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 Will Church-Age Christians Have to Endure
the Tribulation?
Part 1: Rev.3:10 Introduction: There
are conflicting opinions as to whether or not Christians of the Church
Age will have to go through the Tribulation. People who believe in a
Pre-Tribulation Rapture believe Christians will NOT have to go through
the Tribulation. People who believe in a Post-Tribulation Rapture
believe Christians WILL have to go through the Tribulation. I am one of
the former. I believe the New Testament teaches us Christians will NOT
have to go through any part of the Tribulation. In this and the next three articles, I will
give you my reasons why.
First Reason. Jesus’ Promise to the Church at Philadelphia, Rev. 3:10. Jesus dictated seven letters to seven churches for the Apostle John to write. These letters are found in Revelation 2-3. I believe each letter applied directly to each church in John’s day. However, I also believe each letter had a broader application. That is because each letter ends with the words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In Revelation 3:10, Jesus spoke to the church of Philadelphia. He said, “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.” This seems to be a promise to preserve the church universal from a global testing. This testing is coming upon “the whole world.” Moreover it is coming “to test those who dwell on the earth.” To me this is solid evidence that God is not planning to take the Church-at-large through the Tribulation. That means He is coming to retrieve His Church from the earth BEFORE the Tribulation, not after it, and not during it. |
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