The Tribulation Church
By Pastor G. Reckart
Copyright 1986 All Rights Reserved

(According To History)

Fifteen Apostles and fourteen sealed the declaration of
the Kingdom of God, the true Israel, with their blood!

Many claim the Church will not go through the tribulation because such would be the same as God beating his bride. Some say the Church has no destiny to suffer for the name of Jesus and the Gospel.  Others go so far as to say the Church is not appointed to tribulation because it will be kept from that hour to come upon all the world.  In light of these claims I present to the world the truth that the Church has been in tribulation since the day Jesus was nailed to the Cross. It remains in tribulation all over the world in many places.  And, according to Jesus he will not return back to earth until AFTER the tribulation (Matthew 24:29).  Consider if the Church will not see tribulation because this is the same as God beating his bride, that the first Church was in the midst of much tribulation throughout all their life time.

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Four Apostles were immediately captured or imprisoned in the war of antichrist against the Church.  The suffering was tremendous. Betrayed and rejected by friends and family they fled from city to city. They were persecuted and death was threatened upon them. They were beaten and put in prison.  They were commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus. All of them were hunted like animals and driven into hiding. Plots were formed against their lives.  They were captured and beaten with whips and stoned. James the brother of John had his head cut off to please temple leaders.  James, half brother of Jesus and the Pastor of the Jerusalem Church was thrown over the wall of the temple down 200 feet to his death.  Blood was upon the soil of Jerusalem were Stephen was stoned to death.  All long the streets from Pilate's Judgment Hall to Calvary blood drops from Jesus fell into the soil.  The Apostles were offered money to betray Jesus and one accepted.  They were offered immunity, rewards, a chance to escape going to prison, and return of all their temple privileges if they would deny Jesus Messieh and forsake him.  THEY REFUSED!  At least three Apostles were crucified on crosses.  All of them we are told eventually died of their torture wounds. They experienced hate and prejudice everywhere they went to preach the Gospel.  As these wrote the New Testament they were on the run for their lives and wrote our tribulation survival book, THE NEW TESTAMENT!

The devil filled the heart of one apostle.  He kissed the door to heaven and then went to hell!  He sold his soul for thirty pieces of silver. In anger at the trickery of the devil and the antichrist, he threw the blood-money down on the floor of the temple and Mount Moriah became the abomination destined by God for desolation.  Of the fourteen other Apostles, not one of them went back under the cult of the temple.  Not one of them went back and joined antichrist.  Not one of them denied Jesus was Messieh.  They loved their King and Lord and accepted the New Covenant in his blood.  To them the Cross became an emblem of triumph over sin and death.  They went every where placing the symbol of the Cross throughout the world.  They preached its message and brought hope to a lost world. Not under threats, not for release from prison, and not for money, did they deny Jesus Messieh.  They went into the world to all nations preaching the message of God (the Gospel).  They preached faith in Jesus through repentance, water baptism in his name, and being born again of the Holy Spirit.  They were the olive tree into which Gentiles were grafted and became the Judaism of Jesus, the Israel over which he was King.  This Kingdom of God is the New Testament Church to which each Apostle stood and gave witness on the day of Pentecost.

Not one of these fourteen Apostles quit.  They did not betray one another.  They stood firm in faith together in unity.  They did not return to abolished Law for salvation or justification.  They trusted in Jesus alone, by faith alone, who gave them saving grace according to Acts 2:38.  Enemies arose from among the nations and tried to destroy the Church from within and then from without.  Judaizers arose to take the Church back under the law but this was rejected.  Gnostics arose to spiritualize and change the simplicity of the Gospel into mysticism.  Philosophers arose who brought in Greek and Babylonian interpretations.  False apostles and prophets arose and brought in damnable heresies.  The Church was attacked by Jewish priest, pagan priest, procurators, rulers, magistrates, and kings.  Even satan took up a seat in a church to try and bring it down to hell.  Each of the Apostles sacrificed all they had in their stand for Jesus and the Truth.  They gave up fortunes, their businesses, their employments, and at last their lives. They loved not their lives unto death. They loved Jesus Messieh their Lord and they loved the New Testament Church.  They held this Israel of God in high esteem and respect. Because of their testimony and faith, congregations of the new Israel were planted among the nations. Millions who had no hope of eternal life in old Judaism and paganism saw a great light.  They found Jesus through the preaching of these Apostles. Through faith repentance, faith water baptism, and faith Spirit indwelling they came into the Kingdom of God.  The Apostles, their families, and thousands of other believing men, women, and children came into the Shepherd's sheepfold.  As persecution and hate swept the world like a flood, the Apostles of God laid down their lives.  They sealed their faith in blood as an example of their love for Jesus Messieh their Lord.

When anyone tells you the Church will not suffer tribulation, they have just thrown all these precious men of God out of the Church!  Is it sound doctrine to teach the first Church suffered great tribulation but the endtime Church gets to escape to avoid this same persecution?  I say no!  The Church is the Church and it has always been in tribulation.  Jesus told us that in the world WE WOULD see tribulation but to be of good cheer he had overcome the world.  An Apostle tells us that through much tribulation we will enter into the Kingdom of God.

The tribulation people are the true New Testament Church.

Be encouraged,

Pastor G. Reckart
1986