I recently came across these verses in Romans that prove the following two points I often try to make on this blog.
1. You can lose your salvation
2. There is a Pre-Trib rapture
In Romans 11, Paul is talking about how God has put a temporary veil over the eyes of the Jews so that they would not receive Jesus as their Messiah. He goes on to say how this blindness of the Jews led to the Gospel being preached to the Gentiles and how we should be grateful to them because if they had not fallen, we may never have had the opportunity to be saved! Israel is the Olive Tree and we are the Wild Branches who have been grafted in.
Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. Romans 11:19-22
This reminded me of the verse in Matthew 3:10
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
I really don't think most Christians have a reverential fear of God. They treat God like some benevolent Father sitting in heaven ready to answer their prayers and provide for all their needs. Most believe that once you "get saved" and as it says above, are grafted into the Olive Tree, that you're good to go and God doesn't require anything else. So many Christians have been taught you just have to believe. But what is belief? In the above verses where it says "unbelief" that is the Greek Word apistia, which means Unfaithfulness! Notice there's a condition for remaining on the Olive tree! IF YOU continue in His goodness. People think they just have to believe in their minds, but God does require something of us when we get saved. We must continue in relationship with Him. We must be faithful to Him and to His Word.
Why do I keep harping on this? I'm not trying to scare anyone or make you think you have to do good works to please God or be saved. That's not true. What does faithful mean?
When someone says about a husband: "He is faithful to his wife" Does that only mean that he believes he has a wife? or that he believes she is his wife? NO. It means he is loyal to her, loves her, doesn't cheat on her, has a close relationship with her.
I really don't want anyone left behind. It breaks my heart when I think about the absolute horror of it. Especially if you thought you were going.
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
He's not talking about Satan in the above verse. He's talking about God. Yes, God is love and He is full of grace and mercy, but there's another side to Him too. He will give you every chance to believe in Him and follow Him, but at some point, it will be too late.
Now, onto a more cheerful topic: Pre-Trib?
Further down in Romans 11:25, Paul makes the encouraging statement that one day the veil will be lifted from Israel and they, too, will have a chance to be saved.
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
For many years I believed that the statement "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" meant that every last person whom God knows will get saved, gets saved. And then God can focus on saving the Jews.
Let's look at what the phrase "has come in" actually means. It's the Greek word eiserchomai
If we go with what I thought it meant, this word should mean something like Come into Salvation, Enter into Faith, etc. But this is what it really means
to go out or come in: to enter; of men or animals, as into a house or a city
So, what city do you think all the saved Gentiles have to go into for God to switch His focus onto the Jews and remove their blindness. How about Heavenly Jerusalem?? And how do all the saved Gentiles get there? The Rapture!
Greetings beloved of the Lord,
ReplyDeleteAmen Sister. I use Rom 11 often when I talk with OSAS people. But in their defense I would just say that in my encounters with the OSAS, not all believe that they are saved just because they said the prayer. Many in this belief think the same as we do, in daily repentance, walking daily with the Lord and studying His word daily. I must say, some walk more closely with the Lord than I do. So I dont know why they hold to this. They have a couple of scripts they hold to if one wants to interpret them, im my view incorrectly, and one is in Rom 11:29 for God'sgifts and His call are irrevocable. And I believe many of them are saved, just like I believe many Catholics will be saved. Yet I know there is a more sinister plot to the OSAS.
But we see some steadfast and some lazy Christians in on both sides of the isle.
Amen to a cheerful Rapture. Not sure if I just mentioned this the other day. But the heading in my Bible to Rev 12 states; A woman, a child and a dragon.
The Pastor went on to issuatrate how the "woman" was Israel. How she gave birth to the child who was immediately caught up to God, and how the woman was protected in the cliffs.
He went on to bring out the many verses where God delivered Israel over and over. How the Lord kept them delivered the from Egypt, parted the waters etc, all the way back to God, promise to Abraham, and how the Messiah was brought to us through the lineage of the Jews.. How the devil persues her, And she is preserved in the dessert for 1260 days. Amazing study, and i had never seen it like that before.
And this makes perfect sense in what you are saying about the "Heavenly Jerusalem" ! It blends right in with Rev 12. The woman will be safe for the 3 and a half years, the first half of the Trib. While Moses and Elijah are prophesying, and then, later, the 144000, which according to the Pastor will be witnessing during the trib. And yes, the church is already gone before any of this.
The word eiserchomai, is the same word used in the story of Noah, entering into the Arc.
I played that short video at the end of the saints ascending into the New Jerusalem, though it had no sound I heard the millions upon millions of Angels and Elders giving glory to God in the Highest !
Maranatha !
This is an interesting topic and one that I struggle with sometimes. I have family members who do things like go to concerts with Christian singers and pastors like Louis Giglio. But then the next week they will go to Disney World and celebrate their Halloween parade. They also love Halloween and dress up and do all sorts of Halloween things.
ReplyDeleteTwo of these family members are also worship leaders at their church. I often say to my spouse that I just don’t get it, why do they not see the evil of Halloween and even Disney? Of course, they also “worship” Trump. We are praying their eyes will be opened soon!
I still think that people who “lose their salvation“ were never really saved and surrendered to the Lord. To be surrendered means you give up things that may bring your flesh pleasure. Things like celebrating Halloween and worshiping politics!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Blessings, BevH