Are You “the elect” of God?

Friday, June 16, 2017

Are you “the elect” of God (Rom. 8:33; Rom. 11:7; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10 and Titus 1:1)?

If yes then, “Immediately after the tribulation…He will send His angles with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect” (Matt. 24:29–31). At the resurrection rapture “at the last day” (John 6:40), “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:51–52), at “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4–6), “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven” (1 Thess. 4:16), because Christ “must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything” (Acts 3:21 NIV).

The question is, do you believe Jesus, or have deceivers deceived you to interpret Jesus’ Words “after the tribulation” to mean before the tribulation? Human reasoning says, “If one can change Jesus’ Words for the end, then one has the liberty to change other Scriptures.” Deceptions like this have also created the lies that there is no hell and that all religions lead to God and eternal life.

June 29, 2017 marks ten years that TheFridayLetter.com has been contending for the end-time truth and righteousness of “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9). I have considered, read, listened to and responded to numerous false theories of when Christ gathers “His elect” saints.

It’s sad the number of false theories believed by so-called believers that boldly contradict “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9). Most say Jesus gathers “His elect” before the tribulation; others say mid-tribulation; yet others say pre-wrath, meaning before the end of the tribulation.

They look for ways to escape Jesus’ Word “after”, each saying they have biblical support, but when one is minded to abandon “the testimony of Jesus Christ” for the end-times, one can make the Bible say whatever they want it to say. That’s the work of dispensationalism that makes God’s Word “of no effect” (Mark 7:13). But that’s Satan’s express purpose.

To a large degree Christians have been deceived to disbelieve “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9) for the gathering of “His elect”, and in their unbelief will not seek or find the safety and provision of God in the great tribulation. It’s so because false teachers have taught them to disbelieve Christ, but they will answer to Almighty God for their deceit.

Many will suffer martyrdom when “the dragon [Satan] was enraged with the woman, [the “freewoman” Gal. 4:21–31] and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17). Many will not have been taught to live holy lives to “be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

Most pastors avoid the subject of the end-times like a plague though fully one-third of the Bible is dedicated to it. For many, the metaphoric forelocks of their traditions are wrapped so tightly around their ears they can’t hear Christ commanding them to teach believers “all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20) which clearly includes navigating the end-times.

Satan, the father of lies, twists and perverts the teachings of Christ, and the great number of Christians who have turned away from the truth to Satan’s false ear-tickling tradition called the pre-tribulation rapture is truly remarkable. Jesus’ own testimony has little to no effect.

But these truths are certain: “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Psa. 33:11), and “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord our God stands forever” (Prov. 40:8), and “he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). I rest my faith fully on “the testimony of Jesus Christ”.

In these end-times many in the church “will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3–4). True faith in Jesus believes and personalizes “the testimony of Jesus Christ”, the way, the truth, and the life.

In defense of Jesus gathering His elect “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–31), I’ve often taught and shown the direct correlation between Noah’s flood, Joseph’s work in saving his own people during a seven-year famine, Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Passover requirements of staying inside their house till God’s wrath passed, and Israel’s rebellion and unbelief at the edge of Canaan, all of which are synonymous foreshadowing’s of the end of this age.

But most refuse to hear it, clinging rather to the flesh-pleasing tradition of the pre-trib rapture because theologians and pastors told them Jesus’ Words in Matthew 24 were not directed to the church but national Jews. The truth is, however, that NONE of what Jesus taught was directed to the church (Matt. 15:24). For example, that, “You must be born again” (John 3:7) was said to Nicodemus, a ruling Jew, yet the church has no problem preaching this truth.

But after Jesus’ resurrection He told His disciples at the birthing of the church, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19). But “all things” Jesus taught is NOT welcome, and in fact, is disallowed in much of the organized evangelical church. Is that love for Christ and fellowman? I think not.

I pray the TheFridayLetter.com helped some believe “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9) and to then, in faith, prepare accordingly for the difficulties and increasingly deceptive road ahead. Remember the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins of Matt. 25:1–13. The 5 wise prepared to endure the long, dark, difficult night, but the 5 foolish deceivably believed the Bridegroom would come much earlier.

Marlin J. Yoder