The rapture. While Christians are promised to go through trials and tribulations in this life, this is not the same thing as the "great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21) - that "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3:10). This 'hour which shall come upon the earth' is referred to as both the "wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16-17), AND "the wrath of God" (Rev. 16:1; cf also Rev. 12:12). The "time of tribulation", start to finish, from the opening of the first seal (Rev. 6:1-2), to the last vial (Rev. 16:17), to the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:15), is a time of wrath. Wrath is the judgment of God.
The body of Christ will never see the "wrath of God"...because, and it is very simple, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ already took their judgment upon himself at Calvary (Luke 23:33), shedding his blood as propitiation for their sin (1John 4:10). The wrath of God was poured out upon him on the cross of Calvary (Isaiah 53:6; Ps. 88:7,16; 102:10). For that reason, and that reason alone, the truly regenerate Christian can never face the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9; 1Thes. 1:10). They are the 'wise virgins' of Matt. 25 (Matt. 25: 1-2), and will be raptured [Gk. - harpazo; 'caught up' (1Thes. 4:17)] before that "hour" of judgment comes upon the earth (Matt. 25:10).
The apostate Laodicean church however, as opposed to the true body of Christ, is another story altogether. These professors are not going anywhere - whether they believe in 'the rapture' or not ("Laodiceans" hold a wide variety of 'endtime' scenarios, including many not-rightly-divided "rapture" mis-interpretations 2Tim. 2:15). Despite the fact that they 'raised their hand' once, salvation is not an act of the will (John 1:12-13), and they are not truly regenerate (Matt. 7:22-23). These are the foolish virgins of Matthew 25. While they do have the outward appearance of Christians - "virgins" - they have never truly been "born again" (Matt. 25:3). Their 'lamps of profession', powered only by fleshly energy, will have burned out (Matt. 25:8), and they will find the door shut in their face (Matt. 25:10,11-12), when the bridegroom comes for his bride, at the time of the 'rapture', to take her to his Father's house (John 14:2-3). Note that it is not to take her to "set up the kingdom".
1Thes. 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ"
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Fleshly religion - J.C. Philpot
The body of Christ will never see the "wrath of God"...because, and it is very simple, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ already took their judgment upon himself at Calvary (Luke 23:33), shedding his blood as propitiation for their sin (1John 4:10). The wrath of God was poured out upon him on the cross of Calvary (Isaiah 53:6; Ps. 88:7,16; 102:10). For that reason, and that reason alone, the truly regenerate Christian can never face the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9; 1Thes. 1:10). They are the 'wise virgins' of Matt. 25 (Matt. 25: 1-2), and will be raptured [Gk. - harpazo; 'caught up' (1Thes. 4:17)] before that "hour" of judgment comes upon the earth (Matt. 25:10).
The apostate Laodicean church however, as opposed to the true body of Christ, is another story altogether. These professors are not going anywhere - whether they believe in 'the rapture' or not ("Laodiceans" hold a wide variety of 'endtime' scenarios, including many not-rightly-divided "rapture" mis-interpretations 2Tim. 2:15). Despite the fact that they 'raised their hand' once, salvation is not an act of the will (John 1:12-13), and they are not truly regenerate (Matt. 7:22-23). These are the foolish virgins of Matthew 25. While they do have the outward appearance of Christians - "virgins" - they have never truly been "born again" (Matt. 25:3). Their 'lamps of profession', powered only by fleshly energy, will have burned out (Matt. 25:8), and they will find the door shut in their face (Matt. 25:10,11-12), when the bridegroom comes for his bride, at the time of the 'rapture', to take her to his Father's house (John 14:2-3). Note that it is not to take her to "set up the kingdom".
1Thes. 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ"
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Fleshly religion - J.C. Philpot
5 comments :
Great site. Great discussion. I'm a two year old Christian saved by the Lord Jesus Christ deep from within the pit. MY Bible says in Rev 6.16-17 that the wrath of the Lamb comes at the 6th seal. This matches up with Mt 24 in verses 29-31, where the sun and moon are darkened and everything is being shaken. It is only at that time in verse 31 that the angels are sent to gather the elect- the rapture. In both sequences the rapture clearly happens after the the great tribulation, but before the wrath of God is poured out on the world. This seems to me to be very plain. Would you care to comment without any twisting of Scripture or special pleading. Thanks!
In Christ,
Jeff
re: rapture clearly happens after
Nothing could be more incorrect.
Matt. 24:31 is not at all the rapture of the bride of Christ, his very body. First, the Mt. 24:31 gathering occurs at the end of the tribulation. The body of Christ is no longer on the scene, having been taken to the Father's house (John 14:2-3) before it began (Rev. 3:10 - kept "from").
The gathering of the "elect" at this point refers primarily to the Jewish remnant whom the LORD has sovereignly kept 'through' the tribulation (Isa. 65:9) - and may very well refer also in general to all who survive that do not take the mark (see: Isa. 65:9 - "servants").
One more point, the "wrath of the lamb" refers generally to the entire first half of the tribulation - the "hour of temptation" Rev. 3:10.
The "wrath of God" is generally referencing the second half - the "hour of his judgment" Rev. 14:7
Two separate "hours" - all wrath.
The true church, not the apostate, is not appointed to wrath:
1Thes. 5:9 'For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ'
These things actually are those that are "very plain".
For further study if interested: A. C. Gaebelein: "The Interval Between The Coming Of The Lord For His Saints And With His Saints"
A brief comment perhaps...nothing good to say about the video though.
The video (another Chris White production) is pushing the "pre-wrath" view, which is just the latest obfuscation of the last-day scoffers who would destroy the scriptural truth of the coming of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for his bride - before He Himself opens the first seal, allowing the AC to go forth and conquer - Rev. 6:1.
The LORD says of this Antichrist that he is "the rod of mine anger" - Isa. 10:5 (wrath)
The Lord Jesus Christ will not use that "rod" against his own blood-bought 'body'. Never.
The tribulation period, so-called, and Daniel's 70th week, which is God's appointed time to finish up his dealings with the existing nation of Israel [Dan. 9:24], are one and the same. It is for Israel and the Christ-rejecting world.
The body of Christ shall have no part of Daniel's 70th week, which is also why they are found singing in heaven before the first seal is ever opened - Rev. 5:9-10 (note before Rev. 6:1; note also how non-KJV's change that verse - why?)
This newest version of "pre-wrath" that Chris White and a few others are pushing is so convoluted though that it's just not possible to untwist it here.
The fact is that is so full of gross error that it seems it can only have been purposely done.
For just one example, one of the most egregious errors, you will note, is that they deny the doctrine of the imminent coming.
This very teaching is said to be what the "evil servant" does in Matthew and Luke (Matt. 24:48-51; Luke 12:45-48) - "My Lord delayeth his coming".
Recommend the path of the wise virgins, per the above post.
Even so, come Lord Jesus - Rev. 22:20
Darby is also a false teacher like Hal Lindsey!
Why don´t you know that?
And God´s Wrath is not the same as post-trib.
True Christians are going through the end except God´s Wrath!
All Americans have been blinded by the pretrib rapture and the despensationalism!
You are inconsistent - or have I missunderstood you?
to Anon directly above,
re: "God´s Wrath is not the same as post-trib"
There is a reason that the "pre-wrath" interpretation was never heard of throughout thousands of years of church history until the early 1990's. Never even entered the discussion. How could that be?
The answer is very simple: the pre-wrath view is so utterly convoluted, such an incredibly messy cut-and-paste hatchet-job on the prophetic scriptures, that it would be absolutely impossible for anybody to ever study the Word of God and arrive naturally at the so-called 'pre-wrath' position. Never in a thousand years - or two thousand.
Problem was that post and mid were/are indefensible though, as the opponents of truth know well, so they had to abandon those schemes and dream up a whole new way to attack.
Which, at the very late hour, as mentioned above, is exactly what the opponents-of-truth did by 'dreaming up' their masterpiece of mangled prophetic-scripture they call "pre-wrath".
The 1990's "pre-wrath" confusion of scripture truth falls squarely into the category of strong delusion - 2Thes. 2:10-11
Believe it not.
Maranatha
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