TH 4{TH 2{THESE are the words by which God is pleased to describe the condition of all who shall be alive when the Lord comes; for there will be a people positively alive on earth, some of whom shall be caught up or rapt away to meet the Lord in the air, and some of whom shall be left behind, to be deceived and destroyed, to believe a lie because they would not receive the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness: words fail to describe the blessedness of the one or the terrible nature of the other.
In the 4th chapter of 1 Thessalonians we are told the order of the first, namely, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own. This might happen at any moment, at most a little while, and “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Reader, I challenge your heart, are you ready? Can you say in truthfulness and honesty of soul, “Come, Lord Jesus"? I feel this is a searching matter for a Christian, and it ought to be; but if one, whose title is clear to say it, hesitates before using such words, with what a chill ought they to fall on the ears of the one who is not ready, and has no title whatever. When the Lord comes and takes away His own, the rest are left behind. What a thought that! To survive all that is worth living for is terrible indeed. To be an inhabitant of the world when Satan is allowed to put forth his man in unrestrained power will be the lot of all in Christendom who are found outside of Christ when He comes for His own. Listen to what is said of Satan's man, " whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." Reader, should Christ come now, would that be your lot, your portion? Listen to what is said of the end of such:-"That they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." The blessed contrast is in those who have believed the gospel, the good news of God about His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and who, in consequence, are entitled to look for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, His coming, and our gathering together unto Him. It is said of the Thessalonian saints, that they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven." Reader, have you? W. T. T.