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One more reason why I believe the pre-tribulation rapture is correct
From time to time, I will have post tribulationists write me claiming that I am some sort of heretic who needs to repent because I believe that the rapture of the church will be pre-tribulation. For some reason, they feel this is going to cause Christians (who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture) to fall away when they find themselves in the middle of the tribulation period. In fact, every email I have ever received from post-tribulationists states this as their main objection to the pre-tribulation rapture.
Frankly, their argument is extremely unbiblical, but not necessarily for the reasons you're thinking of. Unfortunately, those who hold to this argument just don't understand the true power behind living the Christian life. They forget that the Christian life is impossible to live outside of the Holy Spirit on either side of the tribulation period. They forget, anyone can claim to be a Christian, and many do, but only a true Christian is indwelt by the power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, any professing (false) Christian will quickly fall away during the tribulation period. It is the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer that makes it possible to live this life...even under great tribulation (Revelation 7:14).
Christians have been suffering unimaginable atrocities since the dawn of the early church. According to Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian magazine that chronicles modern day stories of martyrdom, today more than 3500 Christians are killed daily for their faith. Many of those deaths are preceded by torture... and that's in today's world! The Bible makes no secret of the fact that you may be called upon to suffer and die for your faith in Christ. In fact, speaking of the great tribulation period, Revelation 14:13 says, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth". God will consider it a blessing/honor for a Christian to suffer or die in the Lord during the tribulation period.
Recently, I had a post tribulationists e-mail me urging me to repent and stop teaching what he/she believed to be the false doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture. This person listed all the usual reasons for why the pre-tribulation rapture was unscriptural and asked for me to reply to his/her assertions. Anytime a post tribulationists emails me I never argue the Scriptures with them due to the fact that it always turns into a long circular argument no matter how much proof I present. Instead, I only ask them one simple question which I presented to this person:
If Christian's who are alive today go through the tribulation period (not raptured before) then who will Christ (and the Saints) rule over when He comes to reign for one-thousand years on earth (Millennium)? According to you if the rapture and the Second Coming occur at the end of the tribulation period who will be left on the earth for us to reign over? You must remember that I Thessalonians 4:13-18 says that every Christian will be raptured who is on the earth. The Bible also says that everyone outside of Christians will take the mark and it's clear they will be executed at the coming of the Lord. With that said, I ask again, who will be left on the earth to enter into the Millennium?
This was the answer of the individual:
As far as those left for us to govern in the Millennium, check out Matthew 25. Could it not be those nations (peoples) which have treated Israel well during antichrist's reign. Maybe. We'll all see. Soon. God bless you greatly. Revelation 12:11
Here is my answer to his/her reply:
Your answer to who will go into the Millennium if Christians are raptured defies Biblical logical. No nation or person will be able to enter the Millennium without knowing the Lord Jesus as Savior. You can't be neutral before the tribulation period to enter heaven (when you die) and you won't be able to be neutral when you stand before the same Lord when He judges the nations to enter into His earthly kingdom. And at both judgments those who don't know the Lord will be sent to a burning hell/lake of fire. The same requirement of salvation will be required for both judgments. Why do you think God will send out 144,000 witnesses (Revelation 7:1-8, 11:3) into every part of the world with divine protection to preach the Gospel? Everyone will hear the Gospel one way or another (angels; Revelation 14:1-12) and will be without excuse. Neutrality will not be an excuse and is inconsistent with the Bible (Matthew 6:24).
The argument that someone will enter into the Millennium just because they helped hide an Israeli won't get it either. Many people hid the Jews during World War II at the risk of losing their life. I applaud them for doing so but if they did not know the Savior before they died they are in hell right now awaiting final judgment.
One more thing, the Bible says in Revelation 13:8, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." All means all! Everyone who is not a Christian will worship the Antichrist. Until you can get past this verse your theory has a big problem.
Since there will only be two kinds of people on the earth at the Second Coming...saved and lost...I ask you again...who will be left to go into the Millennium?
I haven't heard back from this individual since and I don't expect to. As I have said in the past, no one has ever answered this question without falling into many Biblical holes...and until someone does, I will continue to teach and believe that the rapture of the church will be pre-tribulation.
I would also recommend you read these two articles as well:
Question# 1177:Is the pre-tribulation rapture theory correct? Does the Bible support it?
Question# 1239:Who will populate the millennium?: The Jewish remnant, those who take the mark of the Antichrist.
Terry Malone
Calvary Prophecy Report
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