Evangelism

 

Evangelism

 

I know there are many prominent people who teach that Christians are going to be raptured before or at least half way through the Great Tribulation. For the first ten or fifteen years of my Christian life I too believed that, because that is what I was taught. During the three years I went to Bible College they did not teach that doctrine (for it has become a Church doctrine). They presented the three common views of pre, mid and post tribulation rapture, though some of them believed in the pre and mid tribulation rapture, not many believed in the post tribulation rapture (actually called the First Resurrection, Revelation 20:5). There is a lot of teaching that the first resurrection is the spiritual resurrection of each believer when they die to themselves in CHIRST and are raised again into new life – born again; but we are still in the flesh (Galatians 2:19-21)! The rapture as taught out of 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 is of the whole Church being caught up to Heaven as one body when CHRIST returns, the dead in the flesh first and then those who are alive.

 

My view did not change until I actually started to read my Bible with the intent to learn and hear from GOD. Over the next few years I started to see much miss-teaching or actual error was being taught in the Church and preached to the world. That is why I became a proponent of everyone – believer or not should read the Bible for them self. As a Christian it is actually our responsibility to know GOD’s Word and live according to it. If you are not reading the Bible to learn and hear from GOD then you will be very sad on the day of Judgment; because we will be judged and some who claim to be and live like and actually believe they are Christians will be exposed as not being even known as a Child and Servant of GOD, Matthew 7 particularly :21-23.

 

So all that is the prolog: what I was thinking about this morning is the fact that much of the Church is busy preaching to itself rather than the lost. I know because I have the same problem, as a young Christian with my pastor and in Bible College I was involved in personal evangelism (door to door and street corner) and I was always uncomfortable – I did not like it. So I mostly “felt” called to teach the Church. But the Great Commission is to preach to the lost throughout the world. When we are evangelizing or teaching we better know what the Bible actually says. GOD will hold us accountable for not just preaching the Gospel but for knowing His WORD. If we do not stop teaching false information to the Church and especially to the lost, their blood will be on us. When you teach something that is not actually true or you preach with a judgmental heart and people are turned away from GOD then their blood is on your head. GOD is serious about us obeying Him and even if we do it for selfish reasons He will use us and we will be blessed in this life, but at the judgment…Matthew 7:23.

 

We Christians have to start teaching each other and proclaiming GOD’s Salvation to the lost like we believe we are living in the end times. If these are the last days we better start preparing ourselves and everybody else for what lies ahead. I personally do not believe that we are in the last days (that CHRIST’s return to set up His 1000 year reign over the nations of the earth is emanate, Revelation 19:11-20:6). But I pray it is because that means at some point in the near future I will know for sure there are only seven more years of trials, tests and tribulations. Remember according to the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 the rapture of the physically dead in CHRIST and those left alive who are in CHRIST will take place at the sound of the last trumpet, Revelation 11:15. When the last trumpet sounds everything in Revelation 11:15-19, 14:1-20:6 are last day events. Chapters 12 and 13 happen previous to the last trumpet.

 

Revelation 11:1-14 has to do with the Two Witnesses who prophesy from Jerusalem for three and a half years, this happens during the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation;

before CHRIST’s return. The resurrection and calling up to Heaven of the Two Witnesses is the last event and the Second Woe before the Seventh (Last) Trumpet. The Seventh Trumpet – The Day CHRIST returns to the earth to Reign is the Third Woe.

 

Revelation 12 is about Israel and CHRIST, the devil’s Heavenly defeat and being cast to the earth and his persecution of Jews and Believers.

 

Revelation 13 reveals the anti-christ, the false prophet, the image of the anti-christ and the mark of the anti-christ.

 

Revelation 14 is an outline of the Last Day events: 1-5 JESUS appears with the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel; 6-7 is the last proclamation of the Gospel; 7-11 is the proclamation of the final judgment; 12-13 is the blessing of the Saints; 14-20 is the actual Rapture of the Believers and the reaping of the earth for judgment.

 

So what am I saying? Read and study The Bible for yourself, do not just believe what other’s tell you it teaches because you are accountable to God for what you believe. If you teach lies about GOD and The Bible because of what someone teaches you and someone you teach dies in rebellion or disbelief they will go to hell and GOD will hold you accountable for their blood; Ezekiel 3:16-21, 33:6-9

 

Evangelism is the Great Commission that must be preached until the end. It will not be preached during the Great Tribulation if the Church is raptured before it begins!