Bible Question:
I believe that God operates on a different time table than we do. See the following passages from Second Peter. 2PE 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." 2PE 3:5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 2PE 3:6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 2PE 3:7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 2PE 3:8 ¶ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, THAT WITH THE LORD ONE DAY IS AS A THOUSAND YEARS, AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY. NASB (Caps mine) I believe that the very words of scripture are Divinely Inspired. As such I cannot believe that God would make a statement in Scripture that would be misleading. We do have a sure thing that Christ will return, rest in that irregardless of when He returns. As far as eschatology is concerned we would do well to follow the instructions of our Lord in Acts 1:7-8 "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. " NASB There will be a generation that will "remain alive" when the Lord returns for that generation His return will be imminent. I do however believe for us to say that we are that generation would be presumptuous at best. Mike Piles |
Bible Answer: Mike, Thanks Mike for two refreshing details; 1. A real name and 2. "I do however believe for us to say that we are that generation would be presumptuous at best". Every generation for the past 2000 years has believed in an imminent return of Christ, signs describing it is about to happen and that they were the rapture generation. They all share one thing in common which is; "They were all wrong"! Presumptuous belief is not honoring to God and does little to aid our hermeneutical abilities and has caused Christians to adopt an attitude of believing in a doomed and defeated church. Nothing can be further from the truth of our Lord's own words when He stated that not even the powers of hell can prevail against His church. Christ did not die to present a defeated church to His Father, He died to present a glorious and victorious church to His Father. If Christians have an attitude of defeat, it is found only in their own hearts. This is the main reason why a Biblical Reformation of thought and study are so seriously needed in the body of Christ as never before. Sam Hughey |