Hello and welcome to our program. Today we'll be looking at the question, will any believers go through any part of the tribulation? Stay tuned for our program. There are some who teach that we're going to go through the tribulation as Christians. Some teach we'll go through half of it. Some teach we'll go through all of it. Others teach that we won't go through any of it. What does the Bible say on this subject? Well, first of all, let's look at what the tribulation period is all about. Matthew 24, verse 21, Jesus says, for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. All this nonsense that we see going on with the terrorists right now, and people shooting people in restaurants, and innocent, even children being run over by trucks and things by terrorists. That's just the beginning. He said it's the beginning and it's it's going to be worse than anything We have ever seen that tribulation period back in Jeremiah 30 and verse number 7 says the last for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacob's trouble Isaiah 61 and 2 calls it the day of vengeance of our God. Revelation 6.16, the wrath of the Lamb. Revelation 6.17, the great day of His wrath has come. verse 18 of chapter 11 thy wrath is come chapter 14 verse 10 of revelation the wrath of god which is poured out without mixture and then we read in revelation 14 and 19 the great wine press of the wrath of god Revelation 15 and 1, the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God. Revelation 15, 7, talks about the seven golden vials full of the wrath of God. 16 and 1, he poured out the vials of the wrath of God. Revelation 16 and 19, the fierceness of his wrath. Revelation 19 and 15, the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Now, some teach that all Christians are going to go through the Tribulation period and be translated after the end of the Tribulation. Some teach that none will go through it, and some teach that Christians who are watching and prepared will not go through it, and the rest will. Well, we're going to have to look at that in detail, but we see here that Jesus said that great tribulations such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time known or ever shall be. Now we've seen about the wrath of God. There's wrath without mixture here. Well, it says in 1 Thessalonians 4, 16 to 18, the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. And verse 18 ends with these words, Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Well, if we're going to go through the tribulation, I don't see anything to comfort one another with. There's wrath of God. There's a great day, none like it before. The vengeance of God. His wrath without mixture, the plagues that are given here, the vials of the wrath of God, the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. I'm supposed to comfort somebody with these words? Well, there's no comfort there, but there is comfort in the fact that it says, the dead in Christ shall rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. I can comfort somebody with those words if they're Christians. Well, The fact that he said comfort one another with these words can't be going through the tribulation. Then he talked about the blessed hope, Titus chapter 2 verse number 13, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Well, we're going to be looking for the blessed hope, not for that wrath, that great tribulation, that time when there shall be nothing like it from the beginning of the world. a time of the wrath of God. There's no blessed hope there. Then Jesus said in Luke 21 and 28, and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your head. Your redemption draweth nigh. That word redemption has been translated redeemer. He draweth nigh. Well, there's something to look for. He says when these things come to pass, it doesn't say look out, the tribulation is coming. It says your redeemer draweth nigh. Then in Luke chapter 21 verse 36 it talks about those who will escape all of these things. He said, and to stand before the Son of Man. Now, who is he talking to here? Those who would say that we are going to go through the tribulation unless we're just, I don't know where the mark is where you can be spiritual enough not to. They use this verse and they say, watch ye therefore and pray that ye may be counted worthy to escape all of these things. Well, whenever you study the Bible, we have to ask ourselves, who's talking? Well, Jesus is talking here. Who is he talking to? Ye, watch ye therefore and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things. Well, we see in Luke chapter 20 and verse number 45, he's speaking in the audience of all the people. In Luke 21, verse number 38, we read, and all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple for to hear him. All the people. Now, he says here, watch and pray. Pray that you be worthy to escape. How are you going to be worthy to escape? He also said that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Well, these Christians are already going to do that. So he's talking to a crowd of unsaved people here, and he's saying if you don't get in with those who are Christians, you're not going to be counted worthy to escape all these things. Now if you want to read what these things are, that phrase, these things, is in verse 6, verse 7 twice. Verse 9, verse 28, verse 31, and verse 36. Read those for yourself and see what the person is able to escape if they trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Then in 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 1 through 3, he talks about they that will not escape. He says, but of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, 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. So he's talking to the Christians here, and to the Christians he says, but of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, because you already know about this. But they, it says in verse number three, which say peace and safety, a lot of this world cries for peace and safety now. Let me say this, you're not gonna have peace without the Prince of Peace. They don't want him in schools, they don't want him in the government, they don't want him anywhere. But they want peace, it's not gonna happen. For they shall say, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. And then again, back in Luke 21 and 36, Jesus talked about those who are worthy to escape all these things. You're going to be in one group, or you're going to be in the other. One group is known as Christians, those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The other group is those who reject him. Now, speaking to those same Christians in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse number 9, we read, For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, he's talking to people who are already saved, so he's not talking about salvation in the sense of going to heaven. There's many verses in the Bible where the word saved is used that has nothing to do with going to heaven. In fact, when it was announced to Mary that Jesus was coming into the world in Luke chapter 1 and verse 71, the angel said that concerning Israel, he would save us from our enemies. That has nothing to do with going to heaven. Acts 7 and 25, by his hand God would deliver them, same Greek word. Matthew 8 and 25, and his disciples came to him. and woke him, saying, Lord, save us. We perish. Same Greek word. They were in the boat. Remember, the boat was going down. Nothing to do with going to heaven. Jeremiah 30 in verse 7 says, Alas, for that day, that day is great, referring to the tribulation, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. Saved out of it. Well then, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse number 6, the Bible says, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. He who now hindereth. The Bible says when he is taken out of the way, the Antichrist will come on the scene. Now, who is he? Well, Jesus said in John chapter 15 and verse number 26, "...but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things." In John 16 and 7, Jesus said, "...I will send him unto you." Between John chapter 14 and verse number 26 in john chapter 16 and verse number 23 the holy spirit is referred to he over 20 times he is a person he is not an influence that's what he does he the holy spirit is the third person of the trinity and when he is taken out of the world the bible says then all of the tribulation period things that are going to happen will take place. He lives within the Christian. If he is taken out of the world, it is because the Christians are taken out of the world. Now when those Christians are taken out of the world, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse number 10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he is done, whether it be good or bad. Now did you read that? It says we must all appear. Everyone is going to be there at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Now, the Bible speaks about the Judgment Seat of Christ, and it speaks about the Great White Throne Judgment. Two different judgments. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for Christians only. It takes place during the tribulation period which is here on earth. Christians have been raptured out of this world. We will go before the judgment seat of Christ and give an answer for how we have lived our Christian lives here. Let me read it again. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body. according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Now, who is he talking to here? He's talking to those carnal Corinthians. They are extremely carnal. Now, it's to them that he says, every man's work may be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. if any man's work abide which he has built there upon he shall receive a reward but it goes on to say if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire just by the skin of his teeth he's going to get into heaven now again it says we must all appear he's talking to these carnal christians if they carnal christians in the book of first corinthians are going to appear at the judgment seat of christ and they are it says so right here then none of them are going through the tribulation period and so through the christian the lord says comfort one another with these words there's no comfort if we're looking for the tribulation period He calls it the blessed hope. That's certainly not the tribulation period. He said that we could escape all these things, not part of them, all of them. And then he said we are not appointed to wrath. And we see here at the judgment seat of Christ that all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, Christians are not going to go through the tribulation period. In our next program, we're going to look at some Bible types that teach the same thing. Be sure and tune in.