50 arguments for pre-tribulationism, from the book "The Rapture Question" by John F. Walvoord.
1)Historically speaking while post-tribulationism appeared as early as 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, many in the church believed in the eminency of the Lord's return.
2)The detailed development of pre-tribulational truth during the last few centuries does not prove that the doctrine is new or novel.
3)Pre-tribulation is the only view that allows literal interpretation of all old and new passages on the great tribulation.
4)Pre-tribulationism distinguishes clearly between Israel and the church
5)Pre-tribulationism maintains a scriptural distinction between the great tribulation and tribulation in general.
6)The great tribulation is properly interpreted by Pre-tribulationist as a time for the preparation of Israel's restoration.
7)None of the Old Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church.
8)None of the New Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church.
9)In contrast to mid-tribulationism, the Pre-tribulational view provides an adequate explanation for the beginning of the great-tribulation in Revelation 6.
10)The proper distinction is maintained between the prophetic trumpets in scripture by Pre-tribulationism.
11)The unity of Daniel's 70th week is maintained by Pre-tribulationism.
12)The translation of the church is never mentioned in any passages dealing with the second coming of Christ after the tribulation.
13)The Church is not appointed to wrath.
14)The Church will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord.
15)The possibility of a believer escaping the tribulation is mentioned in Luke 21:36 (Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.)
16)The Church of Philadelphia was promised deliverance from the hour of trial that's to come upon the whole Earth.
17)It is characteristic of divine dealing to deliver believers before divine judgment is inflicted on the world.
18)At the time of the translation of the church all believers go to Father's house in heaven.
19)Pre-tribulationism does not divide the body of Christ on a rapture by works.
20)The scriptures teach that all, not part of the church, will be raptured.
21)As opposed to the view of a partial rapture, pre-tribulationism is founded on the definite teaching of scripture that the death of Christ frees from all condemnation.
22)The Godly remnant of the tribulation are pictured as Israelites, not members of the church as maintained by post-tribulationism.
23)The Pre-tribulational view as opposed to post-tribulationism does not confuse general terms like "elect" and "saints".
24)The Pre-tribulational interpretation teaches that the coming of Christ is actually imminent.
25)The exhortation to be comforted by the coming of the Lord is very significant in the Pre-tribulational view.
26)The exhortation to look for the glorious appearing of Christ to his own loses it's significance if the tribulation must intervene first.
27)The exhortation to purify ourselves in view of the Lord's return has most significance if his coming is imminent.
28)The church is uniformly exhorted to look for the coming of the Lord while believers in the tribulation are directed to look for signs.
29)The Holy Spirit as the restrainer of evil cannot be taken out of the world unless the church which the spirit indwells is translated at the same time.
30)The Holy Spirit as the restrainer must be taken out of the world before the Lawless one is revealed.
31)If the expression "except there coming a falling away first" is translated literally it says "except the departure comes first". That plainly shows the necessity of the rapture taking place before the tribulation.
32)According to 2nd Corinthians 5:10 all believers of this age must appear before the judgment seat of Christ in Heaven.
33)If the 24 Elders of Revelation are represented in the Church as many expositors believe, it would necessitate the rapture and reward of the church before the tribulation.
34)The coming of Christ for his bride must take place before the second coming to the Earth for a wedding feast.
35)Tribulation Saints are not translated at the second coming of Christ.
36)The judgment of the gentiles following the second coming indicates that both saved and unsaved are still in there natural bodies.
37)If the translation took place in connection with the second coming to earth there would be no need for separation of the sheep and goats at a subsequent judgment (Matthew 25:31).
38)The judgment of Israel which occurs subsequent from the second coming indicates the necessity of regathering Israel.
39)Contrasts between the rapture and the second coming: At the time of the rapture the saints meet Christ in the air, at the second coming Christ returns to the Mount of Olives to meet the saints on the earth.
40)At the time of the rapture the Mount of Olives is unchanged, at the second coming it divides in a valleys form East of Jerusalem.
41)At the rapture living saints are translated while no saints are translated in connection with the coming of Christ to the Earth.
42)At the rapture the saints go to Heaven while at the second coming to earth the saints remain on earth.
43)At the time of the rapture the world is un-judged and continues in sin, at the second coming the world is judged and righteousness is establish on Earth.
44)The translation of the church is pictured as a deliverance before the Day of Wrath, the second coming is followed by the deliverance by those who have believed in Christ during the tribulation.
45)The rapture is described as imminent while the second coming is preceded by definite signs.
46)The translation of the living believers is a truth revealed only in the New Testament while the second coming, with it's intended events, is a prominent doctrine in both testaments.
47)The raptures concerns only the saved while the second coming deals with both the saved and unsaved.
48)At the rapture Satan is not bound, at the second coming Satan is bound and cast into the Abyss.
49)No unfulfilled prophecies stand between the Church and the rapture, while many signs must be fulfilled prior to the second coming.
50)No passage dealing with the resurrection of the saints at the second coming ever mentions translation of the living saints at the same time.
Additional reasons:
The church is never emphatically named as going through the tribulation. The church is specifically named in the first three chapters of Revelation, but after Chapter 4 where John hears the words "Come up here!" the church is never mentioned again. Instead general terms like "saint" and "elect" are used which can have various meanings.
The purpose of the tribulation is to judge a Christ rejecting world and to bring Israel to repentance and acceptance of the messiah. Once the church age ends the church has no further role. The church was never meant to replace Israel and once the church is gone the focus moves back to Israel.
The two-witness and 144,000 sealed are preaching the gospel, even angels, but no mention of the church whose job it is to preach the gospel.
God has not appointed us to wrath (1Th 5:9). We see examples of God protecting his own during times of judgement: Noah, Lot, The Hebrews living in Egypt during the plagues, etc. Aside from the two-witnesses and the sealed 144,000 there is no protection mentioned for gentile believers during the tribulation.
Jesus said pray that we are worthy to escape the things coming to pass (Luke 21:36). The word used for escape means "to seek safety in flight" (i.e. rapture). What are we escaping? Jesus said we will have tribulation in this life (Jhn 16:33) so it can't be an escape from tribulation in general. No, Luke 21 is specifically dealing with the great-tribulation. Jesus was an escapist and so am I.
The church is considered God's bride. How much of the church would be left if it is permitted to go through the tribulation? Between persecution, wars, natural disasters, pestilence, famine there won't be many people left in general let alone believers. Some have compared the church going through the tribulation to spousal abuse.
Pre-trib is based upon eminency. Jesus said we would not now the hour of his coming (Mat 24:42). If Jesus was talking about his Second Coming we would know because it is exactly 3-1/2 years after the Abomination of Desolation. The only way we will not know is if he was talking about the rapture. Eminency is not new, the early church was expecting him in there generation.
The story of Boaz and Ruth is a picture of the rapture. Boaz is Jewish, Ruth is gentile, symbolic of Messiah and his bride. Before the wheat harvest Ruth is suddenly at the feet of Boaz. During the wheat harvest a farm tool called the tribulum is used, which is where we get our word for tribulation. The picture is of Messiah gathering his bride before the tribulation.
Pre-tribulation is the only view that allows for literal interpretation. Other views have to allegorize or spiritualize scripture to make it fit.
Jesus told Peter he will build his Church and the gates of Hades would not prevail (Mat 16:18). During the tribulation we see the Anti-Christ prevailing over the saints. If the tribulation satins are the church then what Jesus said would not be true.
Unless we see a seven year covenant confirmed by the Anti-Chirst or the Abomination of Desolation then the pre-trib position remains valid and relevant.
1)Historically speaking while post-tribulationism appeared as early as 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, many in the church believed in the eminency of the Lord's return.
2)The detailed development of pre-tribulational truth during the last few centuries does not prove that the doctrine is new or novel.
3)Pre-tribulation is the only view that allows literal interpretation of all old and new passages on the great tribulation.
4)Pre-tribulationism distinguishes clearly between Israel and the church
5)Pre-tribulationism maintains a scriptural distinction between the great tribulation and tribulation in general.
6)The great tribulation is properly interpreted by Pre-tribulationist as a time for the preparation of Israel's restoration.
7)None of the Old Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church.
8)None of the New Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church.
9)In contrast to mid-tribulationism, the Pre-tribulational view provides an adequate explanation for the beginning of the great-tribulation in Revelation 6.
10)The proper distinction is maintained between the prophetic trumpets in scripture by Pre-tribulationism.
11)The unity of Daniel's 70th week is maintained by Pre-tribulationism.
12)The translation of the church is never mentioned in any passages dealing with the second coming of Christ after the tribulation.
13)The Church is not appointed to wrath.
14)The Church will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord.
15)The possibility of a believer escaping the tribulation is mentioned in Luke 21:36 (Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.)
16)The Church of Philadelphia was promised deliverance from the hour of trial that's to come upon the whole Earth.
17)It is characteristic of divine dealing to deliver believers before divine judgment is inflicted on the world.
18)At the time of the translation of the church all believers go to Father's house in heaven.
19)Pre-tribulationism does not divide the body of Christ on a rapture by works.
20)The scriptures teach that all, not part of the church, will be raptured.
21)As opposed to the view of a partial rapture, pre-tribulationism is founded on the definite teaching of scripture that the death of Christ frees from all condemnation.
22)The Godly remnant of the tribulation are pictured as Israelites, not members of the church as maintained by post-tribulationism.
23)The Pre-tribulational view as opposed to post-tribulationism does not confuse general terms like "elect" and "saints".
24)The Pre-tribulational interpretation teaches that the coming of Christ is actually imminent.
25)The exhortation to be comforted by the coming of the Lord is very significant in the Pre-tribulational view.
26)The exhortation to look for the glorious appearing of Christ to his own loses it's significance if the tribulation must intervene first.
27)The exhortation to purify ourselves in view of the Lord's return has most significance if his coming is imminent.
28)The church is uniformly exhorted to look for the coming of the Lord while believers in the tribulation are directed to look for signs.
29)The Holy Spirit as the restrainer of evil cannot be taken out of the world unless the church which the spirit indwells is translated at the same time.
30)The Holy Spirit as the restrainer must be taken out of the world before the Lawless one is revealed.
31)If the expression "except there coming a falling away first" is translated literally it says "except the departure comes first". That plainly shows the necessity of the rapture taking place before the tribulation.
32)According to 2nd Corinthians 5:10 all believers of this age must appear before the judgment seat of Christ in Heaven.
33)If the 24 Elders of Revelation are represented in the Church as many expositors believe, it would necessitate the rapture and reward of the church before the tribulation.
34)The coming of Christ for his bride must take place before the second coming to the Earth for a wedding feast.
35)Tribulation Saints are not translated at the second coming of Christ.
36)The judgment of the gentiles following the second coming indicates that both saved and unsaved are still in there natural bodies.
37)If the translation took place in connection with the second coming to earth there would be no need for separation of the sheep and goats at a subsequent judgment (Matthew 25:31).
38)The judgment of Israel which occurs subsequent from the second coming indicates the necessity of regathering Israel.
39)Contrasts between the rapture and the second coming: At the time of the rapture the saints meet Christ in the air, at the second coming Christ returns to the Mount of Olives to meet the saints on the earth.
40)At the time of the rapture the Mount of Olives is unchanged, at the second coming it divides in a valleys form East of Jerusalem.
41)At the rapture living saints are translated while no saints are translated in connection with the coming of Christ to the Earth.
42)At the rapture the saints go to Heaven while at the second coming to earth the saints remain on earth.
43)At the time of the rapture the world is un-judged and continues in sin, at the second coming the world is judged and righteousness is establish on Earth.
44)The translation of the church is pictured as a deliverance before the Day of Wrath, the second coming is followed by the deliverance by those who have believed in Christ during the tribulation.
45)The rapture is described as imminent while the second coming is preceded by definite signs.
46)The translation of the living believers is a truth revealed only in the New Testament while the second coming, with it's intended events, is a prominent doctrine in both testaments.
47)The raptures concerns only the saved while the second coming deals with both the saved and unsaved.
48)At the rapture Satan is not bound, at the second coming Satan is bound and cast into the Abyss.
49)No unfulfilled prophecies stand between the Church and the rapture, while many signs must be fulfilled prior to the second coming.
50)No passage dealing with the resurrection of the saints at the second coming ever mentions translation of the living saints at the same time.
Additional reasons:
The church is never emphatically named as going through the tribulation. The church is specifically named in the first three chapters of Revelation, but after Chapter 4 where John hears the words "Come up here!" the church is never mentioned again. Instead general terms like "saint" and "elect" are used which can have various meanings.
The purpose of the tribulation is to judge a Christ rejecting world and to bring Israel to repentance and acceptance of the messiah. Once the church age ends the church has no further role. The church was never meant to replace Israel and once the church is gone the focus moves back to Israel.
The two-witness and 144,000 sealed are preaching the gospel, even angels, but no mention of the church whose job it is to preach the gospel.
God has not appointed us to wrath (1Th 5:9). We see examples of God protecting his own during times of judgement: Noah, Lot, The Hebrews living in Egypt during the plagues, etc. Aside from the two-witnesses and the sealed 144,000 there is no protection mentioned for gentile believers during the tribulation.
Jesus said pray that we are worthy to escape the things coming to pass (Luke 21:36). The word used for escape means "to seek safety in flight" (i.e. rapture). What are we escaping? Jesus said we will have tribulation in this life (Jhn 16:33) so it can't be an escape from tribulation in general. No, Luke 21 is specifically dealing with the great-tribulation. Jesus was an escapist and so am I.
The church is considered God's bride. How much of the church would be left if it is permitted to go through the tribulation? Between persecution, wars, natural disasters, pestilence, famine there won't be many people left in general let alone believers. Some have compared the church going through the tribulation to spousal abuse.
Pre-trib is based upon eminency. Jesus said we would not now the hour of his coming (Mat 24:42). If Jesus was talking about his Second Coming we would know because it is exactly 3-1/2 years after the Abomination of Desolation. The only way we will not know is if he was talking about the rapture. Eminency is not new, the early church was expecting him in there generation.
The story of Boaz and Ruth is a picture of the rapture. Boaz is Jewish, Ruth is gentile, symbolic of Messiah and his bride. Before the wheat harvest Ruth is suddenly at the feet of Boaz. During the wheat harvest a farm tool called the tribulum is used, which is where we get our word for tribulation. The picture is of Messiah gathering his bride before the tribulation.
Pre-tribulation is the only view that allows for literal interpretation. Other views have to allegorize or spiritualize scripture to make it fit.
Jesus told Peter he will build his Church and the gates of Hades would not prevail (Mat 16:18). During the tribulation we see the Anti-Christ prevailing over the saints. If the tribulation satins are the church then what Jesus said would not be true.
Unless we see a seven year covenant confirmed by the Anti-Chirst or the Abomination of Desolation then the pre-trib position remains valid and relevant.
