Will the Church Go Through the Great Tribulation? -Continued
The Church IS APPOINTED to Tribulation
So far, we have examined two truths from the book of I Thessalonians; first, that the church is not appointed to suffer the wrath of God; and second, that the church has already been delivered from the wrath to come. In the same book (I Thessalonians), the same author (Paul the apostle) tells us that the church, though not appointed to wrath and delivered from wrath, IS APPOINTED to tribulation:
I Thessalonians 3:3-4 – “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 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.”
No statement could be clearer. The church is subject to tribulations and afflictions in this life. This truth is reiterated throughout the New Testament.
Luke 21:12 – “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and PERSECUTE you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.”
John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
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.”
Romans 5:3 – “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that TRIBULATION worketh patience.”
Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall TRIBULATION, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
II Corinthians 7:4 – “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our TRIBULATION.”
Revelation 1:9 – “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in TRIBULATION…”
Revelation 2:9 – “I know thy works, and TRIBULATION, and poverty,”
Revelation 2:10 – “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.”
The Church is Delivered from Tribulation
Here is what we know thus far from scripture: first, that the church is not appointed to suffer any of the wrath of God; second, that the church is delivered from the wrath of God; third, that the church, although delivered from wrath, is appointed to suffer tribulation.
Now, I present to the reader a fourth point. The church is delivered from tribulation. You say, “Wait a minute! You just said the church would have to suffer tribulation, and now you’re saying that the church is delivered from tribulation!” Yes, that’s what the Bible teaches. There are tribulations I will have to endure, and there are tribulations that will come upon the world that I will never have to go through. Look with me:
Romans 2:5-11 – “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, 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 Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.”
There is tribulation and anguish reserved, on the day of wrath, for every soul of man that doeth evil. This is tribulation that is directly related to coming of the day of wrath. During this time, there is tribulation and anguish that no part of the church of Jesus Christ will go through; it is reserved entirely for EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL. The “tribulation and anguish” in these verses cannot be the general afflictions and tribulations that are appointed to the church. It must, then, speak of the Great Tribulation, which is reserved, not for the church, but for every soul that doeth evil. Although the church is appointed to suffer tribulations, these verses make it plain that there is tribulation and anguish that is reserved only for evildoers, and not for the church. This tribulation that is reserved for evildoers, and not for the church, is the time period known as the Great Tribulation! We see clearly that there is a difference between the tribulations to which the church is appointed, and the tribulation and anguish reserved for evildoers, the Great Tribulation. When you read a verse that uses the word, “tribulation,” the context of the verse will easily allow you to determine whether he is speaking of the tribulations of this life to which the church is appointed, or the Great Tribulation, which is reserved for evildoers.
There are those who teach that the church will go through, either some or all, of the time period known as the Great Tribulation. Among this crowd, I am often accused of teaching that the church will not suffer. The truth is this – the church of Jesus Christ was born in suffering. The first centuries of the church were stained with blood. In recent years, there has been much persecution against the church today. Muslim countries hate freedom, hate Christians, hate Christ, and hate the church. Christians, on a regular basis in many of these countries, are beheaded for their faith. The Bible teaches plainly that Christian will suffer, and for two millenniums, Christians HAVE SUFFERED.
But although Christians have been suffering for two millenniums, NO CHRISTIAN HAS EVER SUFFERED IN THE TIME PERIOD KNOWN AS THE GREAT TRIBULATION. Paul was beheaded for the gospel. He suffered tribulation. But did Paul suffer in the time period known as the Great Tribulation? No, for that time is yet future. Peter was crucified upside down. He suffered for Christ. But did Peter suffer in the time period known as the Great Tribulation? No, for that time is not yet here. My point is this – the church has suffered for two thousand years, but the church has not gone through the Great Tribulation, for the Great Tribulation has not yet occurred. When a person pulls out the verses that promise tribulation to the church, these verses do not prove that the church will endure the Great Tribulation. This is proven by the fact that saints through the ages have suffered for their faith, as those verses promised, but none of those saints have passed through the Great Tribulation. It is possible to suffer tribulation without suffering during the time period known as the GREAT TRIBULATION! The church does not have to go through the Great Tribulation in order to suffer!
Repentance Delivers from Great Tribulation
We have already seen that the church, though appointed to tribulation, is delivered from the tribulation and anguish that is reserved for evildoers, the Great Tribulation. Now let us examine another verse that promises that repentance delivers from great tribulation:
Revelation 2:20-22 – “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.”
In these verses, Jesus is speaking to the church in Thyatira. Evidently, there was a woman with a spirit like Jezebel, the rebellious woman in the Old Testament. Jesus clearly states that if Jezebel would repent, as well as those who committed adultery with her, they would be delivered from great tribulation. We have already seen that if a person repents and follows Christ, they WILL SUFFER tribulation. But here, we are told that these that committed adultery would be cast into great tribulation, EXCEPT THEY REPENT! Repentance will keep you from the tribulation mentioned in these verses. If you repent, turning to Jesus Christ for salvation, you are appointed to suffer. You will suffer tribulation. But there is a tribulation mentioned here that you will NEVER SUFFER. It can only be the Great Tribulation that is coming upon the whole world.
The Great Tribulation is the Judgment of God
II Thessalonians 1:6 – “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to RECOMPENSE TRIBULATION to them that trouble you.”
Here, we see that there is a tribulation reserved for those who afflicted the saints. Yes, the saints will suffer the afflictions and tribulations of life. But this verse speaks of a tribulation that is recompense, or reimbursement, to those who afflicted the people of God. It is a tribulation reserved for those who afflicted the saints; it is not a tribulation for the saints. It can only be speaking of the Great Tribulation from which we are delivered.
The Great Tribulation is a Time of Wrath
We have already seen clearly that the church is delivered from the wrath of God in its entirety. Jesus referred to the Great Tribulation as “days of vengeance” and “much wrath upon this people”:
Luke 21:20-23 – “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.”
Jesus here speaks of “the desolation.” In Matthew 24, verses 15 and 21, Jesus places the abomination of desolation as being brought about in a time of great tribulation. In the verses above, Jesus states that the days of the desolation, an event taking place in the Great Tribulation, are days of vengeance, and “wrath upon this people.” The days of Great Tribulation are days of wrath, and the church has been delivered by the cross of Christ from the wrath to come.
Concluding Verses
Revelation 3:10 – “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.”
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.”
