Hi Carol,

 

You have brought up a question that I have had in the back of my head for years and I still do not know the answer but I do think you make a very enlightening observation:

_________________________

 

I sometimes struggle wondering who will make the rapture??? On the surface, it appears those who are watching and living unto the Lord will be counted worthy to escape.

But then, if that is correct, there are many, millions of people who were true believers that have died yet only repented of their sins on their death beds. Others lived mediocre lives. They were church goers at best for that is all they knew.

When the dead IN CHRIST rise, will those who did not live holy and sanctified lives but were saved by GRACE, rise and be caught up in the clouds with those who lived holy and sanctified lives at the time of the rapture? If they lived lukewarm lives but were born again will they resurrect with those who lived unto the Lord ?

If yes, then why will the lukewarm who are alive when Christ comes for us not get raptured if the dead born again believers will be counted as part of the dead in Christ?

If no, when will they resurrect and receive their Glorious bodies. All that is required for salvation is to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved".

I have come to the realization there are rewards and crowns as told to us in the Scriptures. I think being the Bride of Christ is a reward.

___________________________

 

This sort of sharp focus on the details of the rapture have only come up this way in recent times because of the nearness of it. In the years past we all sort of just assumed that every believer would be included together in the rapture as part of being "saved" and we can all probably remember the hair standing on end when we first considered the possibility that not every Christian would be raptured but some may have to endure the tribulation. When I first heard this I think it was back around 1995 while reading Marilyn Agee's first book where she suggested that the branches (Christians) in the Vine (Jesus) that were not bearing fruit that were broken off by the Father and were cast out and men gather them to be burned, that this was not hell fire burning but the tribulation period. This was the first time I had heard this idea that not all Christians would be raptured at once. I began discussing this possible interpretation with other Christians at my church at that time and was treated like I was a cook for even suggesting such a possibility. It was years before I began to slowly see other sources begin to pick up this same idea and today it seems to be a lot more common that this partial rapture is accepted.

 

But I never have heard anyone tackle the remaining conundrum that this raises about the dead in Christ who lived the kinds of lives that would in most minds have resulted in not being raptured had they lived long enough but they died in a saved but lukewarm state. What of them? Are they brought back with Christ to reunite with their bodies or are they left in some sub standard condition to await a later time to be glorified or what? Maybe they all come when the "pre-wrath" rapture happens later into the trib?

____________________________________________

 

I think it is very possible not every saved person will be part of the bride. If a saved person never led a person to Christ or even prayed for people to get saved, how will he/she receive a soul winners crown?? Yet are they not saved by the Blood and the Word of God? So if they will not get a soul winners crown, is it not possible not every born again believer will be part of the BRIDE? I DO NOT KNOW with certainty.

We are told we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive our rewards. It is possible IMHO, being part of the Bride is a reward for she made herself ready for her Bridegroom.

___________________________________________

 

Any other ideas out there on this?