Thursday, January 17, 2008

Prescription

The diagnosis was I wasn't prepared to be Raptured:
The New Creation is what wasn't before... otherwise it wouldn't be "new." Gentiles, (like Enoch & Noah) Jews (modern day label for Jacob's children) and the New Creation - the regenerated which makes up the church. I state this because the New Creature, a regenerated person has a hotline to heaven and more importantly - heaven can be heard by the regenerated if he or she listens! I say all of this because when I saw my need to get in-step with God and His last day plan I realized I would have to have ears to hear - a willingness to hear God's counsel via the Word of God.
"I'm not ready for the Rapture? But God I left everything to do Your will! See! We're busy doing it!"
I couldn't argue - if God said it, that had to enough to press forward in faith.
Once resigned to the task at hand, I asked in prayer what I should do.
Study the Word.
A few days went by and I became enamored with Luke 21:36 Watch and pray to be accounted worthy to escape all these things...
This was speaking to me and it was so straight forward; in my renewed state of humility I couldn't twist the meaning. Still, I had one question - Accounted worthy? How in the world did this jive with being born into God's family by Jesus' sacrifice which had already made me worthy when I became regenerate - born again?
This was perplexing and yet, here it was and repeated in various ways through out the New Testament. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" and many other such scriptures contrary to "saved by grace" truth. The full picture slowly dawned on me as I prayed, studied and humbled myself before God.
Body, soul and spirit-
1Thes 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(NKJ)

After I was born again of the spirit I entered into a race as Paul the apostle calls it. My name was entered into the roster - The Lamb's book of Life.
Ephesians 2: 8 & 9 say we are saved by grace - it is a gift of God; not of works. Strange, but the scriptures aren't complete without the next verse which most mature Christians know and yet, I never put it together with Eph 2:8 & 9. Verse 10 says, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. These words aren't discretionary advice from the Holy Spirit but rather a stated fact.
Romans 8 says, those who are in Christ Jesus who no longer walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit are no longer condemned. Wait a minute we already know that the regenerated man is saved by grace so why is this stipulation here about walking according to the spirit? If we read further, we find that we are the children of God but if we are to be joint heirs with Christ we must suffer with Him! Rom 8:17
The Holy Ghost began to show me that although my spirit was born again, I needed to die to self to be "accounted worthy" to rule with Christ.
Once born from above, faith without works is dead but that truth is not applicable to the unregenerate person; their name isn't on the roster and therefore they cannot run the race nor gain the prize.

The judgment and condemnation due to a Christian who walks after the flesh is described in Luke 12:47 "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes."
Also the famous Judgment Seat of Christ verses 1 Cor 3:12-15
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.(NKJ)

Through these scriptures and prayer and repentance - the Holy Spirit began to walk me toward the Rapture and toward being prepared to give a worthy account. By the grace of God I had discovered a truth that I had formerly been ignorant of - My spirit was saved, my soul was being saved (as I died to self and walked in the spirit) and my physical body would be saved in the future (1st resurrection).
This is the balance between eternal security and Arminianism when the scriptures seem to lean one way or the other. Of course we cannot "work out" our salvation but if (and it is) speaking of our souls giving an account for what we did in the flesh after our regeneration - Luke 12:47... Uh, now that would cause fear & trembling! Phil 2:12
Some scholars have labeled this balance as soul salvation to be had after spirit rebirth.

If this is all true... Jesus' warnings to watch make much sense!
Unfortunately the ones who thought he was delaying His coming were caught off-guard. Luke12:45 & 46 says, this servant will be cut in two (soul from spirit, Heb 4:12 & 13) and "will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."
Matt 24:50-51 "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,51 "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(NKJ)

Now as I said at the beginning of this post - the regenerate can hear from heaven so what I have written here is what my Father has shown me. I am still listening and learning. I don't have all the answers but I hope to have all that the Holy Spirit would give before the Trumpet sounds!

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.(RSV) Prov 13:14

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