The Bible states: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thess.4:16, 17.

       The rapture or (the catching away) is the crowning event of the church age, which is the age of grace, the age in which we live. After the obedient Christians, both dead and alive, are raptured to heaven, the age of grace here on earth will be finished, gone, done for, or in other words, accomplished. 

    The Bible is written progressively. That is, the closer one reads to the end, the more the conversation turns from the Crucifixion as in Matthew; to Gentile (us) and the rest of mankind's salvation, as in Romans. And, then to the Christian spending eternity with the Holy Trinity as identified in the Epistles and the book of Revelation.       

    Paul explains in Hebrews chapter 6: verses 1- 12 what is expected of the Christian after salvation. When most people are directed to the these verses they are astonished that they are even in the Bible or they do not have a clue what is being talked about.

    Revelation explains in chapters 1, 2 and 3 what is required of the Christian who has been saved by grace. The chapters were given by the Lord Jesus to the Apostle John. For clarity, it is easier to repeat what the Bible states:  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the Last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. Rev.1:9-11

Ephesus: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2: 7B

 Smyrna: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev. 2: 11B

 Pergamos: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  Rev. 2: 17B

 Thyatira:  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: Rev. 2:26

 Sardis: He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Rev. 3:5

 Philadelphia: Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Rev. 3:12

 Laodicea: To him that overcometh 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. Rev. 3:21

    Paul explained our task as being perfect (continuing in the grace of Christ to grow unto perfection). Perfection comes when we see Jesus Christ in heaven. A verse that both my wife and I use in our daily walk with Christ is: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: (meaning the second death): but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye, shall live. Romans 8:13 

  The Lord Jesus blesses our task of overcoming: by stating to all seven of the churches, “to him that overcometh”  a positive statement follows, a blessing that will last for eternity. The Lord God has given all of us a job to do that we cannot achieve with out Him. It is only through Him that we can overcome our carnal nature. When the Lord's trumpet sounds, know blessings are coming for the believer.

Pastor Boyd Mins