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Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Pulpit Commentary says, "That have loved his appearing. It will be a characteristic of those who will be crowned at that day that all the time they were lighting the good fight they were looking forward with hope and desire for their Lord's appearing and kingdom. "Thy kingdom come" was their desire and their petition. They will be able to say at that day, "So, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation" (Isaiah 25:9)
John MacArthur says of the 2 Timothy verse,
"Now somebody might say, "This seems a little egotistical. I've finished my course. I've kept the faith. I've done it all, now, Lord, I want my reward." Is this selfish? Is this somewhat crass or self-indulgent? Is this a bit self-centered? Let me tell you why it's not. God has made the promise. God promised the reward, it isn't wrong to want what God promised. Furthermore, listen carefully, our eternal reward takes into consideration not only what we did but why we did it. Did you get that? And why we did it can either affirm the doing or cancel the doing. For Paul writing in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and looking ahead to the time of reward says, "Do not go on passing judgment before the time but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts and then each man's praise will come to him from God." Motive is bound up in the deed. And admittedly sometimes...sometimes it seems as though you never do anything from a totally pure motive. But God knows the motive and what of that motive is pure is that which will be rewarded. So we don't need to fear that we might be rewarded for selfish self-centered egotistical self-indulgent crass service. The wrong motive cancels the doing of the deed. But whatever has been done for Christ and in His name with a proper heart motive for His glory, that will be rewarded."
I tell people that Jesus will come tomorrow. And the next day I say He will come tomorrow. And the next...and so on. One of these days, soon I think, I'll be right. He IS returning, He promised to. He will gather His babes to Himself and take us to His home, and forever we will be with the Lord.
I think about it every day! :) And about how we're going to be lifted up (quicker than we can blink) to meet Jesus on the clouds in the air! ~ to follow Him into heaven and then to be with Him forever!
ReplyDeletePrayerfully soon!
Greg's quote: To all: "The Rapture is our blessed hope, not our hysterical obsession. Don't let it become that. Hope abides and endures--obsessions fade and disappoint."
DeleteWow, Greg! LOVE it ~ thanks!
Reva, the interesting thing about reading that verse is that it doesn't say how fast we will be lifted up. It says we will be CHANGED in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. So, one can one surmise if we will go up like Jesus did when the disciples saw him or really fast.
DeleteI love 2 Timothy 4:8 because that's the one crown I have an absolute lock on. There are a couple of others that are like mmm...OK, hang in there...we'll see. But the crown of righteousness for having loved His appearing? That puppy is mine all mine.
ReplyDeleteThat's also the same attitude I have about the Rapture--except for me it's "today" instead of "tomorrow," because evidently I lack your patience. =;)
I sincerely believe it's the best way to look at it. Otherwise we tend to succumb to the lures of rapturitis, which seems to affect so many today. The Enemy can use all manner of things to distract us, and sadly obsessing over the timing and nearness of the Rapture is one of them. I've seen many go down that road and grow weary, frustrated, and yes, distracted. And then there are the doctrinal fistfights. May God forgive us and keep us from such Christ-dishonoring activity (and that includes yours truly).
To all: The Rapture is our blessed hope, not our hysterical obsession. Don't let it become that. Hope abides and endures--obsessions fade and disappoint.
I love John MacArthur's explanation of motives! reminds me of this poem I wrote years ago:
ReplyDelete"O LORD, You have searched me and You know me... (Psalm 139:1 NIV).”
HE KNOWS ME
You know my heart --
Is it pure in Your Holy Sight?
You know my desires --
The wrong ones from the right.
You know my will --
Is it set to do only Thine?
You know my thoughts --
Are they filled with things Divine?
You know my attitudes --
Are they free from self and pride?
You know my love --
With me are You satisfied?
Yes, You alone know me, dear Lord,
Entirely from the inside out...
And I thank You, Jesus, for this I know:
My sins are all forgiven,
Beyond a shadow of a doubt!
(by Sharon Ann Ormsbee Maxwell)
RevaJune 2, 2014 at 1:43 AM
ReplyDeleteHi All~ and btw, Linda, “correction unnecessary” as I was merely summing up the rapture (Blessed Hope) scenario IN A NUTSHELL. Most who read here, I would expect, know about it and are “rapture watchers” themselves and yearn for it as well. I have known about our Blessed Hope for some 50 years and have always looked forward to it, but never before – as the world circles the drain, have I more yearned for it than I do now! I was not quoting an actual Scripture or else I WOULD HAVE cited chapter and verse..... smile!
Folks: Linda is talking about 1 Cor 15:52 and she’s absolutely right that it says we will be “changed” (from corruptible to incorruptible ~ in order to even be able to ENTER heaven) and that is what happens in less than the blink of an eye.
I was thinking ~ as I say ~ of the ENTIRE scenario which would also include 1 Thess. 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
And John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Also Revelation 4:1-2 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.
Please notice that in John’s case, the minute he heard the trumpet blast/voice, INSTANTLY he was in the Spirit and before heaven’s throne. The fact that we are going to be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air is a strong indication that it’s going to happen just quickety-quick…. ALL: changed AND arriving in the clouds in the blink of an eye, in my humble opinion….when you put all the Scriptures together.
Sure, every eye will see the Lord when He RETURNS (at the SECOND coming; not at the rapture) and His thousands of saints who come with Him; however, since the rapture is for the Church only, I really doubt that we will ascend “slowly” so that people would be able to watch us go! Rather: here one second & literally gone the next!
Have to write this in "halves" so this will be continued:
SECOND part:
DeleteI like how our Blessed Hope in Titus 2 is detailed in the NLT translation: Titus 2:12-13 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
And 1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Back to Greg’s quote, the funny thing is, I’ve actually been thinking a lot about this and I know myself that I have bounced back and forth from blessed hope to rapture hysteria and then back again. I wonder if the litmus test is when Jesus does not come when THEY THINK He should, a person gets tired & gives up of watching all together …. But the one who has the Blessed Hope goes on with life, taking care of business and working, tending to daily living, redeeming the time, abounding in the work of the Lord, abiding in the Vine, with our thoughts on things above while knowing that He WILL come as He promised He would!!
Because I’m not sure of how much room Elizabeth would like me to continue with here, I will merely cite Scripture location for us all to be aware of: Luke 12:35-48; especially read verses 45-46 which teaches us not to say – not even in our hearts – that Jesus delays His coming so therefore we can return to acting like the world acts & still expect to be raptured. When this “EVIL” servant does this, he will be appointed his portion WITH the unbelievers (and of course we know where the unbelievers will be during the Tribulation!)
At any rate, thinking of our Blessed Hope is what gets me through each day! And it is a good thing, a commanded by the Lord thing TO WATCH!!!
So I end here in encouraging everyone to watch!
From Luke 21:36 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
1 Thess 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.