PRO:When will the second coming of the Lord be?

   Introduction

   The New Testament teaches much concerning the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ. This great event is mentioned in almost all of the
twenty-seven books of the New Testament, not to mention the Old
Testament Prophets. Despite the abundance of scriptures that teach the
subject, Christians are divided on many of the details concerning
Christ's coming. One point of contention touches upon the time of His
coming in relation to other events prophesied in the Bible; namely,
that great time of God's wrath called the great tribulation.

   Being brought up in an evangelical denomination, I have been taught
what is commonly called the "pretribulational" school of thought. This
view states that Christ's coming will occur before the tribulation and
can occur at any moment. It also teaches a two-stage coming. The
doctrine states that Christ will first come back secretly to take the
church away to heaven before the tribulation period and come back with
His saints to the earth after the tribulation. These two stages are
commonly called "the rapture and the revelation", or "the appearing and
the second advent." Furthermore, the doctrine teaches that the
resurrection of the righteous will occur at different times.

   After being exposed to other views on the subject and studying the
Bible in more detail, it became very difficult for me to see this
two-stage coming of Jesus and this multiple resurrection of the saints.
Moreover, I came across scriptures that seemed to clearly discount the
doctrine. I found that all the scriptures that mentioned Christ's
coming seemed to describe the same event, that there was one
resurrection of the just occurring at the end of the age, that Paul and
the apostles where looking for Jesus to come back in judgment and wrath
upon the wicked, and that certain things needed to happen before Christ
would come back. In this paper, I would like to explain some of the
major reasons why I do not accept the pretribulational doctrine as
being true.

   The Resurrection

   An understanding of the time of the resurrection will help us
understand when Christ comes back. The scriptures are clear that when
Christ returns, those that are Christ's will be resurrected and those
Christians who are alive will be gathered together with Him (1
Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, Philippians 3:20,21, 1 John
3:2). This is called the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6. Verse
5 says that the rest of the dead (those who did not partake of the
first resurrection) lived not again until the thousand years (the
millennium) was over. This seems to indicate that there are two
resurrections. The first resurrection will occur when Christ returns
and is called the resurrection of the just, the resurrection of life,
and the awaking unto everlasting life. The second resurrection is
referred to as the resurrection of the unjust, the resurrection of
damnation, and the awaking unto everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:1-3,
John 5:28,29, Acts 24:15). If the resurrection of the church occurs at
Christ's coming, then understanding when the resurrection occurs will
show us the time of Christ's coming. Some pretribulationalists hold to
the idea that there are twostages of the first resurrection which
occur at the two-stages of Christ's coming. However, this seems to be a
simple way of making the doctrine fit. The scriptures reveal one coming
and one resurrection of the just at His coming. The former idea has no
scriptural support.

   To begin with, 1 Corinthians 15:51,52 says that the resurrection
will occur at the last trump. The last trump is the seventh trumpet in
Revelation 11:14,15. The seventh trumpet is the last of the trumpets
heralding God's judgment in the book of Revelation. This trumpet is
described as the "third woe that cometh quickly" (Revelation 11:14).
John describes the events heralded at the seventh trumpet by saying,
"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" (Revelation 11:15,18). According to this passage, the following
things will occur at the seventh trumpet:

   1. The kingdom of God and Christ will be manifested

   2. Christ shall reign forever and ever

   3. The nations will become angry

   4. His wrath will come

   5. The time of the judgment of the dead will come

   6. He will give rewards to His prophets and saints

   7. He will destroy them that destroyed the earth

   According to many other scriptures in the New Testament, these
events take place when Jesus returns to the earth. When the last
trumpet sounds, the mystery of God will be finished. Revelation 10:7
says, "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he declared
to his servants the prophets." It is no wonder that Paul knew about
this trumpet when he penned 1 Corinthians. The last trump completes
God's wrath and heralds the third woe which are the 7 vials. The vials
are also described as "filling up" or completing the wrath of God
(Revelation 15:1). As I see it, the seals, trumpets, and vials come
closer and closer together like the birth pangs of a woman in travail
(1 Thessalonians 5:3). Therefore, the seven vials are immediately
poured out at the seventh trump. In comparing scripture, Matthew
24:29-31 places Christ's coming immediately after the tribulation.
The passage reveals that He will come with clouds, a trumpet will be
sounded, and the elect (His chosen) will be gathered together with Him.

   Another passage that speaks of the trumpet in accordance with
Christ's coming and the resurrection is found in 1 Thessalonians
4:16,17, where "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 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." This passage, Matthew 24, and 1 Corinthians 15:51,52 are all
describing the same event, i.e., Christ's return and the resurrection
unto life. They all mention a trumpet and a gathering unto Christ
(resurrection) at His coming. Matthew and 1 Thessalonians show that
His coming will be accompanied with clouds. It is interesting to notice
that none of these passages say that He will touch the earth. However,
through studying other passages we know that He will. This attests to
the fact that mere silence of a particular aspect of Christ's coming in
a passage does not mean that the passage is describing a different
stage of His coming. The account of Peter's denial is a good example of
this. Peter's denial is recorded in all four gospels and appears to be
almost contradictory. The events are similar; however, some accounts
are silent on details that are mentioned in other accounts. On the
basis of silence, one could argue that all four accounts are describing
four separate and distinct occasions where Peter denied Christ.
However, this is not the case. Rather, each writer is describing a
different aspect of the same event. Peter denied the Lord on one
occasion. It is the same way with the Lord's second coming.

   In the book of John, Jesus said that He would raise those who
believed in Him on the last day (John 6:39,40,44,54). Even Martha had
this knowledge (John 11:24). In speaking of his resurrection, Job
declares that his Redeemer shall stand upon the earth at the latter day
(Job 19:25). He says that when this happens, he will see God in his
flesh (v.26). The last day is the day when Christ comes back and stands
upon the earth. Zechariah 14:1-4 says, "Behold the day of the Lord
cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will
gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle . . . Then shall the
Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in
the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount
of Olives . . ." This will happen at the end of the world or age.

   In Matthew 13:37-43, the Lord teaches us that the harvest of the
wheat, which is the resurrection of the righteous, occurs at the end of
the world. In describing this harvest the Lord says, "The harvest is
the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the
tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of
this world . . . Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father" (compare with Daniel 12:1-3). When examining
the parable of the wheat and tares closely, it becomes clear that the
resurrection occurs after the tribulation period. In Matthew 13:30,
Jesus teaches his disciples when the wheat will be harvested saying,
"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the
harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares,
and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my
barn." Here Jesus says the tares, which are the children of the wicked
one, must be gathered first, before the wheat are harvested (the
resurrection of the just). The gathering of the tares is none other
than the gathering of the wicked to Armageddon.

   In speaking about the harvest of the earth, Revelation 14:18,19
says, "And another angel came from the alter which had power over fire;
and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying,
Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the
earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in her
sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it
into the great winepress of the wrath of God." The winepress described
here is none other than the battle of Armageddon. In Revelation 16:16,
just after the Lord announces His coming, we read that the Lord
"gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue,
Armageddon." In speaking about the gathering to Armageddon Joel says,
"Assemble yourselves, and come, ye heathen, and gather yourselves
together round about . . . Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to
the valley of Jehoshaphat [Armageddon]: for there will I sit to judge
the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:
come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their
wickedness is great" (Joel 3:11-13). In verses 14-17, Joel describes
the coming of the Lord. This passage, along with those in Revelation,
show clearly that the gathering of the tares at the harvest time in
Matthew 13 is the gathering to Armageddon which occurs at the end of
the tribulation period. According to the Lord's parable, this
gathering occurs before the harvest of the wheat, which is the
resurrection of the just.

   1 Corinthians 15:22-26 says, "For as in Adam all die, so even in
Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order; Christ
the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then
cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God . .
. the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." This passage seems
to imply that the end occurs when Christ raises up His saints at His
coming. When this resurrection takes place, the last enemy (death) will
be destroyed and Christ will deliver the kingdom to God having put down
all rule and authority and power. At that time, all things will be
subdued unto Him (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). In 1 Corinthians 15:54
Paul says, "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
According to this verse, death will be overcome at the resurrection.
Until that time, Christ is reigning at the right hand of God. Psalms
110:1 says, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand
until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Furthermore, in Philippians
3:21, Paul says that when Christ returns, He shall "change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned to His glorious body, according whereby
he is able even to subdue all things to Himself." All of these passages
seem to support the idea that death is destroyed at the resurrection.
If this is the case, then "the end" mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:24
will occur at Christ's return. Other scriptures that place the return
of Christ at "the end" are 1 Corinthians 1:7,8, 2 Corinthians 1:13,14
and 1 Thessalonians 3:13.

   Another passage that reveals when this resurrection will take place
is found in Romans 11:11-15. Here Paul describes the good that came out
of the fall of the Jews. He makes the point that their fall became the
riches of the world. In these verses, Paul is describing how salvation
was offered to all the world, namely the Gentiles, through the fall of
Israel. Then in verse 15 he says, "For if the casting away of them be
the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but
life from the dead?" In other words, a great blessing came from the
casting out of the Jews, but when the fullness of the Jews comes back
to Christ, an even greater blessing will occur. This greater blessing
is the resurrection, which Paul terms, "life from the dead." Paul is
speaking to the Gentile Christians and is declaring to them how
Israel's salvation will effect them in a practical way. Israel will be
saved after the tribulation; therefore, this is when the resurrection
will occur.

   In Romans 8:17-25, we can see that the resurrection of the just must
occur after the tribulation. The Apostle declares in these verses, "And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if
so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the
earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of
the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not
willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we
know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now, and not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we
are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man
seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not,
then do we with patience wait for it." In this passage, we find that
the creation (animal kingdom) is waiting in earnest expectation for the
manifestation of the sons of God. When this occurs, they will be
delivered from the bondage of corruption, or the curse that is upon
God's creation through original sin. The manifestation of the sons of
God is none other than the resurrection of the believers.

   1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall
appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Here John
is stating that we are the sons of God now, but when we are
resurrected, it will be manifested for we will be like Christ. In the
same way, Jesus was the Son of God when He was on the earth, but His
sonship was manifested through His resurrection. Romans 1:4 says, "And
declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resurrection from
the dead" (see also Acts 13:30-33). Other passages describe Jesus as
being the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18 & Revelation 1:5).
For this reason Paul calls the redemption of our bodies the adoption
(Romans 8:23). At the resurrection, the fact that we are adopted as
sons into God's family will be realized. Furthermore, in verses 22-24
we see that the manifestation of the sons of God is a reference to the
resurrection. Paul says that the whole creation groans and travails
with us for the redemption of our bodies. The redemption of our body is
the resurrection in which we are awaiting. Paul calls this the day of
redemption in Ephesians 4:30. In Luke 21:27,28, Jesus speaks of His
coming and says, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then
look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
When Paul speaks about "the glory which shall be revealed in us", he is
referring to our resurrection. We will be glorified when Christ returns
just as He was glorified when He was resurrected (Philippians 3:20,21,
Romans 8:17, Colossians 3:4, 1 Peter 5:1,4, 1 Corinthians 15:43, John
7:39). The resurrection is also referred to as the hope that we are
awaiting mentioned in verses 24 and 25 (1 John 3:2,3, Acts 23:6, 24:15,
26:6-8, Titus 3:7).

   This passage clearly reveals that the resurrection of the church
will occur after the tribulation because this is when the animal
kingdom will be delivered. It is after Christ comes and destroys the
wicked that the lion will lie with the lamb (Isaiah 11:4-10). To say
that the resurrection occurs before the tribulation would imply that
the animals are delivered from the curse during the tribulation period.
This seems impossible due to the fact that animals are seen killing men
and feasting upon carcasses during this period (Revelation 6:8,
19:17,18).

   The Witness of the Apostles

   Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 21 are commonly referred to
as the Olivet Discourse by many theologians. These passages contain
Jesus' lengthy reply to the disciples' question: "What shall the sign
of thy coming be and the end of the world?" Christ tells his disciples
that when certain signs occur, one could know that His coming was near,
"even at the doors" (Matthew 24:33). In Matthew 24:34, Jesus says that
the generation that sees all those signs will not pass away till all
things be fulfilled. In this discourse, Christ clearly states that he
would come immediately "after the tribulation of those days" (Matthew
24:29, Mark 13:44). We must keep in mind that the apostles were first
hand students of Christ's teaching on His second coming. It seems to me
that the apostles were not looking for Christ to come and take them
away secretly, but to come back with judgment against the wicked. It
also seems clear that they understood and were awaiting the signs that
would precede His coming.

   In Acts 3:19-21 we find Peter declaring that the Lord would "send
Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must
receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." In
these verses, Peter says that Christ will not leave heaven until the
time of restitution. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, when Christ
returns He must leave heaven, for He will "descend from heaven with a
shout." The restitution of all things occurs after the tribulation.
Christ will come and set up His kingdom and restore all things.
Moreover, as we mentioned before, when the fullness of the Jews comes
in, the resurrection will occur (Romans 11:15-27). The salvation of the
Jews is a part of the restitution of all things. Not only does this
passage discount a two-stage coming of Christ, but it places His coming
at the end of the world.

   In 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10, Paul comforts the believers at
Thessalonica by telling them that they will be relieved from their
persecutions when Jesus comes back to judge the wicked. In verses 4-5
Paul comforts the persecuted believers by commending them for their
faith and endurance. He goes on to say that God will recompense those
that are troubling them (v.6). In verses 710 he tells them that they
will find rest and relief from these afflictions when Jesus is revealed
from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance
on the disobedient. This will occur in the same day He will be
glorified in His saints (v.10). This does not sound at all like a
secret catching away. Rather, Paul was telling them that their relief
from persecution would come when Christ returns in flaming fire. Not
only will the believer receive rest when Christ comes, but he will be
avenged as well. Paul, Silas, and Timothy were all looking for Christ
to come back this way, for they said, "And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed with his mighty angels,
in flaming fire, taking vengeance upon them that know not God and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." The word "rest" in the
Greek is anesis and it means a loosening, relaxing, relief from
affliction or persecution. Therefore, the meaning is clear. The
believer's rest from persecution comes when Jesus returns to judge the
wicked at the last day. The resurrection will occur on that day. There
are many other verses in scripture that attest to the fact that the
apostles were looking and waiting for the revelation of Jesus Christ
with His saints (1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 4:14, 2
Timothy 4:1,8 with 1 Timothy 6:14,15, Colossians 3:4, 1 Peter 1:13).

   Concerning the signs that would precede Christ's coming, the Apostle
Paul makes mention of them in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8. To begin with, the
topic of Paul's discussion is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and
our gathering unto him (v.1). The believers at Thessalonica were
deceived into thinking the day of Christ was at hand. Paul told them
plainly that that day would not come, "except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" (v.3). He
explains when the son of perdition is revealed by stating that he will
exalt himself above God, sit in the temple, and declare himself that he
is God (v.4). Paul goes on to say that the Lord will consume him with
the spirit of His mouth and destroy Him with the brightness of His
coming (v.8). Therefore, the son of perdition must be revealed before
Christ comes back if Christ is going to destroy him at His coming. The
interesting thing about this passage is that Paul says that the day of
Christ would not come until two things happen: 1) the falling away
occurs 2) the man of sin is revealed. It seems obvious that the day
that Paul is referring to is the day when Christ comes back. There are
many scriptures that describe the day of Christ and the day of the Lord
as the time when Christ comes again (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Luke 17:24,
1 Corinthians 1:6-8, 2 Corinthians 1:13-15, Philippians 1:6,10, 2:16, 1
Thessalonians 5:1-9, Zechariah 14:1-5). Furthermore, this is the
subject that Paul begins with in verse 1 and ends with in verse 8.

   These two signs that the apostle gives were already mentioned by
Christ as signs that would precede His coming in Matthew 24. In Matthew
24:9-13 Jesus describes the falling away. He says, "Then shall they
deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be
hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be
offended [fall away], and betray one another, and shall hate one
another. And many false prophets shall arise, and deceive many. And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he
that shall endure until the end, the same shall be saved." In verse
15-22, Jesus describes the son of perdition being revealed. He refers
to the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel as a sign that
would precede His coming and begin great tribulation. The abomination
of desolation refers to the time when the son of perdition (also called
the antichrist) sits in the temple of God and abominates it and begins
to make desolate (see Daniel 9:27). These are all part of the signs
that would precede Christ's coming (v.33). The Apostle Paul tells the
Thessalonians essentially the same thing. According to 2
Thessalonians 2:1-8, the coming of Christ and our gathering to Him
cannot take place before a 7 year tribulation because the antichrist
(son of perdition) does not sit in the temple until three and a half
years into the tribulation (Daniel 9:27).

   Secretly or Unexpectedly?

   There is no scripture to my knowledge that describes Christ's coming
as a secret event in which no soul will see Him as He catches away the
saints to heaven. The scriptures that speak of Christ coming as a thief
have been used to support this idea. However, a close examination of
these passages will reveal that this is not what the Lord is saying. In
Matthew 24:32-33, Jesus makes it clear that His disciples could know
the approximate time of His coming. He said that the generation that
saw certain signs would not pass away until He came. He even went on to
say that they could even know when it was "even at the doors." However,
Christ also said that the exact day and hour of His coming was a
mystery to all, even Himself at that time (v.36). In verses 37-51, the
Lord teaches that His coming will be unexpected to those who are not
watchful. To illustrate this point Jesus says, "But know this, that if
the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come,
he would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye
also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh
(Matthew 24:43-44)." Here Christ uses the illustration of a thief to
depict His unexpected coming. It is important to notice that He uses
the words "watch" and "hour" in this passage. This is because the hour
He comes is unknown to man, but not the general time of His coming. In
verses 36-39, He used the illustrations of Noah and Lot to show that
the exact day of His coming was unknown also, especially to the
unbelieving world. In verses 50 and 51, the Lord shows that His coming
is like a thief to the evil servants and unbelievers, not to the
faithful servants. In this whole passage, there is no mention of a
"secret" coming.

   Luke 21:34-36 reveals this same truth. The Lord's coming will come
unexpectedly, like a thief, to the evil servants and unbelievers. In
verses 34 and 35 He exhorts the believer to take heed to himself that
he does not become overcharged with drunkenness, gluttony, and worry so
that day shall not come upon them unawares, or unexpectedly. He goes on
to say that it will come this way, like a snare, upon the whole world.
In verse 36, He encourages the believer to pray always and watch so
that he will be worthy to escape. This means that the believer who is
watching and praying will not be overtaken by the day of the Lord like
the rest of the world. Rather, through his knowledge and pure walk, he
will be ready and will be protected from the things that will come to
pass. Believers will not be judged with the world, but will escape
God's wrath if they judge themselves (1 Corinthians 11:31,32). Hence, a
believer that is sober and pure will be accounted worthy of deliverance.

   The Apostle Paul brings out these same truths in 1 Thessalonians
5:1-9. Paul tells them that they are not in darkness concerning the
times and the seasons. He points out that they knew perfectly that the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Those who cry peace
and safety, like those of Noah's day, will be overtaken by the day of
the Lord and they will not escape. Paul makes it clear that the day of
the Lord comes as a thief to those who are in darkness, not to the
believer. In verse 4 he says, "But ye brethren, are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief." Furthermore, he exhorts
them to be sober, and watch, walking in faith, love, and the hope of
salvation. This is the same message that Jesus proclaimed to the
disciples in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. 1 Thessalonians 5 does not mention
a secret coming, but it does depict the day of Lord coming as a thief
in the night, i.e., at an unexpected time. Again, this is how it will
come to the unbelievers and the evil servants, not to us who believe,
for we are "the children of the light; we are not of the night, nor of
the darkness."

   Lastly, in Revelation 16:14, just before the seventh vial is poured
out, Christ announces His coming with the words, "Behold, I come as a
thief, Blessed is he who watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he
walk naked, and they see his shame." Here again the message of Christ
is clear. The Lord will come as a thief, unexpectedly, as a snare, and
with judgment upon those who do not walk uprightly. But unto those who
are sober and watch, who keep their garments, who have on the
breastplate of faith and love, who are worthy, His coming will be a
blessed hope fulfilled. In all these passages, the phrase "comes like
a thief" does not describe a secret coming but an unexpected coming.

   Conclusion

   In conclusion, I have stated the major reasons why I do not accept
the pretribulational doctrine. The Bible places the resurrection of the
just at the end of the age, at the last day. The witness of the
apostles bear witness with the words of Christ that His coming will not
come until the restitution of all things, until the falling away takes
place, and the abomination of desolation occurs. The apostles were
looking for the revelation of Christ in glory and He will come as a
thief to the world at the last trump. It is difficult for me to see a
two-stage coming and two-stage resurrection to begin with; however,
when other passages seem to clearly contradict the doctrine, it becomes
more difficult to accept it. The many scriptures that speak of the day
of Christ and His coming seem to describe different aspects of the same
event.

   Many Christians hold to the pretribulational doctrine for fear of
going through tribulation. They equate God's wrath with the tribulation
period. This is erroneous. God's wrath will be poured out during the
tribulation period, but this does not mean that a believer will be
subject to it. For example, the children of Israel being preserved
during the ten plagues in Egypt is a classic example of God's power to
protect His children during a time of wrath. Believers need not fear
God's wrath for they are not appointed to it. However, they must be
prepared for persecution for the Bible promises this. Even so, the
Lord Jesus Christ will come again. "And the Lord direct your hearts
into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (2
Thessalonians 3:5).
