There is among Christians a surging viewpoint against pre-tribulation rapture, alleging that believing in or hoping for a pre-tribulation rapture is an erroneous concept or even heretical.
Here is the logic behind the above viewpoint: if one believes in a pre-tribulation rapture, he will lose the ability to discern the appearance of the Antichrist. The theory is that pre-tribulation believers will follow the following harmful logic: Since the rapture must happen before the tribulation, and it has not yet happened, the Antichrist could not appear first. As a result, when the Antichrist actually appears, those who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture will fail to recognize him.
The logic is not entirely without merit, but it is flawed. It assumes that those who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture are all rigid-minded fanatics without spiritual discernment and will stubbornly cling to the belief in a pre-tribulation rapture regardless of the clear evidence of the Antichrist. In other words, the argument is based on a presumption that people who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture only trust their own theories and not the Lord Himself.
However, this is not the case. Regardless of one’s understanding of the rapture, one who believes in Jesus Christ does not believe in a theory but in the Lord himself and has the indwelling of the Spirit through faith. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of the Spirit is real and not fake (1 John 2:27).
Whether believing in a pre-tribulation or post-tribulation rapture, a follower of Christ must first and foremost be faithful to God’s Word and closely follow the Holy Spirit.
Pre-tribulation rapture and Revelation
Some question further, “If the saints are to be raptured before the tribulation, why would God have John write down the visions of end-time disasters on earth in Revelation and have Christians read them? What use are these words to them if Christians do not experience the great tribulation?”
The answer is that, even with a pre-tribulation rapture, the overall revelation in the Book of Revelation concerning the end times is precisely to help the Church understand God’s plan and heart in advance, to be willing to endure the tribulation for the kingdom with Christ, to mature the Body of Christ, and to hasten the Lord’s return.
It is true that the final tribulation revealed in Revelation will occur intensely and obviously during the last seven years. However, in a spiritual sense, the tribulation is not limited to those final seven years but covers all the time since the Lord Jesus ascended. During this time, that which is revealed in Revelation has been continuously happening already, except that it does in a less obvious and less intensive way, as the lawless one (Satan) is being restrained by the restrainer, which is the Holy Spirit and the Church (2 Thessalonians 2:7).
The spirit of the Antichrist has already appeared, even during the apostolic era (1 John 2:18). Revelation helps the Church understand God’s plan better and recognize the true nature of Satan.
Meanwhile, according to pre-tribulation rapture, after the Church is raptured, the house of Jacob (Israel) remains on earth; they will experience the Great Tribulation, mature rapidly, and prepare to meet the Lord Jesus in His appearance to them.
Additionally, if it is the case where only the overcomers are raptured as the firstfruits before the tribulation, the rest of the Church will have to go through the Great Tribulation on earth, allowing the harvest to mature rapidly. At that time, what is prophesied in the book of Revelation will suddenly become a reality before their eyes, and many will wake up and become strong. This is the condition for the final ripening of the harvest.)
Caution to all believers
Whether we believe in a pre-tribulation or post-tribulation rapture or believe that the overcomers and the rest of the Church are raptured separately (e.g., the overcomers before the tribulation and the rest of the Church after the tribulation), we must closely follow the indwelling Spirit.
Our understanding of prophecy may eventually be proven incorrect, but our inner life will not be harmed. We must maintain a humble attitude, ready to be corrected at any time, carefully paying attention to biblical prophecy and the rapidly unfolding current events, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, lest when the Lord returns, our spiritual state is found to be in the wrong condition.
In the end, the test is not whether one had a theory that was more correct about the relation, but how much and what quality of the new life one has standing before the Lord.
A danger exists for all believers.
For believers of pre-tribulation rapture, the danger is developing a self-centered focus on the benefit of being raptured before the tribulation, only to find that such belief causes a loss.
For believers of post-tribulation rapture, be aware that it is not your boldness in the flesh that will enable you to triumph during tribulation (should you enter into tribulation as you have expected), but the blood of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Be humble and gentle toward others, but also be prepared to be pleasantly surprised by being raptured before the tribulation when you’re not expecting it.
It is important to remember that, regardless of when we are raptured, we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to have our life reviewed because the judgment shall start from the house of God. Our glory in eternity is going to be measured by how much life of Christ each of us has. It is not merely a matter of being saved from the wrath of God (which only the unsaved will face), but how much glory we bring to God, or more precisely, how much glory of God our life reflects. Nothing will be measured externally, but everything will be measured internally according to Christ.
This also concerns the matter of full salvation, especially the salvation of the soul (not merely the spirit). In this regard, we must not forget the Lord’s own words: “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it…” (Luke 17:33).