Also, for the rapture Jesus never touches foot on the earth but meets us in the clouds.
At the 2nd coming he stands physically on the mount of olives.
These are 2 seperate events.
Just as the Word says, he has not appointed us to wrath.
“Persecute Me Please
You would think the desire to go through the tribulation would be as popular as the desire to jump into a pit filled with vipers and broken glass. As illogical as it may seem, there appears to be a large number of Christians that fully expect to get roughed up before Christ returns.
Many Christians argue strongly for the right to suffer persecution at the hands of the Antichrist and the one world government. These tribulation saint wannabees constantly harp, “Because Jesus and His disciples suffered persecution, we should expect no better.” It’s been my experience that people with the weakest faith are generally the ones that talk the boldest. When the slightest difficulty comes their way, they cry to high heaven.
I hate to be the bearer of good news, but the word of God clearly states that believers will escape the tribulation bloodbath. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 5:9). “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev 3:10).
In one regard, people who think the Church will go through the tribulation are somewhat correct. I believe there will be a huge number of “carnal Christians” that will find themselves left behind. By having the rapture before the tribulation, all those who find themselves facing the wrath of God will be without an excuse.”
Also, for the rapture Jesus never touches foot on the earth but meets us in the clouds. At the 2nd coming he stands physically on the mount of olives. These are 2 seperate events. Just as the Word says, he has not appointed us to wrath. “Persecute Me Please You would think the desire to go through the tribulation would be as popular as the desire to jump into a pit filled with vipers and broken glass. As illogical as it may seem, there appears to be a large number of Christians that fully expect to get roughed up before Christ returns. Many Christians argue strongly for the right to suffer persecution at the hands of the Antichrist and the one world government. These tribulation saint wannabees constantly harp, “Because Jesus and His disciples suffered persecution, we should expect no better.” It’s been my experience that people with the weakest faith are generally the ones that talk the boldest. When the slightest difficulty comes their way, they cry to high heaven. I hate to be the bearer of good news, but the word of God clearly states that believers will escape the tribulation bloodbath. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 5:9). “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev 3:10). In one regard, people who think the Church will go through the tribulation are somewhat correct. I believe there will be a huge number of “carnal Christians” that will find themselves left behind. By having the rapture before the tribulation, all those who find themselves facing the wrath of God will be without an excuse.” Amen to your post.
Those who will be left behind will be professing Christians, who had not received Christ as their personal saviour but belong to a Christian 'church'.
The Great Tribulation is not a time for Christian trouble, but of Jacobs (the Jew's) trouble (Jer.30:7)
There is a little understood clue to 2Thess and the images of Rapturing the Church. It is found in noting the groups in Heaven and when they are identified: The Bride of Christ is the Church, ‘the virgins who kept their oil trimmed’ and at the Wedding of the Lamb and His Bride there are a cloud of witnesses so great no man could number them. This event, this wedding with Bride and invited guests is a very different scene from the Great Throne of Judgment where the hallmark of some will be Christ’s statement ‘depart from me, I never knew you.’ I would find it imminently interesting if a few of our FR bible scholars would address those two separate distinct events and the groups in attendance to each.