Rapture, Tribulation, Wrath, Repenting.. Just touching on some basics of the subject

There is alot of talk in Christian circles about the Rapture and the End Times.  The return of Jesus Christ is what all Christians should be waiting and watching and longing for.  I know I am.  There is also many thoughts and teachings on what Tribulation and Wrath is and when the Rapture will be.  There is Pre-trib, Mid-trib, and Post Trib.. labels some carry to describe when they believe or have been taught when the Rapture will happen.

Rapture is not a word found in the Bible but a term that has been used in Christian speak to describe the "catching away" of the church as described in 1Corinthians:15. With out going into too much detail and a whole post about the Rapture, it is a basic belief that Jesus is going to call his church up, those dead and alive and take them out of this world before the Wrath is poured out on the Earth and those in it.  Some believe this could happen any second at any given moment and we will not see it coming so to speak and poof.. the Christians are gone and the World has no clue where they went.  Some think it is going to be a big glorious loud appearing of the Lord and EVERY eye will see him coming and EVERYONE will see the dead in Christ rise and then the alive raise in the air to meet him.  This is a very big topic and I could go into what I believe but for now I will put it off so I can focus on other issues.

 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

As big as a topic that the rapture is, an even bigger one is WHEN it is going to happen.  And this can get somewhat confusing because not everyone uses the same definitions for the same terms. For example.. Tribulation and Wrath.  Some teach and understand that they are the same thing and since the Bible promises believers are not appointed unto wrath, we will not see any of the Great Tribulation period either.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

(I suggest everyone look these scriptures up and read them threw, remember to read the scriptures leading up to the quoted and after the quoted so you can get the full scope and context, often false teaching is based on one scripture because they have not taken the whole in)

Others believe that the Tribulation and the Wrath of God are separate events and that believers WILL see Great Tribulation but NOT the Wrath of God.  Tribulation is suffered by the hands of men and the Wrath is poured by God on those who are not abiding in Christ and unrepented of their sins.

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Revelation 7:14 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.

Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Revelation 14:10 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:11 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.

Many books and movies and tapes have been made on this subject and ofcourse I can not summarize everything to fit into this one post lol.

Just ONE more point I wish to make in this post and then I can do a follow up if necessary. The whole LEFT BEHIND theory.  A teaching that is out there and a subject of a whole series of books is that if you have missed the Rapture you still have hope and can repent and make it threw the Tribulation/Wrath period and still be saved and make it to be with Jesus.  This teaching is one that uses the terms Tribulation and Wrath to be one and the same and apparently that there is more than one resurrection of the those who die in Christ, another rapture?.  I for one see this as a dangerous and off the mark teaching because it gives ppl the false sense that they can put off repenting until they see the firstRapture happen and then they can repent and have hope.  Count with me in Revelation how many times it says THEY REPENTED NOT..

Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:  

Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.  

Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.  

Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.  

 FIVE TIMES!!!! When God says something more than once it is a strong warning!   REPENT NOW... ACCEPT THE LORD JESUS NOW.. because scripture says NO ONE REPENTS when his wrath is being poured out.. it is too late then, no matter when you believe the Rapture or Tribulation or Wrath is going to be!  

1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 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.4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.