Sorry, but I don’t agree with much of what you say. I am a believer. Here is a headline for 2020 from Christianity Today: 2,200 Nigerian Christians hacked to death in 2020; 34,400 since 2009: Intersociety report.
Christians are going thru terrible persecution TODAY in other parts of the world. Where is the pre-trib rapture for them?
When I read Jesus’ words in the gospels about the end times he speaks words of persecution to his followers Luke 21: 12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.
We need to be prepared for difficult times ahead if these are the last days.
I have recently started to believe that there is no pretrib rapture. I agree that when looking at persecution of Christians around the planet, that there is no reason to think that the USA will escape persecution. (Although, up until 45 years or so ago I would have called us a Christian nation and the pretrib rapture was more believable)
I have no idea what persecution will look like here, but we are seeing inklings.
(An aside: four years ago I would have said Mike Pence was a Christian and Donald Trump not one. Now that has flip flopped. By their fruits...)
You both said it better than I could. I’ll just add that I sincerely hope that the pre-trib rapture people take time to examine and consider that that is only one interpretation, and that there are others. I am afraid for their faith if things should go south in America and we Christians face real persecution as is happening in other parts of the world, and don’t get miraculously whisked out of harm’s way. What makes us special? One can’t help but wonder if this relatively modern teaching is part of the great deception.
At the Last Trump, the 7th Trump. To me, that is when those who are still alive will be transformed, along with the dead. ALL will be transformed, even those who are not believers. Those who were Sainted by the process of being killed for their faith must wait, until their brethren also die for their faith.
Clearly, again in my opinion, the vast majority will not be raptured as they wish. I cannot say if any beside the 2 witnesses will be, but with God all things are possible. Tribulation will come to all, it is the fire that refines us.
Christians have been persecuted since Jesus' time.
The rapture is not a guarantee that one would never be persecuted or face troubles or tribulations.
It's that the Church, the body of all believers who have put their faith in Jesus for salvation, would not have to go though what is known as The Great Tribulation that is described in the book of Revelation. The Great Tribulation is a period of judgment on the unbelieving world and a dealing with the nation of Israel by God.
THAT is the tribulation that Christians are to be raptured from, not generic, everyday persecution for their faith.
Correct. Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan etc. Etc
Jesus warned His followers that they to EXPECT persecution, not some magical taking away before the trials and tribulations. But those that endure to the end will be saved.
I think Asia Bibi is far more of a Christian than us who sit in comfort in the west