Yet we go on, and on, and on, and on talking about "the fastest growing church in America." Personally I think this viewpoint is an abomination to the Lord. How could it be otherwise?

Is Christ impressed with our "success" or with our faithfulness?

One thing is certain: If we have not walked with God in such a manner that His standards of integrity and faithfulness have been met, all the works we have done in Jesus' name will profit us nothing at all in the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit may bring forth many excellent saints from our ministry. That is His role. But there will be no profit to us personally if we have succeeded by manipulating people and circumstances, not being too careful with the fine points of righteousness. The people we have betrayed in our mad rush to be important will scorn us in the spirit world. The Lord Jesus Himself will drive us from His Presence as being unworthy of His fellowship.

We of the Christian churches often hold unscriptural values. We need to get this straightened out before we stand before our Creator, His angels, the righteous dead, and the wicked dead.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. (I Corinthians 4:5—NIV)

All that has been hidden in darkness will be brought to light at the coming of the Lord. The motives of the hearts of individuals will be exposed. Then God will praise or condemn the person.

Again, this is pointing toward the day of resurrection, toward the return of the Lord Jesus to the earth.

We have had so much false teaching concerning the coming of the Lord that the concept of the day of resurrection has been pushed into the background. Yet the day of resurrection is by far one of the most important concepts of the Christian salvation.

The fourth chapter of the Book of Thessalonians, where Paul speaks of the coming of the Lord, has been warped into a mythological going of the saints to Heaven.

If we would read the verses carefully we would notice that Paul is not emphasizing the going of the living saints but the return of the deceased saints and their resurrection from the dead.

We believe Jesus died and rose again and so we believe God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (I Thessalonians 4:14-17—NIV)

"Those who have fallen asleep in Him."

"Those who have fallen asleep."

"The dead in Christ."

The emphasis in this passage is on the dead in Christ, not on the living.

To be continued.