CHRIST could come at any moment

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Pop James

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Dec 5, 2006
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Some will have the believer to believe that Christians should not have ANY immediate expectation of Christ's return. Instead of looking forward to HIS coming(as we are told to) they would have us looking forward to the seven-year tribulation period, the fulfillment of judgments and signs, the rise of the antichrist, etc. They speak of the future as being dreadful and disasterous for GODs Church. Considering the blessed hope of HIS promise (rev3:10) ...the promise will not be fulfilled until AFTER the Church goes through the Great Tribulation. From the early days of the LORDS Church the believers had a rightful expectation and hope that CHRIST would suddenly return to gather HIS Church.....James made it clear that the LORDS imminent coming was a reality in james 5:7-9......"Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the LORD. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the LORD is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemmned. BEHOLD, the judge is standing at the door."........Peter said almost the same thing in 1 peter 4:7 "The end of all things is at hand..therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers." He who wrote the Hebrews proclaimed the imminent return of our LORD is the reason to remain faithful. "yet a little while, and HE who is coming will come and will not tarry." Heb 10:24,25.....It was John who proclaimed "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour" 1 john 2:18...John in the book of revelation said that these things"must shortly take place." 1:1Each one of these scriptures is an example of how the early Church expected the imminent return of our LORD. As a matter of fact the whole New Testament is full of claims that CHRIST could return at any time(even right now).When Paul spoke of the coming of the LORD , it is NO surprise that he used personal pronouns. Paul was clearly convinced that he himself could be one of those caught up to the LORD(alive). "We who are alive and remain until the coming of the LORD...we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air."1 thess 4:15 I must tell you this verse comes to mind each time someone on this site pokes fun at the believer for the hope they have of meeting the LORD in the air. It is a shameful practice to ridicule the word of GOD. Paul looked for Christ to return in his lifetime. He made it obvious that a hopeful expectancy about Christ Second coming is one of the Godly attitudes that divine grace teaches all BELIEVERS. "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great GOD and Savior Jesus Christ." titus 2:11-13Nothing in the New Testament EVER claims or supports that we should forsake our expectation of Christ appearing until preliminary events occur. The clear teaching of the New Teatament is that Christians should be looking for the IMMINENT coming of Christ for HIS Church...............Pop
 

Pop James

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Dec 5, 2006
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Rev 4:4 reveals a very important aspect of the translation of the Church before the great tribulation...."around the throne were twenty four thrones , and on the thrones I saw twenty four elders sitting , clothed in white robes and they had crowns of gold on their head."....this verse brings before us a sight never described beofre in heaven..twenty four thrones(not seats) surrounding the central throne, and upon them twenty four elders seated, with victors crowns upon their heads, and clothed in priestly robes of purest white. Who are these gathered around the glorioius throne? If one compares scripture with scripture and not trust our own imagination(which will lead us astray) we will see that there is no doubt to their identity.In 1st Chronicles the 24th chapter we see something very similar....the 24 elders appointed by David to represent the entire levitical priesthood. He divided them into 24 courses, each course to serve for two weeks at a time in the Temple which Solomon was to build. The same arrangement was in force when our Lords forerunner was annonced. Zacharias was "of the course of Abiah", the eighth in order..luke 1:5.The Priest were many thousands in number..they could not all come together at one time, but when the twenty four elders met in the temple precincts in Jerusalem, the whole priestly house was represented. The elders in heaven represent the whole heavenly priesthood...that being all the redeemed who have died in the past, or who shall be living at the LORDS return. In Johns vision they were seen as the twenty four elders symbolizing ALL true believers...The Church of the present age and Old Testament saints are included....for ALL are priest...ALL worship....These persons are not angels..They are the redeemed.....for they wear Victos Wreaths upon their heads....Angels are never said to be "crowned" and they are not the redeemed....NO saints will ever be crowned until the apostle Paul receives that crown of righteousness which the LORD revealed to him as his reward. I 2 tim 4:8, he says..."Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the LORD the righteous judge will give me at that day; and not me only, but unto all them also that love(have loved) HIS appearing." The expression "at that day" refers to the day of CHRIST, when HE shall come for HIS own, and they will all be manifested befoe HIS judgment seat. HE says.."behold I come quickly, and my reward is with ME" to give to every man according as his work shall be" rev 22:12...SO there are NO rewards given until HE returns for HIS saints. Therefore there can be NO crowned elders in heaven till AFTER the rapture. But we see them there through John.....and this BEFORE the great tribulation..Notice there is NO mention of the Church during the great tribulation.....there are saints but these are converts during the tribulation AKA the tribulaton saints...........pop
 

Christina

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Apr 10, 2006
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this typical Rapture doctrine that Christ comes gathers his church in the air (takes them out of this world) then after everything is all over Christ returns with the church at the last trump (7th trump) to set up his kingdom on earth.That way avoiding the effort of teaching the meat of God's word also excluding most of Revelation, and half of prophecy and send the masses home with happy little faces looking up instead of in to God's word. This is mans teaching not God's
 

n2thelight

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Dec 24, 2006
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Hello Pop JamesThe idea that Christ could return at any moment is very false,to use Matt chapter 24 as example,Christ told us everything that MUST and shall come to pass before His return,so being that most of them has yet to take place,would'nt you think it illogical that He could indeed come at any time.Think about it
 

Pop James

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I guess you are right n2.......how could I ever believe such a thing?.....of course peter believed it 1 peter 4:7...james believed it..5:7-9...Paul believed it...john believed it...the early church believed it.....what was I thinking?....lol........Merry Christmas....Pop
 

HammerStone

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You know n2, you are right and I never really thought about the full context of what Jesus said in this statement. It's only further proof.Matthew 24:3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?Matthew 24:13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.Matthew 24:46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.I'll be here on Earth awaiting the return of my Lord and Savior.
 

snaggs

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Dec 21, 2006
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I believe the expectation of Christ's return is dependant on the individual. the amount of scriptural devotion with the the personel prophetic views that seem to be fractured in many directions these days..the austute student of escotology understands certain events must unfold first...and the smart ones will prepare thier Hearts for endurance, with the potential prospect of having to give up all financial links, and to live as a vagabond untill the time oppointed...that kind of endurance comes from understanding our time, and oppointment with sacrafice. ...the furnace is for the Gold..!!