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Left Behind--"The Challenge"

by Henry Bechthold  
1/26/2011 / Bible Studies

"Left Behind"; these two words have become famous in the contemporary Christian Church, especially among those who believe in the "secret rapture". I will provide a link at the end of this article that lists numerous scriptures which prove that this popular secret rapture doctrine is totally unbiblical. The amount of scriptural evidence contradicting this teaching is overwhelming.

However, in this article, I am personally addressing and challenging those who promote this dogma; in particular, those who proclaim the version of this doctrine which teaches that those who are "left behind", after the secret rapture, will have a "second chance" to be saved when Jesus returns after a great tribulation period on earth. Many books have been written and many movies have been made about this secret rapture scenario, depicting Christian pilots vanishing from their planes during the rapture, which causes the passengers on board their aircraft to crash and burn. And, contemporary teachers of this doctrine tell us that this rapture event is very near, and could happen at any time.

If these secret rapture proponents are correct, then those who are Christian pilots, train engineers and bus drivers, but who refuse to resign from their positions of passenger responsibility and welfare, in spite of their knowledge that they will soon vanish from the controls of their commercial vehicles with multitudes of passengers in their care; then these Christian transit operators will soon be guilty of committing one of the greatest acts of violence in human history, as literally millions of people throughout the world will suffer violent and horrific deaths, as they simultaneously perish in the vacated commercial vehicles of these Christian pilots, engineers and drivers. And, thereby, these doomed passengers will also miss out on their supposed "second chance" to be saved.

If secret rapture adherents truly believe their doctrine, they have a moral responsibility to immediately resign from all positions that place the safety of passengers in their care. That is, of course, unless they don't really believe their own doctrine. And, if that is the case, why are they embracing and teaching it?

I ask Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, who have become fabulously wealthy from their secret rapture based, "Left Behind", Christian novel series, if they truly believe in this secret rapture event that they espouse in their books? If so, why haven't they encouraged all Christian pilots, train engineers and bus drivers to immediately resign from their positions? After all, those millions of passengers who will perish when the driverless planes, trains and busses crash, will not have an opportunity to be saved and to avoid hell during the so-called "second chance" for those who are left behind. Shouldn't these passengers, who will be doomed to perish and suffer in hell because of these Christian transit operators' refusal to resign their positions, also have been given that "second chance" opportunity to be saved? If LaHaye and Jenkins truly believe in this secret rapture and left behind scenario, which they have written about and profited from handsomely; then, moral integrity and compassion demand that they issue a statement advising all Christian transit operators to resign immediately before this rapture occurs. The only reason for not making such a statement is if they don't really believe this secret rapture spiel themselves, and if it has all just been a lucrative money-making scheme.

The "Left Behind" book series and movies are not the only unscriptural and lucrative schemes being conducted regarding this "second chance" secret rapture doctrine. In recent years, many Christian churches and bookstores have participated in the distribution of a so-called Christian video game called "Left Behind: Eternal Forces", in which Christian children actually have the option to kill their non-Christian enemies. The game setting is during the days of the end-time great tribulation. Perhaps those distributing this game think that it is alright to give Christian children the option to kill their enemies, because the game penalizes them by causing the "spirit level" of the character they are playing to drop. What a concept to teach our children; you can kill and only suffer the loss of "some of your spirituality"! Furthermore, this "Christian game" has a multiplayer feature that allows you to be on the side of the enemy. So, our Christian kids can choose to be on the side of the antichrist and kill Christians! Maybe I'm kind of "biblically old-fashioned", but I don't consider this to be acceptable Christian entertainment; I consider it to be an abomination.

For a more in-depth discussion of the secret rapture, read my article titled, "The Secret Rapture", at my website address listed below.

I am an evangelical, non-denominational, Christian pastor. You can research other interesting and provocative topics at my website: http://www.godormen.com.

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