One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Christian believers of today is their willingness to criticize one another, to strive one against another, to be envious of each other. This attitude reflects the presence of Satan, who is the accuser of the brothers.

Before the Lord Jesus returns, the members of the Body of Christ will have been made one in Christ in God. This is not a coming together of believers to work out their theological differences. Rather, it will be a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit of God accomplished by the fires of tribulation and by the issuing of Divine Glory.

As the Spirit brings us into obedience to Christ we will discover we are one with each other. When our vertical relationship to the Lord Jesus has been established beyond question our horizontal relationships with one another will flow naturally and easily. It is people who are not submissive to Christ, who are seeking their own glory, who cause confusion and lack of harmony in the Body of Christ.

As we present our body a living sacrifice we are taught by the Lord to walk in our own path. We are not to imitate any other person (although the elders who are ahead of us in the Lord may serve as an inspiration and example to us). We are to walk in the path in which the Spirit leads us each day and we must carefully determine the will of God every moment.

Meanwhile, the sword of the Spirit is cutting through each aspect of our personality. Every motive, every word, every action, every imagination must be tested with the fire of Divine judgment. This process will continue until we become "fireproof." Then, when the sword of the Spirit is applied to us we are not harmed. The Word of God no longer can convict us of worldliness, of sin, or of self-seeking.

We can see that we Christians must grow much more in the Lord before we will be ready to ride with Christ in the Day of the Lord. The vision of weak, immature believers being caught up to meet the Lord Jesus when He appears so they can escape Antichrist is false. It is not a scriptural vision. The true vision of the Day of the Lord is the coming of a large, powerful, fierce army.

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. (Joel 2:9)

Most of the sin that is practiced in the earth takes place in the large cities. It is in the cities that Antichrist will persecute the saints and it is in the cities that the Divine judgment will take place.

The sons of God will invade the cities of the earth, casting out all that is of Satan and of the self-seeking of men. Wherever sinners hide they will be located and exposed to the light of the Spirit of God. It will not be possible to hide from the members of the Body of Christ.

To be continued.