There are only two kinds of people on the entire face of this planet: those who are going to heaven, and "those who are not..." which is PC for "hell." This means everyone has a choice to make. Technically speaking everyone has-- until their last breath --time to make that decision. Realistically, over time the heart grows cold and hard, and it is therefore easier to make the right decision when one is young, than on ones death bed-- the bible records only one such conversion, and he died on the cross next to Jesus.
There will only be one denomination in heaven-- one class of people: those who have been made "righteous" by the blood of the holy lamb of God. There will not be any Jewish folk, no Baptists, or Catholics, no gentiles...not a single one. Everyone there will be a child of the King, and HIS name is Jesus. Whether the Jew realizes it or not, his messiah was, according to prophecy, born of a virgin; in the town of Bethlehem; lived a righteous, sinless life; and died a substitutionary-- as in passover lamb --death, that the angel of death would pass over all who applied his blood to the posts and lintels of their hearts.
There are over 660 general prophecies, 333 about Christ-- 109 fulfilled at His first Coming, 224 still to be fulfilled at His Second Coming. Of the 46 Old Testament prophets, less than 10 of them spoke about His first Coming, while 36 of them spoke about His Second Coming. There are over 1,500 Old Testament passages that refer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. One out of every 25 New Testament verses directly refers to the Second Coming of Christ. For every time the Bible mentions the first Coming of Christ, it mentions His Second Coming 8 times. Jesus refers to His Second Coming 21 times and over 50 times we are told to be ready for His return. Christ’s Second Coming is a major theme in the Word of God.
Upon the cover of this month's NewsMax magazine are emblazoned the words,
"The Jesus Question - Will He Ever Return?"
Two topics said to be covered within are:
- How secular progressives are "fear-mongering" about Christians
- Where different denominations stand on the Second Coming
But pointing back to the beginning, there are only TWO classes of people on this earth. Those who are, and those who aren't. The greatest deceit in the world today is conceit of denominational faith... sorry, but there is only ONE denomination, and that is the denomination of "those who are." There is only ONE church. What should "those who are" care about where other denominations stand on the Second Coming? Unless it is to combat the boundless errors propagated by "other denominations"? Let alone the ignorance of secular progressives? And to that appellation, christian progressives are just as insidious in their ignorance and rebellion as are secular progressives... but I'm not going there today.
Further, it stands to reason that if 109 prophecies relating to Christ's FIRST coming have been fulfilled, it stands to reason the others will be fulfilled as well. These prophecies were not written after the fact, but hundreds and thousands of years prior to His birth.
He is coming soon. Every day points to it.
The time to make your choice is now. Today. This instant. Every child of God needs to abandon whatever denominational loyalty they have and focus on Christ and His word. Being a "Holiness" will not gain you entrance, nor will the Catholic church, the Southern Baptists, or the Methodists. NO ONE DENOMINATION will save anyone because denominations are born of arrogance. The Church isn't made up of denominations or even the entirety of those who sit upon the pews. The Church is made up of individual believers, who are filled with the spirit of God, as evidenced by the fruit of the spirit, and the changed lives that result.
Whoever you are, wherever you are. Do not trust your pastor simply because he or she is your pastor. The bible commands you to "try the spirits" to see if they are of God. Trust the Lord that bought you, listen to the spirit that lives in you, read your bible every day, and do the things it instructs you.
There are not, as many contemporary christians believe, many ways to get to heaven. There is only one. Only one man died for your sins, and only one man rose from the dead having PAID your fine. Everyone else is mouldering in the grave, awaiting resurrection... either to life, or eternal damnation and punishment. The Buddha can't save you, Muhammad can't save you, the Pope can't save you, neither can any televangelist. "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." --Jeremiah 17:5
There is only one way. And Jesus IS that way. Time is short, and it's high time you made that choice.
He is coming. And soon.
The Second Coming has been a controversial subject apparently since shortly after Jesus' ascension, and it's no less so today. But regardless of how one thinks it will come about, the most important thing is whether one is saved (to use a much abused term). All the theological ranglings that too often divide Christians pale in comparison to that one issue (even though some controversies are worth taking a side in).
But I also think that too much hyper-sensational focus on trying to make certain prophecies fit current world events has done immeasurable harm to that particular aspect of the Christian message. So much nonsense about Christ's "imminent reurn" has been propagated over the years that now such discussions don't even pique most people's curiosity (be they believers or unbelievers). Memories of the wild prophecy speculations of the 1970s & '80s have caused a lot of people to be very suspicious of any claims of prophecy fulfillment. (Remember how Kissinger, then Reagan, was supposed to be the anti-christ? Remember "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Happen in 1988"??).
I tend to be wary of most prophecy experts (**cough*Hal Lindsay*cough**), but I also don't want to fall into the error of not being watchful. As with most things, I think balance is paramount -- it's far too easy to fall into the extremes of being too obsessed or too complacent. But, unfortunately, we seem to be living in a time when more and more people prefer extremes (political, religious, etc.), and maintaining one's balance requires more effort than most people seem to think it's worth.
It reminds me of a quote by G. K. Chesterton, which says, "It is always simple to fall; there are an infinity of angles at which one falls, but only one at which one stands."
I think C. S. Lewis was spot on, when he said that the most important thing for a Christian to be found doing, when Christ returns, is whatever they were called to do. We have certain responsibilities, as to how we live our lives in a Christ-honoring way in this world, and those responsibilities never change -- whether he comes back in a thousand years, or before I can finish and post this long-winded comment.
Gee, maybe he'll come Friday?
For clarity sake, you're confusing the "Rapture" with the "Second Coming." They are two separate events. The "Second Coming" will occur seven years after the worst hell on earth the Earth has ever seen. The most significant loss during those seven years, in human terms, is the death of three-quarters of the earth's human population. I only bring that point out to forestall any suggestion that the last seven years of Bush's term might qualify as hell on earth, or that Barack is Second Coming.
Practice the rapture position today! Friday's coming.
Hurting people are hurtful people.
I would think you probably fall into that catagory, Feodor. I'm praying the day will come will you'll realize that you are just like the rest of us...a sinner in need of salvation.
There's another saying...this one from the Bible.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1:22
As for being wise, Paul was talking about the pagans. When one is a Christian, there is little point in being the fool - or the child looking for the science fiction of faith.
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
Feodor
Yes! That was my point. There are two kinds of people in this world (to use Eric's post title) -the Christians and the pagans.
And you are....??
This is not meant to be an offensive question. Most pagans I know have no problem being called such. They know they aren't Christians and don't want to be.
So I'm not sure what your response was supposed to mean?
"We are fools for Christ's sake,..."
We as Christians are sometimes called on to be fools for Christ. Pagans are fools against Christ.
In the presence of a Holy and Perfect God, we're all fools.
Believing that, they were fools for Christ, motivated to love by something the world thought was crazy.
No one thinks we are crazy any more. If they disagree with our faith, they nonetheless admire our works.
But Eric, Mark, Marshall, you, the others -- you guys resurrect this doll's house of the ancient world lifted out of the Bible and call it real and timely and make yourselves feel like the world is against you and God and the Truth of red-blooded American Religion.
That and this childish focus on the soap opera of end times -- that was initially born in the nineteenth century concern to preserve American Victoriana from the "assault" of science...
... is just foolish and stupid.
And so far off the center of the good news as to be destructive and evil, intentional or not, ignorant or not.
If I'm one of "the others" you refer to in your comment, I'd be curious to know why. What exactly did you find so distasteful in my initial comment?? (I assume it's my comment, since you really have no idea what I believe.)
And while I agree that there is a tendency, among some Chritians, to claim persecution where there is none. That's certainly no more childish than the invective you hurl at anyone who dares to believe something you disagree with.
As for the claim that, "No one thinks we are crazy any more", that kind of depends on who "we" refers to, doesn't it? One of the biggest reasons non-Christians no longer think Christians are crazy is that they don't have any idea what Christians actually believe. Unfortunately, most non-Christians have reimagined a Jesus they're completely comfortable with. They are wholly ignorant of any of his more polarizing teachings. And, sadly, too many professed Christians have similarly abused him (preferring a kind of Precious Moments Jesus).
As for your froth, I'll say again, if they disagree with out faith to the extent that they know what Christian belief holds. To the extent that they don't know, they would certainly have the option of disagreeing, while still praising us for good works.
Where's the problem? Unless your Christian faith is prompting you to bomb Damascus or Beijing. And then they would not stand against you by themselves.
But surely you don't mean that. Right?
I appreciate the clarification.
No. My faith doesn't tend to prompt me towards bombings (of cities, clinics, or anything else) -- down that road, too often madness lies, if not Hell itself. I'm not a pacifist, but neither am I a hawk.
For better or worse, I started reading the Bible to prove it wrong, but it proved me wrong instead. My faith can't be covered with easy labels (Liberal/Conservative). I find John Hagee and Bp. Spong to be equally offensive. I want to know Jesus (as simplistic as that may sound), and what it means to follow him. I'm not interested in fighting with other Christians (though there are things that I think are non-negotiable, and worth taking a stand on). I love good conversation -- even vigorous, spirited debate -- but fighting and name calling has always struck me as a sure sign that somebody has run out of ideas.
I do appreciate sarcasm. But I know how it can misfire (especially when written), so I try to use it carefully, and be quick to apologize or explain if someone gets offended or misunderstands.
Sorry to ramble on.
Thanks, again, for the clarification.