We Are the Aliens

As much as we might want to identify with people (friends or family) in the unbelieving world, they will never fully accept us unless we abandon or compromise our faith. If and when we do exercise our spiritual values, it brings conviction, and they often distance themselves or disown us entirely. In thinking we can find common ground through compromise, we are the ones who are fooled.

Lot is our example.

In Genesis 19, he begs for the lives of two angels quartered inside his home, “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing.”

“Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow (Lot) came to town as an outsider (an alien), and now he’s acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!”
(Genesis 19:7 + 9)

Lot calls them brothers, thinking them his friends, but they call him an alien.

So it is when we are friends with the world in a compromising manner. When that moment of clarity comes and we attempt to regain our spiritual footing, we will be summarily rejected. Truth be told, we ARE aliens and we should never pretend we are something other than that.

“Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy…I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ (aliens) to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” (1 Peter 2:10-12)

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Angel Food

Angel Food

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people–saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14:6-7Confession Time

Before today, I never noticed the truth of this particular section of scripture and I need to acknowledge a false teaching…Of my own. You see, I have always believed (having had it improperly taught to me) that the Rapture could not occur until everyone on the face of the planet had heard the Gospel message. The basis for that doctrine was fueled by the words of our Lord and Savior in Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

What I failed to notice (until today) was this angel flying in midway through the tribulation, and yes, before the ‘end’, to boldly preach the Good News to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. What that means is that the Rapture could actually occur before you finish the end of this sentence.

On Another Note

If you are still reading, again my apologies—I suspect I have done it before and that I will likely do it again, but please know it is not my intention to mislead or deceive. I have squared it with the Lord and it is my hope and prayer I will not be erroneous in the future. But another thing also leapt off the page today—check-out the boldness of the third angel in Revelation 14:10-11 regarding those who deny Jesus Christ and choose to take the mark of the beast.

…He himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God… He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever…”

Be An Angel

The message of salvation is either very important to us or it is not. I suppose my question to everyone (myself included) is just how important is the Gospel message (and if it is important) why are we not as bold as angels in our presentation, after all, everyone we know who is not saved is going to hell.

I heard a story today that gave me pause. It’s about an Englishman named Richard Love who was sentenced to death over a half a century ago. As the prison chaplain walked with him to the gallows, he pleaded with him to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, adding that to deny Christ was to accept eternal torment.

Love’s response? “Go to hell.”

This doomed man wanted to know why, if this Good News message was so gravely important, why then was the chaplain waiting until the very last second to deliver it and he added, “If I thought this message was the truth (as you do), than I would have crawled on my hands and knees through broken glass in order to deliver it to every person in England.” (paraphrase mine)

It would seem that Love dispatched himself to hell that day, but nevertheless, God used Love to convey a significant truth—if the Gospel message is as critically important as we believe it to be, what on earth are we saving it for?

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