THE RAPTURE (PART 3)

" ... prepare to meet thy God ..." - Amos 4:12 (KJV)

For a while now, we've been doing some discourse on "The Rapture". In the part 2 of our discourse, we highlighted two basic characteristics of the rapture which are worthy of note:

The first is its imminence (1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:15). This is to mean that the rapture of the Church is an event that is soon to be expected. In fact, with every other day, it's occurrence becomes closer than it had ever been. The second thing to note about the rapture is that it shall occur in a comparatively brief moment of time: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," (1 Corinthians 15:52). Like as I'd pointed out, the change that accompanies it will be very instantaneous. So short will it be that there will be no time for the sinner to repent or to make amends. I did say also that if there's anything to repent of, it should be done now; if there's any amendment to be made to any unchristian lifestyle, it should be done now! At the moment of rapture, procrastinators will be greatly disappointed.

     Now, what must we do to partake in the rapture, bearing in mind its imminence and immediacy? The Bible gives us the answer in Amos 4:12: " ... prepare to meet thy God ... ". Whoever we are, let's bear in mind, that at one point in time or another, we will DEFINITELY meet with our Maker. The crucial question is whether we are prepared for that meeting!  I need to make it clear that the rapture is a meeting of believers with the Lord in the air at His coming. The Bible says so:

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." - 1 Thess 4:15-17 (KJV). The meeting of non Christians with their Maker is on another occasion (Rev 20:11-15). The rapture is intended only for believers in Christ.

    As Christians, knowing the facts about the rapture should serve not only to gear us to get ready but also to maintain that state of readiness till the Lord comes. It calls for preparedness on our part. The Bible tells us how to go about it, especially in the light of the special nature of the event, being imminent, (ie, sudden and surreptitious - 1 Thess 5:1-4) and instantaneous (1 Cor 15:52). I need to stress very strongly that the rapture may occur at any time from now and that the Lord will have no apology for that because we've been forewarned as to its imminence and immediacy.

"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. ...  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." - 1 Thess 5:6-8. To be prepared and ready to meet with the Lord at His coming calls for faith, watchfulness, sobriety and carefulness. Such a life should exhibit ardent dedication to the Lord with no room discouragement or flair for the world and its allurements. It is a life that is to be lived daily and consciously with the aim and desire not to miss out on the meeting with the Lord in the air, at His coming. The one who hopes not to miss the rapture has some sacrifice to make; to live clean, devoid of worldliness.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." - 1 John 3:3 (KJV).

   In other words, aside from being full of hope, we are to put a full stop to every form of careless lifestyle, to awake from spiritual slumber - Eph 5:8-17, that we be sober minded, knowing that " ... the end of all things is at hand: ... and watch unto prayer." - 1 Peter 4:7 (KJV). This should be our lifestyle as we await the Master.

     Are you prepared to meet your God? If not, it's not too late. You can begin right away to make the necessary preparations for that meeting at the rapture by saying the following prayer:

PRAYER:

Dearest Heavenly Father, I repent and forsake every sin or lifestyle that is inimical to my being raptured at the Lord's coming. Henceforth, I adopt the Bible as the standard for my life. I live daily in the state of preparedness and in anticipation of the rapture, in Jesus name.