As we approach the day of Jesus’ return, the world grows ever colder of heart, increasingly unconcerned about personal righteousness.
We live in a generation of people who do what they want to do, when they want to do it. Even Christians have lots of reasons why they don’t live a life of righteousness.
In the late 60′s and early 70′s when the “Jesus People Movement” was getting started, a person who came to the Lord, did so with complete intention of leaving all of the old life behind. It was assumed that the way that we used to live was not going to be the way we were going to live from now on. Habits, friends, even family members in many cases, were no longer a part of the new life we chose when we began to follow Jesus.
Whatever it was that would slow us down or hinder us from drawing us close to Jesus as possible, had to go.
When John describes himself in his gospel, he often refers to himself as “The Disciple whom Jesus Loved.” At the last supper, John is seen as the only one who is so near Jesus that he actually has his head on Jesus chest, and ear close to His heart. When Jesus was on His Cross in torment and torture, John was the only disciple who stood at the foot of Jesus’ Cross with Him.
All of the Disciples died horrible deaths, except John. When the Romans tried to boil John in a pot of hot oil, nothing happened to Him. In frustration, the Roman government banished John to the desolate island of Patmos. While on Patmos, John was given the amazing details found in the Book of Revelation.
When Jesus called Paul into a life of ministry, He said “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Later, Paul said that the reason that he suffered infirmity in his body and so often found himself in tremendous trials and under the threat of death, was due to all of the revelations of God’s Word that Paul received from Jesus.
Bottom line: If we want to really be used by Jesus in these final days before Jesus returns:
1. We must be willing to purify our life of all of the junk that we are involved in, playing with, or attached to.
2. We must understand that with great revelation and use by Jesus, comes great trials and difficulties.
Knowing these things, I wonder how many would still sign up to be greatly used by the Lord?
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him that in the master’s house, there are two kinds of vessels. Some are chosen for honor, others for dishonor.
Those chosen as vessels of honor to be used by Jesus are those people who have determined to not compromise on their integrity before other people. They will not say or do anything that would dishonor the Lord in all of their life.
Those who do not really care if they stumble in the area of sin and consider it no big deal to continue to flirt with sin, find that they are a vessel of dishonor and will not be used by Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:20-26 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.“
Will a Christian who continually compromises in their life by doing what the world, and their friends do, still make it in the Rapture when Jesus comes?
The bottom line is that we just do not know. There are many scriptures which speak of those who call Jesus “Lord” but then when He comes, He says that He doesn’t “know them”.
Other verses speak of the fact that we are saved by grace through faith and that salvation is not of ourselves so that none of us can boast.
Which verses are correct? Both. If a person continually compromises in the area of sin after they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and there is no repentance of that sin, but a continual practice of it, there is every indication that that person will not be going in the Rapture. In fact the scriptures give a stunning declaration that people who remain in a lifestyle of sin after they claim to be a follower of Jesus are not really saved at all.
This of course would not include the sincere follower of Jesus who occasionally falls into sin and immediately repents and prays for forgiveness for the misstep. Every Christian continues to sin after they are saved. The one that is of concern is the person who has no basic change in their lifestyle or who lives so close to the behavior of the world, that it is very difficult to tell if they follow Jesus or not.
Paul mentions to Timothy that even in the area of arguing with other Christians about doctrine or certain scriptures in the Bible, that everyone who follows Jesus should avoid these kinds of things. Something as simple as saying a few words that cause strife or division in the body of Christ is a serious offense to Jesus.
Instead, to cultivate a heart of gentleness, quietness, humility and patience, these are are the true attributes that each of us who claim to love Jesus, should be striving towards.
The church today is full of gossip, arguments, betrayal, and cruel and inappropriate jokes with sexual innuendo. It is for certain that these kinds of behaviors only grieve the Holy Spirit and make His usage of those who practice such things and impossibility.
For myself and hopefully all who read this article, we will dedicate our remaining days to become people who honor Jesus by the words we say, the things we do, and the places we go. May the Lord find us being busy with our hands, quiet with our mouths and gentle and humble with our spirits.
Rob Robinson
