Is The Church Going Through The Tribulation?
Is the church going through the tribulation?
This is an addition to the article, "Wrath, a stake in the heart of post tribulation teaching," and, "Three Tribulation groups," and debate concerning, "Reader, Phil, 144,000."
In this 7 years of tribulation, the wrath of God will come down from heaven, for He said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay."
This word wrath is spoken of God, and including the idea of punishment and inflicting judgments,
Rev.15:1, "I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the WRATH of God."
Rom.2:8-9, "Unto them that are contentious (self-seeking) and do NOT obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and WRATH, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that DOETH EVIL, of the Jews first (those who remain in the flesh,) and also to the Gentile." This does NOT include the church, the bride of Christ.
So the question is, Can I prove Scripturally that the body of Christ will NOT go through the tribulation? Will the church suffer the vengeance or the wrath of God?
Rom. 5:8-9-10, "Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we (the church) shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Lets look at the Greek word "Saved."
Saved is opposed to being condemned. It specifically speaks of salvation from eternal death, from the punishment and misery consequent upon sin, to save, and by implying to give eternal life; So especially of Christ, as the Saviour, sequel, meaning "to follow," as, "from." As a common form and genitive, meaning a term applied to a case in the declension (variation) of nouns, adjectives and pronouns, expressing primarily the thing from which something else proceeds, as in the following.
Matt.1:21, "He shall save His people from their sins."
Acts 2:40, "Save yourselves from this untoward (crooked) generation."
Rom.5:9, "We shall be saved from wrath through Him."
To be saved from the wrath to come through Christ Jesus. These seems to be clear and conclusive statements. The meaning here concerns believers. From the moment Christ finished His work on the cross, the wrath of God's has been turned away from all who believe, repent and are baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Clearly Christ's death was a substitutionary death. He substituted Himself on behalf of each and every one who believes by faith in His finished work of redemption. The personal sacrifice of one righteous life for another righteous life is the highest and greatest expression of love and devotion any man can put forth toward another.
If the above is true, then why would the same God put the people He loves and then died for through wrath and tribulation? Lets continue.
Col.3:4 and 6, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." Ver.6, "For which things' sake (fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection etc.) the WRATH of God cometh on the children of disobedience."
A Christian's life is hid in Christ. Christ is in the bosom of the Father as well as in the hearts of believers. He is that which gives life to our soul and spirit. Therefore as Christ is in the bosom of the Father, so are we who live through and in Him.
With sin, God is angry, with idol worship, God is angry. For love of self and selfishness God is angry. For these thing, wicked people, demons and Satan himself, will Jesus Christ pour out His wrath, taking vengeance for Himself.
Again, ask yourselves, Why would God let those who are in Him suffer the wrath that is to come from heaven? Lets continue.
1 Thes.1:10, "Wait for His (the Father's) Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which DELIVERED us from the WRATH to come."
Lets examine the word "Delivered" from this verse. The following is from my dictionary on www.seekfirstwisdom.com
Deliver: Delivered: # 4506. Greek is, rhuomai. Depononent, which is a verb in Latin grammar having a passive termination, with an active signification. To deliver is a middle term in which two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. Deliver here is also a past particle, which expresses completed action.
To draw or snatch to oneself; Hence in generality, it is to draw or snatch from danger, as to rescue, to deliver; With an adjunct which is when something is added to another, but not essentially a part of it, from whence as sequence "from," common form, genitive meaning a term applied to a case in the declension (variation) of nouns, expressing primarily the thing from which something else proceeds, as in the following.
This word, "delivered" expresses action already completed. Saved from the wrath to come, just as Christ was, Rev.13:8, "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." A completed action before it ever happened.
Matt.6:13, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Rom.15:31, "That I may be delivered from them that do not believe."
1 Thes.1:10, "Deliver us from the wrath to come."
2 Thes.3:2, "That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith."
Lets get back to the words of 1 Thes. 1:10.
The Thessalonians were waiting for the return of Jesus Christ from heaven. Christ ascended (was caught up) from the earth, Acts 1:11, "A cloud received him out of their sight."
In this same manner are those in Christ waiting for His return.
Acts 1:11, "In like manner as ye have seen Him (Jesus) go into heaven," so also will He return.
When the church is to be delivered from the wrath to come, it will be drawn or snatched away; draw and snatch from danger, rescued and delivered from God's wrath.
This is further proof concerning the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.
1 Thes.4:16, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord."
"Comfort one another with these words."
Thank you,
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com