Should you be getting ready for the rapture or preparing for the tribulation? This episode of God's Loving Sacrifice brings James to the mic, stepping in for his mom, to tackle this profound spiritual dilemma. We discuss the pre-tribulation rapture theory, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, to explain why followers of Jesus Christ are believed to be saved from enduring the tribulation. James makes it clear that preparing for the rapture is straightforward: it involves faith in Jesus, earnest prayer for forgiveness, and the confession of sins. Understanding the tribulation, however, remains crucial—ensuring that those who might be left behind can recognize the signs and truths of God's word.
In the second part of our episode, James explores the deep significance of the tribulation for both believers and non-believers. With insights from scripture and the popular "Left Behind" series by Tim LaHaye, we discuss how the tribulation is seen as a final opportunity for salvation, filled with undeniable signs of God's reality. James emphasizes the importance of educating those who might face the tribulation, so they aren't deceived by the Antichrist but can make informed decisions, even if it means facing martyrdom. The episode also features the poignant song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," and James takes a moment to thank our supportive listeners. Join us for an enlightening discussion designed to prepare hearts and minds for these pivotal spiritual events.
Should you be getting ready for the rapture or preparing for the tribulation? This episode of God's Loving Sacrifice brings James to the mic, stepping in for his mom, to tackle this profound spiritual dilemma. We discuss the pre-tribulation rapture theory, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, to explain why followers of Jesus Christ are believed to be saved from enduring the tribulation. James makes it clear that preparing for the rapture is straightforward: it involves faith in Jesus, earnest prayer for forgiveness, and the confession of sins. Understanding the tribulation, however, remains crucial—ensuring that those who might be left behind can recognize the signs and truths of God's word.
In the second part of our episode, James explores the deep significance of the tribulation for both believers and non-believers. With insights from scripture and the popular "Left Behind" series by Tim LaHaye, we discuss how the tribulation is seen as a final opportunity for salvation, filled with undeniable signs of God's reality. James emphasizes the importance of educating those who might face the tribulation, so they aren't deceived by the Antichrist but can make informed decisions, even if it means facing martyrdom. The episode also features the poignant song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," and James takes a moment to thank our supportive listeners. Join us for an enlightening discussion designed to prepare hearts and minds for these pivotal spiritual events.
My website is https://www.godslovingsacrifice.com
James:
Hi, this is James with God's Loving Sacrifice. I'm a new voice here, but I've been here all along. Mom's not feeling good and she's unable to record today, so she's asked me to speak in her behalf. What we're going to discuss today is a question that was brought to her by a discussion, which is normally how things are brought to this channel. We're going to discuss are you preparing for the rapture or tribulation? Someone came to mom and said you know, I hope to be here after the rapture so that I can lead people to God. And mom and I discussed that and that really didn't seem like a good idea.
James:
Number one the tribulation is not meant for the followers of Jesus Christ. God will take his church out before the tribulation happens. Now this is considered pre-trib rapture theory, but some of the verses that talk about that are 1 Thessalonians, 4, 15 through 18. For this we say to you, by the words of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord by no means will precede those who are asleep, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with those words. This talks of the rapture.
James:
Now how do you prepare for the rapture? Well, preparing for the rapture is actually quite easy. You believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on the cross and rose three days later. You pray for him and want forgiveness in your heart, and you confess your sins to him and ask for those forgivenesses. With that being said, why would someone prepare for the tribulation?
James:
Well, studying the tribulation is actually important. It is important because there are those who may have Christ in their heads, they may know everything and may even believe some of it, but not have accepted it into his heart. Because, you know, I have this thing I want to do and that thing I want to do, and they're not a part of following God. And so those are the people who are going to be left behind. And when they're left behind, they are going to see all the signs that have been taught to them if we are teaching about what the tribulation will bring and with that, they'll be given the knowledge that God is real and everything that he said is true. Now, why is it important to know that they will have that knowledge? Well, because when God comes and takes his church with it, he is going to take the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not going to draw you to God. It is not going to give you that faith that is required to believe in God.
James:
Well then, how are you going to accept Christ into your life after the Tribulation? Well, you're not going to need faith at that point. Evidence will be around you everywhere. You'll have read the Bible or you'll have heard people talk of the Bible. You may have made fun of those people that talked about the Bible, but now you're seeing all these things. That was written thousands of years ago and you're going to know that it is happening now. So you will have knowledge in Christ. So you will have knowledge in Christ. That is also how the Jews followed God before Christ. It was a knowledge of God, not a faith in God. If you look back to the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt, they had a cloud over them to protect them from the sun in the day and a pillar of fire to protect them from the cold of the night at night. That was absolute proof of the existence of their God.
James:
Why would you not want to prepare for the tribulation and just bypass the rapture, like was said? Well, how do you know that you're not going to die in sin and go to hell because you want to play around? If you look at everything that is logistically going to happen during the rapture, everyone who believes in God is going to disappear. Okay, some of those are going to be driving cars, flying planes. You know those things are going to go out of control and people are going to die. You don't want to be one of those people who die.
James:
Also, look at all the things that are going to happen during the tribulation. It is harsh signs so that it is so out there that people are going to be able to say look at this, look at that. You have two people in Israel who preach and do miracles, and then they die and are taken back up to heaven. These things are there because God is actually not punishing the wicked, which a lot of people do. Think that the tribulation is there to punish the wicked. No, this is one last chance to accept Christ and not go to hell. It is there so that the signs are so out there that you know that this is what has been prophesied. Why couldn't it be something simple? You know rainbows everywhere and everything. Because humans do not think about that stuff. They won't accept that stuff as signs. Oh, it was rainy and there's a rainbow. It's. It's nothing. No, it's something.
James:
If you wish to learn more about the tribulation, you can read the bible. There are many books that actually cover it, but one of the places that I found the most fun was the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye. Now, this is fictional writing and it is fun because it's actually kind of an adventure book, but Tim LaHaye does use a lot of his ability in reading prophecies and stuff to make it more real. So again, the tribulation is not for the church. God wants to protect us from that kind of event and that is why the rapture will happen before the tribulation, and God wants us to be prepared for the rapture and not the tribulation. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be teaching the tribulation, because for those of us who would not follow and would be left behind, it would be important for them to know. That way they will not be deceived by the Antichrist. They will not take the mark and maybe they will survive, but more than likely what will happen to them is they will lose their lives and become martyrs.
James:
I want to leave you with a song, because mom's not the only one who can do songs, and that song is I Wish We'd All Been Ready the first time I heard it was from an old movie, but it has since been remade by several good bands. Take a listen. I think you'll enjoy it. Take a listen, I think you'll enjoy it. Hopefully mom's feeling better for the next week and she might be able to clean up and cover what I didn't cover in this. I want to thank all of you who do listen to mom. This means a lot to her. So thank you, and may God be with you.
