Could we, if we were caught away from home, walk straight toward Christ without returning to take care of our family or to lock our house against the theft of our possessions? Could we go forward without once looking back?

If we are that strong in faith we are of the spiritual stature of Enoch, Elijah, and Paul. There will indeed be strong people of faith in the last days, as it is written: "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last" (Luke 13:30).

Then there is the problem of our selection—that inner pull based on the Life of Christ dwelling in us and we in Him.

When Jesus returns, the world will be "prospering" under the reign of Antichrist. People will be marrying, giving in marriage, buying, selling, planting, reaping.

Some of us at that time may be living and working alongside the people of the world, or worldly Christians.

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Luke 17:34-36)

Today the cold, the lukewarm, and the righteous all live and work together—and so to the end of the age.

But the Kingdom of God is without mixture. Every creature will be placed in the realm for which he or she is suited. Mixtures will not be permitted in that Day. (Revelation 22:11)

On what basis will one be taken and the other left? On the basis of the development of the Life of Christ within the individual.

Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. (Luke 17:36,37)

Jesus was quoting from the Book of Job:

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she. (Job 39:27-30)

When the Lord Jesus appears He will be as the slain Lamb. Christ is our Passover Lamb. We saints are the young eagles who live by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Lamb of God.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)

If we wish to be "taken" in the Day of Christ then we must be among those who live by eating the flesh of Christ and drinking His blood.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (John 6:55)

The weekly or monthly Communion service of the Christian assemblies portrays our eating the flesh of Christ and drinking His blood. But every day of our Christian discipleship we are to be spiritually eating the flesh of Christ and drinking His blood. We are learning to live by His body and blood.

We keep ourselves "in Christ" by prayer, praise, meditating in the Scriptures, obeying the Holy Spirit, mixing faith with the written Word, gathering together with fervent believers on a regular basis (as possible), and by practicing all other aspects of the Christian life.

To be continued.