Are you prepared to meet Jesus?
In Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica there were those who were uniformed (1 Thess 4:13). They were uniformed about those who had died that were Christians. It seems they had thought that those who had died were not going to get the same reward that those alive would receive when Jesus returned (4:14). Paul tells the church there that those alive when Christ returns will not precede those who have died in Christ (4:15). "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first" (4:16). We must realize that it is the Lord Himself who will descend from heaven. He is not going to send someone else but it will be Jesus Christ Himself. On this day every eye will see him (Revelation 1:7). This means there will not be anyone in this world who doesn't know what is happening.
Paul goes on to tell the brethren that the dead in Christ will rise first. They will receive the same spiritual gifts as those who are alive at the time Christ returns (1 Thess 4:16). Paul comforts the brethren by telling them these things. He goes on to say after the dead rise (the faithful Christians) those who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet their Lord and will always be with him (4:17). Therefore comfort one another with these words (4:18).
My question is can we comfort one another with these words. Do we take this serious? Are we uninformed like the church in Thessalonica was? We must realize that this is serious, there is no escaping judgment. It is going to happen and we must be ready. If we are not we will not get to spend eternity with our Lord. In fact those who are not ready will spend eternity where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. We do not want to be unprepared when the Lord comes. Take this serious, turn to God's word and it will tell you how to prepare to meet the Lord.
My next blog post will be on 1 Thessalonians chapter five. Paul deals with when Jesus will return and how we prepare for his coming.
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I don't think that we are uninformed. I know that is no escaping judgement, but how do we know what is really wrong? Lying is wrong, but what if we tell a lie to help people? You get baptized to wash your sins. Chances are you will probably make mistakes in the future and sin. Do you just ask for forgiveness and that's it? What if you ask God for forgiveness, but you don't admit to everyone else around you that you've done something wrong? And if there are different levels of Heaven, how does that work? Isn't everyone equal in the eyes of God?
ReplyDeleteMy worst fear is death. I don't want to spend eternity where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I just don't understand what it is that would make somebody go there? Do you think that I will be sent there if I don't go to church?