The End Times Error

Many Christians obsess over when the end times will begin. Others believe we're already in the end times. But when will the last days be or have they started yet

According to the Bible, we already are in the last days and have been so since Christ's incarnation. Hebrews 1:2 (KJV) says that God communicated with humanity in many ways in the past but, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"

Peter also believed that the last days were in his time. Look at what he said in Acts 2:17 (KJV). "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"

This all happened in the first century, not some time in our future. Some preachers assume the promise in Joel is for today but it happened at Pentecost.


Of course the last days didn't end in the first century but will continue until Christ returns in his glory. Isaiah 2:2 (KJV) predicts, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."

A time will come when the Lord destroys this old universe and all the wicked works of humanity. 2 Peter 3:10 (KJV) warns us against assuming that this world will keep on going. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

We who trust in Christ will rejoice when Jesus returns as conquering king but it will be a terrible day for his enemies. That's why I'm writing a book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? God cut humanity a break in the past but a time will come when all people will answer for why they haven't surrendered their souls to Christ.

Next month, I'll be dealing with some ridiculous ideas preached by believers in the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements. I'm bound to anger adhearants to those unbiblical ideas but I must speak the truth.

The Error of Not Planning for the Future

Back in the seventies, I made a huge mistake. Since I was told that Christ could return any day soon, I decided not to save for my retirement. End times pundits kept claiming that the Soviet Union would invade Israel and the invaders would be destroyed, leading to Armageddon. We'd be raptured out and God's wrath would be poured out on the earth for seven years. I figured it was stupid to save up when I'd just lose it all at Christ's return.

Forty years later, Christ hasn't returned and I'm almost at retirement age. What if I had started saving for my retirement when I began to work? I'd have more money earning compound interest by now.

God has plenty to say about prudent use of money. Proverbs 6:6 (KJV) says, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:"

Ants store up food for the winter. Had I been ant-like, the winter of retirement would be more comfortable for me.

But shouldn't we be watching for the Lord's return? Of course we should but we shouldn't be like the servant who assumed his master would be away a long time and start beating on other servants.
Nobody knows the hour when Christ will return. Every date which so-called prophets set for it proved false.


As Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 (KJV), "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Even so, people set dates and deceive their followers.

I've heard that some people sold all they had when they heard of their leader's prophecy and gave the money to his organization. What does God think of that? Paul, through the Holy Spirit, wrote in 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV), "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

God will provide for us but we need to work also. I fell for the nonsense that I had but to wait on God and he'd dump every blessing on me. Now I know better.


Ensuring our eternity with God is also something many folks don't do. That's why I'm writing my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? The biggest failure to plan is when people put off turning to God and surrendering their lives to the Lord. The trouble is that "someday" never comes and we're left with regrets. Regretting in hell is the worst sort of torture.

I'll be blogging next time about how people have illogical ideas regarding spiritual things. What can't be seen still is real.

BEHOLD HOW THEY HATE ONE ANOTHER

Is it possible for the followers of Christ to debate vigorously but in a loving way? It doesn't always seem so to me. In my dealings with End Times proponents, I've encountered the most hateful attacks. I can expect that from militant atheists but friendly fire from those who claim the name of Christ wounds me deeply.

When I attended a spiritually incestuous house church, the leader taught the doctrine of the post-tribulation return of Christ.  We all believed that we would have to go through the great tribulation mentioned in Revelation. Anybody who taught that the rapture would come first was considered a heretic.

There was also a time when I believed that the rapture would happen, then there'd be seven years of Tribulation. Christ would come after that and set up a semi-golden age. Then there would be a worldwide rebellion which Christ would put down. Only after that would all the wicked people be consigned to hell forever.

There was also a time in my life where I gave up on Christianity in favour of science. I enjoyed the thought that my poor vision was merely a result of faulty genes and not some sort of punishment from an angry God. What I didn't consider is that survival of the fittest is a cruel and pitiless process. It gave the Nazis and Eugenics movement the justification to sterilize or eliminate the less fit individuals of society, even folks like myself.

Having gone through all these stages, I find the partial preterist position to be the most logical one, plus it corresponds with the historical view of the Bible. Scripture was written to those people to whom it was written, not to us as if we were any sort of special people. Therefore the prophecies of Daniel and other Old Testament prophets came to pass long before we arrived on the scene. Only The return of Christ has yet to happen.

Though I hold this position, I don't condemn those who believe differently. After all, we all believe that Christ will return as the angels at his ascension proclaimed. Sadly, such condescension hasn't always been shown to me. In my e-mail box have come some of the worst vitriolic attacks I've ever experienced. Can't we Christians agree to disagree agreeably?

Because I believe in understanding the scriptures, I've written a book about how I was first misled and then guided to the truth. How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity. Visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell's Books.