We know that over and over again in the scriptures we are commanded to "watch." When these commands are given to us, they are not qualified commands like "begin to watch when this happens" or "begin to watch when that happens." We are just told to watch and be ready for the Lord's return.
Matthew 24:42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
Matthew 24:43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Matthew 25:13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Mark 13:35"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn
Luke 12:37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
Luke 12:38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
Luke 21:36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Matthew 24:44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Matthew 24:50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
Luke 12:40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Luke 12:46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
The Bible says to watch because Jesus is coming at an hour when you (the believer) are not expecting. If He was not talking to believers then why would He say "He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers?"
Those who believe we will see a pretribulation rapture are watching for the Lord's return NOW, just as we are commanded to. IF, and I say "if" there was no pretrib rapture, would true believers walk away from the faith? No, we would keep watching just as commanded, then regretfully email the prewrath/mid trib folks and pray they were right and not the post-tribbers :-). If the pre-wrath group was wrong we'd stick it out till we lost our heads or ended up at the end of the tribulation. Regardless of when the Rapture happens, we the pretribbers WILL BE WATCHING!
The same cannot be said for the pre-wrath, post-trib crowd. They light up the world wide web flaming every pre-tribber in sight telling them how they cannot be right, and how basically there's no need to watch for the rapture until mid-tribulation or even AFTER the tribulation is over. Are they "watching" for the Lord's return RIGHT NOW and everyday as the Lord commanded? Nope. Is this disobedience? (I won't go there). IF the pretrib rapture IS the correct position, will people who ARE NOT WATCHING be allowed to meet Christ in the air? (I don't know, I guess they'll find out...)
If the pretrib rapture position is wrong, so what? We'll have plenty of time to watch prophesy unfold before us just as the bible lays it out. If the pretrib position is right, the pre-wrath/post-tribbers will have NO TIME to change their minds and jump on the bandwagon. Either way, I am waiting eagerly for The Lord's return RIGHT NOW just like He commanded us to. If it's tonight YEEEEEEHAWWWWW, if it's after the tribulation, then Lord grant us strength to live or die and well for You.
Peace~brother D
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