
Originally Posted by
TrustGzus
This is long. I’m sorry. I hope it’s interesting.
That’s my question. Are we imbalanced eschatomaniacs in the 21st century church?
End Times Chat (ETC) is probably the busiest forum here. Mods might be able to tell differently, but when I look at recently updated threads and scan the right hand column often perhaps 75% or more are in ETC.
In 1987, at the age of 16, I thought I was an expert on the book of Revelation. I was obsessed with the book. But, I was a teen. Metal bands spoke of 666 and quoted Revelation on their albums. Furthermore, I’d read at least four books by Hal Lindsey. I was pretty sure I got saved in the nick of time a year earlier.
88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988.
The Final Shout: Rapture Report (1989).
23 Reasons Why a Pre-Tribulation Rapture Looks Like It Will Occur on Rosh-Hashanah 1993.
And Now the Earth’s Destruction by Fire, Nuclear Bomb Fire (1994).
I read none of those.
Harold Camping failed multiple times.
I spiritually grew up in Calvary Chapel. Calvary, God bless them, is fascinated with eschatology. A lot of cassettes/CDs/MP3s cannot be shared anymore because they guessed “within 20 years” yada, yada, yada.
They still do prophecy updates. A friend/good acquaintance is doing prophecy updates weekly.
“A geneation is 40 years.”
1948 - 1988. Nope.
1967 - 2007. Nope.
I notice how simple the church has been in the past about their eschatology.
Apostles Creed
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Nicene Creed
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end........
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Pretty simple.
A thousand years later, the Westminster Confession and 1689 Baptist Confession weren’t much more complicated.
I’ll quote the Baptist.
CHAPTER 31Of the State of Man after Death, And of the Resurrection of the Dead
1. The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day; besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledges none.
2. At the last day, such of the saints as are found alive, shall not sleep, but be changed; and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other; although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.
3. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor; the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, unto honor, and be made conformable to His own glorious body.
CHAPTER 32
Of the Last Judgment
1. God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
2. The end of God’s appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who do not know God, and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
3. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen.
While I think it’s fine to study millennial and rapture views, and I do, and I have views and opinions, I can’t help but think we should be simpler and less focused on the future of which none of us really know other than the little God andnhas shared and a couple thousand pounds of conjecture and speculation.
The Bible has so much more about justification and sanctification. And I find that more interesting anyway.
Grace & peace to all.
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