Hi there,
So there is a reason you have found eschatology so fascinating, in your walk with Christ - here on these forums! The reason is that prophecy plays a big part of the next phase of life: Heaven. In Heaven, we are not bound to believe in just one kind of prophecy, nor are there so many that we can't choose. Just like it was between Calvinism and Arminianism there will be some that believe the Lord one way, and those that believe the Lord another. Some will advance "Grace", some will advance "Grace & Works". Who specifically addresses the Holy Spirit, will be directed away, but who directs through the Holy Spirit will be driven forward. The point is that we must seek the One Bread, that comes from God - which in reality may mean we start out with different faith, to that of our brothers.
It is important to remember not to cause division more than is needed, but also remember that Christ Himself gave us a choice: hot or cold. (I myself am cold). The reason for this, is that Christ wants our faith to grow. It is no good attending a Church that focuses on the emotion of the cross, when what appeals to you is the thought process of the cross. These things have an eternal value, but what is wanted is endurance ("He who endures to the end will be saved" Gospels, from memory). Endurance is cultivated by focusing on a particular element of the Gospel - the Lord's upending or the Lord's commitment; the Lord's hope, or the Lord's pity. By establishing the Gospel in our hearts, we can begin to understand when the Law requires something different from us, how praise to God unites us, and what choice prophecy gives us?
The choice prophecy gives us, is as already has been said: one may believe the letter, one may believe the fulfilment - these are two sides of the same coin. The thing that I said "as has already been said" I mean in the way that all choices are revealed; when you reveal one choice, you affirm all the others. This is not to say you should be exhaustive in your approach to the faith, but there are rewards for choosing approaches to faith in ways that agree more. And that is what Jesus prayed "that they may be One" - in other words "that they may agree with each other's doctrine". Now this is not a blanket thing; we are not trying to ensure that everyone choose the same thing or even as much, just that we want people to understand our choices do not divide us. If our choices are dividing us, we have a hard heart, not a heart of flesh. Perhaps that is something we can pray to avoid!
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
So there is a reason you have found eschatology so fascinating, in your walk with Christ - here on these forums! The reason is that prophecy plays a big part of the next phase of life: Heaven. In Heaven, we are not bound to believe in just one kind of prophecy, nor are there so many that we can't choose. Just like it was between Calvinism and Arminianism there will be some that believe the Lord one way, and those that believe the Lord another. Some will advance "Grace", some will advance "Grace & Works". Who specifically addresses the Holy Spirit, will be directed away, but who directs through the Holy Spirit will be driven forward. The point is that we must seek the One Bread, that comes from God - which in reality may mean we start out with different faith, to that of our brothers.
It is important to remember not to cause division more than is needed, but also remember that Christ Himself gave us a choice: hot or cold. (I myself am cold). The reason for this, is that Christ wants our faith to grow. It is no good attending a Church that focuses on the emotion of the cross, when what appeals to you is the thought process of the cross. These things have an eternal value, but what is wanted is endurance ("He who endures to the end will be saved" Gospels, from memory). Endurance is cultivated by focusing on a particular element of the Gospel - the Lord's upending or the Lord's commitment; the Lord's hope, or the Lord's pity. By establishing the Gospel in our hearts, we can begin to understand when the Law requires something different from us, how praise to God unites us, and what choice prophecy gives us?
The choice prophecy gives us, is as already has been said: one may believe the letter, one may believe the fulfilment - these are two sides of the same coin. The thing that I said "as has already been said" I mean in the way that all choices are revealed; when you reveal one choice, you affirm all the others. This is not to say you should be exhaustive in your approach to the faith, but there are rewards for choosing approaches to faith in ways that agree more. And that is what Jesus prayed "that they may be One" - in other words "that they may agree with each other's doctrine". Now this is not a blanket thing; we are not trying to ensure that everyone choose the same thing or even as much, just that we want people to understand our choices do not divide us. If our choices are dividing us, we have a hard heart, not a heart of flesh. Perhaps that is something we can pray to avoid!
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
