End Times Ping
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The time is here indeed.
Maranatha!
You ain’t whistling Dixie!
So, what are believers supposed to "endure until the end"....if believers are all raptured out ""before"" the wrath of the tribulation? It's a nice dream... but since the beginning Christians have been persecuted and slaughtered. I don't think we're going to get that lucky....especially the way things are already going (leftists/communists/Muslims against Christians). We're not special, just because we're living in the end days or the beginning of the end days. We will be made to suffer just as Christians have always previously suffered. I don't like the reality, but it is what it is.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
But Jesus does not say that "all who have accepted Jesus as their Savior will not be here during the tribulation"... did he. I believe he would have clearly stated that, if it were true....since he clearly spelled out everything else.
I think that spreading false hope is more of a threat to people's faith than preparing them for what is to come. Many will lose their faith when they find themselves living and "enduring" the tribulation. The devil will be whispering to them that it was all a lie and many will fall.
Regarding Luke 21:28: I don't understand why you used this passage to point to your theory of a pre-trib rapture. It just doesn't make sense to me...since the previous verse clearly states that "they" (meaning all) shall see the Son of man coming with power and great glory. Previous verses describe what happens during the tribulation. And yet... the pre-trib rapture is supposed to be something that comes "like a thief in the night"...before the tribulation. If all will see, it means that Jesus is coming, finally, to defeat Satan...at the END of the tribulation.
Regarding the "saved": I believe this means that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved from damnation...saved from Hell...
not saved from the tribulation. I believe if it meant saved from enduring the tribulation, it would have said that. Again, what did Jesus mean by "enduring until the end"? He meant enduring the tribulation.
Again, IMHO ...giving false hope to Christians will do more harm than good re: the pre-trib rapture theory. I have family members that are Christians, but are weak...to the point that I fear they would lose their faith completely if they live long enough to have to endure the tribulation. It just won't compute with them due to what they've been "told" by pre-trib rapture preachers.