1st Thessalonians 4:14-18, “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.”
If you take the inspired Holy Bible at face value, you can only conclude a Pretribulation Rapture. There is a lot of disagreement today over the timing of the Rapture. To be more specific, the New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB) movement denies a Pretribulation Rapture. They instead teach a PreWrath Rapture. Essentially, the New IFB began with Pastor Steven L/ Anderson in 2006, when he started the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. I love and support Pastor Anderson and his soulwinning ministry.
Having said that, I have been under relentless attack lately by followers of the New IFB, who insist that I am wrong and Pastor Anderson is right doctrinally. There are four basic doctrines that we disagree on; namely:
- A PreWrath Rapture Heresy - I do not believe in a PreWrath Rapture. This is the teaching that the Rapture will happen after the Antichrist appears, but before God's pours out His wrath upon the earth (Hence, “PreWrath”). Pastor Anderson falsely teaches that Jesus' Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation is the Rapture. He also falsely teaches that the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the Antichrist appears. You cannot support any of this nonsense with the Bible. Jesus taught in Mark 13:32-37 that NO MAN knows the time of Hid return, not even the angels. If Christ came back at any time other than before the Tribulation period, we would know WHEN He is coming back.
- Jesus Burned In Hell For 3 Days Heresy - In Luke 23:43 Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross that they would be together in Paradise that very day. Jesus could not have gone to burn in fire in Hell. Acts 2:27-32 says that Jesus went to Hell. The simple resolution to this seeming discrepancy is found in Luke 16:19-31. Jesus went to Hell (Greek: Hades) which is compartmentalized, with the place of Torment on one side, and Paradise on the other, and a great gulf fixed in between them.
- The Reprobate Doctrine Heresy - I agree with the Reprobate Doctrine as taught by Dr. Jack Hyles, which is drastically different than the Reprobate Doctrine taught by Pastor Anderson. I believe that there is a point of no return which a lost sinner can cross, to which they will never get saved. Albeit, only God knows where that line is. It is wrong for us to condemn a particular group of sinners, such as homosexuals, to say that they are beyond the hope of the Gospel. The Bible says in 2nd Peter 3:9 that the Lord is not willing for ANY to perish, but that ALL come to repentance (change their mind) to be saved. If a man is a reprobate, it is not because God refuses to save him; but rather, because he refuses to come to Christ to be saved (John 5:40; John 3:20-21).
- The Heresy That You Must Pray To Be Saved - Pastor Jack Hyles rightly says that he encourages lost sinners to pray, but they do not have to pray to be saved. The Bible says in John 1:12-13 that as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on His name. We are saved by receiving Christ, not by praying. The New IFB are preaching another gospel when they teach that you cannot be saved unless you pray. Read the Gospel of John, which is God's Gospel tract (John 20:31), and you won't find any mention of praying to be saved. We do however find the word “BELIEVE” mentioned at least 85 times in the Gospel of John.
I do not like the designations of “Old IFB” or “New IFB.” There is only local New Testament churches. There is Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches, who differ are various doctrines, issues and methods, but we are all in the same boat as believers. To clarify, any corrupt Baptist church that preaches the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation, or the Devil's misunderstanding of repentance (aka, “turn away from your sins” to be saved) are not fundamentalists, they are unsaved cult members! Sadly, you cannot trust all Baptist churches. Any pastor who says that faith is not enough to be saved is a liar, so RUN away!!! You do not have to forsake a lifestyle of sinning to go to Heaven. No one can turn away from their sins, which is why Christ needed to come into the world and die on a cross to pay for them.
Kindly said, there are doctrinal issues with BOTH the Old and the New IFB. Old IFB churches lack the zeal of the New IFB. The New IFB is wrong to hate homosexuals, because they are sinners for whom Jesus Christ died on the cross. John 3:16 teaches that God loves the whole world, not just saved (righteous) people. It is false doctrine to teach that God hates people. God hates sin and evil (Psalms 97:10). God commands us to love our enemies, not hate them!
I have been attacked lately by followers of the New IFB, as has my ministry friend Norm Diamante on YouTube, who also preaches the truth that you don't have to pray to be saved. Sadly, many of the New IFB are BULLIES!!! If you don't agree with their heresy, they try to shove there beliefs down your throat. One New IFB member sent me 9 emails in one day, throwing a tantrum that I do not agree with New IFB pastors who errantly teach that you cannot go to Heaven unless you pray to be saved. The Bible simply says to believe the Gospel (1st Corinthians 15:1-6).
Respectfully, I know biblically that Pastor Anderson is wrong in his “After The Tribulation” movie, to teach that the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the Antichrist appears. That is date setting! I believe in a Pretribulation Rapture, because Jesus could return at any time without warning. Brother Anderson errantly says Jesus could not possibly return at any time. I am saddened and surprised how many thousands of believers who embraced Steven Anderson's heresy of a PreWrath Rapture, which is unfortunate. Pastor Anderson falsely teaches that the Rapture is Jesus' Second Coming. The Bible clearly teaches that these are two separate prophetic events. ...
