Who Can Stand Before the LORD?

We believe that the end of this earth as we know it is about to come to an end. We believe that our Lord, Creator and Saviour Jesus Christ will return very soon at the second coming. But who will be able to stand before the Lord when He returns? This same question is asked in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 6:17 ...'For the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?'

The prophet Malachi called that day, the "great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Malachi 4:5) Great for the true believers who gave their all for Christ Jesus, but dreadful for those who rejected Him. Will you be able to stand before the Lord at the second coming of Christ? Are you preparing your heart and mind and getting your life in order in readiness to meet your coming King?

There are so many professing Christians who believe that they can just carry on living a worldly life and carry on sinning after coming to the Lord Jesus. Well, from my own personal experience, I don't believe you can truly come to Jesus and not be changed by it. There is NO WAY that Jesus can dwell in you and not cause a great change in your life. There is NO WAY that Jesus can dwell in you and not cause you to flee from sin and evil. There is NO WAY that Jesus can dwell in you and not cause you to separate yourself from the things of this world. There has to be a change! But we have to want to change. Unfortunately, the majority of professing Christians choose not to change. They are happy to carry on living a sinful worldly life and don't want to let go. Well, Jesus has a warning for those:

Matthew 7:23 ...'And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from Me, ye that workINIQUITY.'

Jesus here is talking to professing Christians who think they can carry on living in their sins and worship God anyway they like. They believe that Jesus came to save them IN their sins, rather than FROM their sins. Christ Jesus gives us power OVER sin, to turn away from it and to live a life giving glory to Him. How can we give glory to God and to Christ Jesus when the world sees us living just like they are? No, we need to separate ourselves from this world. We need to become a "peculiar" people for God.

So who will be able to stand before the Lord when He comes? King David had this same question, and He also gave an answer to it ... Psalm 24:3-4 ...'Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.' ... So who will be able to stand against that great day of wrath that is to come? Those who are pure and clean. And who are the ones who will be pure and clean? ... Romans 8:1 ...'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' ... We become pure and clean when we walk in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. And what happens when we walk in the Spirit? We no longer live according to the flesh. For example, we no longer live a worldly life. We no longer want to please man. We no longer fulfill the desires of our flesh, but we turn and flee from all sin and evil. Those who think they can continue to walk in the flesh will not be able to stand before the Lord when He returns, and will be condemned to the second death in the lake of fire.

James 4:8 ...'Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded.'

The only ones who will be able to stand before the Lord at His coming, will be those who allowed Jesus to change their hearts and purify them. It's just so unfortunate that this wicked doctrine of being saved IN your sins has become so widespread amongst the Christian world. It's a pleasing doctrine because it means that people can continue living a worldly life, and they don't need to change. This is an abomination to God! Just remember what the cost of sin was. Can we really study God's Word with an open heart and say that sin doesn't matter anymore? No. It is satan, the very enemy of Jesus who has spread this doctrine of being free to continue living in sin. It is clear to anyone with an open heart to be taught by God, that we need to be made clean. We need to purify our hearts. We need to turn away from sin and this world, and keep the commandments of God. We need to let Jesus into our lives and clean us from the inside out. Our homes (the body, which is the temple of God) need to be swept clean, and start living without sin.

Jesus is coming soon friend. He is coming to cleanse this world of sin and to take His people home with Him. Will you be able to stand before Him? Are you actively turning away from sin? Are you being cleansed by walking in the Spirit? It's time to get ready!

James 5:8 ...'Be ye also patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.'