"Please explain the above if there is a pre-trib rapture. Why does the Son of Man not really find faith on the earth when He returns?"
I should let you go PW ..... but the answer to your question is a simple one
When the Lord immortalizes His Ecclesia ..... there will not be much "faith" upon the earth .... look around
Not "none", but scant
.... one of the very reasons why His is going to change the game [Romans 11:25]
At a time that you do not know .... might be before this day is over
I know that you think your riddle is a clever one
One needs to be ready .... if you an get it?
On the other hand
If you find yourself in the tribulation, where you must want to go .... you will know without a doubt in your mind where you are .... and what you have missed out on
And you will be able to count the days to the Lord's appearing on the earth for all to see .... including you, if you make it through .... if you do you will know the dating of His appearing
But you will have to repent [Revelation 3:15-19]
However, He is coming at a time that you cannot know .... to "snatch" you away
..... but it appears to me that you would rather pass
This False Pre-Trib Rapture event (which, by the way, none of the key tenants are taught and cannot be found anywhere in the Bible) is not based on one's belief in it. Salvation has nothing to do with one's end times views yet you seem to think it does. You seem to think one must believe as you to be raptured. Do you have a verse for this? Of course not. You make things up as you go to suit your imagination. Instead of taking the clear meaning of verses you twist them taking most improbable meanings because you have to or your doctrine collapses.
Christ doesn't think He will find much faith left when He returns because He won't. This statement from Luke (in your mind is Post Trib - after the Rapture) because you see wrath there. You are correct, but the statement makes no sense if Christ had come back 7 years or so earlier and took all with faith off the earth. However, this statement makes perfect sense if there is one return of Christ after the Tribulation. If the Tribulation is Satan's slaughtering and deception of believers (as I believe) and there is a huge apostasy (as Paul teaches) with many more killed or converted, than Christ statement makes perfect sense.
There is a reason both Paul and John repeatedly tell us to have PATIENCE and FAITH. Christ Himself tells us this too. It is because we are not to go out after the first mega powerful super being who comes claiming to be Christ and acting as Christ. We are to wait, have patience and keep our faith. Because the first such being who comes will be Satan. Satan CANNOT deceive people if the real Christ had come first. That's just common sense. What's Satan going to do tell everyone, "Hey I'm back. Now that I've taken all my believers to heaven here I am now worship me"? Wouldn't those on earth following a so-called removal of the church wonder where are all the saints on white horses that are supposed to accompany Christ? Shouldn't Christ be killing the bad guys not standing with them?
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
This is why we are told to wait, to have patience and faith. To persevere.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]Because you have kept My command to persevere...
We are told to NOT GO OUT when the False One comes.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. [SUP]24 [/SUP]For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Christ makes clear His ELECT are here on earth and...
[SUP]26 [/SUP]“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
DO NOT BELIEVE IT. DO NOT GO OUT!!! Why would Christ warn His Believers on earth about this deception to come if He already had taken them???? Satan isn't coming to deceive some so-call Tribulation Era New Believers (Another concept which is not found anywhere) He comes to deceive actual believers. Paul teaches that our gathering to Him comes after the Man of Sin appears, just as Christ does.
Look Straightshot, I know you will never see the error of your thinking. Believe me, for years I once thought as you. It took me many years of study and prayer to see that the Rapture Doctrine is wrong and to understand how it came to being and who was behind it. The delusion is so strong (Paul tells us) that nothing I say can break it for you. You need to really put away your pride and take the matter to the Lord in sincere prayer and ask Him to open your eyes to the truth.
If God wanted us to believe in a Pre-Trib Rapture He would have told us about it plainly. A verse such as this would be found.
"Before the Tribulation I will return to gather my church to take them to heaven." A verse like that would be clear but none is found.