Posted on 10/02/2021 7:59:05 PM PDT by boatbums
A fellow I once read made the cogent observation that God is the Initiator and man the Responder.
I agree....the Gospel message is why we’re still here IMO....He knows who will answer that call and until those intended to be reached who will go with Him when He comes in the Clouds to take us with Him, then that work continues.
Speaking with a long term friend tonight we spoke of the Gospel message delivered at her husbands funeral. It was rich with meaning and her son was saved as a result of that message. Another woman said she was going to make certain her own Eulogy had the Gospel message in it. ...and the list goes on with those who were deeply affected by that message at that time.
I love the fact we can still work for I know those who are still not Christians. But with that surely the time is shorter than ever before.
“...Can We Hasten The Second Coming Of Christ?...”
-
If or when Christ returns,
it will be on his timetable, not ours,
and we can do nothing to change that timetable
or to “hasten” his arrival.
I disagree with that premise. God is omniscient - He knows the end from the beginning even before it all came into existence. I don't see it as a contradiction. The first Christians were watching and waiting for the return of Christ and have been for 2000 years. What the article examines is how God uses us to further His kingdom as all the pieces line up for the end times.
That verse has especially intrigued me for a while now and I'd like to hear other's ideas about what is meant by us "hastening the coming of the Day of God". That word was used for a reason. The Lexicon has this: https://biblehub.com/greek/4692.htm. It can mean to "desire earnestly"; "to urge on" (diligently or earnestly); by implication, to await eagerly; to hasten.
Thanks for your comments.
Good point!
You mean immanentize the Eschaton?
The gospel shall be preached in the whole world, “and then shall the end come.”
As Dr. Ralph Winter, of the US Center for World Missions, said famously, "We could fulfill the Great Commission within five years. But American Christians spend more on dog food than on missions."
I think it’s ALWAYS been imminent. How much closer are we than the first Christians?
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:11-15)
A reasonable reply to those who assert that the date of Jesus’ return is fixed, I suggest, is to inquire whether that belief retards their effort in obeying their Lord’s Great Commission.
I saw a video of Jesse Duplantis, saying God asks him for his opinion. What blasphemy I thought. Don’t don’t stand too close to him in a thunderstorm, in case lightning bolts come down.
I do not, however, think there is any human activity, that can affect the time of His return. My opinion is, when God has decided, the last person, has come to faith in Christ, things will begin to happen, rather quickly.
“See Matt 24:14: The gospel shall be preached in the whole world, “and then shall the end come.” “
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Since the barrier so often is in the Bible being untranslated;
and the number of languages into which the Bible is being translated keeps rising,
eventually the Bible shall be available in every language on earth.
Understand that the speed of this task keeps increasing, much as the size of computer capacity. Doubling and doubling.
Wonder how many languages are left at this time.
There is at least 1 version of the Bible available in about 2,350 of the 8,138 identified languages on Earth.
Of the 10,333 identified people groups on Earth, 4,520 are without an indigenous Christian community strong enough to evangelize the people group without external aid.
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/statistics
About 1/4 of the world’s population, some 1.98 billion people, are in Frontier People Groups nearly unreached by any witness for Christ; 33 of these groups excede 10 million people; roughly the population of the U.S., taken together.
“The vast majority of mission prayer, giving and laborers focuses on strengthening Christians where Christians are already present. Only a tiny portion of mission prayer and resources go to Unreached People Groups at all, and only a tiny fraction of this goes to Frontier Unreached People Groups. Very few mission agencies and churches send even 1% of their missionaries to Frontier Peoples.”
https://joshuaproject.net/frontier
Whether or not we can, we should evangelize the nations as if we can.
sorry i forgot the sarc sign...
i am awaiting God’s return.
Yes it’s always been imminent, but more so than ever. The signs are everywhere.
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