Many of us have probably heard those quotes regarding how we often ‘fail to learn from history’....and those who don't, are ‘doomed to repeat it’. Would you allow me to point out one part of history that we ‘believers’ cannot afford to forget, and we would do well to remember? It is the fact that the first time Jesus arrived on the scene, those who allegedly were ‘in the know’ based on all their studies and ‘expertise’ in the scriptures... got it all wrong. In fact, they missed it so bad that they themselves became the ‘vessels’ used to nail their Messiah to a cross. How confident can we be that this could not happen again?

Remember: when it comes to those things that pertain to the kingdom of God and heaven, rarely, if ever, are the ‘majority’....right, no matter how convinced they are otherwise. (Matt. 7:13-14)

I would submit to you today that if you ask the average church member what their take is when it comes to the ‘second coming of Christ’, the ‘majority’ of them will suggest that He is returning for His ‘bride/church’ and is going to whisk them all away in what is commonly referred to as the ‘rapture’. Then...all hell is going to be unleashed on all those folks ‘left behind’. [ Some make the case that the 'rapture' will precede the actual 'second coming' but that is not my point here]

Now if that is what you have been taught your whole life to believe, then who am I to come and even suggest otherwise? Or just maybe... we might want to go back and re-examine some of this again...because what if...once again...the ‘majority’ has been wrong?

Paul had some interesting insights to share with the church at Thessalonica, in his first letter to them. Right after he encourages them with the comforting words of Christ’s return where He will gather up those who are looking for Him, (1 Thess. 4:13-18) he wants to address the confusion over ‘times and seasons’ as to when this will take place. (5:1). And please note there that he is addressing the ‘brethren’, and does so again in vs. 4. “Brethren, you know perfectly well...” (2)...and “are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a ...thief”. (5)

Before I go any further with this, may I ask who exactly... are the ‘brethren’? I think it’s a fair question to ask given Jesus asked that very question Himself, and then answered it. “Those who do the will of God...are my brethren.” (Mark 3:35; Matt. 12:48-50)

“Those who do ...the will of God”....are the ‘brethren’. Seems I remember Him saying in another place that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)

I believe there is added clarification found in Romans 8:28-29. You may be familiar with a portion of that text which is often ‘quoted in part’ as to how ‘all things work out for the good’. But that promise is directed towards those who actually ‘love God’. And we know that whoever ‘loves God keeps His commandments’. (John 14:15; 15:11). Also, I don’t know who needs to hear this, but ‘sinning’ is breaking the commandments of God, (1 John 3:4) which would be the opposite of ‘keeping them’. But those who do love God and are keeping His commandments...are being ‘conformed to the image of Christ, that He might be the firstborn of many...brethren’. And those who actually ‘abide in Him’...ought to be walking just as He walked’. (1 John 2:6)

And ‘brethren know perfectly well...that the Day of the Lord is going to be like a thief in the night’. We will take on that ‘thief’ part...tomorrow, Lord willing...of course.