Jesus promised in John 14:1-3, "I will come again." And He clearly explained in Matthew 24 that His coming will be personal and literal, and He will resurrect the "dead in Christ." 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 tells us that those who will be resurrected are "the dead in Christ" who have chosen to abide in Him. So, the question makes real sense: "What kind of special preparation will those people make who go through the final time of trouble, overcome the mark of the beast, stand on the sea of glass "without fault" (Rev. 14:1-5), and actually welcome Christ at His second coming?"
The Bible is full of Good News, but here is where it is finally focused on its greatest brilliance: (1) First comes what appears on the surface to be intense bad news--the Holy Spirit will shine that Light into the darkened chambers of the human heart until every secret, previously unknown sin is mercilessly exposed. God's people will be painfully aware of its deep existence that they had never before fully realized. Every last vestige of spiritual pride will be laid in the dust. The superficial saying, "I'm OK you're OK," will be shattered by the realization that no one of us is one whit better or more righteous OF OURSELVES, than anybody else in the world. The sin of somebody else will be seen to be OUR sin, but for the grace of Christ. At last, those who believe in Christ will realize what God said through Isaiah long ago, "Their righteousness is of Me" (54:17), not of themselves.
And what will be the crowning sin in which they at last realize they share guilt? The crucifixion of Christ. Zechariah 12:10 says, "they shall look upon Me whom THEY have pierced." Each will see himself/herself at the cross! (2) Then comes the Good News: "There shall be a fountain opened" for cleansing that will flow in unprecedented glory (13:1). Grace will abound "much more," corresponding to the "much more" conviction of sin that God's people will experience. The final negative will be matched by the final Positive. A PEOPLE WILL BE READY!
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
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