Lesson 91: Why Every Christian Must Live Ready
Every person is moving toward an appointment he cannot cancel.
Jesus Christ will return.
Earthly life will end.
Every soul will meet God.
The exact day may be unknown, but the appointment is certain.
Jesus therefore commanded:
“Watch therefore:
for ye know not what hour
your Lord doth come.”
— Matthew 24:42, KJV
The uncertainty of the hour does not make readiness less important.
It makes readiness necessary now.
A person who knows the exact time of an appointment may prepare shortly before it.
But when the time is unknown, preparation cannot safely be postponed.
Every Christian must live ready.
Ready for What?
Biblical readiness includes being prepared for:
the return of Jesus Christ;
the end of earthly life;
and appearing before God.
Some believers may be living when Christ returns.
Others will complete their earthly lives before that day.
Either way, no believer should live as though the present world will continue forever.
Scripture says:
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this the judgment:
So Christ was once offered
to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.”
— Hebrews 9:27–28, KJV
Death is certain unless Christ returns first.
Christ’s appearing is also certain.
Readiness is not optional.
Readiness Begins With Jesus Christ
A person cannot prepare himself for eternity merely by becoming:
more moral;
more religious;
more generous;
or more disciplined.
Sin separates human beings from God.
Good works cannot erase guilt.
Readiness begins through reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ.
Jesus:
died for sins;
was buried;
rose again;
and offers forgiveness and eternal life.
The first question is not:
“Have I improved myself?”
It is:
“Have I truly come to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith?”
Religious Appearance Is Not Readiness
A person may:
attend church;
know Bible verses;
speak Christian language;
or perform religious work
without possessing a genuine relationship with Christ.
Readiness is not merely having the appearance of Christianity.
It requires knowing the Saviour.
No church membership, family background, baptismal certificate, ministry title, or public reputation can replace Jesus Christ.
Do not prepare only the outward appearance while leaving the soul unreconciled to God.
Readiness Is Not Earned Salvation
Living ready does not mean attempting to earn salvation every day through perfect behavior.
Christ alone saves.
His blood is sufficient.
His resurrection is the believer’s hope.
The Christian does not live ready in order to persuade God to accept him.
He lives ready because he has received grace, belongs to Christ, and desires to be found faithfully walking with Him.
Saving Grace Teaches Readiness
Paul writes:
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness
and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
— Titus 2:11–13, KJV
Grace does not teach believers to become careless because Christ may return.
Grace teaches them to deny ungodliness and live soberly.
The blessed hope produces holy preparation.
Readiness Is a Present Condition
Some people think of readiness as something they will address later.
They say:
“I will become serious when I am older.”
“I will repent after this season.”
“I will repair that relationship another day.”
“I will serve God after I accomplish my own plans.”
But readiness cannot be scheduled safely for an unknown future.
The question is not:
“Do I intend to be ready someday?”
It is:
“Am I living ready now?”
Jesus Described Ready Servants
Jesus said:
“Let your loins be girded about,
and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men
that wait for their lord,
when he will return from the wedding;
that when he cometh and knocketh,
they may open unto him immediately.”
— Luke 12:35–36, KJV
The servants were not beginning to prepare after the knock.
They were already prepared.
Their garments were arranged for action.
Their lights were burning.
They were expecting their lord.
Readiness Is Active, Not Passive
The servants in Jesus’ teaching were not staring into the sky while neglecting their duties.
They were prepared to receive their master.
Biblical readiness includes faithful activity.
The ready believer continues:
praying;
working;
serving;
loving;
witnessing;
and fulfilling responsibilities.
Expectation does not produce irresponsibility.
It makes faithfulness more urgent.
Be Ready, Not Merely Interested in Prophecy
A person may study:
timelines;
symbols;
nations;
wars;
and theories
while neglecting obedience.
Knowledge about prophecy does not automatically produce readiness.
Someone may debate the order of future events while living with:
unconfessed sin;
bitterness;
dishonesty;
or spiritual coldness.
The purpose of Christ’s teaching is not merely to satisfy curiosity.
It is to prepare lives.
Readiness Does Not Depend Upon Solving Every Prophetic Question
Faithful Christians may differ concerning the precise sequence of some future events.
But every believer can obey the clear command:
Be ready.
You do not need to know the exact timing of every event in order to:
abide in Christ;
keep a clean conscience;
obey Scripture;
love others;
and remain faithful.
Do not allow unanswered questions to distract from revealed duties.
No One Knows the Hour
Jesus said:
“Therefore be ye also ready:
for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son of man cometh.”
— Matthew 24:44, KJV
This warning destroys the idea that believers can live carelessly until they believe the final moment has arrived.
Christ may come when people do not expect Him.
The unknown hour protects the church from calculated obedience.
God calls for continuing faithfulness.
Do Not Set Dates
Jesus did not give His disciples permission to announce dates for His return.
Repeated date-setting produces:
confusion;
embarrassment;
fear;
and distrust.
When a predicted date passes, some people become hardened toward genuine biblical warnings.
Do not claim knowledge Christ has not given.
The correct response to the unknown day is not speculation.
It is readiness.
Do Not Live in Panic
Readiness is serious.
It is not panic.
A frightened person may become consumed with:
news;
rumors;
conspiracies;
or every unusual event.
He may neglect family, work, church, and ordinary responsibility.
That is not the balanced readiness Scripture teaches.
The believer’s hope is Jesus Christ.
He should be sober and alert, not ruled by terror.
Christ’s Return Is a Blessed Hope
Paul calls Christ’s appearing:
“that blessed hope.”
For those who belong to Jesus, His return is not merely a threat.
It is the arrival of the One they love.
Christ will:
complete salvation;
raise the dead;
transform His people;
defeat evil;
and reign righteously.
The ready believer may say with hope:
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
— Revelation 22:20, KJV
Readiness Includes Abiding in Christ
John writes:
“And now, little children, abide in him;
that, when he shall appear,
we may have confidence,
and not be ashamed before him
at his coming.”
— 1 John 2:28, KJV
Readiness is not produced by occasional religious excitement.
It comes through abiding.
To abide in Christ is to continue in:
faith;
His Word;
obedience;
prayer;
and dependence upon Him.
Do not drift far from Christ while assuming you can become ready at the final moment.
Readiness Includes a Clean Conscience
A ready believer does not knowingly preserve:
hidden dishonesty;
unresolved theft;
deception;
secret immorality;
or deliberate rebellion.
This does not mean he has reached sinless perfection.
It means he does not make peace with known sin.
When the Holy Ghost convicts him, he responds.
He confesses.
He turns.
He makes matters right where possible.
Readiness Is Not Sinless Perfection
No growing Christian should claim that he never fails.
Readiness does not mean the absence of every weakness or struggle.
It means the life is honestly turned toward Christ.
The ready believer is:
believing;
repenting;
obeying;
and continuing.
He does not defend rebellion or plan to repent later.
When he falls, he returns quickly.
Quick Repentance Is Part of Readiness
A person may say:
“I know this is wrong, but I will deal with it eventually.”
That is spiritually dangerous.
Delayed repentance hardens the heart.
If God exposes sin today, respond today.
Do not wait for:
a special service;
a crisis;
a frightening diagnosis;
or a future season.
The proper time to turn from known sin is now.
Readiness Includes Reconciliation Where Possible
Ask:
“Is there someone I have wronged?”
“Do I owe an apology?”
“Have I withheld something that should be restored?”
“Am I feeding bitterness?”
Not every broken relationship can be fully reconciled.
The other person may refuse truth or remain unsafe.
But the believer should not knowingly preserve personal wrong while claiming readiness.
Do what belongs to you truthfully and safely.
Readiness Does Not Require Remaining in Danger
Being ready to meet Christ does not mean:
remaining with an abuser;
concealing crime;
refusing medical treatment;
or rejecting lawful protection.
Faithful preparation includes truth, wisdom, safety, and responsible action.
A clean conscience may require reporting wrongdoing rather than hiding it.
Christian readiness is not passivity before evil.
Readiness Includes Faithful Ordinary Duties
Jesus asked:
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant,
whom his lord hath made ruler over his household,
to give them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant,
whom his lord when he cometh
shall find so doing.”
— Matthew 24:45–46, KJV
The servant was ready because he was:
“so doing.”
He was faithfully performing the work entrusted to him.
Readiness appears in ordinary obedience.
Be Found Doing What Christ Assigned
The ready believer does not abandon:
work;
family;
church;
or responsibilities
because Christ may return.
He becomes more faithful within them.
A parent should be found caring faithfully.
A worker should be found working honestly.
A church member should be found serving and loving.
A witness should be found speaking truth.
Readiness is not escaping earthly responsibility.
It is carrying it beneath Christ’s lordship.
Do Not Use Apparent Delay as Permission for Sin
Jesus described an evil servant who said:
“My lord delayeth his coming;”
— Matthew 24:48, KJV
The servant then became violent, self-indulgent, and unfaithful.
His error was not merely believing that time remained.
He used the apparent delay to reveal what ruled his heart.
The longer Christ’s return appears delayed, the more some people expose their true desires.
Do not use mercy and time as permission to sin.
Apparent Delay Is an Opportunity for Faithfulness
Every additional day is an opportunity to:
repent;
grow;
serve;
pray;
and reach lost souls.
God’s patience should produce gratitude and action.
Do not interpret continued time as proof that accountability will never come.
The Master’s return remains certain.
Readiness Includes Spiritual Wakefulness
Paul writes:
“And that, knowing the time,
that now it is high time
to awake out of sleep:
for now is our salvation nearer
than when we believed.”
— Romans 13:11, KJV
Spiritual sleep can appear as:
carelessness;
indifference;
worldliness;
or neglect.
The sleeping believer stops noticing:
drift;
temptation;
and missed opportunities.
Readiness requires awakening.
Cast Off the Works of Darkness
Paul continues:
“The night is far spent,
the day is at hand:
let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness,
and let us put on
the armour of light.”
— Romans 13:12, KJV
Readiness involves putting something away.
Do not carry darkness toward the coming day.
Cast off what belongs to the old life.
The approaching light should affect present conduct.
Put On Jesus Christ
Paul says:
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
— Romans 13:14, KJV
The ready believer does not prepare opportunities for the flesh.
He does not maintain secret access to the sin he plans to commit later.
He puts on Christ through conduct consistent with belonging to Him.
Readiness Includes Purity
John writes:
“And every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself,
even as he is pure.”
— 1 John 3:3, KJV
Hope in Christ’s appearing produces present purification.
The person who genuinely desires to see Christ does not use that hope to excuse uncleanness.
He asks:
“What in my life would I be ashamed to have exposed before Jesus?”
Then he brings it into the light now.
Readiness Includes Established Faith
James writes:
“Be ye also patient;
stablish your hearts:
for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
— James 5:8, KJV
A ready heart is established.
It is not carried away by every:
rumor;
fear;
new teacher;
or emotional event.
It remains grounded in:
Christ;
Scripture;
and faithful obedience.
Lesson 92 will address watching and praying more fully.
The foundation here is clear:
Readiness is steady, not sensational.
Readiness Includes Love
A person cannot claim to be prepared for Christ while living in contempt toward His people.
Readiness should produce:
forgiveness;
service;
patience;
and concern for others.
This does not remove truth or boundaries.
It means the coming of Christ should not make believers more hateful, proud, or self-righteous.
It should make them more like Him.
Readiness Includes Concern for the Lost
People around us may be unprepared to meet God.
Living ready should deepen concern for their souls.
Do not allow prophetic interest to become private fascination while lost people remain unwarned.
Pray.
Share the gospel clearly.
Live as a faithful witness.
Every day of delay is also an opportunity for another person to hear of Jesus Christ.
Readiness Includes Responsible Planning
A believer may plan for:
education;
work;
retirement;
family;
or future ministry.
Planning does not deny Christ’s return.
James teaches believers to plan humbly beneath:
“If the Lord will.”
Live ready today while preparing responsibly for tomorrow.
Do not live as though tomorrow is guaranteed.
Do not live so irresponsibly that other people must repair the avoidable damage.
Readiness Is Not Abandoning Possessions or Responsibilities
Some people have responded to end-time predictions by:
selling possessions recklessly;
leaving employment;
or abandoning necessary responsibilities.
Scripture does not command such disorder.
Hold possessions lightly.
Give generously.
Remain prepared to leave everything when Christ calls.
But continue serving faithfully until He does.
Readiness Changes Priorities
When Christ’s return becomes real to the heart:
trivial arguments become smaller;
secret sin becomes more serious;
lost souls become more important;
and obedience becomes more urgent.
Readiness does not make earthly life meaningless.
It places earthly life beneath eternal truth.
Do Not Spend Life Building What Cannot Last
Human beings can spend decades building:
reputation;
wealth;
status;
or comfort
while neglecting what will matter before God.
Not every ordinary achievement is worthless.
Work, family care, learning, and responsible planning can possess eternal value when done unto the Lord.
The danger is building as though this world were final.
Use temporary things in service of eternal purposes.
Readiness Protects Against Regret
A believer should not live in constant anxiety about future regret.
But he should ask:
“If Christ came today, what obedience would I wish I had not postponed?”
“Which hidden matter would I wish I had brought into the light?”
“Which person would I wish I had treated differently?”
“Which gospel opportunity would I wish I had taken?”
Those questions can produce wise action now.
Do Not Wait for a Crisis to Seek God
People often become spiritually serious after:
a death;
an illness;
a disaster;
or a frightening event.
God can use crises to awaken the heart.
But wisdom does not require a crisis before obeying.
Do not wait for life to shake everything before building upon Christ.
Sudden Death Is Not Only an Old Person’s Concern
Age can increase awareness of mortality.
But death is not limited to the elderly.
Young and healthy people also face an uncertain future.
This truth should not produce constant dread.
It should destroy the illusion that readiness can safely be postponed until old age.
Every age should live ready.
Illness Does Not Automatically Mean Death Is Immediate
A person facing illness may become fearful that every symptom announces the end.
Medical conditions should receive proper care.
Do not turn readiness into constant interpretation of bodily sensations.
The believer should seek treatment responsibly while remaining spiritually prepared at all times.
Readiness brings peace because the soul is entrusted to Christ.
Readiness Provides Stability in Uncertainty
The believer may not know:
how long he will live;
what tomorrow will bring;
or when Christ will return.
But he can know whom he has trusted.
Readiness does not remove uncertainty about circumstances.
It places uncertainty beneath the faithfulness of God.
The Ready Believer Can Live Courageously
Fear of death can control decisions.
But the person reconciled to God can live with greater courage.
He does not need to preserve earthly life at the cost of obedience.
This does not mean recklessness.
Life is a stewardship.
Safety matters.
Yet physical survival is not the highest good.
Faithfulness to Christ is greater.
The Ready Believer Can Face Aging Honestly
Aging reminds believers that earthly strength changes.
Readiness does not require pretending that decline is not occurring.
It encourages honest preparation:
spiritual;
relational;
financial;
medical;
and practical.
Responsible preparation for death is not unbelief.
It can be an act of love toward those who remain.
Lesson 99 will address dying in faith more fully.
Readiness Is Not Morbid Obsession
Christians should not spend every day imagining death in a way that prevents grateful living.
God gives:
relationships;
work;
creation;
food;
and moments of joy.
Receive them with thanksgiving.
Readiness does not make life joyless.
It allows life to be enjoyed without worshipping it.
Readiness Produces Steadfast Labor
Paul writes:
“But thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know
that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:57–58, KJV
The hope of resurrection does not produce idleness.
It produces steadfast labor.
Work done in the Lord is not vain.
Live So Christ May Find You Faithful
Readiness asks:
“If Jesus came while I was doing this, would I be ashamed?”
This question should not produce fear about every harmless activity.
A believer may be:
working;
resting;
eating;
laughing;
or spending time with family
when Christ returns.
Those activities can honor God.
The concern is whether the life is being lived under Christ’s lordship.
A Biblical Readiness Pattern
1. Be Reconciled to God Through Christ
Do not depend upon religious appearance, good works, or future intentions.
2. Abide in Jesus Christ
Continue in faith, Scripture, prayer, obedience, and dependence.
3. Keep Short Accounts With God
Confess and turn from known sin quickly.
4. Maintain a Clean Conscience
Correct dishonesty and personal wrong where possible.
5. Fulfil Present Responsibilities
Be found faithfully doing what Christ has entrusted to you.
6. Refuse Speculation and Panic
Do not set dates, chase rumors, or allow fear to govern life.
7. Live Soberly and Purely
Cast off darkness and make no provision for the flesh.
8. Love and Witness
Serve believers and care about people who are not prepared to meet God.
9. Plan Humbly
Prepare responsibly for tomorrow without assuming that tomorrow is guaranteed.
10. Look for Christ With Hope
Readiness is not only fear of an appointment. It is longing for the Saviour.
A Readiness Examination
My confidence of salvation rests upon:
The known sin or compromise I have postponed addressing is:
The person I may need to apologize to or make matters right with is:
The responsibility I am neglecting is:
The earthly concern receiving too much of my heart is:
The gospel opportunity presently before me is:
The step that would make my present walk more ready is:
Discipleship Questions
- Why must readiness begin with saving faith in Jesus Christ rather than moral improvement or religious activity?
- What is the difference between living ready and living in fear, panic, or constant prophetic speculation?
- How does the faithful servant in Matthew 24 show that readiness includes ordinary responsibilities and active service?
- Why is quick repentance part of readiness even though readiness does not mean sinless perfection?
- What known act of obedience, repentance, reconciliation, or witness have you been postponing as though tomorrow were guaranteed?
Closing Exhortation
Live ready.
Do not depend upon religious appearance.
Know Jesus Christ.
Abide in Him.
Do not set dates.
Do not chase every rumor.
Do not live in panic.
Do not treat apparent delay as permission for sin.
Keep your light burning.
Cast off darkness.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep a clean conscience.
Repent quickly.
Make right what can be made right.
Fulfil your present responsibilities.
Love people.
Share the gospel.
Plan wisely, but do not presume upon tomorrow.
Receive God’s daily gifts without making this world your home.
Christ will return.
Earthly life will end.
The hour is unknown.
The Saviour is faithful.
Let Him find you believing, obeying, serving, and looking for Him.
A Prayer to Live Ready
Father,
Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die for sins and rise again.
My hope of salvation rests in Him, not in my works, religious appearance, or future intentions.
Search my heart.
Show me whether I am truly abiding in Christ or merely appearing religious before people.
Forgive me for carelessness, delay, hidden sin, neglected responsibility, and presuming upon tomorrow.
Help me confess and turn from known sin quickly.
Give me courage to apologize, restore what I owe, and correct what can be corrected.
Teach me to maintain a clean conscience before You and before others.
Keep me from prophetic pride, date-setting, sensationalism, panic, and fear.
Make me sober, watchful, hopeful, and faithful.
Help me fulfil ordinary responsibilities as unto the Lord.
Let me be found serving, loving, praying, working, and witnessing when Jesus comes.
Give me concern for people who are not ready to meet You.
Help me share the gospel clearly and compassionately.
Teach me to plan responsibly while remembering that tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Do not let me spend this brief life building only what will disappear.
Give eternal value even to ordinary duties as I perform them for Jesus Christ.
Let the return of Christ be my blessed hope.
Keep me abiding in Him so that I may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
In His name, amen.
Next Step
Complete these statements honestly:
I Know I Am Ready Through Christ Because
The Matter I Have Been Postponing Is
The Sin or Compromise I Must Bring Into the Light Is
The Responsibility I Must Resume Is
The Person I Need to Contact Is
The Gospel Opportunity I Should Take Is
Take one action today.
Do not merely write about readiness.
Confess the sin.
Make the call.
Offer the apology.
Resume the responsibility.
Share the gospel.
Or seek help concerning a matter that should no longer remain hidden.
Live today in the condition in which you would desire Christ to find you.
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