Second question

I would do everything in my power to make sure my family is saved. But, ultimately, it's their decision alone to make. I would leave behind my bible and instructions to read highlighted areas of my bible, and notes where to find the answers as to what has happened, and what will take place next. I would write, again, my plea to accept Christ as quickly as they can so they can be saved, even if it means they will be killed. But no, I would not want to stay behind.

 

Problem with asking questions like this is that the doctrine of the Rapture isn't well understood by everyone. There are many Christians out there living in fear that they will be left behind because they offended God in some manner. It's an irrational fear, but they don't have anyone in their lives to explain it well to them. Some may be visiting this forum to learn more.

We need to be clear, honest and in agreement about the Rapture and what comes after. Muddying the waters and hypotheticals without basis in Scripture only leads to confusion.

 

There is no need for us to stay behind, we have told family/relatives/friends what is going to happen, God will have angels here after we leave preaching the Gospel non stop, people will know what they have to do, this is not our home, we yearn to be with the Lord, and he is coming for us, can't wait.

 

Again you ask a question where believers have no choice, if a person is saved at the trump call to come up hither, they go, no choice to make.

I struggle to see what your point in this is.

There’s only 2 types of people living today since the crucifixion & resurrection and that is saved or unsaved. The choice to stay behind at the rapture is to refuse the free gift offer of salvation not because you want to save someone else. For how can you do that, when you’re left behind also because you’re unsaved.

 

And I answered. Honestly. And like I said in the other thread, where Jesus says depart from me, I never knew you....that's at the Great White Throne Judgement, where the dead unbelievers are judged and then cast into the Lake of Fire.

 

You’re still going around in circles with this.

Those people mentioned in the scriptures you quoted above were not saved. They were/are trying to ‘work’ their way back to God, the one thing that none of them ever did was to call upon the name of the Lord to save themselves. You can see that from the very things they declared that they have done in the Lord’s name. Everything except to ask Him to save them by His shed blood and resurrection.

What they did do was call upon the name of the Lord to put on a show, to glorify not only God, but themselves as well.

 

What is the will of the Father?

And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:39-40

 

I am beginning to think the OP has doubts about ‘tetelestai’ and the finished, fully sufficient work of the cross.

 

This might sound unloving but I wouldn't risk staying behind... simply because I CAN'T save anyone!

Yes, I can warn and give evidence and point to what's happening in the world... but to purposefully stay behind when I can't technically save anyone would be foolish.

Everyone has to make a decision to follow Christ or not. It reminds me of what Doc said in Back to the Future III:

"Marty, we all have to make decisions that affect the course of our lives. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. And I've gotta do what I've gotta do."

We can witness to our friends and families until we're blue in the face... but we techincally can't save any of them. Only God can do that. And to stay behind when you know full well of the hell that is coming would be foolish on your part, even if it seems altruistic to stick by your unsaved loved one(s) side. I can't make anyone's decisions to follow Christ for them. I can only make my own... and my decision is to give my life to Jesus.

 

Just curious, what do you say is the will of the Father?

 

Imo, People the Lord doesn't recognize at the judgment are those in this life who have a relationship in word only. Christians in name only, who never have confessed and believed. I'm always reminded that the thief on the cross spent the last moments of his life with the wisest thing anyone can say "LORD remember me". No time for work, no time to reverse lifestyle, quit drinking drugs fix the family life, nothing but his faith in the Savior. THIS DAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. Precious Jesus.

 

Troll?

 

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29

Now to reply to the OP: even if I were given the choice to stay behind in the rapture (I won't be given a choice besides the one I already made to trust Jesus as my savior)... there is absolutely no way I would choose to stay here. First off, like others have said: it is only God that saves. I trust him to save who will be saved. No one is ever condemned to hell except by their own choice to not accept Jesus. There will be no excuses. And God doesn't need me specifically to do his work during the tribulation.

The Church is really in an amazing position of blessing both now and into eternity that no group will ever know besides us. I wouldn't trade that closeness with God for anything. And I don't want to be around for any of the judgments. I never want to know what it's like to be on the receiving end of God's wrath. Thanks to Jesus I never have to know what that's like, so I don't even want to consider it.

 

Amen!

 

I never had that experience, but that doesn't make me any less of a believer.

Choosing to stay behind rather then meeting the Lord in the air, and forever being with Him....the more I contemplate that, it feels like Lot being reluctant to leave Sodom even as he knew God was about to destroy it.

 

No.

 

I took this question to be: would you give up salvation if it meant witnessing to another? Putting aside the idea if whether such a things was possible (I don't think it is), my answer is 'No'. Not even for my kids whom I would sacrifice anything else for. Jesus said you needed to put Him first, before all others. Our relationship with Him is what He wants us to focus on and I don't think we win brownie points by saying we'd trade our salvation for someone else.

Fortunately we aren't ever going to be asked something like that, so it's a moot point, but I suppose it is worth thinking about if your salvation really is the most important thing in your life or not.