Life #6 – Why Should We Choose His Promise of Life?

Morning Glory 2011

Christians today believe in the popular rapture teaching, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up…to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Ironically, our dust-kicking jubilation has blinded us from seeing its narrow but bold assertion—that in order to participate in the rapture, we must be “alive and remain”!

Many of us can count the number of Christian friends and family who believed in the rapture but are now waiting for their resurrection. Obviously, something has been overlooked in the rapture-teaching. If that’s true, then our rapture-conditioned mindset must be open to correction and instruction. Yet we all know how difficult it is to change fixed mindsets, don’t we! Even Jesus had a hard time convincing the leaders of his day to change theirs, especially when he claimed, “…if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death” (John 8:51-59).

When rapture occurs is not a mystery. The Scripture clearly states rapture happens after the resurrection of those who are in Christ. So, when we see our Christian ancestors, grandparents, parents, children, cousins, uncles, friends, etc. begin to resurrect from their graves—or other places of rest—that’s when we know our rapture is imminent! First the dead in Christ will rise; then the rapture of those who “are alive and remain” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

To be “alive and remain” for the rapture is do-able by those who have entered into Jesus’ promise to “live and never die”; otherwise, it’s the resurrection.

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.

Life #3 – Rage against the Dying of the Light

Kaaawa 2011

A famous TV actor once said in an interview that although he had cancer, he wanted to live. There was so much he wanted to do. He wouldn’t go without a fight. This actor had an aversion to death. Then I remembered a poem by Dylan Thomas. Thomas urged his dying father to fight; that no matter how they lived their lives, or what they felt at the end, they should all die fighting. I concluded that this actor and Thomas were determined not to “go gentle into that good night”.

My last hospital visit with a dear old Christian man was bittersweet. I watched this octogenarian “rage against the dying of the light”, as he demanded an answer from me. “Why? Why?” I had no answer. No words. Only silence. Charlie S. had a strong inclination to live. When he finally accepted that no answer was forthcoming, he fell to one knee and cried uncontrollably. I cried with him. Dear Charlie did not have the knowledge of 2 Timothy 1:10 or John 11:26, but he did have truth in his inward parts. Truth helped Charlie perceive that life was for his body. Though it was not to be manifested for Charlie that day, it will be at the Resurrection.

Jesus promised that if we lived and believed in him, we would never die (John 11:26). So, Lord, what does it take to live?

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; poem by Dylan Thomas from Wikipedia.