The Christian life of a person begins at conversion.
This is called the “Second Coming,” and Jesus is sent to the Person and indwells their Heart, Jn 14:23.
John 16:16¶A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17¶Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19¶Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
Jesus’ Second Coming is through the Holy Spirit. The expectation of a Bodily Second Coming is an addition to the Bible, and God promises to send a plague to those who add this distortion to their doctrinal stance, Rev 22:18.
Re 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Christians are not told to wait for a “Bodily” Second Coming of Christ Jesus in scripture.
They are told to wait for God to make them Blameless during the “Day of the Lord”, 1 Cor 1:7 and 8.
1Co 1:7 (ASV) so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;
1Co 1:8 (ASV) who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye be] unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ro 8:29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The person receives God’s grace through their humility before God, and they learn to deny ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12, and James 4:6.
There are times in their lives that are known only to God the Father.
During these points in time, the person is “Visited” or passes under the Rod of the Shepherd.
Paul illustrates this process when He emulates Jesus’ visitation in His letter to the Corinthians.
1Co 4:21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
During these times of evaluation, they can be recognized as “Obedient” and pass into the Kingdom of God to a greater degree.
This is seen when Jesus tells a person to “Enter the Joy of the Lord” in Matt 25:21.
Some followers of Christ will not be allowed to pass further into the Kingdom of God because there is “Willful Sin” in their Lives.
This would mean that they had “Unconfessed” sin in their lives, Heb 10:26 and 27.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
The word “adversaries” from Heb 10:27 literally means “that which opposes”. The thing that opposes in this case is the “sinful behavior”. This verse does not suggest the destruction of the person. It illustrates the “spiritual removal” of the sinful behavior from the believers life.
Similar to Job, these people may not recognize a certain activity as Sin.
Sin must be recognized and confessed to be forgiven.
As is seen in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2:11-12, this Fallen or sinful Christian has been given over to delusion by God so that they do not recognize this.
2 Th 2:11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, American Standard Version of the Bible.
This is God’s mercy because He gives the person over to delusion so they believe a lie about the sinful behavior, thinking that it is acceptable. The person does not recognize the truth, so they can be judged for this misbehavior and cleansed from it.
The “Wickedness” will be burned out of their lives.
2Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Most of the Church (Believers) are in this situation, which can be referred to as “Being saved so as through fire”, 1 Cor 3:15.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This happens so that the person can be judged and ultimately corrected for this willful sin/behavior.
This is the lesson seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 through 5:10.
Whether a Christian is “Willfully sinful” or “Obedient”, as long as they maintain their Faith, they will live with Jesus, 1 Thessalonians 5:10.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Whether a believer is caught up in sin or not as long as they maintain their faith, they will live together with Jesus.
“Faith comes through Hearing,” so it becomes all the more important to stay in the word during times of discipline, such as this, Rm 10:17.
Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
In keeping with the Grace of God, teaching them (Titus 2:11 and 12), these willfully sinful believers will experience what the Bible calls “The Day of the Lord” or discipline, Joel 1:15.
These Christians may appear outwardly normal, but will be exposed inwardly to the Spirits which occupy Hell (The Devil and His Angels).
They will remain in Hell, being exposed to these demonic spirits, until God determines that they have repented of their sinful behavior.
A Christian can “Be sent into” and “Be allowed to Leave” Hellfire, as is seen from Matthew 5:26, Jesus has the Keys to Hell (The presence of the Devil and His Angels), Rev 1:18, and will release us from this discipline when we have been corrected through this process.
Mt 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing
Re 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
The Angels carry believers to the respective places of the Kingdom of God and the Reward, or into the Everlasting fire and discipline, Mt 13:39.
Mt 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The “End” or Goal of the Age is our salvation, Mt 24:13 and 1 Pet 1:9.
Mt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Mt 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; {things…: or, scandals}
Mt 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,1 Peter 1:9.
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
The “End” or “Goal” of the world in this verse is the salvation of a person’s soul,
Mt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Mt 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
If the sinful Christian does not enter the Kingdom of God to a further degree upon their “Visitation,” they are judged for their willful sin, as 1 Corinthians 11:32 shows.
They will have to endure the Discipline called the “Day of the Lord” until the next time they pass under the rod and God evaluates their behavior or judges them according to their works, Ezekiel 20:37.
Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
Lu 13:25 (BBE) When the master of the house has got up, and the door has been shut, and you, still outside, give blows on the door, saying, Lord, let us in; he will make answer and say, I have no knowledge of where you come from.
Lu 13:27 (MKJV) But He shall say, I tell you, I do not know you; from where you are. Depart from Me, all workers of unrighteousness!
On the “Day” of their visitation Jesus will not recognize where they are coming from as being the right place, so He will not allow them passage into the kingdom during this particular visitation.
Thankfully, as long as we live, we can, as the wise virgins phrased it in Matt 25:8 and 9, “buy oil” and have another opportunity to pass the test and enter into the Joy of the Lord.
The “Day” of the Lord will reveal the quality of a person’s work, 1 Cor 3:13.
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Mt 25:8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out.
Matthew 25:9 But the wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves.
Mt 7:21 ¶ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mt 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
Mt 25:11 Afterward, the other maidens came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’
Lu 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? (RSV)
They will be exposed to the presence of “Wicked Spirits” so that the Grace of God can teach them to deny the ungodliness to which they are exposed, Titus 2:11-12.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world;
God’s Grace appears to everyone, but He gives Grace to those who humble themselves before Him.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
Jesus as the “Lion (Devourer) of the Tribe of Judah” will deliver and oversee this discipline.
The willfully sinful believer is exposed to the “Presence of the Devil and His Angels” in Hell to teach the person not to blaspheme, 1 Tim 1:20.
Mt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:41 is an example of a person who, at a time of visitation or evaluation, is sent to Hell to learn to deny ungodliness.
Such a disobedient believer is referred to as a “Tare or Son of Disobedience” and will be exposed to the Negative or Demonic Spirits in Hell.
They will then develop the Spiritual strength to deny this ungodliness in the future, and at that time, they will be allowed to re-enter the Spiritual company of the obedient Christians, as is seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
They will not be tempted in Hell (in the spiritual presence of the Devil) more than they can resist, and they will be provided a path to escape and pass the examination/test, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
The disobedient believer will, after being corrected, be released from the presence of the Devil and His angels in Hell (Matt 5:26) when they have corrected the behavior and again be a Joyful Christian.
Jas 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Jas 1:4 but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Mt 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
They will, having passed the “Trying” of their faith – again “Live” the resurrected life in Christ, 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
Col 3:1 if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.
This resurrected life in Christ is the “First Resurrection” or millennium as is seen in Revelation Chapter 20.
A Christian can go into and out of the Kingdom of God during this lifetime.
Re 3:10 because 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.
Pr 16:7 ¶ When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.