Avoid being a graceless church.

Avoiding being a graceless church, requisite for readiness for the imminent rapture.

Ephesians  5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming for a glorious church.

The wise virgins living in readiness at all times for the coming of their Lord.

Matthew  25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Unfortunately of Christ’s church globally are graceless churches.

Their lives and conduct are not regulated by the word of God in the Bible.

Matthew  4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

They call Jesus Lord but and disobeyed Him with impunity.

Luke  6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

The scriptures reveals what characterize their lifestyle.

1. They have departed from the faith, from living by the entirety of God’s word.

1 Timothy  4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2. They have left their first faith. Changing what they swore to the Lord in the time past.

1 Timothy  5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

3. They are building again what they destroyed in the time past, going back to their vomit.

Galatians  2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

4. They lived licentious lifestyle. Living in pleasure.

1 Timothy  5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

2 Timothy  3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

5. They have lost their first love for Christ our Master.

Revelation  2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

6. They have a name that they liveth but are dead spiritually.

Revelation  3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  3:3 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.

7. They measure their spirituality by acquisition of transient things. They have become miserable churchgoers.

1 Corinthians  15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Revelation  3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

8. They detest the truth.

2 Thessalonians  2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

9. They are living in shameful sins and encouraging others to do same.

Romans  1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,  1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

10. They are Selling their birthright to acquire transient things.

Hebrews  12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

11. They reject God’s word on   restitutions.

John  12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.  12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Examine yourself sincerely, do you fall into these categories.

2 Corinthians  13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Please repent now to avoid missing the imminent rapture.

Acts  3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Isaiah  55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The good Lord shall help you to be wise unto salvation in Jesus name.

Let us pray.