March 2017

Postbox and Inbox March 2017, PDF format

I do not believe in a Pre-Trib Rapture but a friend of mine in the U.S. goes to a church that does.  She says, “God will not send His wrath upon His Bride”, meaning we will not go through the Tribulation.  How does one respond to this? She is quite adamant about it.  Thank you for any help you can give me.

Canada

(Our reply)

Greetings, and thanks for your email.  The way in which your friend tries to justify the pre-trib rapture error (“God will not send His wrath upon His bride”) is extremely common.  But the answer is quite simple. 

Firstly, it is true that true Christians do not experience the wrath of God.  However, as the Bible shows very clearly with many examples, when the Lord pours out His wrath on, say, a nation, the remnant of true believers who live there are usually not exempt from the experience.  True, they are not under His wrath, but they live in a fallen world alongside the people of the world, and (for example) if there is an earthquake, sometimes Christians die too.  If there is a deluge, sometimes Christians die too.  They are not under God's wrath, and they go to heaven immediately upon death; but they still experience the calamities which come upon this fallen world.

Secondly, a simple way to answer those who say such a thing is: “Are Christians alive today going to be treated differently, by the Lord, than Christians through the past 2000 years?  The Bible says, ‘all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution’ (2 Tim. 3:12); and ‘we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God’ (Acts 14:22); along with many other portions of Scripture.  In the first century, the apostles and early Christians suffered great tribulation; in the next few centuries, untold thousands of Christians suffered tribulation, dying in the amphitheatres; during the Papal Dark Ages, untold multitudes of Christians suffered great tribulation, dying at the hands of the Papacy; the Inquisition tortured and massacred millions; the Waldenses died by the tens of thousands for their faith in Christ; multitudes more died during the Reformation period; and so it has continued, right up until today.  Right now, all over the world, Christians are experiencing terrible persecution.  What makes this generation of professing Christians in the west so special, that they will be spared any tribulation?”

Today’s professing Christians are so spoiled, so pampered, and yet so convinced that nothing will happen to them.  Yet believers though all the centuries since the Lord Jesus returned to heaven have suffered tribulation.  It’s sheer arrogance and haughtiness on the part of those today, who say, “We'll be spared.” And furthermore it’s a denial of biblical and Church history, let alone a denial of biblical doctrine regarding persecution.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for writing. – Shaun Willcock

 

Thank you so much for ongoing insightful articles.  I was able to introduce a lady in Galicia, Spain, to your recent Jesuit one [The New Jesuit General 2016], so I hope that is helpful in the present situation there.  Inroads of many sorts abound…

Evil disgusting lies abound, sadly, within the professing church.  2 + 2 no longer makes four.  Hard to find anywhere where Charismatic manipulation is not perpetrated in some form or other.  I get shocked over and over again.  As for the battle for the mind, it’s very fierce both within and without the church.  We are in the same state as the US here.

May the Lord bless and keep you in the midst.

Spain

I could not agree more with your analysis of Trump [The Donald Trump Victory].  Absolutely spot on, 100%.  This was America’s last chance.  A vote for Killary [Hillary Clinton] was to vote in her evil entourage, yet so many “Christians” over here are horrified that I wanted Trump, not her.  The fact that Francis [the pope of Rome] wanted her, and was so blatant about it, says it all.

Northern Ireland

Thank you for this article [The Donald Trump Victory], it is breathtakingly accurate.  Oh what a sad state the sin-sick world is in, yet it has not caught the Lord unawares, for He knew for all eternity this would occur.  So many talk of no church being perfect, which only shows their total ignorance of what the Church is.  If the “Church which is His body” is imperfect then the Head is imperfect – which is absolute blasphemy!  True Christians are “lively stones” in this Body, and even though they most certainly have sin in them, they are not in their sins, for our blessed Redeemer has taken care of them all!  Praise to our Heavenly Father that He looks not on us as in ourselves, but as we are in our dear Lord Jesus.
Thank you again and may our Lord continue to bless.

England

Thank you for the article on the American election and Donald Trump [The Donald Trump Victory].  Everything you said is spot on.  I voted for Donald Trump as I knew if I didn’t we would get Hillary.  My Christian neighbor thought it her Christian duty not to vote at all and a “christian” friend voted for Mickey Mouse!  Just shows the confusion, and delusion, and lack of gratefulness for the freedoms we still have and the price our forefathers paid to gain our freedoms at the expense of much blood and treasure…

The true history of our country is lost and forgotten and certainly no longer taught in our schools. Entertainment has destroyed most mindsets to the rigors and efforts required to study and learn truths and facts and not just be entertained all the time.  If it isn’t entertaining and mind tingling they don’t want anything to do with it even if it is real solid truth… 

We Americans are so spoiled and have far too many idols and trinkets that occupy our time.  Serious, sober, godly and logical thinking is missing in many of us.  The fear of God is also missing.  I’m afraid we have taken the grace of God for license to sin and antinomianism is widespread.

United States

Thanks for sending the article [The Donald Trump Victory].  You show that the bottom line is spiritual decay rather than political.  The remedy is a change of heart from God.

I think Trump resonated with people because they were refreshed with plain talk.  They have crammed political correctness down our throats for the past 30 years and his rhetoric caused some blowback to the Hillary crowd.  I don’t think Socialism/Communism is even recognized by most “conservatives.”

[Your ministry] helps many… beyond what you think.

United States

Excellent article! [The Donald Trump Victory].

England

Excellent update [The Donald Trump Victory].

United States

Thanks for the articles etc. that you tirelessly put out.  The one on Trump helped me [The Donald Trump Victory].  Your perspective is always grounded from the Bible, so it is appreciated and needed.

United States