Do You Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

Q: Do you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture? If so, what is your primary reason?

A: Yes, I do believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. I always preface these discussions with a few things. First, I do not believe that those who disagree with me are unspiritual or lacking intelligence. I believe they love the Lord, read their Bibles seriously, and are doing their best with that. I understand differing views, and I'm not here to insult anyone who believes differently regarding the pre-tribulation rapture.

Secondly, I don't believe in the pre-tribulation rapture because it has no problems associated with it. Every eschatological position—whether amillennial, premillennial, postmillennial, or any variation within premillennialism—has its own challenges and requires significant biblical interpretation. Choosing a position means deciding which problems you are comfortable with and which you are not. I recognize that my position on the pre-tribulation rapture has its own issues, but I prefer those problems over the ones I find in other understandings.

One main reason I believe in the pre-tribulation rapture is that the Bible describes the return of Jesus Christ in contrasting ways. Sometimes it indicates that the world will be going about normal life—eating, drinking, marrying—while at other times, it describes a world in turmoil. The Bible also tells us that Jesus' return will be unexpected for most people, yet it also provides a countdown of specific days leading to His return. Additionally, there are aspects of Jesus' return where He meets His church in the clouds and other aspects where He comes with His people to the earth. I believe these descriptions indicate two different aspects of His return, separated by a significant period of time, which I would interpret as seven years, along with radically different world conditions. That is the primary reason I believe in the pre-tribulation rapture.