Apostasy or Rapture?" in "When The Trumpet Sounds" (pp.261 ff.).<br /><br />Fourth, I have no need to "equivocate" (a polite way of saying "lie" or "misrepresent") on the terms for "appearing" and "parousia". These are all one prophetic thing that include Christ's first coming all the way through to His Second Coming and beyond, but in phases. The events of AD 70 and beyond are an example of a phase within this whole. Another word for "appear" (optheisetai) in Hebrews 9:28 illustrates this as well - a first "appearing", Christ's first coming; a second "appearing" that is without reference to sin (the Rapture of the Church); which implies another "appearing", the Second Coming of Jesus which clearly is with reference to sin according to Revelation 19:11-21; and, yes, I believe Hebrews was written by Paul with an amanuensis).<br /><br />Fifth, Alan's challenge cannot resist using the word "imminent", a word which I choose to not use. This challenge would be effective if one were using the concept of the "imminent" rapture as the hingepin for an eschatological system (dispensationalism). Pull out the hingepin and the whole system falls. However, I do not use the word or the concept that way, nor do I have a "system" that I am trying to defend. This seems to be a common method for those of the "pre-wrath" position (a slick marketing title since I'm very pre-wrath also, probably used because "the-somewhat-after-the-middle-of-the-70th Week of Daniel-and-the-same-thing-as-the-Second Coming-Rapture-Position" is a little hard to remember and takes up too much space on a book jacket), who seem to use it to bait others into unedifying discussions and then try to belittle other faithful saints of God for being "inconsistent".<br /><br />Again, I repeat, do not let such approaches rob you of your Blessed Hope in Jesus Christ.Keith's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964796812967643279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442192224088715892.post-57393482652437388962009-08-03T15:21:28.417-04:002009-08-03T15:21:28.417-04:00Keith,
Paul states that Antichrist will be here a...Keith,<br /><br />Paul states that Antichrist will be here at the Appearing of Christ in 2 Thess 2:8. The only way to get around this is to equivocate on the terms of "appearing" and "parousia." But Paul makes no distinctions of two different "appearings" and two different "parousias." <br /><br />I do have a challenge for you here:<br />http://www.prewrathrapture.com/2009/08/do_you_believe_in_a_pretribulation_raptu.php<br /><br />Blessings,<br />AlanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com