Hi There, How are you? I would like to ask you a question. Would you be willing to share some examples of "tribulation" or "tribulations" from your perspective? I myself go through trials & sufferings frequently and I expect to.. for God IS the potter and I am the clay he is forming and working on. He is working the character of his true sheep. It might not be wise to make a blanket statement such as "if you aren't suffering tribulation then you might not be a believer". Truly it is up to God what he permits in each of his sheep's lives, for He knows who belongs to Him.. Many Bible readers and studiers think the word tribulation means the time only when the man of lawlessness will be revealed, and martyrdom will increase or be more likely (in other countries it is rampant and has been for decades, but in the USA not as much or reported) Again, thanks for taking time to respond if you are able to. God bless you.
Hi, Sanders. I am fine, and thank you for your question.
Rather than give some examples of tribulation from my perspective, I will give an example from Jesus' perspective because that is the only perspective which really matters. In other words, if I, you, or "many Bible readers and studiers" do not agree with Jesus' assessment of "tribulation," then we are in error, and we need to change our views. Having said that, please consider the following from Jesus' parable of the sower.
Mat 13:1
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4
And when he sowed, some
seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Of course, in this parable, the "seed" is representative of God's word, and the different types of soil are representative of different people's hearts. I deliberately bold-faced what Jesus said about the "seed" that fell in stony places because his interpretation of that will provide you with the proper answer to your question. Here is Jesus' interpretation.
Mat 13:18
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth
it not, then cometh the wicked
one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Mat 13:20
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Mat 13:23
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth
it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
According to Jesus, the one who receives the "seed" or God's word in stony places is the one who hears the word, and anon, or immediately, receives it with joy. However, according to Jesus, such an one has no root in himself, but only endures for a while. Why does this type of hearer only endure for a while? Because when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended, and he does not endure.
Now, ask yourself this honest question, and give yourself an honest answer.
In context, was Jesus merely referring to "the great tribulation" or to but a yet-future 3 1/2 year timeframe?
Hopefully, you recognize that he was not, so (excuse my coming plainness of speech) I could not care less that "many Bible readers and studiers think the word tribulation means the time only when the man of lawlessness will be revealed, and martyrdom will increase or be more likely" because that is not what Jesus either thinks or taught. In other words, tribulation and persecution (Jesus coupled them together) can occur at any time, in any place, and in the life of any believer "because of the word."
Some practical examples of this would be a believer facing tribulation or persecution for preaching the word to others, and/or a believer facing tribulation or persecution for simply living a life that is in accordance with the word of God, and I have personally faced both on many different occasions.
I mean, think about it.
We live in a fallen world that is governed by "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) or Satan. If we are going to oppose him, either by preaching the gospel to others or by living in accordance to the gospel ourselves, then he is going to seek to hinder us.
My initial question was this:
If we are not facing Satanic/demonic opposition, whether directly or indirectly through people, then are we really living lives which are in opposition to Satan and demons? It seems to me that we are not.
In my own life, when I am quiet about the things of God, or when I am not truly living godly in Christ Jesus, basically all tribulation and persecution ceases. On the other hand, when I am sharing the word of God with others, or when I am truly walking in accordance to it myself (and we should be doing both), then tribulation and persecution increase.
As a matter of fact, I only really have about 3 Christian friends in real life, and one of them called me yesterday. He told me that he had been praying for me most of the previous night (Saturday), and that he actually fell asleep praying for me. Why was he praying for me? Because he knows the tribulations and persecutions which I normally face for the word of God's sake.
Anyhow, I am not the example, but Jesus is. He suffered much persecution in his incarnation, and no servant is above his master. If the world hated him, and it both did and still does, then it is going to hate us too...IF we are truly walking with him. In other words, it is basically guilt by association or people will hate us because they hate him.
I hope that this answers your question, and God bless you too.