A Study in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 Absence of The Holy Spirit In the previous article, He Who Restrains, the restrainer, according to the pre-tribbers, in Second Thessalonians chapter two is the Holy Spirit:
The purpose of this study is so examine the essential role of the Holy Spirit. We must carefully examine scripture to see what the role of the Spirit has in regard to ministry and His role in this world. One misunderstanding among those who are pre-tribbers is that somehow there will be many who will be saved during the tribulation. There will be the "tribulation saints" and the 144,000 who will "evangelize the world." All this will happen when the Holy Spirit is allegedly in heaven with the church. One thing we must remember, the Holy Spirit is God and He is omni-present, He's everywhere. Another is that a true believer cannot be saved without Him. Jesus said: of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:3, 5-6 In the above verse, it is clear about being born again. There are two births. Our first birth is our natural birth when we came fourth from our mother's womb. The second birth is when the Holy Spirit regenerates our spirit. Again this can't happen to the newly reborn if the Holy Spirit is on vacation during the tribulation. We must know the role of The Spirit in regard to our ministry. In Acts, Jesus said:
The Holy Spirit gives us as Christians power to be witnesses for the gospel of Christ. It's inconceivable to believe that the 144,000 will be able to "witness to the world" if the Holy Spirit is "raptured into heaven," especially when they have no training and will be unversed in scripture. We must know the Spirit's ministry to us. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said:
Jesus refers the Holy Spirit as "the Comforter." The Holy Spirit will teach all believers all things and remind them of everything that Christ taught His disciples. How are the "tribulation saints" going to be taught all things when the Holy Spirit is in heaven? What will happen at the time of trial when "tribulation saints" are tempted and the Holy Spirit isn't there to remind them of what Jesus taught us? During that night before Jesus was arrested which led to his crucifixion, He was with His disciples. He spoke with them about the Holy Spirit in regard to this world:
Jesus said the Holy Spirit will convict the world in regard to sin, righteousness and judgment. It will be highly impossible for men during the tribulation to be convicted of these things if the Holy Spirit is raptured with the church. As we also have seen that man cannot be born again without the Holy Spirit. There are those who believe that the "period of grace" ends when Jesus comes to rapture His church out. And somehow that there will be something to replace it for the condition for salvation. However, there is nothing in scripture that supports their belief. Throughout the bible, people always have been saved through grace through faith. We see this in reference to Abraham:
Paul wrote in Ephesians: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 The prophet Joel as he described the events up to the day of the Lord: Joel 2:31-32 Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. If the "period of grace" ends at the "pre-trib rapture" then how are the Jews who haven't believed in Christ going to be saved when they call out for their messiah at the last moment when Jesus appears if it isn't through God's grace? We must conclude that if the saints in the tribulation are martyred for the testimony of Jesus, then they are also saved by grace-through their faith in Jesus Christ. Going back to the words of Jesus, in relation to the Holy Spirit, John Wrote: Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)John 7:37b-39 In the above verse whoever believes in Jesus, the Holy Spirit flows from within them. This must also include those who are believers in the tribulation. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be here during that time.
Articles in this study
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