I have been a pre-trib rapture believer but now have questions. Christians are supposed to be raptured before things turn real ugly. Scripture promises that. However, in other countries, we are already seeing beheadings and persecutions of the saints. America hasn’t seen anything like this but I do believe it is coming to us. I know it is impossible to know the rapture date but since we are seeing these horrible things occurring elsewhere and slowly creeping in here, I now question my belief in the pre-trib rapture.
The Bible doesn’t say the rapture will happen before things turn real ugly. It says the Lord will deliver us out of the time and place of the coming wrath (1 Thes 1:10, Rev. 3:10). What we’re seeing in the world today is a very small scale preview of the way things will be when the time of wrath comes.
Through out the Age of the Church Christians have suffered and died for their faith every day. Even before the current mess in the Middle East began, experts were saying that there are more Christians being martyred per day during our lifetimes than there were at the height of the Roman persecution. The difference is we didn’t hear about them until lately.
As scary as the things you’re seeing and hearing about are, you should take them as indications that the Lord’s return for us is drawing closer by the day. Jesus said, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown” (Rev. 3:11). I believe He was talking about the crown of righteousness that He will award to all those who have longed for His appearing (2 Tim 4:8).