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In Him, Do You Know What That Means?
"IN HIM", DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, CHRISTIAN?
If they're honest, more and more Christians will admit to being terrified at the sure prospect of having to endure at least part of the horrible Tribulation period described in the book of Revelation. That period, "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7) is the time during which the ascended, glorified Lord Jesus Christ will cause judgment after terrible judgment to fall upon this rotted, rebellious earth.
But need Christians worry?
Consider this: The apostle Paul tells us that those who are saved during this dispensation of the mystery are made one with Christ. He says several times in his letters that we, the members of the Church of this age, are members of Christ's Body. We are inseparably one with Him (2 Timothy 2:13). If He is the Head of the Body, and if we are His members, then where He is, we are...and whatever happens to us happens to Him:
"Ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular..." (1 Cor 12:27).
"We are members of His Body" (Ephesians 5:30).
Now it is one thing to suffer for one's faith at the hands of men who, willingly or ignorantly, are agents of Satan. It is another thing, too, for God to sovereignly allow suffering to come our way in this life, even suffering unto death. For no matter what happens, we should know ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
But the Tribulation period is something else entirely...it is the time when GOD HIMSELF will vent THOUSANDS of years worth of His just wrath...wrath which has been stored up during this 2,000 year 'grace period.'
So then, if individual Christians (members of the Body of Christ) suffer any part of God's outpoured wrath, then that wrath is poured out onto Christ as well.
But hasn't God already hurt Christ's body? If you're saved, you already know the answer to that one...
"...He was WOUNDED for our transgressions, He was BRUISED for our iniquities: the CHASTISEMENT of our peace was upon Him; and with His STRIPES we are healed...and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all...for... transgression was He STRICKEN yet it pleased the Lord to BRUISE Him; He hath put Him to GRIEF...[made] His soul an offering for sin...[God] shall see the TRAVAIL of His soul, and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities... because He hath poured out His soul UNTO DEATH...He bare [their] sin" (Isa. 53:3-12).
God forsook Christ--turned His back on Him--at the cross (Mark 15:34). Will God forsake and harm Him again, which He'd have to do if Christians enter "the time of Jacob's trouble"?
"So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many..." (Hebrews 9:28).
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, [now] CROWNED with GLORY and HONOR" (Hebrews 2:9).
So if you're a member of the Body of Christ, cheer up! The Tribulation period will be an awful time of wrath and condemnation, but as our apostle assures us:
"There is now NO CONDEMNATION for those in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1) "...Who delivered us from the wrath to come" (I Thess 1:10).