I am definitely a pre-trib follower of Christ Jesus. He has not appointed me to wrath. He says it and btw His promises He can not and will not break.For I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded that He is able to keep which I have committed unto Him against that day! 2 Tim Love your story Johanan! Pre-trib makes the most sense given what we have been told and given God's character! As I have stated people of many faiths shall be in Heaven! Again, theology doesn't save, just believing in the Jesus the scriptures reveal! TR Longing to see His face and being caught up into His presence simply does promise a crown of righteousness! It does not negate salvation or insure it! For the past 40 years there have has been much reformed theology emminating from seminaries! As a whole many "movements", teachings and fads have infiltrated the Church and been circulated! Sadly, doctrinal truths have been burned in sacrifice to a self evolving theological god of the times! TR I loved that story too Yohanan, excellent! Although the rain has always fallen on the just and the unjust and martyrdom has always been present the difference being that a wife beater enjoys inflicting the pain! Christ does not! But God gives everyone an even playing filed as faith is being tested again with the human body holding a low priority! As this flesh cannot live forever! With God's ultimate aim to filter out those who might later rebel against Him as the Angels did! Also a good argument that flesh and blood need to be glorified, whether infected or altered genetically! IMHO TR Many have also balked at the priority system God seemingly employs: First spirit, then soul and lastly body. Are we not told that if your right hand offend thee cut it off, for it is better to enter Heaven without a hand than not enter at all! TR lf you can get a hold of Clarence Larkin's "Dispensational Truth," his charts and writings, make the pre trib rapture very clear. He also makes clear what the TRUE church is and is not. People are deceived into believing that this church or that denomination is the "true churh" Larkin show in his writings this error and how it condemns many who are relying on their church to show the way to Heaven. There is only ONE church that you need to be a member of before Christ's returns in the Rapture; that you name is written in its member rolls and that admits you to eternal live in Heaven. And that is the church you automatically became a member of when you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all your sins, was buried, and raised from the dead for your eternal salvation. (Rom 4:25). This is the true church of the born again saved only, the church of the first born or new born whose names are forever written Heaven. You as a member of this true church are the "Pearl of Great Price" that Christ paid it all with his precious blood to ransom and redeem us forever. (Matt 13) Any other church that you are a "member" of or not a member of cannot save you; that brick and morter church down the street that you joined can't get you eternal life. If you get a chance, look at Larkin's "Dispensational Truth" classic book and the chart on bottom of page 129 where he shows all these man-made churches and denominations thur the centuries like Catholic, Protestant or others will end up being left behind at the rapture if its members and others are not also members of the only church that counts for eternity, the church of the "First Born" (Heb 12:23). Who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit the moment the simply believed the good news gospel of our salvation. (Eph 1:13-24) You will notice in the chart that the church of born again is on a direct path to Christ in the rapture; but all other "churches" fall into the sea of apostacy and fall short of the glory of God. You will note that the darkest shading is given for the RCC, not surprising, as well as all cults. There is a similar larger chart (the failure of Christianity) on p. 78 of this same book. Again, people have been deceived thru the centuries into believing that this "church" or that "church" is the "true church." The devil has done a masterful job into getting people to blindly follow the teachings of men as truth, instead of what the word of God in the Bible says. Phil
My great grandmother came over on the boat from Italy too so I guess we are paisonos! I did not know her at all because she passed around the time I was born, but I remember my grandmother (her daughter) quite well and she sounds a lot like the story of your great grandmother. She used to pray for hours a day, she used rosary beads because that is all she knew and had been taught, but her relationship with Jesus was very obvious and very close. Thanks for sharing your story!
