Are you looking for a boat to board or waiting on a bus to pick you up?

I use the word ‘boat’ given that is what Noah built back in his day to protect (save) him and his family from the impending flood of destruction that was coming. God had given Noah plenty of advance notice (warning) and being “moved with godly fear he prepared an ark for the saving of his household’. (Heb. 11:7).

Jesus points to Noah’s day as being similar to what times would be like when He returns to the earth. He describes how people seemed to be clueless and were not even aware of what was happening until it was too late, and the floods came and ‘took them away’ and they were ‘destroyed’. (Matt. 24:39; Luke 17:27). God suggests that His people can be a bit ‘dull’ and don’t even recognize His judgments. (Jer. 8:7;5:4; Isa. 42:25)

And it’s not like the people weren't told of what was coming. It’s safe to assume they were ‘warned’, given that Noah was a ‘preacher of righteousness’. (2 Pet. 2:5). Then there was the testimony of Noah’s life as he ‘prepared’ in the building of the ark. Is it ok to say that Noah ‘obeyed’ God? Or do we want to twist words around and accuse Noah of being ‘legalistic’ and advocating that he was ‘saved by works’?

Call it what you will, but if Noah had just driven a ‘stake in the ground’ and erected a monument with a ‘statement of faith’ for all to read, proclaiming he had heard from God and that a flood was coming and because he believed God, then he and his family and whoever else ‘believed’...would be ‘saved’, what chance of survival would he have had? That is, if there was no ark to enter. I only point this out given what we read in Hebrews 5:9 that says Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who ‘obey’ Him. Once more, “not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of God”. (Matt. 7:21)

Now I hope we all understand and agree that Jesus was not advocating we start building another ‘boat’ or ark. I would submit to you that all that which unfolded in the OT was a foreshadowing of what would eventually play out in this world, and that God was going to bring a ‘flood’ once more. And it’s safe to say it won’t be a flood of water given what He promised back in Genesis. But the ark was a ‘type’ of Christ. Being ‘in the ark’ (which is what saved Noah and his family) is a picture of being ‘in Christ’. To be ‘in Christ’ is, to be a ‘new creation’. (2 Cor. 5:17). To be ‘in Christ’ is to be ‘abiding IN Him’. You might go over 1 John 2:3-6 again, real slow.

I would also hope that you recognize that ‘being in church’ does not equate with being ‘in Christ’.

I have to think that there are untold numbers of people today who have been ‘on the fringe’ in their faith walk, for a host of reasons. They are struggling in their faith, as something within them gnaws at them and they know something is just not ‘right’ but they don’t really know what the ‘missing piece’ is. They can look around and see the darkness coming and growing darker. They know...they are on shaky ground with God and don’t even attempt to disguise or deny it. Others, just tell themselves if they will attend church more, sing louder and give more money and service to God, then all will be well with their soul. At best, many are just ‘going through the motions...’walking in a form of godliness yet not experiencing the true power’ of God in their lives to enable them to overcome all sin’. (2 Tim. 3:5)

Can I just tell you as humbly as I know how, given what I have come to realize, recognize, and admit for myself, that you can spend many years doing your best to live a ‘good Christian life’, and yet, still not be truly abiding in Jesus. There are multiple factors that can contribute to this and we can cry tears over lost time later. But the good news is this: It can be different for you and needs to be different for you; and the door to this ‘ark’ is still open. Just give it all up...to Him and humble yourself and come before Him. (James 4:6-10). This is how you ‘get in the boat’.

Just don’t be like that rich, young ruler that was ready to board but unwilling to surrender all to Jesus. And you can be sure that it doesn’t take long for God to test your heart on this. He knows what is in your heart and what needs to come out, just like He did with that rich man in Matt. 19. If there is any confusion at this point as to what He is looking for and wanting to remove, I can assure you it will be ‘issues within the heart’. (Mark 7:21-23; Gal. 5:19-21). Pride is gonna have to go, as is bitterness and unforgiveness and all that other ‘baggage’ we have been carrying around most of our lives, living a double-minded life that has led us nowhere.  According to James, and Paul, that is what 'spiritual adultery is. You know, where we claim to be 'remarried and are the 'bride of Christ', yet our 'old man' is still alive?(James 4:4; Rom. 7:1-6)

How can one know if they have truly ‘entered the ark’? Oh, you will know; trust me. Sort of like when your young child asked ‘how will they know when they are ‘in love’? You smile...and tell them, “Oh believe me, you will know!” :- ). Don’t try and rush the process and think that saying some words as you do step 1, 2, and 3 takes care of it all either. New birth is a process and when true birth occurs, usually everyone in the room is aware of it. ;-)

Being in the ‘boat’ is what protects and saves any and all from the impending flood of darkness and destruction that is here already, taking men captive. (Rom. 1:18; 1 John 5:18; Psalm 91:1-13; 34:7; Prov. 16:7; Deut. 12:10; 2 Tim.2:26; Acts 26:18)

Now about that ‘bus’ I mentioned at the start. ....sigh....

I have in the past, made mention that many people today are waiting with great anticipation for what I refer to as this ‘Rapture Bus’ to swoop down from heaven and gather all the church folks up and take them out of here before things get bad.

Let me go on record and say: yes, I am aware of those passages that teach of some ‘catching away’ that will occur at some point in time. How or when that plays out, is not known to me. My whole Christian life I had heard taught these three ‘theories’ as to when this might occur. Many books have been written and sold offering up various ‘takes’ on this ‘rapture event’.

I can recall on multiple occasions listening to ‘experts’ debate all three positions held, be it a ‘pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib’ event that will occur in relationship to a ‘seven year tribulation’ period. I am not here to debate that topic. What I will express concern over is when I hear people talk of this future event, it is often with a sense of smug-self-righteousness as they wag a finger at the world wanting to explain to them ahead of time why they are about to ‘disappear’; also wanting them to know it ‘is not aliens’ that snatched them away.

These same people would be the first to admit what a ‘mess’ their sinful lives are given they remain a ‘wretched sinner saved by grace’. Truth be told, aside from their church attendance, are they really any different than all those they suggest will ‘miss that bus’ if they remain ‘slaves to sin’? (John 8:34)

When I hear people proudly confess, under a flimsy cloak of false humility what a ‘wretched sinner they continue to be’, the first question that comes to mind is what does that say about the workmanship of the Holy Spirit that comes to perfect us in the love of God and make us like Jesus? And I’m not talking about brand new ‘baby converts’ here either. Have we forgotten what kind of people Jesus is coming back for? (Eph. 5:27). Did Jesus not warn a popular church back in the day that there ‘work was not yet complete’ and they were on shaky ground? (Rev. 3:1-3). Did Paul not admonish us as to what we should be doing in the fear of God, having these promises?(2 Cor. 7:1)

I don’t expect this next statement to be widely embraced or received, but I will say it any way. I fear there is going to be many, many ...sincere people who are going to be sorely disappointed, if not shocked and disillusioned, when this magical bus fails to appear in the manner and time in which they have always been taught to believe. I know I won’t change many minds on this, nor will my mind be changed unless the Lord does it  through His word. But you can file this one way for a later day.

Why wait on a bus when you can enter the ark today?

One last thought for now –

So you believe in a literal ‘rapture’ event where believers around the world will be ‘caught up in the twinkling of an eye to be with the Lord’, do you? And even though you have never been ‘raptured’ ( a word not found in the bible) you still believe firmly in this because...why? Oh, because you have read a few verses in the bible alluding to this? Ok...I’m good with that.

You say you believe that because you prayed and ‘accepted Christ in to your heart’ that when you die, you will go to heaven, correct? That is quite a hopeful scenario to believe firmly in. And despite the obvious fact you have not ‘died yet and gone to heaven’, you firmly believe this because why? Oh...because you have read verses in the bible that teach this? Ok...I’m with you here.

But...when it comes to multiple verses about being ‘set free from sin’ and ‘sinning no more’ and ‘whoever abides in Him no longer sins’ ...because they have been ‘born of God and don’t sin’, you have a hard time believing and accepting those verses ...because....why?

To be ‘in the ark’ is to be ‘in Christ’ and a ‘new creation’. This is supposed to happen on this side of heaven. And if you pose the question to me as to whether I sin or not, and that you firmly believe that you and I will always continue to sin...it’s a moot point. Regardless of what you or I do, or fail to do, has no bearing on what the word clearly states. Could we be guilty of ‘selective believing’ when it comes to what the word states?   Join me tomorrow?