There is coming a time when those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be instantly changed from mortal to immortal beings. What a thought! This will happen “in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed”(1 Corinthians 15:52).
When this verse is compared with the wording of I Thessalonians 4:14-17, which could be called the “rapture passage,” it appears that the rapture and the change from physical bodies to supernatural beings is one and the same. Think of it! Changed in a fraction of a second, from earthly mortality to heavenly existence. One moment we are on earth going about our normal routine and activities, and the next moment in the presence of God. The way things are going it could happen very soon.
To what degree do you and I who are Christians really believe this? The answer will be reflected in how we use our time. It will be revealed in how we are maintaining positive relationships and loving others. Is each Christian doing his or her part in bringing people into God’s eternal Kingdom? How many Christians truly believe that this is the generation that will not experience physical death? Some Christian young adults may not have a chance to grow up on planet earth!
Stop and think about this one more time. Changed to immortal and caught up to be with the Lord in an instant of a second, for all eternity. The earthly life is over, done. No funeral, nothing. Now think about this: eternal life is everlasting. That sounds redundant, but really think about that for a moment. Yes, it is eternal, conscious existence that will go on and on…with no end. We cannot begin to imagine life with no end, but that is what the Bible promises to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, in 1 John 5:13, and many other verses throughout the Bible.
Let’s make the most of our life on earth but at the same time relish the thought of eternity in heaven. Live with excitement, adventure, and purpose. Stay in good health, and take advantage of living a long life to have a ministry in the lives of other people. On the other hand, with the world the way it is, and the conditions in which some are living, there may be those who would just as well be in God’s presence.
To those who have called upon Jesus for salvation, heaven is where we belong. There will be no aliens in heaven, for all Christians are citizens of that heavenly realm. Philippians 3:20-21 says,
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly await for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory…”
There are two ways to choose. Matthew 7:14 describes a broad way and a narrow way. The broad way leads to destruction; the narrow way leads to life eternal, but “few are those who find it.” Be one of those who chooses the narrow way and you will be transformed in the twinkling of an eye.
In the words of an old Gospel song:
“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home, in this world any more.”
Where is your eternal home?