Passage: 2 Corinthians 5:1-5
A number of years ago I was preaching the funeral of a dear lady who used to be in a church that I had pastored. Her husband, also a devout believer, asked that I build my sermon for his wife’s funeral around 2 Corinthians 5. Since I had never taught through 2 Corinthians, I was somewhat surprised to discover during my preparation for the message that it spoke of our blessed hope - the rapture. Follow along with me and see what I mean...
Hank Hanegraaff is an advocate of Christian Palestinianism! Hanegraaff’s pro-Palestinianism has been advanced at the expense of the modern state of Israel. When I stated in an article that, "Hanegraaff is no lover of Israel," he responded by saying that my statement "is flatly false." Hanegraaff cited from his book, The Apocalypse Code his most positive statement about Israel in defense, which merely says, "the modern state of Israel has a definitive right to exist." If that is all he said it might have been acceptable. However, when compared to what he says about and against the modern state of Israel, his answer does nothing to rebut my statement that Hanegraaff is no lover of Israel...
One of the most important New Testament passages that lays out a framework for God’s plan for history, in light of the establishment of the church, is Acts 15:12–21. Where does the church fit into God’s overall plan for history? Within evangelicalism today there are currently two basic answers. One view holds that the church has forever replaced Israel as the instrument through which the Lord works. The other view, which I believe the New Testament teaches, is that the church is a temporary instrument until the rapture, after which God will complete His plan for Israel. Acts 15:12–21 supports the latter view...
For the last fifteen years or so when I have heard Hank Hanegraaff, host of the Bible Answer Man radio program, field questions on eschatology (end times prophecy) it was very clear that he has been decidedly against the futurist perspective. Hanegraaff has told his audience for years that he was studying the field of eschatology and would announce his views in a book one day. Hanegraaff’s book has now been released, entitled The Apocalypse Code, and has confirmed his rhetoric and tone heard for the last fifteen years on the radio as Hanegraaff has been treating dispensationalism as if it were a cult. Yes, Hanegraaff has been "culting" dispensationalism! ...
For many of us “baby-boomers” the early 70s were an exciting time! The Jesus Movement saw hundreds of thousands of young people come to Christ. It was a time within American Christianity when there was a great emphasis on Bible prophecy, especially the rapture of the Church. Even though I had grown up in the church, I was first introduced to Bible prophecy and the rapture during this time when I was in my late teens. There was an air of expectancy that Christ could really come for His church at any-moment, which I have not seen since that time. Back then many were waiting for the coming of the Lord while reaching out to the lost with gospel so they would not miss the rapture. I had many friends who accepted Christ during those days because of the urgency of the hour...