“I was rather making a comment on my sincere belief that the church today, based on my personal experience, is very lacking in knowledge and hunger of knowledge regarding the second coming and the events therein for a myriad of reasons.”
“Sorry you are misguided in your thoughts on what I believe. You could not be further from the truth on the subject.”
How can I be misguided or could not be further from the truth on what you believe concerning your first quote? You haven’t stated specific beliefs. I will admit freely that I used to believe what mainstream Christianity purports today and honestly after looking at the Scriptures I found way too many areas that I could not find a Scriptural basis for that belief. The fact that you have beliefs in this area is not something I am contending with whatsoever as I freely admit I don’t know. I also understand that as individuals in the body of Christ have long suits in certain areas that should be tapped by those who aren’t familiar with them. I have read many end times prohecies that are so far fetched with using the Scriptures in a very haphazardly way. I am not suggesting that your beliefs in this area are wrong just because I don’t know them. It’s just an area God has not worked in my heart to ferret out or has led me to search out for. Yet. Right now there are other matters I am learning and seeking further truth in.
There are a number of areas doctrinally accepted by mainstream Christianity that I know by Scriptures are wrong. I don’t do the judging but rather the Scriptures do. I definitely do believe it is a believer’s right to call into question doctrinal errors or wrong practice of doctrine to Christians. And in no way am I for tolerance theology. That is a scourge to Christianity and leads Christians down a dark road.
“I will NEVER hesitate to point out sin, heresy, and apathy within the body when I see it.”
I belonged to an organization where a significant number of people believed and practiced this. It wasn’t long before I saw their actions were mostly just that, their actions. Not actions that were inspired of or by revelation of the holy spirit.
As I believe you have exerted yourself to learn end times prophecies to help wipe out the lack of knowledge in it the holy spirit field is one of my main interests to do the same. If you so desire I would honestly like to hear whatever you have to say concerning end times prophecies. However long or short. I sincerely mean this.
I have always been very interested in end times prophecy and kept my eyes and ears open to the signs and scriptures, etc. regarding as such. I do have to say though, that it was always a little daunting to just sit down and sift through it on my own. However I am using a study that is so easy to understand and requires you to back all of your conclusions with scripture. Not something you read from a commentary. While I can understand others feelings regarding eschatology as overwhelming, “scary”, etc. I still feel it should not be dismissed out of hand, as so many fellow believers do. 27% percent of the Bible is about the second coming and the end times, yet you very rarely, if ever hear about it from the pulpit. And when you try to engage a fellow believer in a conversation about it, they give you a blank stare and inevitably say, “No man knoweth the hour nor the day...” They turn tail and run. I don’t think they are less of a Christian or are condemned, etc. I just feel very sad. Satan wants us as a collective body to be ignorant of God’s word and ESPECIALLY of the future. What better way to lead us astray during the coming tumultuous days. God says, “My people parish from lack of knowledge” and many I fear will because they turned a blind eye to that 27% of the scripture. Their faith will not be strong or rooted enough to withstand.
Anyway, I think your search in the things of the Holy Spirit is AWESOME. He is definitely the 1/3 of the Godhead that gets left out and is not preached about. Jesus describes Him as “One who is even greater then Me” and yet we stick Him in the proverbial corner. We are so busy with our lives and the way we operate we can ilconcieve God and the Holy Spirit and put them in a box. I encourage and support you in your pursuit of the truth.
As far as sharing my thoughts and feelings on eschatology, I would instead point you to the study of Revelation called Precept upon Precept by Kay Arthur. Check out www.preceptaustin.org and visit the section on "Bible Prophecy" and at the bottom of that on "Commentaries on Revelation" and/or section titled "Bible Commentaries" and click on Revelation. Also, treat yourself and read “Ezekiel Option” and “Epicenter” by Joel Rosenberg. His fiction work is full of fact and entertaining at the same time. This guy is the “real deal” and not some “off his rocker nutjob”. www.joelrosenberg.com
God Bless you! And if we never meet here, I will see you in Glory!