I suppose it’s time for members of the body to once again run the old and false doctrine of premillennialism up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. I am saddened by and afraid of the influence of Willie Robertson, producer of the new Left Behind movie that premieres October 3rd. Here he is:
Perhaps the reason that believers have shared the accounts of Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark and Jonah and the Whale with their children without talking about the rapture is because the Bible does not speak of “the rapture”. It certainly does not speak of anyone “vanishing into thin air” on the last day and it does not speak of anyone being “left behind” on this earth. The factual prophecy of the last day includes the faithful meeting the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:16-18) and the earth and all of its elements melting with fervent heat (II Peter 3:10-12). It speaks of those who have rejected the Savior being divided from those who have obeyed and all of both groups being judged simultaneously and, thus, entering into their eternal places of torment or bliss (hell or heaven) directly following that great judgment (Matthew 25:32-33).The “Left Behind” fantasy is just that.
I have hated, for the past couple of years, to see our brethren clamor after the Robertsons because I kept seeing evidences that they were compromising the moral and spiritual truths in the Word (thecolleyhouse.org/duck-dynasty-a-clear-call). I do not believe they have represented New Testament Christianity, the church of Christ, in a good way. God has called us to be holy and the promotion of drinking and selling alcohol, the opening of casinos, the acceptance of dancing and immodesty, the use of euphemisms, and the full cooperation with denominations is not a picture of sanctification.
But this new and blatant promotion of premillennialism surely will cause members of the body to take pause. Surely we will stop inviting Willie Robertson to our congregations to speak on spiritual topics. Surely we will stop encouraging our teens to put him on the pedestals of their impressionable minds. Surely we will concede that, while there may be some entertainment value in the Dynasty, the danger of selling premillennialism in wholesale and Hollywood fashion, outruns any positive effect that Willie might be wielding. This very bold and public denial of Biblical truth puts Willie in the category of false teachers of whom we must beware (II Peter 2:1).
Christians should study up on what the New Testament plainly teaches about the judgement day. Opportunities will be presented among our friends who go see the movie. We should be ready to teach the truth about the judgement of God in love. We must be sad when our brethren leave faithfulness and buy into false doctrines that will cause their souls to be lost. But we should look for the opportunities that may spring forth even from the apostasy of those who turn away. There will be many souls influenced negatively by this production. May we be on the lookout for the chance that could come from this huge undertaking of the devil to teach someone the soul-saving truth about the last great day.
