I couldn’t resist exploring the group affiliation of our 9-billion-person population on earth, give or take a few million.
· JW’S - 9 million members worldwide
· Catholics - 1.30 billion
· Christians - 2.38 billion
· Muslims- 2 billion
· Buddhist - 2 billion
· Hindu – 1.2 billion
· Judaism - 15.7 million
· Scientology – 40,000
· New Age–Figures couldn’t be found
Worldwide, there are 4500 different religions. Despite documented losses and a declining membership, Christianity remains the largest religion, though Islam is rapidly gaining ground.
Based on those statistics, about 2.5 billion people lack a formal religious grouping.
A significant portion of the 2.5 billion people worldwide do not follow a religion or a belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Many others have chosen individual paths with Christ, leaving affiliated groups behind. Yet others Christ has designated as His own special possession and set them aside as His chosen people.
When Christ comes for His bride, He isn’t interested in group names. He is after the heart of the follower. It won't matter how much you have done for your group and called it ‘Serving Christ’.
God will take one from here and one from there. The group has nothing to do with the promised coming.
Many of these groups have truths and many have Christ as the head in their heart, but Christ has something against five of His seven churches. The group’s name isn’t the church; the 9 billion people are His church. All people belong to Him, and He desires that none should perish.
Your large membership doesn’t guarantee success; remember, the Bible says those who come first may be last, and those who come last may be first. Don’t be fooled by size; the biggest group could be coming last.
The number of those pure of heart is limited to 144,000. Where are they? His special possession is part of those with a pure heart. They’re a group without a name and they don’t know each other. Their being is defined by their relationship with Christ.
Additional to Christ’s selection, some will be taken from the groups with a name. Those who have cleansed themselves in preparation for Christ's return. They successfully navigated their own personal salvation with fear and trembling.
It’s important for some individuals in these groups to reassess the situation before He comes for the virgins with oil in the lamp.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken, the other left. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. The Son of man will come when least expected (Matthew 24:40-44).
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