Ask a Bible Teacher
(Jack Kelley)
Jack answers your questions on a variety of Bible topics. Updated daily.
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Eternal Security For Tribulation Believers?
Q. You have stated that you feel the post rapture believers will be on their own when it comes to staying faithful to their belief in Christ as their Lord and Savior. In Revelation (7: 1-9) it says that the Angel of God will put a seal on the foreheads of the “servants of God”. It goes on to show that the 144,000 from the 12 tribes (Jews) were at least part of this group, but then it moves right into discussing the “multitude” in white robes that were “serving God and The Lamb” day and night.
I believe the multitude are the tribulation Saints and that they are being included in the group that were sealed on their foreheads by the Angel of God, identifying them as “servants of God”. Also, I don’t think the gentile Christians during this period would be left to suffer the stings of these demonic creatures of Rev. 9 so they must have the seal. In summary; I believe that the tribulation believers will not be able to lose their salvation. Do you disagree with this?
A. Rev. 7:1-3 shows the four winds being held back by four angels. Then another angel with the seal of God comes forward, telling them not to harm the land or sea until he puts the seal on the foreheads of the servants of God. Rev. 7:4 says the number of those who are sealed is 144,000 and then Rev. 7:5-8 lists 12,000 from each of 12 tribes of Israel. From this I conclude that the 144,000 are the only ones sealed. This all happens on Earth.
After that John sees the multitude, but they are before the throne of God (Rev. 7:11). That’s in Heaven, and the elder tells John they’ve come out of the Great Tribulation. The Greek word translated “come out of” applies to both location and time. In essence it means they will have been martyred and come to heaven before the Great Tribulation begins. They and the 144,000 are not part of the same group. In the first place the 144,000 are all Jews. The martyrs are from every nation, tribe, people and language.
Your concern for Tribulation believers is commendable but I don’t think it’s consistent with Scripture. Both Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 16:15 indicate Tribulation believers are responsible for remaining faithful. Matt. 25:1-13 confirms this. Eternal Security is a special blessing given only to the Church.
Tags: Great Tribulation, Once Saved Always Saved
Related Posts:
- The Locusts And The Seal Of God
- In The Tribulation, Who Are Sealed?
- Who Is The Multitude Of Rev. 7?
- Reigning With Christ
- A Question About The 144,000
Choices Vs. Feelings
Q. The other week a friend of mine asked me to pray for her and I said I would. I really want to but will God answer a prayer if I haven’t asked for forgiveness of all the sins I have committed since the last time I confessed my sin? I want to pray over so many things but I feel like I can’t until I have asked for forgiveness first. Part of the reason I stop my daily bible reading and prayer time is because I feel it turns into a habit with no meaning. When I do confess my sin daily I don’t “feel” it. I do it because I know I should. I hope I am making sense.
A. The Bible doesn’t say, “Pray when you feel like it.” It says, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17-18). And it doesn’t say confess when you feel like it. It says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Nor does it ever promise a certain feeling after doing these things.
Most people think feelings are the proper guide to behavior, when the truth is only choices are proper guides to behavior. Feelings come later. Here’s an example. Athletes choose to work out whether they feel like it or not because they know working out is necessary in order to stay in top condition. Staying in top condition is essential to victory. We choose to confess and pray whether we feel like it or not because we know they’re necessary in order to stay in fellowship with God. Being in fellowship with God is essential to having our prayers answered.
Like the athlete, we find that by choosing to do what we know is right even when we don’t feel like it, we discover that pretty soon we start to feel like doing it more consistently. It’s called aligning our feelings with our choices.
Tags: Spiritual Life
Related Posts:
- Conviction Or Condemnation?
- Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide?
- Is God Punishng Me?
- Faith Based On A Feeling
- Why Keep Confessing?
Pre And Post Rapture Believers
Q. Re: Your commentary on Revelation 7: 9 – 17. What is the scriptural substantiation for: (1) your separation of believers into two classes, pre-rapture and post rapture, and (2) the notion that the Church will enjoy greater blessings and rewards in Heaven than the post rapture believers? We know that faith alone is the only requirement for entry into Heaven and He makes no distinction based on when one came to the Lord.
A. My Scriptural substantiation comes partly from Rev. 7:9-17 itself. These believers are not called either Kings or Priests, but serve God day and night in His Temple. They won’t live in the New Jerusalem with the Church because there is no Temple in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:22).
In addition, only the Church is the Bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). Only the Church is seated on His Throne with Him (Ephes 2:6). Only the Church is the joint heir with Christ in His inheritance (Romans 8:16-17). Only the Church will be seen as the example of the incomparable riches of God’s grace (Ephes. 2:7).
The Age of the Church will end at the Rapture, prior to the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week. Rev. 7:9-17 takes place during the 70th Week. Your comment that the Lord makes no distinction as to when one comes to Him is only correct during the Church Age. Just as there were believers before the Church was born, so there will be believers after the Church is gone. But neither of these groups is part of the Church.
Tags: Church, Daniel's 70th Week
Related Posts:
- The Purpose Of The Church
- Who Is That In Rev. 7:1-9?
- What About Tribulation Believers?
- Millennial Believers And Eternity
- Psalm 47
Levels In Hell?
Q. In your article entitled “Saved From The Worst But Kept From The Best” you said, “I have no problem with there being a certain amount of inequality in the Kingdom.” I heard one Bible teacher say, “if you believe there are levels in Heaven, you have to consider that there are levels in Hell.” My question is, do you believe in this rationale?
A. I don’t accept the rationale that Hell has to be a reverse image of heaven beyond the basic distinction that believers go to Heaven and unbelievers go to Hell. The Bible supports the idea that beyond salvation, which every believer receives, there are additional rewards available to those who qualify. The Lord also encouraged us to store up treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:19-21), and our knowledge of human nature tells us some will store up more than others.
But the only similar statement for unbelievers is that they’ll be judged according to their works (Rev. 20:12-13). The only works God requires is belief in the Son (John 6:28-29). Even if He does consider other works of unbelievers, would He not make His judgment on the basis of their motives like He does with believers? What is the motive behind the good works of an unbeliever? It’s certainly not pleasing God or expressing gratitude to Him. Even for believers, good works done with impure motives will be burned up in the fire (1 Cor. 3:11-15). Would it not be the same for unbelievers? To me the whole idea of levels in Hell is an attempt to make the ways of God compatible with human ideals.
