Will the Church Go Through the Tribulation?

Will the Church Go Through the Tribulation?

The dead in Christ shall rise first; hen 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. I Thessalonians 4:16-17

Introduction:

As we look toward future events, the Bible speaks about the second coming of Christ, the great tribulation, the millennium, and then eternity. There are several positions which have been taken about these events. Some actually deny that there will be a millennium although it is mentioned repeatedly in in Revelation 20:2-6. Those who do believe that there is a millennium will usually place the great tribulation directly before the millennium.?

The next question is about the church. Some believe that the church will indeed go through the tribulation. Some believe that the church will only go through the first, less severe half of the tribulation, and are called mid-tribulationists. Others believe that the Bible teaches that the church will not go through the tribulation, but the rapture will occur, after which the tribulation begins. These are called pre-tribulationalists; I take this position. Others believe that good Christians will be raptured, and “bad” or indifferent Christians will go through the tribulation, as if the tribulation was some sort of purgatory. I can find no scriptural support for this position.

Why take a pre-tribulational position?

One reason is the very structure of the book of Revelation. After seeing a vision of the risen and glorified Christ in chapter one, John is told to write to seven churches in chapters two and three. Then in chapters 4-5, John is transported to heaven. Next, we find a description of the great tribulation in chapters 6-19, culminating with the return of Christ to earth to reign. There is no reference to the church until Christ returns to earth to set up his millennial reign in chapter 19.?

Second, in the letter to the church of Philadelphia, in Revelation 3:10, there is a promise that the church will not pass through the tribulation.

Third, there is no warning before the Lord comes for the saints in the air, and the rapture itself appears to be the first sign of Christ’s return.

1.?????No man knows the date or hour, and the angels themselves do not know when Christ will return.

2.?????The coming is compared to the arrival of the flood of Noah and of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah at the time of Lot. Both were unexpected. Both occurred in a unique fashion. In both, the righteous, Noah and Lot, were protected or removed from the punishment.

3.?????The second coming is as a thief in the night – the thief will not give advance notice.

4.?????In each situation, we are admonished to watch and to be ready for Christ’s return, the rapture and the trump of God.

When does the tribulation begin?

The tribulation begins with the removal of the church and all believers. Remember that the believers possess the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is holding back the tide of wickedness from unhindered evil. With the removal of the believers, this hindering effect is removed. Since the Holy Spirit is God, He is omnipresent, but His influence is now markedly reduced, and Satan is turned loose on earth as the prince of this world, and hellish punishments break loose.

During this present age, the believer is admonished to watch and to purify himself, waiting for the Lord’s return.?I John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.?Let us watch, pray, and purify ourselves through the indwelling Holy Spirit.