AFTER WE'RE GONE You asked a very fair, and good, question recently, which I skirted away from answering    at the time. "(Assuming the Bible is true, and the Rapture of the Church will one day occur...) do the people that are left behind get a second chance, or is that it - are we all doomed to hell for not accepting Christ, once it happens?" That's a question that almost always comes up when the Rapture issue is discussed with not-yet-believers, and it's a question which Christians in general probably hate to have to answer. But it's also a question that I will probably get asked more than once, considering my book, so I don't want to remain evasive, or run from the question. I'm writing this out in a letter, not to avoid discussion or debate with you, but so that I'll also be able to honestly and completely give the answer to others in the future. I'll probably save this letter, as a file, in order to keep me from having to say or write it out over and over again, and I imagine that I'll probably E-mail this to many people, from the website, over the years to come. I hope that knowing this doesn't offend you, or somehow cheapen the personal sincerity of me writing this letter for you, but it will probably be useful for me to do it this way. Overall, I'm sure you understand. Considering the frequent intensity of our conversations, you may even appreciate the break anyway - you get the question answered, and glean the information you want, but at your leisure and in solitude, without actually having to listen to me drone on. What a deal! Anyway, the answer to the question, "Do those who miss the Rapture get another chance?" is (the Christian reluctantly mumbles), a highly qualified, "Yes." The obvious reason that any Christian would be reluctant to answer that question in the affirmative, is that it can leave one thinking, "Great! Then I can just wait until then to get saved! I'll know for sure that time's running out, but until then, I can do what I want!" Okay, that may seem a little exaggerated, but honestly, isn't that what's really at the heart of the question? Which is why I skirted answering it then. If there's still time, and there really is a second chance, then why get saved now? You can see why Christians would not want to give a one-word answer to that one. It would sort of hamper our evangelistic efforts, don't you know... But it's not a question that deserves a yes/no answer, either. It deserves a complete answer. A lot could ride on it. And like anything you might ask me, it deserves an honest answer; so here goes...   History continues, most Christians believe, for an unknown amount of time amount of time after the Rapture of the Church. The majority probably believe that the Rapture begins the seven-year Tribulation period, some believe it happens halfway through (I lean toward that), and a few think that it ends the seven-year period, and immediately precedes, perhaps by only seconds, the Second Coming of Christ (if that's true, then the answer is obviously "No, there is not a second chance." You can see already that there's a probability that it's not safe to wait until then, but truthfully, that opinion is in the vast minority. But then, hey, they could be right. Who can say?). So why the confusion? Why the differences of opinion? Why all the disagreement? Firstly, my honest opinion is that The Lord intentionally does not make that point clear in scripture. Some things are very clear - the divinity of Jesus, for example; his virgin birth, atoning death and resurrection; The Second Coming; the reality of an eternal destination. These things are the important issues, and there is no disagreement among Christians about them. They are plainly spelled out. Knowing when the Rapture might occur, however, is not essential to having a relationship with Jesus (unless one is waiting for the Rapture before they enter into one - which you can also already see sort of dilutes the basic message). In Come Sail Away, I mentioned that the scriptures actually discourage us from trying to pin down the timing of the Rapture. Jesus did say that we should be able to interpret the season in which it will occur, but the day and hour were not even his to tell us. The Bible says that we should never get into trying to predict the date, in all of history, that it will occur; my personal opinion is that we really shouldn't be dogmatic about our belief even to when, relating to the seven years, it will happen (Pre, Mid, or Post-Tribulation). Why not? First, let me mention why I think it's unhealthy for the Christian, and then I'll explain, briefly, why it's not good for the person who is considering becoming one, to wait until then. Number one, the Bible says we will never know. Number two, it divides believers into factions if they think they know - resulting in disunity, a weaker church, and a bad witness to the world. Number three, if you're expecting the Rapture to happen before the Tribulation, and the Tribulation hits, you're mad at God (see Number One), and ill-prepared mentally and spiritually for what you might have to live through. Number four, we all know how annoying those "going out of business sale" commercials for furniture outlets can get, once you've heard the same store's ad for six years. But for Two Thousand years?!? Please! As Pastor Brad said to me when we were discussing my book, the entry of the church into history was a mystery (meaning, that despite what was spelled out in the scriptures in the Torah, the "Old" Testament, the Jews did not see us coming); likewise, the exit of the church from history will also be a mystery. We too (the church), will probably be somewhat surprised by the way it actually pans out, despite the abundance of scriptures. Just as much of Jesus' first appearance fulfilled prophecy, nobody understood that prophecy was being fulfilled until it was actually happening right in front of their eyes. Most didn't even get it until well after it had happened! Many more didn't get it at all. Despite everything, their hearts remained hardened to the scriptures, to what God was revealing to them, and to the Holy Spirit's "wooing" them to know Jesus (careful, there's a subtle message hidden somewhere between those lines). But now to the real issue - The Second Chance. Yes, people will be saved after the Rapture. You do get another chance."... He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 The Book of Revelation (ch 7) teaches that 144,000 Jews will suddenly believe on Jesus Christ as their long-awaited Messiah, before he physically appears, and will probably become the most incredible evangelistic force the planet has ever seen. Revelation 14:6 describes an angel who proclaims the gospel "to every nation, tribe, language and people." Many, worldwide, will believe the gospel, and will be saved. The promise from Romans 10:13, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved," will be just as good on the last day of history as it is today.      Today.        History continues, I believe, for 3 1/2 more years, and many more believe, for 7 more years. They will be the worst years of your life, and the most horrible disasters our society has ever seen will occur during this time. You read in Come Sail Away of the earthquakes, objects falling from the sky, and the poisoned waters. You read of the one-world government that will emerge, ruled by "The Beast," who will, through deception, false miracles, and promises of "peace and safety," convert the entire world to a single unified religion, with a global political system, and you read of the "mark of the beast," which will be needed to access your bank account. (These scriptures are repeated on the other side of this document, for those who truly do read this "After We're Gone.") The really practical issue though, is whether one can wait until this time to "get saved." There would only be two types of people who would ask your question, "Will I have a second chance?" There'd be those who truly don't believe the gospel, but have heard maybe enough that the Rapture happening would convince them of it's ultimate truth; they'd then be glad for the opportunity to get saved. There'd also be those who do believe the gospel, right now, but won't commit their hearts just yet, but would want to after the Rapture - at the last minute, but only once it came down to it. Which are you? Think about it carefully before you answer...            The Rapture of the Church will occur, only God-knows-when. But here's what will happen when it does. Millions of people will disappear from the earth in an instant. Many of them will be driving cars. Some will be flying airplanes. Some will be operating on patients. You get the picture, I'm sure. Many, many people will die within minutes of the Rapture without knowing it even happened, and without getting saved "at the last minute." Now, of the two types of people mentioned above, whom would a just God spare in a moment like that? Who would die instantly? And who would survive the earthquakes, the wars and natural disasters long enough to get saved? Would he spare those who have already, repeatedly, rejected the offer; or would he spare those who have not yet heard, or understood, or believed the offer, enough to accept or reject it? Hypothetically speaking, the opportunity will still be around, but realistically speaking, will you? I never use "scare tactics" to force a conversion. I'm a teacher, however, and information and logic are fair game for me. Even though my book seemed to center around the end of the world, scaring people into belief is not my heart at all. That book, dealt specifically with UFOs, and since you've read it (thanks!), you know the issues cannot be divorced. You can't do UFOs without doing the Rapture, and without doing The End. But as one local preacher, whom I adore for his humor, has so wisely said, "We are never, ever, called in scripture to preach the Second Coming as an evangelistic message. We have a simple story to tell, and it's all about the first coming of Jesus Christ - God on a cross - if people believe it, and receive it, they're saved. If they don't, they're not." While Jesus is good fire insurance, there's only one reason to get saved ... if you believe. And if you do believe, then confess it. "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.' Romans 9:10 "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart..." Hebrews 4:7 Will the Rapture even occur in our lifetime? A lot of my kind sure seem to think so, but we've been wrong about that one more times than church historians can even catalog. It could be a hundred years still, or a thousand. I don't know, and sometimes I'm more tired of those who think they know than you'll ever be, since you only hang around with one or two of us. But the truth is, it could also be five minutes from now. It could have happened since I gave you this letter. So keep it in a safe place, okay?                                   Love,