The Rapture: who's going up with our Saviour? Pretty looooong:)
Many of us believers in Christ think that being caught up with our Saviour Jesus Christ when He returns for His saints (the Rapture) depends on our ability to keep the Ten Commandments, "how good we are" here on earth or even what we are doing at the time of His coming. Not so! Just a quick intro before we see why not and what the word of the Lord says is the condition for being caught up with Christ at His coming.
The bible says in Ephesians 2:8-10- "For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in Him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ! 9 So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.
10 We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!"
"Salvation" in verse 8 above encompasses salvation from hell to heaven, salvation from the power, pleasure and penalty of sin; deliverance from oppression and molestations of the enemy; deliverance from all earthly ills and being caught up with Christ when He returns for His saints. The Rapture, which is the believer’s bodily redemption in Christ, is the final delivery in “salvation” package that Christ bought for us with His blood at the cross. It is a gift that cannot be earned by doing good things or trying to obey the law to qualify. This "trying to obey the law to get right with God" has the effect of cutting one off from Christ:
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." Galatians 5:4.
1 Peter 2:24 says of Christ: "He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed."
See the Contemporary English Version: "Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By His cuts and bruises you are healed."
But many believers, after receiving Christ, are still clinging to the Ten Commandments, depending on their ability to obey the law and their good deeds to make them stop sinning, live right, right with God and Rapture-worthy. This is the way to get cut off from from Christ (Galatians 5:4.) Sin has dominion over those who are trying to obey the law in order to be godly - "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace."
Believers, by grace, let's have one thing settled in our conscience: Because Christ shed His blood for us, God is no longer holding ANY sin against us, even the ones we might commit tomorrow. Christ didn't suffer and die for His own sins; He had/has none. It was our entire lifetime of sins that He died for, but many believe that God is still holding the same sins that Christ to save us from against us and are still expecting to pay the wages of sin and so are running from pillar to post looking for righteousness that God gave His own Son for us to freely receive.
Hebrews 9 says: "27 Every human being is appointed to die once, and then to face God’s judgment. 28 But when we die we will be face-to-face with Christ, the One who experienced death once for all to bear the sins of many! And now to those who eagerly await Him, He will appear a second time; not to deal with sin, but to bring us the fullness of salvation."
The wages of sin is death. No matter how many times you sin, there is only one death. Bear in mind that sickness, lack, poverty, depression and all earthly ills are "death begun." Remember God told Adam he would surely die on the day he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which is a picture of the law that many are trying to keep in order to be godly, according to Romans 7:8-12 (See MSG version.) The letter (law) kills, but this death is not necessarily immediate. God said to Adam: "for in the day of thine eating of it -- dying thou dost die." Psalms 90:4 says of God "A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by,"; Moses wrote this concerning God's view of the life of man (v.3) Adam did not die immediately but lived in stress and toiling for almost 1,000 years aka one day gone by in the sight of God- this death from law-keeping to be godly is a process. Why stay here when Christ died to free you from the law of sin and death?
Hebrews 10:12 says: "Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then He sat down at the right side of God."
And this is the testimony of the Holy Spirit to believers because of the finished work of Christ in making us right with God as we see in verse 14 of Hebrews 10 below:
"14 And by His one perfect sacrifice He made us perfectly holy and complete for all time! 15 The Holy Spirit confirms this to us by this Scripture, for the Lord says, 16 “Afterwards, I will give them this covenant: I will embed my laws into their hearts and fasten my Word to their thoughts.” 17 And then He says, “I will not ever again remember their sins and lawless deeds!”"
It is pointless to say that you will not remember the sins of a person who has no sins. The law that many are trying to obey to get right with God gives sin its power. 1 Corinthians 15:56 says: "Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law."
Try to obey the law in order to be godly and sin will have dominion, "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.
Believer, in Christ, we have God's perfect, everlasting righteousness that is apart from works. See Romans 5:9-
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
ONLY through the blood of Jesus are we righteous in God's sight. The vilest offender who believes that "The Lord our Righteousness" is his righteousness is Rapture-worthy because we are made right with God through the blood of Jesus and not by obeying the law. Trying to obey the law to be godly (righteous) is saying that Christ's death for us (to make us right with God) is for nothing or that it is not enough. See Galatians 2:21-
"I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"
As it is with all of God’s blessings which are FREELY given to us with Christ according to Romans 8:32, being caught up with Christ at His coming (Rapture) cannot be earned by our efforts at keeping the Law which Romans 3:20 says cannot make any righteous in God’s sight. It is by Grace. It is freely given. We can’t “work towards it” by our own efforts at law-keeping. We look forward to it because “It is finished!” It is certain for all who are believing Christ; all whose righteousness is found in Christ and not their own righteousnesses from keeping the Ten Commandments.
And receiving this gift of righteousness, having a clean conscience that even when we sin, God is no longer holding our sins against us because Christ died the death that we were appointed to die- this is the ONLY WAY to live in triumph over death and its symptoms. See this in Romans 5:17-
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."
Those who will be caught up with Christ at His coming are the righteous, and the only brand of righteousness that counts with our Heavenly Father is that which He freely gives to all who believe as a gift through Christ. We are made righteous by the blood of our Saviour Jesus and not our works, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Remember Romans 3:20 – "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
All the law-keeping and good works done in order to get right with God can never make one righteous in His sight. Only the righteousness that was paid for with the blood of Jesus suffices for the Most High God. All who receive this gift of righteousness are 100% righteous in His eyes, no matter what they do or do not do. This way, we don’t TRY to do His will; we GET to do His will “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
Only by grace through faith are we saved, including our bodily redemption in Christ (Rapture). If it is by one's own effort, then it is no longer grace. Romans 11:6 says -
"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work."
But many of us, even with good intentions, still try to attain right-standing with and earn God's favour with our own righteousnesses and law-keeping which Isaiah says are like "a menstrual rag" In God's sight. This is the height of self-righteousness and hypocrisy: to believe that we can earn points of righteousness with God or curry His favour by doing what the Law commands when Romans 3:20 says: "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Our own righteousnesses are like filthy rags (menstrual rags in original Hebrew) according to Isaiah 64:6; not our sins but the good things we do with the aim of getting right with God. Whatever we do to make ourselves deserve God's goodness or be eligible for our bodily redemption (Rapture) in Christ are like a menstrual rag in His sight. Believing that being caught up with Christ at His coming depends on our own filthy rags righteousnesses from our performance of the Ten Commandments or has anything at all to do with our own efforts at getting right with God has quite the opposite effect as we see in Galatians 5:4-
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."
Those who think it is what they do or do not do that make them right with God have been cut off from Christ. No Rapture for such. It takes being "saved by Grace through faith" to be caught up with our Saviour. The law is not of faith.
So who is eligible for the Rapture? The criteria for being caught up with Christ is to be a believer in Christ and to be "alive and remain" at His coming, according to God's word. We see this in 1 Thessalonians 4 where the believers there were concerned about what would happen to those that had fallen asleep in Christ. This answer isn't Paul's opinion. Paul said it "by the word of the Lord":
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words."
Understand verse 14 above: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
It is very important for every believer to understand WHY Christ died and WHY God raised Christ from the dead. This is plain for all to see in Romans 4:25-
"Who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous."
The TPT puts it this way: "Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that He had made us right with God!"
Christ's resurrection is the divine evidence that we have been made righteous forever and apart from works. Believing that "Jesus died and rose again," is believing that we have been made right with God because of Christ's sacrifice. This is the Good News: Righteousness by faith in Christ.
We (Paul was speaking to believers) who will be caught up with Christ (after those that are asleep in Christ are first caught up) are the Righteous by Faith in Christ "who are alive and remain" at His coming, not we who are doing our best to keep the Ten Commandments, fasting to be closer to God or trying to obey the Law in order to be eligible and thus are cut off from Christ; not we who make sure that we do good all the time so that we can make the cut. Wonderful as these things are, it is "we who are alive and remain" that will be caught up with Christ- we who are righteous by faith and not by works.
Did you also notice that Paul said in verse 18: "Therefore comfort one another with these words." Our Saviour's words concerning the Rapture should bring comfort to all believers but today, it brings fear to many, thanks to the preaching of “another gospel” by many leaders who make the flock believe that it is their own personal ability to ‘be right with God” that makes them eligible for the Rapture and not the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. These poor beloved of God see that there is no way that they can make it if it depends on them and so are scared when they hear the song “Will you be ready when the Lord shall come!” Please where is grace in this kind of teaching? Where is God’s undeserved, unmerited favour?
Many leaders condemn the flock, threaten them into being “cheerful givers” and point out their inadequacies and ungodliness and tell them to do things in order to be godly (be like God,) just like the Accuser the devil did with Eve! Their own preaching of the blessed hope in Christ (Rapture) produces fear and not comfort. Believers, this is not of Christ. Pastors and leaders, unveil God's Grace expressed in His love for us (Christ died for us to make us Rapture-worthy) and the people will live right. Right believing always produces right living.
But does the “we who are alive and remain” truth for believers mean that we should just go and be sinning anyhow? Certainly not! Many people who do not yet understand our salvation in Christ think that we "Grace people" are looking for an excuse to continue to wallow in sin but nothing could be further from the truth. Can you imagine feeling great guilt and condemnation because someone asked you for the time and you responded with "12 o'clock" when the time was really 12.02? That is how much we "Grace people" want to sin. Many of us saw Grace by God using the law to bring us to the end of our tethers. I got so exhausted trying to obey the law that one day, I gave up and told God that I couldn't do it anymore; no matter how hard I tried, there was always something I lacked. Little did I know that at that moment, the purpose of the Law was fulfilled in my life. This is the purpose of the law according to Romans 3:19-20- to show everyone up as guilty before God-
"19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Also Galatians 3:19: "Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], ..."
Trying to be good or doing anything at all in order to get right with God via obedience to the Law has quite the opposite effect on you and on your standing with God. Galatians 5:4 tells us that this is how to get cut off from Christ -
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."
Christ is of no effect in the lives of those who think that it is what they do or do not do (law-keeping) that makes them right with God. These ones have rejected the gift of right standing with God that Christ died that they might have as recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
As for the effect on yourself, Romans 7:5 says: "When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
The "old nature" here is simply the sin nature that every human inherited from Adam by default, as it is written in Romans 5:19 "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."
Having the old nature means living outside the umbrella of God's gift of righteousness which is available to all believers through Christ's obedience. Those who reject this gift of righteousness and depend on their “good works” and obedience to the Law to get right with God and be caught up with Christ (Rapture) have the old nature. These ones are not a new creation. They still have the Law as their standard of righteousness and thus are under the curse. According to Romans 7:5, the same Law that such people try to obey in order to be righteous arouses evil desires in them and the result is more acts of sin that lead to death.
Romans 7:5-
"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
As the righteousness of God in Christ, we are a New Creation. Not under Law but under Grace. And this is the result: we get to produce a harvest of good deeds for God, yet not us but Christ in us! Romans 7:4-
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God."
Only when we forsake our own righteousnesses that come from our obedience to the Law and accept that which is from “one Man’s obedience” (Christ’s) can we produce a harvest of good deeds for God; only this way can we live right.
Doing anything by our own effort to get right with God is not Grace. It is works. In Christ, we are not saved (including being caught up with Him at His coming) because we are obedient by our own effort. We become obedient because we are saved. Titus 2:14 says: "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
Believers, don't let anyone deceive you into thinking that your right living and being zealous for good works as well as your salvation from your addictions, sins and bad habits can be accomplished by your sheer determination and self-will. That church “Daddy” who tells you so can never cast the first stone! The arm of flesh will fail. This is why Christ came, to "redeem us from every lawless deed…" To redeem means to "regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment." This means that sin holds such that are under its power in captivity and a price has to be paid in order for such to be set free; a price that Christ paid with His blood! He is our Redeemer. Without Him, we can do nothing. Ask and trust in Him to save you. He is ever-willing to make you clean.
This is God's undeserved, unmerited favour. His Grace. And our being caught up with our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming to be with Him forever fits right in there with every blessing that He has freely blessed us with in Christ. For lack of understanding many think that this is "too cheap a gospel" but it did not come cheap at all! It cost our heavenly Father the most precious Treasure in heaven: our Saviour Jesus Christ. He loves us so much!
Believers, with the Lord as your Strength and Righteousness, understand that your being "raptured" has been paid for with Christ's blood, alongside every single one of His blessings (His righteousness, healing, peace, deliverance, etc) that you are enjoying today. All are freely given with Christ (Romans 8:32.) Christ paid for our bodily redemption (Rapture) alongside all of His benefits that we are receiving and enjoying today when He shed His blood for us on the cross. If it was up to us, be assured that no one will be caught up with Him when He comes! Only by Grace (undeserved, unmerited favour) through faith are we saved.
You believing one (you who are the righteousness of God in Christ; you who have no righteousness of your own from doing works of the Law but have Christ as your righteousness; you whose boast is not in your own ability to fast and pray for 40 days straight and keep the Law but boast only in Christ as your Saviour and Redeemer;) you “who are alive and remain” at the Rapture will be caught up together with the saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air to be with Him forever. Look forward to it! We purify ourselves by having this hope fixed on Him (1 John 3:3)
Comfort yourselves with His words in 1 Thessalonians 4, and "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Philippians 1:6)
Believe Right and you will Live Right!
The bible says in Ephesians 2:8-10- "For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in Him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ! 9 So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.
10 We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!"
"Salvation" in verse 8 above encompasses salvation from hell to heaven, salvation from the power, pleasure and penalty of sin; deliverance from oppression and molestations of the enemy; deliverance from all earthly ills and being caught up with Christ when He returns for His saints. The Rapture, which is the believer’s bodily redemption in Christ, is the final delivery in “salvation” package that Christ bought for us with His blood at the cross. It is a gift that cannot be earned by doing good things or trying to obey the law to qualify. This "trying to obey the law to get right with God" has the effect of cutting one off from Christ:
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." Galatians 5:4.
1 Peter 2:24 says of Christ: "He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed."
See the Contemporary English Version: "Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By His cuts and bruises you are healed."
But many believers, after receiving Christ, are still clinging to the Ten Commandments, depending on their ability to obey the law and their good deeds to make them stop sinning, live right, right with God and Rapture-worthy. This is the way to get cut off from from Christ (Galatians 5:4.) Sin has dominion over those who are trying to obey the law in order to be godly - "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace."
Believers, by grace, let's have one thing settled in our conscience: Because Christ shed His blood for us, God is no longer holding ANY sin against us, even the ones we might commit tomorrow. Christ didn't suffer and die for His own sins; He had/has none. It was our entire lifetime of sins that He died for, but many believe that God is still holding the same sins that Christ to save us from against us and are still expecting to pay the wages of sin and so are running from pillar to post looking for righteousness that God gave His own Son for us to freely receive.
Hebrews 9 says: "27 Every human being is appointed to die once, and then to face God’s judgment. 28 But when we die we will be face-to-face with Christ, the One who experienced death once for all to bear the sins of many! And now to those who eagerly await Him, He will appear a second time; not to deal with sin, but to bring us the fullness of salvation."
The wages of sin is death. No matter how many times you sin, there is only one death. Bear in mind that sickness, lack, poverty, depression and all earthly ills are "death begun." Remember God told Adam he would surely die on the day he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which is a picture of the law that many are trying to keep in order to be godly, according to Romans 7:8-12 (See MSG version.) The letter (law) kills, but this death is not necessarily immediate. God said to Adam: "for in the day of thine eating of it -- dying thou dost die." Psalms 90:4 says of God "A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by,"; Moses wrote this concerning God's view of the life of man (v.3) Adam did not die immediately but lived in stress and toiling for almost 1,000 years aka one day gone by in the sight of God- this death from law-keeping to be godly is a process. Why stay here when Christ died to free you from the law of sin and death?
Hebrews 10:12 says: "Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then He sat down at the right side of God."
And this is the testimony of the Holy Spirit to believers because of the finished work of Christ in making us right with God as we see in verse 14 of Hebrews 10 below:
"14 And by His one perfect sacrifice He made us perfectly holy and complete for all time! 15 The Holy Spirit confirms this to us by this Scripture, for the Lord says, 16 “Afterwards, I will give them this covenant: I will embed my laws into their hearts and fasten my Word to their thoughts.” 17 And then He says, “I will not ever again remember their sins and lawless deeds!”"
It is pointless to say that you will not remember the sins of a person who has no sins. The law that many are trying to obey to get right with God gives sin its power. 1 Corinthians 15:56 says: "Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law."
Try to obey the law in order to be godly and sin will have dominion, "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.
Believer, in Christ, we have God's perfect, everlasting righteousness that is apart from works. See Romans 5:9-
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
ONLY through the blood of Jesus are we righteous in God's sight. The vilest offender who believes that "The Lord our Righteousness" is his righteousness is Rapture-worthy because we are made right with God through the blood of Jesus and not by obeying the law. Trying to obey the law to be godly (righteous) is saying that Christ's death for us (to make us right with God) is for nothing or that it is not enough. See Galatians 2:21-
"I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"
As it is with all of God’s blessings which are FREELY given to us with Christ according to Romans 8:32, being caught up with Christ at His coming (Rapture) cannot be earned by our efforts at keeping the Law which Romans 3:20 says cannot make any righteous in God’s sight. It is by Grace. It is freely given. We can’t “work towards it” by our own efforts at law-keeping. We look forward to it because “It is finished!” It is certain for all who are believing Christ; all whose righteousness is found in Christ and not their own righteousnesses from keeping the Ten Commandments.
And receiving this gift of righteousness, having a clean conscience that even when we sin, God is no longer holding our sins against us because Christ died the death that we were appointed to die- this is the ONLY WAY to live in triumph over death and its symptoms. See this in Romans 5:17-
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."
Those who will be caught up with Christ at His coming are the righteous, and the only brand of righteousness that counts with our Heavenly Father is that which He freely gives to all who believe as a gift through Christ. We are made righteous by the blood of our Saviour Jesus and not our works, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Remember Romans 3:20 – "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
All the law-keeping and good works done in order to get right with God can never make one righteous in His sight. Only the righteousness that was paid for with the blood of Jesus suffices for the Most High God. All who receive this gift of righteousness are 100% righteous in His eyes, no matter what they do or do not do. This way, we don’t TRY to do His will; we GET to do His will “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
Only by grace through faith are we saved, including our bodily redemption in Christ (Rapture). If it is by one's own effort, then it is no longer grace. Romans 11:6 says -
"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work."
But many of us, even with good intentions, still try to attain right-standing with and earn God's favour with our own righteousnesses and law-keeping which Isaiah says are like "a menstrual rag" In God's sight. This is the height of self-righteousness and hypocrisy: to believe that we can earn points of righteousness with God or curry His favour by doing what the Law commands when Romans 3:20 says: "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Our own righteousnesses are like filthy rags (menstrual rags in original Hebrew) according to Isaiah 64:6; not our sins but the good things we do with the aim of getting right with God. Whatever we do to make ourselves deserve God's goodness or be eligible for our bodily redemption (Rapture) in Christ are like a menstrual rag in His sight. Believing that being caught up with Christ at His coming depends on our own filthy rags righteousnesses from our performance of the Ten Commandments or has anything at all to do with our own efforts at getting right with God has quite the opposite effect as we see in Galatians 5:4-
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."
Those who think it is what they do or do not do that make them right with God have been cut off from Christ. No Rapture for such. It takes being "saved by Grace through faith" to be caught up with our Saviour. The law is not of faith.
So who is eligible for the Rapture? The criteria for being caught up with Christ is to be a believer in Christ and to be "alive and remain" at His coming, according to God's word. We see this in 1 Thessalonians 4 where the believers there were concerned about what would happen to those that had fallen asleep in Christ. This answer isn't Paul's opinion. Paul said it "by the word of the Lord":
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words."
Understand verse 14 above: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
It is very important for every believer to understand WHY Christ died and WHY God raised Christ from the dead. This is plain for all to see in Romans 4:25-
"Who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous."
The TPT puts it this way: "Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that He had made us right with God!"
Christ's resurrection is the divine evidence that we have been made righteous forever and apart from works. Believing that "Jesus died and rose again," is believing that we have been made right with God because of Christ's sacrifice. This is the Good News: Righteousness by faith in Christ.
We (Paul was speaking to believers) who will be caught up with Christ (after those that are asleep in Christ are first caught up) are the Righteous by Faith in Christ "who are alive and remain" at His coming, not we who are doing our best to keep the Ten Commandments, fasting to be closer to God or trying to obey the Law in order to be eligible and thus are cut off from Christ; not we who make sure that we do good all the time so that we can make the cut. Wonderful as these things are, it is "we who are alive and remain" that will be caught up with Christ- we who are righteous by faith and not by works.
Did you also notice that Paul said in verse 18: "Therefore comfort one another with these words." Our Saviour's words concerning the Rapture should bring comfort to all believers but today, it brings fear to many, thanks to the preaching of “another gospel” by many leaders who make the flock believe that it is their own personal ability to ‘be right with God” that makes them eligible for the Rapture and not the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. These poor beloved of God see that there is no way that they can make it if it depends on them and so are scared when they hear the song “Will you be ready when the Lord shall come!” Please where is grace in this kind of teaching? Where is God’s undeserved, unmerited favour?
Many leaders condemn the flock, threaten them into being “cheerful givers” and point out their inadequacies and ungodliness and tell them to do things in order to be godly (be like God,) just like the Accuser the devil did with Eve! Their own preaching of the blessed hope in Christ (Rapture) produces fear and not comfort. Believers, this is not of Christ. Pastors and leaders, unveil God's Grace expressed in His love for us (Christ died for us to make us Rapture-worthy) and the people will live right. Right believing always produces right living.
But does the “we who are alive and remain” truth for believers mean that we should just go and be sinning anyhow? Certainly not! Many people who do not yet understand our salvation in Christ think that we "Grace people" are looking for an excuse to continue to wallow in sin but nothing could be further from the truth. Can you imagine feeling great guilt and condemnation because someone asked you for the time and you responded with "12 o'clock" when the time was really 12.02? That is how much we "Grace people" want to sin. Many of us saw Grace by God using the law to bring us to the end of our tethers. I got so exhausted trying to obey the law that one day, I gave up and told God that I couldn't do it anymore; no matter how hard I tried, there was always something I lacked. Little did I know that at that moment, the purpose of the Law was fulfilled in my life. This is the purpose of the law according to Romans 3:19-20- to show everyone up as guilty before God-
"19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Also Galatians 3:19: "Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], ..."
Trying to be good or doing anything at all in order to get right with God via obedience to the Law has quite the opposite effect on you and on your standing with God. Galatians 5:4 tells us that this is how to get cut off from Christ -
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."
Christ is of no effect in the lives of those who think that it is what they do or do not do (law-keeping) that makes them right with God. These ones have rejected the gift of right standing with God that Christ died that they might have as recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
As for the effect on yourself, Romans 7:5 says: "When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
The "old nature" here is simply the sin nature that every human inherited from Adam by default, as it is written in Romans 5:19 "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."
Having the old nature means living outside the umbrella of God's gift of righteousness which is available to all believers through Christ's obedience. Those who reject this gift of righteousness and depend on their “good works” and obedience to the Law to get right with God and be caught up with Christ (Rapture) have the old nature. These ones are not a new creation. They still have the Law as their standard of righteousness and thus are under the curse. According to Romans 7:5, the same Law that such people try to obey in order to be righteous arouses evil desires in them and the result is more acts of sin that lead to death.
Romans 7:5-
"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
As the righteousness of God in Christ, we are a New Creation. Not under Law but under Grace. And this is the result: we get to produce a harvest of good deeds for God, yet not us but Christ in us! Romans 7:4-
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God."
Only when we forsake our own righteousnesses that come from our obedience to the Law and accept that which is from “one Man’s obedience” (Christ’s) can we produce a harvest of good deeds for God; only this way can we live right.
Doing anything by our own effort to get right with God is not Grace. It is works. In Christ, we are not saved (including being caught up with Him at His coming) because we are obedient by our own effort. We become obedient because we are saved. Titus 2:14 says: "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
Believers, don't let anyone deceive you into thinking that your right living and being zealous for good works as well as your salvation from your addictions, sins and bad habits can be accomplished by your sheer determination and self-will. That church “Daddy” who tells you so can never cast the first stone! The arm of flesh will fail. This is why Christ came, to "redeem us from every lawless deed…" To redeem means to "regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment." This means that sin holds such that are under its power in captivity and a price has to be paid in order for such to be set free; a price that Christ paid with His blood! He is our Redeemer. Without Him, we can do nothing. Ask and trust in Him to save you. He is ever-willing to make you clean.
This is God's undeserved, unmerited favour. His Grace. And our being caught up with our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming to be with Him forever fits right in there with every blessing that He has freely blessed us with in Christ. For lack of understanding many think that this is "too cheap a gospel" but it did not come cheap at all! It cost our heavenly Father the most precious Treasure in heaven: our Saviour Jesus Christ. He loves us so much!
Believers, with the Lord as your Strength and Righteousness, understand that your being "raptured" has been paid for with Christ's blood, alongside every single one of His blessings (His righteousness, healing, peace, deliverance, etc) that you are enjoying today. All are freely given with Christ (Romans 8:32.) Christ paid for our bodily redemption (Rapture) alongside all of His benefits that we are receiving and enjoying today when He shed His blood for us on the cross. If it was up to us, be assured that no one will be caught up with Him when He comes! Only by Grace (undeserved, unmerited favour) through faith are we saved.
You believing one (you who are the righteousness of God in Christ; you who have no righteousness of your own from doing works of the Law but have Christ as your righteousness; you whose boast is not in your own ability to fast and pray for 40 days straight and keep the Law but boast only in Christ as your Saviour and Redeemer;) you “who are alive and remain” at the Rapture will be caught up together with the saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air to be with Him forever. Look forward to it! We purify ourselves by having this hope fixed on Him (1 John 3:3)
Comfort yourselves with His words in 1 Thessalonians 4, and "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Philippians 1:6)
Believe Right and you will Live Right!
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