Welcome to the First
Fruits Ministry Home Page 
The purpose of this
website is to encourage Christians across the
world to live in faithful obedience to God,
for we are now living in the last days of the
Church age. It is our observation that
there are some Christians today that are not
enthusiastically following God as commanded by
Jesus in the Holy Bible. They have
experienced a belief in Jesus Christ as Savior
and are saved by grace for eternity, but they
are not living the faithful life that Jesus
has commanded for all believers:
Mark 8:34 (ASV 1901) He called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Any Christians in the world that are currently failing to live a righteous life and are not watching for Christ's return, are soon going to be tested and refined by having to endure the persecution of the first half of the Tribulation. They could experience loss of home and employment, torture, extreme living conditions, being persecuted as a Christian and even death. At the mid point of the Tribulation, they will have been sufficiently tested to show their love for and faith in Jesus. He will then take them to heaven in the Main Harvest Rapture. Most will have been refined in the fire of persecution and their faith will prove true. If you are currently a lukewarm follower of Christ, the following article will describe the testing during the Tribulation you will need to experience to become a faithful follower of His: Christians Left Behind.
If you want to escape the fires and testing of the Tribulation by now living a righteous life for Christ, here's how: How to Crucify Self. Christians that are currently denying selfish instincts and following Jesus with all their strength will be separated from the less faithful Christians and will be taken to Heaven (The Separation) in the First Fruits Rapture (The Coming Rapture) just before the start of the Tribulation. These are small groups of Christians that are now studying and obeying the truth found in their Bibles, and they are praying and encouraging each other to be faithful to Jesus. They will be actively watching for and praying for the return of Jesus. He will be the most important person in their lives.
We will show you that these statements are true by referencing and explaining scripture from Revelation, the Epistles, the Gospels and from the Old Testament. Many Christians have been told by their pastors and via books, websites and by television preachers that all believers will escape via the Rapture all seven years of the Tribulation (The Great Delusion). This is not true for all believers; it is only true for the most faithful followers of Christ.
The Time is Near
If you have read prophecy articles on this website you should understand that we believe that Jesus will someday initiate the First Fruits Rapture and take to Heaven His most faithful believers--the Church at Philadelphia. We believe that the only event that must take place before this blessed occurs is for the city of Damascus to be destroyed by nuclear weapons. Either the USA and/or Israel will destroy Damascus because of a terrorist act on either or both countries. The details of the destruction of Damascus is covered in: The Burden of Damascus. After this event, Jesus will initiate the "midnight cry" and somehow let all Christians in the world know that He is coming back to take to Heaven His most faithful believers. The verses:
(Isa 17:1-3 KJV) The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.
The fortress are faithful Christians that support and pray for the nation of Israel--here mentioned as Ephraim, one of the sons of Joseph and adopted by Jacob as one of his own sons (Genesis 48:5). The "ceasing" means that they will no longer be on the earth and hence not be able to directly support Israel. After Damascus is destroyed, the First Fruits Rapture will take place on the following Pentecost, the Day of First Fruits, which is one of the seven Jewish Feasts. Thus, after Damascus is destroyed, we will know with certainty when the First Fruits Rapture will take place.
What should Christians be doing to let Jesus know that we want very much to be taken to Heaven and to be with Him for eternity at the First Fruits Rapture? We should be doing this:
(Hebrews 10:23-25 KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) {24} And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The day approaching is the First Fruits Rapture. Once Damascus is destroyed and the event will be covered for months on TV and on the Internet, Christians should meet often to discuss the events of the day and how quickly prophetic events will be taking place. We should show our love for our brothers and sisters in-Christ by encouraging each other to pray, to read and study the Holy Bible and to accomplish any good works that Jesus prepares for us to accomplish. An overview of the events leading up to the First Fruits Rapture and events of the Tribulation are covered in: An Overview of the Book of Revelation and details of these events are discussed starting with: The Book of Revelation Chapter One.
If you are performing few good works right now, there is still time enough for you to turn around your life and dedicate it to Jesus Christ. If you will humble yourself and pray and turn from sins you may be participating in and if you will perform good works--studying and obeying the Holy Bible, service to God, and if you will watch and pray for His return, then you too can become a member of the Church of Philadelphia and miss all seven years of the Tribulation. Jesus commands us in:
Jesus will not cast Main Harvest Christians into the Tribulation unprepared. He will show mercy to Main Harvest Christians and will prepare them for testing just before the Tribulation begins. The last few days or months before the Tribulation and the instruction and discipleship He will give to Main Harvest Christians are described in: The Last Days of the Church Age. Because of this intense preparation they will receive from Jesus, they will be able to stand up against the persecution of Antichrist and most will significantly improve their faith during the first half of the Tribulation. At mid-Tribulation all remaining Christians will be taken to Heaven in the Main Harvest Rapture.
Will there be a last days Revival?
Could some Christian churches be revived before the start of the Tribulation? Find out what we think by reading: Will there be a Revival of the Church?
What about Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39?
Read to find out which nations attack Israel in the first half of the Tribulation: Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39.
What about the destruction of Babylon?
Read to find out when Babylon will be destroyed in the Tribulation: The Destruction of Babylon.
A Person Is
We believe that a person consists of three components: body, soul and spirit. You understand the body; it is your arms, legs, head, internal organs, blood, etc. When we are raptured to heaven by Jesus, every believer in Christ is given a glorified body. This wonderful body can never get sick, become tired or be hurt. Read through the gospels to understand what Jesus could do in His resurrection body. We will do the same in our glorified bodies. This body will last forever.
The spirit is the connection to God through the Holy Spirit. If you have faith in Jesus, then your spirit is saved forever as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9 (NET).
For by grace you are saved through faith; and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.
There is nothing you can do to earn or to lose your spirit salvation. We are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to do what is right and to avoid what is evil. When we pray, our prayers are taken to God by the Holy Spirit and when we can't verbalize our prayers very well at times, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, inserting the perfect words that will make our prayer complete.
The soul of a person is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible. At your church you have probably been told or it has been assumed that the soul of a person is the same as the spirit of a person. Well, we do not believe that the soul and spirit are the same. We believe that the soul is the emotions, mind and personality of a person. We believe and will show you through scripture in articles on this website that it is possible for you to lose the salvation of your soul. The salvation of your soul depends on how you receive and obey the gospel in the Holy Bible. You can be very seriously hurt by not living the righteous life that Jesus commands in the Holy Scripture.
If the soul and spirit are the same, why are they not equated in the Holy Scripture? Paul says they are not the same in the following passage from I Thessalonians 5:23:
And the very God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
May God Himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NET)
and in Hebrews 4:12 (ASV 1901):
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Soul Salvation
If you have read the Holy Bible very much, you have probably been bewildered at times with seeming contradictions in the scripture. With some passages, you read that salvation is a gift from God that we receive by grace through faith, and your salvation can never be lost (Eph 2:8-9). Other scriptures leave us worried sometimes--can I lose my salvation by committing the unpardonable sin? One such passage is Hebrews 6:4-6:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
However, there is no contradiction in the Holy Bible. What the scripture is describing in Hebrews, and in many other verses in the New Testament, is soul salvation. On this website we discuss in detail soul salvation and what you must do as a Christian to earn it. For a detailed explanation of Hebrews 6:4-6, read: Impossible to bring to Repentance.
Here is a scripture that describes what a Christian needs to do to earn soul salvation (James 1:21):
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (KJV)
So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. (NET)
Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (ASV)
If the salvation of a person is totally by grace, then what does this verse mean? The scripture verse in James says that we have to accomplish something to save our souls, doesn't it? The verse simply states that in order to have our souls saved, we need to repent of our sins and with humility accept and obey the word of God written in the Holy Bible. This reading and acceptance of scripture will lead us to live a righteous life for God. The scripture states that it is possible for our souls to be saved by living a righteous life, but that it is our responsibility to follow the Holy Spirit so we can accomplish any righteousness that God has planned for us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 referenced above is quoted very often in churches and it is absolutely true that we are saved by grace through faith. However, the very next verse in Ephesians is infrequently mentioned:
For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. (NET--Eph 2:10).
Paul confidently states that God has saved us and is remaking us in the image of Jesus Christ so we may perform good works (righteousness) that He has prepared for us to accomplish. The verse asserts that once we are saved, we need to be attentive to pursue opportunities for good works that God presents to us, doesn't it? If we ignore this verse, that we need to live a righteous life for Christ, then we will be disobeying God and there are serious consequences for this disobedience.
In Hebrews 10:38-39 we have more on living by faith and obtaining soul salvation:
Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (KJV)
But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him. But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls. (NET)
We describe in detail this salvation of the soul and the need to repent and live faithfully for God in the articles: Soul vs Spirit Salvation and Is Repentance a Condition for Salvation? If you lose the salvation of your soul, you will be cast into Outer Darkness, and miss entry into the Millennium Kingdom of Christ; your name will also be blotted out of The Book of Life. For a detailed discussion about your soul perishing or being saved, read To Perish or not to Perish.
If you are skeptical about the possibility of losing the salvation of your soul if you are living an unrighteous life, then we suggest that you click on the above links and read the articles. You can then determine for yourself what the scripture means and if it is important to obey all of the commandments of Jesus and thus live a righteous life. We challenge you to follow the example of the Berean Christians of the first century and determine in your own minds if what we are saying is true:
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (NIV--Acts 17:11)
Content
This website is somewhat different from most websites that describe end time events and the Tribulation. Although the terrifying events of the seven seals of Revelation are important to know about, and we do describe the events of these seals in detail, it is even more important to know God's opinion of and plans for the end time believer. So this is not just an intellectual exercise to try to determine what the symbols in Revelation mean, but rather to admonish all unenthusiastic Christians to repent of their selfish and self-centered ways and to live for Christ now! Jesus in the book of Revelation shows each type of church member exactly what their spiritual failures are and how to correct for them and to walk as a faithful servant of God (The Seven Churches in Revelation). If you follow the commands of Jesus given in the scripture, you will then be taken by Him to Heaven in the First Fruits Rapture.
On this site are many articles drawn from the book of Revelation and other prophetic scriptures. In these articles we describe the glory and power of Jesus; his admonishment to the reader; the spiritual condition of the seven churches; the seven seals that Jesus opens; the painful testing of the unfaithful Christian; the testing of the people of God, the Jews; the wrath of God upon the non-believer; the thousand year reign of Jesus; the final judgment; and eternity. You will want to be a member of the Church of Philadelphia--members of this church congregation will be taken by Jesus to heaven in the First Fruits Rapture just before the ordeal of the Tribulation starts. Members of this church are currently walking with and obeying Jesus. We also have articles on prophecy from Jesus in the Gospels, articles from the letters in the New Testament and articles about prophecy from books in the Old Testament, such as Daniel, Jeremiah and Isaiah.
Mark 8:34 (ASV 1901) He called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Any Christians in the world that are currently failing to live a righteous life and are not watching for Christ's return, are soon going to be tested and refined by having to endure the persecution of the first half of the Tribulation. They could experience loss of home and employment, torture, extreme living conditions, being persecuted as a Christian and even death. At the mid point of the Tribulation, they will have been sufficiently tested to show their love for and faith in Jesus. He will then take them to heaven in the Main Harvest Rapture. Most will have been refined in the fire of persecution and their faith will prove true. If you are currently a lukewarm follower of Christ, the following article will describe the testing during the Tribulation you will need to experience to become a faithful follower of His: Christians Left Behind.
If you want to escape the fires and testing of the Tribulation by now living a righteous life for Christ, here's how: How to Crucify Self. Christians that are currently denying selfish instincts and following Jesus with all their strength will be separated from the less faithful Christians and will be taken to Heaven (The Separation) in the First Fruits Rapture (The Coming Rapture) just before the start of the Tribulation. These are small groups of Christians that are now studying and obeying the truth found in their Bibles, and they are praying and encouraging each other to be faithful to Jesus. They will be actively watching for and praying for the return of Jesus. He will be the most important person in their lives.
We will show you that these statements are true by referencing and explaining scripture from Revelation, the Epistles, the Gospels and from the Old Testament. Many Christians have been told by their pastors and via books, websites and by television preachers that all believers will escape via the Rapture all seven years of the Tribulation (The Great Delusion). This is not true for all believers; it is only true for the most faithful followers of Christ.
The Time is Near
If you have read prophecy articles on this website you should understand that we believe that Jesus will someday initiate the First Fruits Rapture and take to Heaven His most faithful believers--the Church at Philadelphia. We believe that the only event that must take place before this blessed occurs is for the city of Damascus to be destroyed by nuclear weapons. Either the USA and/or Israel will destroy Damascus because of a terrorist act on either or both countries. The details of the destruction of Damascus is covered in: The Burden of Damascus. After this event, Jesus will initiate the "midnight cry" and somehow let all Christians in the world know that He is coming back to take to Heaven His most faithful believers. The verses:
(Isa 17:1-3 KJV) The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.
The fortress are faithful Christians that support and pray for the nation of Israel--here mentioned as Ephraim, one of the sons of Joseph and adopted by Jacob as one of his own sons (Genesis 48:5). The "ceasing" means that they will no longer be on the earth and hence not be able to directly support Israel. After Damascus is destroyed, the First Fruits Rapture will take place on the following Pentecost, the Day of First Fruits, which is one of the seven Jewish Feasts. Thus, after Damascus is destroyed, we will know with certainty when the First Fruits Rapture will take place.
What should Christians be doing to let Jesus know that we want very much to be taken to Heaven and to be with Him for eternity at the First Fruits Rapture? We should be doing this:
(Hebrews 10:23-25 KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) {24} And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The day approaching is the First Fruits Rapture. Once Damascus is destroyed and the event will be covered for months on TV and on the Internet, Christians should meet often to discuss the events of the day and how quickly prophetic events will be taking place. We should show our love for our brothers and sisters in-Christ by encouraging each other to pray, to read and study the Holy Bible and to accomplish any good works that Jesus prepares for us to accomplish. An overview of the events leading up to the First Fruits Rapture and events of the Tribulation are covered in: An Overview of the Book of Revelation and details of these events are discussed starting with: The Book of Revelation Chapter One.
If you are performing few good works right now, there is still time enough for you to turn around your life and dedicate it to Jesus Christ. If you will humble yourself and pray and turn from sins you may be participating in and if you will perform good works--studying and obeying the Holy Bible, service to God, and if you will watch and pray for His return, then you too can become a member of the Church of Philadelphia and miss all seven years of the Tribulation. Jesus commands us in:
Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass,
and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke
21:36 KJV)
If you pray
this prayer, even daily, and are watching
and beckoning for Jesus' return, then you
will miss all seven years of the
Tribulation and become a member of the
Church at Philadelphia. What Jesus
is looking at right now is how you are
living your life. If you are caught
up in the affairs of the world, you will
most likely not be performing righteous
works that glorify God. What is
important to Jesus is that in these last
few days of the Church Age, you are living
for Him and not for yourself. Note that in The Parable of the
Laborers, the various types of Christians of
today are discussed. The believers called by Him
at the very end of the Church Age
are counted by Him as His most faithful disciples
and they will miss all seven years of the
Tribulation.
Many Christians Refuse to Listen
It's predicted in the Book of Habakkuk that the warnings about watching and being prepared for Christ's return for the First Fruits Rapture will not be heeded by too many Christians in this era of the Laodicea Church. It is our prayer that at least some Christians across the world will follow the suggestions in our articles regarding prophecy and the end times and perhaps some will say yes to Jesus when He commands us to be holy and righteous, to accomplish good works for the glory of God and to be watching for His return. Those Christians that refuse to listen to the warnings during the Tribulation will be in deep trouble at their judgment; these are the One Talent Christians. They are Unfaithful to Jesus Christ now and will be unfaithful during the Tribulation.
Jesus Prepares Main Harvest
ChristiansMany Christians Refuse to Listen
It's predicted in the Book of Habakkuk that the warnings about watching and being prepared for Christ's return for the First Fruits Rapture will not be heeded by too many Christians in this era of the Laodicea Church. It is our prayer that at least some Christians across the world will follow the suggestions in our articles regarding prophecy and the end times and perhaps some will say yes to Jesus when He commands us to be holy and righteous, to accomplish good works for the glory of God and to be watching for His return. Those Christians that refuse to listen to the warnings during the Tribulation will be in deep trouble at their judgment; these are the One Talent Christians. They are Unfaithful to Jesus Christ now and will be unfaithful during the Tribulation.
Jesus will not cast Main Harvest Christians into the Tribulation unprepared. He will show mercy to Main Harvest Christians and will prepare them for testing just before the Tribulation begins. The last few days or months before the Tribulation and the instruction and discipleship He will give to Main Harvest Christians are described in: The Last Days of the Church Age. Because of this intense preparation they will receive from Jesus, they will be able to stand up against the persecution of Antichrist and most will significantly improve their faith during the first half of the Tribulation. At mid-Tribulation all remaining Christians will be taken to Heaven in the Main Harvest Rapture.
Will there be a last days Revival?
Could some Christian churches be revived before the start of the Tribulation? Find out what we think by reading: Will there be a Revival of the Church?
What about Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39?
Read to find out which nations attack Israel in the first half of the Tribulation: Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39.
What about the destruction of Babylon?
Read to find out when Babylon will be destroyed in the Tribulation: The Destruction of Babylon.
A Person Is
We believe that a person consists of three components: body, soul and spirit. You understand the body; it is your arms, legs, head, internal organs, blood, etc. When we are raptured to heaven by Jesus, every believer in Christ is given a glorified body. This wonderful body can never get sick, become tired or be hurt. Read through the gospels to understand what Jesus could do in His resurrection body. We will do the same in our glorified bodies. This body will last forever.
The spirit is the connection to God through the Holy Spirit. If you have faith in Jesus, then your spirit is saved forever as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9 (NET).
For by grace you are saved through faith; and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.
There is nothing you can do to earn or to lose your spirit salvation. We are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to do what is right and to avoid what is evil. When we pray, our prayers are taken to God by the Holy Spirit and when we can't verbalize our prayers very well at times, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, inserting the perfect words that will make our prayer complete.
The soul of a person is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible. At your church you have probably been told or it has been assumed that the soul of a person is the same as the spirit of a person. Well, we do not believe that the soul and spirit are the same. We believe that the soul is the emotions, mind and personality of a person. We believe and will show you through scripture in articles on this website that it is possible for you to lose the salvation of your soul. The salvation of your soul depends on how you receive and obey the gospel in the Holy Bible. You can be very seriously hurt by not living the righteous life that Jesus commands in the Holy Scripture.
If the soul and spirit are the same, why are they not equated in the Holy Scripture? Paul says they are not the same in the following passage from I Thessalonians 5:23:
And the very God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
May God Himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NET)
and in Hebrews 4:12 (ASV 1901):
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Soul Salvation
If you have read the Holy Bible very much, you have probably been bewildered at times with seeming contradictions in the scripture. With some passages, you read that salvation is a gift from God that we receive by grace through faith, and your salvation can never be lost (Eph 2:8-9). Other scriptures leave us worried sometimes--can I lose my salvation by committing the unpardonable sin? One such passage is Hebrews 6:4-6:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
However, there is no contradiction in the Holy Bible. What the scripture is describing in Hebrews, and in many other verses in the New Testament, is soul salvation. On this website we discuss in detail soul salvation and what you must do as a Christian to earn it. For a detailed explanation of Hebrews 6:4-6, read: Impossible to bring to Repentance.
Here is a scripture that describes what a Christian needs to do to earn soul salvation (James 1:21):
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (KJV)
So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. (NET)
Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (ASV)
If the salvation of a person is totally by grace, then what does this verse mean? The scripture verse in James says that we have to accomplish something to save our souls, doesn't it? The verse simply states that in order to have our souls saved, we need to repent of our sins and with humility accept and obey the word of God written in the Holy Bible. This reading and acceptance of scripture will lead us to live a righteous life for God. The scripture states that it is possible for our souls to be saved by living a righteous life, but that it is our responsibility to follow the Holy Spirit so we can accomplish any righteousness that God has planned for us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 referenced above is quoted very often in churches and it is absolutely true that we are saved by grace through faith. However, the very next verse in Ephesians is infrequently mentioned:
For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. (NET--Eph 2:10).
Paul confidently states that God has saved us and is remaking us in the image of Jesus Christ so we may perform good works (righteousness) that He has prepared for us to accomplish. The verse asserts that once we are saved, we need to be attentive to pursue opportunities for good works that God presents to us, doesn't it? If we ignore this verse, that we need to live a righteous life for Christ, then we will be disobeying God and there are serious consequences for this disobedience.
In Hebrews 10:38-39 we have more on living by faith and obtaining soul salvation:
Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (KJV)
But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him. But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls. (NET)
We describe in detail this salvation of the soul and the need to repent and live faithfully for God in the articles: Soul vs Spirit Salvation and Is Repentance a Condition for Salvation? If you lose the salvation of your soul, you will be cast into Outer Darkness, and miss entry into the Millennium Kingdom of Christ; your name will also be blotted out of The Book of Life. For a detailed discussion about your soul perishing or being saved, read To Perish or not to Perish.
If you are skeptical about the possibility of losing the salvation of your soul if you are living an unrighteous life, then we suggest that you click on the above links and read the articles. You can then determine for yourself what the scripture means and if it is important to obey all of the commandments of Jesus and thus live a righteous life. We challenge you to follow the example of the Berean Christians of the first century and determine in your own minds if what we are saying is true:
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (NIV--Acts 17:11)
Content
This website is somewhat different from most websites that describe end time events and the Tribulation. Although the terrifying events of the seven seals of Revelation are important to know about, and we do describe the events of these seals in detail, it is even more important to know God's opinion of and plans for the end time believer. So this is not just an intellectual exercise to try to determine what the symbols in Revelation mean, but rather to admonish all unenthusiastic Christians to repent of their selfish and self-centered ways and to live for Christ now! Jesus in the book of Revelation shows each type of church member exactly what their spiritual failures are and how to correct for them and to walk as a faithful servant of God (The Seven Churches in Revelation). If you follow the commands of Jesus given in the scripture, you will then be taken by Him to Heaven in the First Fruits Rapture.
On this site are many articles drawn from the book of Revelation and other prophetic scriptures. In these articles we describe the glory and power of Jesus; his admonishment to the reader; the spiritual condition of the seven churches; the seven seals that Jesus opens; the painful testing of the unfaithful Christian; the testing of the people of God, the Jews; the wrath of God upon the non-believer; the thousand year reign of Jesus; the final judgment; and eternity. You will want to be a member of the Church of Philadelphia--members of this church congregation will be taken by Jesus to heaven in the First Fruits Rapture just before the ordeal of the Tribulation starts. Members of this church are currently walking with and obeying Jesus. We also have articles on prophecy from Jesus in the Gospels, articles from the letters in the New Testament and articles about prophecy from books in the Old Testament, such as Daniel, Jeremiah and Isaiah.
Permission
is
given
to
use
all
of
the
articles
on
this
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Please do not change the articles in any way.
Please do not change the articles in any way.
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