Introduction
Like many in the early days of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, CA, I received an abundance of wonderful teaching regarding the Pre-Tribulation Rapture from Chuck Smith, Chuck Missler, and others. Their Pre-Trib teaching was very straight forward and such was easily understood and accepted as truth. A few years later we moved and began attending Calvary Chapel of Yorba Linda, CA, with John Wimber, which shortly thereafter, changed its name to Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Yorba Linda. John Wimber, on the other hand, believed in and taught a Post-Tribulation Rapture. In both cases the Rapture verses themselves seemed to be the same, of course, but with regards to the timing of the Rapture they were at opposite ends of the Great Tribulation. The Pre-Trib teachers used one set of verses to show that the Church would be taken out just before the Great Tribulation began, and the Post-Trib teachers used another set of scriptures to show the Church going through the Great Tribulation and being Raptured at the end, or after the Great Tribulation. For a while this discrepancy for the Church was somewhat confusing, unless there were two raptures - which I just couldn't see. So it was at this point that I jumped in with both feet to do my own study and to determine for myself the timing and placement of the Rapture with regard to the Great Tribulation.
The light came on for me when I finally understood the Parable of the Ten Virgins in its' proper context. Now the verses regarding the church being removed prior to the Tribulation fit with the 5 virgins who had oil in their jars for their lamps and were snatched off the face of the earth. And the other verses regarding the church going through the Great Tribulation fit perfectly with the 5 virgins who had no oil for their lamps and were left behind to go through the Great Tribulation. Also, in the Book of Revelation, in the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches, even Jesus was saying that some churches would be thrown into the Tribulation, and one church, Philadelphia, would be spared the Tribulation. In another church, Sardis, the saints would be given a choice where some believers would go through the Tribulation and other believers would be spared. The Parable of the Ten Virgins in conjunction with Jesus' Seven Letters to the Seven Churches made it very apparent that part of the Body of Christ would be taken out before the Great Tribulation and the other part, or half, of the Body of Christ would be left behind to go through the Tribulation for further purification. For me, this thus became the Partial Rapture of the Church. And the more I studied this concept the stronger it became as additional verses of scripture fell into place to support it.
If Jesus didn't have a problem splitting up His followers, His churches, into those that were raptured out and those that were left behind, then neither should I or anyone else. To the church of Laodicea, which He is throwing into the Great Tribulation, Jesus says, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." (Rev 3:19). Repenting prior to the Tribulation will be much easier and certainly more rewarding than repenting after the Tribulation begins. Jesus has been teaching, and warning, of a Partial Rapture in His Seven Letters to the Seven Churches for over two thousand years but few end-time Bible teachers seem to be paying any attention. To some of these end-time expositors the following verse may apply: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions... Thus you nullify the Word of God by your traditions that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:9,13) But as for me and my teaching, I'm down with Jesus' Partial Rapture of His Church!
Chapter 6 goes into greater detail regarding the Partial Rapture of Believers and is the single most revealing and important new piece of information in this book. Chapter 6 is why this book is different from other End Time books, and therefore, why this book was even written! Just as we know that salvation comes through faith and grace, and NOT by works (Eph 2:8-9), it is very well known and discussed that regarding salvation it is very important to make a distinction between faith and works. In Chapter 6, regarding the Rapture, the new revelation is that a distinction NOW must be made between part of The Bride Of Christ that is taken out and part of The Bride Of Christ that is left behind. Being saved is just one prerequisite for rapture preparedness. Having lamp oil is another! I'm not making this stuff up.
The Bible, the Inerrant and Inspired Word of God: 66 different books, written by 40 authors as led by the Holy Spirit over a period of several thousand years. Regarding the Rapture, Jesus isn't out to trick us! His Word is the literal, straight forward, absolute and final TRUTH. Chapter 1 - Literal Interpretation is His expectation for us who read and really want to understand His Word.
If you are into diagraming and charting the Great Tribulation it would be essential to read Chapter 2 - 3 Keys To Understanding The Great Tribulation to get a very basic starting point in understanding of this often confusing seven year period.
Chapter 3 - The Signs Of His Coming & The End Of The Age is incomplete
Chapter 4 - Jesus' Coming Is Imminent
Chapter 7 - Deliverence From Wrath
Chapter 8 deals with the bad news regarding the part of the Body of Christ that must endure the wrath of Satan, as well as the Wrath of God, during the Great Tribulation: Chapter 8 - Satan Given Power Over Saints. If Christians think that they have it tough now, take a peek at what's coming when the churches promises to overcome are replaced with Satan's power and authority over believers.
Chapter 10 - Tribulation Chronology is close to being complete...
Chapters 10 is all about Abortion and Tribulation Judgment. This chapter is absolutely the most complete and in depth teaching regarding the issue of Abortion to be found anywhere. These chapters show and explain in depth the "How" and "Why" the Bible holds us accountable and what the consequences will be for those who engage in Abortion, or in any way even condone this despicably cruel and evil procedure. Forgiveness and redemption are also explained and available for anyone who has been involved in any aspect of Abortion. Chapter 9 - Abortion Is Sacrifice (& Murder) . This chapter is a MUST READ for all Christians since the Bible holds us accountable. When we even cast our vote for a political candidate we testify that we are in complete agreement with that candidate and fully support ALL that he, or she, has done, is doing, or will do ON OUR BEHALF! But we, the people of this great nation, refuse to admit that we are accountable, before God, for the actions of any person that we have voted into public office! If we were to even vote for the typical Democratic candidate - the Democratic Platform is Pro-Abortion, a Pro-Abortion Republican candidate, or any candidate who votes in the past, present or future, for Pro-Abortion legislation, we are accountable and therefore have a share of the abortionist blood on our hands as well. (We are just as accountable for voting in Pro-Homosexual candidates, who are out to destroy Biblical family values by pushing the demonic Homosexual Marriage agenda.) Democratic voting Christians are in for a tough read here, but I'm merely sharing the scriptural teaching and truth regarding what the Bible says about anything to do with the issue of Abortion.
Chapter 11 - A New Heaven And A New Earth is just that...
Appendix A is just that...
Appendix B is just that...
Appendix C is just that...