Before I begin
this article, and whether you acknowledge the
following points as Truth or not, let's get a few
facts straight: 1. All born-again people are part of
the Bride of Christ:
"Marvel
not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again." (John 3:7 KJV)
"...Come
hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's
wife." (Revelation 21:9 KJV)
2. Many who
consider themselves saved are not:
"Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you..." (Matthew 7:22-23a
KJV)
3. The return of
the Lord Jesus Christ for His Bride in the
Rapture is approaching, but not all who are
born-again Christians are watching. They are part
of the Bride and will be Raptured, but will lose
a reward due to their neglectful watching:
"For
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," (1
Thessalonians 5:9 KJV)
"Behold,
I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast,
that no man take thy crown." (Revelation
3:11 KJV)
Robert Jensen, a
journalism professor at the University of Texas
at Austin, recently penned an article stating that he had
recently joined a local church in that city. He
stood before the congregation and affirmed that
he "endorsed the core principles in
Christ's teaching; intended to work to deepen my
understanding and practice of the universal love
at the heart of those principles; and pledged to
be a responsible member of the church and the
larger community." Mr. Jensen calls
himself a "real Christian", but
Mr. Jensen openly admits "I don't believe
in God. I don't believe Jesus Christ was the son
of a God that I don't believe in, nor do I
believe Jesus rose from the dead to ascend to a
heaven that I don't believe exists." Mr.
Jensen is an Atheist.
His motive for
church membership was "more a political
than a theological act." He wants a
forum, as he says, to engage in discussion of
politics and underlying values. Inasmuch as local
church attendance by the unsaved is part of the
evangelization process so as to proclaim the
Gospel and the offering of Jesus' free gift of
salvation, this local church is apparently not
interested in the saving of lost souls with the
Truth of the only way to Heaven (John
14:6), or
it would not have welcomed a self proclaimed
Atheist into its membership:
"Give
not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither
cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they
trample them under their feet, and turn again and
rend you." (Matthew 7:6 KJV)
But churches such
as this are a subject for another commentary. So
interested in politics and openly denying the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, Mr. Jensen fails to
realize that He who will control all governments
in the future is He who is about to return:
"For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his
shoulder..." (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
His disdain for
the Truth in the Bible is proof in itself that we
are near to the Rapture:
"Knowing
this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers..." (2 Peter 3:3 KJV)
The term Christian
was first used in the Bible by King Agrippa to
the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:28. Through and due to Paul's
witness, King Agrippa knew what a Christian was:
a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ. Again
the term is used in 1 Peter 4:16 signifying that those
persecuted as a Christian not be ashamed, but to
glorify God in their persecution. Would you
glorify God at any time? To deny God and the Lord
Jesus Christ even exist is the denial of denials.
By that, one cannot be a Christian no matter how
loudly they announce it. There are many in
today's society that proclaim Christianity by
name only but deny the Lord as a part of their
lives. That said, the Bride is a small woman:
"Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find
it." (Matthew 7:14 KJV)
On the other hand,
there are many today who are truly born-again and
admittedly owe their salvation solely to Him, but
are not watching for His soon return. I talk to
many brothers and sisters in the Lord, in person
and on numerous Christian message boards around
the Internet, who are fanatic in their belief
that the Church will go through the Tribulation.
Well, I've got news for you: The Lord Jesus
Christ is not guilty of spousal abuse. For the
Church to enter the Tribulation is to contradict
the Bible's mandate for husbands to love their
wives as Jesus loves the Church (Ephesians
5:25).
Given many members of the Bride refuse to see
this, the Bride is not too bright:
"Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give
me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all
them also that love his appearing." (2
Timothy 4:8 KJV)
There are many of
us who are watching in glorious anticipation of
the Rapture, and for that we will be rewarded.
But we shouldn't be surprised there are those who
aren't watching. The fact that a crown is given
only to those who are tells us there are going to
be many who don't. And as I said before, they are
part of the Bride and will be Raptured, but will
lose a reward.
I'm hearing
Pastors all the time say what we need is revival.
Sadly, as the Rapture draws near, that's not
going to be the case:
"This
know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come." (2 Timothy 3:1 KJV)
"But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived." (2 Timothy
3:13 KJV)
Society will
continue to deteriorate up to the event of the
Rapture, and fewer and fewer will come to believe
in the Truth of the Gospel. Not only that, but
many who professed knowledge of the Truth will
depart from it:
"Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils;" (1 Timothy 4:1 KJV)
"For
the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears; And they shall turn away their ears from
the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
(2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV)
It's not going to
be until after the Rapture, during the terrible
time of Tribulation, that revival will come:
"After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which
no man could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with
white robes, and palms in their hands;"
(Revelation 7:9 KJV)
"...These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and
have washed their robes, and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14
KJV)
The Bride's a
small woman, and not too bright. Many who believe
they're saved aren't and will perish. Many who
should be watching aren't and will lose rewards.
So what can we, who are born-again Christians and
are watching do? What should those who are
born-again Christians, but not watching do?
"...look
up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28 KJV)
Keith
03-11-2006
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