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| PentecostalTheology.com
Revelation 3:10 states:
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Radio Ministry in the U.S. is massively slanted towards dispensational theology and it is hard to avoid either the assumption or the overt teaching of a pre-tribulational, pre-millennial rapture of the Church.
Recently on the “Understanding the Times” radio ministry there was a guest, Dr. Ron Rhodes, who made a remarkable claim. He said that the “from” (the Greek ek, ex) highlighted in the above verse always and only indicates a removal and, therefore, those who understand Rev. 3:10 as saying that the faithful will be protected “through” the hour of temptation cannot possibly be correct.
Dr. Rhodes declares that the only possible understanding of the verse is that the faithful will be removed prior to the hour of temptation and that this verse is a “slam dunk” for the pre-tribulation rapture position because of “ek”.
This seems somewhat dismissive of the word “keep” which carries the meaning of “to guard from injury or loss” and figuratively may mean “to keep unmarried”, as though the hour of temptation is to become espoused to another other than Christ.
Is it correct that, textually and by context, Rev. 3:10 is a “slam dunk” for the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church?
Anonymous
I’d say SO Terry Wiles Oscar Valdez Robert Cox AZUSA: Seymour and his Azusa Street congregation, however, certainly organized their faith around that paradigm and infused it with an unparalleled focus on the Holy Spirit. This claim of a primary concern for eschatologically driven evangelism is fur- ther supported by a survey of the titles of the fifteen original hymn texts pre- served in the mission’s paper. Eight of these hymns carry the following titles: “A Message Concerning Christ’s Coming,” “Jesus Is Coming,” “When Jesus Comes,”
“Hark! The Moments T ey Are Passing!”
“The Warfare, The Rapture, and Afterwards,”
“The Signs of the Times,” “The First Resurrection,” and “Jesus Is Coming” (different from the first hymn by the same title). And even some that do not carry titles that obviously point to the imminent return of Christ — including “Song of Prayer,” “Jesus Talking to His Bride,” and “Press Toward the Mark” — make clear the urgent nature of the task of evangelism.
*********It is clear from the focus of these hymns that getting caught up in the rapturous joy of Holy Spirit baptism was not the end goal for the Azusa Street worshipper. Rather, the goal was helping others to get caught up in the rapture itself. *********
Philip Williams Grant McClung, “Try to Get People Saved: Azusa ‘Street Missiology,’ ” in Azusa Street and Beyond: 100 Years of Commentary on the Global Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement, ed. Grant McClung, (Gainesville: Bridge-Logos, 2006), 3-4.
David Willaim Faupel applies this theological paradigm to Pentecostalism as a whole and concludes that an eschatological focus became the driving force behind the growth of Pentecostalism throughout the twentieth century. David W. Faupel, The Everlasting Gospel: The Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal T ought (Shefield, UK: Shefield Academic Press, 1996). William DeArteaga J.D. King and @everyone else
Anonymous
I’d say SO Terry Wiles Oscar Valdez Robert Cox AZUSA: Seymour and his Azusa Street congregation, however, certainly organized their faith around that paradigm and infused it with an unparalleled focus on the Holy Spirit. This claim of a primary concern for eschatologically driven evangelism is fur- ther supported by a survey of the titles of the fifteen original hymn texts pre- served in the mission’s paper. Eight of these hymns carry the following titles: “A Message Concerning Christ’s Coming,” “Jesus Is Coming,” “When Jesus Comes,”
“Hark! The Moments They Are Passing!”
“The Warfare, The Rapture, and Afterwards,”
“The Signs of the Times,” “The First Resurrection,” and “Jesus Is Coming” (different from the first hymn by the same title). And even some that do not carry titles that obviously point to the imminent return of Christ — including “Song of Prayer,” “Jesus Talking to His Bride,” and “Press Toward the Mark” — make clear the urgent nature of the task of evangelism.
*********It is clear from the focus of these hymns that getting caught up in the rapturous joy of Holy Spirit baptism was not the end goal for the Azusa Street worshipper. Rather, the goal was helping others to get caught up in the rapture itself. *********
Philip Williams Grant McClung, “Try to Get People Saved: Azusa ‘Street Missiology,’ ” in Azusa Street and Beyond: 100 Years of Commentary on the Global Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement, ed. Grant McClung, (Gainesville: Bridge-Logos, 2006), 3-4.
David Willaim Faupel applies this theological paradigm to Pentecostalism as a whole and concludes that an eschatological focus became the driving force behind the growth of Pentecostalism throughout the twentieth century. David W. Faupel, The Everlasting Gospel: The Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal T ought (Shefield, UK: Shefield Academic Press, 1996). William DeArteaga J.D. King and @everyone
Anonymous
To be kept from is a stretch to mean removed before. If it meant to be removed before then why didn’t Jesus just say that?
Anonymous
Brett Dobbs I think Duane L Burgess will disagree with us too. To be KEPT from cannot mean to be left behind at the mercy of the antiChrist !!! So true! I wish Terry Wiles had elaborated way more in his book on this little phrases calvinator forum LOVE to stretch to mean whatever Augustin didnt care bout