For more than twenty years, LearnTheBible.org has consistently provided free content from a Bible-believing perspective to our thousands of annual visitors. We do not run ads or charge for access to this wealth of Bible study materials, outlines, preaching, teaching, and so much more! Expenses to maintain our hosting, servers, etc. are provided by the generous donations of God's people. If you have been helped and blessed by LTB through the years, would you help us continue to maintain and support this growing ministry by partnering with us with a onetime or monthly gift?
To those who read, listen, and share our content, we are extremely grateful! Please continue to pray for us and "Thank You!" for 20 great years!
Christians And The Tribulation
Will the church (born again Christians) have to experience any of the tribulation? Or will the rapture occur before?
There certainly are a lot of folks teaching that born again Christians will have to endure some or all of the Tribulation. I am NOT one of them! Let me give you three reasons why I say that:
- The Tribulation is often associated with wrath, primarily God’s wrath on wicked men. In Revelation 15:7And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
See All..., seven vials are distributed to seven angels who poured them out upon the people living on this earth. Notice what was in those vials—“And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials FULL OF THE WRATH OF GOD, who liveth for ever and ever.” Now look what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
See All...—“FOR GOD HATH NOT APPOINTED US TO WRATH, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” If we were appointed to wrath, we should be looking for the coming of the antichrist, but we are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
See All...)! - The Apostle John, a type or picture of the church (born again Christians), is raptured up to the throne of God in Revelation 4:1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
See All... (“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”), and the antichrist doesn’t show up until Revelation 6:2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
See All...! - Paul told us in the Book of Galatians that if anyone tries to preach any other gospel than the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
See All...) to us, that person is accursed. Notice that applied even to angels—“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
See All...). Guess what happens when an angel shows up in the Book of Revelation preaching a different gospel?—“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:6-7 [6] And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, [7] Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
See All...). That angel doesn’t preach anything about the death, burial, or resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 [1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
See All...). It’s a different gospel for a different dispensation (the Tribulation) and he is NOT accursed! That tells us that the born again folks (Church Age saints) had all left and the only ones hearing the preaching were the Tribulation saints (folks who don’t take the mark of the beast – Revelation 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
See All...).