With all the talk about being raptured soon, i am led of God to bring the issue of our pitiful state to the fore. Who among us feels that they are rapture ready at this time? Who among us is without spot, wrinkle or any such thing? Who among us can say that they have nothing more to repent of? The word says in 1 Peter 4
[b]16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Judgment begins in the house of God. If we look at God’s dealings with man after the formation of Israel we see that Israel receives judgment first before the other nations, unless they were doing right by God. After Jericho was taken and Achan took some of the spoils of battle Israel marched on Ai. We know that they were beaten terribly because the sin of 1 man was seen in they eyes of God as being so grievous that the whole nation was affected. Some may say that is harsh of God, but those of us who are called unto Him are judged by the ultimate standard, God Himself. If Israel was so severely judged, how much more then shall we who have been bought by the Blood of Christ be judged?
The word tells us also in Hebrews chapt 2
[b]1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. F4 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts F5 of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
If under the old covenant every transgression was punished accordingly, then how can we say “we are under grace” and then do whatever we want without consequence. The Mosaic covenant was a lesser one to this perfect one of grace we are under so the Father will judge that much more harshly if we transgress it.
In Hebrews 10 the word says:
[b]26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
And if the righteous shall scarcely be saved…who among us can claim righteousness? The Word (Christ) also says in Matthew chapt 5:
[b]48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We are called to Righteousness, Perfection and Holiness. Hebrews 12 vs 14 says
[b]14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
If we are not Holy (separated) we shall not see God. If to be raptured is to go and see our Lord, who among us can claim he is Holy? Who among us can say that we have allowed our Lord and God to work in us that these things may be wrought in us? Who can say “i am rapture ready.”? These attributes of God which we are called to put on can only be done by putting off what we are in full. The overtly bad things obviously need to go but so do those things which we think are good such as love, humility, kindness and so on which we have in the flesh to some degree. Even those things, especially those things have to go because they are insufficient for the purposes of a Holy God. He Himself shall furnish all we need.
Is God’s Holiness evident in us? Can men see Him in us, His Righteousness in us? Sadly the answer is no brethren. We are not headed for rapture as many believe, we are headed for judgment. i can’t understand how we can see the judgment coming on the world and miss the judgment which is coming to us as His saints except to say the enemy has deceived us into a false sense of security. Is it not on our account that men speak evil of God? Has our conduct as His ambassadors not brought Him shame? How is it that we read the revelation which speaks of God’s final judgment but forget that the first part of the revelation is made up of 7 letters which are written to the 7 Churches. We get a warning first to repent lest we be judged before the wrath of God is poured out on the world.
There is Hope yet brethren! The word says in Revelation 3
[b]19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
This is taken from the letter to the Church at Laodicea, it seems our Lord is trying to communicate something here…Christ will chasten us because He loves us. As the word shows us again in Revelation, the judgment begins with us because Christ speaks to the 7 Churches before the judgments are poured forth. Has the whole body repented, again no. Without repentance there can be no revival which is needed before we can be raptured as a body. We have not repented as we ought of our own accord so via judgment we will repent reactively. Brethren we ought to take heed to the words our Lord spoke to the Churches in the Revelation. We ought to let Him examine us and show us where we are lacking that we may be made whole while there is yet time. i believe that those words which were written all those years ago apply just as much if not more now than they did then. Let us take heed lest Christ come to us with His sword or remove our candle-stick or whatever other judgement He has forewarned us of.
Brethren we are all guilty of treating Christ’s Blood with contempt whether we have willfully committed adultery, lied, stolen or whatever else we have done. Surely we ought to repent. Grace does not give us license to sin, it frees us from sin therefore if we continue to sin willfully not matter how small we think the sin is we are in danger of judgment. The judgment on the world will be harsh, but how much more harshly will God deal with us who are called by His name and bought by Christ’s blood if we treat that blood as the world does?