the term Rapture does not appear in English translations of the Bible however the concept is undeniably rooted in scripture the word rapture comes from the Latin word rapturo meaning a carrying off a transport or a snatching away while this specific word is absent from Biblical texts the idea of a sudden and dramatic event where Believers are taken away by God is clear ly and repeatedly taught in the word of God this event often referred to as the Rapture of the church is a Divine moment in which God will snatch away all True Believers from the
earth in preparation for his righteous judgment on the unbelieving world this message is urgent the Rapture will be sudden and there will be no warning it is an event that will occur in the blink of an eye and we must ensure we are ready Jesus repeatedly warned his followers to remain watchful and prepared the Rapture is described most explicitly in two key passages of scripture first Thessalonians 4: 13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15: 50-54 these verses give us a clear understanding of what this event entails and the hope it provides for believers 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
but I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with
the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore Comfort one another with these words in this passage Paul reassures Believers that those who have died in Christ will not be left behind when the Lord descends the dead in Christ will rise first and those who are alive will be caught up together with them in the air to meet the Lord
this catching up is the essence of the Rapture notice how Paul encourages us to find comfort in these words the Rapture is not a doctrine of fear but one of Hope and anticipation this hope is not a distant dream but a powerful Assurance for every believer grounding Us in the promises of God and giving us strength to endure life's trials 1 Corinthians 15: 50- 54 now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep but
we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised Incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this Mortal must put on immortal ality so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in Victory Paul emphasizes that our current bodies which are mortal and corruptible cannot inherit God's Eternal Kingdom
these Earthly bodies prone to Decay sickness and death are unfit for the Perfection of of Heaven Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:50 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable this highlights the need for a Divine transformation a complete renewal that will make us fit to dwell in God's presence for eternity at the moment of the Rapture Believers will receive glorified bodies Immortal and Incorruptible this incredible transformation is described as happening in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet the suddenness of this
event reminds us that it will occur without warning and it emphasizes God's Sovereign power to bring about this miraculous change instantaneously this transformation is not only a promise of physical renewal but also a profound reminder of God's power to redeem and per effect every part of us our glorified bodies will be free from the constraints of sin and death in Philippians 3: 20 to 21 Paul explains but our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there the Lord Jesus Christ who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his
control will transform our lowly bodies so that they they will be like his glorious body this transformation will make Believers like Christ in his resurrected State a state of Eternal vitality and Holiness one of the most sobering warnings in scripture is the danger of spiritual complacency Jesus repeatedly admonished his followers to remain watchful and alert Luke 21: 34-36 and take heed to your eles lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfing and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on
all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the son of man the cares of this world can easily distract us from what truly matters many people are so consumed with their daily lives that they fail to see the signs of the times the Rapture will come like a thief in the night and those who are not ready will face the consequences this passage reminds us that vigilance and
prayer are not optional they are critical disciplines for every believer Titus 2:12 teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World godliness is essential as we anticipate the Rapture the moment when Believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air living a Godly life reflects our Readiness for Christ's return aligning our hearts with his will 2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away those who display a form of godliness are those who outwardly show
religious Behavior they appear to be Godly but it is only a facade their religion lacks true power as seen by their unchanged lives they talk about God but continue to live in sin and they are content with this lifestyle so what is a simple definition of godliness it is living in a way that reflects the character of God obeying his Commandments and seeking to honor and please him in all areas of life an even more simple definition of godliness goes as following godliness is not sinning godliness is not sinning how do we know Jesus was
Godly because he lived 33 years on this Earth not sinning who is the godliest person in your church well it is the person who sins the least in your church who is the least Godly person in your church it is the person who sins the most now our Bible in 2 Timothy 3:5 tells us that there are a group of individuals who have a form of godliness this group of people will be left behind during the Rapture and when they are left behind after the Rapture a percentage of them will be shocked that they are
left behind because in their minds they were Christians and a percentage of them will not be shocked because they know that the way they have been living is against the word of God the truth is some of you have God's laws you have the Bible you know the Bible but yet you do not do what the Bible says that right there is what is spoken of in 2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-1 17 we are moving towards the Rapture and those who have a form
of godliness but deny its power will be left behind now let us consider the scenario 24 hours before the Rapture the sky will not turn black midday causing an apocalyptic appearance the sun will not stop shining and there won't be an overwhelming meteor shower dominating the skies people will not be looking up anticipating the Rapture there will not be a great earthquake shaking the foundations of the earth nor will the waves Roar uncontrollably lightning will not flash incessantly these dramatic events described will not occur 24 hours before the Rapture instead people will continue living their
normal lives either in Godly or ungodly ways picture the scene a world hurrying with activity people going about their daily routines living their normal everyday lives oblivious to the impending moment the Bible tells us that when the Rapture takes place it will occur suddenly the world will be caught off guard unaware of what has transpired The Godly will be living in alignment with God's will while the ungodly will continue in their sinful ways unlike other prophetic events the Rapture will happen without any prior signs or announcements there will be no countdown no ticking clock to
warn us the Bible assures us that no one knows the day or hour not even the angels in Heaven nor the Sun but only the father this truth emphasizes the urgency of living in Readiness at all times for The Rapture could occur at any moment for all we know you and I and the whole world could be 24 hours before the Rapture this very moment if not the Rapture some of us could be 24 hours from breathing our last breath are you living a Godly life a life of not sinning are you living a Godly
life or an ungodly life and remember the simplest definition of a Godly life is not sinning a Godly life is not having a secret addiction that no one knows about a Godly life is not having a secret life that you are doing your best to keep hidden a Godly life is one life a Godly life is not cheating on your husband a Godly life is not cheating on your wife a Godly life is not engaging in dishonesty or deceit whether it be in personal relationships or business dealings a Godly life is not driven by selfish
ambition or a Relentless pursuit of personal gain a Godly life is not characterized by a lack of Integrity or a disregard for biblical moral values a Godly life is not marked by harboring bitterness resentment or unforgiveness towards others a Godly life is not consumed by materialism and the Relentless pursuit of wealth and possessions a Godly life is not defined by engaging in sexual immorality The Godly will continue to live in obedience to God's word remaining faithful and steadfast their lives will be marked by love humility and and Devotion to Christ on the other hand the
ungodly will persist in their Rebellion indulging in worldly desires and rejecting the truth they will be blinded by their sinful Pursuits unaware of the impending divine intervention the godliest people can be Garden Day variety saints that no one knows or listens to don't ever make the mistake in believing because someone has a great following or has a big platform or a mega church that person is God godliness is not about performing Miracles or performing wonders godliness is not sinning godliness is it is living in a way that reflects the character of God obeying his Commandments
it is not living a double life it is not living one life for when people are watching and completely different life when no one is around that is godliness superficial displays of religious activities and empty rituals hold no value if they are not accompanied by a genuine surrender to God's transformative power now I want to ask you a question today if we were 24 hours from the Rapture do you have true Assurance of Salvation or have you lived an ungodly life having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof you may ask how can
I live a Godly life focus on the cross of Christ the Cross of Christ was not only put there to free you and I from sin's penalty it was also there for us to live Godly lives and for us to die to sin and to say no to sin the cross was also there so that sin's power over us may be broken there are those who are listening to me whose Christian lives are no different from what they were years ago in fact their lives remain just the same as it was before the date they
claimed to have been converted what are we to say about people like this you have a form of godliness but deny its power are you saying that God has saved you filled you with the Holy Spirit and redeemed you yet you continue to live in sin what are we to say about people like you anyone who truly comes to know Christ hates sin and lives a life that shows their hatred for sin yes we do not enter Heaven or receive salvation because we do not sin it is by the grace that we are saved however
anyone who is saved by grace is transformed for they have died with Christ on the cross in conclusion the words spoken carry a weighty challenge for those who claim to be followers of Christ it is a call to self-reflection and examination of the authenticity of our faith we cannot ignore the Stark reality that there are individuals Among Us whose Christian lives show no transformation remaining stagnant and unchanged over the years the question arises what shall we say about people who profess godliness yet deny its power can we truly claim to be saved filled with the
Holy Spirit and Redeemed by the blood of Christ while continuing to live in a manner contrary to his teachings genuine salvation in Christ produces a profound transformation within the hearts and lives of Believers the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit empowers us to hate sin and live in a way that reflects our love of God we are not saved by our own efforts or by avoiding sin but solely by the unmerited grace of God however the transformative work of Grace within us is unmistakable true followers of Christ are called to embrace the reality that they
have died with him on the cross this this identification with Christ's death signifies a profound break from the power and Dominion of sin in our lives the old self is crucified and we are raised to newness of life in him this new life is characterized by a genuine hatred for sin a desire for Holiness and an unwavering commitment to live in accordance with God's word
