Reasons for Pretrib Rapture

Dr. Couch, I hold to the PreTrib rapture of the church but my elders do not. They think the church has to go through the trib in order to be cleaned up. Could you give the reasons for the PreTrib rapture? ANSWER:  I wrote the most complete chapter on this issue that has ever been written! It is used in three nationally published books. If you want the full facts you need to order my Dictionary of Premillennial Theology, published by Kregel. In this dictionary, the full answer is given.    You will be completely convinced by reading the chapter in that volume. Your elders are simply quoting someone else. They cannot substantiate what they say from the Bible. They do not understand positional justification and sanctification. They thus are very theologically ignorant and should not be elders!    The rapture of the church is as defensible as the virgin birth or the deity of Christ. I still cannot figure out why some are so adamant about denying the rapture. They just "don't like" the doctrine but have no reason to resist so much. Some folks just cannot read! They do not know how to study Scripture. And they are great quoters. They just say what someone else has said!    It will prove to me that those who do not order my book are showing that they really don't want to know the answers to this doctrine. The issue is over from my chapter! You need to get it!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (9/10)

Apostasy and Signs of the Rapture

Dr. Couch, you have convinced me that we are now in the period of the apostasy of the church, but if so, does this not take away the idea that there are no signs for the rapture of the church? ANSWER:  Not in my opinion because of what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:3-7. He speaks of the apostasy coming before the revelation of the "man of lawlessness" (v. 3). This is of course referring to the antichrist, and remember, he comes at the very beginning of the tribulation, the start of the Day of the Lord, the Wrath of God. But Paul goes on and writes that "the mystery of lawlessness is already here" (v. 7). He does not say that the tribulation is here or that the man of lawlessness has arrived. He gives no thought that the seven year tribulation has begun. In other words, apostasy has been around for some time but even Paul did not know if that apostasy is the final stage of the "rebellion." He did not know if THE prophesied apostasy of the last days had started! I believe we can say it is now here!    If you want the most thorough study of the rapture of the church, you need to read my "Biblical Study of the Rapture" of the church in my award winning volume "Dictionary of Premillennial Theology." That chapter has been so appreciated it has been included, and re-published in national publications, in three other volumes of Bible study. The book, by the way, was given the Silver Medallion Award from the Christian Booksellers Association in 1996.    A key to Paul's argument for the coming of the rapture for the church saints is the fact that in almost every rapture passage he uses the pronouns "You, We, Us." In other words, Paul is telling us that the rapture will come to remove the church saints to glory. It could have happened in Paul's day, and it could have taken place at any time while he was alive! That is why he is including himself (We, Us) in his argument.    We are nearing the time of the End, the time for the rapture. And, we are now entering the period of the apostasy, that takes place before the rapture. All indicators would let us know that. Yet, we cannot be dogmatic about the time frame.    I always wonder why people want to argue over this issue of the rapture, and my conclusion is that they are frightened rabbits. They do not want to be at the end of all things! So they come up with arguments to try to get rid of the rapture for our generation. The Bible is plain on the subject. And the Greek text makes the subject even more understandable, but most objectors are not good scholars!    By the way, Paul is so dogmatic about the fact that the rapture has to do with this dispensation of the church, he uses the technical expression: of those "in Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:14) and "in Christ" (v. 16). In introducing the idea of the rapture he writes "For this we say to YOU by the word of the Lord, that WE who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, ..." (v. 15). That is as plain as vanilla pudding!    Putting world events together, and looking at the fact that we are moving into the predicted apostasy, I believe I could come up with about 100 arguments that would show how close we are to (1) the advent of the rapture, (2) the seven year tribulation, and (3) the return of Christ to reign over the throne of David from Jerusalem. That would really help folks get it all together as to what is happening even in our day!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Feb., 10)

Good Dispensational Books in Spanish

Dr. Couch, do you know of any good dispensational and conservative books in Spanish? I teach in a Spanish church and we need good material. 

 

   ANSWER:  I have an excellent four-color dispensational booklet called God’s Plan of the Ages. You may have all you want, just send me your address and we’ll get them out to you. Also, I highly recommend from Kregel my award winning volume Spanish version of The Dictionary of Premillennial Theology. Kregel’s order phone number is (616) 451-4775. Kregel should also have a Spanish catalog that you can order with other books listed. 

    One of the problems in reaching another culture is that there is a need for better theological works in order to strengthen the pastors. 

   Thanks for asking,

   Dr. Mal Couch