Month: December 2020

When Jesus will return is a topic that has been discussed for centuries. There are varied beliefs about this subject with different ones being in vogue at different times. What I would like to do with this short article is give some definitions of terms that might help us get a better idea about what we individually believe about His return.

DEFINITIONS

Rapture – comes from the Greek word harpadzo meaning to catch or snatch away found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Revelation – comes from the Greek word parousia meaning coming, presence, or revelation found in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 (and other places).

Millenium – means 1000 as in 1000 years found in Revelation 20:2.

Pre-millenial – before the millenium.

Post – millenial – after the millenium.

A – millenial – no millenium.

Tribulation – period of time when great trouble is coming on the earth. Some say it will be 3 1/2 years while others say 7 years. More about this later.

Wrath of God – when God will pour out His wrath on the ungodly at some point before the Millenium. This period of time is thought to last 3 1/2 years.

VIEWS

Premillennial

At various times and places throughout the centuries, one of these views has been the predominant one. At the present time, in evangelical circles, the premillennial belief seems to be the one most people hold onto. This belief says that Jesus at some point is coming back before the millenium. Some believe in a secret rapture that may occur at any time before any further end-time events occur. Some people believe He is coming before the tribulation & wrath of God, while others believe while He is coming back before the millenium but either in the middle of the seven years or at the end of the seven years.

The most common of these theories is that Jesus will come in a secret rapture, then the tribulation will occur, followed by the wrath of God, then His parousia when He sets up His kingdom.

This belief says that regardless of when Jesus comes again He will set up His earthly kingdom in its fullest expression for all eternity.

This is a fairly modern belief having been emphasized since about 1827 by John Darby and made more common by the C.I.Scofield study bible.

Postmillennial

This view was more prominent in countries and times where Christians suffered persecution. However, in many places it is gaining once again as an important view point.

The major tenet is that Jesus will return after the Millenium. At which time He will establish His kingdom.

A millennial.

Many liturgical churches hold to this viewpoint. Its basic belief is that there is no literal millennium. Statements of Scripture that might be taken as literal should be understood as figurative. That God at some point will establish His kingdom in ways we do not yet understand.

While I believe these topics are good discussions to have, I do not believe they should be used to break fellowship over because none of us have the final answer on any of it!

Where am I in all this? I would identify with being premillennial, either mid-tribulation but am leaning toward the post-wrath of God position. I have often said I am basically a pan-millennialist meaning I believe everything is going to “pan” out as the Father wants it!

At this time of year, many of us make a new year’s resolution. It is often about losing weight, being a better person, getting out of debt, buying a house or car, etc. Too often those resolutions only last a few days and the person goes back to behaving like they always have. Is there a better way to make important changes in our life? I suggest there is.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of the English Language says a resolution means “a fixed purpose or determination of mind, as a resolution to reform our lives.” This sounds like a good definition, however, the problem is not with the definition but the lack of commitment to do what is resolved to be done! Many of us change our mind as often as we change our clothes!

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says to commit means, “with the reciprocal pronoun, to commit one’s self, is to do some act, or make some declaration, which may bind the person in honor, good faith, or consistency, to pursue a certain course of conduct, or to adhere to the tenor of that declaration.”

Years ago, there was a saying, “my word is my bond,” that was taken seriously in business transactions and life in general. However, it appears to me that many in our day have long ago forsaken such actions. To them, their word means very little so when it comes to making a resolution or telling a friend that they will do a certain thing, they feel very little need to actually carry through on what they said.

When Webster says that in making a commitment one is binding himself in honor and good faith to pursue a course of action to adhere to what he said, it is more than words but a strong determination to carry out what he said. And here is where the ‘rubber meets the road.’ When resolutions fail, it is most often that we merely said words, and have not made a commitment to actually carry it out.

So, how can we make a resolution that is actually kept? Give some quality thought to it before you make it. Are you willing to carry through on it regardless of the cost? When you make the resolution known to others, are you putting your honor on the line and become willing for them to hold you accountable for it? If so, you will probably keep it. If not, it may be broken in a matter of a few days.

Our Christianity should positively affect every area of our life, our words, thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Because we often do not allow it to do so, our witness to others is adversely affected.

I am glad that many of the laws and principles incorporated in the founding of the United States of America were based on Biblical truth. But that alone does not make us a Christian nation, either then or now.

It concerns me that both then and now many of us confess to being Christian but fail to live the lifestyle one would expect from such a declaration.

THINGS THAT SUGGEST WE HAVE MUCH ROOM TO GROW

1. Greed for finances and things it will allow us to possess to the detriment of advancing the Kingdom of God.
2. Failure to grasp basic truths of the New Testament such as, loving the Lord supremely and our neighbor as ourselves.
3. Placing customs above Scriptural mandates, such as Christmas and the way it is celebrated which has nothing to do with the incarnation of Jesus. OR Easter which has nothing to do with rabbits, eggs, etc. but the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
4. Preaching a watered-down version of the Gospel to win the world which is powerless to do so.
5. Misusing Scripture to soothe our conscious when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our waywardness from the plain statements of the Word of God.

SO, WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THESE THINGS?

1. Read, study, and meditate in the Scriptures – specifically the New Testament.
2. Work on renewing our mind to New Testament promises.
3. Declare in prayer that we humble ourselves before the Lord and seek His face and direction.
4. Recognize that the church is not a building but an organism that needs to gather in small and large groups for worship, instruction, fellowship, and ministry.
5. Realize that we are not of the world system but have been sent by Jesus into the world to proclaim His Kingdom.

At least, that is the way I see it!