Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Unanswered Bible Questions Author: Treadway Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Will the 2nd Coming Ever Occur? | Matt 24:34 | Treadway | 55369 | ||
Is there any Biblical evidence for the 2nd Coming? For some unknown reason, Hank, I remembered that I had not responded to the message below. I had always meant to, but found it mildly disturbing, since I felt your earnest concerns. But then, perhaps, I overreacted. And because I consider the topic to be of the utmost importance—it is critical, in fact—I have returned to it, to the forum, to reconcile this omission. Always good thoughts… ---------------------------------- Note(Treadway) on the question you raise about our Lord's Second Coming and about the word 'soon.' As to His return, He said He would return. This constitutes a promise from the Son of God. Therefore, not to believe Him, not to take Him at His word, really does play havoc with our own personal trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, doesn't it?---------------------------------------------------- Hank, when you say “not to believe Him”, that may not be the crux of the scenario. It’s not a question of believing, but a question of understanding. For sure, those surrounding Jesus did believe what he said; and what he said was that he was coming back within their lifetime. His words, the disciples’ words, Paul, Peter, and John’s words, and the author of Revelations, all testify to that reality. The only contest to this reality is the statement that’s cited concerning that a day is like a thousand years to God. Other than an appeasement for the followers who were trying to narrow down the day and time, this statement has little bearing upon the “soon” emphases. In fact, the statement is even said in offhanded, incidental fashions. Second, you said that if what I’ve proposed is true, then, it “really does play havoc with our personal trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, doesn’t it?” Well, that would be an individual matter. What it also would do is create an arena of understanding. Yes, it would certainly cause some reflection. And that reflection might start a domino effect, but at the end would be understanding and knowledge about a great many things.------------------------------------------------------------------ (Hank). But this we know: that 'soon' each of us is going to cross the unavoidable bar that separates temporal life on earth from eternity. It will be too late then to speculate about our Lord's return; thus, to my mind, while it is important to watch and wait in expectation of His return, it is of more vital importance to place our total faith and total trust in Him here .' There can be no nobler calling in all of heaven and earth than 'just in simple faith to trust Him, just to take Him at His word.' ----------------------------------------------------- Hank, I agree with much of what you say. But when it becomes clear to me that something is simply not true, then, I must accept that clarity. I have spent much, much time in tracking down this “soon” business, and the conclusion is that the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus will not be coming back. Now, that doesn’t mean it can’t be wrong, but I have bounced this off of a multitude of people of different stripes, and so far, not one of them has been able to present anything that comes close to contradicting my findings. And, bolstering these findings overall have been forays into the Messianic prophecies. Not one prophecy suggests that Jesus will come twice—not one. If you, or anyone else knows of any, I’d be most appreciative to hear it. (The same goes for anything in the NT that refutes that the people in association with Jesus did not believe that He would come back within their lifetime). The Messiah of the Jews was to come once, and once only. This is the inconvertible message that does not waver in the prophecies. This, in and of itself, should be pause enough for serious reflection; but then couple it with “soon”, and the reality is overwhelming. I once believed, once thought it was cut and dried; but once I put my efforts into the Bible I learned it is just that—cut and dried—but just the opposite of all that I had been taught, and believed for oh so many years,. Anyway, interested to be shown otherwise, in the OT, or the NT. Good thoughts, Treadway |
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2 | Belive in "The Good News" or Jesus? | Mark 16:16 | Treadway | 51261 | ||
When Mark 16:16 says: "Those who believe and are baptized will be saved...", to "what" exactly is Jesus referring to? In context, it appears to be "The Good News". However, many people I've heard state that it means to believe in Jesus as the Son. And another question: Mark 16:17 "And those who believe shall use my authority to cast out demons, and they shall speak in tongues. 18...They will be able even to handle snakes with safety , and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them; and they will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them." Concerning to whom Jesus is speaking? Is he speaking to the disciples only, just those in his presense? Or, does he mean, as the text suggests, that ALL believers be able to do all of the things? How to understand all of this? It appears that if a person believes, then he should be able to drink poison and not be affected? Treadway |
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3 | Where do I go from here? | 2 Pet 3:4 | Treadway | 51616 | ||
Where do I go from here? Born a Baptist, raised a Baptist, I dutifully went to church every Sunday, zippered Bible in tow, no questions, no worries. At home, the family Bible rested always on the living room coffee table, seldom read, never studied. Then an acquaintance asked me if I had ever read the 19th writer, Robert Ingersoll, his works on religion. I had not. He suggested I do so. I did. And I cannot describe how shocked and angry I felt. But in the midst of all the anger I read these words: Most Christians have not read their own Bibles. He had me there. I had not ‘really’ read much of the Bible and just knew generally the standard fare of the Sunday school teaching. So, now I have read Ingersoll AND the Bible. Since then, I have visited studybibleforum to see the thinking of others, and while here, learned about preterist. This was after I listed several verses in a post that seemed pristinely clear that “soon” and “near” was the common understanding of ALL in the NT as they applied to the 2nd Coming. Except for two responses, neither of which directly addressed the context of the verses, there was silence. After looking up preterist, I discovered that their view of the 2nd Coming ideas were similar to what I had discovered in my own independent Bible reading. But then, as I learned more about their views, I came to understand that, for their particular reasons, they were not willing to take the logic of it all to its inevitable conclusions: a) the 2nd Coming was expected in the 1st Century AD b) the 2nd Coming did not happen c) the disciples were mistaken d) Jesus was mistaken e) if Jesus was mistaken, then He is not God f) there will be no 2nd Coming, no Rapture g) the Book of Revelations is, indeed, the ravings of a madman, just as Ingersoll and Thomas Jefferson declared h) and the accepted notion of God is in serious jeopardy. So, I must bid adieu. Thanks for your tolerance from a great group of people. Treadway |
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