Sunday, June 5, 2016

Leaving a Church Because of Eschatology

I recently came across the following remark on a forum:
I can't find a Church that believes in ____ [a particular rapture timing view]. I have been asked to leave a Calvary Chapel for speaking about ____. I would even settle for a ____ Church. At least they believe we will go through the time of great tribulation.
What a sad commentary! It isn't an isolated case either. I doubt the pastor was threatened by the man's irrefutable Biblicism. Though I'm not privy to the facts, I can hazard a guess at what might have happened. The individual who made the statement has written online rants against pretribulationism. If his interactions at his church have been anything like those, I can understand why he was shown the door.

My wife and I had the choice to worship at a Calvary Chapel. Instead we picked a church which likely is amillennial. The pastor keeps his eschatological cards close to his chest and concentrates on the gospel and the eternal state. He's well aware of the conflicting prophecy views and carefully avoids this sort of division. His focus is on Christ and the gospel.

Sure I cringe (rarely) when he expounds certain passages in a way I disagree with. But I'm not there to correct him or my other brothers and sisters. I'm there to pray and worship the Lord along with them.

I've said this before: It's a shame so many of us are dividing over rapture timing views when there are far more serious battle grounds facing the church today.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you brother Alf. There's many other things to divide over.