Maybe A Prebie Can Explain This One To Me

[guysmith]

As I understand it, the idea that the timing of the pre-trib rapture (which takes place prior to the Tribulation period) is based on premise that the Tribulation period is the time of God's wrath and because God promises that no Christian will experience God's wrath there has to be a rapture to evacuate those Christians. That's the premise , correct me if I am wrong.



According to your doctrine, after the rapture and into the tribulation period, there will be left-behind individuals which will realize that they missed the rapture and will dedicate/rededicate their lives to Christ. And it will be these left-hind Christians which are those which are martyred by the AC during the Tribulation period. Again, correct me if I have this premise wrong.



So, if this is all true, (that the tribulation period is God's wrath and that the pre-tib rapture is neccesary because no Christian is to experience God's wrath) then please explain to me how there are Christians left-behind in the Tribulation period experiencing God's wrath?

 

[Paul]

As I understand it, the idea that the timing of the pre-trib rapture (which takes place prior to the Tribulation period) is based on premise that the Tribulation period is the time of God's wrath and because God promises that no Christian will experience God's wrath there has to be a rapture to evacuate those Christians. That's the premise , correct me if I am wrong.



According to your doctrine, after the rapture and into the tribulation period, there will be left-behind individuals which will realize that they missed the rapture and will dedicate/rededicate their lives to Christ. And it will be these left-hind Christians which are those which are martyred by the AC during the Tribulation period. Again, correct me if I have this premise wrong.



So, if this is all true, (that the tribulation period is God's wrath and that the pre-tib rapture is neccesary because no Christian is to experience God's wrath) then please explain to me how there are Christians left-behind in the Tribulation period experiencing God's wrath?

Why would a Christian experience God's wrath in the first place? God is not angry at His people. God protected Daniel while he was in the lions den and He was with the three boys when they were in the fire.

 

[Adstar]

As I understand it, the idea that the timing of the pre-trib rapture (which takes place prior to the Tribulation period) is based on premise that the Tribulation period is the time of God's wrath and because God promises that no Christian will experience God's wrath there has to be a rapture to evacuate those Christians. That's the premise , correct me if I am wrong.



According to your doctrine, after the rapture and into the tribulation period, there will be left-behind individuals which will realize that they missed the rapture and will dedicate/rededicate their lives to Christ. And it will be these left-hind Christians which are those which are martyred by the AC during the Tribulation period. Again, correct me if I have this premise wrong.



So, if this is all true, (that the tribulation period is God's wrath and that the pre-tib rapture is neccesary because no Christian is to experience God's wrath) then please explain to me how there are Christians left-behind in the Tribulation period experiencing God's wrath?

Well the fact is the tribulation is not God's Wrath. The tribulation is the persecution and violence followers of satan inflict upon followers of God. It has been happening since the early days of Christanity. Christians being thrown into the colesium to be torn apart by lions is an example of early tribulation. Jesus talking to His followers about the end times said:

Matthew 24
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

"you" = Followers of Jesus

"they" = Followers of satan

" tribulation" is what "they" do to "you"



All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Streetsweeper]

Matthew 24

Yes, that's what's happening now.

 

[Paul]

Well the fact is the tribulation is not God's Wrath. The tribulation is the persecution and violence followers of satan inflict upon followers of God. It has been happening since the early days of Christanity. Christians being thrown into the colesium to be torn apart by lions is an example of early tribulation. Jesus talking to His followers about the end times said:

Matthew 24
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

"you" = Followers of Jesus

"they" = Followers of satan

" tribulation" is what "they" do to "you"



All Praise The Ancient Of Days

There are two tribulations, one of satan, one, the Great Tribulation of God. I'm not worried by either one of them.

 

[242006]

The underlying premise of the OP is false -- there is no rapture.

Hence, in evaluating the purpose for the vials in Revelation [wrath of God] one can plainly see that God directs such wrath toward those claiming to be Christians, but whom have already taken the mark of the beast [including those, currently, who believe in 'rapture'].

 

[Foreigner]

Guess that's one way to close down the discussion of a belief held by millions of born-again Christians in the United States and around the world.

A large number very Godly and spiritually in-tune people believe the Rapture is false.

The issue is that a large number of equally Godly and spiritually in-tune people believe that the pre-Trib Rapture is absolutely true.

The issue is compounded by the fact that a large number of equally learned people believe that Jesus will return mid-Tribulation to Rapture His children.
These are not crackpots. These are people on all sides who have spent their lives truly seeking God and studying His Word with an open heart.
These are people (again, on all sides) will to have their pre-conceived notions proven false in pursuit of God's truth.

Your statement, "one can plainly see that God directs such wrath toward those claiming to be Christians, but whom have already taken the mark of the beast" can easily be looked at as those that took the mark of the beast are the same "Christians" who weren't taken up in the Rapture. Reason being? They weren't truly Christians in the first place. The world is full of church-attending people to whom Jesus will one day say, "I never knew you."

The point would also be made that the world is full of pseudo-Christians and secular people who know enough about Christian "lore" that if/when the Rapture hit at the start of the Tribulation, it would confirm for them that God is real and he is coming back. Many would then become the Christians who would face persecution.

Is this what I believe? The vote is still out on that one. I am still researching, finding strong support for both a pre and post Tribulation Rapture. It doesn't matter, though.
I am preparing to be ready for either.

My point is, your "the underlying premise is false" is your opinion. It is an opinion held by very learned Christians -- Just as the pre-Trib Rapture is held by many just-as-learned Christians. So your opinion holds Just As Much validity as me or anyone else stating "the underlying premise is accurate."

So let's cut the discussion some slack, shall we?

 

[Paul]

Guess that's one way to close down the discussion of a belief held by millions of born-again Christians in the United States and around the world.

...

So let's cut the discussion some slack, shall we?

First, do a search of this web site and read some of the thousands of posts discussing the "rapture." Once you have read them maybe we will re-open this topic.