Colossians 3:16-17: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (ESV – all emphasis mine).
Galatians 3:28-29: “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 12:26-27: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.”
The trend today is everyone for self-satisfaction. Anyone who tries to spread the Word of the Lord is called a “hater,” which is exactly what Jesus said would happen near the end of this era (Matthew 10:22).
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul gives a fairly extensive list of what attitudes and actions would be taking place near the end of this era: “But understand this, that in the last days, there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
Out of all that Paul declared would be happening in these last days, the very last sentence says it all: “Avoid such people.”
The problem is, this is next to impossible. Jesus told us there would be more souls on the road to destruction than those on the straight and narrow pathway leading to Him (Matthew 7:13-14). Sadly, this is very evident in today’s world.
In 2 Peter 3:3, 8-9, “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires…. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Numerous prophecy experts agree that we are definitely in the final days of this era by taking into account the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Even though I consider myself a novice, their findings make perfect sense.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, we’re told, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deceptions for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
With Israel’s declaration of becoming a sovereign nation on May 14, 1948, after almost 2000 years, the end-time clock started moving toward an event promised by our Heavenly Father that will keep our Savior’s flock from going through the wrath/tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10). Yes, we will encounter adversities and persecutions while here, but all the Savior’s flock is a breath away from being with Him forever.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, Paul tells of an event that will take place in the “twinkling of an eye,” where all true believers will be taken up to meet our Savior in the air. On top of that, we will be converted into our forever bodies and be given the mindset of our Savior that will free us from Satan’s temptations.
For those who remain behind, they will enter a period of time that will be worse than anything up to now. For seven years, an antichrist and false prophet will rule with powers received from Satan. At the end of that time, Jesus will return, and the lake of fire will receive its first two occupants.
Satan will be bound for a thousand years, and then he will be released for one last attack on the earth. He will be defeated and cast into the lake of fire with the antichrist and false prophet forever.
From there, a Great White Throne Judgment will be held for all souls from the beginning of time to the crucifixion that were out of the will of God to receive their sentence in the lake of fire. All from the crucifixion to the end of earth’s time that refused to accept Jesus as their Savior will join them. It will be total darkness and anguish forever.
All who were in the will of God and who received and accepted Jesus will go through the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) but will receive or lose rewards for what they did on earth. The outcome for all that are judged here will still be eternity in Heaven forever.
All will be a part of the “tie that binds.” In 1782, John Fawcett (1740-1817) wrote a song called “Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” It’s a song about hope and glory and praise for the Christian Love that we have.
1.) Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian Love; The fellowship of kindred minds is like that above.
2.) Before our Father’s throne, we pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one—our comforts and our cares.
3.) We share our mutual woes; our mutual burdens bear; And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
4.) When we are called to part, it gives us inward pain. But we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.
5.) This glorious hope revives our courage by the way, while each in expectation lives and waits to see the day.
6.) From sorrow, toil, and pain, and sin, we shall be free; And perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity.
For any who have not received and accepted Jesus, please see Romans 10:9-13 for the simple, uncomplicated means to do so. Just know we pray for all our loved ones, friends, and acquaintances every day. Our strongest hope and prayer is they all have Jesus as their Savior before it’s too late.
Our Heavenly Father forces no one to call out to be saved, and we know we can’t do so either. However, we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their souls one more time.
The word of the Father is honest and true and absolute. Please consider where you would spend your forever if you were to take your last breath right now. Jesus is waiting for all who will do so to call on Him for their eternal Salvation.
Maranatha – Come, Lord Jesus! Shalom – peace be with you!
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