WHAT DOES 1 PETER 4:17 REFER TO, SINCE IT SAYS JUDGMENT WILL BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD? [Theres a two-fold answer--given in the scripture.] First of all, the Rapture, itself, will bring A SEPARATION in the organized structure of what is called the Church upon the earth. The judgment upon the unsaved in ANY Church organization will be that they will be left behind--because they placed their FAITH (trust, confidence) upon something else (good works, the Church organization, etc.) and NOT upon the shed blood of Jesus which makes them WORTHY to be with the Lord, and caught up via the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Yes, judgment MUST BEGIN at the house of God--1 Peter 4:17. The letters to the Churches in Revelation DEFINES IT into three particular areas--concerning those who REMAIN until the coming of the Lord: (1.) those who trust in a false doctrine (the teachings of the Jezebel in the Thyatira Church, in other words, trusting in Roman Catholic dogma, and NOT in the finished work of Jesus at the cross), (2.) those who have a lack of the Holy Spirit (the dead Church of Sardis, those who have head-knowledge--knowing ALL ABOUT JESUS, but who DO NOT KNOW HIM via a personal HEART RELATIONSHIP--these ones are NOT born again), and finally, (3.) the lukewarm of Laodecia (those who think they are okay, but who really have nothing--these trust in riches and their own goodness instead of the shed blood of Jesus...remember that NO person is RIGHTEOUS in his own flesh or efforts, NO, NOT ONE--Romans 3:10, and Romans 3:25). Jesus warns these people to REPENT--to turn away from the error and to place their WHOLE CONFIDENCE IN HIM, and IN the BLOOD He shed for them at the cross to cleanse them from sin. If they do NOT REPENT of their errors, they will be CAST INTO, CAUGHT unawares in the day of the Lord, and VOMITED into the Tribulation. [See Revelation 2:18-29, Revelation 3:1-6, and Revelation 3:14-22.] There is a further and deeper understanding of 1 Peter 4:17, and its this: Even those who ARE born again will see a JUDGMENT OF THEIR WORKS at the Bema Seat of Christ, AFTER the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Its a judgment upon WORKS (and NOT about salvation at all). All WORKS done in the flesh, for selfish reasons, will be BURNED in that judgment. Its only those WORKS--done via FAITH, EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit, and for the cause of Christ--that will receive the REWARDS of incorruptible crowns. [See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.] Yes, judgment WILL start with the house of God...and IF IT FIRST BEGIN WITH US, what shall be the end of them that OBEY NOT the Gospel of God?
Posted on: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 19:02:54 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015