Will believers go through the tribulation?

This text is from a letter written by David Gooding in 1991.

It seems to me that it is wise to give heed to the dictum of Dr Walvoord of Dallas Theological Seminary. After a life spent studying this particular topic, he remarks that the question whether the church will, or will not, go through the tribulation is a matter of deduction. No Scripture has for its primary intention an explicit statement one way or the other. Walvoord claims, however, that, while the view that the church will not go through the Tribulation is only a deduction from Scripture and not an explicit statement of Scripture, it is the most reasonable deduction of all suggested deductions—and certainly more reasonable than all views to the contrary, which he holds are likewise only deductions.

It seems to me that here lies the source of the endless disputes that have raged, and still rage, over this matter. If Scripture explicitly and unequivocally stated that the church will, or will not, go through the tribulation, that would be the end of all deduction, at least among Bible-believing Christians. The reason why there is endless discussion—and sometimes very heated discussion—is precisely because the matter cannot be proved by any explicit statement of Scripture. We all tend to get most heated in supporting our views that cannot be explicitly confirmed by Scripture.

We must not, of course, become cynical about prophecy. We must study it with all due care and rigorous exactitude. And we should feel free to state what we think is the most likely interpretation. Unfortunately, the matter is surrounded with such heated argument that many people are afraid to express their views; or if they do express their views, they are treated by the other side like heretics, as though this matter were a fundamental of the faith.

Along with rigorous study, it seems to me that we should all have the humility to admit that our views are based upon deduction; and that our views must, therefore, be held with due deference to those who think otherwise.

One other reason why the debate has been so heated and has produced such derision amongst God's people is well summed up by certain theologians who say that to accept such a view—i.e., that the church will go through the great tribulation—would conflict with their system of theology. Such theologians hold that their system of theology is so perfect and glorious that their system must be allowed to control the interpretation of any individual verse.

The same attitude is taken, of course, by the other side or sides. The reason why Reformed theologians will not accept the plain, explicit statement of Revelation 20, that there is going to be a millennial reign of Christ, is that belief in a coming millennium would demolish the great part of their system of theology. All of us have our little systems of theology; and it is wise to see that God has not given us his revelation in the form of systematic theology and he presumably knows how best to communicate his revelation to us. We certainly need to let Scripture control our systems of theology, and not allow our systems of theology to control Scripture.

But I do hope that this matter, so much debated amongst God's people in many countries, will not be taught in one way or the other so as to divide believers and spoil the great work that God is doing.

And, finally, let us take courage. We shall know one day the complete truth upon the matter. While we are rightly glad of any further light that we can get from study of Scripture in the present, we may give thanks that, one day, and perhaps sooner than we realize, the matter will be put beyond all doubt.

Meanwhile, it seems a helpful thing to me if we allow Scripture itself to remove the great controversy that has been built up in people's minds by an unbalanced exposition of those verses in Scripture that deal with the great tribulation. While Scripture confirms that the great tribulation will witness an unparalleled time of trouble in the whole history of the world, nevertheless, on each occasion that the tribulation is explicitly mentioned, it is accompanied by an assurance that the people of God shall be delivered.

So, for instance, in Daniel 12:1:

There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Similarly, in Matthew 24:21–22, our Lord remarks:

'For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved . . .'

But then he adds, 'but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened'.

Similarly, whatever Revelation 3:10 means—whether Christ will keep his people from ever getting into the hour of trial, or that he will keep his people during the hour of trial and bring them out of it at its end, the thrust of the verse is plainly this: Christ is going to keep his people. Either way, therefore, his people may be filled with complete assurance.

God grant us all the wisdom to preach his word with the same thrust and emphasis that his word itself carries.

Yours very truly in Christ,