And yet that same Paul who so many claim revealed a 'get out of 'Dodge' early doctrine states clearly what is required to 'survive' the tribulation in Ephesians 6: the whole chapter but in very specific literal terms verse 12
For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
AND God Himself had Amos tell us what 'food' was going to be in short supply, NOT for these flesh bodies but for the 'soul' .... Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that *I* will send a famine in the land, NOT a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, BUT of hearing the words of the LORD:
Christ Himself said the first sign of His return was mass deception, by those coming/claiming in and of His Name.
There is no scripture that hints or states that anyone will escape that 'great' tribulation unless their flesh bodies return to the dust from which it came and their soul returns to the Maker that sent it. The deception is NOT having sealed in the mind which 'Jesus' shows up first. Even Paul says that it will not be until the last trump (7th) that the 'real' LORD and Savior returns and upon HIS return ALL flesh will be changed. So if the inhabitants on this earth are still walking around in flesh needing bread and water the 'real' Saviour has not returned.
Oh Paul reports the last trump as the benchmark for the return of our LORD and Saviour in ICorinthians 15:52. Paul says in verse 21 that he was going to show us a 'mystery'... We shall not all sleep, but we shall ALL be changed.
There is no place in the whole of the WORD that hints/suggests or states that Christ is making two trips at the end of this 'world', which actually means 'flesh' AGE.
Yes it does which is surprising to hear coming from a Catholic...It means 'age'...The church age...The time of the church...The times of the Gentiles...
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Christians...Only Christians...The dead who are not in Christ will not be raised...
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Christians...Only Christians...Only those who are alive who are Christians will be raised...All other live people will stay here...
And where will we go???
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
That's the church right there...Getting married...Right smack in the middle of the plagues taking place on earth during the Tribulation...
Read the entire chapter...Even then, maybe you won't get it because it is spiritually discerned but it's all right there...
Christians, along with their bodies and the bodies of the Christians who have died are raised to heaven...Jesus does not come to the Earth...No one sees Jesus, not even Christians (until we are in his presence)...
And of course there will be live people here during the Tribulation...Live, hungry people...
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
And if you don't worship the beast, you won't eat...You won't buy gas for your car...You won't ride a bus...
The deception is NOT having sealed in the mind which 'Jesus' shows up first. Even Paul says that it will not be until the last trump (7th) that the 'real' LORD and Savior returns and upon HIS return ALL flesh will be changed. So if the inhabitants on this earth are still walking around in flesh needing bread and water the 'real' Saviour has not returned
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The scripture doesn't say the 'last trumpet'...It says the last trump of a trumpet...And it won't be one of the 7 trumpets blasting during the Tribulation...
The context of the entire chapter deals with Christians...Those in Christ...When these people are raised, there will be plenty of live, non-Christians roaming the streets...And the cemeteries will be full of dead non-Christians...
Christ Himself said the first sign of His return was mass deception, by those coming/claiming in and of His Name.
But Jesus said real Christians will not be deceived...Only those who think they are Christians and are not...That's why Jesus gave this command:
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
There is not a (YOU) search the scriptures in the original...It's a command to search the scriptures...Do not listen to your church...Search God's word for yourself...
But anyway, there will not be any Christians following the wrong Christ in the Rapture...It won't be a bus pulling up with someone saying, 'all aboard'...
We won't have any choice but to go...I may be sitting in the bathtub at the time...When Jesus says, 'come up hither', I'm outta here with a head full of shampoo...
This happens a lot on FR. Some of these posters may not even be human beings. I do not know but, Thank God, God knows.