Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Salvation After the Rapture?
Most pastors tend to shy away from the book of Revelation. It is by far the most difficult book in the Bible to truly figure out. Even many who study it quite a bit still struggle with trying to figure out what is symbolic and what is literal. Because of this, most pastors dont teach very much of what is in Revelation.
One of the most common facts in Revelation that most Christians know about, is also proof of one of the least known facts of the Bible. What would you say if I told you that the rules of Salvation changes when the rapture happens?
When I mention this, it is common to have to debate about it. No pastor seems to teach this, so nobody is willing to believe it is true. Yet it is and I will prove it.
If you do not know what a Primary Verse is, I would ask you to read this article first. They are the most important scriptures in the Bible. Primary Scriptures
So far, I have found a total of 19 primary scriptures that tell us plainly 'how' we are saved. Most doctrines have 1 to 3 primary scriptures that reveal the truth. The fact that salvation has 19 makes it clear, that God wanted to make it clear. All 19 of them tell us we are saved by believing in Jesus. Nothing else! There is not a single primary scripture that says we are saved by any other means.
One very important fact about salvation you need to recognize is that everyone who is saved becomes a part of the Bride of Christ. This is the church today! When the rapture happens however, the church (the Bride) is removed from the world.
After the Bride is removed and taken to heaven, there will be many who know the Bible but never truly believed. They will recognize the rapture and see it as absolute proof that the Bible was true all along. They will quickly become true believers. They will also show Biblical scriptures to the world proving the Bible foretold the rapture and that will lead many more to Christ. These will becomes a new breed of Christians we refer to as the Tribulation Saints.
The important thing to know about the Tribulation Saints is that they are not the Bride of Christ. They are not the church of today. The Bride was already removed. The Bride is made of people who truly believed without ever truly seeing proof. They were saved by faith alone. The Tribulation Saints on the other hand, had to see proof in order to believe. Because they needed God to prove Himself before they were willing to believe, God will want them to prove themselves before they are allowed into heaven. Basically, the rules of salvation change after the rapture happens.
Many do not want to accept this. They think I am twisting things. The truth is, this is not something I "want" to believe. I dont care if God makes them prove themselves or just allows them into heaven. If I had a choice, I would wish they could just be allowed in. Unfortunately, no matter what I want to believe, I will always believe Gods Word first.
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Revelation 14:9-11 (NASB)
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
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There is no denying it after reading this scripture. Anyone who takes the mark of the beast will burn forever. Now we know this is not speaking of unbelievers, because they are already going to hell because they dont believe. So this scripture can only be talking about true believers. The saved!
Today there is no sin a true believer can commit that will send them to hell. Never once does God's Word say we must repent from sin to be saved. It says we must repent and be saved but never "repent from sin" to be saved. The only unforgivable sin is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and that is not possible for a Believer to commit. Currently, the only possible way we can lose our salvation is if we literally stop believing. Yes that is possible, but that is not what this article is about. My point is, today, so long as you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are going to heaven. But as you see in that scripture, the same is not true for those who turn to Christ after the rapture.
The Tribulation Saints will be saved if they believe, but there is now an added rule. They must prove their faith by denying the antichrist and the mark of the beast. IF you do not believe this, then I ask you. What happens if a true believer takes the mark to save a loved one? If you say God will honor that decision and save them, you are saying Revelation 14:9-11 is a lie. Because it never stipulates anyone who can take the mark and still be saved. It clearly says anyone who takes it will be tormented with fire and brimstone.
For the Bride, Gods Word consistently says that anyone who believes will be saved. Over and over it says this. Suddenly for the Tribulation Saints, it says anyone who takes the mark of the beast will suffer in eternal torment. Any way you twist it, the rules of salvation clearly change.
I am not twisting scripture. I am not interpreting it in some weird way. It states it very plainly. To deny it is to be the one who is twisting scripture to fit your own beliefs.
The Bride is saved by faith alone because they believed by faith alone. The Tribulation Saints had to have proof to believe, so they will need to prove their faith to be saved.
If you think about it, not only is this scripture proof that the rules of salvation change when the rapture happens, it also proves that the rapture will happen before the Second Coming. If Jesus raptures us during the Second Coming as the post-trib rapture believers think, then it would be impossible for anyone to go to hell because they take the mark. Because over and over the Bible tells us that we are saved by believing in Jesus. Jesus clearly states it here...
John 3:18 (KJV)
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus never gives any other stipulations. The one who believes is saved. The one who does not believe is condemned. So what happens if a believer takes the mark of the beast? This would create a conundrum for God. If he sends that person to hell to satisfy Rev 14:9-11, He would be contradicting John 3:18. But if He saves them, then He would be contradicting Revelation 14:9-11. The only way for both of these verses to be true, is if the rapture happens before the Second Coming. Far enough before it that there is someone who turns to Jesus after the rapture.
One of the most common facts in Revelation that most Christians know about, is also proof of one of the least known facts of the Bible. What would you say if I told you that the rules of Salvation changes when the rapture happens?
When I mention this, it is common to have to debate about it. No pastor seems to teach this, so nobody is willing to believe it is true. Yet it is and I will prove it.
If you do not know what a Primary Verse is, I would ask you to read this article first. They are the most important scriptures in the Bible. Primary Scriptures
So far, I have found a total of 19 primary scriptures that tell us plainly 'how' we are saved. Most doctrines have 1 to 3 primary scriptures that reveal the truth. The fact that salvation has 19 makes it clear, that God wanted to make it clear. All 19 of them tell us we are saved by believing in Jesus. Nothing else! There is not a single primary scripture that says we are saved by any other means.
One very important fact about salvation you need to recognize is that everyone who is saved becomes a part of the Bride of Christ. This is the church today! When the rapture happens however, the church (the Bride) is removed from the world.
After the Bride is removed and taken to heaven, there will be many who know the Bible but never truly believed. They will recognize the rapture and see it as absolute proof that the Bible was true all along. They will quickly become true believers. They will also show Biblical scriptures to the world proving the Bible foretold the rapture and that will lead many more to Christ. These will becomes a new breed of Christians we refer to as the Tribulation Saints.
The important thing to know about the Tribulation Saints is that they are not the Bride of Christ. They are not the church of today. The Bride was already removed. The Bride is made of people who truly believed without ever truly seeing proof. They were saved by faith alone. The Tribulation Saints on the other hand, had to see proof in order to believe. Because they needed God to prove Himself before they were willing to believe, God will want them to prove themselves before they are allowed into heaven. Basically, the rules of salvation change after the rapture happens.
Many do not want to accept this. They think I am twisting things. The truth is, this is not something I "want" to believe. I dont care if God makes them prove themselves or just allows them into heaven. If I had a choice, I would wish they could just be allowed in. Unfortunately, no matter what I want to believe, I will always believe Gods Word first.
---------
Revelation 14:9-11 (NASB)
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
---------
There is no denying it after reading this scripture. Anyone who takes the mark of the beast will burn forever. Now we know this is not speaking of unbelievers, because they are already going to hell because they dont believe. So this scripture can only be talking about true believers. The saved!
Today there is no sin a true believer can commit that will send them to hell. Never once does God's Word say we must repent from sin to be saved. It says we must repent and be saved but never "repent from sin" to be saved. The only unforgivable sin is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and that is not possible for a Believer to commit. Currently, the only possible way we can lose our salvation is if we literally stop believing. Yes that is possible, but that is not what this article is about. My point is, today, so long as you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are going to heaven. But as you see in that scripture, the same is not true for those who turn to Christ after the rapture.
The Tribulation Saints will be saved if they believe, but there is now an added rule. They must prove their faith by denying the antichrist and the mark of the beast. IF you do not believe this, then I ask you. What happens if a true believer takes the mark to save a loved one? If you say God will honor that decision and save them, you are saying Revelation 14:9-11 is a lie. Because it never stipulates anyone who can take the mark and still be saved. It clearly says anyone who takes it will be tormented with fire and brimstone.
For the Bride, Gods Word consistently says that anyone who believes will be saved. Over and over it says this. Suddenly for the Tribulation Saints, it says anyone who takes the mark of the beast will suffer in eternal torment. Any way you twist it, the rules of salvation clearly change.
I am not twisting scripture. I am not interpreting it in some weird way. It states it very plainly. To deny it is to be the one who is twisting scripture to fit your own beliefs.
The Bride is saved by faith alone because they believed by faith alone. The Tribulation Saints had to have proof to believe, so they will need to prove their faith to be saved.
If you think about it, not only is this scripture proof that the rules of salvation change when the rapture happens, it also proves that the rapture will happen before the Second Coming. If Jesus raptures us during the Second Coming as the post-trib rapture believers think, then it would be impossible for anyone to go to hell because they take the mark. Because over and over the Bible tells us that we are saved by believing in Jesus. Jesus clearly states it here...
John 3:18 (KJV)
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus never gives any other stipulations. The one who believes is saved. The one who does not believe is condemned. So what happens if a believer takes the mark of the beast? This would create a conundrum for God. If he sends that person to hell to satisfy Rev 14:9-11, He would be contradicting John 3:18. But if He saves them, then He would be contradicting Revelation 14:9-11. The only way for both of these verses to be true, is if the rapture happens before the Second Coming. Far enough before it that there is someone who turns to Jesus after the rapture.
