For 2000 years the enemy has been confusing Christians about the timing of the rapture and the tribulation, instilling fear and worry! It happened during Paul's time with false teachings and letters and it's happening today! The truth is Rapture comes before Tribulation!
In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul has already taught the Church about the Rapture and the Tribulation (1 Thess 4 and 5). He has been comforting the Church about these two things, carefully emphasizing and explaining that the Church is not "appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation."
Now he has to address false teachings, false prophecies, and false letters that were fabricated about it. He clearly states, "not to be shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter. "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come." 2 Thess 2:1-2
False letters had been circulating, causing Christians to worry and think that they had missed the Rapture and were living in the Tribulation.
Paul carefully explained the precise order of events in this passage to reassure Christians. He reminded them of his previous teachings and told them not to be anxious or tricked by misleading ideas.
"Let no one in any way deceive you," - Paul's encouraging words - "for the Day of the Lord will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed." Now this part is tricky because of the term "falling away" in Greek, known as 'apostasy' - there is a debate among some people regarding whether it refers to a spiritual apostasy within the Church, where there is a departure from the faith or the physical departure of the Church during the Rapture. In this case, "falling away" (Apostasia) should be understood as a "physical departure". Regardless, when you continue reading, it clearly states that the Holy Spirit will be removed, and then the Antichrist will come.
"He Who restrains (Holy Spirit) will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed..." So any confusion should have been cleared with this verse. Paul clearly states it in three points.
1. The Church will be raptured before the tribulation begins.
2: The revealing of the man of sin, who is the Antichrist, will take place after the rapture.
3: The Restrainer of Evil must be removed. This happens when the Church is raptured, and the role of the Holy Spirit as Restrainer of evil will come to an end - He will no longer be restraining evil.
Let it be clear: We are NOT in the Tribulation because none of these events have occurred. The rapture hasn't happened yet. The rapture must happen first before the Tribulation begins! And let me emphasize: The Holy Spirit is still actively restraining at this moment! The enemy continues to deceive us about this topic even after 2,000 years. Don't allow him! Don't be shaken in your mind or spirit! There is nothing to be worried about, we won't be here during the tribulation! Eyes on Jesus keep looking up! Time to get saved, Jesus is coming for His Church!!
Believe Jesus is the Son of God, who died on the cross for our sins, He was buried and resurrected during the third day, according to the Scriptures, so we can have eternal life with Him.
The moment you believe in Him and that He died for your sins - you're saved, justified, sealed until the day of redemption, and rapture ready! The Holy Spirit will come to live inside of you - He will help you, guide you, change you, and be with you FOREVER!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
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