Over the past number of months, I have joined a few “Eschatology-based” Facebook groups to immerse myself with real-time debates and discussions concerning a wide variety of eschatological views. It became apparent to me very quickly that these eschatological Facebook groups were toxic pools of heretical views extending far beyond the scope of eschatology. It became very clear to me that most of the passionate people either broke away from orthodox Christian views, or never had a real footing in them in the first place. This was extremely disappointing. Eschatology is meant to be the perfect dessert to complement the meal. That meal is to be the essentials of the Gospel. However, if all you ever eat is cake, your health is going to be very poor. And honestly, that’s all I really witnessed while taking part in these groups. Also, because there was no real footing on the essentials of the gospel, even the views that these people were so proud of missed the mark entirely. Self-righteousness in the name of “having correct eschatology” was on full display! In fact, it wasn’t just the comments or posts that ran loose, it became very clear that the problem laid in the admins of these pages, who began blocking or deleting posts or comments that actually stood up for orthodox Christian beliefs, such as Christ’s divinity, salvation by grace through faith alone and countless others. I’ve learned that eschatology is one of the easiest routes for wolves in sheep’s clothing to slip in because there is more ambiguity and uncertainty in matters regarding the end. Wolves take advantage of that and then let their loose “theology” based on indirect or controversial passages bleed into the rest of the Word. This is an incorrect way to approach doctrine; it’s backwards. We don’t begin developing theology from the end of the book. We develop or learn to understand true theology by allowing the Word of God to unfold progressively. Patterns will be made known. Promises will be understood, and principles will become foundational when we keep eschatology in its proper place. There is much less room for error under this approach.
It’s discouraging to see the opposite take place. It makes eschatology distasteful. I love eschatology! If that hasn’t been made clear by now, then I don’t know where you’ve been. But let me make one thing very clear. As much as I love and care about eschatology, it will never supersede my love and desire for the true, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. And when I see the Gospel being compromised to abuse and beat down people with other eschatological views, I will never remain silent! If that means I need to stand up and defend my brothers and sisters in Christ who believe in Pre-Trib eschatology, then so be it. I will not hesitate one bit because ultimately, the Gospel will always come first!
That leads me to my defense of Pre-Trib eschatology, or rather, my defense of those who may believe it. There are 3 points that I must make clear in this defense:
- I am not defending the position of pre-trib eschatology. I believe it is incorrect biblically. I believe that a Pre-Wrath interpretation of end times scripture best reflects scripture regarding the times of the end.
- I am not defending every single person who believes in pre-trib eschatology. I am speaking in general terms. In other words, I believe that there are many true believers in Christ who believe pre-trib eschatology.
- I am defending the FAITH of those who truly know the Lord and yet hold to an eschatological position I believe is in error.
The second point particularly may seem like a give-in. But that’s the whole point of this post. The comments and statements I am about to share are brutal, nasty and relentless attacks on pre-tribbers. It largely comes from people who subscribe to a post-trib eschatological view. And again, I want to reiterate that not even in this statement am I getting particular about every post-tribber. This is a general statement. I have indeed run into a few good-hearted post-tribbers who don’t hold to these extremes. But largely, the dogmatic eschatological noise comes from the post-trib camp. And I have had enough! These are some tables that need to be flipped.
Just as Satan uses scripture to beat people down and condemn, so too are the attacks on pre-tribbers based upon atrocious twisting of the scriptures. In Matthew 25:1-13, we read,
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
So, pre-tribbers, I need you to try to understand this in a post-trib sense so that you understand the gravity of the attack upon you. In a post-trib interpretation, the rapture and the second coming are both the same thing. Therefore, they believe that Christians will endure the entire 7-year period they incorrectly call, “great tribulation”. They relate to you and consider the great “tribulation” (incorrectly) to be God’s wrath. They agree with you that Matthew 24 and other corresponding passages regarding the Olivet discourse speaks of Christ coming at Armageddon. However, they continue reading and recognize that there is a gathering, or a rapture of believers that takes place at this time. That is why they believe a post-wrath interpretation.
How does this parable in scripture then get twisted into an attack on pre-tribbers? Well, simple: They paint pre-tribbers as the 5 foolish virgins who didn’t bring enough oil. Pre-tribbers, like these foolish virgins, expect Christ to return “at any moment”. Therefore, why bother to pack extra oil? “I won’t need it. Christ is going to return before things get really hard!” But as Christ’s return seems to delay, and all the virgins fall asleep, he catches them all by surprise. However, it is the wise post-trib believers who prepared for this delay. It is the wise post-tribbers who brought extra oil to help them make it through the tough times during Daniel’s 70th week, (The final 7-year period). Discouraged, the foolish virgins go out to look for extra oil. While they were out looking, the groom came and took in the 5 wise virgins, shutting the door behind them. When the foolish ones came, they knocked, crying, “Lord, Lord, open up!” And what then does the groom, Christ, say to the foolish virgins who didn’t come prepared? He says, “I do not know you”.
At the very least, this parable ought to cause you to question if you have enough oil (faith) to withstand heavy persecution. I’m speaking directly to those with a pre-trib belief regarding end times. Consider: “What if I were to experience heavy persecution at the hand of a man claiming himself to be God? What if my faith in Jesus were to be outlawed and I was required to worship this man and take a mark in order to even buy food and daily needs? What if I may have this part in the Bible wrong? Would I still believe in God? Would I still believe he is good and still has a plan?” These questions are appropriate to challenge yourself with. At the very least, we must consider the stark warning this passage proposes. We must be prepared for Christ’s return! But what does it mean to be prepared, or to have enough oil? That’s where these post-trib attacks take it too far. Allow me to speak on your behalf and defend the pre-trib believer here. Having correct eschatology isn’t a requirement for salvation, as this attack purports. It claims that since you believe that you will get popped out of your clothes at any moment before things get bad, you will be left behind! You will be rejected by Christ at His coming! I will not stand for this heresy. To have enough oil means to have faith in Christ, who is enough! It does not mean, alongside faith in Christ, you need to have faith and belief in a post-trib rapture! That is heretical! Christ is enough! Pre-tribber, when Christ returns at a later time than you once expected, if you have faith in Jesus Christ, He will not leave you nor forsake you! The Holy Spirit will groan inside you not to take the mark, not to lose faith, and not to give up! Will your pre-trib eschatological beliefs be a stumbling block? Absolutely! I cannot diminish this fact. It will cause you to question and be confused. But it is not an end to all means, or a permanent barrier between you and Christ. So, I urge you to consider this warning. But more so, I want to encourage you with the promise of God which states that NOTHING can take you from His hands! He will preserve you and provide you with wisdom in the latter days.
However, as I stated in my opening disclaimer. I am not here to defend everyone who holds to pre-trib eschatology. I speak only for those who’s hearts are firmly rooted in Christ. I cannot diminish the weight and significance of this parable. There are going to be people who believe in post and pre-trib who fall into the category of foolish virgins. The reason is, again, because salvation is not based on what your eschatological view is. We must recognize the weaknesses our eschatological views may sway people into. I do worry that many people with pre-trib beliefs will fall away during this time of the end during the Apostasy. When a “comfortable” Gospel is over-emphasized, saying, “God won’t let you go through really hard times”, we will be in trouble when he does. It will be comparable to another parable of the sower who cast seeds on the rocks. Matthew 13:20-21 says in regard to these seeds, that…
“The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”
To “fall away” means to apostatize. In other words, the real Gospel did not penetrate the heart. Only a cheapened, non-sacrificial “gospel” was accepted with joy to modify behavior and outward appearance. This is the potential danger of pre-trib eschatology. Emphasis on “Potential”. This is merely a call to check yourselves. Ask yourself, (with honesty and sincerity) could anything happen to you here on earth that would cause you to deny Christ? Could it be that the said faith you have is in a false depiction of Christ? Make sure your faith is in the Christ of the Bible; the Christ who said, “In this world you will have tribulation”, “Through much tribulation you shall enter into the kingdom of heaven”, “If this world hates you, know that it hated me first”. This is Christ’s warning, not mine. That’s the Jesus we must hold on to because someday there is truly not going to be anything left to hang on to. This is the Jesus we must believe in, because he has overcome IT ALL. This is the oil that will sustain you until the end.
In our westernized culture, comfort is idolized. We seek comfort above all else. Hardships are resented. We want comfort, and we want it now. There is a 100% chance that some people, upon hearing that Christ is this really nice guy who loves them and promises to supernaturally take them out of the world when it gets too hard, “accepted” or “received” the message with joy but have no root. When troubles or persecution comes because of the word they outwardly proclaimed come, they will quickly fall away. Christ will reject them when he comes. He never knew them. We must understand and fully digest what we signed up for as believers in Christ.
To my post-trib brothers and sisters in Christ, my warning is to not put your faith in your own understanding. Your knowledge of the end cannot save you. When we are arrogant in our own ways, we are in danger of missing the whole point of Christ’s return. His return is not for those who “got it right” or had the right eschatology or had faith their own understanding of the scriptures relating to matters of the end. He’s coming back for the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, those who are pure in heart, for peacemakers, the persecuted for righteousness sake, and those who have been reviled by others and had all kinds of evil uttered falsely against them. He’s coming for those who have a relationship with him. He’s not coming for those who think they are wise in their own conceit. You could have everything right about the chronology of end times, but if you don’t have a relationship with Christ, then it will actually be you who Christ rejects and says, I do not know you. It will be you who is lacking oil because the oil is faith in Christ alone, not knowledge of the end! Check yourselves as well. Because the tendency I have seen from the post-trib camp is self-righteousness in the form of eschatological dogmatism. You say that you are rich, that you have it all figured out. You say that you are in need of nothing more. But many of you who have this mindset do not realize just how miserable, pitiful, poor and spiritually blind you truly are. Check yourself. Is your eschatology more important than Christ? Is your eschatology the foundation of your faith? Or is it properly built on your love of Christ? Do you study eschatology to look and sound smart, or do you study eschatology out of your love for the Lord and desire to unravel his mysterious plan for mankind? Does your eschatology serve as a staff, guiding people to Christ, or a rod to beat people over the heads with? If your eschatology causes you to hate on more people instead of love on more people, then you are doing it wrong and have a much bigger problem to address.
Needless to say, I am about done with “eschatology-based” Facebook groups. They serve little purpose for the kingdom. My “Connect” page is always open for comments and questions regarding any biblical topic. And much unlink the feedback you will receive from these groups, you will be treated with respect and responded to with reason pointing you to God’s Word. At the very most, I may begin my own Facebook group called, “Explaining Eschatology: By Softlyspokentruth.com” to keep the real-time engagements going without the toxic compromises on the essentials of the Gospel. So keep on the lookout for that if that is something you would be interested in!
As always, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!
Softly Spoken Truth 