If Fundamentalists Believe in the Rapture, Why do they Study the Great Tribulation?

[mojoala]

As I was listening to a popular fundamentalist Baptist preacher on the radio explaining the "Tribulation Period" in lurid detail to his listeners, the thought struck me, "Wait a minute, why would his listeners need to worry or care about any of this, if they were all going to be "raptured" away before it occurred?

And then, as if to echo my concerns without really answering them, this radio preacher kept saying things like, "boy this sounds awful. I'm so glad we're not going to be around to see any of it - friends - because we will already be "caught up" with the Lord." And I again said to myself, "If that's so, then why spend so much time preaching about it? If it's not relevant to the "saved" audience that you are directing your broadcast towards, then what do they get out of learning about the "beast" and the "woman" and the "anti-Christ" and the "mark" of the beast? - Is it all just sensationalism to sell books and time-lines, which of course were heavily marketed during the commercial breaks and at the end of the radio sermon.

So, here's my question to any bible-centered christians out there who believe the latest "rapture" theory:

Why do you spend so much time attending bible studies about the Great Tribulation, to learn the most minute details of events that you believe you will not be around to see or take part in?

I really would like to know your reasoning on this one. It just makes no sense to me.

 

[genesis12]

It's something I explain to non-believers, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents. Lots of folks don't believe it, need to hear it. Lots of folks don't understand it, need to hear it. I keep abreast of the topic so that I can do that very thing. Pretty simple. What kind of Christian would I be if I didn't alert family, extended family, friends, acquaintences, and folks I don't even know, about the wrath to come? I don't always know whether a person is saved or unsaved. Those who are saved and understand don't need to listen to me. Those who are saved and don't understand could use some insights. Maybe they can then assist others with their understanding. We don't hide our light under a bushel.

 

[webdog]

Why do you spend so much time attending bible studies about the Great Tribulation, to learn the most minute details of events that you believe you will not be around to see or take part in?

I don't. I'm pre-trib.

 

[mojoala]

I don't. I'm pre-trib.

Okay you don't. But why do people keep preaching to those already saved. It's like preaching to the choir.

 

[mojoala]

It's something I explain to non-believers, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents. Lots of folks don't believe it, need to hear it. Lots of folks don't understand it, need to hear it. I keep abreast of the topic so that I can do that very thing. Pretty simple. What kind of Christian would I be if I didn't alert family, extended family, friends, acquaintences, and folks I don't even know, about the wrath to come?

Has it ever occured to you that people get turned off by scare tactics. Why don't you instead show them Jesus by your love.

I love the song:
"THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE, BY OUR LOVE..."

Honey attracts more flies than vinegar.

 

[Snitzelhoff]

I reject the popular "Left Behind" view, myself, so I can't answer this first-hand, but I imagine some teach it simply so that their congregations will have a grasp on some type of eschatology. Others want to feed their congregations sensationalism to keep their attention, because preaching about living the Gospel just isn't exciting enough for them (a pinch of sarcasm and a heavy serving of cynicism included in that statement).

Michael

 

[DHK]

Has it ever occured to you that people get turned off by scare tactics. Why don't you instead show them Jesus by your love.

Have you ever considered why Jesus preached more on Hell than He did on Heaven? Must be scare tactics, eh?
DHK

 

[Snitzelhoff]

DHK, it's interesting to me that Jesus largely, if not entirely, limited His preaching of Hell to the disciples and to the Pharisees. He didn't preach Hell to the adulteress, the woman at the well, Zaccheus, the children that came to Him, any of the people who came to Him for healing, or the thief on the cross beside Him. It's interesting to me that the crowd of people most akin to those to whom we are called to witness are those to whom He is not recorded to have preached Hell much, if at all. Instead, He reserved the "scare tactics" for those who had already rejected Him and His love, and for those who had no reason at all to be scared by them, having embraced Him and His love.

So, I think perhaps Mojoala has a valid point here.

Michael

 

[DHK]

DHK, it's interesting to me that Jesus largely, if not entirely, limited His preaching of Hell to the disciples and to the Pharisees. He didn't preach Hell to the adulteress, the woman at the well, Zaccheus, the children that came to Him, any of the people who came to Him for healing, or the thief on the cross beside Him. It's interesting to me that the crowd of people most akin to those to whom we are called to witness are those to whom He is not recorded to have preached Hell much, if at all. Instead, He reserved the "scare tactics" for those who had already rejected Him and His love, and for those who had no reason at all to be scared by them, having embraced Him and His love.

So, I think perhaps Mojoala has a valid point here.

Michael

Almost all of the cases you have mentioned are one-to-one cases. When preaching to large crowds Jesus most certainly preached on Hell, and often. Even in the Sermon on the Mount, Hell is referred to.
DHK

 

[Blammo]

Jude 1:21-23 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

 

[genesis12]

Has it ever occured to you that people get turned off by scare tactics. Why don't you instead show them Jesus by your love.

This is so often the case in these forums. You assume that I use scare tactics, that I don't show them Jesus by my love, and then you respond to your assumption, not to my original post. Folks who know me know the depth of my love for Him and for those I witness to. Your comment is beyond sad.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

This is so often the case in these forums. You assume that I use scare tactics, that I don't show them Jesus by my love, and then you respond to your assumption, not to my original post. Folks who know me know the depth of my love for Him and for those I witness to. Your comment is beyond sad.

mojoala's comments look a lot better once you add her to your ignore list.

Catholic troll, not interested in debate, spreading heretical doctrines from the bowels of hell. I strongly suspect plagerism, as well.

 

[DHK]

Catholic troll, not interested in debate, spreading heretical doctrines from the bowels of hell.

You nailed that one!!

 

[xdisciplex]

But the rapture is in the bible, why should somebody not believe in it?

And how do you think can the Antichrist be on earth when all the christians are still around and they could pray against him?

By the way is there a verse in the bible which says that the holy spirit will be drawn away from the earth during the last days? Because I hear this sooo often that the holy spirit will be gone but where is it in the bible? If the holy spirit is gone then also nobody would convert anyway but we know that even during the tribulation people will get saved. A woman from my house meeting once said that during the tribulation the holy spirit leaves the earth and the only thing which might lead people to Jesus is what they still remember about him. Those things which we tell them now is what might make them convert later on. This sounds totally unbiblical to me. I feel as if some things cannot be found in the bible but in spite of this they are accepted in the christian community and spreat and nobody even asks where this is in the bible.

 

[BobRyan]

So, here's my question to any bible-centered christians out there who believe the latest "rapture" theory:

Why do you spend so much time attending bible studies about the Great Tribulation, to learn the most minute details of events that you believe you will not be around to see or take part in?

I really would like to know your reasoning on this one. It just makes no sense to me.

Some are mid-trib.

Some (like me) are post-trib rapture.

 

[tinytim]

I've often wondered (and may have done it myself) why preachers preach on the immediate return of Jesus, and then in the next breath ask for a 5 year pledge to the building fund!!!

That to me seems funny!

 

[mojoala]

Have you ever considered why Jesus preached more on Hell than He did on Heaven?

Seems to me he preached more about heaven and how to get there.

 

[mojoala]

mojoala's comments look a lot better once you add her to your ignore list.

Catholic troll, not interested in debate, spreading heretical doctrines from the bowels of hell. I strongly suspect plagerism, as well.

Bro Curtis, I will pray for you. You are filled with hate and anger. What was Jesus' new commandment? Love your neighbor! Your comments drip with hateful sarcasm. Nothing christian about you what-so-ever.

 

[mojoala]

Pre-trib rapture is a doctrine of man given unto to him by Darby possessed by Satan.

 

[mojoala]

This is so often the case in these forums. You assume that I use scare tactics, that I don't show them Jesus by my love, and then you respond to your assumption, not to my original post. Folks who know me know the depth of my love for Him and for those I witness to. Your comment is beyond sad.

Dude, I was not talking about you. I was talking about the general idea of scare tactics. Knock that chip off your shoulder.