And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:5-8 NASB
When God repeats Himself pay attention, pay close attention. He repeats because we are a stubborn lot.
Look at the beginning. All the judgments that had been necessary were complete. King Jesus was sitting on His Throne.
Look at who will be there and who will not be. In Chapter 20 of Revelation there's the statement that only those whose names were written in the Lamb's book of Life are saved. Only them. Now, we see that these are the Bride of Christ. Dressed in all white in all purity.
Then comes the repeated part.
"But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." This further tells you who isn't going to be there. With Salvation, comes sanctification. All the old sinful things believers did that they were forgiven of are gone forever. Only what they are seen as being in Christ is what's left.
What we saw in 1 Corinthians 6 are mentioned here again. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
Those who are saved, found in the Lamb's book of Life, are the sanctified. But what does it mean to remember no more?
When God looks upon a person who is saved, whose sins are all washed away, all God sees is Jesus. These things are so far removed that they are as far as the east is from the west. He is God, but in light of Christ, chooses to remember their sins non more.
I believe in the Rapture of the Church. That as eluded to in Scripture, there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. See the book of Romans on that. So I do believe as many do that the events in Revelation are for the world and Israel. In the book of Daniel 70 weeks or years as prophecies go are appointed to Israel. 69 are complete. 1 week of years remains. The 7 years mentioned in Revelation.
What we are living through right now is what the Bible says is the times of the Gentiles. That after this time is fulfilled, Christ will come for His Church.
So what's keeping Him? Christ Himself said that no man knows the day nor the hour of His return. But He did say what will be happening in this world that leads up to it. Look in the book of Luke. Again, what's keeping Him?
Jesus will not return until the very last person who is going to be saved is saved.
I believe that the end of this age of the Church will end as it began. The thief on the cross was promised he would be with Jesus in Paradise. No theological seminary, no training in witnessing to others, no missions trips. No teaching of a Sunday School class. No chance to serve. I believe that when this last person is saved, in that moment, the Rapture will happen.
Interesting is that choice is in your hands.
My dear reader, you may indeed be living in very different places than I. By the scope of where this blog reaches across the world, I know not if one of you is that person. I only know that God began His work in me decades ago and continues it today. To share His message of hope and Salvation. In God's eyes your past is forgiven and forgotten. You can have a new life in Christ.
The only difference between the saved and unsaved is Christ. That Scripture in Corinthians says "as were some of you".
All those who are in Christ long for the day when we get to be with Jesus face-to-face.
Jesus said to be encouraged, in this world we will have troubles. But to remember He overcame the world.
Evil is indeed on the rise. Satan always has someone ready to be his Antichrist. Someone ready to become a tool of his to take over the world. Evil is not more powerful than Good. In this time in human history Satan just has more tools than he ever did since the Great Flood in the book of Genesis.
But regardless of his desires, the desire of Christ is that none would perish but that all would be saved. He doesn't want people to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire! But, He also loves us enough to put that choice in OUR hands.
Unlike the horror stories of the Titanic, where the builder's of it never intended everyone to be saved in the event of a disaster, every single person who has ever lived, has a life raft at the ready, just for them. Jesus is there, pleading with people to take it. What's this? You say that's not true? No one's told you? My dear reader, yes, it's true. To delay the point no further, I am pleading with you to not put it off any further. Throughout your life, Jesus has put someone before you or near you that could or would share with you how to be saved.
"As were some of you." Were. Not are. Were. But I don't understand, how could Jesus forgive me? Does He have any idea, any clue what I have done? Dear reader, He knew you before you were born. He has seen everything you have ever done. Known every thought you have ever had.
Yet still chooses to offer you His Salvation.
Romans 10:8-11 "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
This may be your first time finding this blog. I implore you consider what it is that God is saying to your heart. Jesus is at the door of your heart knocking, but this door can only be opened from your side.
I write because I am told to and that I don't want to see any condemned to the Lake of Fire. I write because Christ first loved me, as He first loved you He wants you to know that.
Your life raft is waiting...
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