Many times during my nearly 30 years as a ‘mid-Acts-er’ I heard it preached from the pulpit, "We are standing on the shoulders .... of dispensational men before us .... who did not see as far as we see." (How could 'mid-Acts-ers' make that statement, and then gripe about being labeled 'hyper' and 'ultra'?) In a recent message, we were informed that, "They didn’t have time to think through these things." Frankly, I was surprised at that comment. Were their schedules as busy as ours? Did they ever sit in ‘rush hour’ traffic? Could their calendars have been as hurried as ours in the instant-information age in which we live?
The internet provides plenty of information about the origin of the ‘secret rapture theory’ .... and how it came into being around 1830. It was promoted by the man who is considered in the theological world to be the ‘father of modern dispensationalism,’ and later it was advanced in America through a man whose best-selling annotated Bible popularized premillennialism (pre-tribulationalism) among fundamentalist Christians. 'Mid-Acts-ers' invented a 'mystery-rapture', and isolated it as an 'uncounted' resurrection -- BEFORE what-scripture-said is the FIRST resurrection (Rev 20:4-5). Their 'pre-tribulation mystery-rapture' is said-to-be part of Paul's unique revelation, and ONLY for the saints saved through Paul's ministry during the dispensation of grace .... no one who was 'in Christ' BEFORE Paul (Rom 16:7). 'Mid-Acts-ers' refuse to accept the last trump as the timing for the FIRST resurrection, even though the verse specifically states so:
1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Rather than standing on the shoulders ....
to further divide the Bible,
and the saints,
and the inheritance,
and the coming of the Lord,
and the resurrection, etc. ....
by splitting them all into two different things,
I choose to stand on the promises of God (2 Cor 6:16-18, 7:1):
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
I sing, "Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God, my Saviour."
2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
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