The Rapture - Part 2 (Dispensational Caucus)

My previous article commenced a series of articles on the rapture. We began with the question, "What is the Rapture?" This question can best be answered by noting ten truths about the rapture from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. In this first article, we saw that the rapture is an important doctrine and not something that can be marginalized or explained away as a secondary doctrine. We now move to our second point.

Second, the rapture will be an event which is distinct from the Second Advent. In other words, the Second Coming of Christ is divided into two phases. There would be part 1 of the Second Coming of Christ and then part 2 of the Second Coming of Christ. After He comes to rescue His church, He will return at the end of the Tribulation period when He brings judgment upon planet earth. Some may think it strange to divide the Second Coming of Jesus Christ into two distinct phases. Interestingly, when we go back into the Old Testament and we study various truths and prophecies related to His First Coming, we very quickly get the idea that different prophecies are saying different things. For example, Isaiah 53 describes the Messiah suffering and dying. On the other hand, Isaiah 9:6-7 describes the Messiah ruling and reigning. How could He come and suffer, and how could He come and rule and reign at the same time? The only way to harmonize these passages is to conclude that there must be two comings of Christ. There must be one coming when He comes and dies to pay the penalty for the sins of the world and another coming of Jesus to rule and to reign. So we can conclude by studying the Old Testament that the coming of Christ takes place in phases. In essence, this same approach leads one to the teaching of the rapture. The New Testament describes the Second Coming of Christ in two different ways. Thus, the only conclusion we can come to is that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will also take place in two phases.

For example, at the rapture Christ will come in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17). However, in the Second Advent Jesus Christ will come back to the earth (Job 19:25). His feet will physically touch the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12; Zech. 14:4). At the rapture, Christ will come for His saints. In other words, He will come back for His church (1 Thess. 4:15-17). By contrast, in the Second Advent, He will come back with His saints (Jude 14; Rev. 19:14). Moreover, the rapture will be an event of great blessing. Everybody who is involved in the rapture will be blessed (Titus 2:13; John 14:1-4). Thus, Paul uses this doctrine to comfort the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4:18). On the other hand, at the Second Advent of Christ there will be tremendous judgment (2 Thess. 1:7-8; 2:8; Isa. 11:4). Revelation 19:15 describes a blood bath as the Christ-rejecting nations of the world will oppose Christ at His Second Advent. Christ will come to defeat and declare victory over them. In addition, when Christ comes in the rapture, it will only affect believers. It will involve Christians, that is those who are “in Christ” (1 Thess. 4:16). However, when Jesus Christ comes at the Second Advent, His coming will directly impact both believers and unbelievers (Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 19:15).

Another distinction is that the rapture will be an event that is visible only to those that are “in Christ” (1 Thess. 4:16). Christ will meet believers in the air. However, the Second Advent is something that will be visible to the entire world. "Every eye will see Him" (Rev. 1:7). Another simple distinction is that the rapture will be an event that is announced by an archangel (1 Thess. 4:16). By contrast, the Second Advent of Christ will involve myriads of angels who will accompany Christ as He returns to the earth (Matt. 25:31). In addition, the rapture will be a resurrection. First Thessalonians 4:16 speaks of a resurrection associated with the rapture when it indicates that, "the dead in Christ will rise first." By contrast, at the Second Advent of Christ there will not be an instantaneous resurrection. Finally, when Christ comes at the rapture, He will come to rescue the church (1 Thess. 1:10). However, when He comes in the Second Advent, He will come to rescue Israel (Matt. 23:37-39; 24:31).

As we carefully scrutinize, read, and examine the prophecies related to the return of Christ we see His return described in totally different ways. The only logical conclusion one can reach is that the Second Coming of Christ must occur in two phases. As will be shown later in this series, there must first be a rapture before the Second Advent can occur seven or more years later. This identical logic applies to the Old Testament teaching that the coming of Christ must have two phases as well. He comes to suffer and die (Isa. 53), and then He comes to rule and reign (Isa. 9:6-7). Identically, the New Testament reveals that the Second Coming of Christ also has two distinct phases. Thus, not only is the rapture an important doctrine, but it is also an event that is distinct from the Second Advent of Christ.

We do well to not speak our opinion about coming events as though ours is absolutely the only correct interpretation.

There is no problem at all with speaking our opinions about the fact that Jesus Christ is coming soon, especially if we can validate our opinions with Scripture.

What did Jesus command His children to do? Let's take a look:

And what I say to you I say to all, Watch.

So Christ commands us to watch for His return and He also commands us to comfort each other with the knowledge that we will not be subjected to the seven years of judgment He has for those who have rejected Him:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

So, as long as a person can support their "opinions" with Scripture, it's perfectly fine to speak those opinions about these imminent events.

And, it's the responsibility of the believer in Christ to get the word out to this dying world that Christ is returning, He is returning soon, He is about to wrap up this current age and the time allotted by God for man to be pardoned and forgiven for sin and be reconciled to the Father and have eternal life is rapidly closing.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:1-3)

Jesus never gave Christians the option to shut up and let people die and spend eternity in hell.

As long as a person can back up what they say with Scripture, they can tell the entire world what is about to happen.

“He also commands us to comfort each other with the knowledge that we will not be subjected to the seven years of judgment He has for those who have rejected Him”

Jesus said no such thing. You are assuming that the purpose the tribulation is only to execute judgement on those who rejected Him, and assuming that Christians are therefore not going to be subjected to the tribulation. I think you need to take your own advice and support that with Scripture, or else it is only an assumption.

In fact, the Scripture that you posted serves to refute a pre-trib rapture view:

“14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. “

Those who “have fallen asleep” will precede those who are alive at the coming of the Lord. Who are “those who have fallen asleep?

1 Corinthians 15:20 -

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Shows that “those who have fallen asleep” are the dead saints who will be resurrected, for Christ can only be the firstfruits of the saved destined for resurrection. We who are alive can’t preceed them, so any rapture of the living must follow this event. When are the righteous resurrected?

Rev. 20:4-6 -

“4 And 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.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

So, here we see the first resurrection, where the righteous are resurrected to reign with Christ during the millenium. There cannot be a resurrection prior to this, or it would be the second resurrection, not the first. Any rapture of the living cannot precede this resurrection, as demonstrated by the previous verses cited.

Also, from these verses we learn that those who are part of the first resurrection “had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands”. So, clearly, at least some of those resurrected must have had the opportunity to worship the beast and receive the mark, otherwise why mention it? Since the beast does not appear until the tribulation is underway, then this is clear evidence that the resurrection must occur after the tribulation is underway, and after the beast has risen to power, made war on the saints, and caused people to receive the mark, as spoked of in Rev 13.

You are assuming that the purpose the tribulation is only to execute judgement on those who rejected Him, and assuming that Christians are therefore not going to be subjected to the tribulation. I think you need to take your own advice and support that with Scripture, or else it is only an assumption.

Nope, not an assumption.

Aside from the fact that all prophecy is written by the Holy Spirit, and since the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead that includes Jesus Christ, then we can safely state, with no assumptions, that Jesus Christ tells those believers in Him to "comfort one another" with the knowledge that they will not be put through the judgment intended for those who have rejected Him.

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1: 20-21)

Now that we have Scripture confirming that all prophecy was written by God and not men, which automatically eliminates the possibility of "assumptions", we can get to the Scriptural proof that the Church will not go through the Tribulation because God's purpose for the Tribulation does not include the Church:

"And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today." -Deuteronomy 30:7-8

God's purpose for the tribulation (i.e., the seven-year, 70th week of Daniel) revolves around His plan for Israel and does not include a earthly presence for the church. Why? Because God's plan for Israel is unfinished at this point in history. When the role of the church is completed she will be taken as a completed body to heaven in an instant-at the rapture. This will clear the way for a restoration and resumption of progress toward the completion of our Sovereign Lord's plans for His elect nation-Israel.

The Tribulation Focuses on Israel

The Bible teaches that the tribulation is a time of preparation for Israel's restoration and conversion (Deut. 4:29-30; Jer. 30:3-11; Zech. 12:10).1 While the church will experience tribulation in general during this present age (John 15:18-25; 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:10-13), she is never mentioned as participating in Israel's time of trouble, which includes the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, and the Wrath of God. Gerald Stanton explains:

"The Tribulation does not deal with the Church at all, but with the purification of Israel. It is not the "time of the Church's trouble," but the "time of Jacob's trouble." The emphasis of the Tribulation is primarily Jewish. This fact is borne out by Old Testament Scriptures (Deut. 4: 30; Jer. 30: 7; Ezek. 20: 37; Dan. 12:1; Zech. 13:8-9), by the Olivet Discourse of Christ (Matt. 24:9-26), and by the book of Revelation itself (Rev. 7:4-8; 12:1-2; 17, etc.). It concerns "Daniel's people," the coming of "false Messiah," the preaching of the "gospel of the kingdom," flight on the "sabbath," the temple and the "holy place," the land of Judea, the city of Jerusalem, the twelve "tribes of the children of Israel," the "son of Moses," "signs" in the heavens, the "covenant" with the Beast, the "sanctuary," the "sacrifice and the oblation" of the temple ritual. These all speak of Israel and clearly demonstrate that the Tribulation is largely a time when God deals with His ancient people prior to their entrance into the promised kingdom. The many Old Testament prophecies yet to be fulfilled for Israel further indicate a future time when God will deal with this nation". (Deut. 30:1-6; Jer. 30:8-10, etc.).2

The Church is Absent from the Tribulation

Not one Old Testament passage on the tribulation refers to the church (Deut. 4:29-30; Jer. 30:4-11; Dan. 8:24-27; 12:1-2), nor does the New Testament ever speak of the church in relation to the tribulation (Matt. 13:30, 39-42, 48-50; 24:15-31; 1 Thess. 1:9-10, 5:4-9; 2 Thess. 2:1-11; Rev. 4-18), except as present in heaven. Such silence speaks loudly and supports the pre-trib position, especially when combined with clear, explicit statements that promise her exemption from that time (Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10). Note the clear promise to the church of Revelation 3:10:

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.

If pretribulationism is indeed the teaching of Scripture, then we would expect that passages dealing with the tribulation would consistently make no mention of the church. This is exactly what we find. However, Israel is mentioned often throughout these texts. Dr. Robert Gromacki has studied the New Testament book of Revelation, chapters 4-19, which gives the most detailed overview of the seven-year tribulation in all the Bible. He has shown the following:

"However, there is a strange silence of the term in chapters 4-19. That fact is especially noteworthy when you contrast that absence with its frequent presence in the first three chapters. One good reason for this phenomenon is the absence of the true church and true evangelical churches in the seven years preceding the Second Coming. The true believers of the church have gone into the presence of Christ in heaven before the onset of the events of the seven year period. The church is not mentioned during the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments because the church is not here during the outpouring of these judgments."3

Tribulation on a Christ-Rejecting World

Another purpose for the tribulation is that it is a time of God's wrath upon a Christ-rejecting world and a time of revenge for Gentile treatment of Israel.

Moreover, it is evident that the Tribulation also concerns God's judgment upon Christ-rejecting Gentile nations. Babylon, which "made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (Rev. 14:8), shall herself "be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her" (Rev. 18:8). The "cities of the nations" shall fall, after which Satan shall be bound "that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled" (Rev. 20:3). God's judgment falls likewise upon the individual wicked, the kings of the earth, the great, the rich, and the mighty, every bond man and every free man (Rev. 6:15-17). It falls upon all who blaspheme the name of God and repent not to give Him glory (Rev. 16:9). Wicked men, godless nations, suffering Israel--these may all be found in Revelation 6-18; but one looks in vain for the Church of Christ, which is His body, until he reaches the nineteenth chapter. There she is seen as the heavenly bride of Christ, and when He returns to earth to make His enemies His footstool, she is seen returning with Him (I Thess. 3: 13).4

Such a time of judgment does not require the church, who has not rejected Christ, to be present. With the church in heaven during the tribulation, it enables God's focus to be on Israel as His Divine instrument through which He acts. This program was predicted by the Lord before Joshua and Israel ever entered the Promised Land. Notice the predicted pattern:

1)then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (Deut. 30:3)

2)And the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it . . . (Deut. 30:5a)

3)And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. (Deut. 30:7-8)

Zechariah speaks of the Lord's retribution upon the nations as a time when "the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem . . . in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." (Zech. 12:8-9) Once again the focus is upon Israel, in this case Jerusalem, not the church.

The book of Revelation provides a graphic depiction of God's judgment upon an unbelieving world, often called "earth dwellers." As God prosecutes His judgment upon the "earth dwellers," John records periodic pauses by our Lord as He evaluates the response of mankind to His judgment before going onto the next phase. It is as if the Lord inflicts a series of judgments and then surveys the landscape to see if, like Ninevah in the days of Jonah, there is repentance so that He can suspend prosecution of the war. Un like Ninevah in the days of Jonah, the "earth dwellers" do not relent in the wake of "the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16), so our Lord proceeds to the next phase of His battle. Every step of the way, the "earth dwellers" would "not repent of the works of their hands" (Rev. 9:20) Instead of worshipping Christ, "the earth and those who dwell in it . . . worship the first beast" (Rev. 13:12). Instead of repentance they "blasphemed God" (Rev. 16:21). Finally, "all the nations were deceived" (Rev. 18:23) resulting in the santanic notion that the armies of the world must march against Jerusalem-God's city-and Israel-His people. This results in the basis for the second coming of Christ, which is to resue Israel from the world's armies who are striking out at God by invading His people. Such a scenario does not demand or require the church and so she will not be there. We can see that the purpose of the tribulation revovles around God's plan for Israel, not the church.

Conclusion

Only pretribulationism is able to give full import to tribulation terms like "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7), as a passage specifically stating that the tribulation is for Jacob (i.e., Israel). John Walvoord concludes,

"Never are tribulation saints given the special and perculiar promises given to the church in the present age. The nature of the church in contrast to Israel therefore becomes an argument supporting the pretribulation viewpoint".5

Since God's purpose for the tribulation is to restore Israel (Jer. 30:3, 10) and judge the Gentiles (Jer. 30:11), it is clear that this purpose does not include the church. This is one of the reasons why she will be taken to heaven before this time. The church's hope is a heavenly one, not participation in the culmination and restoration of God's plan for His earthly people-Israel. Maranatha! W

Endnotes

1 These arguments are adopted from John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976), pp. 270-71.
2 Gerald B. Stanton, Kept From The Hour: Biblical Evidence for the Pretribulational Return of Christ, 4th edition (Miami Springs, FL: Schoettle Publishing Company, 1991), pp. 35-36.
3 Robert Gromacki, "Where is 'The Church' in Revelation 4-19?" in Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1995), p. 355.
4 Stanton, Ibid., p. 36.
5 Walvoord, Ibid., p. 65.

Why God's Purpose for the Tribulation Excludes the Church

So, it appears that, according to the Word of God, those who know Christ as Savior will not go through the Tribulation.

“we can safely state, with no assumptions, that Jesus Christ tells those believers in Him to “comfort one another” with the knowledge that they will not be put through the judgment intended for those who have rejected Him.”

But, Jesus doesn’t say that. You put a partial quote from Jesus in front of your own words. That is not Scripture.

“The Tribulation Focuses on Israel”

Sure, but this does not mean that the church plays no part.

You say:

“While the church will experience tribulation in general during this present age (John 15:18-25; 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:10-13), she is never mentioned as participating in Israel’s time of trouble, which includes the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, and the Wrath of God.”

First of all, we should not expect every verse detailing Israel’s time of trouble to talk about the church. Most of the verses dealing with this subject are from the Old Testament, and there are very few references to the church in the Old Testament, and the ones that are there are veiled. So, an absence of references there is not evidence at all of the church’s absence during the tribulation, any more than the absence of verses there about the church is evidence that Messiah would not found a church. This is a fallacy called “argument from silence”.

Now, when it comes to the New Testament, where we would expect the church to be referenced, you say:

“nor does the New Testament ever speak of the church in relation to the tribulation (Matt. 13:30, 39-42, 48-50; 24:15-31; 1 Thess. 1:9-10, 5:4-9; 2 Thess. 2:1-11; Rev. 4-18), except as present in heaven.”

Which is not true at all. There are many references to the church during the tribulation. For example:

In Luke 21, when Christ tells the disciples of the final destruction of the Temple, they ask when those things will happen:

“7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.”

Then, he goes on to continue to describe many signs of the coming tribulation, and tells them further that:

“12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”

So, clearly the church will be present during these events, because we will be persecuted, and it will be required for us to give a testimony. The last verse I quote specifically states this is a reference to the days of vengeance, so how much clearer can it be what time Christ is referring to?

We can also refer to verses 26-28:

“26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

Since men will see the coming of the Son of Man (Christ), this cannot be an invisible return, as the pre-trib rapturists postulate. In verse 28, Christ tells the faithful to lift up their heads and look up, for their redemption is here. One cannot “look up” at Christ returning in the clouds, if one is in heaven, so clearly, Christ is speaking of the church that is on earth, to witness his visible return. Also, if they were already raptured, their redemption would not be “nigh”, it would have already been accomplished.

I could cite more verses like this, but I don’t think it’s necessary, since these are clear as day.

Now, let’s turn to your interpretation of this verse from Rev 3:

“Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.”

Notice, that this verse doesn’t say he will keep us from the tribulation, or from the week, or seven years of testing, but only the “hour of testing”. It’s only an assumption that the “hour of testing” is equivalent to the entire period of the tribulation. Does the text bear that assumption out?

Rev 13-7:

“7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

Here we see that the beast makes war on the saints, during the tribulation. The beast is not in heaven at this time, so the saints he is warring with must be on earth. These cannot be resurrected, heavenly saints, because he would not be able to overcome them. Who are the saints?

The answer is in Rev 14:12 -

“12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”

Those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are Christians, aka the church, not rebellious Israel who have rejected Christ.

So, there is no silence between chapters 4 and 19, the church is right there.

Now, when you speak of God judgement on the world and the nations, you say:

“Such a time of judgment does not require the church, who has not rejected Christ, to be present.”

Yet, the verses I quote earlier in Luke show that this time does require the church, because we will be required to provide a testimony during this time, before men, on earth.

“Only pretribulationism is able to give full import to tribulation terms like “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7), as a passage specifically stating that the tribulation is for Jacob (i.e., Israel).”

This is not a very good argument, in my opinion. How does the meaning of Jacob’s trouble change, whether the church is present or not? Nothing in the Bible requires that the church be gone in order for the Lord to redeem Israel. In fact, most of the verses in the Old Testament and the New Testament dealing with Israel’s redemption show that the holy remnant plays a key part. Who is the holy remnant?

Rom 11:5-6 -

“5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

So, this holy remnant of Israel is according to the election of grace, not by works. They cannot be Jews who are following the Old Testament laws and sacrificing in the temple, but rather they must be Christians, for only Christians can receive grace through faith in Christ. The holy remnant of Israel was, in Paul’s day, already part of the church, and will be so in the days of the tribulation as well.

Remember that even when the "church" is taken out at the Rapture, there will STILL be people coming to saving faith in Christ during the Tribulation. It will be the Jews but also Gentiles will believe. This means that Christians WILL be in the Tribulation but only those that become believers AFTER the Rapture happens. I think this is completely plausible because we probably all know people to whom we have shared the Gospel but who refuse to receive Christ. The Rapture is going to be a HUGELY traumatic event because millions of people will be gone and I think this fact will be a perfect opportunity for the anti-christ to come along and calm folks down. He will have some kind of explanation, that many will believe and he will deceive them further.

But not everyone will follow him. Some of those people we have witnessed to and pray for WILL finally believe as they remember what we told them concerning this happening. Many books and such will further compel them to finally believe but they will be persecuted along with believing Israel and many will be martyred. When Revelation talks about those slain for the testimony of Christ and who did not take the mark of the Beast, it is those people being spoken of. Yet the "church" - those who are in Christ and who are taken up in the Rapture, will NOT be those left behind to go through the Tribulation. Over and over God calls it the "Time of Jacob's Trouble" and as GiovannaNicoletta said, this is NOT for the Bride of Christ to endure.

In I Thess. 4, those who "have fallen asleep" that Jesus brings back with him, are those believers who have died and who have been in heaven with the Lord. They do not as yet have their glorified bodies (resurrection body) but they descend with Jesus (their spirits/souls) and their bodies upon the earth rise up to meet their spirits and are changed into glorified bodies as are ours as we also rise up with them to meet the Lord in the air and "so shall we ever be with the Lord". In I Thess. 5, the Tribulation has begun and it is AFTER the Rapture. Those spoken of here are the Jews who will be persecuted with new believing Gentiles. There IS no mention of the "church" after chapter 4 in the narrative. There is a sequence of events and players within those events but it can be confusing about who is what if we don't separate the "church" from believers after the Rapture during the Trib. Go back and read I Thessalonians 4 and 5 together. Chapter four is talking to believers (the church) and chapter 5 is talking to believers who go into the Tribulation.

Can you give me a verse from anywhere in the Bible that states that people who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior will go through the judgments that are for those who have rejected Him as Savior?

That verse, of course would contradict this one:

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 1 (Revelation 3:10)

The original Greek used in that passage is "ek" which means "out of", not "through". Christ tells us there that those who have kept His word, which includes the salvation Scriptures, will be kept out of, not through the "time of testing" that will come on the world.

If the Church is to go through the seven year wrath that God says is for those who reject Him, then God has given us that information somewhere in Scripture.

There will be multitudes saved during the Tribulation, who were not taken at the Rapture because they were not saved at that time. They are identified as those who come out of the Tribulation, literally, ‘The Tribulation,’ the great one. These are martyrs killed in the last half of the Tribulation during the reign of the beast as depicted in Revelation 13. We are given Scriptural contrasts between those who will be saved during the Tribulation, and Church-age saints:

Church age: Kept out of the Tribulation by the rapture ( Rev. 3:10). Tribulation saints: Come out of the Great Tribulation through Martyrdom (Rev. 7:14)
Church age: Clothed in white raiment or garments (mantle, cloak (Rev. 3:5; 4:4). Tribulation saints: Clothed in white robes (stolh, a festal robe) (Rev. 7:9)
Church age: Sit on thrones about the throne (Rev. 4:4). Tribulation saints: Stand before the throne ( Rev. 7:10)
Church age: Wear crowns (stefanos, the victor’s crown as promised to the church) ( Rev. 4:4). Tribulation saints: No crowns mentioned.
Church age: Have harps and golden bowls full of incense (Rev. 5:8). Tribulation saints: Palm branches in their hands (Rev. 7:9)
Church age: Sing a new song (Rev. 5:9). Tribulation saints: Cry out with a loud voice (Rev. 7:10)
Church age: Declared to be a kingdom of priests who will reign with Christ (Rev. 5:10). Tribulation saints: Serve Him day and night (Rev. 7:15, 20:4)

So we see where Scripture makes distinctions between those who are raputred before the Tribulation, and those who come to Christ during the Tribulation. Two different groups of people, with two different positions in Heaven.

Then there's the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which Scripture tells us will take place in Heaven during the Tribulation, but, if the Church won't be in Heaven during the Tribulation, then that Scripture has to be false:

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)

The bridegroom at this marriage is Jesus Christ. From many verses in scripture we know that Jesus is the lamb, and in John 3:29, John refers to Jesus as the bridegroom. The identity of the bride is found in Ephesians 5:32 where Paul likens the husband in a relationship to Christ and the wife to the Church. 2 Corinthians 11:2 also says, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.”

In Revelation 19:9 we also find that there will be guests at this marriage. The guests can’t be the Church because the bride is never considered a guest. From John the Baptist, who lived before the death and resurrection of Christ, we know that he was a friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29). The Old Testament saints and those who lived before Christ’s sacrifice but had faith in God are the friends of the bridegroom that make up the guests who are honored and blessed to be invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. This does not mean the Old Testament saints are somehow inferior to the Church. These saints will also have promises fulfilled and enjoy a special relationship with the Lamb that we will not share in. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is simply a special blessing reserved for the Church. Again, if the Church is on earth during the Tribulation, then this Scripture is false and God has lied to us here.

There are more Biblical proofs that the Rapture occurs before the Tribulation:

Concerning the return of Jesus, the Bible presents a day we can't know and a day we can know. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 says the Jews will have to wait 1,260 days for the Lord to return. The 1,260 days begins when the Antichrist stands in the Temple and declares himself to be God (Matt. 24:15-21, 2 Thess. 2:4) This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven year Tribulation (Dan 9:27). The Antichrist has authority to rule for 42 months, which is 1,260 days (Rev. 13:4) and will be destroyed by Jesus at His second coming (Rev. 19:20, 2 Thess. 2:8). The known and unknown days must happen at different times, meaning they are two separate events.
After John is called up into heaven, he sees the 24 elders with their crowns (Rev. 4:4-10). We know that Christians will receive their rewards (crowns) at the rapture (2 Tim. 4:8, 1 Pet. 5:4). We will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14). The elders couldn't receive their crowns unless the resurrection (rapture) has taken place.
The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, follow Jesus out of heaven at His second coming (Rev. 19:14, Zech. 14:5, Col. 3:4). These are not angels because Rev. 19:8 tells us the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. In order to come out of heaven we first have to go in, indicating a previous rapture.
When the angels are sent forth to gather the elect at the second coming (Matt. 24:29-31), some have wrongly interpreted this as the rapture. There is one huge problem with this interpretation. If we are resurrected at this time, why would we need angels to gather us? In the resurrection, we will be like the angels (Matt. 22:30), able to travel in the air at will. Obviously, these people who are gathered are not resurrected, therefore it can't be the rapture. No one would claim the wicked are raptured at this time, yet Matthew 13:39-41, 49 says the angels will not only gather the elect, but also the wicked. This gathering is not a resurrection.
First Thessalonians 4:13-17 says the righteous are taken and the wicked are left behind. Matthew 13:30, 49 says the wicked are taken first and righteous are left behind. This points to two separate events, the rapture and the second coming.
When Jesus returns to earth at the second coming, He will return from a wedding (Luke 12:36). At the rapture, Jesus is married to His bride, the Church. After the wedding, He will return to earth.
If the rapture occurred at the second coming, why would the sheep and the goats need to be separated immediately after the second coming? A rapture at the second coming would have already separated the sheep and the goats. With a Pre-Tribulation rapture, the people saved after the rapture will need to be separated after the second coming.

So in light of all the Scripture that tells us that those who know Christ as Savior will not go through the judgment and wrath He has reserved for those who reject Him, I'm going to need the Scripture from you where Christ says that His bride will go through that judgment and wrath.

We have seen all of your denials of these Scriptures which emphatically state that the bride will not go through the Tribulation. Now I need to see where Jesus Christ contradicts Himself and says that the bride will go through the Tribulation.

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