Are Christians Who Believe They Must Endure the Great Tribulation Trying to Earn Their Way to Heaven?

In having dialogue with various people from the pre-trib camp, it has been said of those who believe that we must endure the tribulation, that we think we must go through it, not because the Scriptures clearly teach that, but that we are trying to earn our way to heaven by a works salvation. How anyone who claims to understand the Bible can come to that conclusion is a conundrum to me. Most born again Christians who have a personal relationship with Christ (as opposed to those who call themselves Christians based upon the fact that they belong to a church) know that their justification before God is based upon what Christ did on the cross and that no one can earn their way to heaven solely by the works of their own efforts. That we are expected to make our salvation or calling sure or certain by sanctification or living a holy life unto God, however, is a Biblical teaching. We are to show our love by keeping the commandments, among other things.

John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”

1 Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

It is also a Scriptural teaching that we are expected to take up our cross and follow Him.

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Mark 8:34 “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Today the phrase “taking up our cross” is often interpreted as enduring our burdens. People sometimes refer to a tribulation they are experiencing as bearing their cross, but in Jesus' day that is not how the people would have interpreted what He said. The cross to them meant one thing only. It meant a torturous death in an extremely painful and humiliating way. Because the Romans forced a person being crucified to carry their own cross up to the crucifixion site, taking up one's cross to follow Christ meant that in choosing to follow Him, one needed to die to self (surrender totally to God) and be willing to literally physically die, if required, to follow Jesus. For the people living then it meant literally picking up a crucifixion stake and following Him to Golgotha to be nailed to a cross too. It was much more than just enduring an unpleasant experience. They were told to expect to be martyred for their faith, and they were. Taking up a cross meant then, and still means now that a person must accept that they must be willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives, for their belief in Christ. It is a choice that puts one right in the crosshairs of Satan's sight. Anything less than this commitment is not being worthy of Christ and His sacrifice. It has nothing to do with trying to work one's way into heaven. It is called our “reasonable service.”

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

2 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

Please note that God does not consider it a service that is above and beyond anything He could ask, but a reasonable service that He has a right to expect from us in gratitude for what He has done for us. It is not a work in the sense of trying to earn our way into heaven by ourselves. It is a show of gratitude, an act of obedience and love, and a display of our faith.

The Bible does not teach that accepting the Lord will make your life prosperous and one of ease where all your wishes come true and hardships will never be asked of you. God is not a sugar daddy. His goal is to conform us to the image of His Son, and most of us need a lot of conforming.

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

That means that God must purge us of the things which get in the way of our relationship with Him and living a holy life.

John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

1 Corinthians 5:6-7 “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.”

2 Timothy 2:19-21 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

God does this purging through trials and tribulations to chastise us.

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Job 5:17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”

God ordains tribulations in our lives so that His work in us can be complete.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

And the end result is not without its rewards.

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Psalm 66:10-12 “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.”

2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

2 Timothy 4:7-8a “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.”

We are told that as children of God, we should in fact fully expect to go through tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 3:4 “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

1 Peter 1:3-7 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

We are told this because through trials and tribulation we learn to be obedient as Christ learned obedience through what He suffered.

Hebrews 5:8 “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”

He had to learn obedience unto death, so that He might be an example to us, so that we might learn obedience unto death through our afflictions and tribulations.

Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

For those who do not think that God would ordain our suffering to the point of death, because they think He would never let Christ's Bride suffer, think again. He lets us know that indeed, He expects us to give our very lives for Him.

Hebrews 12:4-11 “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

We should fear God more than we fear what man or even Satan can do to us.

Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

We are also told in several passages that we must endure much tribulation and suffering before Christ's glory is manifest (Second Coming) and we enter into the kingdom of God.

Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

1 Peter 1:6-7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 4:12-19 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

Note that the above verses tell us that we should expect to endure a fiery trial and tribulations right up until Christ's appearing when His glory will be revealed at His Second Coming. And what is the reason for these fiery trials and tribulation? It is because God's people need purging and cleansing and being made holy and acceptable. Christ's blood does cover our sins, but our white linen garments are the result of the kind of life we live for Christ. Our rewards are a result of the holy life we live for Christ. We have an obligation to God that we must acknowledge. The parable of the talents and wedding feast give us some insight as to whether simply saying the sinner's prayer is enough, (provided you do not do it on your deathbed) or if God expects you to do the works He gives you to do.

Matthew 25:14-30 “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 22:2-13 “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In the first parable, we see that when God gives us our justification and spiritual gifts, He expects some return on His investment when He returns. If there is no “interest” on His investment, one can expect to be cast into outer darkness. In the second we see that even a person who shows up at the wedding feast (this indicates that it must be a true born-again Christian for no one but true believers can come to the wedding) if he has no wedding garment, is unworthy. And again he is cast into outer darkness. So where does one get a wedding garment? If our righteousness wholly depends on Christ alone, then why does this guest not have a garment? Does not the Host provide it? Apparently not. The reason is that the garment does not rest upon Christ's work alone. We have a part to play also. In Revelation we are told that the Bride is clothed in fine white linen and she has made herself ready.

Revelation 19:7-8 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

She has done something on her own to make herself ready for the Bridegroom. The linen garment is her righteousness, but she has had to help make herself righteous. In other words, we are being told that not everything depends upon Christ. Her being there is a result of what the Bridegroom did, but her apparel was in part supposed to come from her. This very important wedding garment, which is mandatory for the wedding feast according to the parable, is the righteousness of the saints. But is not our righteousness entirely derived from Christ? Our justification is derived from Christ, but sanctification is an ongoing process that continues all our lives and is something upon which we must work. That sanctification requires that there be some action on our part, not that we sit back and not worry about our behavior.

James 2:17-26 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

We are told that our faith, if it is untested and has no proving ground or evidence (works), is a non-existent, dead faith. Our righteousness demands that our justification and faith be backed up by works. It must be tested and put to the proof for it to be of any merit. Abraham was tested. Even Christ was tempted. Our wedding garments consist not only of Christ's righteousness, but of our righteousness being displayed by our works, some of which may require enduring persecution or martyrdom. Without those works validating our faith in Christ's sacrifice, we do not have a wedding garment. God provides tribulations and tests so that we might have the opportunity to display our works and thereby prove our faith in Him.

Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Titus 2:7, 13-14 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.... Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing (Second Coming) of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Likewise our works or lack thereof can give testimony to our lack of faith.

Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

Works cannot give us our justification. Only Christ's death and resurrection could do that. However, that is not the end of the story. We need to run the race, work out our salvation, and endure to the end.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” [Revelation 11:15,18 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever....And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” This is the time of Christ's appearing. This is that day, otherwise known as the Day of the Lord or God's wrath when we will be judged and rewarded and the nations punished.]

Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” If our salvation is such a sure thing, then why would we not only be told to work it out (do the works we are given and live a sanctified life), but to do it with fear and trembling? Why should we be scared? Because we can, as the servants in the parable, be found wanting and be cast into outer darkness.

Matthew 10:22 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

2 Timothy 4:5 “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

If one does not seek to live a life holy and acceptable unto God, and do the works that He gives us to do, enduring to the end, he runs the following risks.

1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

2 Peter 2:20-21 “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

Hebrews 10:26-31 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

1 Peter 4:16-18 “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

So it can be seen that Scripture teaches us that we must take up our cross and be prepared to die for our faith, that we must work out our salvation by clothing ourselves in righteous works, and that trials and tribulation are ordained by God in order to purge the leaven out of our lives, so that we might present ourselves holy and acceptable unto Him, which is our reasonable service.

The argument comes in that while God gives us some small trials and tribulations, He would never ask us to suffer the greatest tribulation to ever come upon mankind. My question is, why not? Did He not allow Christians to die at the hands of the Romans by fire and lions? Did He not allow all of His apostles except for John be martyred? Has He not and is He still not allowing people to be martyred around the world for His name's sake? Why on earth would He not allow people to be martyred during the tribulation? Especially when the Church has strayed so far from Him into doctrines that come from demons. Death is death. Martyrdom is martyrdom. There is no difference in the result as to who is wielding the sword. Why is death due to martyrdom during the tribulation any different or worse than death due to martyrdom during any other era in history? In fact does not the Church deserve a good purging?

The answer comes back as … because the great tribulation is God's wrath. First of all, nowhere in the Bible does God ever call the great tribulation His wrath. Nowhere. That is an appellation that some man at some time erroneously gave this period of time and from thence created a whole theology around this erroneous assumption. God calls it what it is – tribulation. In Greek the word is “thlipsis,” and everywhere the word “thlipsis” is used, it is referring to the trials and tribulations that all the aforementioned verses mention - the tribulations that we are supposed to expect. This tribulation is no different. As God is not the author of temptation, but allows it, we can see that Satan (as well as ourselves) is the author of all the trials and tribulations in our life, because he is the original author of evil. The great tribulation is merely the first time that God entirely lifts His restraining hand from Satan and lets him go at us full tilt. It will be greater than any other tribulation in history, not because it is God's wrath (which it isn't), but by virtue of the worldwide extent and enormous numbers of people killed. This is what makes it the “great” tribulation. God in fact tells us that the great tribulation is not His wrath, but Satan's wrath.

Revelation 12:12 “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

Indeed, God tells us that He fully intends to turn us over to Satan and the beast. We are given into his hand.

Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”

Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Revelation 13:7 “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

Revelation 6:9-10; 7:14, 12:11 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled......And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.....And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Why would God feel the need to allow His children to suffer the worst holocaust in the history of mankind? Because we have become high-minded and arrogant. We trust in our riches and are blind to our spiritual state. We have exchanged the doctrines of God for those from hell. We need to be judged and purged of our sins. God has warned us that He will begin His final judgment by cleaning up His own house. He must be glorified and what better way than for His children to be put to the test and come out winners for all creation to see. The Church has become apostate. God will clean her up and judge His own house first, before He judges the rest of the world.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 'Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

1 Timothy 6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”

1 Peter 4:17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

Daniel 11:33-35 “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”

In the letters to the churches, Christ warns them of their sins and the need for repentance or they will find themselves being judged.

Revelation 2:2-5 “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

Revelation 2:13-16 “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Revelation 2:19-23 “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

Revelation 3:1b-3 “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

[Note here that He comes as a thief at an unknown day or hour. This describes the Second Coming.

Matthew 24:30-31,36 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other..... But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”]

Revelation 3:15-19 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

Notice in the above five churches that Christ uses references that are found in other Scriptures when referring to the great tribulation and His Second Coming... “I will come quickly...I will come quickly and fight....I will come on thee as a thief...thou shalt not know what hour I will come...I will kill her children with death...tried by fire. In fact in one church they are told that they will be thrown into the “great tribulation.” Clearly the Church (in the universal sense) is not exempt from the great tribulation.

Now I hear the argument that some will be left behind and this is to whom this refers. Left behind for what reason? Answer: Because they did not believe in a pre-trib rapture. And from where did this teaching come? Certainly not the Word of God. I am guessing it originates in the Left Behind series, which hardly qualifies as Scriptural truth. Where does God ever say that the criteria for participating in the resurrection and rapture (which occur at the same time) is that we believe in a pre-trib rapture - or else? God never makes the timing of the rapture doctrine a criteria for resurrection/rapture. Will everyone who has died before the rapture who has not believed this teaching, not be brought back and resurrected because of this? What a ludicrous statement to make and what an arrogant, self-righteous teaching this is.

The only thing God has exempted us from is His wrath, and He has already told us the tribulation is not His wrath. Heaven announces His wrath in Revelation 11:15-18 at the last trumpet, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” It is again announced in Chapters 15:1 and 16:1 following the blowing of the seventh trumpet and a gathering of the saints in the clouds in Chapter 14:14-16 “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped..... And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God......And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” The only places in Revelation where heaven announces that God's wrath is being poured out on the world are found in the Chapters following the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Chapters 11-19) The other place God's wrath is mentioned in Revelation is in the sixth seal when the people of the earth start screaming in terror for what is happening. They believe God's wrath has come because 1) the celestial signs that are supposed to happen before God's wrath starts are occurring, and 2) the first thing people do when bad things happen is to blame God. Their panicking and claiming that God's judgment is falling on them does not make it God's wrath. Every natural catastrophe is given that moniker by someone. I have seen television shows about tornadoes titled The Wrath of God. It is true that those are the signs which herald God's wrath, however it is not the commencement of God's wrath until heaven declares that it is.

It is true we are not appointed to wrath, which is why the rapture does occur (Revelation 14:14-16) before the vials of God's wrath are poured out (Revelation 16), but we are appointed to tribulation. It is not earning one's way to heaven to believe one will suffer tribulation in life or go into the great tribulation. It is simply what the Word of God has told us and the reality of being a Christian.

What is even more of interest in the pre-trib view of things, is that they claim the promise to the church of Philadelphia as belonging to them and them alone. But does it? Does it really? Let us see what it actually says.

Revelation 3:8-10 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

The interesting thing about this verse is that the argument between people is over the word “from” as to whether it means out of or within. What is totally ignored is that the event that the Philadelphians are kept from is not God's wrath, but the temptation. The word “temptation” is in Greek “peirsmos.” This word means “to put to the proof, to test, or discipline,” as when God put Abraham to the proof and tested his faith when He asked him to sacrifice Isaac. When God's wrath is referred to, we find two words used, “thumos” or “orge”. Both of these words mean passion, vengeance, fierce indignation, and angry punishment. Clearly this verse is not speaking of wrath, but of chastisement or of God disciplining His children. The Philadelphians are promised that they will be kept from suffering during the time of God's disciplining of the rest of His children, as they do not need the chastisement. They have already purged themselves. It is like taking a class and the professor has said that if you have received an A in the course up to the time of the final exam, you are exempt from having to take it. You have no need to prove yourself, because you have been proving yourself all along. The great tribulation or tribulation (as the only tribulation in this context is the great tribulation), is a time when Christians, whose faith needs to be tested and purged, will be tried and put to the proof. The five above mentioned churches, whom Christ has something against, will be tested during this time. It will be a time when He brings them to the point of repentance and purges them of their sins. The Philadelphians have run the race, they have abided with Christ, done the works He has given them to do, kept His Word pure and unadulterated, and purged themselves of apostasy, so there is no need to test and discipline them.

The unrealistic and prideful part of those who claim this promise for themselves is that there is a strict criteria for those who qualify for this promise and there will be few who meet it. First they have to keep God's Word and not deny His name. Now most Christians would say that they meet this criteria, but how many really keep His Word? How many even keep His commandments? And if you think you do, do you keep the fourth? Do you accept that God's Word literally means what it says, or do you spiritualize it, adding and subtracting and twisting its meaning? The next thing is that they must keep the word of God's patience. So what is the word of God's patience? Where else is patience mentioned that it might give us an idea of what this means? First we have God's longsuffering patience toward us.

Romans 2:3-4 “ And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

Romans 9:22 “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:”

1 Peter 3:20 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Then we have the patience of the saints.

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,”

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 “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: 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.”

Hebrews 10:35-37 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

James 1:3 “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

James 5:7-8 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

James 5:10 “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”

Revelation 1:9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 13:7-10 “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Revelation 14:9-12 “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Both of these “patiences” work together. God is longsuffering and patient and holds off until the last possible moment before pouring out His wrath, so that every last person might be saved. He waits and painfully watches, as He allows His children to be purified, so that they can be witnesses for Him and end up with Him, because they have made their white wedding garments during this time. The patience of the saints is to endure this purifying tribulation, to the point of death in fact, when the beast is making war upon them and forcing people to take his mark. Both indicate that the rapture will not be before the events but after. God's patience requires it for everyone to be saved, and our patience demands that we endure to the end so that we are worthy of Him.

For those who believe that they meet the criteria in every way to be a Philadelphian, there is still a problem. The saints at Smyrna are also without criticism from Christ. They have no need of being purged and refined, yet they are told that indeed they will be martyred for their faith.

Revelation 2:9-10 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Why is God allowing these faithful saints to be martyred? Do they not merit escaping Satan's wrath if anyone does? Yet God allows their death. Why? For His glory, that's why. Who is to say, even if they feel they are walking with the Lord, who will fall into the church of Smyrna and who will be a part of the Philadelphian church? None of us knows where God has chosen to categorize us, so no one should think that they are exempt from Satan's wrath. That there are a select few it is true, but nobody can make the claim that they are one of that chosen few. To do so would be the height of pride, which would then automatically disqualify the person.

The only thing we can do is strive to be holy, and as Jesus told us, pray that we might be worthy to escape all these things. Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

We are told to lay a good foundation, for when the time comes for the tribulation we will need to have that to stand on so that we will not be shaken. We will need to endure until the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Second Coming according to the verse below).

1 Timothy 6:18-19 “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the TIME TO COME, (against the coming tribulation) that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

1 Timothy 6:11-14 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

As one last warning, Christ gave another parable along with the two mentioned above. It is the parable of the ten virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

Now I have heard this interpreted in a number of ways. One being that the five virgins that had no oil, not being Christians. This does not hold up, as all of them started out the same, virgins with oil awaiting the Bridegroom. This indicates that both groups are Christians at the start, not that five are unbelievers. A second interpretation which is popular with the pre-trib camp is that the five foolish virgins do not believe in the pre-trib rapture, so they get left behind. This interpretation makes no sense at all to me. Why would God leave behind a group of Christians who are so committed to Him that they prepare spiritually to willingly face the persecution and martyrdom that they know will come? Would He not prefer this group to a group who arrogantly refuses to believe that He would ever ask them to suffer for them? And again, where in the Bible does it indicate that the timing of the rapture is a criteria for salvation, so that some should be left behind, if it were a pre-trib rapture? Would not those who were prepared to accept martyrdom simply be happily surprised? Why the new teaching (and this is a rather new teaching for I was brought up pre-trib and this was never taught back then) toward other Christians that God would let them suffer His “wrath” just because they do not accept a pre-trib rapture? Just because they differ on a doctrine that has nothing to do with salvation? Are not all Christians not appointed to wrath? Do they not see the problem with this teaching?

Here is another puzzle. Have they stopped to consider that in teaching this that they are teaching that some Christians need to be purged? Therefore suffering through this time of antichrist is a time of purging Christians of what God considers unacceptable? If some Christians need to be purged, and they are teaching that they need to be purged merely because they do not accept a doctrine that is actually not Scriptural to begin with, then would not God want to purge Christians of their sins and apostasy? Have they thought this through at all?

I believe the true interpretation of the ten virgins parable is that the Bridegroom does not come as early as expected by the foolish virgins. He instead tarries long past the time they had prepared to wait, for they never expected to have to wait so long and did not bring sufficient oil to last them through this long unexpected wait. Does this not instead indicate that those who believe they will have to endure this period and prepare spiritually, mentally, and possibly physically are the ones with the oil? Are not the ones without oil the ones who did not think He would be tarrying so long and therefore were not prepared to wait it out? Does this parable not teach the exact opposite of what pre-trib says it teaches? And we are given the event in which this occurs. We are told that they will not know the day or hour in which the Son of man comes. But this day and hour phrase, although used by pre-trib to refer to a pre-trib rapture, actually does not refer to a pre-trib rapture at all. This phrase comes from Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” This verse is referring back to verses 30-31 which is the Second Coming. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” The event which no one will know the day or hour is the Second Coming, not a pre-trib rapture. So Christ is telling us that this parable is about His Second Coming (not a pre-trib rapture) by the use of the phrase “no man knows the day or hour.” He is telling us He will collect His Bride at the Second Coming.

So in closing, for anyone to say that people who do not adhere to a pre-trib rapture doctrine are trying to earn their way to heaven is simply a ridiculous argument to avoid accepting the truth of what the Word of God says. It is merely a way to preserve a belief which comforts and tickles the ears.