Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Boogieman

Do think God has appointed His people to wrath?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3209503/posts?page=96#96


117 posted on 09/30/2014 4:15:11 PM PDT by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies ]


To: CynicalBear

No, but “tribulation” and “wrath” are not identical terms or concepts.

Wrath is God’s righteous punishment, whereas a tribulation is a hardship, a trouble, a time of difficulty and sorrow. God never promised to save us from those things during our time on earth. In fact, quite the opposite, he promised that believers would have to go through such things:

“8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” 2 Cor:8-9

“20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Matt 13:20-21

“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Rom 8:35-36

“10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Cor 12:10

And this quote is very revealing:

“4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2 Thes 4:10

These verses tell us that:

* Tribulations are a token of the righteous judgement of God, and a sign that a believer or church is suffering for doing God’s work, and may be worthy to enter the Kingdom

* It is a righteous thing for God to repay those who trouble the church with tribulations Himself

* Those who are troubled will “rest” when the 2nd coming occurs, and Jesus comes to take vengeance, which matches up nicely with the descriptions of the second coming in Revelation, and with the verses from 1 Thes 4 that some use to try to support a pre-tribulaton rapture.


128 posted on 09/30/2014 5:06:57 PM PDT by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 117 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson