Is the COMING of the Lord IMMINENT
It is commonly taught by those who support the doctrinal notion of a seven years pre-tribulation "rapture" that the return of Jesus to collect His Church/Bride is IMMINENT. As such, according to the theology of IMMINENCY there are absolutely NO prophecies yet to be fulfilled before Jesus returns.
However, before we can adequately answer whether or not this doctrine is actually factual and indeed Scriptural we must first ask and answer the following relevant question...
As stated, the theology of “Imminency” declares that Jesus can return for His Church/Bride at “ANY” given moment.
Having said this, if this then is to be a valid and formerly instituted Church doctrine, then we must know just exactly - when did this “affect” of "Imminency" become an instituted effect upon the Church? In other words, at what precise point in Church history was, for lack of a better term, was day one of the "effectual" IMMINENCY doctrine?
If the theology of “Imminency” was both taught and in effect when the early Church was established then Jesus contradicted Himself respective of His prophetic statements in Jn. 21:18, Acts 23:18, and a hosts of others.
John 21:18
(KJV)
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young,
thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but
when thou
shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and
another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest
not.
Acts 23:11 (KJV)
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Should
the suggested above "Imminency" doctrine have literally taken place at
that specific point in time in Church history at the behest of God BEFORE these
two literal prophecies cited above were fulfilled – this would have
rendered Jesus as a false prophet.
Furthermore, the suggested Church doctrine of "Imminency" could NOT have simply been phased in at a later date into the Church either - but MUST have been equally inclusive for ALL the Body of Christ from its very beginning.
