The Rapture, A Controversy Settled

By R. Dawson Barlow

If you have questions about the rapture of the church, the body of Christ, this book has answers. It not only answers your questions but clears up confusion, such as, Why do many deny such an event as the rapture; Is there such an event? When will it happen? Just who will be left behind? Should we fear such a thing as The Rapture? And many more. When reading a book such as this, always have your Authorized Bible handy so you can compare the scripture verses yourself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. Dawson Barlow
• Release date: Mar 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463415108

R. Dawson Barlow

R. Dawson Barlow (Sun Ming) Author: The Origin of the RACES (Sun Ming) The Two Gospels The Apostasy of the Christian Church The Rapture Lifting the Fog The Triune Godhead Born November 25, 1942 in the USA, his father having been a USA serviceman, Bob was raised and educated in schools throughout the USA (and England). As a pastor, he lived and ministered variously in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. For many years, he taught the Bible on television in Savannah, Georgia on a program called Word of Grace, named after a newsletter he wrote. The articles he wrote were signed only, "rdb." If Mr. Barlow had his way, his name would not appear on his books, as he wants only to point to the message. (Thus the "Sun Ming" on his first book. He was finally convinced that it would be necessary and beneficial to provide his name as author of his books. This also is the explanation of why this 'bio' is being written by someone other than R. Dawson Barlow. Limited for approximately five years to life in a wheelchair while battling diabetic neuropathy, he redeemed the time by studying and gathering the material for the books he has since written. While in China working as a teacher of English, Bob and wife Margie held Bible studies in their apartment and were able to train a young "Timothy" who has become an able teacher of the pastors in his area, introducing them to the Gospel of the Grace of God and to the key to understanding the Bible. R. Dawson Barlow passed from earth to heavenly glory on October 3, 2018.

Book preview

THE RAPTURE

A CONTROVERSY SETTLED

By R. Dawson Barlow

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Version, unless otherwise noted. Scripture references with phrases in capital letters, underlining or comments in brackets are made by the author for emphasis.

Copyright © R. Dawson Barlow

2016

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations for review, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

ISBN 978-0-9752817-4-7

Seedsower Publications

2810 West 21st Street

Erie, Pennsylvania 16506

Printed in the U.S.A. by

Morris Publishing

3212 East Highway 30

Kearney, NE 68847

1-800-650-7888

Table of Contents

DEDICATION & Acknowledgements

CHAPTER 1 – The Nomenclature of the rapture

CHAPTER 2 – RAPTURE IGNORANCE

CHAPTER 3 – NATURE OF THE RAPTURE, PT. 1

CHAPTER 4 – NATURE OF THE RAPTURE, PT. 2

CHAPTER 5 – THE HOPE OF THE RAPTURE

CHAPTER 6 – RAPTURE CONFUSION

CHAPTER 7 – THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE

`

DEDICATION

This book is lovingly dedicated to our good friend, Susi Grest, who lives in Switzerland. Every time she writes us she refreshes and stirs up in our hearts a fresh appreciation of the Blessed Hope and her living expectation that this event may be perhaps today. rdb

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Cover Design by Matt Walker of Matthew D. W. Publishing LLC of Elgin (Chicagoland), Illinois.

It goes without saying, (but we will say it anyway), that this work could not have materialized without the dedicated help of editors and proofers, Sally Kennedy, Joan Spoerndle, Rita Bauschard and Matt Walker, who spent many months, weeks, days and hours pouring over this work so that it might magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER ONE

THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE RAPTURE

As a teenager, I had spent years sitting in church pews listening to devotional preaching and learning virtually nothing about the Bible. This resulted in my thirsting at the well of agnosticism. Although I was raised to reverence and respect the Bible, it seemed unintelligible and confusing when I tried to read and understand it. After giving the Bible what I considered to be a good shot, I finally gave up trying.

However, in God’s perfect timing, he brought to my attention the teaching ministry of a man who was, as he said, explaining the Bible dispensationally. What that meant was completely beyond me at that time. All I knew was that for the first time in my life the Bible was beginning to make sense to me. The history of the Bible began to come alive and affected me in a special way. The fulfilled prophecies of Christ’s sufferings (during his first advent) so convinced me of the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning himself that I knelt by my bed one Sunday night and trusted the Christ whom I had learned from the Bible to be my own, personal Saviour. I had placed my faith in a personal salvation, believing that the death he died and his resurrection was for (and because of) my sins.

As I became more interested in studying the Word of God, I began to read about the Rapture, the tribulation and the millennium. This was terminology I had never before heard used in a religious context. Gradually, as I read and studied the Scripture, these terms became more defined and began to fit together. I later learned that the one hope of the believers of this age of Grace is the coming Rapture (catching up) of all true believers. Ephesians 4:4 says:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are

called in one hope of your calling;

As I continued reading the New Testament, especially the epistles of Paul, that one hope was identified for me in Titus 2:13.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ…

I was beside myself with joy, as I comprehended this truth. It brought deep encouragement toward personal sanctification. There was in my heart an intense desire to walk in closer fellowship with my Saviour. The very thought that Christ might return in my lifetime, maybe even today, brought great hope and excitement to my heart.

CYNICISM CONCERNING THE RAPTURE

However, as I began to peek into the world of Christendom, I discovered that many professing Christians possessed some very negative attitudes toward the teachings concerning what they considered to be the so-called Rapture theory. There are many conflicting theories about the Rapture that cause believers to become cynical and skeptical in their attitudes toward it. Worse still was my observation that most professing Christians denied the fact of the Rapture altogether. This puzzled me. Admittedly, I was young in the Lord and had very little knowledge of right division as a way to study and understand the Scripture. But, I had accepted the fact that the Bible was God’s truth and all that is written in the Bible is true. Because of this belief in the truth of God’s Word, I clung to the clear statements in Scripture (clear to me, at least) that taught the Rapture.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

(1 Thess. 4:13-18)

We will rely on the above Scripture as we seek to expound this great truth. Our effort to explain this doctrine is bathed in prayer that our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ will be edified and encouraged in the Lord concerning our blessed hope. We also pray that it will be a motivation to search the Scriptures that these truths may be deeply rooted within their souls as Biblical convictions and not merely as a ‘fad’ opinion of some fallible men. We pray also that it will enlighten and cause unbelievers who may read this work to make a choice to believe the Gospel of the Grace of God because of the blessed hope it offers.

THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE RAPTURE

One objection that is given concerning the Rapture is that the word, Rapture, cannot be found in the Bible. I have heard this argument from pastors and teachers, as well as from babes in Christ. My response to such an objection is to agree wholeheartedly that the word Rapture is not found in the Bible, although the fact of it is plainly taught therein. I frequently use the same argument concerning the word ‘trinity’ when I am dealing with people ensnared in various cults. One mark of any cult is its denial of the triune nature of the Godhead, one God existing in three persons… Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is true that the Bible teaches the fact of the trinity without using the actual word trinity. There is a list of Scripture references compiled at the end of this article which demonstrate the threefold personality of God.

The words trinity and Rapture are theological handles that Bible students use to communicate Biblical facts. Once, a dear brother gasped and looked at me in shock and unbelief when I suggested to him that the phrase the great commission is not found in the Scripture. But what I had told him is a true statement. Indeed God has given