The Church Does Not Enter The Tribulation – Reasons That Prove It – Part 1 Of 3 Series

THE CHURCH DOES NOT ENTER THE TRIBULATION – REASONS THAT PROVE IT – PART 1 OF 3

INTRODUCTION

I find it reprehensible, the claim that the Church, and Christians of course, will enter the Tribulation. Why do I find it reprehensible? If you think Christians must enter into the Tribulation, even half of it, please read this.

To start with, this position is not held by those who hold to Preterism which is the belief that there is no separate Rapture or a Tribulation or a Millennial reign. They see Revelation as fantasy or history in allegory. These people are very greatly misled, and I am not being arrogant in this, for it is not just Revelation they discard, but much of the Old Testament prophecy including huge sections of the Major Prophets. They do this mistakenly through the belief of Replacement Theology or supersessionism, a complete denial of Israel's future.

Preterism is a belief of the Roman Catholic church that pays scant regard to the scriptures in any case. The Roman Catholic position was continued by the Reformers who held onto a number of Catholic practices, and did not examine them properly in the light of the bible. Just a few of the deviations from scripture the Reformers adhered to were the wearing of vestments and infant “baptism” instead of Christian baptism by immersion practised by the early church.

Let us pass on from Preterism to look at those who do believe the Old Testament prophets are relevant, and do hold to Revelation as literal (in the varying degrees of literalism some adopt). Most of those holding that position believe in a separate Rapture and Tribulation. Eschatology is not a strong point in many churches these days, and even the great stalwarts of the past such as the Southern Baptists are giving ground, moving away from the traditional belief in prophecy.

It is not my purpose to give a full explanation of Pre-Millennialism, or Pre-Tribulation or Mid-Tribulation, or Post-Tribulation Rapture. The purpose of this article is to prove from scripture that there is only one position that is credible and sustainable. That position is that the Church CAN NOT, and DOES NOT enter the Tribulation on earth.

Just before I leave that last paragraph there is a stupid position held by some who try to compromise a Rapture into their Preterism. Preterism has everything ending at the Second Coming. Period! Full stop! They say at the Second Coming the Lord “raptures” His Church drawing it up to Himself as He is descending to earth and the Church descends with Him. What is the purpose of that? It is utterly meaningless, but such are the lengths of those who dismiss a separate Rapture into heaven.

Just before I attempt to give the proof for a pre-Tribulation Rapture I need to give an explanation. I am finding more and more in churches I know of, and people speak to me, that the belief and teaching that the Church will be in the Tribulation, is quite common in the Pentecostal movement. As the Charismatic/Pentecostal churches are growing more in numbers, so is the misunderstanding of the Rapture and Tribulation. In my city, some of these from Pentecostal churches are entering more traditional churches and bringing this confusion with them. It is a problem.

That is what sparked my interest in writing this article so I can have at my fingertips the evidence I need for refuting this error. Confusion is the way I would describe the belief system of Pentecostal eschatology. HOWEVER, let us be very clear here. It is not at all confined to the charismatic churches and is widespread in churches that used to be sound. Let us see if we can make sense of this.

LISTING THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE CHURCH NOT BEING IN THE TRIBULATION

[1]. PENALTY ALL PASSED, OR PENALTY REMAINING?

I want to place a scene before you. A woman is in court having misappropriated 50 000 dollars. She was found guilty, for the evidence was as clear as day, and the judge ordered her to repay the money within one week or she would face a jail sentence. That was the irrefutable verdict.

Just before the judge dismissed the case, a man stepped to the front of the court and addressed the judge. In his address he mentioned he had the ability and the motivation to pay this woman’s fine to release her from the penalty. He himself would meet the penalty to free the woman from the judgement against her.

The judge agreed and then said, “The outstanding money will be paid by this man who stands before me to clear the debt owing, but I also determine the woman needs to pay 50 000 dollars herself because she did the crime and crime must have a penalty.”