What Can Keep You From Being Caught Up In The Rapture?
In my previous post: Rapture In The Bible: Will Christians Be Left Behind (Movies True)? I explained why the Rapture is elite only: not all Christians are qualified for the Rapture.
Yes, I mean even the genuine Christians will be left behind, not just the people who think themselves are Christians.
So what exactly can keep you from being “caught up” in the Rapture? (1 Thess 4:17)
By reading the scripture carefully, I have come up with the following Bible verses and explanations why certain attitudes and sins can disqualify us from the Rapture.
Rapture In The Bible: What Can Keep Us From Being Caught Up In The Rapture?
Although the list may seem long and elaborate, these sins cannot hinder us from participating in the Rapture if we simply:
- Loves Jesus and obey His commands (John 14:21; 1 John 2:3-6; 1Peter 4:8)
- Be humble and always willing to confess sins and repent(1 John 1:9; Jame 4:6; 2 Corinthians 7:10)
We can commit anything on the rapture-disqualification list only if we do it intentionally, but you will find the sins on this list pretty common for today’s Christians. (Including you and I at certain points of our life, if this list convicts you, consider this a loving warning. There’s nothing to be ashamed of if one repents 
)
Here’s The List And Explanation For Each One:
1. I Hold Grudges Against Someone
Matthew 18
. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”[f]
We must forgive, even if the offender continue to sin. We may distant ourselves from the offender if he or she continue in his or her offenses, but we must forgive from our heart. The consequences of the offenses may not deserve any pardon (waiver of punishments), but we must still forgive (Not pardon, you have every right to not pardon an offender).
The consequence of unforgiveness is torment. The Lord will deliver us to the torturers, Satan and his demonic forces, to be tortured, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Many cases reported that unforgiveness tied to health issues, which indicate that unforgiveness open doors to “torturers”.
Bitterness and grudges cause one to miss God’s grace (Hebrews 12:15), which in turn block one from growing spiritually and receiving the power and desire to do God’s will.
Missing God’s grace, in turn, will open door to a number of offenses that can block one’s entry to the Rapture, see the other points below.
2. I Offended Someone But Refuse To Ask For Forgiveness
Matthew 5:23-25:23“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
If we offended someone by our words or attitude, but in our heart we think “I am only accountable to God so I just confess to God”, this pride will cost us. The victims of our offenses may appeal to God, who is the righteous judge, and He will not settle the matters carelessly.
Sometime we offended someone greatly, but forgot about it, the nagging guilt will linger (Psalm 32:3-4) unless we ask God to search our heart and bring those hidden sins to light. (Psalm 139:23-24)
We will get stuck in “prison” until we get our conscience clean.
3. I Bully Other Christians
Matthew 18:6
6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 24:48-50
48But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
2 Corinthians 12:20
20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Perhaps you have never seen one Christian bully in your entire Church life. Maybe that’s because you are still new in your heavenly journey, or maybe God has shielded you from seeing some of these dark sides of His family.
Christians play politics too. When there are people, there will be power struggle. Some people want to get the things they want, but instead of praying for them they manipulate their ways through to get them. (James 4:1-3)
How dare them? Because they think God is good and love, so He is not going to punish them, which is clearly not what the Bible teaches.
Like I said in the previous post Rapture In The Bible: Will Christians Be Left Behind (Movies True)? Such Christians will be ashamed when Jesus come and find them bullying other Christians in the Church.
Today, mature Christians and servants of God are working hard to follow God’s will and therefore are very productive in the kingdom of heaven, while immature Christians, constantly create problems and heartaches for the true servants of God and for those who genuinely seek the Lord. They are sources of dissensions, gossips, quarrels, and all the confusions that happen in the Church and many people refuse to become a Christians because of their poor examples.
Without the troubles they create for the Church, the true servants of God and sincere young Christians could have done more for the kingdom of God, instead of channeling a large chunk of their energies to deal with the stresses and pains that these carnal Christians create for them.
4. I Am a Spiritual Baby When I Should Have Already Been A Master
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Matthew 25:26-30
26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28” ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
God expect us to bear fruits and be profitable with what He has given us: time, grace, and gifts. If the Rapture happens the hour after we have become Christian, then I think God is going to be more generous with our entry into the Rapture.(Luke 12:47-48)
However, as our Christian age progress, the Lord expect us to mature as well, but we can intentionally refuse spiritual growth.
You can actually hear a lot of excuses from Christians who refuse to grow. They refuse to love, forgive, obey, and surrender. They don’t want to humble themselves, and don’t care if they have created troubles and heartaches for others in the Church. They only care about what they want, what they feel, and what please them.
No wonder Jesus calls them “wicked servants” and disqualify them for the Rapture, and rewards in heaven. (Matt 25:26-30)
I found two relevant articles on this: Why Christians Remain Babies? and You Might Be A Spiritual Babies
5. I Commit Adultery
Rev 2:22
22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Matthew 5:27-28
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Many Christians have addictions with porn, prostitution, and masturbation. If you don’t think so, then I encourage you to simply put this aside and keep on keeping on in your heavenly journey.
For those of us who agree what I am talking about, the only solution for those who are in bondage is to pray sincerely for deliverance and embark on the journey to purity and freedom NOW.
If we are sincere and truly want holiness, God knows our heart and will have mercy on us. But if we try to hide our sins and cover them with excuses, we will not get away with them unpunished (Psalm 32:3-5).
If the Rapture happens the moment while we are in the middle of adultery such as watching porn, imagine how shameful it will be? When the “Last trump” and “shout of Archangel” are heard by everyone in the world during the Rapture (1 Thess 4:14-18; 1 Cor 15:48-55), we would be like “Ouch! It’s happening! Arrrrhhh Noooo! It’s too late” . Whenever I imagine this picture, a sense of holy fear would urge me to keep on pursuing holiness and fight against sins.
Revelation 16:15
15“Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
Don’t let Jesus catch you naked! 
6. I Commit Idolatry
Rev 2: 21-22
… because you allow[c] that woman[d] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce[e] My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their[g] deeds.
Idolatry is the same as adultery.
Anything that compete for your affection to the Lord is an idol. That includes family member, boyfriend/girlfriend, accomplishments, money, pet sin, and anything other than God.
7. I Tolerate Sins
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
The above verses are self-explanatory. We can be disqualified from Rapture and even Salvation. If you want to know how to get salvation, see the statement of belief that I endorse. You can’t lose your salvation if you don’t have one to begin with.
8. I Am Spiritually Asleep
Mark 13:36
35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
I explained what “sleeping” means in the previous post.
9. I Owe Debts And Am Not Going To Repay It
Psalm 37:21
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
Matthew 5:25
25“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
Ecclesiastes 5:5
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
If we mismanage our finance, and evade our financial responsibility for any reason, according to the Bible we become the wicked. You know what the Lord does to the wicked!
If we deny our responsibility and say to our conscience, “I will pay, just not now, later!” The Lord may actually give us extra time to repay the debts, such as 7 years. *Wink Wink* (Hm, the Great Tribulation last 7 years too)
The key is to be humble and sincere. If we have financial hardship, ask God for help, but don’t evade our responsibilities.
10. I Am Too Busy For God
Luke 21:34
34“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
Be careful what you ask because the Lord may actually give it! If we want more time with the world and serve God later, or pray later, then God may give us more time with the world indeed. Is 7 years of extra time enough? *Wink Wink*
11. I Postpone Serving God With What I Have Now
Matthew 25:26-29
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 2728 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
V29, “outer darkness” describe “the days of the Lord” (Zeph 1:15). In that period of time, the Church is supposed to hide in the heavenly chamber (Isaiah 26:20-21) that Jesus has prepared for us (John 14:1-3) But the “wicked servants” will remain on earth to experience the Tribulation (see my previous post), which refine their faith.
12. I Refuse To Follow God’s Calling And Disobey His Will
Matthew 12:30
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
Matthew 7:21-24
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
2 Timothy 1:8
.. who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
If we rely on our own strength to serve God, our work won’t count. In fact, we are working against the will of God by doing our own will instead of His. We will stand in the ways of people who truly obey God, and create unintentional consequences that affect others for eternity.
For example, churches or ministries might suffer because one person disobeys God’s will and chooses to do it his way; another example, a Christian marry a non-Christian, thinking that he/she can lead the spouse to Christ, and this decision can affect generations who have to decide which parent to follow. (I heard a story of a Christian woman who married a unbelieving husband, and later she regretted it after bearing two child. The kids also won’t accept Christ, and she felt she had spent her life breeding non-Christians)
If God has sent His servants to teach you about obeying His will, but you resist it because of pride and denial, you maybe in danger of disqualification from the Rapture and the heavenly rewards that could have been yours, because the more you know or refuse to know, the more you are responsible. (Luke 12:47-48)
Many Christians today are still in control of their life, rather than surrendering it to God. It’s not that they don’t know God’s will, but they don’t want to obey.
For more information on this topic, see The Full Surrender
13. I Shut My Ears to His Voices
Rev 3:20-22
20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
John 15:6
6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
“I will listen later!” “I will remain in Christ, but later!” Sure, is 7 years later late enough? *Wink Wink*
Christ is standing at the door. We must be ready to hear Him out and careful not to occupy ourselves with other priorities that are higher than Him.
14. I Pick And Choose Christ’s Words To Obey
Rev 3:10
10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Rev 3:2-3
2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
We can’t pick and choose what to obey. We must obey the full commands of Christ, and never deliberately avoid some of them. If we do pick and choose, the Lord will “have not found (our) deeds complete in the sight of my God” (Rev 3:2), and we know what He may do in that case!
He gives us the word to keep, not to mock. (Gal 6:7)
15. I Am “Useless” to Christ
Rev 3:15
15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
James 1:26
26 If anyone among you[b] thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
John 15:6
6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
In my previous post I explained why being lukewarm means useless.
If Christ comes at the Rapture and find us in the useless condition, He said He will spit us out of His mouth! Meaning, out to the Tribulation! To be purified.
If we want to be useful to Christ, simple, remain in Him! Obey His commands based on what we know now.
Do Not Worry!
So you see, although the list of reasons that can disqualify us for the Rapture seems long, the root causes are the same: pride, disobedience, non-repentance, and love of sinful pleasure.
As long as we have the following, we will do fine.
- Loves Jesus and obey His commands (John 14:21; 1 John 2:3-6; 1Peter 4:8)
- Be humble and always willing to confess sins and repent(1 John 1:9; Jame 4:6; 2 Corinthians 7:10)
If there is any question, email me. If you find this post urgent, please tell your friends and family about it.
Sai, it seems like those who are left behind are Christians that are not saved because they are hanging on to some sin or completely blowing off everything the Lord says. Would you say that is accurate? I have never quite understood why some Christians are left behind, and what they must do to not be left behind. Is it possible to be saved and miss the rapture?
-Nick
They would not be saved if they happen to die at the moment after they were left behind due to their spiritual condition, but that doesn’t mean they are lost forever. You could miss the rapture and still repent afterward as long as you don’t die.