Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

‘Here is the patience of the saints‘

This is to summarize everything in the previous verses, (not to defile with women, to live a life of no guile, God-fearing, and worshipping God). The saints at that time would also have to resist the mark of the beast, as also supported in Matthew 24, which is to have patience and endure till the end in order to be saved.

‘here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.‘

The everlasting gospel is described as those who having faith in Jesus Christ as well as keeping the commandments of God, which are works.

Tribulation saints have to prove themselves with faith and WORKS

Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.

‘And I heard a voice from heaven‘

John hears a voice from heaven.

‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord‘

God is saying, ‘Blessed are those who are martyred for the Lord.’

‘Yea, saith the Spirit‘

Yes or “Truly” says the Spirit.

‘that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.‘

They have been working this whole time during the tribulation. Their works are going to follow them. They are going to receive a blessing for their works. That sounds very similar to Christians because we are going to receive a reward for what works we have done.

However, there is a difference. The tribulation saints are judged at the Great White Throne of judgement, while the Christians are judged before that.

Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Their reign during the millennium would be based on their works since the Great White Throne judgment happens after the millennium.

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Every tribulation saint is automatically qualified for the millennial kingdom or reign if one does not associate oneself with the Antichrist or receive the mark of the beast. In terms of the reward system and what they will inherit for eternity, it shall only be revealed during the Great White Throne judgment.

There are some people who hate the teaching of dispensational salvation. The tribulation saints are definitely different from our (church) salvation which is by faith only. Here is a verse that the anti-dispensationalists would use:

Matthew 25:41-43 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

We know that those who do not receive the mark of the beast will be severely persecuted, imprisoned, or prohibited from buying and selling.

‘or I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.‘

If they do not extend their compassion and help towards those persecuted by the Antichrist during the end times, they will lose their salvation.

The millennial reign is automatically given to these people based on their works. Their reward is based on the Great White Throne judgment which is after the millennium.

This reminds us of how lucky we are in this Church age, that our salvation is based on faith alone. Once saved, we will not lose our salvation. Just imagine if we were severely and relentlessly tortured in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, can we guarantee that we will not deny Jesus in the presence of the torturers? It takes a lot of work to not deny Jesus Christ, but even if we Christians were to do so today, we will not lose our salvation.

Another teaching that we Bible believers oppose and debunk is Calvinism, which claims that God will protect his elect and the chosen ones from receiving the mark of the beast during end times. That is not true at all, because Revelation 14:12 clearly states ‘the patience of the saints’. In other words, it is the saints themselves who have to make a clear choice to endure until the end based on their free will and determination.

If you want to look at one of the salient doctrines in eschatology and the entire book of Revelation and Bible, that is going to be tribulation salvation – that it is based on both faiths and work. If there are teachers that do not teach this, it would be best to put a filter and not follow their Bible studies 100%.