PORTERVILLE POST | The "RIGHT" Word © ~ with Brother Scott

| “A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD” #1

The Right Word^© - Jun 21, 2026
with Brother Scott : scott@portervillepost.com

The true followers of Jesus today actually are disunified into numerous groups, contrary to the intention of God as reflected in Jesus’ prayer about our being one—unified.
Listen :

Those that love God, read their Bibles and allow the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, some more and some less, upon not too close an examination, believers can easily be separated into groups that do not agree with each other on (differences usually might be known by their church affiliation, though not always).

So many do not agree on these things:

So many do not agree on these things: what the Bible plainly means at even the simplest level, what is symbolic and what is meant to be taken as literal, it’s timelessness and inerrancy, the Bible’s specific relevance or not in our societies today, and about the Bible’s prophecies yet to be fulfilled, to name a few of the areas that Christians disagree about.
Is unity among the brethren possible? Yes, or Jesus wouldn’t have prayed about it and the Apostle Paul would not have rebuked the Corinthians for their internal divisions.

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† John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are
† John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
† 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

So is unity among the brethren possible?

So, is unity among the brethren possible? Yes—but I do not believe it will happen until Jesus returns and straightens out our thinking. This “straightening out” will be more directly humbling to those with foolish interpretations and that practice the commandments of men than it was between Jesus and the religious rulers of 2,000 years ago.
The evidence is clear in God’s Word that differences in doctrine, the liberal positions in many churches versus biblically conservative ones, the 200+ spiritually impure English Bible translations, and the distractions, compromises and deceptions are an affront to God and He will deal with them.
We would do well for our own selves to be diligent students of God’s Word and seek to know and live its truth in humility before Him, and not try to conform what it says to our yet carnal lifestyles.
Differences between believers—perhaps even among some of us here today?

Notice in your readings of († Revelation’s chapters 2 & 3) recording what Jesus had to say to the 7 churches in the first century. Much of it says there were things He had against the six of the seven church churches and its members (though not all members) that included spiritual compromise, pagan practices in their lives and meetings, distractions by their worldly lifestyles, and other such carnal and abhorrent behaviors before God. And these things are many times worse today in the churches—again, not all but in a lot.

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† Revelation 2:4 [Ephesus:] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love... [Smyrna—possibly indicates a growing “fear”:] 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer... [Pergamos:] 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate... [Thyatira:] 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols...
† Revelation 3:1 [Sardis] I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God... 3:15 [Laodicea:] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Moving on, one important example of these conditions today is in the fact of the several differences in how Christians approach prophecy, their brand of Bible prophecy, and which school of Bible prophecy one believes.

The four main perspectives are the Historicist view, the Preterist’s view, the Symbolic or Idealist’s perspective, and the Futurist’s approach to the Bible’s prophecies.

I only mention these as one evidence of how believers today believe in God and His Savior but disagree on the important aspect of the Bible’s prophecies, which 4 views I am not going to define other than to say that many things told us in advance have been fulfilled and can be seen in man’s “history”, while a great many still remain unfulfilled but will-be between now and the next thousand plus a few years, expressed in the “Futurist” view of prophecy.
Also important to understand is that many churches and their leaders today completely avoid teaching on prophecy (or even the mention of prophecy) because it can prove to be divisive, is often usually dogmatic and inflexible to perhaps the discussion of different interpretations, [prophecy] is not understood by most church leaders and teachers, can frighten members of their congregations who don’t really want to hear about such things anyway, with others being challenged by what the Bible says and what can clearly be seen unfolding today in our world.
Many church leaders do not want their people to take prophecy seriously and even discourage reading it, even though world events line-up with the Bible’s predictions creating hard questions about what to do as Christians; others become scoffers and berate those that talk about such things.
Believers should take seriously what our Bibles reveal and warn us about the days we now live in more-so than at any other time before now in the year 2026 in order to make the preparations need in our minds and hearts and in our homes.

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† 2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance [it is easy to set aside important spiritual thought in the busy-ness of 21st century life]: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation... 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

And these very things bring us to the subject matter of our title: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.

It is a debate that has raged for perhaps 150+ years in the church and continues to mark the divisions between Christian denominations (= divisions), disagreement between members within churches and Bible studies, and even between some family members of Christian households.
The debate is about the two-fold issue regarding an event and its timing (the what and the when); the “rapture of the church” and when that it will happen exactly in the last few years before Jesus returns (even His return is disputed now).
The dogmatic and often passionate answers to these following questions are what serve to divide many in the church today, if the return of Jesus itself is even believed.

These are the questions of the day:

* Is there a prophetic period remaining to be fulfilled that is 7-years long or is there only remaining one-half of that final week of years—3½ years (Daniel 9:24-27)?
* -If- 7-years remain to be fulfilled, are they all years of great trouble?
* Will the true church be caught-up and taken off the earth just before those 7-years, or some time after that period begins?
* And if not before a 7-year period begins, will the church be taken just before the last 1,260 days begins—or not?
* As true believers, will we be here when the antichrist steps forward and becomes the world ruler—or not?
* Will the church be here for most of the Great Tribulation but removed just before God’s “wrath” of the 7-vials is poured out—or not?
* And the question that seems to be the most prevalent one, if believers are willing to chance a disagreement: Do you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture (before 7-years or the 3½–years of tribulation begins) or some other version of when that will happen as some teach (i.e. “there is no rapture” or “there will be many raptures”)?

The many things that Christians do believe about these end times issues today is a double-edged sword whether you happen to have the right understanding or not. You should understand this because it will involve you, too, if it hasn’t already!

Double-edged sword: Something that has both positive and negative consequences. It implies that while there may be benefits but there are also risks or downsides involved. Metaphorically speaking, whatever the issue is, it cuts on both sides of the issue creating good things on the one hand but not so good things on the other.

“Positive and Negative Consequences”? SOME EXAMPLES:

(1.) A crazed shooter begins firing into a crowd when a legally armed citizen stops him by shooting him in a place that doesn’t kill the shooter but permanently cripples him for life, which shooter later sues the Good Samaritan for medical expenses and damages for his pain and suffering.
(2.) These days, for parents doing a good job at modeling and teaching good morals and hard work and ethics to their well-behaved children, some bleeding-heart liberals from the child protective services office despise mom and dad for “enforcing such an oppressive lifestyle” upon their children (in their opinion), and try to take them away, and often do!
(3.) You stand for the truth but others with power or authority over you do not (i.e. Jesus and Pilate) and you are at least persecuted for your right beliefs, if not jailed and maybe even executed eventually.

I think you get the picture—these things happen all the time and we roll our eyes and can’t believe the things that happen to good people; we live in a society where doing good things or standing on the truth can be a double-edged sword—have its positives but carry with it negatives also.
How is what a Christian believes about these end-times discussions a double-edged sword? This might be an important question to be answered and understood by us about what we personally believe about end times prophecies.

Let’s look at it from only these two points of view: Either ...

(Point 1.) You believe that we will be removed at some point before the 1,260 days of the antichrist’s reign of terror begins or
(Point 2.) You believe that we will be here for much of that “time, times, and half a time” (as Daniel refers to it) called by Jesus the great tribulation—not a pleasant reality.

As to point 1 of this double-edged sword:

If you think a rapture will take you out of here before the great trouble begins (whether at 7-years or 3½), it seems that you are in the majority of the Christian community today, and people experience little reproach from the most of the group while feeling good about being in the majority (although the spiritual majority is rarely right).
Now if that position is right, the problem with it is that most people (not all) do not spiritually grow in their knowledge of God’s Word or in their faith and trust in God as would others that think it’s wise to “be prepared for really tough times”.
Most believers that I have come across that have the pre-trib rapture mindset see no need what-so-ever for any effort to prepare physically or spiritually for difficult times where some physical preparations and a strong faith in God by knowing Him and His Word would make a huge difference, if they are wrong.
The negative result of this view is the serious consequences of believers being wrong and facing the most terrible of hardships and dangers having little or no experience in trusting God for the things they can no longer get, or for deliverance from the dangers and death intended upon Christians that trust in God can provide.
Whether belief in a pre-tribulation catching-away is correct or it is not, I say, believers must live lives getting to know Jesus and His Father as if it isn’t going to happen (just in case!) and can then rejoice and say “I told you so”, if it does. It can-not-hurt to know God and His Word always (especially for tribulations) but only be a blessing!

As to point 2 of this 2-sided sword:

Maybe you have decided for yourself that Christians are going to be here for much or all of the great tribulation, and by strong faith and your trust in God, you can be sustained through all of it, although you are of a very small minority of those that believe in this way.
You understand that it will be the worst of times that one can imagine and might even realize that it will actually be worse than that. Therefore, you read and think-on God’s Word, you do not fight against the things that come up in your life that God has permitted or arranged to strengthen and prove your trust in Him, you spend time with Him in love and worship and especially pray for your unsaved family members (that which God greatly desires), and you do what you can do to plan and physically prepare for the day when you cannot buy what you need, see your doctor or get your medications, and if forced from your home, have a predetermined plan on leaving your home and following God’s leading to a “safe place” that He has prepared for those that trust Him.
During the great trouble, such things will happen suddenly and often without any notice—knowing this as the positive and believing our supernatural deliverance from the earth’s tribulations will come probably late in the time of great trouble, we must ready ourselves (at least spiritually) to persevere wherever He leads and stay faith-filled before God.
However, by this stand, the negative is that believers will be resented, mocked, hated, and so-marked for betrayal when later such a stand may prove to be right and the unprepared and faith-failing are angry and in serious physical and spiritual trouble.
This is where the sword cuts in painful ways, although those having been prepared for the trouble have peace in having grown to know God and He these ones—these that have not failed in their faith when the unthinkable happens and the true Christian community is still here. We are told in many places in our Bibles that we will be betrayed by the world’s peoples and also by those in our churches and even our very households. For those times we must stand by strong and unwavering faith!

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† John 16:1 [Jesus warned:] These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues (excommunicated, “synagogue” is by analogy a Christian church): yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service [their false god or deceived church goers in so-called Christian churches]. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them [† 2 Peter 3:1 Peter writes to “stir up to your remembrance”].

If you haven’t realized it, I am one that has a very strong suspicion that believers will have to endure at least some of the tribulation, and therefore I am making myself and my household ready to trust God no matter what. If we get caught away sooner than later, I still have the commendation before God that I became a man of strong faith, and my growth, and my works are the evidence of my faith. [ To be continued! ]