"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God". (1 Corinthians 10:32)

Failure to study the word of God and righly divide it, has led many to fall into doctrinal error regarding the church age saints (which we will refer to as "the church") and the time of their rapture. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

The Bible is divided into time frames, in which God is dealing with His people. Sometimes these are referred to as dispensations or ages. You are now living in the "church age." God's program for the church age is found in the New Testament.

Jesus called out, assembled and commissioned His church in the book of Matthew. However, many of the doctrines found in the book of Matthew are not aimed at anyone in the church age. They are aimed at Jews still under the law of Jews and Gentiles in the Tribulation or the Millennium.

The King and His kingdom was still being offered through Matthew chapter twelve where the leaders of the house of Israel accused Jesus of having an unclean spirit. The kingdom went into a mystery form, which is laid out in Matthew chapter thirteen.

The house of Israel got forgiveness, nationally, when Christ died on the cross. "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

The kingdom was again offered to the House of Israel in Acts chapter two when Peter preached the gospel that John the Baptist preached before the cross, and the Holy Ghost offered Apostolic signs and Joel's prophesy as proof. The leaders again rejected the kingdom offer but three thousand Jews and proselytes obeyed Peter's instruction of Acts 2:38 and got saved.

The apostolic gifts of signs and wonders continued through a good portion of the early church as a sign to unbelieving Jews. (1 Cor. 1:22; 14:22; John 4:48; Acts 4:30; 5:12; 14:3) These gifts ceased with the completion of the canon of scripture only later to be counterfeited by the so called charismatic renewal of the twentieth century.

Paul was saved in Acts chapter nine and became the Apostle to the Gentiles. He wrote thirteen books of the Bible, in which, he describes the rapture of the church.

Doctrine is teaching that points.

To rightly divide the word of truth, one must realize where to place the doctrine and to whom it applies, within what period of time. (i.e. Jews, Gentiles or the Church of God; before the flood, before the law, during the law, after the cross and/or resurrection, after the rapture of the church, during the tribulation, during the millennium, or in eternity.) One may ask "How do I do all of this?" Answer: WORK AT IT. This is what God told you to do with His book.

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Israel was set aside, by God, with a veil over her face until the church age is complete. When the church age is complete, The Lord Jesus Christ will come back in the clouds and catch away His bride. "For 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: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Israel is not the church and the church is not Israel. God is not finished with Israel. (Romans 11) Many people get confused because they try to apply verses that belong to Israel, doctrinally, to the church or verses that belong to the church to Israel. It will not work.

The following are seven reasons the church age saints will not go through the Tribulation.

1. The Tribulation is God's wrath poured out on Israel and the Gentile nations,

NOT THE CHURCH.

There is no reason for the Bridegroom to pour out his wrath upon His Bride. Israel is the rebellious wife of Jehovah who refused to accept her Messiah, not the church.

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:9)

"And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:16-17)

"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 11:18)

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." (Jeremiah 30:7)

The tribulation is the time of "JACOB'S TROUBLE" not the church's trouble.

2. Salvation in the Church Age and in the Tribulation is different.

There are many good men of God who believe that all people are saved "just alike" in every age. This, of course, is doctrinal error. It is true, that if it were not for the grace of God, nobody would be saved in any age. But the requirements for salvation and what happens to the sinner at the moment he is saved is different.

The church age is very unique in how a sinner is saved.

In the church age, the sinner gets saved, sanctified, justified, declared righteous, born again, spiritually circumcised, joined spiritually to Christ's resurrected body in heaven, and sealed unto the day of redemption. He is eternally secure and can never perish.

Arminianism teaches that a sinner, in the church age, can be saved and then lose his salvation. From where did the Arminians (Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Pentecostals, Campbellites [Church Of Christ], Nazarenes, Free Will Baptists, General Baptists, Church of God, Congregtional, Episcopal, Adventists, Mormons, J.W.'s, et. al.) get this false doctrine?

ANSWER: The Bible.

They did not just make this doctrine up in their heads. They found verses in the Bible that teach someone who is saved could get lost. They simply took them out of context and applied them to themselves in the church age, when they actually apply, doctrinally, in some other age. Some examples of these verses are. "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matt. 10:22)

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Matt. 10:22)

"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended." (Mark 4:16-17)

"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Peter 2:22)

Church age Christians are never called dogs or sows in the Bible. They are called sheep.

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6)

None of these verses have anything to do with a Christian in the church age. They all apply doctrinally to someone in the tribulation after the church age saints are raptured out of here. "ENDURING TO THE END" has to do with tribulation saints enduring to the END of Daniel's seventieth week (the Tribulation) by not taking the mark of the beast, (Daniel 7:26; 8:27; 8:19; 9:26; 11:;27; 11:35; 11:40; 12:6; 12:9; 12:13).

"FALLING AWAY", in Hebrews 6:6 has to do with someone in the tribulation being saved and losing it by taking the mark of the beast (Rev. 13).

Any verse you can find in the /Bible that seems to teach that a sinner can get saved and then "lose it" refers doctrinally to someone before the cross or after the rapture, never to anyone in the church age.

Therefore, the church could not possibly go through the tribulation. If she could, she would lose some of her members. They would get saved in the church age and get lost in the tribulation by taking the mark of the beast (Rev. 13,14). We cannot imagine the rapture of a mangled bride with arms, legs, eyes, ears, etc. missing (1 Cor. 12:27).

3. The Gospel preached in the Church Age is different than the Gospel of the Tribulation.

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8)

The gospel preached in the church age is the gospel of grace (Acts 20:14).

The gospel preached in the tribulation is the gospel of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 10:7, 24:13-14).

If the church goes through the tribulation, at what point do the preachers change their gospel message?

The answer is, they don't, because they are raptured BEFORE the tribulation begins.

4. The church cannot be raptured at the second advent.

The Rapture of the church, which is the beginning of the day of the Lord, takes place with Christ catching up the church age saints in the air. They will then go with Him to the third heaven to stand at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Thess. 4 and Romans 14). If the church went through the tribulation and was raptured at the advent, there would be no time for the judgment seat of Christ. Speaking of the second advent, the Bible says the Lord will return WITH all his saints not FOR his saints.

"To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." (1 Thessalonians 3:13)

5. The church is in Heaven in Revelation chapter five and the antichrist does not show up until Revelation chapter six (watch out for the sixes!)

In Revelation chapter five the raptured, church age saints are in Heaven praying and singing.

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:8-10)

In chapter six the antichrist comes into power and deceives the whole earth by pretending to be the returning Lord Jesus Christ.

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." (Revelation 6:1-2)

6. The types of the bride of Christ, in the Bible, prove the church does not go through the Tribulation.

(1) Enoch is raptured BEFORE Noah's flood:

"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Gen. 5:24)

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (Hebrews 11:5)

(2) Rebekah goes through no tribulation BEFORE she meets Isaac. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming." (Gen. 24:63)

"And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel." (Gen. 24:64)

"For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself." (Gen. 24:65)

(3) Aseneth, a gentile bride, marries Joseph BEFORE the SEVEN years famine in the land.

(4) Zipporah, a gentile bride, was married to Moses BEFORE the plagues hit Egypt.

"And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare

him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land." (Exodus 2:21-22)

(5) Esther puts on her royal apparel BEFORE Haman is revealed as a traitor and is HANGED (Matthew 27:5).

"Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house." (Esther 5:1)

"And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen." (Esther 7:6)

(6) Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, goes out to meet Jesus while Mary sits in THE HOUSE.

"Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house." (John 11:20)

Martha is a type of the bride being raptured and Mary is a type of the 144,000 Jewish virgins that will be raptured towards the end of the tribulation. Lazarus is a type of the House of Israel that will be resurrected out of "Abraham's bosom" at the second advent (Matt. 25; Luke 16; 1 Cor. 15; Romans 11; Revelation 7,14).

(7) John, the beloved Apostle, is caught up through the door into Heaven BEFORE the Antichrist and the Tribulation begins in Revelation chapter six.

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Revelation 4:1)

7. The antichrist is not revealed until after the Holy Spirit carries the raptured church age saints up to meet Jesus.

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)

The correct interpretation of this passage of scripture is much disputed. However, the Holy Spirit came down with power at Pentecost and regenerated the early church. He is now the only restrainer of evil on earth keeping all hell from breaking loose (Rev. 9).

When the trumpet blows He will glorify His saints and catch them up to meet the Lord in the air. THEN will the antichrist (beast) be revealed and all of those who heard the truth of the gospel of grace in the church age will be thrown into the tribulation to believe the lie of the antichrist. They chose to believe the devil instead of God. This is the mystery of iniquity. Yea hath God said?

TRY THIS FOR A COMPARISON OF THE "SERVANT" LEADING OUT THE PROSPECTIVE BRIDE TO MEET THE SON IN THE FIELD!

"And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." (Genesis 24:61-67)

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For 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: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

". . . SURELY I COME QUICKLY. AMEN.

EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS".