I think rev 3:10 is also relevant.
“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.
Hi. Put Biblegateway.com in your favorites. Then you can type in a couple pertinent words and all the verse come up. When I have my two forum sites up (Christian Forums and Christianity Board), I always have Biblegateway up too.
The last four of the seven letters to the churches are actually denominational types of Christians. All seven letters are a prophecy of the different church ages.
Thyatira - Roman Catholic and Orthodox
Sardis - Reformation, start of Protestantism
Philadelphia - Holiness
Laodecia - nominal, lukewarm Christians
Only the Philadelphia type Christian will God supernaturally protect throughout the Great Tribulation. This doesn't mean that they will not be on earth, but is a paradigm of the plagues in Egypt where the Israelites were supernaturally 'protected.' They will not be martyred. Only the other three denominational belief systems will be caught up in the testing, and will either take the mark and live on earth, but perish in hell; or refuse the mark and be martyred on earth, but rule in the Millennium.
This is also the time when the partial blindness of the Jews will be lifted to accept their Messiah, Jesus, and come into the Church. No more Gentiles will come into the Church during this time - they will have received a strong delusion by God to follow the Antichrist.
This doesn't mean that there are no individual holy Catholics or Protestants. They also will be protected. All who abide in Jesus and Him in them will be following His word and His commandments, as do Philadelphians.