Notes of Faith November 27, 2025
Thanksgiving is here! Let's pause to consider two of the greatest spiritual blessings we should be thankful for as Christians. These two spiritual blessings should fill our hearts with gratitude each and every day. And, they both relate directly to Bible prophecy and God's plan for the future!
1. Salvation By Grace Through Faith
The first spiritual blessing that we should be most grateful for is the one that sets Christianity apart from every other religion in the world—salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Every other religion in the world teaches the satanic concept of salvation through good works. "Do!" Christianity alone teaches that we cannot be saved by good works. Our only hope is the righteousness of Jesus applied to us when we put our faith in Him. "Done!"
The biblical foundation for grace can be found in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Likewise, Romans 3:23-24 reveals, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
Therefore, we should be thankful that the forgiveness of our sins cannot be earned. It's a free gift of God! Jesus completed all the work necessary for salvation by sacrificing His perfect life for our sins and then beating death by resurrecting Himself from the dead. We can then have confidence that our eternal destination is Heaven because our going there depends solely on Christ's finished work, and never on our performance.
Salvation by grace through faith has a prophetic connection. This salvation was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. For example, in Isaiah 53:5-6 we learn, "But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed... But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him." The cross was to be the centerpiece of God's prophetic plan from the very beginning.
2. The Rapture of the Church
The second spiritual blessing has yet to take place. It's based on God's promise found in John 14, 1 Corinthians 15, and 1 Thessalonians 4. It's called the Rapture of the Church.
What is the Rapture? It's that glorious day when Jesus will appear in the clouds and call His Church out of this world and up to Heaven. As 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 reveals, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."
The return of Jesus Christ can be considered a two-stage event. The first stage of Christ's return is the Rapture. Jesus suddenly appears in the clouds. Believers in Christ are caught up (raptured) to meet Him in the air. And this will all happen in "the twinkling of an eye." The Rapture is considered an imminent event, in that it could happen at any moment, with no signs that need to precede it.
The second stage is called the Second Coming. Seven-plus years after the Rapture, Jesus will return to the earth at the very end of the Tribulation with His saints. Jesus will first touch down on the Mount of Olives. He will merely have to speak, and the armies of Satan will melt before Him. Once Christ's enemies are vanquished or interred, King Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom on this earth.
We can know that the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation because the Church is promised deliverance from God's wrath. As 1 Thessalonians 5:9 confirms, "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." We can see that, when reading the book of Revelation, the Church is absent from chapters 4-18, which cover the Tribulation period. Only then, in Revelation 19, are believers shown to return with Christ, and to rule and reign with Him over His Kingdom.
Because our Savior and Lord will be victorious, and so too as His children, we will also be victorious through Him, then the Rapture should provide us with a great source of thanksgiving as we await our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). Paul concludes his explanation in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 with an exhortation to "comfort one another with these words."
Hearts Filled with Gratitude
These two blessings should transform how we view our current circumstances. When we see the signs of the times, such as wars, natural disasters, moral decline, the regathering of Israel, and many more, all converging around us, we should not despair. "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). These very signs point to the fulfillment of God's promises.
Whether this Thanksgiving finds you surrounded by the embrace of family or facing seemingly insurmountable challenges all on your own, remember that if you belong to Jesus, you have every reason for thanksgiving. Your salvation is secure, having been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Your future is bright, having been guaranteed by God's faithfulness. And, your hope is imminent, in that Jesus could call His children home at any moment. These are the eternal realities that should fill your heart with gratitude, not just on one holiday, but every single day.
So, until Christ comes, keep looking up and giving thanks, for our God is faithful, and our redemption draws ever near.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Pastor Dale
