John Nelson Darby (who did not believe in adult baptism) claimed to be the source of dispensational hermeneutics and the pre-tribulation delusion. Wilkinson credits Darby with "restoring this precious truth" and has obviously swallowed Darby's false claim to have discovered "new truth" or "rediscovered truth" that had been lost since the apostles (2 Timothy 3:13). Claims of direct extra-biblical revelation are of course the trade mark of many false prophets. Nevertheless, Wilkinson expects his hearers to buy into Darby's pre-tribulation delusion in spite of its obvious defects.
The dispute between Darby and Newton became intensely personal on a number of levels. Newton interpreted 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1 as proof of a post tribulation, non-secret rapture. He viewed Darby's dispensational and pre-tribulation rapture teaching as "the height of speculative nonsense". The various disputes between the two men resulted in Darby accusing Newton of deception and dishonesty. These charges were investigated by the elders at Ebrington Street and were dismissed. Actually, Newton's theology was very sound, especially in comparison with Darby's unscriptural rantings. This dispute was not about straightforward non-essential theological differences at all, it was underpinned by a dark spiritual battle between darkness and light. I say this because of Darby's intense hatred, character assassination and outright rejection of anyone who disagreed with him, which was anything BUT Christian. Does this sound familiar?
Brethren leaders George Müller, Anthony Groves and Benjamin Newton suffered intensely at the hands of Darby, who would broker no opposition to his sectarian views. Darby would not even put up with anyone who wished to remain neutral. Darby's response to ANY opposition was to simply annihilate it. Those who disagreed with him were excommunicated. Why? - Because according to Darby, the Lord had personally revealed dispensational hermeneutics to him directly. In his own eyes this made him "right" and gave him liberty to butcher the body of Christ. It is difficult to argue against against a man with such obvious forcefulness, intelligence and powers of intimidation.
Charles Spurgeon:
"Mr. Darby is, to all intents and purposes a thorough Pope, though under a Protestant name. He will never admit that he is in error; and therefore very naturally declines to argue with those who controvert the soundness of his views. How, indeed, could it be otherwise? If Mr. Darby holds, which he does, with a firm grasp, the principle that whatever conclusions he and those acting in conjunction with him may come to, express beyond all question the mind of the Spirit; and if those Darbyites who gather together in London, can go so far as to exclude all other denominations, even the most godly among them, 'believing themselves to be the one or only, assembly of God in London,' how need we feel surprised that Mr. Darby, as the 'prophet, priest, and king' of the party, should exercise a perfect despotism within the domains of Darbyism?. . ."
http://spurgeon.org/s_and_t/dbreth.htm
George Müller:
"Scripture declares plainly that the Lord Jesus will not come until the Apostasy shall have taken place, and the man of sin shall have been revealed..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller
Anthony Groves:
"He (Groves) became increasingly concerned with the drift of the Plymouth Brethren towards sectarianism under the leadership of Darby and aligned himself with George Müller when the brethren split in 1848 to form the Open Brethren and Exclusive Brethren."
http://self.gutenberg.org/article/WHEBN0005787956/Anthony%20Norris%20Groves
Was the same divisive spirit insidiously operating at The Berean Call Conference this year? Paul Wilkinson's attempt to discredit and undermine the ministries of Joe Schimmel, Jacob Prasch and Joel Richardson in the name of "love and truth" is quite despicable, and having looked into the history, the comparison is hard to miss!
Paul Wilkinson (looking suitably humble):
"This DVD is damaging, it's destructive, it's dangerous, and it is thoroughly dishonest, and it is one of the most abominable Christian DVD's I have ever sat through. .....it is full of false accusations, unsubstantiated myths and lies."
"These men sadly are not doing what every pastor and every teacher is called ultimately to do if he is faithful to the word of God...."
"You will not hear these men talk about their love for Jesus; you will not see the tears fall down their cheeks; they will speak of the coming of the Lord very academically and very intellectually, but where is the heart, where is the love, where is the longing? It is not there. One of the reasons it is not there is that they are not pastors, they have not been called to take care of the flock, they have not been called to help prepare the bride for the bridegroom.
"The integrity of that man! .....it (LBOLA) is thoroughly dishonest on all kinds of levels."
Apart from the above direct quotes, Wilkinson went into considerable detail, claiming: Joe Schimmel "tricked and deceived" Colin Le Noury (PWMI) into admitting that there is not one verse of scripture to prove a pre-tribulation theory. Realising Colin Le Noury's embarrassing blunder, their presumptuous attempt to force Joe Schimmel by dictatorial edict to omit Le Noury's quote from the LBOLA DVD failed! http://livestream.com/bereancallconference/israel2
We see a quite a different spirit operating in Joe Schimmel and Jacob Prasch:
Joe Schimmel: "This isn't something we should divide fellowship over as Christians, because we recognise that this is an in-house debate. There are wonderful, beautiful, good Christians on both sides of the issue in this debate." LBOLA
Jacob Prasch: "We do not allow differing views as to the sequence of events preceding the rapture, or the exact point of its timing in the sequence, to become a basis for division but only for discussion."
http://www.moriel.org/component/k2/item/1709-when-will-the-rapture-take-place.html?ml=1
When they do refute the pre-tibulation delusion, Joe Schimmel and Jacob Prasch do not attempt to assassinate the ministries and reputations of those who genuinely hold this view.
Wilkinson, McMahon et'al should think long and hard about the consequences of attempting to destroy reputations and ministries over what is in fact based on nothing more than the unsanctified opinion of megalomaniac John Nelson Darby. Someone has commented that they should apologise and retract their remarks, but I see no sign of this happening any time soon.
Anonymous commented on my previous post:
"This mode of thought is deeply ingrained into their psyche, and no matter what you say to them about the fact that there is not one scripture to support the pre-trib rapture, they will not listen!"
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/left-behind-or-led-astray-paul.html#comments
If this is correct, then I do wonder whether God has given these men over to the pre-tribulation delusion, and in light of their conduct, I also wonder whether there is a hidden agenda here (2 Thessalonians 2:11).
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For
the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the
Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to
keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy,
drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you
before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of
God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-25)
A Roundtable Discussion Answering Dr. Paul Wilkinson & The Berean Call
Joe Schimmel, Jacob Prasch and John Haller:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiNjDYsHfh4&feature=youtu.be
The Sordid History Of The Pre-Tribulation Deception
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/thomas-ice-and-paul-wilkinson-sordid.html
Further Links:
https://davemosher.wordpress.com/tag/pre-trib-rapture/
http://post-trib.net/macpherson/tribpages.html
http://www.alankurschner.com/2015/09/03/dave-james-at-the-recent-berean-call-conference-gives-a-tortured-definition-of-what-prewrath-teaches/
http://nopretrib.com/an-open-letter-to-t-a-mcmahon-of-the-berean-call/
http://nopretrib.com/a-warning-from-corrie-ten-boom/
https://vimeo.com/139809424