<em>Promised Protection</em> &ndash; Secret Rapture <em>or</em> Place of Safety?

Civilization will soon experience untold—and almost entirely now UNSEEN—calamity! Almost no one envisions what is coming on the entire western world, and later the whole world. Troubles and difficulties are mounting worldwide, and will soon spin completely out of man’s control. Yet nothing is out of God’s control! He has a Master Plan, involving 6,000 years in which man is learning that he cannot rule himself or solve his problems and ills apart from God.

Of course, the wonderful world tomorrow lies beyond the terrible time foretold to strike the whole world soon—and, as you have seen, suddenly. But only a small percentage of the world’s population will live through oncoming events into that time. You have seen that God will take faithful Christians to a specially-prepared place of safe protection, and keep them from the “hour of trial,” which will come on the “whole earth.” We have learned that their flight will occur before horrendous, earth-jarring, supernatural punishment strikes all nations.

But we have also learned that even some of God’s people will not be protected. Like the vast numbers caught unprepared when atomic bombs struck two Japanese cities at the end of World War II, and when millions of Jews lost their lives because they could not believe the Nazis capable of a holocaust, many today will be unnecessarily swept away into suffering punishment and death when they could have been protected—could have survived!

Verses 9 to 11 of Revelation 6 describe the opening of the fifth seal—the Great Tribulation. This passage symbolically paints a grim picture of martyred Christians from previous ages awaiting a final time when “their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Revelation 12:17 identifies who these “fellow servants” are. We have seen that they are described as “the remnant of her [the Church’s] seed”—those that “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” While verses 13 to 16 describe those whom God will protect, verse 17 identifies those who will not be protected. This remnant is directly persecuted by Satan, as he “makes war” with them, eventually causing their death.

Understand! As we learned in the previous section, including the inset about Church eras, even some true Christians will not escape the devil’s wrath in the Tribulation!

This is most serious! Think of it. If even certain true servants of God will not be spared from coming martyrdom, because their conduct is deficient in various ways, then He must have very high standards for those He DOES select for protection. Your life hangs in the balance. Quite literally, if you miscalculate or falsely assume, the personal price you pay could be catastrophic. It is time we WAKE UP to what is at stake!

Grasp this! You have a personal responsibility—and the remainder of this booklet covers basic, vital points that you must know, if you hope to escape what others will not! Also recognize that, however important, just “keeping the commandments of God” (Rev. 12:17) is not enough to be protected from—to escape—the devil’s angry attack. Although the world ignores or rejects this great spiritual law altogether, God requires far more than just this essential but basic obedience to escape the coming times of world trial.

You Have a Responsibility

We have seen that the rapture theory has no biblical basis whatsoever. But this may not be the worst part of this false doctrine. Consider for a moment. Merely waiting to be whisked away—mysteriously vacuumed into heaven—produces a carefree and careless attitude in those awaiting Christ’s Return. This thinking subtly defeats the need for any personal responsibility—for taking action in a host of vital areas of Christian conduct and behavior. Tragically, millions are now being set up to “Simply believe in Christ, and He will take care of everything else.”

This is short-sighted, dangerous thinking! It is also very irresponsible.

Recall that the Bible instructs God’s people to “Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you 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).

Numerous verses demonstrate that Christianity involves active effort. True conversion does not allow for passive bystanding. Of course, just the act of escaping implies effort. But Luke records that one must do at least two other specific things for escape to be possible: “watch …and pray always”!

This further introduces the need for taking action and accepting personal responsibility!

Watch and Pray

Take Christ’s instruction at face value. There is no room in Luke 21:36 for disinterest, or even passive semi-interest, in the exact sequence of crucial events, as they lead up to the fulfillment of the greatest single prophecy in the Bible—Christ’s Return. All who wish to truly be God’s servants—and to stand before Christ in His kingdom—will be found carefully watching for many specific trends and events, either occurring now or lying just over the horizon.

The Restored Church of God has prepared many tools to help you look ahead to—and carefully watch—BIG EVENTS, soon to EXPLODE on the world scene! I urge you to develop a burning interest in what will happen and to learn while there is still time. Determine to grasp, with full understanding, how and in what order these events will occur. Nothing less will do.

Luke also said to “pray always.” Obviously, prayer—“effectual [poured out], fervent [intense] prayer” (Jms. 5:16)—requires real effort. Such prayer is not done automatically or easily, and you must set your hand to learn how to do it and to work at it.

Most people have no idea how to pray, or even that they should regularly talk to God. That is what prayer is—talking to God. Most offer empty, canned, self-righteous platitudes, repeating the same thing over and over, contrary to Christ’s teaching (Matt. 6:7). Others merely pray selfish prayers, reflecting the “gimmes.” Still others seem to confuse thinking “happy thoughts” or “positive thinking” with prayer. Of course, these are good, if correctly based. But they are not prayer!

Take time to read our straightforward article “The Keys to Dynamic Prayer.” It will forever change the way you view the powerful, personal tool of prayer. Also take the time to learn how to study God’s Word, and to meditate on what you are reading, sometimes accompanied with fasting. (We also offer vital, thorough, helpful articles on all these topics.) You can understand and master these tools. Done effectively, they will change—and save —your life!

Real Faith Is Vital!

Paul writes, “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb. 11:6). This incredibly blunt statement is in the Bible. Once again, take this passage for exactly what it says. Then recognize that the Bible teaches (in both the Old and New Testaments) that “the just shall live by His faith” (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).

Many of the Bible’s greatest prophecies lead to and culminate in Christ’s Second Coming. While His establishing of the kingdom of God will be the most wonderful event the world has ever seen, what precedes it will be something vastly different. Humanity is hurtling toward untold catastrophe. Tumultuous events will soon engulf every society, every nation—affecting the lives of every human being on Earth. Even for the strong, with events simultaneously overlapping and crescendoing, it will take immense trust—real FAITH!—in God’s power to avoid panic, and to hold steady, simply believing His promises. Surely, there is no time in human history when the need for true faith would be greater than when these prophecies begin to unfold.

Therefore, Christ asks this all-important and open question about faith, directed to each person who will consider it in the time just prior to His Return: “When the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

God wants you to rely on Him—to trust Him completely in everything. Remember. You really have no choice if you hope to please Him. In the near future, when others are gripped by fear, uncertainty and confusion, their whole world collapsing around them and having no idea where to turn for answers, God does not want His people to fret, worry or agonize over what will happen next—or to themselves. Think of it this way. One of the greatest things that you really should worry about is if you do not overcome worry. God promises to provide your every need if you believe Him, trust Him and wait on Him without doubting. Having done this, you should expect Him to continually deliver you, no matter how impossible your personal circumstances may become! (Take time to read our booklet What Is Real Faith?)

The Crucial Role of Patience

In Luke 21:19, in the context of events swirling around God’s people, Christ instructs, “In your patience possess you your souls [lives].” Christ knew that having and exercising tremendous patience, in the face of swirling, confusing events, is an inseparable companion to real believing faith.

In the middle of Revelation 13, which describes cataclysmic events happening in Europe and impacting the whole world, verse 10 states, “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” The rise of the false system described there certainly requires enormous patience and faith to endure, because of the almost non-stop persecution it has brought to God’s people.

Further, in Revelation 3:10, Christ commends His faithful people in the end time, those of the Philadelphian era, “Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” The New King James Version renders the italicized passage as “My command to persevere.” This helps to better convey Christ’s meaning. Scripture shows how patience, endurance and perseverance are vital in a Christian’s life, especially in the end time, when the severity of world conditions will be worse than ever before.

Take time to look up the following scriptures, noticing that many are attached to having patience at the end of the age.

In Matthew 10:22, Christ states, “And you shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.” Then notice Matthew 24:13, in the middle of the Olivet Prophecy. When describing all that will occur prior to His Return, He repeats, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

If Christianity was compared to a track meet, it would be more like running a marathon than a sprint. It involves endurance, yet it also means running to win (I Cor. 9:24).

Next, read Acts 14:22. It recounts part of Paul’s ministry: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we [all Christians] must through much tribulation [trial] enter into the kingdom of God.”

Now notice Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

We have already seen that Daniel 12:12 states, “Blessed is he that waits…” Why would there be a defined waiting period—until the 1,335 days begin—if extraordinary patience—and patient endurance—were not necessary?

Galatians 5:22 includes longsuffering as one of the nine fruits of God’s Holy Spirit, to be evident in every Christian’s life. “Suffering long,” enduring through trials, requires a great degree of patience to always remember that God has promised a way of escape for those praying and seeking His will, and watching world conditions.

A Life of Growing and Overcoming

Most people feel trapped, unable to overcome—to grow in areas of weakness, fault and sin. Instead of overcoming their problems, most are overcome by their problems. This should not be—this need not be! You can overcome in your life.

Through the years, I have pastored thousands who have been called to God’s Way. All people struggle against the pulls of the flesh and the temptations of Satan and his world. Some overcome. Others do not.

Christ said, “Enter you in at the strait [difficult] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad [easy] is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait [difficult] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). Most seek the easy, “broad” path in life.

Overcoming is hard—difficult!—and it is a continuous struggle. But it IS possible (Matt. 19:26). You can overcome (Phil. 4:13). If you are a Christian, you must!

Yet, this world is drifting along, completely unaware of God’s great purpose for man, which is to build holy, righteous character in this life. God is preparing a team of those who will qualify to be part of restoring His government to earth at Christ’s Return (Acts 3:19-21).

In Revelation, Christ stated, “And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron…” (2:26-27). A chapter later, He adds, “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” (3:21).

These verses picture Christ re-establishing God’s government over all nations on Earth. Christians will receive real power to rule. But first, they must overcome sin— defeating, with God’s help, their flesh, this world and the devil!

Overcoming is rarely easy, nor does it happen overnight. It is a lifelong battle against well-established attitudes and a former way of life that the Christian has now rejected and turned from. The one who is walking God’s path is striving to curb and withhold himself wherever God’s Word instructs him. He strives to exercise himself in matters where God says to do so. When God gives instruction to do something, the Christian strives to do it! When God instructs not to do something, he strives not to do it.

Christians are those who follow—who COPY—Christ (I Pet. 2:21). What then is the pattern Christ established for us to follow? Did He overcome?

In reference to His own struggle to remain free of sin and perfect in character, Christ said, “In the world you shall have tribulation [how true today!]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Christ had overcome both the world and its god—Satan (II Cor. 4:4). Recall that He said, “even as i also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Christ overcame and qualified to rule. Just as He qualified to replace Satan, so must we!

In addition, the Christian strives to fulfill the command to “grow in grace and knowledge” (II Pet. 3:18), also on a daily basis.

Such enormous power to rule—to guide and affect millions of lives during Christ’s millennial rule—could never be given to people who are unprepared—who have not qualified to properly use it. God will not hand this unprecedented authority to people who might rebel and revert to Satan’s ways. God’s servants must diligently use this life to build His very character, so necessary for those who will one day hold offices of great authority.

Zeal Lacking

The final era of Christ’s Church—Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)—lacks sufficient zeal to receive God’s blessings and promise of protection. Christ describes those of this era as “lukewarm,” stating that because they are “neither cold nor hot, I [Christ] will spew you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:16). Verse 17 continues with Christ describing a smugness that has taken hold within many of His people.

In the world at large, most people do not get excited about much of anything, preferring to “relax”—“be cool”—“take it easy”—not get “worked up.” But this is not a picture of the true Christian. He is one who is on fire—for all things of God! His whole heart, mind and being is committed to living God’s Way. He continually seeks to fully submit to God, yielding to God’s direction in all matters. He recognizes and practices Paul’s instruction, “I beseech you…brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).

Most in the world do not want to sacrifice for any but themselves, feeling this to be very unreasonable. They are committed to “getting while the getting is good”—unconsciously seeming to follow the unstated goal of “seeing who can die with the most toys.” The vast majority of people lead lives reflecting little more than seeing how much they can accumulate in this life.

But the Christian recognizes that his life belongs entirely to God. He is committed to using it for God’s purpose. He is interested in serving others—in giving rather than getting (Acts 20:25). His heart is in preaching the gospel to the world (Matt. 24:14) and God’s warning message (Ezek. 33:1-9) to the modern nations descended from ancient Israel. He wants to help fulfill Christ’s command, incumbent on His servants for 2,000 years: “Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them [into] the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).

The Church and God’s Work

Christ understood and taught His disciples that of Himself He could do nothing (John 5:30). The Spirit of God enabled Him to accomplish all that He did. Prior to His ascension to heaven, Christ told His disciples He would soon send them God’s Holy Spirit.

This event, the beginning of the Church of God, occurred in A.D. 31. Christ described the significance of what happened at that time: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: And you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Ten days later, God gave His Spirit, initially to just 120 disciples.

Infused with the Holy Spirit, God’s people were now empowered to fulfill His mission. Like the first-century Church, this same twenty-first-century Church has neither millions of members nor political power or clout.

The true New Testament Work of God also began in A.D. 31. In ignorance of the real gospel of the Bible, and what really is God’s Work, this world’s Christianity has trusted in a false gospel, merely about the Person of Christ. Most today think they must spread this “gospel,” seeking to bring as many people as possible to Jesus to be “saved.” This is far from the truth of the Bible.

Delivering Christ’s real gospel to the world—the good news of the coming kingdom of God—is and always has been the true Work of God’s Church!

Only One Church

Christ said, “I will build My Church” (Matt. 16:18). No matter how men interpret this verse, it speaks of a single Church! Christ continued, “and the gates of hell [the grave] shall not prevail against it.” He promised that His Church could never be destroyed.

In the previous chapter, Jesus had said, “But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (15:9). In Mark’s parallel account of this statement, He continued, “Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition” (7:9).

The world’s Christianity is filled with traditions, assumed by most to be biblical—when the Bible often teaches the exact opposite. One of the largest is the traditional view of what is the New Testament Church. Most ministers, theologians and religionists typically define the church in this way: “All those who sincerely believe in Jesus as their Savior comprise the church.” This is often followed with the familiar statement, “There are many routes to heaven.” Though the Bible nowhere teaches that heaven is the reward of the saved, the clear implication of this statement is that people can largely believe what they want, or be a part of any group that they choose, and still be Christians. While people may sincerely believe these traditional ideas—they are sincerely wrong!

We saw that the Bible declares, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (I Cor. 14:33). God’s Church does reflect peace—not confusion!

You need not be confused about the identity of the true Church. God inspired Paul to write, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thes. 5:21). Surely God would not exclude something of such magnitude—such vital importance—as the matter of what and where His true Church is. He would never tell people to prove what cannot be proven.

God’s Church also walks in complete unity—agreement— with all of the Bible’s doctrines. His servants live Christianity, practicing all the truths and ways of the Bible without compromise. While persecuted in a world rejecting God’s authority, they press forward, determined to fulfill their incredible human potential!

When speaking to His disciples about the importance of seeking the kingdom of God, Christ said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). By no stretch of the imagination can churches comprised of over two billion professing Christians be considered a “little flock.” However, somewhere on Earth today is that same little flock faithfully yielding to and obeying God, and fulfilling His supreme plan in this age.

You must set out to prove the location of God’s true Church!

When Christ stated, “I will build My Church,” it went far beyond just beginning, increasing and protecting it—insuring its survival. There is a great transcendent purpose for the Church that Christ built—the only true Church of God!

God’s Work—The Mission

God’s Church has a mission. Every member is called to become a part of the exciting, biblically-defined Work of God (Matt. 24:14; 28:19-20). We understand the need to spread the truth of God’s real message—to announce a new world order coming to a struggling, suffering civilization, incapable of even addressing, let alone fixing, its mounting troubles and difficulties. While the commission began with the original apostles, The Restored Church of God continues it today. The message and goal are the same—only the methods differ.

This mission has a two-fold commission. The first is “Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). The second is to feed the flock of God—to supply each member of God’s Church with spiritual food (John 21:15-17). As God’s members are fed, they grow spiritually, allowing them to serve and dedicate themselves more to the Church’s great First Commission. Today, large numbers of people can learn the full truth of God as never before. Many thousands around the world are learning sound, proven principles, straight from their Bible, helping them to live happier lives and become better citizens.

The Restored Church of God is a fountain of true knowledge in a parched world with ever-increasing evils!

Christ’s Great Commission

God’s people are on a crusade to take Christ’s announcement of the kingdom of God—the most important message on Earth today—to a sick, dying world. They are passionate about—consumed with—the need to complete Christ’s Great Commission while there is still time (John 9:4). You are now reading God’s final warning message to all those who will take heed!

Again, The Restored Church of God is fulfilling that commission, and you can be a part of it—you can be protected. By now, you know that no secret rapture is coming, but instead God promises His faithful people a place of special protection—COMPLETE SAFETY—from the incomprehensible horrors soon to engulf the entire planet!

When world leaders, scientists, educators and others offer warnings of worsening global problems, the general public, feeling largely helpless, tunes them out. In addition, the world has many who find reasons to “cry wolf.” As a result, most people have become conditioned to ignore grave warnings.

All who scoff at god’s warning, explained in this booklet, will soon scoff no more!

Will you prepare now—and be ready when time has run out? Will you submit to and obey God? Will you watch and pray always, demonstrate faith and practice patience, exhibiting zeal to grow and overcome, with your heart totally in the Work of God, having sought out the Church that Christ built?

Will you be protected from the “hour of trial”—from the “snare”—that shall soon “come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth”?