Why not?
I'm not trying to defend any particular eschatology. I merely wish to point out that Jesus did not differentiate between faithful and faithless in His statement. In the context of "a great falling away" it seems plausible that disbelief could peak after the start of the tribulation. How many are so firmly attached to a pre-trib rapture that they may loose faith if a mid-trib is what will occur?
I know what I think is most likely based on scripture and on teachings I have heard. But if my faith is tied to being removed at the start of the tribulation, will I be mentally prepared for what will come if, for example, a post-trib rapture is our future? It's not a pleasant thought, is it?
Our salvation isn't by faith in any future event, it is by faith in God the Son, Jesus Christ the Lamb of God and His completed atonement for our sin on a cross. I do not have a full or correct understanding of all of His promises, but I know He will fulfil every one of them according to His word. If I keep my focus on Him instead of the storm I will not sink.
What you said is exactly right and I’ve told people that for years. It makes no difference when it comes, I believe in Jesus Christ she what he did for us, and that’s what I hold onto.
What does John 14:3 say to you?
Those are Jesus’s own words - so you either believe Him or you don’t (not you, just generalizing).
There are a lot of good Brothers & Sisters in Christ who absolutely think they need to mentally prepare for a tribulation and martyrdom. Hey, if that’s how they want to live so be it.
1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(After a description of the Rapture)
I personally don’t care what you believe, but there are Christians who really want to understand and study this event that will mirror Noah’s flood in more ways than one.
I post these to help them understand the event better.
Nobody has 100% of the answers - trust me. I know I don’t. We all look through the glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12)
I’m happy to be called a lunatic for believing Jesus and trusting Him.
Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first and then the rest of us who are alive will be caught up to meet Christ in the middle of the air.
He also said we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye..at the last Trumpet.
So for me...the rapture happens. The argument is simply when it happens.
I take the above statements including the statement of Christ who told us that the coming of the son of man will occur at a time when men would least expect that he should come and I conclude that there is a coming rapture but I don’t assign a specific time to it. Christ gave us some clues but he simply tells us to keep watch and stay ready.
So keep watch and stay ready my brother...amen!
EXACTLY -- imagine if these people lived or live in Egypt - or Syria - anytime from 643 AD to today. The ones who hold to a pre-tribulation rapture will lose faith due to that theology
By my count we are up to 7 pages where presumed brothers and sisters in Christ can intermittently be seen abusing each other in order to contend for positions that have nothing to do with salvation.
Has the exact number of dancing angels been determined yet?