The Rapture is Conditional
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” - Jesus (Luke 21:36 NKJV)
Jesus was asked by His disciples about the End Times and when it would happen. When He finished He said “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 NKJV) This perhaps is the strongest warning that is overlooked and pertains to us today, the last generation. He was speaking to believers, His own disciples. It implies that we can escape the coming Tribulation that concludes the end of the church age which we live in today. We must be ‘counted worthy’ (overcome) and we are to be praying that we will be. Otherwise we will be caught in a snare (trap) from not taking heed (paying attention) to ourselves and our hearts that become burdened from carousing (indulgence in sensual pleasure), drunkeness (lack of clarity), and the cares of this life (distractions).
WOW, What a revelation! This overlooked passage of scripture warns us that we can miss the Rapture (all these things that will come to pass) by not being an overcomer. We risk being left behind if we do not remain diligent in our walk and backslide, or if we are still struggling with sin or distractions from God’s will for our lives. This should be extremely sobering and alarming to call us back to be ready.
In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3-20), Jesus tells a story about a farmer taking God’s word to others. In the story there are four groups of people, each reacts differently upon hearing the message. Everyone falls into one of those groups. Only one appears to be ‘counted worthy’ by receiving God’s word and by acting on it, produce a harvest.
Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
[Group 1] The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
[Group 2] The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
[Group 3] The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
[Group 4] And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” - Mark 4:13-20 NLT
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” - Jesus (Luke 21:36 NKJV)
Jesus was asked by His disciples about the End Times and when it would happen. When He finished He said “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 NKJV) This perhaps is the strongest warning that is overlooked and pertains to us today, the last generation. He was speaking to believers, His own disciples. It implies that we can escape the coming Tribulation that concludes the end of the church age which we live in today. We must be ‘counted worthy’ (overcome) and we are to be praying that we will be. Otherwise we will be caught in a snare (trap) from not taking heed (paying attention) to ourselves and our hearts that become burdened from carousing (indulgence in sensual pleasure), drunkeness (lack of clarity), and the cares of this life (distractions).
WOW, What a revelation! This overlooked passage of scripture warns us that we can miss the Rapture (all these things that will come to pass) by not being an overcomer. We risk being left behind if we do not remain diligent in our walk and backslide, or if we are still struggling with sin or distractions from God’s will for our lives. This should be extremely sobering and alarming to call us back to be ready.
In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3-20), Jesus tells a story about a farmer taking God’s word to others. In the story there are four groups of people, each reacts differently upon hearing the message. Everyone falls into one of those groups. Only one appears to be ‘counted worthy’ by receiving God’s word and by acting on it, produce a harvest.
Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
[Group 1] The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
[Group 2] The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
[Group 3] The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
[Group 4] And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” - Mark 4:13-20 NLT
The first group does not appear to be saved at all. The second group receives the word, so they may be saved, but only God knows. The reaction of the third group sounds very similar to what we are warned about above in Luke 21:34-36. The NLT version translates it this way: “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” which is easier to understand but the phrase ‘strong enough’ is better translated as ‘considered worthy’.
So what about Romans 10:9 NKJV where it says “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Doesn’t that mean I’m going to heaven? After all Jesus said “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NKJV) Notice the part about ‘they follow me’, I would suggest that not all that have made the confession are following Him. So does that mean that they are not saved? *Only God can answer that question, but being taken in the Rapture before the Tribulation is a conditional promise dependent upon whether we are an overcomer, not just being saved.
Further confirmation that not all saved believers will be taken before the Tribulation is found in the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids told by Jesus in Matthew 25:1-13 NLT:
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids contains deep, hidden prophetic meaning. Those of us who know Jesus are considered his bride. When we were saved and accepted Him as our Savior it was as if we became engaged to Him. In the Jewish culture, the bride never knew when the groom was coming for her. It was not immediate. In the parable only 5 of the 10 were taken because only 5 had enough oil, which is symbolic with the Holy Spirit. It is a picture of the Rapture and not all those who are engaged to Jesus will be taken, only those that have the Holy Spirit working in them. This is a very disturbing and grim image, since we can perceive the reference of the brides being supposedly those in the church.
Jesus responded “Believe me, I do not know you!” to those not taken." Again let’s look back at “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28) The words translated to ‘know’ in English are not the same word in the original language. In the book of John here it can be translated as ‘come to know, recognize’. In the former case of the parable it is ‘see, perceive’. Could it be that He came to know a person, but no longer is aware of them?
Believers in Christ are not appoint to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9) so those who are not 'counted worthy' will not suffer through the wrath of God which begins somewhere after the sixth seal is broken.
Everyone needs to read through the book of Revelation. Why? Because of what it says at the beginning of the book: “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3 NLT
Further confirmation about being ready for the Rapture can be found in the letters to the churches in the beginning of Revelation. Upon close examination, only 2 were without reproach and ready. The others had issues that needed to be addressed first.
Jesus says “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV
Further confirmation about being ready for the Rapture can be found in the letters to the churches in the beginning of Revelation. Upon close examination, only 2 were without reproach and ready. The others had issues that needed to be addressed first.
Jesus says “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV