About a month ago, a Christian sister, Krista B.,
asked me in Facebook Messenger, "Hi
Bill, May I ask you another question? I'm pretty sure I
know the answer, but someone wants actual Scripture for
this and I can't give it to them. Do the Christians who
die in the Tribulation go to heaven? I am sure they
don't, but where DO they go (Scripture)? Do you know?"
Looking back at my notes, I don't think I gave her an answer. For that, Krista, I apologize. I am not sure how I let this slip through the crack, but I will attempt to give you an answer now.
First, who are the saints? Let's clear the air of one fallacy. Man cannot bestow that title, position, and honor upon anyone. That comes only from God, through a relationship with Him. Sainthood is not a title, it is a relationship, a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. So if any man, regardless of his position or title, tells you that he has investigated and has the power to declare a person to be recognized as a Saint, walk away from that person.
Another point, all the saints, i.e., the body of Christ, are alive on earth and, prayerfully, working to bring more people into a saving relationship with Him. All who have been designated "Saints" by man - are dead and can do nothing for the those still on earth.
Look at Ephesians 4:11-12, "And He Himself (Jesus Christ) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Do you see "Saints" mentioned there by Jesus Christ? Neither do I - for all believers are saints.
I suggest the Bible tells us there are, or will be, four groups of saints: (1) The Old Testament saints (see Hebrews 11), (2) the New Testament saints, i.e., church age saints, aka, the betrothed bride of Christ, (3) the Martyred Tribulation saints, and the Surviving Tribulation saints.
Martyred Tribulation saints are those non-believers who will be "left behind" at the PreTribulation Rapture - then will become believers during the seven year Tribulation, and then killed for their faith. Upon death they will go immediately into heaven. Those who become believers during the Tribulation and survive the horrors of the seven year Tribulation, when Christ comes again in glory at His Second Coming, will go into the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth in their mortal bodies.
Let me share what I believe the Bible tells us about the saints.
The Old Testament saints were those who put their faith in their coming Messiah, even though He would not come for hundreds or thousands of years after they lived. We read about many of them in Hebrews 11, often referred to as the Faith Hall Of Fame chapter. We view the death of John the Baptist and the repentant thief on the cross as the last two OT saints - for they died before Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again. John the Baptist was already in Hades/Paradise when Christ died - and the thief went into Hades/Paradise with Christ (Luke 23:43).
The OT saints did not go directly into heaven upon death - for no one can enter heaven except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Upon death those OT saints went into Hades/Paradise (Luke 16:19-31), also called the Bosom of Abraham. They stayed there in joy and peace, knowing that one day their Messiah was going to come and lead them into heaven.
When Christ died He went into Hades. I believe He went into Hades/Paradise to celebrate His victory with all His saints waiting there - for He told the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Upon death, Jesus Christ went into Hades/Paradise to celebrate with the OT saints - and then (Hebrews 4:8) He effectively closed Hades/Paradise and led all those saints into heaven. Today, when we believers die, we go directly into Heaven/Paradise to join those OT saints.
The New Testament saints, i.e., the church, which is also called the body of Christ and the bride of Christ, are all who have become believers from the Day of Pentecost 33 AD until the Rapture occurs. That is called the Church Age. We New Testament saints will be in heaven during the seven year Tribulation. We will stand before Christ at the Believers' Judgment, aka, Bema Seat Judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10), a judgment of rewards, where we will receive our own righteousness (Revelation 19:8), and we will become His eternal Bride (Revelation 19:6-9), returning with Him at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:14) along with the OT saints and the Martyred Tribulation saints.
Since the Day of Pentecost 33 AD, all believers are said to be the church, i.e., the body of Christ, or body of believers worldwide.
The Tribulation saints: The church, all believers worldwide, will be taken into heaven at the PreTrib Rapture. Because God is omnipresent, all places present, the Holy Spirit will still be on earth and still be in the business of saving souls. Today the Holy Spirit saves us, but He most often works through the church, the body of believers, to accomplish His task of bringing folks to the foot of the cross. When the Rapture happens, the church which represents the influence of the Holy Spirit, His Restrainer Force, will be gone. I believe that is what Scripture is alluding to in 2 Thessalonians 2 when it says that "He who restrains will be removed," v7) - the work of the Holy Spirit through the body of Christ, the church, will be removed. And for seven years, the Antichrist will be the dominant power on earth.
The Martyred Tribulation saints: During the seven year Tribulation, a great multitude will become believers in Christ ("a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues," Revelation 7:9) - and many of them will be martyred for their faith. Those who are martyred are the Tribulations saints found in Revelation 7:9-14.
At His Second Coming after the Tribulation - "His armies which are in heaven" will accompany Him to earth to establish His 1000 year Millennial Kingdom. Who makes up this heavenly army? It will be the Old Testament saints, the bride of Christ (His church), the martyred Tribulation saints, and His legends of angels. When He returns He will establish His Millennial Kingdom from the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7, Jeremiah 3:17) in the holy city Jerusalem. And all we saints who return with Him will reside in His Millennial Kingdom in our immortal bodies.
Also at His Second Coming, all survivors of the horrible seven year Tribulation will stand before Him at His Sheep and Goat Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). The Goats, all surviving non-believers, will go into eternal punishment, the lake of fire. (verse 46) - and all Sheep, all surviving Tribulation believers, will go into His Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies (Matthew 25:34). They will still have their innate sin nature inherited from Adam, but since Satan has been locked in the abyss for 1000 years and his Antichrist and False Prophet are already in the lake of fire - there will be no one to cause temptation. The surviving Tribulation believers who went into the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies will have the innate sin nature, but are saved. All children born during the Millennial Kingdom must still individually receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
For 1000 years those in their mortal bodies will be marrying and having children:
Unfortunately, because of apathy and lack of temptation during the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom, many born during that time will not bother to come to faith in Christ. Satan will be released after 1000 years for one purpose - to be the final test of those born during the Millennium. If they continue in their apathy, continue to ignore the Holy Spirit's ministry toward salvation - they will easily be recruited into Satan's army. And there will be billions of apathetic non-believers by the end of the Millennium. Satan and his army of non-believers will come against Jesus Christ and the holy city Jerusalem one last time, and God will destroy them (Revelation 20:7-9) - sending them into the lake of fire to be with Satan, his Antichrist and False Prophet, and all past non-believers, eternally (Revelation 20:7-10).
Then the non-believers in Hades/Torment (Luke 16:19-31) will be resurrected into their eternal immortal bodies to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment, a judgment of punishment. After their judgment hearing, they will be thrown into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Finally, the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem - our new home where we will live eternally in the Sonshine.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Looking back at my notes, I don't think I gave her an answer. For that, Krista, I apologize. I am not sure how I let this slip through the crack, but I will attempt to give you an answer now.
First, who are the saints? Let's clear the air of one fallacy. Man cannot bestow that title, position, and honor upon anyone. That comes only from God, through a relationship with Him. Sainthood is not a title, it is a relationship, a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. So if any man, regardless of his position or title, tells you that he has investigated and has the power to declare a person to be recognized as a Saint, walk away from that person.
Another point, all the saints, i.e., the body of Christ, are alive on earth and, prayerfully, working to bring more people into a saving relationship with Him. All who have been designated "Saints" by man - are dead and can do nothing for the those still on earth.
Look at Ephesians 4:11-12, "And He Himself (Jesus Christ) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Do you see "Saints" mentioned there by Jesus Christ? Neither do I - for all believers are saints.
I suggest the Bible tells us there are, or will be, four groups of saints: (1) The Old Testament saints (see Hebrews 11), (2) the New Testament saints, i.e., church age saints, aka, the betrothed bride of Christ, (3) the Martyred Tribulation saints, and the Surviving Tribulation saints.
Martyred Tribulation saints are those non-believers who will be "left behind" at the PreTribulation Rapture - then will become believers during the seven year Tribulation, and then killed for their faith. Upon death they will go immediately into heaven. Those who become believers during the Tribulation and survive the horrors of the seven year Tribulation, when Christ comes again in glory at His Second Coming, will go into the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth in their mortal bodies.
Let me share what I believe the Bible tells us about the saints.
The Old Testament saints were those who put their faith in their coming Messiah, even though He would not come for hundreds or thousands of years after they lived. We read about many of them in Hebrews 11, often referred to as the Faith Hall Of Fame chapter. We view the death of John the Baptist and the repentant thief on the cross as the last two OT saints - for they died before Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again. John the Baptist was already in Hades/Paradise when Christ died - and the thief went into Hades/Paradise with Christ (Luke 23:43).
The OT saints did not go directly into heaven upon death - for no one can enter heaven except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Upon death those OT saints went into Hades/Paradise (Luke 16:19-31), also called the Bosom of Abraham. They stayed there in joy and peace, knowing that one day their Messiah was going to come and lead them into heaven.
When Christ died He went into Hades. I believe He went into Hades/Paradise to celebrate His victory with all His saints waiting there - for He told the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Upon death, Jesus Christ went into Hades/Paradise to celebrate with the OT saints - and then (Hebrews 4:8) He effectively closed Hades/Paradise and led all those saints into heaven. Today, when we believers die, we go directly into Heaven/Paradise to join those OT saints.
The New Testament saints, i.e., the church, which is also called the body of Christ and the bride of Christ, are all who have become believers from the Day of Pentecost 33 AD until the Rapture occurs. That is called the Church Age. We New Testament saints will be in heaven during the seven year Tribulation. We will stand before Christ at the Believers' Judgment, aka, Bema Seat Judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10), a judgment of rewards, where we will receive our own righteousness (Revelation 19:8), and we will become His eternal Bride (Revelation 19:6-9), returning with Him at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:14) along with the OT saints and the Martyred Tribulation saints.
Since the Day of Pentecost 33 AD, all believers are said to be the church, i.e., the body of Christ, or body of believers worldwide.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. . . . Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."
The Tribulation saints: The church, all believers worldwide, will be taken into heaven at the PreTrib Rapture. Because God is omnipresent, all places present, the Holy Spirit will still be on earth and still be in the business of saving souls. Today the Holy Spirit saves us, but He most often works through the church, the body of believers, to accomplish His task of bringing folks to the foot of the cross. When the Rapture happens, the church which represents the influence of the Holy Spirit, His Restrainer Force, will be gone. I believe that is what Scripture is alluding to in 2 Thessalonians 2 when it says that "He who restrains will be removed," v7) - the work of the Holy Spirit through the body of Christ, the church, will be removed. And for seven years, the Antichrist will be the dominant power on earth.
The Martyred Tribulation saints: During the seven year Tribulation, a great multitude will become believers in Christ ("a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues," Revelation 7:9) - and many of them will be martyred for their faith. Those who are martyred are the Tribulations saints found in Revelation 7:9-14.
At His Second Coming after the Tribulation - "His armies which are in heaven" will accompany Him to earth to establish His 1000 year Millennial Kingdom. Who makes up this heavenly army? It will be the Old Testament saints, the bride of Christ (His church), the martyred Tribulation saints, and His legends of angels. When He returns He will establish His Millennial Kingdom from the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7, Jeremiah 3:17) in the holy city Jerusalem. And all we saints who return with Him will reside in His Millennial Kingdom in our immortal bodies.
Also at His Second Coming, all survivors of the horrible seven year Tribulation will stand before Him at His Sheep and Goat Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). The Goats, all surviving non-believers, will go into eternal punishment, the lake of fire. (verse 46) - and all Sheep, all surviving Tribulation believers, will go into His Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies (Matthew 25:34). They will still have their innate sin nature inherited from Adam, but since Satan has been locked in the abyss for 1000 years and his Antichrist and False Prophet are already in the lake of fire - there will be no one to cause temptation. The surviving Tribulation believers who went into the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies will have the innate sin nature, but are saved. All children born during the Millennial Kingdom must still individually receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
For 1000 years those in their mortal bodies will be marrying and having children:
The believers who live through the Tribulation will be mortal. They will live and repopulate the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. Without the devastation of sin taking its toll, we can imagine the population increase during the Millennium will be enormous, almost incomprehensible. All those who are born during the Millennium will enjoy the benefits and blessings of Christ's reign on the earth. But they will still be born with a sin nature - and they will still have to freely repent and believe the Gospel, personally choosing Christ as Savior and Lord. (https://www.gotquestions.org/release-Satan.html)
Unfortunately, because of apathy and lack of temptation during the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom, many born during that time will not bother to come to faith in Christ. Satan will be released after 1000 years for one purpose - to be the final test of those born during the Millennium. If they continue in their apathy, continue to ignore the Holy Spirit's ministry toward salvation - they will easily be recruited into Satan's army. And there will be billions of apathetic non-believers by the end of the Millennium. Satan and his army of non-believers will come against Jesus Christ and the holy city Jerusalem one last time, and God will destroy them (Revelation 20:7-9) - sending them into the lake of fire to be with Satan, his Antichrist and False Prophet, and all past non-believers, eternally (Revelation 20:7-10).
Then the non-believers in Hades/Torment (Luke 16:19-31) will be resurrected into their eternal immortal bodies to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment, a judgment of punishment. After their judgment hearing, they will be thrown into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Finally, the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem - our new home where we will live eternally in the Sonshine.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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