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35
“The Rapture”
by    
March 1st, 2007

Who will be caught up and who will be left behind? Paul says, those “in Christ shall rise”. 1 Thess. 4:16. The issue will not be your practical sanctification at that moment, but whether you are in Christ or not. Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1. The real issue will be, is your profession of faith in Christ real or is it a false profession? Jesus warned about false professions of faith in Him, a condition which will disqualify many for the rapture. Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. 7:21 (see also Jn 14:21 & 2 Cor. 5:17)

Jesus went on to say in vs 22 that “many” will be in the category of false professors who will be shocked that they are left behind when the trumpet sounds. How tragic to think you are a believer and to hear Jesus say “I never knew you”.

Of course we cannot always know who is genuine and who is a false professor. (see Mt 13: 27-30 and 2 Tim. 2:19).

However we ought to be concerned and warn of this danger. Paul gave this warning in 2 Cor. 13:5. He is saying make sure your profession is genuine. There are some who, in order to get believers to live as they ought to live, teach that unless you are totally sanctified you will not be included in the rapture. I have two problems with that; first they confuse practical sanctification with positional sanctification. Practical sanctification is the process of becoming in practice what we are in position. Col 1: 21, 22. Second we must never violate what the Scripture says to get believers to live as they ought. The Scriptural motivation for right living is found in Matt 24: 42, 44 “Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh”.

Note: I believe Matt. 7:21-23 has application to both the Rapture and the Second Coming.

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