Posted on 12/06/2006 10:21:49 AM PST by batter
The repeated word in I Thessalonians' discussion of the end times and the day of the Lord is comfort. I believe God wants most of all for his people to be comforted, first by realizing God's grace is given sufficient for the trials he allows to come our way, and second, that we are not appointed to the kind of "trials" (utter devastation) God's wrath will bring upon the world (I Thess 5:9-11).
God bless.
In part I don't disagree with you - Jesus said, "in this world you will have tribulation, but fear not, I have overcome the world." God didn't promise us a trial-free life, but rather sustinence through said trials.
However I think that we in the western world have really no concept of what it is like to suffer for one's faith, and I'm afraid that often we may find ourselves too easily believing that persecution will never come.
For that reason I do believe that the details are VERY important. If the western church were more actively aware of the potential for extreme tribulation, how much more diligent would it be right now in spiritual preparation?
In 1974, Corrie Ten Boom said the following on this subject - 'I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China, the Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated raptured." Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, "We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes to stand and not faint."'
I'd hate to see the same happen to the western church.
The same Bible that promises a great heavenly reward to those who suffer persecution (Matt 5:10-12) also says, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36.
I've tried to be precise and detailed in my answers. The "details" that should be put aside, are those minor points of contention that keep God's people from keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We can put aside differing views of the future only God knows perfectly and enjoy fellowship with each other in him.
My concerns along the lines of what we've discussed are (similar to you), that
1 - God's people will not be weak, but be strong, faith-filled and spirit-filled Christians, able to receive God's grace for whatever hardships he allows to come our way.
2 - God's people will be comforted and unafraid of the future as I've mentioned of earlier.
Get out of the cocoon you are living in and get out more.
If by "Get out of the cocoon" you want me to associate with anti-American Somali terrorists like you apparently do, I'll politely decline. My Somali friends are all good people.
Interesting. You write as if you think you know my friends. Your "questions" reveal otherwise.
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