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Snapshot

My Dear Friend,

When Jesus appears to receive His bride church into the heavens, it will be a test, an examination, an evaluation of His people. Not every Christian will be taken.

Jesus made that clear in His repeated, urgent spiritual readiness warnings, where He personally described those He will take as being “wise,” not foolish; “faithful,” not unfaithful; “ready,” not unprepared; “watching,” not ignoring His coming; and “worthy,” not living unworthily (prayerless, unholy lives) (Matthew 24:36 - 25:13; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-36). But that’s not all.

He also prophesied that just after the rapture, many professing Christians (foolish bridesmaids) left behind will appeal to Him through prayer for reconsideration, “Lord, Lord, open to us” (Matthew 25:11). But His reply will shock them: “I know you not” (v. 12). So, here we have another crucial test. The “knowing” test. The Christians Jesus will leave behind are those who do not know Him.

Oh, yes, in this parable, the foolish bridesmaids knew His name, His identity, and even called Him “Lord.” No non-Christian would call Jesus “Lord!” So, immediately, it is obvious they represent professing Christians at the time of the rapture, churchgoers, religious people, not the unconverted. Perhaps many will be Catholics, but many will also be mainline Protestants, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Charismatics. Yet, though they will know all about Jesus' divine being, proper name, Messianic identity, sovereign lordship, miraculous acts, and biblical biography, He will disavow them and leave them behind. Why? They won’t pass the “knowing” test. And it will be their final pre-rapture exam!

Consider the gravity of this text. Those whom He does not know (and thus, who do not know Him) will be left behind to endure the Tribulation period, a time God does not want Christians to participate in, “for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation [deliverance] by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). What, then, did Jesus mean by “knowing” Him? We simply must understand this!

First, He was not referring to mere academic or intellectual knowledge. We need to study our Bibles well to discover all the facts it offers about Jesus: His divinity, nature, teachings, prophecies, works, manner of life, redemptive sufferings, and so forth. But that doesn’t mean we “know” Jesus.

The word Jesus used here (Greek, oida) which is translated “know” means “to know experientially” or personally, not distantly and impersonally. I know many famous historical figures impersonally and distantly. I know all about their biographical information, failures, achievements, beliefs, friends, opponents, contributions to history, and so forth. But I don’t “know” (oida) them, personally and closely.

That is, I haven’t met them, conversed with them, shared time with them, or walked closely with them through life experiences so as to intimately know them, be intimately known by them, and forge a deep life-bond. So, we’re acquainted, but we don’t really “know” (oida) each other. Now back to our subject.

Go into any church anywhere at any time, and apply this “knowing” test to those present. They may have heard sermons about Jesus, sung songs about Jesus, worked at their church for Jesus, gone on missions to needy countries for Jesus, given money to Jesus' work, or even been ordained to preach in Jesus' name, and yet not “know” Jesus!

It’s fair to say every church has some who are coming to know Christ intimately, but others who are not. If Jesus appeared today, the former would be taken and the latter left. Don’t like what I’m teaching here? Take it up with Jesus. He’s the One who taught it. I’m just explaining what He taught.

But if you’re ready to take Jesus at His Word, and not try to twist His Word to fit your world, pay attention for a few minutes, as we consider this vital question: How do we get to “know” (oida) Jesus personally?

First, repent of your known sins and receive Jesus in your heart. “Ye must be born again” (John 3:1-8). Second, seek and receive the empowering Baptism with the Holy Spirit. “Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed?” (Acts 19:2). Now you’re ready to begin knowing Christ personally and closely.

Here are some thoroughly biblical, life-proven, historically confirmed guidelines for your consideration and application.

Study your Bible prayerfully and diligently, as it is the world’s only text that presents the true Jesus, His true works, and His true teachings, and therefore helps you distinguish true teaching and ministry from false. Obey your Bible, and it will open its rich, inner meaning to you more and more and, as you continue obeying, bring you ever closer to its Author.

Pray “always” (Ephesians 6:18), at set times and all the time, conversing with Jesus about everything that’s on your heart. Never gloss your prayers over with hypocritical religious phraseology, but rather speak plainly and sincerely, “pour[ing] out your heart before him” (Psalm 62:8). Give thanks to Jesus “in all circumstances,” good, bad, and in between, knowing they are all part of His loving, wise, predestined plan for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). Worship God often, in church meetings, at home, in every piece of work you do “as [an offering] to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23), and especially after every blessing received.

Get absolutely alone with Jesus every morning (and/or evening), spending quality, unhurried time in His presence, feeding on His Word-bread, drinking in His Spirit-water, and listening for His quiet voice speaking to your heart through His Word. Don’t rush this vital, intimate time with Him. Nothing is more important (see Luke 10:38-42)!

Practice humble self-examination hourly. Let no sin rest in your heart (motives, desires), mind (thoughts, attitudes), emotions (fear, anger, envy), speech (murmuring, slander), actions (bad behavior), or inactions (omissions). Why? Unforsaken sin in any form separates you from Jesus, spoils your fellowship with Him, weakens your bond with Him, and thus diminishes your personal knowing of Him. So, confess and forsake all sin, quickly, honestly, and thoroughly (1 John 1:9).

Also, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Jesus, His nature, His ways, His will, and His plan to you through the study of His Word. And ask Him to help you recognize His hand at work and Word being fulfilled in your life. Always follow the Spirit’s personal guidance - He is on a mission to draw you near and keep you close to Jesus.

Then seek fellowship often with others who are seriously coming to know Jesus, since their spiritual hunger and thirst is contagious. Drawing near those who draw near to Him draws you nearer to Him. And remember, the opposite is also true. So, abandon bad friendships, since their influence draws you away from Jesus.

Submissively endure every adversity Jesus sovereignly permits in your life. Why? If you continue trusting and obeying, your adversity will drive you closer to Him - you’ll see His hand more clearly in your life, hear His voice more distinctly in your heart, bask in His warm, healing, manifested presence as never before, and receive more refreshing, refitting, refillings of His mighty Spirit than you ever experienced in your former days of easy success and flowing prosperity. Thus, your fiery trials will forge a lasting, unbreakable, iron bond between you and your Savior.

Serve Jesus faithfully in whatever duty or calling He places you. Humbly pursuing your duty in the body of Christ helps you know the heart of Christ - who always delighted to do His Father’s will, came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and always taught and lived this principle: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Don’t just serve for Him, serve with Him, inviting Him to share and help you with everything you do, “the Lord working with them” (Mark 16:20). And the more you serve with Him, the more you will know Him - and the more He will know you, or know how faithfully and humbly you serve Him.

Willingly receive Jesus' corrections as they come. And they will come, they must (see Hebrews 12). Correction brings you more closely into God’s perfect will, attunes you more perfectly with His Spirit, aligns you more closely with His written Word, and thus attaches you more closely with His living Word, Jesus. And if you should stubbornly continue in any sin, and foolishly force Jesus to chasten you with corrective adversities, wisely learn from your folly. Return to Him, thank Him for lovingly chastening you, and restart all the ways of intimately knowing Him discussed above.

Well, there it is, a clear path to “knowing” Jesus - not falsely but truly, not merely intellectually but experientially, not impersonally but personally, not distantly but intimately. Follow it, and you will be prepared for your final exam, the “knowing” test.

Preparing for my final exam,