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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Could this be the great apostasy? | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 211778 | ||
Hi, John... Many times, since the Apostolic Era, believers were out numbered by unbelievers. Even today, in the broadest definition of Christendom, something over thirty percent of humanity are "Christian." That means that Christians are outnumbered by at least two to one. The event described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 appears to be associated with something within the church. Seems to me that a particular flavors of heathen unbelief, therefore, are of less concern than is our Lord's assessment of the church in Matthew 7:13-14. Not everyone who claims the name of Christ as Christian will enter into the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21-23). In Him, Doc |
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2 | Could this be the great apostasy? | Bible general Archive 4 | eoannes | 211783 | ||
Greetings Doc, Thank you for your input. Yes, believers have always been outnumbered, and Jesus said, during His sermon on the mount, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (Mat 7:13) However, the statistics that had caught my attention, and prompted me to question this forum are these: 'Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, growing at a rate four times faster than Christianity' (from David Pawson, "The Challenge of Islams to Christians" [London, Hodder and Stoughton, 2003] p.11) And (ibid) "if present trends continue, half of all global births will be in Muslim families by the year 2055" There is compelling evidence in a surge of conversions to Islam since 9-11-01, across America and Europe. One Dutch Islamic center claims a tenfold increase, while the New Muslims Project, based in Leicester, England and run by a former Irish Roman Catholic housewife, reports a "steady stream" of new converts. (The Times, (UK) Jan 7, 2002, Giles Whittell, [Allah Came Knocking at My Heart]) The saddest aspect of these figures is that over 80 percent of these American converts to Islam were raised in a Christian Church. (Bruce A. McDowell and Anees Zaka, [Muslims and Christians at the table] Phillipsburg, P and R Publishing, 1999, p.6) The list goes on, but as I said, I am only getting started. I realize these sources are slightly dated, but a trend is a trend. I will look further into this for some fresher material Joyfull Blessings, John |
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3 | Could this be the great apostasy? | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 211785 | ||
Hi, John... Christianity was brought to pagan Britain by the Romans, only to be wiped away again, until it was reintroduced by the Celtic Christians. The same sort of thing repeated itself in other parts of Europe, as well as in Asia and Africa. Why would it surprise us if it happened in America? Did you know that Chinese Christians -- suffering greatly in the process -- have more missionaries in the middle east than any other group? Our Lord has His own agenda. Our concern is to walk faithfully with Him. The heathens will adopt many flavors of unbelief. Nevertheless, unbelief is still just unbelief. There is no reason to believe that this is connected to the event Paul mentions in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. In Him, Doc |
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4 | Could this be the great apostasy? | Bible general Archive 4 | eoannes | 211786 | ||
Thanks Doc, and your Scripture reference helped. What the verse you mentioned speaks of is a very great apostasy. This is not to be understood as a temporary thing, like a 'hiccup' in the church involving just a few Christians, but a general, gradual increase of believers who become deceived because they do not exercise discretion. And that is the age which possibly precedes the false prophet, setting the stage for the rise of the final antichrist. Joyful Blessings, John |
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5 | Could this be the great apostasy? | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 211805 | ||
Dunno... I doubt it is possible to give it a definitive exegesis -- despite dispensationalist, preterist, and amillenialist efforts to the contrary. However, we can say what it is NOT... and it is not a reference to Islam in the 21st century. | ||||||