Escape the Hour of Trial - Death is No Blessing!

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev. 3.3).

Rev. 3.3 says you should know when Jesus returns, but if you do not hold fast, repent and watch, you will not know when the parousia of Christ begins, thus, you will not be taken.

"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt. 24.40,42).

The Lord can't promise no martyrdom as saints are always being martyred throughout the centuries. So those whose "your Lord" are addressed are Christians, and to be taken is better than being left for the believer. When is a spiritual Christian ready to be received to be taken like an Enoch or Elijah? Obviously, before the Tribulation. Carnal Christians will not be raptured at that time, but must pass through the Tribulation and be raptured at the last trumpet instead (1 Cor. 15.23,50-52, 1 Thess. 4.14-18). Should a Christian tied down to the world like a balloon unwilling to be released be taken beforehand?

If "thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3.10).

Not just trial but the hour of the Tribulation itself. God can't promise no martyrdom in the Tribulation so to be kept from the hour of trial is to be raptured before the Tribulation. A first rapture is the only way this promise can be assured.

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21.36).

Worthiness is not a condition for being saved, but it is a condition for the first rapture and reigning with Christ since Christians are accountable. What happens to Christians who are not watchful and prayerful? Though they can't lose eternal life, once-saved-always-saved, they can lose the reward of being worthy to escape the hour of trial that shall come to pass of the Tribulation and stand before the Son of Man "before the throne" (Rev. 7.9) in 3rd heaven before the 1st trumpet (8.7) of the 7 trumpets of the Tribulation. Nor will such a person be included with the 5 wise virgins to return with Christ (Jude 14,15) to reign over the nations (Rev. 2.26,27; 20.4-6) for 1000 years. That's a long time before the New City commences on the New Earth.