ASSURANCE: YOU CAN'T LOSE A FREE GIFT FROM GOD!
(Part Three)
A Christians Blessed Assurance Comes From God
This is a continuation of a previous post entitled, A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN CAN'T LOSE THEIR SALVATION! This is the third part in a three-part series. Here I will examine the conclusion of a paper I wrote at Denver Seminary on Assurance. It states that a true born-again Christian cannot lose their Salvation.
My Summary of Hebrews 6:4-8 & Book of Hebrews
My conclusion in regard to the warning passage in 6:4-8 is that the people who “fell away” and could not repent were unbelievers that hardened their hearts after experiencing or at least being exposed to God in a genuine Christian community. This conclusion was based on a careful word study, examining context—OT, verses before and after passages, the Book of Hebrews, and then the entire Bible.
Descriptive Terms
The descriptive terms are enlightened, tasted, heavenly gift, and partakers. I carefully analyzed the terms used to describe these people before they fell away. I determined that, while they could be used to apply to Christians, they could also be used to apply to people who were not yet Christians but who had simply heard the gospel and had experienced several of the blessings of the Holy Spirit’s work in a Christian community. In other words, these terms tell me that the people had experienced many of the preliminary stages that often precede the beginning of the Christian life, but they did not show me that the people had experienced any of the decisive beginning stages of the Christian life.
The Metaphor of the Field
"For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned" (Hebrews 6:7-8).
The verses after revealed truth I had not seen previously. Therefore, when I examined the metaphor of the field in verses 7-8, which the author uses to explain verses 4-6, showed that these people were like a field that received frequent rain but only bore thorns and thistles. This indicated that, in the author’s mind, the people, these people had received many blessings but had never born good fruit because they had been like the bad ground the entire time. There had never been true spiritual life in them. An examination of verses 9-12 led me to a similar conclusion.
"But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints. And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:9-12).
Though the author had been speaking of the possibility of some of his readers falling away, his view of most of them was much different: He felt sure that, in general, his readers were in possession of “better things” than the preliminary experiences in 4-6, and that the better things were in fact “things belonging to salvation.” This implies that the blessings of 4-6, while positive, nevertheless did not belong to Salvation. Then in verses 10-12, the author names those “better things” as the good fruits of work, love, service for others, hope, faith, and patience.
Experiences Similar to Salvation
A comparison with chapters 3 and 4 showed that the author thought of the rebellious people of Israel in the wilderness as people who had experiences similar to being enlightened, tasting the blessings of redemption, tasting the goodness of the word of God, and associating with and benefiting from some of the works of the Holy Spirit—yet they never had faith.
"For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith" (Hebrews 4:2).
They always went astray in their hearts.
"And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief" (Heb 3:19).
They had never known God’s ways.
"Therefore, I was angry with this generation, and said, they always go astray in their heart" (Hebrews 3:10).
These examples provide parallel cases of other groups of people who had many remarkable experiences of blessing from God but were never really saved.
Language Used to Describe Salvation
I then broadened my investigation to examine the language the author uses to describe those who are clearly saved elsewhere in the entire Book of Hebrews. My intention was to study the doctrine of Salvation. The following are descriptions of what God has done in the lives of those who are truly saved.
1. God has forgiven their sins (10:17; 8:12).
2. God has cleansed their consciences (9:14, 10:22).
3. God has written His laws on their hearts (8:10, 10:16).
4. God is producing holiness of life in them (2:11, 10:14, 12:10).
5. God has given them an unshakable kingdom (12:28).
6. God is pleased with them (11: 5-6, 10:38, 12:28, 13: 16, 21).
7. The saved have been enlightened (10: 26-39).
8. The saved have faith (4:3; 6:12; 13:7; 10:22, 38-39; 11: 12:2).
9. The saved have hope (6:11; 7:19; 9:28; 10:23, 34; 11:10, 26; 13:14).
10. The saved have love (6:10; 10:24, 33-34; 13:1).
11. The saved obey God (5:9; 10:36; 11: 7-8, 17, 25; 12:10-11, 14).
12. The saved worship and pray (10:19; 12: 22, 28; 13:15).
13. The saved persevere (3:6, 14; 6:11; 10:23, 32, 36, 39; 12:1, 3, 5, 7).
14. The saved enter God’s rest (4:1, 3, 11)
15. The saved know God (8:11)
16. The saved are God’s house, His children, and people (2: 10, 12-13;3:6; 8:10).
17. The saved share in Christ (3:14).
18. The saved will receive future Salvation (1:14; 5:9; 7:25; 9:28).
When I compared these saved terms, out of these 18 descriptions of Salvation only one can be found in 6:4-6, “they have been enlightened.” This concept is seen, from the context of 10:32 and from the sense of the word photizo (enlightened), to be true not only of Christians but also of others who hear the gospel but then reject it. Also, this term could refer only to hearing and understanding the Gospel, not to any of the decisive beginning stages of the Christian life or true Salvation.
The most significant finding was that none of the other seventeen descriptions of true Christians in Hebrews was used in 6:4-6. This indicated that if the author had wanted to say that it is impossible for true Christians who fall away to come back to Salvation, he certainly could have done so clearly, but he did not. He chose to use language that does not describe those who are truly saved. Therefore, confining my attention to the Book of Hebrews itself, and examining 6:4-6 in its immediate and broader context, leads me to the conclusion that the people in this passage who experienced many blessings and then fell away had never truly been saved in the first place.
Then I turned to the entire Bible and the Doctrinal theme of “Eternal Security” or “Assurance” which states that a true believer cannot lose their Salvation. I found hundreds of Scriptures that affirm this idea that it is God that saves and God that keeps a Christian saved. Hebrews 6:4-8 is talking about an unbeliever who has hardened their hearts and rejected Jesus, they have not or will not repent therefore it is impossible for them to be saved.
Scriptures That Prove Assurance of Your Salvation
FOURTEEN: Beloved You Will See Jesus and Be Like Him Because You Are His Child and Made Pure
"See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).
FIFTEEN: Righteousness is Given as a Free Gift to Those Who Believe in Jesus
“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). “...And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).
SIXTEEN: Grace is a Free Gift of God that Saves and Seats You in Heaven
'But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:4-10).
SEVENTEEN: God Promises and Guarantees Grace, Life to the Dead, and Justification, According to Faith in Jesus by Which We Stand
"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. For this reason, it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist” (Rom 4:13-17). “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1, 2).
EIGHTEEN: You're Inheritance is Imperishable, Undefiled, and Will Not Fade Away, Reserved in Heaven by the Power of God and the Resurrection of Jesus
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
NINTEEN: You are Beloved and Kept for Jesus, Able to Keep You from Stumbling and to Present You Blameless Before God's Presence and Glory
Jude says, “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ...to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24–25).
TWENTY: Saved by the Power of God, with a Holy Calling, Able to Protect Until That Day for All Eternity
"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. For this reason, I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day" (2 Timothy 1:8-12).
TWENTY-ONE: God Chooses Before Creation, Appointed to Bear Fruit that Remains, to be Raised Up at the Last Day
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain. . .” (John 15:16). “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” (Eph1:4–6). “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:44).
TWENTY-TWO: You Are One Spirit with Jesus, Confirmed to the End and Blameless, God is Faithful
“Now God has not only raised the Lord but will also raise us up through His power. ...But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:14, 17). "just as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:6-8).
TWENTY-THREE: You Have Been Crucified with Christ, and You Are Raised By Christ, and Will Be Revealed with Jesus in Glory
"Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4). "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20).
TWENTY-FOUR: We Are Sanctified by One Offering, One Sacrifice for Sin, Perfected for All Time, By the Body of Jesus
"By this will (New Testament), we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. . .. but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering, He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:10, 12-14).
TWENTY-FIVE: God is Faithful, Share the Inheritance of Saints, You Have Redemption and Forgiveness of Sins
"giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colosians 1:13, 14). “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind, and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
TWENTY-SIX: God Granted to You His Precious and Magnificent Promises, His Divine Nature for Life and Godliness
"Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust" (2 Peter 1:1-4).
TWENTY-SEVEN: You Believe, Not Ashamed, God is Able to Protect, Through the Gospel, Realizing Full Assurance of Hope Until the End, God's Calling and Inheritance is Irrevocable
"For this reason, I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I (Apostle Paul) am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Hold on to the example of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Protect, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" (2 Timothy 1:12-14). "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints. And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:9-12). "In relation to the gospel they are enemies on your account, but in relation to God’s choice they are beloved on account of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you, they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all" (Romans 11:28-32).
TWENTY-EIGHT: Eternal Security is Assured by Grace, the Blessed Hope, Christs' Redemption, and Purification
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. No one is to disregard you" (Titus 2:11-15).
TWENTY-NINE: Jesus Taught A Pre-Tribulation Rapture at the Last Supper, He is Going Away to Prepare a Place for Those Who Believe in Him, He is Coming Back for His Own, Disciples
I believe that a pre-tribulation rapture is the greatest proof of our Eternal Security and Assurance of Salvation. Jesus teaches the Rapture to His Disciples at the last supper in the upper room on the day He died.
The idea that Jesus taught the pre-tribulation Rapture was intriguing to me. I had never heard it taught. The critics and mockers say it is a new doctrine, and the apostles and early church fathers didn’t teach it. But, if it were true, it would be my game-changer, just one more iron-clad reason to believe and be comforted. It has become MY TOP reason to believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture. Why? Because Jesus said He was the truth and the only way to be with Him in Heaven was to believe Him—Truth.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
The Rapture is a doctrine started and taught by Jesus, continued and spread by His disciples, and believed and passionately lived out by His Church. Jesus imparted a comforting, hope-filled message of His return for the sole purpose of rescuing His Church before the Great Tribulation. Jesus taught His born-again children of the faith (Christian believers) four foundational truths about the Rapture or snatching away of His Church. These truths are that:
only believers will be Raptured,
the Rapture will be a source of comfort;
the Rapture will be similar to His Ascension.
and the Rapture will be an intentional rescue of born-again believers
Only Believers Will Be Raptured
He was going to depart from the world and return to His Father. At this precise moment in time, He was about to reveal a new doctrine only hinted at in the Old Testament. The genesis of the Rapture, or the church’s departure, was introduced at the Passover meal in the upper room, by Jesus, to the disciples—true believers. He did not give it to Judas, a non-believer who betrayed him.
“When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me” (John 13:21).
“So (Judas) after receiving the piece of bread, he left immediately; and it was night" (John 13:30).
It is essential to understand that Jesus addresses the disciples; only after Judas is no longer in the upper room. He says,
“Little children, I am still with you a little longer. You will look for Me; and just as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’ (John 13:33).
The disciples respond.
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later” (John 13:36).
This is the first hint of the doctrine of the Rapture according to Jesus. They cannot follow Him now; they will follow Him later. But the unbelieving Pharisees can never follow Him or go where He is. Jesus said to them,
“You will seek Me and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” (John 7:34).
We know that Jesus was crucified and laid in a tomb later that day. On the third day, He was resurrected from the dead. He revealed Himself to over five hundred believers during the next forty days.
Rapture Will Be a Source of Comfort
The second reason I believe Jesus taught the pre-tribulation Rapture is it will be a source of comfort to Christians. Earlier in the week, Jesus told them the temple would be destroyed, which confused and bewildered them.
Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down” (Matthew 24:1,2).
They thought He planned to defeat Rome now, and they would rule with Jesus in the temple. They were even more perplexed and mortified when Jesus told them He would leave them—be put to death. Under this duress, extreme anxiety, and sorrow, Jesus offered them a new doctrine, a blessed hope, a fresh promise, and a new revelation. Jesus answered them at the Passover meal in the upper room.
“Do not let your heart be troubled” (John 14: 1a).
Why? Because He has a plan for them better than what they could ever imagine. These words of comfort were meant for all believers who put their trust in Him.
"You believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14: 1b).
He was revealing that God the Father indwelt Him; they are One. He only does what the Father tells Him to do; because of this, He has divine authority. We know that Jesus bore testimony and perfectly fulfilled the Scriptures. Although they didn’t understand at that time, they would later.
“So, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken” (John 2:22).
Jesus will now give them a brand-new revelation, the doctrine of the Rapture.
“In My Father’s house are many rooms (mansions, dwelling places); if that were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2).
He is not referring to any previous Old Testament teaching. He is giving them a new vision of the End-Times. It replaced nothing but added something unknown to the disciples of Jesus and was not disclosed in the Old Testament Scripture. And He was revealing it by the authority of His Heavenly Father. This truth was to be appropriated as part of the very fabric of the Gospel. This truth unveils the mystery of the church, born-again Christians, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and their final home—heaven. He was giving a progressive revelation that the spirit-filled Apostles would fill in. Therefore, the Rapture, in a nutshell, is,
“Because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be” (John 14: 2c-3).
Jesus is going back to heaven. God the Father has a house, and Jesus is preparing a room for those who love Him. He is coming again for Christians—His Own. He will take believers to Himself in Heaven, and we will be with Him. I think that it is literal, straightforward, and easy to understand.
Rapture Will Be Similar to His Ascension
The third reason I believe Jesus taught the pre-tribulation Rapture is it will be similar to His Ascension. So, how did Jesus Ascend into Heaven, and why is this similar to the Rapture? 40 days Jesus rained or showered His blessing on the Disciples. Their discouragement turned to joy. He had been in and out of their lives for the last 40 days revealing Himself to over five hundred believers (1 Cor 15:6), blessing and teaching them about the kingdom of God. He had told them who He is, prophesied future events, and fulfilled everything He said would happen. Now, he showered them with blessings and miraculously ascended into the clouds with the promise of His return lingering in their minds.
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:50-52).
The early church called this event the “Blessed Hope” of His return. They were to carry this message to the world, and they did. Paul taught,
“Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds” (Titus 2: 13,14).
The Blessed Hope of the Rapture cannot be separated from the Gospel, the cross (death), the resurrection (Ascension), and the return (Rapture) of Jesus Christ. Teaching the Blessed Hope along with the Gospel was the Apostles’ message. They go together and should not be separated.
“The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of things regarding the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:1-8).
We see this event, where Jesus was taken up to heaven, as an invitation only to the Apostles whom He had chosen. All the disciples would receive the Holy Spirit to be set apart for His own possession, guidance, and the power to witness the whole world. They responded by following, worshiping, and believing His promises. If this were not enough, they would be comforted by the Blessed Hope of His return.
“And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).
“And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing (angels) stood beside them, and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 10, 11).
Jesus was taken up into heaven, seen only by the Apostles, where two angels appeared and told them He would return in the same manner—in the clouds. An obvious question would be who was not invited. Did the Pharisees witness the Ascension? NO! Did the Romans witness the Ascension? NO! Did the Sceptics or fence sitters witness the Ascension? NO! The disciples only saw it. They were a select, private and invitation-only group of men. The difference from the others is that they were all born-again, Spirit-filled Christians. To top it off, God sends two messengers to confirm the Ascension and encourage them that He would return in the clouds for His own.
Rapture Will Be an Intentional Rescue
The fourth reason I believe Jesus taught the pre-tribulation Rapture is that His return is intentional, purposeful, and imminent. It’s intentional that He only comes for His own. It is purposeful because the church must be removed before the Seven-year Tribulation can begin. It is imminent because nothing needs to happen for the Rapture to take place. The Rapture will be a deliberate rescue of His church, the called-out ones, the body, and the Bride of Christ. In John’s Book of Revelation, Jesus and His wrath are revealed upon unbelieving earth-dwellers and the un-believing Nation of Israel. The church is not mentioned in chapters 6 through 19. These are the chapters referred to as the Great Tribulation or Jacob’s Trouble. First, Jesus reveals the heart of the actual seven churches of the past, representing the characteristics of all churches throughout history.
Revelation 3:7-13
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
The church in Philadelphia was the only explementary one. For this church which I believe represents the remnant church, God’s actual authentic body, He offers an open door that no one can shut—a promise and a guarantee. But first, Jesus reminds us of who He is:
The Holy One,
the true One speaks the truth, reveals the truth, and is the truth.
He has the key of David; He is the Messiah who has authority over David’s domain, Jerusalem, and Israel.
when He opens a door, no one can shut it; and
when He closes a door, no one can open it.
“He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens, and no one will shut, and who shuts," and no one opens, says this:
Then He says, I know your deeds, I know who you are, I know your innermost being.
Even though you have little strength.
you have followed My Word,
you have not denied My Name,
I will make believers of Satan, liars, bow down before your feet because I love you,
nothing can shut My open door of love, and
you have kept My word of perseverance.
‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down before your feet and make them know that I have loved you.
Therefore, the Rapture is an open-door Jesus has walked through and is coming back to take all born-again Christians, the church, home. Even the skeptics, mockers, liars, and demoniacs can’t shut this door open for those whom Jesus loves. Even though we have little power, we have followed His word, have not denied Him, and continued to persevere in His name. Because of these things, we are rescued from the coming test/temptation/wrath. This rescue is not a personal, family, regional or national wrath. It is the wrath of God poured out on the whole world to test those who live on the earth—earth dwellers, unbelievers. Jesus’ promise to the remnant church is that He will keep, or take out, them from the 21 judgments in Revelation. He says I am coming quickly; hold firmly to your faith and belief in Me!
‘Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold firmly to what you have so that no one will take your crown.’
Then the promises are fulfilled to the ones who overcome and remain in Christ.
‘The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.’ The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:7-13).
It includes all churches’ past, present, and future. It also includes you and me if we are born-again, Spirit-filled disciples, followers, and believers of Jesus Christ.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW GOD INTIMATELY AND FEEL HIS LOVING PRESENCE?
This is the ultimate Christian online course on learning how to be intimate with God, not just knowing about Him, but to experience Him so He influences your heart, your marriage, family, church, and world.
JESUS PLUS NOTHING SAVES YOU
This is a detailed discussion on who Jesus is and how you get saved!
We All Have the Same Dilemma, We're Dead in Sin
Every human being, ethnic group, race, or gender finds themselves in this same dilemma. Therefore, there are three questions you would be wise to ask yourself and extremely prudent to answer.
One, why do I need to be saved?
Two, what does it mean for me to be saved?
Three, how am I saved?
I believe Only Jesus plus nothing not only saves you but answers these three questions.