Please tell me!  Have I missed the Rapture? Are my saved friends that have died already gone with Jesus and have I been left behind to face the Tribulation? I must know, please help me with these excruciating questions!  Can you imagine the pain someone must be experiencing who would express questions such as these to the pastor? Believe it or not, these same people were once very sure of their standing with the Lord and had been taught the truth regarding the future coming of Christ. In fact, it was likely only a matter of a couple of weeks between the time they were strong, growing believers to the time they became fearful and questioning, as the above questions reveal.

Who were the people who were so quickly confused concerning the all-important truths surrounding Christ’s future return? The church at Thessalonica had begun to grow so deep and quickly in love and grace that the entire area around them heard about it! (See 1 Thess.1:3-8) Yet as is always the case when believers are growing and the lost are being saved through their vibrant witness, the enemy of our souls begins to work and throw roadblocks in the way of the work God is doing. This is exactly what happened among the young Thessalonian believers that Paul had evangelized and founded the church there just weeks before. Their faith that was growing and abounding was now beginning to waver and falter under the confusion and fear that Satan had inflicted on them through false teachers and teaching.

Dr. Charles Wagner helps us to understand today the answers to some of the questions that these hurting Thessalonian believers were asking back then. In the BBN BI course numbered 31700, Second Thessalonians, Dr. Wagner brings out such precious truths as the fact that though believers may be persecuted, actually God means that very persecution to increase our faith! (See Romans 5:3-5) The Thessalonians were worried that God may have left them due to their confusion and persecution by wicked false teachers and other enemies of the Gospel. Yet Paul revealed to them and us today that persecution actually reveals God’s blessing rather than His abandonment because faith is often increased by persecution! We are excited to offer this excellent course and trust that it will in turn be a blessing to you as you study the magnificent Word of God!