“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
—Acts 14:22
“…we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
It seems that there is much discussion among the pew-sitters these days about enduring tribulation.
And not only discussion, but heated discussion.
The arguments that the churched will not have to endure tribulation flies in the face of everything the Bible declares. But it soothes the flesh, so tempers rise whenever it’s suggested that those inhabiting the churches are headed for tribulation.
“Didn’t Left Behind settle that argument? Who are you gonna believe: the Bible or Left Behind?”
The Greek word translated as “tribulation is θλίψεων (thlipseōn).
Basically, it means “pressure.”
thlípsis – properly, pressure (what constricts or rubs together), used of a narrow place that “hems someone in”; tribulation, especially internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined (restricted, “without options”).
2347/thlípsis (“compression, tribulation”) carries the challenge of coping with the internal pressure of a tribulation, especially when feeling there is “no way of escape” (“hemmed in”).
[By contrast, 4730 (stenoxōría) focuses on the external pressure exerted by circumstances.]
—HELPS Word Study
“No way of escape.”
That seems to be the hallmark of tribulation. Another hallmark of tribulation is how one deals with the internal pressure.
For the believer, it means relying on a God he has trusted daily. For the unbeliever, it means resorting to “Plan B.” For the counterfeit christian, it means sheer terror.
Perhaps the internal pressure of tribulation especially when feeling there is “no way of escape” is what causes so many angry discussions whenever “tribulation” is mentioned.
For sure, the pressures of “no way of escape” have contributed to the many “prepper” books and the survivalist movements popular in many of the churches.
“Who needs trust in God when you have a storage room full of canned goods and guns?”
“…we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
This is a companion verse to 2 Timothy 3:12. Tribulation suggests INTERNAL pressure, while persecution suggests EXTERNAL pressure.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Both promises tribulation and persecution to the true believer. That is not a soothing message for the flesh. It’s little wonder that neither Acts 14:22 or 2 Timothy 3:12 are popular in the churches.
For those wondering, tribulation is here.
Tribulation has always been here for true believers. So has persecution. IF the reader has not suffered tribulation and persecution, perhaps it is time to make his calling and election sure?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
—Psalm 34:19
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
RELATED ARTICLES
- End Times Apostasy: Storm Warning for the Churches
- Do You Know if You are Going to Heaven? Be Sure!
- Few There Be: How Few is Few?
- HATED: The Christian and His Message is Hated by the World
- Satan Has Counterfeited the Christian Church
- Persecution, Tribulation, Troubles, Trials: What the Bible says to Christians
- MAN OF SIN: The Man of Sin is Coming
- Persecution of the Saints: The Fear and the Pit and the Snare
by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: Wikimedia Commons
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-15. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Link Disclaimer: inclusion of links to other blogs/websites is not necessarily an endorsement of all content posted in those blogs/websites.
Related articles
End Times Prophecy Report 
7 thoughts on “End Times Tribulation: Believers Should Have Much Tribulation”