[OBW]

I will admit that the particular parables do suggest that there is more to the Christian life and the life hereafter than believing and getting a ticket to heaven (no matter how you want to understand that).

At the same time, all of the references are parables and metaphors, therefore not simply stated as "this is how it is going to happen."

But it would seem that the more important thing to note is that the goal of all of such references is to move those who might appear to be falling toward the wrong end of the parables/metaphors to take corrective action. In other words, no matter what might actually be, the choice is to move in the right direction — either because you just are, or because you are chided into action due to concerns about the alternatives.

As for the "rapture," I, a life-long evangelical (Assemblies of God [1st 18 years of life], LC [next 14.5 years], then Bible churches [all years since then]) am not sure that getting into issues of a "rapture" is very important. I am not a good dispensationalist. And not a good Calvinist. And not a good Arminian. Those are all distractions from living this life in the here-and-now according to the Spirit.

Even the "wretched urgency" of getting a x# of spiritual laws tracts into everyone's hand to go out and preach the gospel is a distraction from the porpose of the Christian life and the church. Not saying that the gospel is not important. But it is not THE important thing that everyone should be constantly engaged in — other than in that our living should preach the gospel as visible bearers of the image of God.