Rapture Ready For Partial Rapture?

[marks]

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

I believe there are 3 harvests that makes up the whole of the kingdom of God before Jesus hands it back to the Father.

Matthew 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The first fruits;

They that be Christ's at His coming

Those remaining loyal to Christ after Satan has been released from the pit after a thousand years for a small season.

Then the great white throne judgement and death is in the lake of fire for when Jesus gives the kingdom back to the Father

Interesting take on Matthew 13:33, food for thought!

I see . . .

The gentile church raptured/resurrected just before the 70th week.
The 144,000 translated into heaven mid-week.
The martyrs from the 70th week resurrected after the 70th week.
The OT faithful resurrected after the judgment of the nations.
Saved Israel, and those who remain after the judgment of the nations, populate during the millennium.
Those who remain after the destruction at the end of the millennium go into the new heavens and earth, the nations who bring their glory into the heavenly city.

Much love!

 

[marks]

I understand but then that would be like your reference in 1 John 2nd chapter of those abiding and did not depart from us, are of "us", right? Then those dead in Christ as "in" referring to abiding "in" Christ shall rise first and those abiding "in" Christ that are alive and remain will be changed and take n up.

Not exactly.

If any be in Christ, he is a new creation.

If we are born again, we are In Christ.

So then the dead in Christ would be all who are In Christ who have died. And we who are alive and remain would be all who are In Christ who are yet alive.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Thank you for sharing. That parable is also about being ready or else.

HI Enow,

One question, I'm not sure if I saw an answer . . . what separates those who are raptured and those who are not? You've said those who abide, or don't repent, don't we all have times where we abide in Christ without sin, and times that our faith falters, and we do sin?

What is it about these that don't get the firstfruits resurrection?

Of course, come to think of it, Jesus is the firstfruits, and the 144,000 are firstfruits.

I'll have to look again to see, where do you see in Scripture the rapture is firstfruits?

Much love!

 

[Enow]

Interesting take on Matthew 13:33, food for thought!

I see . . .

The gentile church raptured/resurrected just before the 70th week.
The 144,000 translated into heaven mid-week.
The martyrs from the 70th week resurrected after the 70th week.
The OT faithful resurrected after the judgment of the nations.
Saved Israel, and those who remain after the judgment of the nations, populate during the millennium.
Those who remain after the destruction at the end of the millennium go into the new heavens and earth, the nations who bring their glory into the heavenly city.

Much love!

We shall know soon enough. May the Lord keeps us ready & willing to go.

 

[Enow]

Not exactly.

If any be in Christ, he is a new creation.

But even in relations to the verse testifying to that new reality "in" Christ, is the call to abandon the sinful practice of the former sinful life or be judged by the bad for why there is terror of the Lord to repent from the evil and to do good by His grace & by His help.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If we are born again, we are In Christ.

So then the dead in Christ would be all who are In Christ who have died. And we who are alive and remain would be all who are In Christ who are yet alive.

Much love!

Still, you have that foundation which was laid by Jesus Christ as the works on that foundation will be judged. The foundation will not go away but if the temple of God was defiled by iniquity, it will be destroyed with death in that day of visitation but the spirit will be saved; 1 Corinthians 3:15-17

So sowing to the works of the flesh is not considered abiding in Him, as we are to look to Him to help us lay aside every weight & sin ( Hebrews 12:1-2 ) but sowing to the fruits of the Spirit is considered as abiding in Him, trusting Him to finish His work in us to His glory ( Philippians 1:6-11 ).

 

[Enow]

HI Enow,

One question, I'm not sure if I saw an answer . . . what separates those who are raptured and those who are not? You've said those who abide, or don't repent, don't we all have times where we abide in Christ without sin, and times that our faith falters, and we do sin?

Living a life of repentance means asking Jesus for forgiveness and for His help not to commit that sin again. Our hope, confidence, and trust in Him as our Good Shepherd is what pleases God. Hebrews 11:6 Galatians 5:1,5 Philippians 1:6-11

What is it about these that don't get the firstfruits resurrection?

Unrepentant iniquity; saved believers who refuse to repent. Unfortunately, it also involves those who did not know any better as they will be given a few stripes. See how they are given stripes per the measure in how they were not ready in Luke 12:40-49 KJV

Of course, come to think of it, Jesus is the firstfruits, and the 144,000 are firstfruits.

If you are referring to Revelation 14:1-5 as the firstfruits of "virgin men redeemed from the earth" that make up His personal choir that follows Him around wherever He goes, there are other raptured saints, but that reference was just to show who makes up His personal choir in Heaven.

I'll have to look again to see, where do you see in Scripture the rapture is firstfruits?

Much love!

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Some try to assign that as Christ's resurrection but firstfruits is plural.

 

[marks]

But even in relations to the verse testifying to that new reality "in" Christ, is the call to abandon the sinful practice of the former sinful life or be judged by the bad for why there is terror of the Lord to repent from the evil and to do good by His grace & by His help.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.



Still, you have that foundation which was laid by Jesus Christ as the works on that foundation will be judged. The foundation will not go away but if the temple of God was defiled by iniquity, it will be destroyed with death in that day of visitation but the spirit will be saved; 1 Corinthians 3:15-17

So sowing to the works of the flesh is not considered abiding in Him, as we are to look to Him to help us lay aside every weight & sin ( Hebrews 12:1-2 ) but sowing to the fruits of the Spirit is considered as abiding in Him, trusting Him to finish His work in us to His glory ( Philippians 1:6-11 ).

OK, I think I'm understanding you better. Let me see if I can articulate your view.

Foundational to understanding this is understanding that the Christian who is not abiding in Christ is not permitted to forego physical death.

The judgment seat of Christ is at the rapture itself, as some are taken and some are left, including both the living and the dead.

The "bad" that some will receive is being consigned to physical death during the Great Tribulation.

Those who receive the early resurrection enter into an eternal celestial state.

Those who are resurrected later are resurrected to continued mortality, and who will procreate on the earth.

The early are forever in higher estate than the later.

Do I have this right?

Much love!

 

[Enow]

OK, I think I'm understanding you better. Let me see if I can articulate your view.

Foundational to understanding this is understanding that the Christian who is not abiding in Christ is not permitted to forego physical death.

The judgment seat of Christ is at the rapture itself, as some are taken and some are left, including both the living and the dead.

The "bad" that some will receive is being consigned to physical death during the Great Tribulation.

Those who receive the early resurrection enter into an eternal celestial state.

Those who are resurrected later are resurrected to continued mortality, and who will procreate on the earth.

The early are forever in higher estate than the later.

Do I have this right?

Much love!

I do believe you have an understanding of what I have been led to believe in the scripture, yes.

 

[Keraz]

Really?

Revelation 12:14
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

If you equate this woman with the church, OK, but I don't see that. This woman gave birth to Christ. This woman is clothed with the sun, crowned with 12 stars, the moon under her feet, this woman is Israel.

Revelation 12:14-17 proves that the 'woman' is a metaphor for the Christian peoples. Christ is the head of His Church, we are His children.
Verse 17 says: …Satan will persecute the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's Commandments and stay faithful to Jesus.

The truth as revealed to us in Revelation 12, plainly shows that all of the Christian people are on earth during the Great Tribulation period of 1260 days. They will be divided into 2 groups. Also prophesied by Daniel 11:32-35 and in Zechariah 14:2.

THERE IS NO "RAPTURE' escape for anyone!
All who believe in that false teaching need to rethink their end times scenario, because they ain't going away to live in heaven now or ever. After the Millennium, heaven comes to us. Revelation 21:1-7

 

[Keraz]

OK, I think I'm understanding you better. Let me see if I can articulate your view.

Foundational to understanding this is understanding that the Christian who is not abiding in Christ is not permitted to forego physical death.

The judgment seat of Christ is at the rapture itself, as some are taken and some are left, including both the living and the dead.

The "bad" that some will receive is being consigned to physical death during the Great Tribulation.

Those who receive the early resurrection enter into an eternal celestial state.

Those who are resurrected later are resurrected to continued mortality, and who will procreate on the earth.

The early are forever in higher estate than the later.

Do I have this right?

Much love!

I 100% disagree with these beliefs. They are all in error.
The belief of some people having to die and some not and some receiving immortality, is simply not scriptural.

The only Judgement Jesus will do at His Return is of the nations. Matthew 25:31-33
The only dead raised will be the Trib martyrs. Revelation 20:4

The only time anyone will receive Eternal life, is when the Book of Life is opened. At the GWT Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15

 

[Dcopymope]

I 100% disagree with these beliefs. They are all in error.
The belief of some people having to die and some not and some receiving immortality, is simply not scriptural.

The only Judgement Jesus will do at His Return is of the nations. Matthew 25:31-33
The only dead raised will be the Trib martyrs. Revelation 20:4

The only time anyone will receive Eternal life, is when the Book of Life is opened. At the GWT Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15

Yes, at his return, he will judge the nations and rule with a rod of iron. You know what else this proves? That his second coming has nothing at all to do with addressing sin, contrary to what many assume. The fact that Satan still even exists at this point shows this to be the case.

 

[Paul Christensen]

I'll need you to show me this in the Scriptures. I don't see this anywhere.

"unrepentant saints" . . . what does that mean?

Much love!

Evangelical repentance is the general turning from rebellion against Christ to a full commitment to Him as Saviour. As soon as that happens the whole sin question is resolved with Jesus taking the full guilt and penalty of all sin, past, present and future. This is Jesus being a complete Saviour.

Repentance involves a total transformation from a love of sin to a total hatred of sin, and in many ways a hatred of self because of the inability to become sinlessly perfect in this life.

Total forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness comes through confessing our sins to God and seeking Him with all our hearts for the Holy Spirit to remove sinful habit patterns from us.

Therefore, an "unrepentant saint" is a contradiction in terms.

 

[n2thelight]

The only time anyone will receive Eternal life, is when the Book of Life is opened. At the GWT Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15

Gotta disagree with that part.
Those in Christ at His return receive Eternal life

Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

Oh the dead don't rise either,those who died in Christ come with Him,as they are with the Father at death

 

[Enow]

Revelation 12:14-17 proves that the 'woman' is a metaphor for the Christian peoples. Christ is the head of His Church, we are His children.
Verse 17 says: …Satan will persecute the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's Commandments and stay faithful to Jesus.

About Revelation 12 th chapter.. when did this event happen?

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Is that war yet to be since verse 10 below labels the devil as the accuser of our brethren in Heaven which is what he is doing now?

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Doesn't verse 12 indicates the raptured saints as the inhabitants of Heaven and the woe to the remainder of the "inhabitants" of the earth & sea because the devil knows he has a short time before Jesus comes back as the King of kings?

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

If you picture that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb aka the King's Supper is in Heaven for why the devil and the accusers of our brethren are kicked out so Jesus can hold that celebration without disturbance from the devil, does it stand to reason why he was kicked out to no longer accuse the brethren?

The truth as revealed to us in Revelation 12, plainly shows that all of the Christian people are on earth during the Great Tribulation period of 1260 days. They will be divided into 2 groups. Also prophesied by Daniel 11:32-35 and in Zechariah 14:2.

Daniel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

Reads like two kinds of Jews; the believing ones and the unbelieving ones that are led astray. Christians has His seal so they cannot be tempted to take the mark of the beast for the Lord is faithful in keeping the souls of His saints that suffer the great tribulation.

Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

But Zechariah 14:5 has the saints coming back with the Lord to do battle.

Zechariah 14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Earlier, that same day is depicted as the Jews receiving this help will mourn when they realize that Jesus was their Messiah Whom they had pierced, and it looks like each Jew will separate themselves from every body to mourn privately.

Zechariah 12:8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

THERE IS NO "RAPTURE' escape for anyone!

Here are some questions for you. What time period can the cares of this life be a snare to believers for why they should pray that they may escape what is coming on the earth? Believers cannot buy nor sell unless they have the mark of the beast so why would this warning apply to believers during the great tribulation as if they can still be tempted to surfeit and to drunkenness and be overcharged to the cares of this life?

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 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.

Why pray to be accounted worthy to "escape" all these things that shall come to pass where the snares on earth is when we are living in now where said escape is from this times before the great tribulation that we are living in now to stand before the Son of man as one escaping from the earth before the great tribulation comes?

If the snares is what keeps a believer on earth, then there is an escape from the earth.

All who believe in that false teaching need to rethink their end times scenario, because they ain't going away to live in heaven now or ever. After the Millennium, heaven comes to us. Revelation 21:1-7

Well, the City of God will come down from Heaven to dwell among men, but that still does not negate that for a city to come down, there are inhabitants in that City of God that are raptured Christians for abiding in Him. Remember this consequence in regards to His words?

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

So there are raptured saints who dwell in Heaven in the city of God for it to be called the City of God with inhabitants that comes down to earth after the great tribulation.

 

[marks]

Therefore, an "unrepentant saint" is a contradiction in terms.

Completely agree!

Um . . . just asking . . . do you consider all born again people to be saints?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Revelation 12:14-17 proves that the 'woman' is a metaphor for the Christian peoples. Christ is the head of His Church, we are His children.
Verse 17 says: …Satan will persecute the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's Commandments and stay faithful to Jesus.

The truth as revealed to us in Revelation 12, plainly shows that all of the Christian people are on earth during the Great Tribulation period of 1260 days. They will be divided into 2 groups. Also prophesied by Daniel 11:32-35 and in Zechariah 14:2.

THERE IS NO "RAPTURE' escape for anyone!
All who believe in that false teaching need to rethink their end times scenario, because they ain't going away to live in heaven now or ever. After the Millennium, heaven comes to us. Revelation 21:1-7

Hi Keraz,

I'd say that these things will all apply to those who are alive upon the earth in those days. Not all Christian people will be on earth in those days. Many if not most will have died before it ever started. What then if others are removed by rapture? I believe more will come to faith during that time. Although I don't see them as being a part of the church.

Regarding a "rapture escape", I think you have the wrong idea of how I see this. Escape has nothing to do with it. I look forward to my blessed hope when I will see Jesus, and become like Him!

Much love!

 

[marks]

John 17
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

 

[Enow]

Evangelical repentance is the general turning from rebellion against Christ to a full commitment to Him as Saviour. As soon as that happens the whole sin question is resolved with Jesus taking the full guilt and penalty of all sin, past, present and future. This is Jesus being a complete Saviour.

Repenting from unbelief by believing in Him is all that is required for salvation for Jesus to lay down that foundation and hereby give us the seal of adoption. Then they have power to repent from all sins by looking to the author & finisher of our faith to help them lay aside every weight & sin in running that race.

Repentance involves a total transformation from a love of sin to a total hatred of sin, and in many ways a hatred of self because of the inability to become sinlessly perfect in this life.

Total forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness comes through confessing our sins to God and seeking Him with all our hearts for the Holy Spirit to remove sinful habit patterns from us.

If that was the case, then why instruct the Gentile believers to do these things if they had repented from all sins?

Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Therefore, an "unrepentant saint" is a contradiction in terms.

Then why did God asked the saints at Thyatira to repent or else that believer will be cast into the bed of the coming great tribulation as being judged according to his words?

Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

 

[Enow]

Completely agree!

Um . . . just asking . . . do you consider all born again people to be saints?

Much love!

I do not agree that it is a contradiction in terms when repenting from unbelief by believing in Him is how any one is saved.

Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Now reconciled to God thru Jesus Christ, believers can live that reconciled relationship with God thru Jesus Christ by looking to the author & finisher of our faith to help us lay aside every weight & sin in running that race.

So if a believer is not looking to Jesus for help in discerning good and evil by His words for Him to help them to lay aside every weight & sin as he grows in his relationship with the Lord, then is he running that race at all?

And when a believer believes he is to repent from all sins before coming to Jesus, is it any wonder why some sinners thinks they need to clean up their lives first before coming to Jesus to be saved? The whole point is for Jesus to save them from their sins; to destroy the works of the devil in our lives.

But some saints are rooted in the word to know this and they err by running the way the world runs and sows to the works of the flesh on that foundation. If the Gentiles Christians had to be instructed in like manner to run the race, then repenting from all sins before coming to Jesus is a lie.

It is by repenting from unbelief by believing in Him at the calling of the gospel is how any one is saved; and then they have power to follow Him by which is still by faith in Him as our Good Shepherd to help us to follow Him.

Again, not every saint knows they are to live a life of repentance and still live in sin for why they are called unrepentant saints. The unrepentant brother in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 was to be excommunicated, but later he did repent whereby he was allowed back into fellowship in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 .

 

[stunnedbygrace]

For those members that wanted to join Rapture Ready forums but were not allowed to talk about the various issues of the rapture per the rules of the forum, because they believe every believer will be rapture, you can join this forum to freely discuss them, as this thread is about the question of being rapture ready for the partial rapture of the church through the scriptures.

Now we all understand that each believer is at a various growth state in our walk with Him, meaning some are not as mature as others while some are even still babes in Christ, not rooted in the milk of His words. Some have put their reconciled relationship with God on a shelf and want to live life to the fullest while others are led astray by false teachings hence a work of iniquity that deny Him in some form or fashion, by word or by deeds. So not every saved believer will be rapture ready when the Bridegroom comes for why God will judge His House first.

As God commanded the church to do in excommunicating an unrepentant brother, so will God do when He comes as the Bridegroom to bring the abiding bride to the Marriage Supper to eat.

1 Corinthians 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Here is God threatening a church to excommunicate unrepentant saints into the bed of the coming great tribulation where Satan will wage a war against the remaining saints to kill them.

Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

These are the plainness of scripture warning believers to be rapture ready or else.

We can trust the Lord Jesus Christ to the keeping of the souls of those unrepentant saints left behind to suffer the calamity of fire that will come immediately on the earth after the rapture as it will set the stage for the coming great tribulation with the mark of the beast system.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Salvation is not lost, but missing out on being a part of the firstfruits of the resurrection is in being received by the Bridegroom as a vessel unto honor in His House. Those saints left behind will be resurrected after the great tribulation as vessels unto dishonor in His House but when they die, though, their spirits will be with the Lord, while awaiting their resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Proof of the souls of the saints killed during the great tribulation will be with the Lord is here as they will worship the Lord with the angels in Heaven while awaiting the soon to be resurrected state to serve the King of kings on earth during the millennium reign of Christ.

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

As there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth over the loss of their first inheritance lie Esau, God will perform a miracle to help them get past that loss and rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why are there vessels unto dishonor in His House as the least in the Kingdom of God? To testify to the power of God in salvation for all those that believe in Him, even in His name.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

That is why even former believer that were led astray are still called to go before that throne of grace for help to discern the truth from the lies to depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

So go before that throne of grace today and ask Jesus for help to be rapture ready.

So, I'm back. I really like your post a lot!

I believe those who are ready will be taken and those who need more testing will remain. Of those then remaining, I think we need to be careful. Some will be further tried and more slag removed and will then be good silver, not rejected silver. The testing will benefit them. These martyrs are spoken of well and are said to have washed their robes in the blood of the lamb. I dont think they are vessels of dishonor. In fact, many who are last will be first and they may have a higher seat. So I caution being certain if I myself will be taken or left if He comes while i am alive. Only He can be the judge of these things and of who does or does not need more testing. Too much certainty on where you will sit is not good.

I'm going to read the rest of your posts after my nap. :)