If I recall dispensationalist theory, isn’t the Holy Spirit removed after the Rapture? If so, how can anyone be saved? With no indwelling of the Holy Spirit to lead, how can any be saved? The 144,000 from the twelve tribes who preach, must be preaching in vain, as no one can be saved. A ‘pre-trib rapture’ suggests that Jesus Second Coming is actually His ‘second and a half’, or third coming, due to the ‘pre-trib rapture’. FWIW, after some study, I lean toward a partial-preterist view, that much of Revelation has occured and we are awaiting the return of Jesus. Let us assume that 25% of self described Christians are actually in the Lord, therefore, ‘raptured’. All of a sudden, 550 MILLION people disappear. The disappearance of 8% of the earth’s population would not go unnoticed.
In any event, when we vehemently attack each other’s viewpoint, are we not doing the work of Satan? The unchurched see Christians circling up and forming an inward-aiming firing squad. When we tear each other apart in public, the unchurched see no difference between a Christian and ‘the World’, so many who might come to Jesus, don’t.
Jesus knew that man, blessed with a very finite mind, in trying to understand and explain God, (infinite wisdom, love, knowledge, etc.), would add his (man’s) ‘spin’ on God. That is why Jesus kept Salvation so simple. So simple that even a repentant thief, executed next to Jesus, could be saved with no ‘works’ on his part. It is mankind that has added to His doctrine.
The Holy Spirit is never removed from this earth. He is ministering to the tribulation saints.
The Holy Spirit will not indwell and seal believers as He does now in the Church Age...but He will come upon them as He did in Old Testament times and minister to believers. But believers in the tribulation will be tasked with keeping their faith. It is not guaranteed as ours is now. The following sites can give more insight.
http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/view/the-holy-spirit-and-the-tribulation
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/in-the-tribulation-who-are-sealed/
Dr. Thomas Ice of the Pre-Trib.org website is the executive director and a list of his articles is here:
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/ice/ttcol.html
http://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/prophecy/understanding-the-olivet-discourse-parables/
Here is the difference, AFPC: Catholics are not Christians and as such fall under the same admonition from Christ for evangelization that unbelievers outside the Catholic church do. No difference. They have not been born again of the Spirit and filled with the Spirit. So I am under no obligation except to proclaim the Gospel to them as I would to a Muslim, a Hindu, a Mormon, or anyone else in a false religion.
Catholics are professing Christians, or Christians in Name Only. You may think that I am harsh and so may many others here but where matters of an eternal soul are concerned, I will be as harsh as I need be to wake people up, stop appeasing their false doctrine, and bring them out of that abomination that is leading them all to Hell.
The only allegiance I have is to the Lord. Time is short and you can either pussyfoot around so as not to hurt their feelings or you can stand up for Christ and display righteous anger over their unsaved status.
Thanks for your post,
jodyel
Neither was there an “indwelling” of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament when the Jews were the focus as they will be during the tribulation. The two witnesses will preach but those who are saved during the tribulation will not have the protection or the comfort of the Holy Spirit.