Pilgrims Problems No. 12 the Great Tribulation — Willie Mullan

Christ’s Prophecy of the Great Tribulation

Evening and I mean to get through it I'm doing my best. It's this problem of the Great Tribulation. Let's go to Matthew's Gospel chapter 24 and our Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to his disciples here.

Verse 3 and as he sat upon the mount of others the disciples came on to him privately, just his own disciples. I think you need to get the scene set every time. When you open this book always try to find out who's speaking.

Try to find out who they or who he or she is speaking to and then be very careful about what is said. Just don't read something into it. Just make sure you know exactly what is said. And as he sat upon the mount of others the disciples, just the disciples, came on to him privately saying tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the age that word should be.

The word world is the old Greek word it's rendered age very often. And so the Lord Jesus gives this great discourse that's found in Matthew 24 and I don't want to go over it all this evening I'm just taking a portion out of it.

Verse 21 our Lord Jesus is talking to them and saying for then just at that psychological moment get the little word then into perspective. For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time.

No nor ever shall be. You see he's marking out a period of time in this world's history and it's going to bring such tribulation. Yes I'm desolation I'm destruction upon this whole planet of ours. And he assures us that there was never a time before like this and when it's past there will never be a time again.

It's just a period and I shall show you that it's a short period. You see verse 22 and except those days should be shortened. So horrible they are. There should no flesh be saved but for the elect's sake.

Those days shall be shortened and we're talking about the elect of that particular period of course. But we'll get all that straightened up. It's just a period when there'll be great tribulation such as was never before in the history of this world.

You see some of the scholars say that Hitler's Holocaust against the Jews was the great tribulation and if that was so then it's past and we'll never have anything like it again. They must be joking. I'm afraid you couldn't get me to believe that even if I wasn't a believer.

My dear friends they're preparing for something that's ten times worse just now. But you'll find this out that not only did our Lord give this sign, this saying, this saying describes that period. There's nothing before like it, nothing afterwards like it.

It's just a short period of time. In fact I I can tell you it will be three and a half years of this world's history. But we'll have to prove that of course. I mustn't say anything I can't have proof.

Now that's the saying and I want you to sort of get the hold of the saying. Nothing before like it, nothing afterwards like it. It'll be the worst period of tribulation and desolation that this poor old world of ours has ever seen.

Cosmic Signs After the Tribulation

Now I want you to notice this in this discourse of our Lord Jesus. Down at verse 29 he said this, after the tribulation of those days and I have a Bible and the translation is, at the end of the tribulation of those days.

Of course immediately after must be the end of course. Don't think we would argue about that. Just at the end of that particular period that we're thinking about, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven.

Now that would rule out Hitler's holocaust immediately. Because alone it was a terrible time for six million Jews when they were brutally murdered and thrown into gas chambers and you know all the horrors of it.

Yet the sun was not darkened and the moon didn't cease to give her light and the stars didn't fall from heaven. You see what I'm trying to do for the class and I'm remembering that I have young believers here with me.

There's just two things for you to get the hold of and one is the saying of the Lord Jesus. There was nothing before like it, nothing afterwards like it. It's just a short period and it's a short period of the worst tribulation this whole world of ours has ever seen.

Now that's the saying. Now there's not only the saying there's the sign. The sun and the moon and the stars. So we've got that worked out of this and we're going to go on now. Now I want you to go with me to the book of Revelation and we're at the sixth chapter.

The Four Horsemen of Revelation 6

The book of the Revelation chapter 6. You see I could waste a little bit of time here by going through chapters 1 and 2 and 3 because there we would see the seven churches of Asia of course, literal churches and we would see our Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the churches and I believe that's the period we're in today that the Lord takes a look at every church and he weighs all the work that goes on there and he scrutinizes every bit of service and the Lord is in the midst just watching what's going on.

Now if we take chapters 4 and 5 and we'll have to do that at some part of the message tonight we will find that the Lord is in heaven and what's more we'll find all the saints are in heaven too because we'll find this great multitude from every tongue and kindred and people and nation singing before the throne and they're singing thou art worthy for thou hast redeemed us by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and when they talk about being redeemed this must be all the redeemed from earth from every kindred and tongue and people and nation and they're in heaven now.

Our Lord Jesus is in heaven in chapters 4 and 5. Now when we come to chapter 6 we can see him in heaven and see things that's going on but we're in chapter 6 John is watching the scene and he says I saw when the Lamb that's our Lord Jesus opened one of the seals.

Can I explain these seals? He's just taken the book out of the hand of God and it was sealed with seven seals and I don't want to go into it all just want you to see him with the book and he's opening one of the seals and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the four beasts saying come and see and I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow and the crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

I want you to get the word conquering and to conquer because if he's in heaven watching the Lord before the throne this episode must be taking place on earth and he's watching this white horse and the man that's sitting on it and he's going forth to conquer.

He's conquering. There's no war in heaven. Must be happening down there. Who's this on the white horse? It couldn't be our Lord Jesus because he happens to be up there with the book in his hand opening the seals.

If you take any commentary out of the library you'll find that the greatest commentators in the world they say this is the Lord Jesus. You see he's on a white horse and he's got a clone on his head and he's going forth conquering and to conquer.

I can tell you that this is a delusion. You know the Lord is going to send strong delusion to this earth one day. It's a terrible thing that our God would send delusion but we'll get that just in a moment.

And the man of sin is going to come and he's going to pretend to be the Christ and this is him. This is the Antichrist pretending. That's the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Are you following me now?

Do you see? Verse 3 and when he had opened the second seal, that's the second seal in the book, I heard the second beast say come and see and there went out another horse that was red. That's different color this time.

And power was given to him that sat there on. I want you to get this bit very carefully. To take peace from the earth. Now watch this. And that they should kill one another. Do you know what killing one another is?

It is not war. It is civil war. See this little province of ours. There are times when we're on the verge of civil war. There are so many people in this province fed up with these murderers that someday there's something going to break loose and God save us from it.

But one day this whole world will have civil war. And that will be a terrible thing. That's the beginning of this tribulation. Now watch again. I want you to get this because I don't want you to miss this.

Verse 5 when he had opened the third seal. I heard the third beast say come and see and I beheld and lo a black horse. That's different. White horse that was delusion. The red horse that was desolation.

This is, this is the black horse. And he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts saying a measure of wheat for a penny. Three measures of barley for a penny.

You know starvation has come to this earth. Do you follow this? Be this antichrist deluding the people? Do you see what's following close this desolation, this civil war? See the starvation. I'll tell you if we get into civil war in every part of the world we can have nothing else but starvation following it.

There will just be nothing else. Now watch again till you see. When he had opened the fourth seal. I had the voice of the fourth beast say come and see. And I looked behold a pale horse. Different one again.

And his name that sat on him was death. And hell followed with him. Now watch this carefully. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death.

Want you to get the fourth part? You know supposing we say that in Craighaven there are 40 ,000 people now. I'm just taking a figure at random. A figure that's easy for me to handle. What's the fourth part of 40 ,000?

10 ,000. I'll tell you this if we had I don't know what we would do. You know we are distressed when our police sometimes one and two, sometimes three, sometimes four. The stress was such. What are you going to do when it's 10 ,000?

I'll tell you the funeral men, the undertakers can't manage it. Because we're going to have 10 ,000 in the next district and 10 ,000 in the next. Right over this little province how many? You believe where you're sitting tonight that it will happen?

And you're beginning to see the great tribulation. Now I want you to see this that there are seven seals in this book. I'm only looking at the four horsemen and I'm not going into all the details because the old clock will beat me.

The Sixth Seal and the Seventh Seal

Now go down to verse 12 and you'll see him opening the sixth seal. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. And lo there was a great earthquake and the sun, watch it now, became black as sackcloth of hair.

And the moon became as blood on the stars of heaven. Is this the sign? I can tell you it's the sign. Is this the day? I can tell you it's the day. You see in our Lord Jesus Christ's day this great tribulation was still future.

Then shall be great tribulation. In John's day which is AD 90 or maybe at 93 or 96 it's still future. It's still future tonight. But it's not so very far future tonight. I want you to get that. I want you to see these horsemen quickly this this delusion that will come to this world.

This desolation that lies ahead. This starvation. This destruction. Now supposing we miss out a chapter and go to chapter 8. Have a look at that till you see how it works. Because we're moving from the sixth seal to the seventh seal.

And I think that's fair enough isn't it? Verse 1 and when he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And old Nicholson said there mustn't be a woman in heaven.

You couldn't get them quiet for half an hour could you? Yes. Oh I think Nicholson was only having fun. But you know I think it's bringing out something that all heaven stands to. Because there's something horrible going to happen on earth.

So just think of it. Now watch it. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God and they were given seven trumpets. And I want you to see these seven angels at work. Verse 7 the first angel sounded.

Sounding a trumpet in heaven mind you. And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood and they were cast upon the earth. And there's no bluff about that bit. And the third part of trees was burnt up.

And they all agreed. That right now. Because you know the third part of the trees. When I was in Kennedy up in New Brunswick. They have got a big forest there. I think I'm right in saying that it runs for 200 miles.

And I really thought it was something. There's a big new road made right through the forest. And they took me right through this whole road just to see the trees. It was autumn and the beautiful colors and the maples.

Very wonderful. And I thought this is the most gigantic thing it must be in the world. But but it's not you know. Now the Amazon forest way over by the Amazon River there. There are more trees there than would cover the whole continent.

The whole continent. You don't believe it. Sure you don't. It's a great pity you don't. Because it is the truth of this book you know. And all the green grass. What's going to happen when we burn a third of the trees and all the green grass.

Look go quickly again. Second angel sounded. Verse 8. And as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea. And the third part of the sea became blood and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died.

The third part of the ships. I think you can you can follow this if I do it like this for you. You see in this terrible great tribulation that's going to come in those three and a half years. You know a third part of everything on the earth and then a third part of everything around the earth.

All the ships. All the fishes. Be a terrible moment won't it. Look at it again. See verse 10. And the third angel sounded and there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers.

And upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became Wormwood. And many men died because of the waters. Because they were made bitter.

You see it's a third part of everything on the earth and a third part of everything around the earth. And a third part of everything under the earth. And this immediately tells me it's atomic energy of some kind.

Energy is let loose. The fallout goes on down into the streams. Yes there's the great tribulation coming and there was never anything before like this. Go back as far as you like you'll find they didn't burn the trees.

Go back as far as you like and you'll find that they didn't burn all the ships from the earth. Go back as far as you like and into history as close as you like. And we have historians here tonight from Queens.

And not one of you can find the stars and the Sun and the moon. Sure you can't. They haven't been touched up to now. Oh but atomic energy will touch them. Watch this. See verse 12. Fourth angel sounded and the third part of the Sun was smitten.

And the third part of the moon and the third part of the star. Is it the same sign? I'm asking you something. I didn't print the book. Oh it's the same day. It's the sign our Lord Jesus gave us. It's the same day.

Whether the Church Will Enter the Tribulation

That will do us want us for for sort of painting the picture of the great tribulation. Now the question is of course will the church go through this tribulation? When we talk about the church we're not talking about the Baptist Church or any other church of that sort of class or kind.

We're talking about all the believers. See all the believers in here tonight. From all denominations bless you thank you for coming. Will all the believers be on this planet when this takes place? Will the church go through this tribulation?

That's what we want to answer this evening. Took me a moment to set the stage. Now let me give you the answers from the book. Come over to Ephesians and we're at Ephesians at the second chapter. Ephesians chapter 2 and Paul's talking about the church of Jesus Christ and he's saying to these Ephesian believers in chapter 2 verse 19 now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.

You see all the believers everywhere of all the ages black and white and red and yellow from everywhere and every age since Pentecost they're all in what is called the church. Now Paul begins to take this up in the next chapter he says for this cause I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.

Now he's going to say for this cause he's want to say something but he gets into a sideline here and he goes on down this sideline and all the preachers do the same at times and then in verse 14 he comes back to it for this cause.

Just because all the believers are one in Christ it is for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Now when somebody comes to me and says will the church pass through the Great Tribulation I just say that's impossible because you see a great part of the church in fact I would say three quarters of the church is already at home in heaven.

Oh there's been a great lot of saints from Pentecost up to now they're at home in heaven they will certainly not pass through. So you can't talk about the church going through the tribulation really. You see the church that we are thinking about all the believers here now and all over the world we're only the last battalion down here.

Put the last battalion through the tribulation for would you like to come and tell me. The rest of them were at home. Paul could see this. Of whom the whole family in heaven and in earth is named and I think that's a logical answer but there are greater answers than that.

Christ’s Promise to Keep Philadelphia From Testing

Let's go to the book of Revelation and we're at chapter 3 now. Book of the Revelation and we're at the third chapter verse 7 and the Lord Jesus is talking to John on the Isle of Patmos and this is what he's saying to him.

Unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia right. Of course can I tell the young ones again that the word angel there's an all Greek word which means messenger. He's not asking John to write a letter to a shining angel.

Oh no that won't do. No there was a messenger in the church at Philadelphia who was responsible for the spiritual condition of the church and John was being instructed to write to him. To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia right.

These things says he that is holy. He that is true. He that has the key of David. He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth. Our Lord Jesus is signing his name to the letter.

He said to the church I know thy works. Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength and has kept my word and has not denied my name. Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lie.

Behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee from the hour of testation the word is in the Greek.

Yes temptation is sometimes just being tested and it's the hour of testation which shall come upon all the world. Now the Lord is making a verbal promise here. I will keep thee from. Try to make it I will keep thee in.

He didn't say I will keep thee in and he didn't say I will keep thee through. Don't you dare to change it. Happens to be he said I will keep thee from. You'll never be there at all. I want you to get that that's the verbal answer.

So you've got a logical answer and you've got a verbal answer. Now let's go on to one or two more answers. 2nd Thessalonians and we're at the second chapter. 2nd Thessalonians and we're at chapter 2. Now Paul's writing to this young church at Thessalonica and this is what he said in the second chapter verse 1.

Now we beseech you. He's beseeching them. He puts a little word brethren in just to let you know he's beseeching the saints. Not talking to the world or the unsaved or anything. He's just saying we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ because he is going to come again you know.

And by our gathering together unto him. He's beseeching these young believers by two things. By the coming of Christ and by our gathering together unto him. And he's beseeching them that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us.

Because somebody had sent a letter and had signed Paul's name at it and pretended it was from Paul. And they had told this young church that the day of the Lord is at hand. That word Christ is a translation and in the old translations it's the day of the Lord and we'll see the difference in this just in a moment.

But this was muddling this young church. And Paul said now look look I beseech you don't don't be getting disturbed. Don't be soon shaken on in mind or be troubled. Don't be troubled as if a letter came from us it didn't come from us.

When these people say that the day of the Lord is at hand will you please remember that before the day of the Lord comes our Lord will come and we'll gather together onto him. And let me tell you we will prove tonight to the hilt that this great tribulation period is in the day of the Lord.

That's what we will prove. And the Lord will come before that and we will gather ourselves together onto him. That's a consolation isn't it? You see that consolation, that translation, that's a translation, that's a translational answer isn't it?

I think you can see the logical answer the church is really not here. I think you can see the verbal answer he'd keep us from this day. I think you can see this translational answer. Now I want you to get something more.

The Rapture and the Resurrection of Believers

Let's go back to 1st Thessalonians and we're at 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 and of course this is the key to the whole thing but we have to do it very carefully. Paul's writing to this young church in this first letter and at verse 13 he said to them we're at 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 but I would not have you to be ignorant and please mark the commas because if you take the comma out you'll say ignorant brethren and some of the brethren here will not be pleased with you.

Now you know the story I told you about where it says in Philippians finally there's a comma there finally brethren and I was away in counted to Rome having meetings and they stayed with an old brethren couple.

Oh they were good to me and I used to read to them every night and expound something and I came to these two words finally brethren and the old fellow interrupted he said do you know what these words mean Mr. Mullen?

I said well I'm always prepared to sit at the feet of a scholar would you like to tell me? He said yes I love these words finally brethren. He said you see when I get saved I belong to the Presbyterians and I found there were no good and I left them and I joined the Baptist and I was about to say amen whenever he said then I found out they were no good and I left them too and I said John if you had asked me were there no good before you joined them I would have told you there were no good.

He said then I joined the Pentecostals and I found out they were no good either and they said finally brethren and I said you're gonna be in bother tomorrow evening when we read the next chapter because it says farewell brethren.

You've got to be very careful with the commas please be careful with the commas. Now this is what Paul said but I would not have you to be ignorant and he puts the little word brethren in because he is writing to believers he doesn't want believers to be ignorant about something.

He says I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep. You see some of our loved ones have fallen asleep in Christ. I was away on the other side of Ballymena at Craig's Crossroads today laying to rest the mortal remains of one of the greatest saints that Ulster ever had.

An old lady called Mrs. Barkley she was 96 the other day just past the 96 mark and then slept away in her sleep. It was one of these old-fashioned old ladies who wore buttoned boots and long skirt and an old knitted shawl very neat one around her shoulders and a bonnet on her head at all times and I went away to have a mission with her 35 years ago you know and it was a mighty mission in the countryside and and her and I just got on so well together that she said when I die you'll come and bury me and what a tribute it was.

I think I would be right in saying there were a thousand people at her funeral I've never seen a bigger one and what's more I think all the ministers in the country and the priests were there. I've never preached to as many people at the funeral in my life.

The old dear she had a testimony that brought glory to the Lord. One of the saints who had fallen asleep. Now this is what Paul is saying mustn't go too far with this. But I would not have you to be ignorant concerning them which are asleep that is sorry not even as others which have no hope.

See we laid our mortal remains in yon grave today but if we believe that Jesus died and rose again and let me tell you if you don't believe he died and rose again you're not saved at all. It's gone to church and getting sprinkled or even baptized won't do.

Must have your faith in the death of the cross and that the Savior who died rose again to be our living Savior. We've got a living Savior it's not just bricks and mortar we have. Got a real Savior and if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with them.

You know when Jesus comes old mrs. Barkley's body arises again. That's what I told the crowd today. This is not the end of her you know. I preached about the time when she was without Christ and then about the day when she was in Christ and then about the years she lived for Christ and today at this moment as we put our remains in the grave she's with Christ.

Oh but he'll come again and bring this mortal body out and she'll be like Christ. Oh yes it's a very wonderful thing you know. We're not without hope you know no matter where you what way you take it.

Watch this now. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with them. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord and that's solid enough that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord and we're talking about we believers remember.

He was just writing to brethren up there. And if we're alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord and it can happen now couldn't it. We shall not prevent them. That old word prevents an old old Greek word which means we shall not go before them.

We'll not get in the way you know. I looked into the grave today and saw that old coffin down there and knew that that old body of that old saint was there and I said Lord Jesus if you come now she'll pass me by.

She rised first. I wouldn't be in the way. I wouldn't be far from her heels as we were going up you know. This is what it says. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not go before them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ and old mrs. Barclay is one of them shall rise. We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words. The chapter shouldn't be in there because the next word is but. It's a continuation. Now watch this. But of the times and the seasons and he puts a comma and again and he puts the word brethren in again because he wants to talk to these believers about something that's different.

But of the times and the seasons brethren you have no need that I write unto you. You see the difference. You know they were ignorant about the Lord's coming to the air. Had to be taught that. Oh but they didn't need to be taught about the times and the seasons.

No need that I write unto you. He says for yourselves know perfectly and there's no ignorance about that is there. That the day of the Lord. Do you see where we are now? I want you to get that now. Because we're not looking into the sky now.

We're not looking at the rapture at all. Ah that'll take place. Some of the saints didn't know about it but the Lord coming and taking the saints up. Oh but the day of the Lord you know these saints who read the Old Testament they knew perfectly.

We'll see that in a moment. He says you know it'll come like a thief in the night for this world. And when they say peace and safety. Are you in trouble? Good. A car blocking two cars down at Gratton's.

B .I .B. 8410 Hillman. This for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Now please follow me here. He's talking to these brethren. You have no need that I write unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Now watch this he changes it. For when they. Oh he's away to another crowd now. When they shall say peace and safety.

Because there's a crowd down on this world tonight and they're talking about peace and safety. And I've never known so much money to be given away to boys making peace and we never had a day of it yet.

Not a day of it have we had. They're giving money all round these peace prizes. When they shall say peace and safety. Watch this. Then then then sudden destruction cometh upon them. That's what we were talking about.

As to veal upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape. Oh there's a company on this world with us tonight you know. And if the Lord Jesus took us out now. They would never escape. They haven't the ghost of a chance.

I want you to get that. Then he comes back to the believers. But ye but ye brethren are not in darkness. That that day should overtake you as the faith is getting on to do you. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day.

We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others. Let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night. But they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober.

Putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation. You know we've got a hope of getting out of this. Professor at Queen's said to me not long ago. He said don't worry you'll never get out of this alive.

I said don't you let me know how ignorant you are. I might just you know. I'll tell you this professor. If the Lord Jesus came to the air now. I would get out. But you wouldn't. See you on St. Friends that's with us.

Bless you for coming. If the Lord Jesus came now. See all these believers. We go through that roof. I don't know how you go through it. But you go through it. And you rise to meet the Lord in the air.

And the boys that are left behind here. You're finished. You'd be damned. Now watch this again very carefully. But let us who are of the day be sober. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love. And for an helmet the hope of salvation.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath. That's it. They're not appointed to wrath. You see this thing it's coming upon the earth. Well we're going to see what it is in the moment. All this burning. All this upsetting.

I'll tell you what it is. It's the wrath of God. We are not appointed on the wrath. Our Lord Jesus went to Calvary. And he became the sacrifice to deliver us from the wrath to come. Oh we can't go on to that.

God can't punish him and then hit me. Not a bit of it. Now friend I think you can see this can't you? Because that's a consolational answer. We're not appointed. Go to the first chapter of Thessalonians do you see?

Deliverance From the Wrath to Come

First chapter of Thessalonians. Paul reminds them of the time when he came preaching the gospel. Says in verse 5. For our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power. That's the way Paul preached.