Book Sharing – Left Behind

~ 梵希

When I wrote the following afterthought on the novel Left Behind, I read up to 3/5 of the
novel. Now that I have finished reading the book, I still have the same feeling. Perhaps
most of you have already heard about this book which is about what will happen in Earth's
last days. I really have a deep feeling about the following episode and therefore, I would like
to share this with you.

In case you have not read the novel, let me give you some background on the story. God had
already taken (raptured) all Christians while non-Christians were left behind. The wife and
son of the main character, Rayford, were Christians and therefore, taken by God. Rayford
and her daughter were the only two left in the family. As Rayford remembered what his wife
told him about this God's Rapture, he started to believe in God and went to the church his
wife used to attend. To his surprise, one of the pastors was still in the church. He asked the
pastor, "how come you're not gone?" Then the pastor went into details about his story. All
those who were gone with God were TRUE Christians. The pastor said that he was only a
PHONY. He grew up in a Christian family and went to church since he was a kid. He knew
the Bible and had used the Bible verses to encourage many people. He served a lot and
encouraged other Christians to share their faith with others but he never did this on his own.
He knew exactly what God wanted us to do but he was just too weak to follow God. He
knew God always forgives so he confessed to God and believed that God has forgiven him.
He was sort of abusing God's forgiveness. He thought he was a true Christian but when he
was left behind, he knew immediately that he was only a phony.

It is a really good reminder for myself. I have accepted Christ as our personal Savior. I serve
God in the church and other places. I am also weak at times and have done something that
God does not like. I confess to God and ask Him to forgive, but am I sincere about my
confession? Today, many Christians (including you and me) believe that they have the
salvation. Nevertheless, when we go to God, will God say, "I don't know you"? Do we
really have the mind of Christ and act like Christ in our everyday life? It is tough to be like
Christ, but have we put in our 100% effort to try? Or we only put in 10% effort? Are we
100% sure that we'll be taken by God when the day comes?

Give thanks to God's grace that we can become Christians; however, it is really up to us to be
a TRUE Christian. Jesus has set an example for us already. We know exactly what we have
to do. We all have sins, but let us be true to our God and sincere about our confession. Let
us pray that God gives us the passion and strength to follow Him every day. Pray that God
gives us the courage to live a TRUE Christian life and share our faith with others. Also pray
for our commitment in Christ. How many times we have offered ourselves to God, and how
many times we have disappointed God? Pray that next time when we offer ourselves to God,
we really act it out with our faith.

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves
to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God."
~ Romans 6:12-13