But you're creating an artificial obstacle. That obstacle isn't in the Bible. Jesus Himself conceded He did not know the time of His return -
"no knows but the Father in heaven". He did NOT say --
"no one knows but the Father...but I also know that it won't be probably for another couple thousand years or so". Paul, under divine inspiration, later claimed that he
had reached the whole world. Now what? Who gets to decide when the whole world has been reached. Your obstacle is utterly arbitrary and artificial...
AND I still have my Olivet Discourse passage sitting there!
[FONT="]"[/FONT][FONT="]They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, [/FONT][FONT="]and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."[/FONT][FONT="] - 1 Thes.1:10[/FONT]
That's exactly right. I agree with the Scriptures. God rescues us from the "wrath" which comes AFTER the 'great tribulation".
[FONT="]The wrath of God begins with the opening of that first seal rider on the white horse[/FONT]
Whoops! You're imposing another one of your doctrines. This now is the doctrine of "The Wrath of God Begins With the Opening of the First Seal". You can't do that, I would argue. The text there does not say the opening of the first seal is the wrath of God. That is you simply
imposing PreTrib doctrine on the text!
I believe I can say for a fact...that believers are still on earth throughout the first six seals. Why? Because the fifth seal describes the martyrdom of believers...of which Jesus forewarned Peter, James and John...regarding a time of great persecution and many martyrs. That Olivet Discourse passage is still sitting there, brother. And no doctrine may ever contradict Scripture!
[FONT="]Those that will be here during the time of that last seven years will be those great tribulation saints [/FONT]
Wait a minute. You had earlier said the Olivet Discourse only applies to Israel. Now you're saying it also applies to "tribulation saints"? And so when you refer to "tribulation saints" you have once again made this leap and you are simply
imposing PreTrib doctrine on the passage.
You have yet to show where you have found this doctrine in the Bible. Meanwhile, I have a point-blank scripture in which Jesus is making point-blank statements to Peter, James and John!
[FONT="]Another key thing to remember is that, the word Ekklesia translated as church, is used throughout chapters 1 thru the very end of the chapter 3. Within those same chapters, the word Hagios translated as saints is never used. Likewise, from chapter 4 onward, the word hagios/saints is used, but the word ekklesia/church is never used. Coincidence or on purpose?[/FONT]
That's not an argument. I've heard this all before. This is really just an assertion. An assertion which contradicts the scripture of the Olivet Discourse.
[FONT="]Those professing christian's who were not prepared (no extra oil) when the Lord comes to gather the church, will know that they screwed up and will know that they are now in the time of God's wrath and what they must prepare for. They will recognize the antichrist when he makes that seven year covenant[/FONT]
This is all fabrication on your part, in my view. You need to explain the inexplicable: How do innumerable hordes of people find faith when, according to traditional PreTrib doctrine, the Holy Spirit has left earth (actually, He never leaves anywhere - He is omnipresent) and there is no one there to evangelize?
According to the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 25, those who did not fill their lamps with oil (whom you refer to)...do NOT find faith. They end up in Hell, according to Jesus (Matthew 25:11-12). There is some indication that possibly some very small number of people may be
declared righteous, in my understanding of Matthew 25:31-46...in similar manner to how Rahab, for example, seems to have been declared righteous and snatched out from among evil pagans.
[FONT="]There will also be the 144,000 spreading the gospel[/FONT]
Pure fabrication. Sorry, bro. The Bible does not say that. The response to the two prophets is that the "whole world" rejoices and celebrates like Christmas when the prophets are killed.