End Times

I appreciate your sentiment on that. I've never understood why some folks will fight to the death over their particular view of the eschaton. I believe the bible is intentionally vague on the future so that we would walk by faith.

 

The biggest reason is that we are not guaranteed a spot in the Kingdom of Christ (1,000 years), however our participation in the eternal kingdom is obsolute!

That is why there is so much to say about the coming kingdom and so little to say about eternity. Our focus should be on the coming kingdom and not eternity.

 

There is only one eschatological fact that I am sure of: the Lord will return. Premil/Postmil/AMil...... Pretrib/Midtrib/Posttrib.....rapture/no-rapture....I am only sure about the Lord's eventual return. I do not believe in a rapture, but other than that the only thing I can agree on is that He is coming back. The rest of it? I am constantly studying.

 

John3v36, it's a timely observation. On the one hand we have the question, "Why do the heathen rage?" and on the other hand "Why do the Christians debate?" Our Lord will return, and that will be glory, be glory for me. There are sooooooo many real threats, right now, today, to the fate of nations, our nation. I perceive that it is the public debate that we should be involved in. Why can't Christians muster 500,000 marchers in Dallas and Atlanta and Los Angeles proclaiming the Name of Jesus? Why aren't we taking a stand against illegals obtaining the same benefits we worked for all our lives, in some cases going to college for less than what we had to pay and what our children are having to pay? How many generations into the future are we placing in debt today? I don't see Christians blocking courthouses and city halls and legislatures and marching on Washington D.C. for anything . Why am I in this forum debating instead of lifting up the Name of Jesus in the public square? I don't know of anyone who is changed by Christian forum debates. I do know of many who are angered! "Christian" radio and TV aren't changing lives! Is the best we can do Paul & Jan Crouch? God forbid!

 

Christians do not realize God's purpose for the
Endtime sufferings with which so much of Revelation is concerned.

The primary "relief" is the argument that we will
not be here to suffer the great tribulation.

The message to the Churches emphasizes the need
to be "overcomers". But Jesus warned that "some
will still taste death after the Two Prophets
demonstrate God's kingdom power for 1260 days.

Those who "endure to the end" will be saved from
physical death. Those who "survive to the end
will rule over the nations". But "some must still
taste death until the last one who must be killed
has been killed".

The purpose of the great tribulation is to make
Believers faithful witnesses of Christ who are
worthy because they "love not their life unto death". Rev.12:10-11.

Mel Miller www.lastday.net

 

The most practical significance I have for it is it presents different ways of interpreting the Bible and while looking in to the varying methods and reasoning I end up studying and learning new things. Plus, I will be more prepared if Mel is right and can clip a few wings off these pre-tribers trying to fly off to the wrong guy.

 

Have you never read the Lord's Prayer?

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Doesn't it irk you at all that just in the last week, and right before Easter I might add, the media has bombarded us with the theory that Jesus didn't really walk on water, it was actually just ice. And that the missing link has been found, so not we can all rest assured that the Bible is a fairy tale. And need I go into the Da Vinci code?

What will change? God will get the glory and He will rule with a rod of iron. 1 Cor. 16:22

I do agree with your last statement though that God's timing on this is unchangable.

I have to laugh sometimes at folks that want to stop the United Nations because they think that the Anti-Christ will come out of it. But then they also want Christ to return soon.

Doesn't 2 Thes. 2:3 say that He will not return until the AC is revealed and he causes the abomination of desolation in the temple?

 

Christians for 1850 years missed what you consider to be "God's purpose." Until then, most believed that the prophecies of Matthew 24-25 and Revelation referred to the struggle of the people of God against the world throughout its history and the good news that God's kingdom would eventually win.

The purpose of God throughout the history of the world has ALWAYS been to redeem a people for Himself to the praise of the glory of His grace.

 

How do you know this?

 

Jesus is coming back and that's all I care to know.

 

Yes, it irks me to no end. We finally found something we can agree upon. The liberal media just loves to try to debunk Jesus at every opportunity, especially around the time of Christian holidays.

I don't think it matters in the long run, because God is in control. But it irks me nevertheless to see people mock my God and Savior.

 

For what it's worth, I LOVE to study eschatology. But IMO one of the most important purposes of prophecy is to illustrate that God is in control, and you only see this after the fact (when the prophecy comes to pass exactly as He said it would). I find it fascinating, but the bottom line is that I just can't wait for Jesus to return.

 

Yes, it irks me to no end. We finally found something we can agree upon. The liberal media just loves to try to debunk Jesus at every opportunity, especially around the time of Christian holidays.

I don't think it matters in the long run, because God is in control. But it irks me nevertheless to see people mock my God and Savior. </font>[/QUOTE]Well it doesn't "irk" me at all. It is merely fufillment of Jesus' words to his disciples. This is just another reason you should rejoice, our savior was not wrong! Praise Jesus!

That is all the world knows to do, nothing new there. And why should you care what the world thinks of you or Jesus? He obviously didn't and are we not followers of Christ?

We should not be concerned about the government hating our Lord and all of our beliefs, rather we should be wary of the day when Christianity is the State-sponsered religion.

What irks me is when Christians try to reform Society and save it from sinking, like some poor soul bailing out the Titanic with a small bucket. Society can't be reformed, and a Christian America would not work. We aren't to be of this world, but Christians are still standing in line to be the next in bed with politicians, who merely tell them what they want to hear to win a vote. Society and the world are but temporary fixtures in God's plan.

Our job as Christians is to spread the Gospel to as many as possible and prepare the way for second coming of our God. What we shouldn't be doing is moaning when someone says we can't pray out loud in school, or call a holiday what we like. Does the name a state gives to a celebration truly affect us as Christians? Of course not, that is ridiculous.

We are allowing human society to dictate our religion to us, instead of just making the realization that they have no actual control over us, and that Jesus will come and we will go to heaven whether or not we celebrate Christmas or pray out loud in schools.

Maybe we should all spend more time witnessing for Christ instead of buying Christmas presents, most of which a detrimental to one's walk with God. Not to mention Public schools are no good anyway. If you send your kids to one, do not be suprised if they don't get educated. And especially don't complain when they don't allow your Children to pray out loud.

Honestly, what did you all expect?

 

Amen.

 

Taylor, nobody is gonna like that post but you made so much sense. The last time we had state sponsered religion the RCC came around, and we all see how much good THAT did.
May the Lord richly bless you!

Your brother,
Dustin

 

I don't care if no one likes what I have to say. I am here to spread the truth, not win approval from others.

 

Marcia,

There are several ways we can know this to be the case. One can see this picture in Adam and Eve. Another place this can be seen in the OT is with the bride of Isaac.

It can be seen all over in the NT. That's why we are told to work out our salvation. That's why we are told to persevere through the race of the faith. That's why we are told to overcome in Revelation.

You can also see this in several of the parables in the Gospel accounts . . . parable of the talents, pounds, wedding feast and several others.

If you would like more information just send me a PM.

 

Taylor42: I am very impressed with your answer. You are of course in my view absolutely correct in what Christian's response should be to the world. In fact complaining about the world's behavior is actually playing the world's game. You have correctly describe what our job is and we should be about our job, witnessing to the lost that some might be saved.

 

Friends,

John3v36 wonders what will “change during the Endtime”
“What practical significance does it have”?, he asks.

J.D. believes the bible is “intentionally vague on the future”.

BILL BROWN says “There’s only one eschatological fact that I am sure of: The Lord will return”.

Dustin joins Bill in that this is the “only thing that he cares to know”.

Genesis 12 wonders if “anyone is changed by Christian forum debates”.

JackRUS reminds us: “Christ will not return until the AC is revealed and he causes the abomination of desolation in the temple”.

Calvibaptist adds: “Revelation refers to the struggle of the people of God against the world throughout its history and the good news that
God's kingdom would eventually win”.

Marcia wonders why J. Jump asserts “we are not guaranteed a spot in the Kingdom of Christ (1,000 years)”.

npetreley agrees with JackRUS about the increased attacks made on the Christian faith but gives one important answer to John3v36 on what change the Endtimes will bring by stating: “Prophecy illustrates that God is in control”, adding, “I find it fascinating,
but the bottom line is that I just can't wait for Jesus to return”.

Taylor42 emphasizes that we should expect opposition and persecution.

Benjamin sees the practical significance of Endtimes discussions as “presenting different ways of interpreting the Bible and for studying and learning new things”.

Mel Miller concludes that “The purpose of the great tribulation is to make Believers faithful witnesses of Christ who are worthy because they "love not their life unto death".
Rev.12:10-11.

I propose also that, while the EndtimeS are already shaping up, Christians are not
prepared for what is coming during Daniel’s prophesied ENDTIME of 42 months.

The majority of Baptists, IMO, accept the “any-moment Rapture” theory and so will not be prepared when God’s command to “come out of Mystery Babylon, My people, lest you share in her sins and receive of her plagues”. Rev.18:4.

The judgment that is coming will affect every Believer because, with the fall of Babylon by the Ten Kings, the reminder by JackRUS will begin to be fulfilled as Antichrist is revealed and our freedoms are taken away.

Mel Miller www.lastday.net