Category: Last Days

Don’t pin your hopes on the rapture.

glory fills earth

We may be on the brink of the long awaited Second Coming of Christ. As we approach the very end of time, many Christians of the Scofield Dispensational theology persuasion pin their hopes on being “raptured” out of a period of great persecution and tribulation. I believe this is a big mistake based on false doctrine.

The various views and doctrines relating to the end times are a branch of theology and doctrine called eschatology or the study of the end times or eschaton. The early church did not adhere to Dispensational theology. In fact, it is a relatively recent addition dating back to the late 1800s, which was introduced by John Darby and Cyrus Scofield. However, its relative young age has not stopped its being believed by many. (If you wish to read more about the various views, click here.)

Even though the word “rapture” is not actually a biblical term, the idea is found in the Bible. It is connected to Christ’s return.

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (ESV)

The Greek word is harpazo, which means to seize, catch up, or snatch away.

Dispensational theology teaches that God’s people will be raptured, but not at the very end. Depending on the version, it could be prior to, mid, or post Great Tribulation. The “pre-trib” rapture is probably the most popular, for obvious reasons. It hold that believers will be snatched up from the earth before it gets really bad, leaving unsaved humanity to endure the atrocities of the Antichrist’s rule. But does this conform to the Bible’s clear teachings on the end times? Might it be a false hope which could leave the church unprepared to endure suffering?

Corrie Ten BoomCorrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who miraculously survived the Nazi death camps after being betrayed by a neighbor for harboring and protecting Jews, toured the world as a speaker in her old age warning Christians that suffering is part of God’s plan to transform us and prepare us for glory. I quote her below.

 

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution.

In China, the Christians were told, ” Don’t worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated – raptured.” Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later, I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly,

“We have failed..
We should have made the people strong for persecution,
rather than telling them Jesus would come first.
Tell the people to be strong in times of persecution,
how to stand when the tribulation comes,
to stand and not faint.” (Women of Christianity)

We do well to seriously consider Corrie’s warning, but what the Bible says is even more important. What, if anything, did Jesus and Paul say about the rapture? Not surprisingly, they said quite a lot about the end times, and some of it directly relates to the rapture theory. I begin by quoting our Lord’s words regarding the very end.

Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.” 37  Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38  The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39  The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. 40  “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42  And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Matthew 13:36-43 (NLT)

Here Jesus explained that the group that will will be taken is composed of the wicked, not the righteous. This is the very opposite scenario taught by rapture enthusiasts.

In another passage, Jesus reaffirms that this is how things will be.

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38  In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39  People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40  “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41  Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 42  “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43  Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Matthew 24:37-44 (NLT)

Once again Jesus words do not lead us to have an expectation of the rapture of the church out of tribulation. Instead, those who will be taken or swept away first are the wicked, just as during the flood of Noah’s day. Noah’s family was left behind to inherit the earth, after the wicked were removed.

Where did the doctrine of the rapture come from then? John Nelson Darby was probably the first person to fully articulate this relatively modern doctrine sometime between 1832 and 1845. (John Darby: Pretribulation Rapture Theory) It can be argued that such a theory could only find traction in a land and time that was free from intense persecution. I doubt if it could have been developed during the persecutions that attended the early church or the one going on in various parts of the world right now. Many areas have already experienced or are currently experiencing great tribulation.

By the way, the Greek word translated tribulation is thlipsis, which essentially means “pressure.” Pressure explodes weak containers and refines coal into diamonds. How we will be affected by pressure will depend on what is inside us.

The Bible clearly warns us to expect suffering, which God’s grace will help us endure.

"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10  "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11  "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12  "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 13  "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Matthew 24:9-13 (NASB)

Jesus encouraged us to endure suffering for the gospel, not pin our hopes on a “great escape” called the rapture.

When people believe they will be pulled out of coming troubles, it can demotivate us from actively preaching the gospel and working to expand the kingdom of God. Instead, we may end up “forting up” in our churches, waiting for the rapture.

Removing believers when intense suffering is about to arrive does not conform to God’s shepherd heart. Jesus watchman neetold us that the Good Shepherd will not flee when he sees the wolf coming. Watchman Nee lived and ministered in China before it fell to communism. He had the opportunity to escape but chose to remain with the people under his care. His church was among those which did not capitulate to the demands of the Communist Party. He endured great suffering as a result of his choice and languished for years in prison, but he was faithful to God and those under his care.

Is it not more in line with Christ’s love that he would raise up his church to be his fearless witness during such a time? Is that not what actually happened during previous persecutions? The church grew exponentially during Roman persecutions and has expanded victoriously during the modern version in China. Would we expect Christ to rejoice in a weak and fearful bride hiding in hopes of being rescued or in one who is gloriously confronting the enemies of the gospel? What if the period we hope to escape will end up being the most glorious and victorious era for the church?

I have a growing suspicion that most of our end time theology will be seriously rearranged in the coming days as we approach the Second Coming of Christ.

The prophet Habakkuk promised that the glory of the Lord will fill the earth.

"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14 (NASB)

Could a Spirit-filled victorious church participating in a massive outpouring of the Spirit as prophesied in Joel be part of what happens before the Second Coming? Many, including myself, think so.

Jesus taught that his Second Coming will precipitate the resurrection from the dead, the last judgment, and the final state of things. Not only will the wicked be removed and burned with unquenchable fire; all the dead will be raised, judged and assigned to their eternal destinies.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:25-29 (ESV)

Those who have already died as believers will be the first ones caught up to meet the Lord when he comes to judge the world. After that those believers who are still alive physically will join them.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18  Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 (NASB)

Putting all this together, it appears that the Lord’s Second Coming will be immediately preceded by a removal of the wicked, followed by a resurrection of the dead and a catching up of the righteous to join the descending Lord. This agrees with what Paul wrote about the resurrection in the fifteenth chapter of his First Letter to the Church in Corinth.

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 (NASB95)

Jesus will come again at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised, and those who are still alive will be instantly transformed by receiving their glorified bodies. This is what is called the rapture. Then a glorious and fearful final reckoning will take place which will be administered by the Divine Son of Man, the risen Lord Jesus.

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32  "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33  and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Matthew 25:31-33 (NASB)

God has not given us all the details of how it will be at the end, only what we need to know. Hardly anyone figured out how Jesus would arrive on the earth the first time. Why should we expect that we will figure everything out ahead of time the second go around?

As we await his sure return, let us hold on to our ideas of what will be with an open mind and heart, realizing that we may need to adjust our thinking as we watch events unfold.

In the meantime, let us take seriously the apostle Peter’s words of encouragement.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 10  In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11  All power to him forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5:8-11 (NLT)
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Are We on the Verge of the Apocalypse?

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Are we on the verge of the Apocalypse? No one knows for sure. In Greek, apokalupsis simply means a revealing; hence, the last book of the Bible, which reveals Jesus’ glory and authority, is called Revelation (apokalupsis). In fact, Jesus is the focus of the entire Bible, the goal of history, and the absolute Lord of all creation. All of history is being channeled into the time when the Lord will be revealed to all creation.

The Apocalypse will be the final unveiling of Jesus’ identity to the world for all to see.

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30 (NLT)

His Second Coming will take place at the conclusion of history, at which time the final judgment of everyone who ever lived will take place, followed by the recreation of heaven and earth, which will inaugurate the final state of things.

But God has been revealing his glorious Son for a long time now. 

Just after the first man and woman fell for the devil’s lie and betrayed their Creator, God told the serpent, the one who led them astray, that one day in the future a descendant of Eve would crush his head.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

We now know that this mysterious person is none other than our Lord Jesus, who defeated Satan at the cross and when he rose again. Jesus’ mission was to restore the human race and all creation to God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:20–21 (NASB95)

Much later God promised the then childless Abraham that through his descendants the entire earth would be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3) Paul, who encountered the risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, understood that this promise came to pass through one particular descendant by the name of Jesus.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB)

Much later, God revealed something further about his coming One. Not only would he descend from Abraham, more specifically he would be the “seed” of King David and inherit his throne – forever. In other words, he would not only be a blessing: he also would rule over God’s eternal kingdom. (2 Samuel 7:12-13) This was a second major unveiling of God’s plan for the coming Messiah King.

There were others who “saw” by revelation this coming One. King David wrote Psalms about him, Psalm 22 being a prophetic preview of his crucifixion. Job saw by faith his future appearance on the earth to raise the dead. (Job 19:25-27) Isaiah saw his glory (Isaiah 6:1) and predicted his suffering and death (Isaiah 53). Jeremiah revealed that Jesus would be God’s means of bringing righteousness through a new covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) Zechariah saw his glorious appearing to the Jews who would believe in him at the very end. (Zechariah 12:10) All of these people saw something glorious without ever completely knowing what it all meant. That would only be unveiled much later.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11  They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. 12  They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:10-12 (NLT)

Let’s skip forward in time to a huge turning point in human history when the angel Gabriel appeared to an unassuming young unmarried woman in Israel with this unprecedented message.

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Luke 1:31-33 (NASB)

God chose Mary to be the mother of the Messiah King.

Jesus’ conception and birth initiated a series of remarkable unveilings of his identity.

Contrary to all expectations, God became a human being, a baby born to relatively poor parents with no apparent prestige or standing in the world. He came inauspiciously, hidden from the view of everyone except those whose spiritual eyes were opened by the Spirit of God: Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, as well as Anna and Simeon, who were in the Temple when Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he prophesied:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30  I have seen your salvation, 31  which you have prepared for all people. 32  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 33  Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34  Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35  As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” Luke 2:29-35 (NLT)

Imagine being able to see past the Messiah’s humble condition as a little baby into his glorious future role!

The ability to see what is true about Jesus, which is hidden to most people, is called revelation, which comes via the Holy Spirit. Only those who had eyes to see and ears to hear the Spirit were able to discern his true identity. The same is true today.

The next key person to whom God revealed the Messiah was John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and Elizabeth’s son. God’s choice of John was even more significant because we usually are unable to accept that someone in our own family is especially called and gifted by God. Nevertheless, God used John to reveal to the world Jesus’ true identity as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1:29) God also showed to John that Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, the one who empowers the church to fulfill the Great Commission. In addition, John identified Jesus as the Son of God, which was the same as calling him the Messiah and Lord. John the Baptist saw by revelation Jesus’ entire earthly ministry – Savior, Lord, and Baptizer in the Spirit.

John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33  "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' 34  "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God." John 1:32-34 (NASB)

When John’s followers heard these pronouncements, some of them elected to follow Jesus as disciples. They saw something in our Lord that pulled them toward him. Eventually, Jesus asked his followers a very important question: “Who do you say that I am?” He wanted to know what had the Spirit shown them. Peter spoke up.

...“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:16-17 (NLT)

The Bible makes it clear that it is impossible for us to recognize Jesus’ true identity as God’s chosen Messianic King and Lord without our spiritual understanding being opened by the Holy Spirit.

The nature of revelation is that it depends on God. We play a part by responding to the inner working of the Spirit, but we cannot open our own sin-blinded eyes.

Until we receive this divine impartation of revelation from God, we cannot see as we should.

But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15  Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16  But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 (NLT)

Most of the people in Israel in Jesus’ day did not know Jesus’ real identity. Some said he was a good man, a prophet, a teacher, or even a blasphemer. Only those whose eyes were opened were able to see that he was and is the Messiah.

God revealed Jesus’ identity a little more on the mount of transfiguration, where three disciples saw him glorified beyond anything seen before by men. (Matthew 17:1-8) His face shined like the sun and his clothes were a dazzling white like light itself. This brief encounter with Jesus’ glory awakened those three disciples to a heavenly reality not before experienced, but they still did not understand. In their minds, Jesus was on a par with Moses and Elijah, not in a class by himself. That would all change at the resurrection.

After Jesus suffered and died as God’s Lamb to expiate our sins, he was buried and after three days rose from the dead. Paul wrote the following summation.

The Good News is about his Son, Jesus. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4  and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5  Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. Romans 1:3-5 (NLT)

When God the Father raised Jesus from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus came out of the grave as the glorified Lord of Lords, to whom all authority in heaven and earth has been given. (Matthew 28:18)

The only proper response to the gloriously risen Jesus is to acknowledge his supreme authority and lordship and to follow and obey him. That is what God wants us to do.

This takes us back to the Garden of Eden where Adam refused to recognize, honor, and obey his Creator God, causing humanity to plunge into the abyss of rebellion against our Maker. Mankind in general continues to choose slavery to the devil over submission to the Creator. By so doing, humanity has embraced tyranny, evil, destruction, poverty, sickness, and death. By dying in our place and rising again, Jesus conquered the prince of darkness, paid the penalty for our rebellion, and made it possible for us to return to God’s benevolent rule. We do this by turning from our wicked rebellious ways and the wicked one’s rule and by declaring allegiance to the risen Lord. In other words, we switch kingdoms. Paul said it this way.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Those first disciples were given the glorious privilege of personally seeing, touching, and conversing with the risen Lord. Thomas was famous for saying that he would not believe that Jesus rose again unless he personally put his fingers into the nail holes in his hands. Jesus granted this request, at which point Thomas exclaimed, “My lord and my God!” Jesus replied:

..."You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” John 20:29 (NLT)

Even when we cannot see with our natural eyes because Jesus has ascended into heaven, we can see with spiritual eyes and believe.

Paul prayed:

[I] do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might Ephesians 1:16-19 (NASB)

All who are granted the ability to see who Jesus is by revelation and who put their faith and allegiance in him will be saved.

Those who eyes still are blinded by sin will not see, receive, or submit to his benevolent rule. They will suffer the condemnation and punishment that all traitors deserve.

There is soon coming a point in history for the final and most glorious revelation of Christ to the world – the Apocalypse. At this time every eye shall see him for who he really is, the glorious Son of Man, the judge of all the earth.

According to prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14) and Jesus’ own words, already quoted above, he will come in the clouds with great glory. His authority to judge and rule will at that time be apparent to all. The Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.( Philippians 2:9-11) For us who have already acknowledged his lordship, it will be a joyous day! For the rest, it will be the acknowledgement of the condemned that they deserve judgment for rejecting his rightful kingship.

Which camp will we be in, those who rejoice to see his coming or those who are terrified?

Now is the time to join the first party, if you have not already. The Bible says that, if we confess that he is the Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) God is more than ready to help us in this matter. Fifty-four years ago this Spring, I made the decision to invite this King into my life. I was not yet convinced that he had really risen from the dead, but I knew that, if he had, it was the most important event to date in the history of the world. I asked him to reveal himself to me, if he were truly the risen Son of God. As you have no doubt figured out, the Holy Spirit soon opened my eyes to that glorious reality. Faith filled my heart, and I experienced God’s presence all around me. As God gave me a new birth, spiritually speaking, everything became new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) I was filled with an amazing joy and a desire to tell everyone about this God who can be known. I want you to know him, too. We may be on the verge of his appearing. Don’t delay.

Prayer

Jesus, I have heard about you and realize that I have been living as my own little god, calling the shots in my life without regard to you. I have changed my mind and want you to be my Lord from now on. Please come into my life as my Source, my Life, my Peace, and my Lord. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead to make me right with Father God. I profess allegiance to you as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Empower me to be your witness to the world. Amen.

If you prayed this sincerely, God will do his part. Find a good church where you can publicly announce your allegiance and faith in Christ to the world through being water baptized. Start reading your Bible, praying, worshiping, and regularly attending meetings with other disciples who can help you grow in the Lord. Be sure to tell others that they can know him, too.

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The only way to escape God’s coming judgment…

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We live in the last days. Every day that passes is a day closer to Christ’s Second Coming and the Last Judgment. In the meantime, God continues to execute judgment upon the earth, as he has done from the beginning. We reap what we sow both as individuals and collectives.

When a predominant number of people in a nation embrace God’s truth and believe the gospel, that nation will reap significant blessings. However, when a nation turns its back on God and the truth of his Word, it will encounter God’s judgment in a number of ways.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 (NASB95)
Abortion: The Shedding of Innocent Blood

Perhaps one of the easiest examples of how a nation can embrace a sinful lie is how the United States relates to abortion.

Since the Supreme Court Decision of Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, we have regarded ourselves as a paragon of freedom and equality for women without batting an eye regarding the mass murder of over 60 million unborn defenseless babies. This has happened in the last 52 years, under the watch of the Baby Boomer generation! Consider that this number equals some estimates of the total number of lives lost in WWII! Let that sink in!

Will God ignore the treachery? Not if the Bible is true. According to it, God innocent blood cries out to God for justice. We see this in Genesis after Cain killed his brother Abel.

He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. Genesis 4:10 (NASB95)

We see it again in the history of the kings of Israel. Manasseh brought down God’s judgment by killing innocent people.

Surely at the command of the LORD it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the LORD would not forgive. 2 Kings 24:3–4 (NASB95)

God has not changed. He still judges sin. We should be appalled, ashamed, aghast, disgusted, and fearful of what God will do to such a people. The United States allows us to freely kill an unborn baby without legal consequences, but that does not mean we will escape the Judge of the whole earth, who is not fooled by our unjust laws!

It does not matter what man’s laws say. God’s law trumps human law and is the standard God will use at the Last Judgment.

Women’s reproductive rights is a euphemism for the mother’s right to terminate the life of the defenseless baby in her womb. That is murder, no matter how we slice and dice it. Whether or not we ever consented personally to an abortion, we all bear guilt as a nation since we are part of the collective.

We claim that the baby in the womb is not yet a human to make it easier to erase its existence. We used a similar argument to justify slavery and the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans.

Dehumanizing those we enslave, oppress, and murder is an age old ruse.

We now look back with sorrow and shame as we contemplate our forefathers’ reasoning and actions. How will future generations judge us? More importantly, how will God judge us? God is the defender of the helpless and innocent. Should it not terrify us to think how deserving of judgment our nation is? And this is only one sin!

But most of us would rather not think about it. We prefer to live in denial and evade the truth. We may successfully refuse to take responsibility for this sin for a while, but we cannot evade the consequence. We will reap what we sow.

Evolution – Hiding God’s Glory by Suppressing the Truth of Creation

The hypothesis of evolution is a prime example of the suppression of truth, which is being done worldwide. The Bible teaches that God’s existence is clearly evident through observing of his creation. In other words, we have to be willingly blind to miss it.

…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 (NASB)

By denying the existence of the Creator and his work, we attempt to free ourselves from any moral obligation to worship and serve God or keep his commandments.

If man evolved, we are accountable to no one for how we live our lives. We are our own god. No wonder this lie is so popular. It appears to give solid scientific footing to the desire to throw off God’s rule.

Transgenderism – Rebelling against God’s Sovereignty

Another lie that is sweeping our culture is that gender is psychologically determined rather than divinely ordained.

In other words, we are not limited to how God made us. We can choose whatever gender we want. The Bible teaches that God created us as he saw fit, which is male and female, which is determined at conception and permeates our being all the way down to the chromosomal level.

All of us come into this world with most of the really important factors already determined for us by God.

God sovereignly chooses for us our sex, intelligence level, physical strength, race, family, nation, looks, general health, etc. None of us chose to be born and none of us can stop the aging or death process. We cannot undo gravity or much of anything else God has built into his creation, much less our gender.

Nevertheless, many rebel against the idea of anything being predetermined by God and try to undo it.

Rather than accept how God made us, we want to change it. We can change our dress. We can surgically alter our bodies. We can inject unnatural levels of hormones, but we cannot change ourselves at the most fundamental level. Our  chromosomes tell the true story.

We cannot change what God has created. We can only accept it or rail against it.

Is It Too Late?

America seems to have reached, and perhaps passed, a critical point in her history. As a nation, we have turned our backs repeatedly on God and his truth. We are locked in a battle for the soul of the nation.

Many of our nation’s leaders and influencers  -the educational establishment, the main stream media, and Hollywood – are actively suppressing truth, and the American people seem to like it that way.

It is increasingly coming into question whether we are capable any longer of responsible self-government. We are being set up for tyranny. Many of our citizens now believe that there is no God, no absolute truth, no ultimate authority, no coming judgment, and no everlasting consequences for rejecting God and disobeying him. They (we) could not be more wrong! Those who believe there is no God are more than willing to surrender to a human or institution, such as government, which claims to provide what God alone can do. The suppression of the truth about God leads to idolatry.

Will judgment come to America or is it already here? I believe it’s here now. The only question is will it destroy us, or do we still have space for repentance?

Making the Decision to Pursue Truth

Truth seekers are fairly rare it seems. Sadly, the more comfortable we are, the more likely we will be unconcerned about eternal things. My own personal journey to God was a search for truth. I wanted to know if what the Bible says about Jesus and his resurrection is real or not. At one point, I called myself an agnostic, thinking that God cannot be known, simply because I had not yet come to know him. How ludicrous to make a judgment about God based solely on our own experience; yet, how common it is for people to suppose that what we think and have experienced determines reality.

Paul wrote that people grope about in their search for God. (Acts 17:27) Spiritually blind people fall all over themselves and unseen obstacles in their pursuit of reality and truth.

We cannot find God on our own, but, if we seek him, he promises that we will find him. He will make sure of that!

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)
What the Pursuit of Truth Is Not
  • Seeking truth is not limiting ourselves to some predetermined position.
  • It is not going to be found by going to ungodly sources, especially non-truth seeking groups.
  • It not not necessarily something that will make us feel good or confident in ourselves or that will help us to fit in with the crowd.
  • It’s almost surely not something that is politically correct.
What truth Is
  • Even though Jesus is full of love, truth is always “cold,” in the sense that it is doesn’t care if it pleases us or not.
  • Truth is often “hard” – something that won’t change no matter how much we wish it would, or how hard we try to make it change.
  • Truth causes conflict. It will make our lives less comfortable, less convenient, and less agreeable to non-truth seekers. It cost Jesus his life.
  • Truth will force us to abandon any of our current beliefs and understandings that are wrong.
  • Truth sometimes will embarrass us by exposing our sinfulness, ignorance, or blindness.
Humility

The pride of man resists God and his truth. It comes up with all sorts of alternate versions of reality that will allow us to dodge truth and continue in our rebellion.

It takes humility to believe in God and in the truth of his words in the Bible.

Humility teaches us that we are created beings, not independent operators. Humility teaches us that unless we admit our need for God, we will be lost in the downward spiral of death and deception. It takes humility to admit we need help, and that help is found in Jesus!

The Terrible Day of the Lord

Imagine how the Nazi leaders felt as they faced charges at the post-war trials in Nuremberg, Germany! Some were unrepentant, but I imagine most were afraid and ashamed as their evil deeds were exposed and their sentences imposed. I imagine that many of them felt horribly guilty. Saying, “I am sorry” did not fix things. Justice was meted out. The Last Judgment will be even more terrifying and severe.

“For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, A time of doom for the nations. Ezekiel 30:3 (NASB95)

At the last judgment our pretenses and shams will be stripped away and everything will be exposed in the clear blinding light of God’s truth.

What will we do on that day? Will there be any place to hide? Will there be any safe place?

The Only Safe Place

Jesus identified himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to the Father in heaven. (John 14:6) To him God the Father has committed all judgment. (John 5:27) He sees through all pretext and lies. No one can hide from his gaze. No one can escape his scrutiny. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart as well as everything we have ever said or done. He knows what we did not do, but should have. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Absolute truth is also absolute holiness.

His standards do not bend. His righteousness is inflexible. His justice is firm and fierce. His wrath will be released upon all those who reject the truth and refuse his mercy offered through the Gospel in Christ.

Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 (NASB)
How Will We Know Him?

But that is in the future, and this is now. We still have the opportunity of coming into the light of God’s truth about our sin and finding mercy. We also can know the judge as the one who said:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NASB)

Or we can reject his generous offer of forgiveness and one day meet him as the glorious Son of Man coming in the clouds to judge all people, who will say to us:

…Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; Matthew 25:41 (NASB)

This is the same Jesus speaking to different groups of people. It’s our choice of what we will hear and how we will know him. Regardless, we will all bow before him. (Romans 14:11) Why not do it now willingly? Don’t wait until you are forced to cower before him awaiting his judgment and justice!

The Truth Will Set Us Free

Jesus wants to liberate us from death, destruction, deception, and sin. He said:

…“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (ESV)

Those who humbly and courageously pursue truth, no matter what, will indeed be set free, experience true joy, and know God and his mercy. They will see the God of all truth extend his merciful hand toward them with a smile of favor.

Jesus faced the truth about sin when he went to the cross.

Sin nailed the Truth of God to the cross and put him to death.

Sin resulted in God’s pouring out his wrath on the innocent Lamb of God who willingly took upon himself the just penalty for our sins. The Truth died that day to provide us with eternal life.

The only way for anyone to escape the same God’s righteous judgment against sin is to put his or her faith in what Christ has accomplished on our behalf and to pledge our loyalty and faithfulness to Jesus.

This is the only way to find safety. It takes courage and humility and faith. The path to truth is narrow and difficult, but definitely worth it!

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14 (NASB)

The society in which we live may be hell bent on going down the wide road to destruction, but we don’t have to join them!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I  believe that you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way to the Father. I ask you to forgive me for my sins. I deserve judgment, but I joyfully receive mercy from you, who took my punishment upon yourself. I deserve death, but I gladly receive eternal life from you. I deserve to be eternally cut off from God, but I happily accept my reconciliation to Father God through you. I confess that you are the risen Lord of Lords who is coming back again to judge all people.  I thank you that I now can confidently look forward to that day because you have put me in right standing with God the Father. Thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit to live inside me forever and transform me on the inside. Thank you for setting me free! Help me to serve you the rest of my days on earth and forever in heaven.  Help me to be a faithful witness to Jesus, a proclaimer of the Gospel, and a discipler of men. Amen.

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The right and wrong way to make judgments.

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The Bible reveals to us the right way to make judgments. No one likes to be judged; yet, it is a necessary part of life, if done the correct way. We have all been judged in a wrong way, being accused of something we did not do or rejected for no good reason. But many of us have profited by being judged in a good way. Everyone who has competed for a prize and won did so because judges deemed him or her worthy. When we are appraised for our work and receive a raise in pay, this is another example of a good kind of judgment. So what is the right way to make judgments, and what is the wrong way?

The kind of judgment that is good and proper and a necessary part of life could be called assessing, discriminating, or discerning.

The definition of discrimination that applies here is the ability to properly discern by seeing and making fine distinctions. We all should make these kinds of judgments every day, unless we naively assume every person has our best interests at heart. When we go shopping we assess products based on quality and price. When meet someone, we try to use good discernment regarding the character, values, and intentions of that person.

Some of us have a finely tuned sense of discernment and are able to quickly assess others, being able to detect things beneath the surface. It may even be a God-given ability. This does not mean that we are always right in our assessments or judgments, but often we are. Others of us may not have such a refined ability to assess others and only really get to know what is in a person until quite a while after we are in a relationship with them. Regardless, we should not be too quick to completely trust someone. Jesus was not.

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. John 2:24–25 (NASB95)

The bad kind of judgment is condemnatory.

If we see faults in someone and immediately reject or condemn them, we may be operating in a wrong kind of judgment. There is an evil kind of discrimination that evaluates people based on skin color, gender, nationality, or other things outside the control of the one being discriminated against. As Martin Luther King, Jr. hoped, we want to be the kind of people who judge people according to their character, not for superficialities.

Only God has the right to condemn people for their behavior, which will happen at the last judgment for all those who reject the gospel. Nevertheless, this does not release us from the responsibility to properly identify sin.

We properly judge when we tell people what is sinful behavior, without being condemnatory.

When we see people aborting their unborn babies, we must properly call it out as being sinful. To be silent in the face of such gross injustice would be sinful. (Proverbs 24:11-12) The “catch” is that while we are supposed to identity and all out sin, we are not to condemn the sinner.

When we condemn people for their sins, we end up condemning ourselves in the process, because we are all sinners.

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. Romans 2:1 (NASB95)

We hate to be judged, but may be comfortable dishing it out. We hate the hypocrisy of people who judge others for doing what they are guilty of themselves, but are we guilty of the same? What makes us prone to see faults in others without realizing we are guilty, too? Isn’t it because we are spiritually blind and full of pride?

Every time we improperly judge or condemn others, it always boomerangs.

As Jesus put it:

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)

If we want to be able to properly judge, we must learn to operate as Jesus did. He said:

I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 5:30 (NASB)

Jesus listened to what his Father told him; therefore, he always judged people and situations correctly. He had no selfish personal agenda that clouded his judgment, but he did judge sin, people, and situations. He had to, and so must we. If we operate as he did, listening to God in every matter, we can judge properly, too. Not judging people and situations correctly is naive and can destroy us.

Everyone has to properly evaluate people and things every day. The key is to do it in a way that is constructive, without condemning anyone, even though we may have to reject their behavior as sinful.

Jesus gave us a great example in John Chapter 8, when he showed mercy to an adulterous woman, while commanding her to “sin no more.” Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13), without minimizing the seriousness of sin.

Unfortunately, some of us so identify with our sin that we find it impossible to accept someone’s pointing it out to us without feeling condemned by them. This is extremely unfortunate and sabotages our ability to acknowledge our sin, repent, and find mercy, forgiveness, and freedom.

Anytime we express a judgment against a sinful behavior, we must be extremely careful to acknowledge that we are just as much a sinner as anyone else.

We should seek to come across as sinners who need mercy who want other sinners to receive the same mercy.

Otherwise, we may repel the very people we hope to reach because of the stench of our hypocrisy.

“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:4–5 (NASB95)

Church leaders have a special responsibility to evaluate people’s actions and words and render proper judgments. They do this to protect individuals and the church from harm. If they fail to do this, they will answer to our Lord, the Chief Shepherd. In the church setting, every member has a responsibility to confront egregious unrepentant sin, without becoming self-righteous or condemning. It is part of what it means to be a disciple.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT)

To conclude, we are to refrain from condemnatory judgments against one another, especially regarding motives; while, at the same time, we all, and especially church leaders, are commanded to make discriminating functional judgments of those whose unrepentant sinful ways threaten to harm God’s people or lead them astray. In every case, however, the long-term good of the person or persons being so judged must always remain in view. Our hope is always that such judgments will provoke the offender to repent and be reinstated fully to the church and live according to God’s truth. (To read more on the purpose of church discipline, click there.)

We are not called to judge those outside the church (1 Corinthians 5:12), but we must judge their sinful behavior in order to call them to repentance. If they choose to identify with their sin and become offended at us, we cannot help that.

Love should infuse every proper judgment and motivate us to refuse to judge incorrectly.

If we fail to properly judge, people will get hurt. If we judge in a condemning way, people also will get hurt, and it will come back to bite us, because none of us are without fault. The important thing is for each of us to operate in wisdom, courage, faith, and love as led by the Holy Spirit in conformity to the teachings of the Bible. Beyond that, we must trust the Lord for the results. May He have mercy on us all!

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 (ESV)
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“and the books were opened” – a preview of the last judgment

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Everything as we know it now will come to an end one day. Whether it is our youth, our health, our looks, our wealth, our dreams and ambitions, our jobs, our families, our physical lives – every one of these things upon which people pin their hopes will eventually cease to be. According to the Bible, even the earth and heavens will “wear out like a garment” and pass away. (Psalm 102:25-26, Isaiah 51:6, Hebrews 1:10-12) In their place will be something new and amazing. But until that day arrives, the only thing most people think that they can count on is that eventually we will die, and, after that, what? The Bible has some very specific answers. These answers will determine whether or not we can look forward to that day with hope.

What Is in the Books?

Daniel the prophet was given a vision of the coming Day of the Lord, when God will judge all people who ever lived. He describes a heavenly courtroom scene, which is both majestic and terrible. The Judge is called the Ancient of Days, whose presence creates awe and dread. Nothing here on earth can prepare us for what that day will be like.

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10 (ESV)

Would you like to know exactly what is in those books? Is there something in them about you and me? Will the last judgment be that personal? God gave John the Revelator a similar vision, when he was exiled for his faith in the Lord Jesus on the Isle of Patmos. Here is his written record of that experience.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

According to this passage and other Bible verses (Matthew 16:27, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Ephesians 6:8), the books that will be opened before the Ancient of Days contain a written record of how we lived here on earth during the time allotted to us. This will include, according to Jesus, not only what we did, but also what we said. (Matthew 12:36) Our utterances are what we might consider to be verbal deeds. And according to the Bible, even our thoughts and intentions will be made known, which makes this an even more terrifying spectacle. (Hebrews 4:12, Ecclesiastes 12:14)

None of us desires our worst thoughts to be made public, but that is what is going to happen. Imagine a book that contains all our thoughts, words, and deeds!

By What Standard Will We Be Judged?

Another question we might ask ourselves is by what standard our thoughts, words, and deeds will be measured? Will we be compared to other people from our socio-economic group who lived about the same time as we, or will we be graded against all people who ever lived? Will we only be scored against others from our own religious grouping, or against all other world religions? Will we be graded “on a curve,” which would allow most of us to pass, despite our poor showing? But what if some, as is often the case, did so well that the normal curve no longer applies? What if someone made a perfect score and that is the standard by which the rest of us will be judged? And what if we did not even believe that there was such a person as the Ancient of Days? Will we get a do over?

The Bible makes it clear that God’s perfect righteousness will be the standard for judgment.

It is call the Law, which revealed what God is like and what he expects of us. The Ten Commandments are the bare essentials of this standard. When we consider our lives in light of these commands, some of us might think we will come away pretty well at the Last Judgment. Most of us have never murdered anyone, right? That is, unless abortion is murder, or, as Jesus taught, being angry with someone is tantamount to committing murder. (Matthew 5:22) What if hatred, which wishes ill on another, is in the same category as murder?

What about adultery? Adultery, like murder, under the Law was punishable by death. It is an extremely serious offense in God’s eyes, the only eyes that will matter at the Last Judgment. Jesus raised the bar even higher when he told his followers that lusting after another person in our hearts makes us guilty of adultery. (Matthew 5:28) Does this mean that lustful thoughts are worthy of death? According to Romans, every form of sin earns the death penalty. (Romans 6:23)

What Is This Thing Called “Sin?”

God created human beings to live in a joyful and liberating partnership / dependence upon him, drawing our life, wisdom, and everything good from our Creator / Sustainer.

Sin derives from our determination to live without reference to God.

It’s not just when we do “bad things” like murder. It is when we do the most evil thing of all – forsake God and try to live without him. Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lie and decided God could not be trusted; so, they made the break away from the Source of Life into sinful independence, which, not surprisingly, brought death because we are not able to sustain ourselves. This rebellion has been passed down genetically and spiritually to each of their descendants, including us. Sadly, we have all taken up the torch and run with it. Every single human being has fallen short of God’s glorious standard of right living. We may not like God’s standard for judgment. We may not think that our way of doing things is all that bad, but what we think doesn’t really matter. What matters is what the one called the Ancient of Days thinks. He is the judge.

Who Is This Judge Called the Ancient of Days?

Your first guess would probably be “God,” which is true, but not the complete answer. The Bible teaches that he is none other than the risen and glorified Messiah of Israel, the risen Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who is also identified as the Son of Man. This should not surprise us, since before his ascension Jesus told us that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to him. (Matthew 28:18) He also spoke these clear words:

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, John 5:22 (NKJV)

Jesus is the only person who ever lived a completely surrendered life to God in the way God always intended. As a result, he has been given the authority to judge everyone who has fallen short of that mark.

So, ultimately, he is the standard by which every person will be judged. He is the one who scored 100% on this test called life. Jesus, the Perfect Man, the Son of God, the Lamb who was slain to take away our sins, the Risen Lord of glory, is the only person worthy to judge the rest of us. He lived, breathed, walked, talked, and thought as a man, but without sin. He, the perfect man, blew the curve right out of the water. He ruined our chances for being compared to other miserable sinners at that last tribunal. We will be judged against Christ’s perfection and obedience. We have absolutely no chance of being found righteous. Amazingly, however, his perfect score made a way for us to skip the test!

Our Way of Escape
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:22-29 (ESV)

Jesus made a way for those who put their faith and allegiance in him to be exempted from the final exam! Jesus, the Righteous Judge, died in our place so that we can be spared from having the hammer of God’s judgment crash upon us. Jesus, the Perfect One, took our sin and punishment upon himself, so that we might walk free from the condemnation and fear of judgment which we so richly deserve. We know this because he said so, and he is the Judge! Those who place their faith in this Savior King will stand before the Judgment Seat, too, but our names will be found written in another book called the Lamb’s Book of Life.

If our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, we will be “home free” because all the benefits and rewards of Jesus’ perfect life will be put next to our names and the record of our sinful rebellion against God will have been erased.

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17  Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” Hebrews 10:16-17 (NLT)
How Can We Get our Names Written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25  and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26  They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27  But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27 (ESV)

How can we get our names written in this most intriguing book? Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Our God is so loving and great that he set in motion his plan to redeem for himself a people even before he even created the world!

Jesus did not come as the result of a makeshift plan or a mid-course correction. God’s amazing mind saw and planned it all beforehand! In the course of time, you and I were born and received our chance to play our parts on the grand stage called life. Having already sent his Son to die for our sins, during our lifetimes God the Father makes sure that we hear the gospel message and that his Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, drawing our hearts toward God. Jesus said:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:37-40 (ESV)

If the Spirit draws us to Christ, it is because the Father has already known, loved, and chosen us to be the objects of his love. If we come, Jesus will receive us. Our part is to respond to the drawing power of God’s gracious love by choosing to put our faith and allegiance in Christ. The Holy Spirit guides the process from start to finish, but we have a part to play. We must cooperate with God’s grace. No matter where we are in this process of being drawn, we can turn to God right now and tell him we want to keep going. God wants us to be active participants, not passive onlookers. It is a beautiful dance with an invisible partner. It’s our chance to get right what Adam and Eve got all wrong.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I can feel your drawing me to Christ. Please keep working in me. I surrender my life into your hands. Jesus, I want to know you and believe it you. I give you my life. Forgive my sins. I receive the eternal life you promised. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to you and your truth. Amen.

Our Eternal Destiny Hangs in the Balance

The final outcome for those who trust in Christ is completely the opposite of what it will be like for those who refuse his generous offer.

Those who do not accept God’s offer of reconciliation will not have their names written in the Book of Life and will suffer what the Bible calls the “second death.”

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV)

But those who choose to trust in the Lord Jesus will be ushered into a glorious eternity in God’s loving presence.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)
Embracing Hope

Jesus is the Hope for all people. The Bible says that the hope of those who trust in him is his Second Coming when he returns in glory to raise the dead and judge the nations.

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12  And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13  while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. Titus 2:11-13 (NLT)

Hopeless people do desperate things, but people who have hope live in the light of that hope. Those who have put their trust and hope in Jesus, will live as people of hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

Today you have the opportunity to make sure you have a glorious experience on the Last Day. Make the most of it! If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for? If you are already a follower of Christ, I encourage you to rededicate yourself to his service. See you on that day, if not sooner!

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When in a Storm, Stay in the Boat

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When in a storm, it is usually wise to stay in the boat. My father had a saying: “The banana that stays with the bunch doesn’t get peeled.” Hungry wolves and lions like to “peel off” weak and young members of the herd to hunt down, kill, and eat. In the animal world, there is safety in remaining with the herd and great danger in going solo. This is true when it comes to the church, too. Unfortunately, today many are choosing to abandon the church community and go solo, often with very poor results.

The reasons for this exodus from the organized church are many. Almost all of us who have been in the church world for very long can tell stories of how we were mistreated and disappointed by people we thought had our best interests in mind. It is humbling to remind ourselves at times that someone out there blames us for their troubles. As one of my dear old friends is famous for saying: “We are all offenses waiting to happen.” Because we are human beings, we offend people, sometimes intentionally and sometimes quite by accident. This happens in every organization and institution, including the family and the most basic building block of society, the married couple.

When offenses happen, we can either isolate ourselves by abandoning ship or stay put and try to work our way through them.

Some offenses are so grievous they may require us to look for another ship, but most can be worked through.

Many who now are spiritually are flying solo formerly were part of a church. Perhaps their church involvement was out of a sense of habit, duty, or tradition, rather than from a conviction it is what God wants because we need each other.

The interesting thing is that once a habit is broken, it is can be difficult to reestablish it. When believers choose to forsake assembling with others of the faith, it may seem strange at first, but we get used to it. I have observed that “de-churched” people are reticent to make the commitment to regular attendance again. Sad.

There are certain things that can only happen when we meet face-to-face. Assembling in person with other disciples on a regular basis accomplishes much good.

Let’s take a look at one of the important Bible verses that applies.

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. Acts 2:42 (NLT)

I will approach these four point in the order of a typical small group meeting.

First, we need fellowship. Most of our small groups prioritize eating together as part of the meeting. There is something special about the fellowship and camaraderie that happens around the table. Church is supposed to be a place where deep and lasting friendships are built, and this can most easily happen in a small group setting. We need to have people in our lives who know us well enough to be able to tell if things are going well for us or not. We need those who can speak into our lives with truth and love. We need each other. Generally this happens best in person, when possible.

Secondly, we need to encouraged and exhorted. Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Rome that he longed to see them in order that he might strengthen them and be strengthened in return. (Romans 1:11-12) God created us to be mutually interdependent. None of us has everything that is needed to have a complete perspective on life. None of us has everything in the way of spiritual gifts. God wants us to receive from one another, and this most easily takes place when we gather with other disciples.

Thirdly, solid Bible teaching is crucial to our continued development and growth as a disciple. Deception most easily enters the picture when we abandon the input from trusted people in our lives who are willing to speak truth to us. Solomon wrote:

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. Proverbs 18:1 (ESV)

This does not mean everyone in a group must toe the line and embrace group think. It does mean that we listen to others, examine the Scriptures for ourselves, and allow ourselves to be accountable to people we love and trust.

Lastly, we almost always spend time in prayer, giving thanks to our Lord, who is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. We pray for whatever is important to those present, including for one another. This is when being together is so important because when we lay hands on one another and pray, often the Holy Spirit operates through those present in various gifts, such as prophecy and healing. This can take place over the phone or internet, too, but in person is the only place where we can actually lay hands on someone. The laying on of hands is a very important principle mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-2.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews also wrote:

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

When God sent a worldwide deluge to destroy the wicked, he had Noah build an ark to provide the means to save one family which He would use to repopulate the earth. Only those who entered and remained in the ark were saved. When in a storm, stay in the boat.

The ark is an Old Covenant picture of the New Testament church.

We are in the midst of a storm of another kind today. This is not the time for us to abandon ship, so to speak, by isolating ourselves from other believers. Instead, we should realize how much we need one another now more than ever.

Another time in the Bible when a ship was in a storm was when Jesus and the disciples were on the Sea of Galilee. Although the disciples feared for their lives, the presence of Jesus in the boat guaranteed their safety. The same is true for the church today. Jesus, Immanuel, is with us. There is nothing to fear.

We may think everything is falling apart, but we should never abandon ship.

When the Prince of Peace is with us, we have nothing to fear. He is Lord over the storms we encounter in life. Stay in the boat.

If your boat is sinking, however, sometimes it is necessary to leave it. I tell people that we can often discern where God wants us to be in fellowship with other believers by looking at the following points. If the church you are part of or are thinking of joining (or leaving) has these things, it is probably a good fit.

  1. Does the church teach the Bible without watering it down to fit whatever the latest cultural errors are?
  2. Can you trust and follow the church leaders?
  3. Is the church’s vision something you can embrace? We want to be able to walk in step with the church and not pull against it.
  4. Do you feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to be a part of this church?

If we are looking for a perfect church with perfect leaders and people, we will never find it, and if we do, it will no longer be perfect after we join it.

Groucho Marx resigned from the Friar’s Club by saying that he did not want to be part of a club that would have him for a member. It is safe to say that he would never join any club, and some people have their reasons for not belonging to any church. Life is not a comedy routine however.

It all comes down to a matter of the heart. If we are determined not to walk with others on the discipleship journey, we can always find reasons. If we want to sound spiritual, we can blame our decision on the Lord’s leading. However, when in a dangerous neighborhood, it is much safer to walk with those who are going to the same place we want to go. This world in which we live is a dangerous place.

To sum it up, if you have abandoned ship, either climb back aboard or find another one going to your desired destination. Don’t disobey God by trying to go solo. Too much is at stake.

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