Clarification of our View of Pre-Tribulation

A recent article by a Moriel missionary described the pre-tribulational position of John N. Darby as being demonically deluded.

John Nelson Darby was indeed in our view seriously deluded by the hyper dispensationalism to which he propounded and which factored into his split from the Open Brethren and Plymouth Brethren and has laid the ground work for closed brethren groups such as the Taylorites which we consider to be a cult that is indeed demonic. Darby’s hyper dispensational theology, among other problems, carries subtle influences of ancient Marcionism. Darby’s erroneous actions have unfortunately and unjustly tarnished the good name and reputation of more scripturally based Brethren groups and of moderate dispensationalists and caused rapture belief itself to be discredited.

While Moriel moreover does indeed believe the rapture of the church cannot transpire until the faithful church, on the basis of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 identifies the Man of Lawlessness (ultimate anti christ), there are other ministries which we otherwise appreciate and even endorse that do not share our position.

It is not our intention to in anyway describe our many friends and colleagues who still hold to pre-tribulational views as being demonically deluded, although that is our impression of John Darby. We apologetically regret any misunderstanding that may have resulted from the phraseology of the newsletter article in the October UK edition.

Our arguments are rather with those who deny there is a rapture. Also, in agreement with many pre-tribulational brethren, we reject the new fangled notion that the prophetically predicted great apostasy of 2 Thessalonians is the rapture. In context and by virtue of the other scriptural usages of ‘apostasia’ and the normal meaning of the underlying ‘aphistemai’, the apostasy is a falling away in the church that preceeds the rapture and the advent of the anti christ as has been traditionally believed and accepted.

Our low regard for John Darby in no way suggests an automatic low regard for all pre-tribulationalists. This is certainly and definitely not our position. On the contrary, a number of our closest hold to this position although it is not our own.

Again, we regret any misunderstandings.

In Jesus,
Jacob Prasch