"Will unconfessed sin of a born again believer
cause him to miss the Rapture?"
The question was presented to me by Joseph, a pastor-friend of mine.
To answer his question, I will use his own material.
Which he shared with me over four years ago, on 13 June 2020:
"Once we become born again, all our sins, past, present, future, are forgiven! In that sense, we are justified and positionally pure, sinless, in God’s sight because Jesus paid the price for all our sins by His death. He died in our place so we may live!"
How merciful is the LORD!
And all because we are born again.
But what is "unconfessed sin"?
Obviously it's sin we haven't confessed, because we're not aware it's a sin.
It's sin we haven't confessed, as we're not aware we've sinned.
As born again, I always pray to JESUS each day.
To please let me be aware of ALL my sins.
The known, and unknown.
It's a painful process.
But a very healing, and necessary process for me.
I simply want to be aware of my sins.
And be corrected by JESUS.
It's a daily discipline to do so.
As my friend said:
"For the rest of our lives as born again Christians, the challenge to stay away from sin will always be there."
What assures the born again of salvation?
Or being part of the Rapture?
Despite having some "unconfessed sin"?
SPIRIT led me to these verses:
Psalm 34:19
King James Version
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Ephesians 1:7
King James Version
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 1:11
King James Version
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will:
Ephesians 1:13
King James Version
13 In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 2:8-9
King James Version
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works,
lest any man should boast.
Romans 5:1-2
King James Version
5 Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith
into this grace wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:5-6
King James Version
5 And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:8-9
King James Version
8 But God commendeth his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then,
being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath
through him.
Romans 5:10
King James Version
10 For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.
Romans 5:11
King James Version
11 And not only so,
but we also joy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have now received
the atonement.
Romans 5:15
King James Version
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.
For if through the offence of one many be dead,
much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ,
hath abounded unto many.
Romans 5:16
King James Version
16 And not as it was by one that sinned,
so is the gift:
for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offences
unto justification.
Romans 5:17
King James Version
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life
by one, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 5:18
King James Version
18 Therefore as by the offence of one
judgment came upon all men to condemnation;
even so by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men
unto justification of life.
Romans 5:19
King James Version
19 For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one
shall many be made righteous.
Romans 5:20
King James Version
20 Moreover the law entered,
that the offence might abound.
But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound:
Romans 5:16-21
King James Version
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life
by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Here are the KEY phrases:
the Lord delivereth him out of them all
redemption through his blood
according to the riches of his grace
after the counsel of his own will
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise
by grace are ye saved through faith
the gift of God
justified by faith
through our Lord Jesus Christ
rejoice in hope of the glory of God
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us
when we were yet without strength
Christ died for the ungodly
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
being now justified by his blood
we shall be saved from wrath through him
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life
we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ
by whom we have now received the atonement
the free gift
grace of God
gift by grace
which is by one man, Jesus Christ
hath abounded unto many
the free gift is of many offenses unto justification
the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ
by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous
where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
as sin had reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life
by Jesus Christ our Lord
It's all about GRACE -- a GIFT from GOD.
And FAITH, knowing we are saved.
Such is righteousness, through JUSTIFICATION.
Only through JESUS CHRIST.
GOD really understands our plight.
He is not indifferent to flesh, and weakness.
Psalm 78:39
King James Version
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh;
a wind that passeth away,
and cometh not again.
Only through His Son, JESUS, can we have the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption we need.
1 Corinthians 1:30
King James Version
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness,
and sanctification,
and redemption:
Something you will find helpful is another article we wrote in 2020:
"ABC's of SALVATION by J.D. Farag"
Related material:
Verses from Bible Gateway
BONUS verse: As I went to the Bible Gateway website to provide the link above, SPIRIT gifted me with a relevant verse:
Proverbs 14:34
King James Version
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:
but sin is a reproach to any people.
Astounding!