Question: Where will Christians be during the tribulation? Can you please explain the pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, post-tribulation and other ideas concerning this issue if you have any. Thank you very much for allowing me to just send you a question. God bless you.

Walter

Answer: Dear Walter,

You have a HUGE question!! Christians are divided between a-millennial, post- millennial, and pre-millennial (that is, how to interpret passages that speak of a millennial rule of Christ and the saints).

Pre-millennial: Those who believe that all of the events spoken of in the Bible are yet future, that virtually none have occurred, and that all must precede the second coming. Jesus Christ returns before the millennium.

Post-millennial: These Christians believe that the 1000 years represent the spiritual victory of the gospel, and that Jesus will return after the spiritual victory is won by the church and the saints (as empowered by Jesus Christ). They believe that a spiritual reign prepares the way for a bodily return.

A-millennial: The belief that the 1000 years is symbolic rather than literal. They see the symbolic 1000 years (a "long time") as the period of time between the crucifixion and resurrection to the second coming.

Pre-, post-, and mid-tribulation ideas fall only with the pre-mil view. These ideas are even more speculative (that is, there is little biblical evidence to be dogmatic, not that it is wrong to hold a specific view). The ideas have to do with how believers are protected, some say raptured (which is a rather modern biblical teaching, not having been taught until a little over 100 years ago). All of these posit that Christ will come at the end of a tribulation – most believe it to be 7 years in length, but some teach 3 ½ - and the pre-tribulation people believe protection from the plagues and troubles of the tribulation will be given before the tribulation starts, the mid- believe sometime during (so believers have to endure some of the tribulation) and others believe that Christians will not be saved from the physical tribulation at all.

Biblical evidence is not sufficient for any dogmatic conclusion – although there are some who believe that their way is the only way ("my way or the highway"). I do not believe that Christians should separate and divide over such speculative teaching. We will find out after Jesus returns, and I suspect that all of our dogmatism will not mean much then.

Plain Truth Ministries has an excellent, critically acclaimed 2 video set titled Millennial Madness that has sold thousands of copies, and is being used in many small groups and Bible classes around North America.

May God bless you, Walter.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht