Salvation During The Great Tribulation

by Brother Jody Adair

Like other times in the Bible, God offers different plans of salvation to the people in that dispensation as he does in the great tribulation. What we will see in this study is what the Bible says about salvation for the people that will be in tribulation.

A good starting point would be to show that there will be a time of great tribulation also known as Jacob's trouble and likened unto a women in travail. Let's look at some of the supporting Scripture:

Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:6

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matthew 24:21

We see above the words, "great tribulation." This is where we get the term we use the tribulation. This is not a study on the tribulation itself, so I will not attempt to go into the duration of it or when it will happen in its order of things. What you do need to know though is at the time the great tribulation is going on, the body of Christ has been Raptured out of here and will be in heaven worshipping our Lord among other things. Therefore the door will be shut to the body of Christ, to this dispensation, and a new one will start named the tribulation.

Continuing on in Matthew 24:13 we see:

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

The above passage is often handled incorrectly. You will find that almost all heresies stem from correctly interpreting the Bible, but trying to apply the verse to someone that it doesn't belong to. The above verse is a prime example. You see, a Roman Catholic and others will come to this verse to say that we have to work for our salvation otherwise we lose it. If they were to say that someone can lose their salvation they would be correct, but they are dead wrong trying to apply it to us in "the dispensation of the grace of God."

The verse itself doesn't actually say exactly what this end is that someone has to endure to. Nor does it tell us what period of time it is in. So, we have to go to the context of the chapter. Practically all of Matthew 24 is great tribulation doctrine with the exception of a few verses where it speaks of the start Millennium, that is, the Second Coming of our Lord in all his glory. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. A lot of times, like in any reading or conversation, we pick up what something is talking about by the context. In this case we are looking at, "he that shall endure unto the end." Keeping with the context, it must mean the one who endures until the end of the great tribulation shall be saved. Of course the alternative to this is that he that does not endure will not be saved. Let's look at another verse to back this up:

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Hebrews 3:6

There are those words again, "unto the end." Look at the condition to be part of Christ's house. Someone must "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm." See that little two letter word up there, "if," that is what is making their salvation conditional. It lines right up with Matthew 24:13. Both the Books of Matthew and Hebrews are chiefly Jewish Books. Let's face it brethren, it is entitled Hebrews isn't it? My Bible says it is: THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

I will purposely avoid at this time going into too much about the Book of Hebrews, but some points need to be made. Remember that the whole Bible is centered around the nation of Israel after the Lord Jesus Christ of course. We saw above that another name for tribulation is Jacob's trouble. The OT has a lot more about it and the Second Coming of Christ than any other topic in the whole Bible. It is the theme of the Bible practically, God and his chosen people. Our salvation is because of them. In essence, we were used by God to get his chosen people jealous so that they would turn to him. The Church now sits in an invisible set of parenthesis.

Had Israel, as a nation, accepted the Lord Jesus Christ back there in Acts seven when he was standing up and they stoned Jacob's trouble would have started then. The Books of Hebrews, James, and most of Revelation are a continuation of the Jews and God.

My point in the following is to point out that you cannot say just because the Book of Hebrews is in the New Testament that it is written to Christians in this dispensation. Please do not take this wrong and say that I am throwing the Book out the window. No, I am not saying that. It is just that all Scripture is not written to us for doctrinal purposes for us to apply to this dispensation. It is written:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

You wouldn't dare apply the prophetic Books of the Old Testament to the Jew living during that time. In the same sense you wouldn't try to apply the Book of Revelation to us now. It is prophecy just like Matthew 24-25 and other passages in the New Testament. Why try to limit the Book of Hebrews to this age when it doesn't fit unless you twist it to make it fit. The same goes with the Book of James which was written, "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad."The Bible says:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. Isaiah 11:11

We see that James is to the Jews, that it was prophesied that they would be scattered, and brought once again to Israel from James one, Isaiah 11:11 and many other places. The same things said above about the Book of Hebrews holds true about the Book of James. More could be said about James, but for now that is enough so we can get back to where we left off.

Will look at one more place before going to see what is required to endure till the end. Over there in Revelation 3:5 it says:

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

We see here that someone can lose their salvation. You obviously had to have it to be blotted out of the book of life. Sure, I know we can run back to 1 John 4:4 and 5:4-5 and say that we have already overcome so therefore we can't lose it. Hey, I do it all the time to show someone they cannot lose their salvation when they try to use that verse to say they can. (Never could understand a bunch of people who insist on trying to lose their salvation, makes no sense to me.) Nevertheless, someone's name has to be written in that book before it can be taken out. We know that cannot apply to a born again sealed believer in Christ in this dispensation. Agreed?

Chapters two and three of Revelation present three views of the Church. First, the seven churches mentioned were literal churches during the time of John when the Book of Revelation was written. Secondly, they show the condition of the Church from John's time up until the Second Coming at least. Last, they will be literal churches again during the great tribulation. We are looking at the literal church of Sardis during the tribulation and Christ's return to earth to sit in Jerusalem to rule the world from there during the Millennium. This is three places now that we have seen by three different writers that say someone can lose their salvation and two of then definitely during the great tribulation. So, it only follows that the third, Hebrews 3:6, would fit in the great tribulation also.

Which brings up a point I would like to make. When you see a verse that contradicts what the Bible teaches somewhere, do not try to twist that verse to make it fit your beliefs or fit in a wrong dispensation. Simply put the verse in the dispensation it belongs and you will see how much easier the Bible is to understand. I believe those who twist verses to make them all fit into our "dispensation of the grace of God," do a lot of harm. Catholics are not dumb people. When they see a verse that says somebody can lose it they are generally right like I mentioned above. It is kind of hard to tell them that the verse doesn't say what it says and have them believe you when it does say what they say it says. Well, you get my point anyway, I hope.

What is this enduring to the end? What is required to endure till the end? Revelation 12:17 and 14:9-12 say:

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Yep, there is that enduring till the end! They are those that have the patience, that do not get the mark, do not worship the beast nor his image, that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ! Let's see it one more time in a list now:

1. They must "endure unto the end." (Matthew 24:13)
2. They must "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)
3. They must "overcome." (Revelation 3:5)
4. They must "keep the commandments of God." (Revelation 12:17, 14:12)
5. They must not "who worship the beast and his image."(Revelation 14:9)
6. They must not "receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand." (Revelation 14:9)
7. And most of all, they must keep "the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 12:17, 14:12)

Yessirrie buddy, that sure does look like the gospel Paul preached doesn't it? If you believe everyone is saved and stays saved the same way across the whole Bible that is exactly what you are saying! Compare the above with this:

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: 1 Corinthians 15:3

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:8-13

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8

Things that are not the same are different!

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!