When you visit Christian website ministries, you will notice that their "Statement Of Faith", or "What We Believe" is often prefixed by the words "We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, that it is inerrant and infallible". This particular aforesaid quote was lifted from the PWMI (Prophetic Witness Ministries International) website, a ministry which is heavily focused on unfulfilled prophecy. They are pre-millennial; teach and promote the pre-tribulational return of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, how helpful is such a claim? would not the arch deceiver himself also agree with the aforementioned prefix? Many of these ministries (I would term as biblicists) are at war with one another, claiming that their particular interpretation of Scripture is in fact truth. However, It is written that God is not the author of confusion, 1 Cor. 14.33, so the confusion must originate from those who nave not been rightly dividing the word of truth, 2 Tim. 2.15. In the case of pre-tribulationism, it is noteworthy that the professing Christian Church knew absolutely nothing of such a doctrine until circa 1830, aside from the fact that there is no exegetical scriptural support for a rapture heavenwards, seven or so years before the Lord's Second Coming in glory, which the PWMI believe and teach.
Since the Reformation, which began in earnest through the actions of the great reformer Martin Luther, the controversy of predestination/election vs free-will, in the course of time came to be known as Calvinism vs Arminianism, which has raged some three hundred years longer than the aforementioned rapture controversy. Many will declare opposing views on whether it was they who chose the path to salvation, or whether it was God who predestined it. The rapture controversy and the Calvinism/Arminianism debate is inextricably linked to what every (I hope!) Christian would consider to be the most important of doctrines in the Bible, that is Soteriology (the scriptural teaching of salvation). But, which is true, post-tribulationism or pre-tribulationism? predestination/election or free-will? But, more than all of this, does it matter what we believe in this theme? Regardless of whether a Christian believes in pre-destination/election or free-will, the most important thing is to believe in the precious atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the Saviour who said I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Jn. 14.6. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4.12. The Saviour said, No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. Jn. 6.44(a). You would think just that one verse uttered by the incarnate Deity Himself would settle the matter for once and for all! but no, not even the most careful and systematic theological dissertations by men far more capable than the present writer will persuade the Arminian mindset! I see the doctrine of predestination/election stamped on practically every page of Holy Writ. It is suggested by some, that the theology I hold to, makes me to be a blasphemer; that what I believe Scripture plainly teaches makes God out to be the author of sin. The plain fact of the matter is that God is in control, nothing can, or has happened that God hasn't permitted, 'good' or 'bad', to say otherwise would be to deny the thrice Holy One's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. The Lord Jesus plainly said that even a sparrow shall not fall on the ground without your Father, Matt. 10.29! Our attitude as believers, should be to bow down to His awesome majesty in obedient subjection and not say unto Him, what doest thou? Dan. 4.35. Regardless of the Arminian protestations to His absolute sovereignty, He will do His work, His strange work: and bring to pass His act, His strange act. Isa. 28.21. To any that may 'chance' upon this ere post, that would desire to understand more on this deep subject, I can do no better than recommend Zanchius's Absolute Predestination. J.C. Ryle said of this work, over 120 years ago, that it cannot be disproved, and I believe it never will. So, this is as far as I will go on election/predestination in today's post, but one last thing on this! Most assuredly, a believer has far more assurance of his eternal bliss in Christ if he believes in the biblical doctrine of predestination/election (that it was God who chose him or her) as opposed to it being the individual's choice to be saved! Nevertheless, whatever we believe in regards to predestinaion/election/free-will and post-tribulationism/pre-tribulationalism, we must believe in the blood of Christ alone for our eternal salvation, and walk according to His commandments, see Luke 6.46. We are not robots, we can make 'choices' with our 'free-will', but ever remember that if we decide to walk contrary to God's word and presume on election, not only may we lose blessings this side of eternity, we may be found not to be one of His children! a sobering thought? Holiness, and obedience is the key! Walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel Gal. 2.14! Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 12.14! For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2. 8-9. How some hate "Lordship Salvation"! Luther struggled with James's letter, and his treatise on works, but the apostle was only teaching that once we are saved, we walk according to the royal law, see Jam. 2.8. Luther believed that James was somehow teaching "works salvation" which was contrary to "justification by faith", ever remember that he came out of great darkness and popish superstition and no doubt must have held to what his Romish tutors taught him in respect to the epistle of James, for I believe he questioned whether this book should have been in the Bible!
Coming back to the rapture question, PWMI's principal founder Dr. F.B. Meyer, also a proponent of the "Higher Life Movement" who preached regularly at Keswick, would not have been Calvinistic in his theology, nevertheless, he was a good man preaching salvation by Christ's blood alone. At the end of the day, be we skewed on our understanding of unfulfilled prophecy and the biblical doctrine of predestination/election, we must believe with all our heart, soul and minds that Christ is our only hope, through His precious atoning blood, that He is God, very God, and walk according to His commandments, and more importantly, don' t plead our own righteousness to Him on the last Day, for He will have absolutely none of it! Matt. 7.22-23, 25.44, Lk. 13.26-27.
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