How can one prepare to be raptured up to Heaven and so be with Jesus Christ forevermore?
When it comes to the Rapture, it’s often said that a person must prepare, and so, “Be ready!” This saying is implied by Jesus Himself, who said in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to happen…” (“things” meaning when the signs of the end times begin to occur), then “look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” In other words, Jesus was commanding His followers to “Be ready!” because He will indeed return, and when He does, look up because His return will be swift.
Society has been looking warily at the signs of the end times Jesus gave in Matthew 24 and Luke 21: false prophets and messiahs, plagues and diseases, shattering earthquakes, fearful socio-economic events, wars and rumors of wars, surprising signs in the sky, and many more. All these signs Jesus mentioned would mark the time leading up to His return. Well, they are inarguably happening today, and in greater frequency and intensity, just like birth pangs.
Then there’s what’s known as the “super sign”—the sign of the fig tree. When Israel, symbolized as a fig tree, rebudded and became a nation once more, then that would be the generation that would see the return of Jesus Christ. Israel did indeed become a nation once more in May 1948. The fig tree has rebudded, indicating that the world now finds itself living in the final days leading up to Christ’s return.
Since all these end-time signs Jesus laid out are happening in this day and age, we can be certain that our Lord is coming soon. And, because He’s coming soon, we need to “Be ready!”
What One Must Do to Be Ready
Knowing Christ’s return is imminent, we each must ask this question: “What must I do to be ready?” Jesus answered this question in Luke 21:34-36.
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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.”
In this passage, Jesus gave us five things to do to “Be ready!” for His return in the clouds to rapture the Church up to Heaven.
Number one is to avoid sinning. If you are a Christian, then you obviously should be living a holy life as an ambassador of our Savior. So, avoid sinning at all costs.
And, if you have yet to have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you’re continuing to live a life of sin, and that means you are nowhere ready for when the Lord returns. Why is that? Because being prepared for the Lord’s return requires having accepted Jesus as one’s Savior. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). But, once saved, your sins will be forgiven and forgotten, and you can stand before God blameless and holy, no longer abiding under His great wrath.
Number two is to keep watching. Jesus commands us to look out for His return. You’ll hear some people ignorantly claim that Bible prophecy is all nonsense. And yet, Jesus Himself has said that when we see these signs of the end times, then keep watch. Therefore, Jesus wants us to expectantly watch for His return.
Number three points out that since we are living in evil times, we should pray to escape evil. Pray for the Lord to protect you, your family, your church, your friends, and your nation. We need all the protection we can get living in these dark days.
Number four, put your hope in the fact that Jesus is returning. Jesus will rapture all those who believe in Him as Savior, taking them all up to Heaven, before He pours His terrible wrath and judgment upon the world for its continued rebellion. The Rapture is what’s called our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Knowing that Christians will not have to face the worst period in all human history—the Tribulation—is meant to provide us hope for today. So, grab a hold of that hope!
But how does one grab hold of that hope? Number five, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, then in faith and repentance, pray from your heart. Express your belief that Jesus is the Son of God and acknowledge that He died for your sins, then beat death by resurrection Himself from the grave. When you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He will forgive you of your sins, your guilt will be swept away, and you will inherit eternal life with your Heavenly Father forever.
So, how can one “Be ready!” for Christ’s return? In summary: avoid sinning, keep watching, pray to escape evil, hope for the Rapture, and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you do these five things, then you will indeed “Be ready!” for the Rapture.
This was such a practical article for these times. Thank you, Dr. Jones.
My adult daughter and I are challenged by the division in Christianity over politics. Challenged to keep our opinions to ourselves, even though we present the truth in love. Do you believe it is prudent to speak up over the travesty and injustices we are seeing? Or, is it best to be biblically wise and abide by Romans 12:18 regarding living at peace “as far as it depends on you.”
Kathleen, glad to hear that the article was a blessing to you! Christians are called to follow God’s example and as Jesus describes in Matthew 5:13-16, continue to be “salt and light” in this dark world until the Lord returns.
Kathleen, for the most part, it is best to not seek controversy. There may be a time when you can correct a person who claims to belong to Christ but is acting in a way that is opposite to the fruit of the Spirit. But that may only be if you already have a friendship and that person has come to trust you. There are two verses out of Proverbs that express this well: 26:4-5. There is a lot of good advice in the book of Proverbs.
There is only one criteria for being prepared for the rapture! Believe! Believe and be saved. The Lord returns at the rapture for His own. If you are “in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), you will be caught up to heaven.
Blessings to believers who believe the word of God and Stand Strong. Lamb & Lion your timing is right on. Be Ready, is so in sink with the times in being prepared. Speak to those who are still unbelievers, and hope they can be saved before the Lord calls his church. 2 Corinthians 6:14. Do not be unequally yokes with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or why fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Ones conduct and direction of life can influence, or control the other’s. Rebellion against Christ and the Church is increasing at a fast past.
I’m wondering what is a ‘generation’? There would still be people born in 1948 and still alive today….and maybe for another twenty years or so? So technically, would Jesus then be returning by say 1948?
Concerning the fig tree analogy (ie Israel – see http://www.lamblion.us/2009/09/fig-tree.html), the fig tree as a symbol of the nation of Israel can be found in Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 24:1-10; Joel 1:7; Luke 13:6-9. Jesus said that all the things He had spoken of concerning the Tribulation will be fulfilled during the generation (genea) that sees the “fig tree” reblossom. The day before Jesus had put a curse on a barren fig tree (Matthew 21:18-19), causing it to wither. It was a prophetic sign that God would set the Jewish nation aside because of their spiritual barrenness — that is, their refusal to accept Jesus as their Messiah. Now, the next day, Jesus calls the fig tree to mind and says, “Watch it. When it reblossoms, all these things will happen.” The setting aside of Israel occurred in 70 A.D. The reblossoming took place in 1948 when the nation of Israel was re-established.
Since we don’t know for sure what a generation is, a literal translation of “generation” would mean a lifespan. In Genesis 6:3 God dropped the age of man down to 120 years. Psalm 90:10 reflects that man’s length usually is between 70-80 years.
The text then bears weight to the idea that the peoples of this day who have witnessed Israel’s restoration are the group/age/race/generation that will have the Tribulation befall them. This is substantiated by all the end time signs that are occurring today (see http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_signs1.php).
Totally disagree! The ONLY thing a person has to do is to turn from unbelief to belief in Jesus Christ as their savior! That’s it! Believe in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord as a faithful response to His free gift!
“Works” will not save you. You cannot “quit sinning” because even if that were possible, we are all sinners by the fact that our human blood is already tainted due to the original fall of man.
It is Faith in Jesus’ work on the cross and nothing else!
How to be ready for the rapture? Make sure you have sincerely asked God to forgive you and accept His Son, Jesus, into your heart and mind.
If you wish to disagree with Jesus, then that’s on you. 🙂
A perspective difference!
While the points you raise are certainly good life practices (which I would support), my response had to do with the question of “how to be ‘ready’ for the rapture.”
I stand by my comment that the only way to be ready is through “grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone.” The book of Galations, among other Bible passages, makes this point. There is nothing that can be added (no “work”) to ensure salvation (and thus, by extension, “readiness” for the rapture). I do agree that the sanctification process follows salvation, but assert that it is salvation in Christ alone that makes someone “ready”.
While your main audience may be believing Christians who understand this, it’s important to be clear on fundamentals. I see a lot of “faith plus works” being preached these days, and your “5 point summary” comes across that way to me. However, I do believe we are united in trying to share the Gospel and hoping to see heaven filled to the max! Maranatha!
If it were not possible to “quit sinning” then Jesus wouldn’t have told two people in John 5:14 and John 8:11 to “sin no more” regardless of tainted blood due to the fall of man. We may all be sinners, but Jesus provided a way for us, including the cleansing gift of the Holy Spirit, to become ex-sinners and His Church is a congregation of both ex-sinners and sinners hopefully striving to become ex-sinners. Therefore, Dr. Jones is correct in advising others to “sin no more” in preparation for the Rapture.
Has the author of this article stopped sinning?
You all are confusing Jesus’ words about living a Christian life of sanctification and mixing it up with salvation’s justification. Jesus wasn’t teaching salvation by works here, or even salvation in general, He was teaching how to live a Christian life of “being ready” for His return.
Be careful, although the bible does say that, remember it also says: “The demons BELIEVE and tremble”. You cannot just believe and live the way you want to and think you will go to heaven or are saved. God has set high standards for Christian living and if you don’t meet those standards, no matter how much you believe, you wont make heaven!! Don’t be fooled as the bible also says ‘by their fruit you will know them’ and NOT only to believe!
In September 2018 Jack Van Impe said on his show about the Rapture: “This is it. It’s time. It will be an EMERGENCY. It’s so near. It’s about to happen. People will be STARTLED. It’s right at the door – Get Ready!” After watching his show, that night I woke up from a dream that said “boy scouts’ motto” which I knew meant “Be Prepared.” I prayed in panic for days asking, “What exactly should I do to be prepared?!” Now it’s 8 years later, and I find the answer for me is simply to “pray without ceasing” for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as to how to prepare. It’s challenging to “pray without ceasing” during these overly busy and stressful days – most people heavily burdened with the “cares of this life” and that’s just the way the enemy likes it – to keep us too busy for the things of God. Nevertheless, certain routine activities that we all do are conducive to prayer, especially simple manual labor like washing the dishes or mowing the lawn. Perhaps that’s the Amish way of staying close to God.
Dr. Jones is right Be Ready and keep watching. Do what you need to do to be ready for the Bridegroom. It is an ongoing state of awareness. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as Labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. In Paul’s letters Day of the Lord is equated with the second coming. (Like a thief in the night.) Throughout the New Testament (thief) simply suggests unexpectedness, or unwelcomeness for unbelievers. Matthew 24: 3 Jesus on the Mount of Olives tells the disciples the Signs to watch for, and those signs will get stronger and stronger like a birth pains coming on a woman in labor. (Times of sufferings before the messianic age comes.) The Corruption and violence on this earth today is just as bad as it was in the Days of Noah.
70 t0 80 years … it’s been 78 years already 🙂
Psalm 90:10
New King James Version
10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Like the article says: Then there’s what’s known as the “super sign”—the sign of the fig tree. When Israel, symbolized as a fig tree, rebudded and became a nation once more, then that would be the generation that would see the return of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:31-33
New King James Version
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!