What do you believe about the Rapture, based on your personal study of Scripture?

Well, I guess I cast the first vote!
I went "pre-trib" because that's where I think the best explanation of what is revealed points. But I usually make sure people know I do not hold this view with the same certainty that I hold to, say, the deity of Christ or the bodily resurrection.

Well stated Aaron!

Pre-Trib here too. I don't get into a lather about it, but I can't imagine believing that I am appointed to wrath. I'm in the Bride, and one fine day in the springtime the Bridegroom will say "Come away with me, my love!"

I lean toward the pretrib, but the agnostic position (not listed here) is also another option that meets what I consider the two criteria: (1) Christ could come at any moment (imminency) and (2) a literal millennium.

The agnostic position says the Scriptures are intentionally unclear and leave us with the view that Christ could come to the clouds at any moment, but also alert us to watch for Tribulation events.

Pre trib based on multiple points of argument including:

• The Church =|= Israel. God has a purpose for Israel in the tribulation but not for the church
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9 in the context of the "sudden destruction [that ] comes upon them" in the day of the Lord
• In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10: The "they, them" contrasted with the "you, we, us"
• Rev 3:10, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." - Greek "εκ της ωρας του πειρασμου" - literally "out of the hour of trial""
• The phrase "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." in Revelation 4:1 along with my understanding of the broad outline of the Book of Revelation (Rev 1:19), "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this."

Additionally I am "pre-millennial" as a starting point. The post-trib rapture has issues (in my view) the resurrection of the saints. If all the saints are resurrected (raptured) at the end of the tribulation, what is the source of the mortal righteous people who enter the millennium?!

Aaron, I appreciated your post!

I thought Donn Arms blog post about being a BARP was interesting

http://www.nouthetic.org/blog/?p=3230

He joined a church that was "serious about the doctrines of grace" but "occasionally they pulled out a bowl of water and “baptized” an infant. Eventually my wife and I sat down and, after some serious theological triage, decided that a misunderstanding about baptism was a much lesser problem than those we found in other places—Baptist places."

The doctrinal triage question is one that my wife and I have often debated. We are fortunate to be in a Baptist church that closely matches our own doctrinal convictions (including the rapture). But we could join a church that was of "the agnostic position" on the rapture!

Ed Vasicek wrote:

I lean toward the pretrib, but the agnostic position (not listed here) is also another option that meets what I consider the two criteria: (1) Christ could come at any moment (imminency) and (2) a literal millennium.

The agnostic position says the Scriptures are intentionally unclear and leave us with the view that Christ could come to the clouds at any moment, but also alert us to watch for Tribulation events.

*** Forum Director ***

Ed,

I added this option for you: "The Scriptures are intentionally unclear "

I just wanted to point out that not all Christians (and that's probably an understatement) believe in a discrete future period of time called "The Great Tribulation." I'm not sure how one would adjust the poll to reflect this, though.

Charlie wrote:

I just wanted to point out that not all Christians (and that's probably an understatement) believe in a discrete future period of time called "The Great Tribulation." I'm not sure how one would adjust the poll to reflect this, though.

Understood here and among the Sharper Iron admins and mods. I don't think we will adjust the poll however.

Jim Peet wrote:

Ed Vasicek wrote:

I lean toward the pretrib, but the agnostic position (not listed here) is also another option that meets what I consider the two criteria: (1) Christ could come at any moment (imminency) and (2) a literal millennium.

The agnostic position says the Scriptures are intentionally unclear and leave us with the view that Christ could come to the clouds at any moment, but also alert us to watch for Tribulation events.

*** Forum Director ***

Ed,

I added this option for you: "The Scriptures are intentionally unclear "

Thanks, Jim. But I still remain probably more leaning toward Pretrib with agnostic as a secondary possibility. Still, others might pick agnostic as their first choice!

I am absolutely convinced - 100% certain - that the rapture will occur when Jesus comes back!