10 Reasons Why the Rapture Must be Left Behind Paperback – November 15, 2015

I am a book lover and I tend to read things even if I don't think I will agree or whatever. I have taught my children that if we want to be able to defend what we believe, we must know how to do so intelligently, boldly, and with a spirit of excellence. So, I must admit, I didn't get this book because I thought I found someone to agree with a belief I hold, nor was I seeking some great revelation, etc. **Confession** When I first read the title, I was like really...how many people are going to deny Jesus and wake up in hell before they realize "It's too late!" To be honest, I was looking for the next thing to read and nothing was calling to me on my Kindle.That being said, I give this book five stars. I won't tell you what my belief is on the topic and I won't tell you if the author swayed me or convinced me or anything else. Honestly, that's not what this review is about. I won't debate nor criticize someone for how they believe such a way, especially on public forum. (If you truly are interested, feel free to message me and we can discuss it as adults.)Back to my review...I will tell you that Mr. Morrison is very respectful in his approach to this topic, he is also very well studied. He doesn't just throw out his ideas and run. He doesn't just spew his words with no foundation. Mr. Morrison DOES give foundation, sources, and very good points of reference to back up his beliefs and Biblical understanding. This book is well thought out and written. I would recommend that all believers read this. Like I said, I'm not saying I do or don't agree with what he says. I'm just saying that it gives us something to think about and research on our own and a point that we could all use as a jumping off point for diving deeper into what we believe and why.I feel we should all be so grounded and knowledgeable of what we believe. So, if you don't read it for any other reason, read it to gain a template of how to intelligently and respectfully defend what you believe and why you believe it. After all, what do you have to lose? If you truly believe what you say you do...can one person really shake that foundation, especially if it's built on the the "ROCK" that it should be? And if they do, did your really believe it or where you just following the masses?

"The Bible says it, I believe it, & that settles it." The author wants to know why there are so many denominations if the Bible is so easy to understand "(as the phrase seems to imply)." I don't agree the phrase means that the Bible is always easy to understand. I honestly can't wrap my mind around eternity: we're linear beings. However, I have no doubt that the Bible's statements on eternal life & condemnation are accurate. I don't understand all the symbolism of Revelation, but I know it's a message of hope, & that God is in control of everything. I don't have to understand everything: I simply have to trust God. I trust Him because He has never lied or broken even one promise. One doesn't have to understand everything to know that we must live by faith rather than sight: things seen are transient; it's what is unseen that is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:16-18) "The Bible is a difficult book. You can't understand it by itself." Yes, you can with help from the Holy Spirit. Let scripture interpret scripture: don't simply accept what anyone (including me) says. Be a Berean! (Acts 17:11)I agree we mustn't rip a verse out of context. However, I don't know that I would define context in the same way as the author. Yes, we need to know to whom the author was writing, & it certainly helps to understand what the original language meant. That doesn't mean I have to understand every metaphor or figure of speech as well as the complete history surrounding the writing. When you tell someone they have to pull out Greek/Hebrew word studies & all sorts of history books in order to understand scripture, you are surely driving away almost everyone interested in studying the Bible.Most people around the world throughout history haven't had access to all that information. The gospel isn't a matter of wisdom of the ages of man: it is a secret & hidden wisdom that brilliant minds & scholars will never understand as long as they are relying on their own knowledge. No, God has revealed to us through the Spirit because no one understands the wisdom of God EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD! (1 Cor. 2:1-3:4) TRUE wisdom is a gift of God. If I study the Bible according to man's wisdom, the Bible will never make sense because the world DOESN'T HAVE the Spirit of God!Yes, I absolutely agree that understanding the Greek meaning of a word can give us an even deeper understanding of a passage than we have if all we know is what the word means to us today. Same thing applies to understanding the life of the readers when a passage was written rather than the life/culture of today wherever we reside. HOWEVER, while these things may contribute to the DEPTH of our understanding, they aren't essential for us to understand & obey the gospel.God didn't write the Bible through so many men to reach the Einsteins of the ages: He had it written plainly enough that the common man could understand, obey, & be saved. To demand we overlook this truth - to require everyone to completely grasp Hebrew/Greek as well as the customs, way of life, & history of the time of writing - is to require more than God requires. Even today it isn't plausible that the majority of the world could possibly know the context as described by the author. However, I have no doubt that people are being saved. Thank goodness our salvation depends on God's expectations/requirements rather than some man's list of requirements & rules of understanding.In his discussion on the rapture the author mentions the Nicene & Apostolic creeds. Fortunately I don't have to know anything about either one of these to be saved. Again: I depend on God's words, not man's. His word saves; man's doesn't.The author clearly says that the context of 1 Thess. 4:13-17 is the resurrection. No, it isn't. The context is the second coming of Christ. See vs. 16: "For the Lord Himself WILL DESCEND from heaven...." We were raised from the dead in baptism as noted in Rom. 6:3-5. We were dead, buried, & raised from the dead (like Christ) to walk in a new life. Yes, those who are physically dead & buried WILL be raised (from their graves) to meet the Lord in the air. However, those of us still physically alive will not be resurrected: we aren't buried!We don't need to go to 3 OT scriptures to understand 1 Thess. 4. Yes, there will be a PUBLIC resurrection: the dead in Christ will rise from their graves to meet Christ IN THE AIR! Dead people all around the globe will come out of their graves! HOWEVER, as they rise to meet Christ, those Christians who are still physically alive will ALSO rise to meet them AND Christ IN THE AIR! Again: NOTHING SECRETIVE ABOUT IT! People all around the world will witness the event! How simple is that? Why complicate it by making it say something it doesn't say?Poor Paul? NO! Poor Morrison & those he confuses & discourages. Trust GOD, not some person (even me). Be Bereans! Search the Bible! (Acts 17:11) Cross reference Bibles are a BIG help in studying! If possible, use one. I do!

Loved this short but liberating book. Truthfully, I was already on the way to rejecting once and for all, this blight on the beautiful gospel. This book has confirmed my own studies and journey. Having recently returned to faith as a prodigal daughter, I was shocked at the spawning of the internet video apocalypse/endtimes "orgy" of speculative horror that occupies, seduces and frankly twists the outlook of many christians! It horrified me but almost sucked me in except that I discovered sane voices that confirmed the loving father who has run towards me and held me in his arms is not about to morph to a character out of Amityville house of horrors! Frankly, Stephen is on the money about the rapture being a modern heresy. It denies the character and work of Jesus and the gospel and crushed hope and compassion. A great springboard for further study with other works recommended to delve deeper. Here's to the glorious future bought by our beautiful saviour on earth as it is in heaven, until He comes.

An interesting argument against the doctrine of the rapture believed by millions of gullible Christians. He makes some cogent arguments, though they will not convince those predisposed to believe the doctrine. It has caught the imagination of much of the church and, at least where I go to church, most people are not educated or analytical enough to study the Bible text in any academic detail. I have been dubious about the doctrine for a long time and am predisposed to agree with him despite my doubts about some of his arguments. To me, the doctrine is a distraction from the real business of the church - worship and witness - and intrinsically unlikely in all its fanciful detail. I am personally very dubious about any doctrine drawn from esoteric interpretations of prophecy. For example, I remember a time when it was widely taught that the EU would have ten members, then an eleventh would join and the antichrist would emerge. I also remember a time when Hitler was identified as the antichrist. A fault of many interpreters of prophecy seems to be that they are too literal and do not appreciate the symbolic nature of much prophetic Scripture.I do find the ungrammatical text of the Kindle version irritating. There are several instances where an apostrophe s ('s) is used to create a plural. 'Fared' is spelled 'faired'. Who proof-read this book? A professionally published book should use a professional proof-reader.

The only reason to fear the rapture would be if you were going to be left behind. Reason number 5 was the most laughable he thinks the world is getting better; what planet is he on?

I think this book should be a mandatory read for anyone studying eschatology. Stephen carefully takes the reader through factual,logical and biblically sound explanations in each of the points he makes. A book of hope that shows and celebrates the true loving nature of God!

Good