Faith and Reason

I accept LaHaye's theories pretty much. Very little difference.

As to actual opinions, it would sound very repetitive to go through it again, but I think the thing that actually matters is being ready.

You live your life according the faith, of course you stumble, but as a saved person you will make it to heaven with or without rapture or tribulation or whatever combination of factors.

I really don't think about it much, but you have all the scripturual references.

I believe LaHaye identified a bunch of stuff that has to happen before rapture or trib can come. One of which is the rebuilding of both Babylon and the Temple in Jerusalem. The former is happening on some level, and the latter seem the most difficult considering the Dome of the Rock sits on the old site.

I would give it more thought if I thought it more critical to my faith. I know a LOT of Christians that reject the rapture and LaHaye, and I find that we agree on what counts, Jesus Christ is coming back.

I would add this, like you(GoPokes82) it is pre-trib that lines up with my belief in God.

I believe the Rapture will spare the faithful. I believe many will be converted almost immediately, as they will recognize what just happened. I believe there will be ton of pain and suffering to follow. In Left Behind, they did suffer at the hands of the Anti-Christ and his followers, but tended to be spared specific acts of God.

I think the following 7 years will be the worst since the biblical descriptions of pre-flood of earth. I believe that Christ will return, and both conquer evil and establish his Kingdom in Jerusalem. After a 1000years, Satan will be released one last time, and some inexplicably will fall with him.

Then there will be a New Heaven and New Earth(I am thinking anyway). Not sure if I am remembering it correctly.

You've reminded his book series just fine.

In a previous post I mentioned God's original intentional will. Humans are the only living beings created in the image of the Creator. We were created free of sin and therefore able to have communion directly with God. By all reasonable understandings of these events, it seems apparent that this was God's original intentional will for man. The stain of original sin separated man from God permanently. This was displeasing to God so He sent His Son to intercede on our behalf. By accepting the burden of our sins, Christ gave man a second opportunity to once again live in God's presence. Having been created with perfect bodies free of fear, illness, death and most importantly sin, (which incurs God's wrath) would seem to indicate that none of these things were His desire for us. Accepting that line of thinking, being raptured before the tribulation is consistent with what pre-trib believers support as the return of man to God's grace and His original intentional will.

I hope this explains the pre-trib beliefs and their origin. I don't want to hijack this thread but since you asked I wanted to respond.