I believed the pre-trib position for years but I changed my view when I preached through 1 Thessalonians. There is nothing in 1 Thess. 4:13-18 about a pretribulation rapture. When Paul said, “we who are alive and remain until the coming (parousia) of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep,” he uses the word parousia meaning “coming,” “arrival,” or “presence.” There is no reason why they would not be thinking that this is the second coming in glory after the tribulation.

I have asked The Lord everyday to come into my heart and forgive me me of all my sins, but I’m a drunk. I cry out and ask for his forgiveness as my guilt has a tight grip on me but can’t stop drinking. I let him down all the time I am so scared that He will leave me like this. Jesus help me please.

Thank you for your willingness to discuss anything in scripture in a reasonable and logical way, without contention. I have a question about those who are saved as described in Matt. 25, the Sheep and Goats judgment at the end of the Great Tribulation. The last verse, 46, says about the sheep: “…but the righteous into eternal life”. Since these survived the Tribulation in their normal body form, how is it that they merit eternal life by their works to the brothers of Jesus, the Jews?

The man who wants to be our new pastor was preaching on unity and said there is a lot of division because of eternal security and we ought not let it divide us. He said it’s okay to agree with churches who do not believe in eternal security. He said that people who believe in conditional security are probably closer to the Lord because they are afraid of losing their salvation. According to him, those of us who believe that once saved we’re eternally secure are more likely to take our salvation for granted and not be as close to the Lord. Personally, I don’t see how living in fear of not being saved makes one closer to the Lord.

Ezekiel 38:16 states that one result of God’s defense of Israel will be that “Then all the nations will know that I am the LORD.” Would you please explain the probable extent of this prophecy? How many and who will this prophecy apply to?

RE: Collective Salvation. Our pastor recently stated that we do not have individual salvation without collective salvation. I am attending a Methodist denomination. Is this their established doctrine? I have been a follower of Christ and studied the Bible for 55 years, and attended many wonderful churches, but I have never heard this before. It does not ring true with me.

Those who believe in a Pre-Wrath rapture say that the writers of the New Testament, especially Peter, Paul & John didn’t expect Jesus to come at any time. They say that according to Matthew 24:1-32 the temple had to be destroyed first. Also the Lord told Paul to go many places and the Lord couldn’t have come before Paul went to those places. Paul also said that the time of his departure was at hand, meaning he knew the Lord wouldn’t come back at just any time (2 Tim. 4:6). How do you answer them?

The new man in Christ does not have a sinful nature. When you received Christ, you were also circumcised by putting away your sinful nature. Human hands didn’t circumcise you. Christ did. – Col.2:11. It’s possible in a moment of weakness to fall back to Romans 7 and live as though we still have a sin nature, but we can decide to live in Romans 8 because we don’t really have one.

Why does God allow the enemy to inhibit, prevent, stall, interrupt, interfere with, His work on Earth. Paul mentioned that he had wanted to go somewhere but the devil had stopped him. Why does God allow this?

As a new Christian, I was taught that when we become a Christian God gives us a special gift to use for his honor and glory. Is it true that God gives us a specific gift other than, of course, the gift of the Holy Spirit within us? I think that if we’re allowed to ask the Lord questions when we get to heaven, my first question will be “Lord, what was my gift” because I’ve totally missed it in this life.