Posted on 10/17/2001 12:18:58 PM PDT by junebug54
The pope preaches a pc gospel of all getting along which is fine but misses the mark. The true gospel is that one, as a very minimum, has to believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah to be saved.
What I have perceived has confused me for years and I'm not knocking the pope as I admire him for his huminatarian efforts.
Hmmm, maybe it is more than just "belief": Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)
Jesus said Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21), and No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44), and He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)
Salvation is a bit more than simple "belief".
A short cut of technology won't fulfill that prophecy--it ain't gonna happen on TV!!!
The requirements for salvation have varied from time to time, especially at the beginning. Many will not have time to find a church and be baptized and I believed they will be saved. Also I believe that perhaps others may be saved but I wouldn't personally want to bank on it.
That's fairly thin ice to be walking on. One could just as easily say one has to believe in fairy tales to think that biblical prophecy is valid.
It's fairly clear to somone who reads the Bible and knows what is going on around them.
Matthew 24:32-34
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When
its branch has already become tender and puts forth
leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 So you also, when you see all these things, know
that it is near--at the doors!
34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by
no means pass away till all these things take place.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words
will by no means pass away.
Jesus gives the warning that we don't know the exact time -- but He also says we know the general time (or the season).
Matthew 24:36
36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even
the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
There are all sorts of subsequent warnings to be ready for Jesus Christ -- as He comes quickly and surprises people (those who think He's going to be a long time in the coming...)
Matthew 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be.
38 For as in the days before the flood, they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and did not know until the flood came and took
them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of
Man be.
40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be
taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will
be taken and the other left.
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour
your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house
had known what hour the thief would come, he would
have watched and not allowed his house to be broken
into.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man
is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom
his master made ruler over his household, to give
them food in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he
comes, will find so doing.
47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him
ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My
master is delaying his coming,'
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to
eat and drink with the drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day
when he is not looking for him and at an hour that
he is not aware of,
51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
And in yet another place, we notice that Jesus again talks about those who think He's coming later and are not ready.
Matthew 25:1-13
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to
ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to
meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took
no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps.
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all
slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the
bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their
lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of
your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there
should not be enough for us and you; but go rather
to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came,
and those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding; and the door was shut.
11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying,
'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to
you, I do not know you.'
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor
the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Jesus warns that not knowing the day or hour -- does not mean to not know the times that you are in.
Luke 12:54-56
54 Then He also said to the multitudes, "Whenever
you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately
you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is.
55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say,
'There will be hot weather'; and there is.
56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky
and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern
this time?
There will be those who say, "Oh He hasn't come in two thousand years, so He's not coming any time soon.
2 Peter 3:1-7
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle
(in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way
of reminder),
2 that you may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the
commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and
Savior,
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the
last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?
For since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of
creation."
5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word
of God the heavens were of old, and the earth
standing out of water and in the water,
6 by which the world that then existed perished,
being flooded with water.
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now
preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire
until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly
men.
The Apostle Pauls says that we know the time (we "are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake ... [us] as a thief.")
1 Thessalonian 5:1-5
1 But concerning the times and the seasons,
brethren, you have no need that I should write to
you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden
destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a
pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that
this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We
are not of the night nor of darkness.
We know that we will be "caught up" to be with the Lord in the air. The Apostle Paul says "Therefore comfort one another with these words."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you
sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in
Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive and remain until the coming of
the Lord will by no means precede those who are
asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will
rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The very last words in the Bible --
Revelation 22:20-21
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I
am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
all. Amen.
I believe that this is the same message where Billy Graham said the following: "God is not the author of evil." This begs a question:
I am the LORD, and there is none else; there is no God besides Me. I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me,If Billy Graham was preaching from the Spirit, then I would like an explaination of what he meant when he said that "God is not the author of evil." I did not watch it, BTW. I rarely watch TV. I heard this quote from the radio.that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I, the LORD, do all these things.
Excellent graphic presentation of the main schools of thought. I'm tending lately to lean towards the idea of the Rapture happening at the beginning of the 7 years of tribulations, but who knows. Only Christ so I guess we'll just have to wait, even though I know it will be a glorious day whenever it happens
Those charts are compliments of Chuck Missler and his Koinonia House web site.
As far as the Pre-Trib position, I think so, too. There is a good word-picture analogy of the Pre-Trib position in the following. The following just happens to be the last place I saw this analogy spoken about. It's been preached about and written about -- many times in many places. So, this is not the only place. You can find it in many other places and explained in perhaps even better ways. But, this will do for here.
Getting Ready for the Wedding
by Dr. Charles Halff
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also" (John 14:1-3).
TO THOSE WHO READ THE BIBLE, THESE ARE FAMILIAR WORDS of promise from Jesus to His Church. But do you know that they are also the words of a Jewish bridegroom to his bride?
If we examine the words and customs of a Jewish marriage in the days of Jesus, we find that He used just such terms to portray His coming as the Heavenly Bridegroom for His Bride--the Church. It is a glorious promise!
Now, look with me into ancient history--to Jewish marriage customs, for in them we shall see some profound prophetic implications applying to the Lord Jesus and His Church.
Jewish Marriage Customs--The Jewish Bridegroom Seeks His Bride
In Bible days, when a young Jewish man chose his bride-to-be, he traveled from his father's house to her home to discuss betrothal--the first major step in establishing the marriage covenant. There he negotiated with her father the purchase price he would pay (called in the Hebrew tongue the mohar) to make her his own.
Once the bridegroom paid that price, the marriage covenant was established; and the young man and woman were regarded as promised to one another--husband and wife. From that moment the bride was declared "sanctified," or set apart exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of this established covenant relationship, the groom and the bride would drink from a cup of wine over which a betrothal benediction had been prayed.
After establishing the marriage covenant, the bridegroom would leave the bride's home and return to his father's house, where he remained, separated from his bride for a period of days, weeks, and months. Before he left her, however, the bridegroom made his bride this special promise: "Let not your heart be troubled . . . I go to prepare a place for you . . . and . . . I will come again."
During their time apart, the groom built a bridal chamber in his father's house, preparing for their coming marriage day. Also during this time, the bride prepared her wedding dress, gathered her trousseau, and made herself ready to be the wife in married life with her beloved groom when he returned. All through this waiting time, the bride wore a veil as a symbol of her consecration to her groom alone. She would not be seen or known by strangers.
When all was ready, the groom, with his best man and groomsmen, would lead a nighttime torchlight procession to the bride's home, where he would receive his bride and take her to be with him. Though the bride expected her bridegroom to come at any time, she did not know the exact day or hour when he would appear. His only warning of arrival was a shout--alerting the bride that it was time at last to come out to meet and greet her groom.
Then the groom, with his bride and the entire wedding party, returned back to his father's house, where they found that the father had prepared a great marriage feast for all his wedding guests. Soon after arrival, the bridegroom and bride were escorted by wedding party members to the bridal chamber (Hebrew: huppah). The bridegroom and bride went together into the bridal chamber to enter into their first physical union, consummating their covenanted marriage. The best man waited outside the chamber, listening for the groom's prearranged signal.
When the marriage was consummated, the groom signaled the best man (John 3:29), who told the good news to the wedding guests; and all rejoiced and feasted in a seven-day marriage celebration. During that celebration, the bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber. When the seven days were completed, the groom brought his bride out of the bridal chamber (with her veil removed) so that all could see her.
Christ and His Bride: The Heavenly Bridegroom Seeks His Bride
What do these Jewish marriage customs mean to you and me today? Why recall or study them at all? Because they give us an exciting "wedding portrait" of our blessed Saviour and His Bride-the Church! No less than ten major statements in New Testament Scripture refer to Jesus Christ the Son of God as the "Bridegroom," and to the Church as His "Bride." It is the most magnificent and beautiful love story anywhere in the pages of prophecy. And we who belong to the Saviour, who are the "Bride of Christ," eagerly and expectantly await the return of the Bridegroom.
To begin with, let us establish that Jesus Himself is the Bridegroom. In Matthew 9:15 (see also Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35) our Lord makes it abundantly clear that He is the Bridegroom: "And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
Again, in John 3:29, John the Baptist refers to "the bride" and "the bridegroom." Then, just hours before His Cross, in John 14:1-3, Jesus made that great and precious promise of the Heavenly Bridegroom to His Bride. His promise is the "blessed hope" of the Church. The Bible makes it abundantly clear also that the Bride of Christ is the Church. Ephesians 5:23 speaks of the marriage relationship as a picture of Christ and His Church. Notice: ". . . the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."
The Bride of Christ is that vast body of believers who in these last 2,000 years have received Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord. Consider another passage from Paul's pen, where he told the Corinthian believers: ". . . I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2).
So, who is the "Bride of Christ"? Obviously, Church-age believers belonging to Christ are His Bride. Now, read John 14:1-3 again, and remember what Jesus said in that powerful promise passage. Jesus chose the Church to be His Bride. Just as the Jewish bridegroom left his father's house to seek his bride, so Jesus left His Father's house in Heaven and came to earth 2,000 years ago to select His Bride.
Other Contrasts
The Jewish groom paid a price to purchase his bride, and Jesus paid a price to purchase His Bride. The price He paid was His own life. He said, ". . . I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15). Also read Matthew 20:28 and 1 Peter 1:18-19. Once the marriage covenant was established, the Jewish bride was set apart exclusively for her groom. Likewise, the Church has been sanctified, or set apart exclusively, for Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 1:2, 6:11; Heb. 10:10, 13:12).
Another interesting contrast is this: The cup of wine at the Jewish wedding was symbolic of the marriage covenant by which the Jewish groom obtained his bride. And the cup of communion that we drink is symbolic of the New Covenant through which Christ has obtained the Church (1 Cor. 11:25).
Just as the Jewish groom returned to his father's house after the marriage covenant had been established, so Jesus left the earth and returned to His Father's house in Heaven after He had established the New Covenant and rose from the dead (John 6:62, 20:17).
Just as the Jewish groom and bride were separated for a time, Christ has been separated from the Church for over 1,900 years. The Church is now living in that period of separation.
Just as the Jewish groom spent time preparing living accommodations for his bride in his father's house, Jesus has been preparing living accommodations for us in His Father's house in Heaven (John 14:2). As the Jewish groom came to take his bride to live with him at the end of the period of separation, so Christ will come to take the Church to live with Him at the end of this Church Age (John 14:3).
Just as the coming for the Jewish bride began by a torchlight procession of the groom and groomsmen from the groom's father's house to the home of the bride, so the taking of the Church will be accomplished by a procession of Christ and an angelic host from the Father's house in Heaven to the earth (1 Thess. 4:16).
Just as the Jewish bride did not know the exact time of the groom's coming, the Church does not know the exact time of Christ's coming. In the same way that the Jewish groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, so Christ's arrival to take the Church will be preceded by a shout (1 Thess. 4:16).
Just as the Jewish wedding party found wedding guests assembled in the groom's father's house when they arrived, so Messiah and the Church will find the souls of Old Testament saints assembled in Heaven when they arrive. These friends of the bridegroom will serve as the wedding guests. Just as the Jewish groom and bride entered into physical union after they arrived at the groom's father's house (thereby consummating the marriage that had been covenanted earlier), Jesus and the Church will experience a great spiritual union after their arrival at the Father's house in Heaven.
Just as the Jewish bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber for a period of seven days after arrival at the groom's father's house, the Church will remain hidden for a period of seven years (the Tribulation) after arrival at the Father's house in Heaven. While the seven-year Tribulation Period is taking place on earth, the Church will be in Heaven--totally hidden from the sight of those on the earth.
Just as the Jewish groom brought his bride out of the bridal chamber at the conclusion of the seven days so that all could see who the bride was, so Christ will bring the Church out of Heaven at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period, so that all can see the identity of the true Church (Col. 3:4).
What Does It Mean To Us Today?
These beautiful comparisons between the Jewish marriage and the coming of our Bridegroom teach us many things, but the most important is to be ready for our Bridegroom's coming. We are ready positionally when we receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour, but are we ready in our daily walk?
What does the coming of the Bridegroom mean to you? Do you love Jesus Christ as much now as when you took Him to be your Saviour? Is He the One who gives meaning and purpose to your life? Are you being faithful in your commitment to Him? If not, rededicate your life to your wonderful Saviour and Bridegroom so that you can be ready for the hour of His coming.
You can see this at http://www.cjf.org/pages/wedding.htm
What makes him an authority?
Basically, knowing the subject matter -- and he certainly does.
As far as that portion that you read that from -- it was copied by me and pasted in there. However, I would agree with it.
I don't mean to imply that it does not matter. That was not the intent. Again, my point is, keep living for the Lord, and praising Him while there is still time left. All He said, was to watch, and be ready. I just don't take date setters seriously, like I never took that family Radio guy seriously, when He said Jesus would return in 1994. Jerry did you hear about that? It was 1993, and I was driving home from Travis AFB, when I heard him say it over Family Radio. I almost drove my car into the ditch when I heard it. When I got home, I called them on the phone and told them I would no longer contribute to Family Radio, for that reason.
You wish... The bible did not say preached to every person, but preached to every nation. I think this qualified well.
Others who have studied this and put out statistics on it say that we are woefully inadequate in terms of the gospel being preached to all nations. I haven't done the studies myself, however, I do believe those who say that.
There are vast areas of the globe who don't even know who Christ is, haven't heard his name and don't even know what Christianity is all about.
And we could get into a discussion as to what percentage of a nation "hearing" that Gospel makes it valid to consider that the "nation" has heard. Would that consist of simply one person out of one million -- to qualify?
I don't think the requirements for salvation have changed since before the foundation of the world.
Jerry, Dan what do you think?
If Billy Graham was preaching from the Spirit, then I would like an explaination of what he meant when he said that "God is not the author of evil." I did not watch it, BTW. I rarely watch TV. I heard this quote from the radio.
That's because you're looking at a "translation" into English. The original does not mean that. And a more current translation (i.e., the "New Kings James Version") gives the accurate meaning in the English of the original language (and it's the original that is "inspired" and not the translation).
It goes like this --
Isaiah 45:5-7
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no
God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not
known Me,
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to
its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the
Lord, and there is no other;
7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace
and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these
things.'
Calamity is not the same as evil. Think of calamity as disaster and/or judgement. Since God is righteous -- He cannot be the author of evil. Satan is -- not God. Billy Graham is right on that issue.
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