The Truth
Jesus warned His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion that they would face tribulations in the world. Then He goes on to say that they can take courage, because He has overcome the world, so can they! A Chinese pastor said that the teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture of the church was harmful to the Chinese church. Why? Because when they did face the extreme persecution of the communists they were not prepared to suffer. May we not fall into the same mentality. In the world we will have tribulation in the form of persecutions, afflictions, sicknesses, losses, hatred, and more. Being prepared to face the many trials the world will give us is vital. The best defense is a good offense!