"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way." 2 Thessalonians 2:7
If you are not familiar with it, the Christian Zionist, or Dispensationalist, uses this verse to teach that after the "Rapture" the Holy Spirit will be removed from the Earth and that He will no longer indwell or influence men. Among the hundreds (if not thousands) of nonsensical and illogical beliefs bound up in this bankrupt system of theology, this one has got to be the most astounding.
The Dispensational system of theology teaches that even after the "Rapture" people will be getting saved. There are a couple monumental problems with this.
First, if all the Christians were removed from Earth at the "Rapture," who could possibly tell the remaining people about Jesus? Who could disciple them properly? Who could tell them about sin, repentance and faith? That is right... No one! "How then will they call on Him in
whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have
not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:14). All the Christians have been removed. Who is going to preach to the lost? If someone could miraculously
believe, they would then be a Christian, which, logically, would
"rapture" them out of the world since, according to Dispensational
theology, Christians are not supposed to experience the wrath of
God poured out on the world. If you are a believer, you are a Christian
and you belong to the Church. Simple as that.
Second, if the Holy Spirit is removed from the Earth and no longer indwells or influences men, how could the remaining people possibly get saved? You cannot exercise something that has not been given to you. Read your Bible! Faith is a gift from God. If God does not grant you faith, you cannot and will not believe. Every change that must accompany salvation is brought about by the Holy Spirit. If He does not first make you born again from above, giving you a new heart with new desires and granting you faith so that you may believe, then you remain dead in your sins. You can only exercise faith once the Holy Spirit has changed you in order that you will exercise faith. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit" (Matt. 7:18). An unregenerate person with a heart of stone (bad tree) cannot choose to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. They cannot regenerate themselves nor give themselves a heart of flesh. Likewise, a regenerate person with a heart of flesh (good tree) cannot choose to reject Jesus as Lord and Saviour. They cannot unregenerate themselves nor give themselves a heart of stone. If the Spirit has regenerated you and given you salvation through faith, you will exercise the faith you have been granted because you can do nothing less. If the Holy Spirit has not regenerated you and given you salvation through faith, you cannot exercise a faith you do not possess.
Jesus has been reduced merely to an object by the Dispensational system of theology. All you need to do is exercise something you do not possess (faith) and you can save yourself. Their system of theology teaches that your salvation is in your hands; that you can choose to accept or reject Christ Jesus. Jesus is the object and you and/or your faith are the source.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is both the object and the source of our salvation. If you do not believe, it is because you do not belong to Him. What do John 3:18 and 3:36 say? What does John 10:26 say (see also John 8:47; 18:37; 1 John 4:6)?