Are you a part of the church -- the body of believers? This is an important question to ask as we come closer to the end of this age, when Jesus “raptures” the church. The exact word “rapture” is not used in the Bible, but its meaning is. For instance, the Greek word for “rapture” is harpazo, which means to snatch away violently or to be caught up. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 speaks of this, so we know the church will be caught up and taken from the earth. If you are not a part of the church at that time, however, you will be left on the earth, because you have heard the gospel and have still chosen to reject Jesus as your Lord.

More and more scholars believe that those who have rejected Christ will not get a second chance and will be doomed forever, which is eternal death and separation from God. Unfortunately, many think this is a game, but the decisions you -- not your friends or family -- make today can and will determine where you spend eternity. What a terrible moment that will be for those who were unwilling to allow Jesus to be Lord of their lives! This day and age, they are the people who believe serving God is all about their friends and social life and they think they will never have to give an account for their lives. If this is you, take heed, for there is not salvation until we have accepted Jesus as our Lord; lordship is allowing Him to be the boss of our lives.

We must decide to make Jesus Lord of our lives. In doing so, we submit our will to His will -- honoring God and His Word and looking to Him concerning how we live our lives -- with the understanding that Jesus is either Lord of all or not at all.

If you are not sure whether or not Jesus is Lord of your life, or if you need to repent, pray today and be certain (Romans 10:9-10).

Just a Thought,

PSS