Preparing for Rapture

Hello folks. I enjoyed a vacation from the Forum for a season.

Time is getting short, I feel. Likely, time is getting short before the transfer of the age from the church age to the kingdom age.

That is time may be getting short until the changing of the age of Grace to the age of the millennial kingdom where Christ precedes the eternal age by first reigning over the earth for 1,000 years.

If I am right my Christian brothers and sisters with myself should be aware that the snatching away of a remnant of watching, vigilant, ready believers is near and a significant milestone signaling the descent of Christ physically to the earth.

If I am premature it still does not hurt one little bit to review the matter of being ready always for the sudden appearing of Christ.

Hopefully, some who are not yet Christians may be stirred to come to Christ and love Him and possibly learn more about these things.

Preparing for Rapture is the main subject of this thread from my perspective.

Alright. Why would Jesus teach that any of His followers would be taken away suddenly out of the world ?

Why would Jesus want that?

Okay. It is a fact of life that many followers of Christ are not living by Christ too much. They may be defeated and backslidden. Even some may have pretty much the same sinful living that they had before they believed in the Son of God.

Would Christ make no distinction between defeated and victorious followers in this matter of rapture?

Would making a distinction undercut Justification by Faith for eternal redemption?

Are Christ's hands TIED so that He cannot manifest what He deems as a normal follower of Himself as opposed to a abnormal follower?

When a man is born from above he has the ability to set his mind on a realm within him which is heavenly where Christ is seated somewhere at the peak of existence.

Paul, a pioneer in this exhorted Christians to set their mind on the things which are above:

"If therefore you were raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." (Col. 3:1)

Christ is seated in Heaven exalted forever at the right hand of God.
Even in caring for daily responsibilities the man living on earth may set his mind on the exalted and transcendent Christ.

"Set you mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (v.2)

The believer needs to log more time setting his mind on the living Person available to him in the Holy Spirit. Even while tending to earthly responsibilities and duties his mind can be set on things above.

For the Christian to set the mind on the regenerated spirit is also to set the mind on Christ who is above in Heaven yet also in his reborn human spirit.

Here compare the two "settings" of the mind:

1.) The mind set on the things above where Christ is:

"Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth ..."

2.) The mind set on the regenerated, reborn, born anew human spirit:

"For the mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the spirit is life and peace." (Rom. 8:6)

See? Set your mind on the regenerated spirit is to set your mind on the things which are above.

Rapture then will be sudden physical removal to where the healthy Christian has been in the habit of setting his mind even while doing mundane responsibilities of daily life.

Rapture then will be sudden physical removal to where the healthy Christian has been in the habit of setting his mind even while doing mundane responsibilities of daily life.

In Matthew and in Luke Jesus shows His believers this:

"At that time two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.
Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes." (Matt. 24:40-42)

Jesus didn't say here two would be in a meeting singing and praising. He emphasized typical daily work - working in the field or grinding at a mill. That is fulfilling one's normal earthly responsibilities. Yet while the Christian is doing so his mind is set on the realm within him where Jesus is. Her mind is set on where her life is hidden with Christ in God above.

Taken means removed from the earth to be physically taken to the third heavens where Jesus is. This is a testimony to the world.

In Luke's parallel passage Jesus adds two shall be lying on a bed. This means even the the Christian has learned to set the mind on Christ even while going off to sleep.

"I tell you, In that night there will be two on one bed; the one is taken but the other will be left." (Luke 17:35).

All this shows rapture as a result of living in the Holy Spirit setting the mind on the available transcendent Jesus Christ. And doing this while fulfilling one's normal daily responsibilities and even while relaxing. So the Christian has to learn to log more and more time setting his heart on Jesus while living.

His life, her life as a Christian is hidden with Christ in God:

"Set your mind on the things which are above, ... your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory." (See Col. 3:2-4)

So near the end of the church age Christ will manifest His pleasure through some who have learn to live setting their mind and heart on His living resurrected and available presence.

They are sudden removed from the earth to be where their mind has been set while doing daily living.

He is coming to possess the planet back from Satan. Yet shortly before this He vindicates a number of His believers by rapture. So the Christians needs to practice to set the mind on the regenerated spirit where Christ is one spirit with him.

"He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17)

Setting the mind on the spirit is also allowing the grace of Christ to flow into his being. This is like power steering. It is an empowering and energizing spontaneously to live as Christ lived when HE walked on the earth.

In a real sense He walks on earth again. Only this time He walks wearing His lovers indwelling them and empowering them with something called GRACE.

Through this grace, while setting the mind on the Spirit in his reborn spirit, he call nullify many evil habits which one controlled him and made his life miserable:

"Set your mind on the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.(v.2)

"Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleaness, passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry; Because of which things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience..." (vs.5,6)

Because of these things God's wrath is about to break out over the world. But believing into Christ and learning to log more and more time walking in His indwelling presence, these things can be "put to death". Christ's death can nullify these things to us.

We must believe and stand on His word by faith - "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (v.3)

One day many Christians will be suddenly removed to where their life has been practically hidden with Christ in God as a testimony of His approval. This will occur before He comes to defeat His enemies and take possession of the earth for His righteous kingdom.

@sonship said
Time is getting short, I feel.

When do you think this “short” time will run out?

@divegeester

Time is getting short, I feel. Likely, time is getting short before the transfer of the age from the church age to the kingdom age.

I do not know how much time the world has before the dispensational change from the church age to the kingdom age. That is the short answer.

It is our not knowing the day or hour for certain which God wisely uses as an incentive for His people to be prepared through spiritual growth.

The reformation of the nation of Israel in 1948 was a signal.
The returning of Jerusalem to the Jews was a signal.
For certain the rebuilding of the Jewish temple will be a strongest sign.

These are all external matters as indicators. There are also the internal matters of
a critical mass of His lovers being made ready, wooing their Bridegroom back.

A critical mass of His lovers around the world preaching the gospel of the kingdom and loving, wooing, beckoning Him to close the age and return are internal matters. As the lovers of Christ grow closer and closer to Him we can sense His nearness.

Christ's coming on one hand is from ABOVE and WITHOUT.
Christ's coming on the other hand is ALSO from WITHIN and SPROUTING UP from within.

These are like two parts of a circle coming together and joining to form a full closed circle.

" And He said, So is the kingdom of God: as if a man cast seed on the earth, and he sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and lengthens - how he does not know.

The earth bears fruit by itself: first a blade, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.
But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he sends forth the sickle, BECAUSE THE HARVEST HAS COME." (Mark 4:26-29)

@sonship said
@divegeester
I do not know how much time the world has before the dispensational change from the church age to the kingdom age. That is the short answer.

So how do you know that the time is getting short?

@divegeester said
So how do you know that the time is getting short?

A short time for God is a galactic year. Thats about 250,000,000 earth years, roughly the time it takes for the Solar System to revolve around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. So when Christians speak of a short time which they have been doing since Jesus left the earth. you know they dont know one damn thing.

The time that has elapsed since Christ ascended has by no means been in vain.

Two reasons for this. One is a matter of quantity and the other a matter of quality.

1.) Quantity wise, the gospel, in the intervening centuries, has been able to spread to more of "all the world." The quantity of people able to hear and respond has increased as the gospel goes to all the earth.

2.) Quality wise, out of quantity God can select those over the centuries that have matured, developed in grace once having been saved. God knew wisely that some would not grow to maturity. These would not be ready to reign with Christ when He comes to establish His kingdom on earth. So over the years some matured in grace for preparation to have the reward of reigning with Christ when He comes again to the earth.

Under God's sovereignty then He has used the time to expand the quantity of saved sinners and He has secured out of the vast majority of forgiven ones a quality smaller portion prepared to be co-kings with Him in His soon to come millennial kingdom on the earth.

@divegeester

We do know that now is our salvation NEARER then when we first believed.

Romans 13:11 says "And this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to be raised from sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."

Should the Christian say rebelliously "My Lord is delaying His coming." ?
Should he yawn at the Lord prolonging His second coming using this as an opportunity to live on in the fallen sinful life? No indeed.

Going on "The night is far advanced, and the day has drawn near. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the weapons of light.

Let us walk becommingly as in the day; not in reveling and drunkeness, not in fornication and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts." (Rom. 13:13,14)

This takes time, and practice. So the precious time the believer has she does well to practice each day to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ".

@sonship said
Preparing for Rapture is the main subject of this thread from my perspective.

Do the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount have any role to play in "Preparing for Rapture"?

@FMF
Yes.

@sonship said
@FMF
Yes.

It is your prerogative if you wish to keep it secret.