Doom and Gloom
2 Peter 3:1-8 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. (8) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Listened to a message today from a pastor who's parents were also pastors that believed in the 70s and 80s that Jesus was soon to return. They said that their parents were so sure Jesus would return in the 80s that they didn't value many parts of the American culture.
Then they went on to say that this is a "doom and gloom mentality" that they needed to come out of because the return of Jesus never happened when their parents thought it would, and that believing Jesus was about to return kept their parents from voting, or getting involved in government, etc. This is a common mentality: that caring about Jesus return at the expense of other parts of life is unhealthy and unBiblical.
The only problem with this sort of thinking is that THIS thinking is unBiblical!
The arguments to not spend time on the return of Jesus
make some sense to the natural mind that doesn't believe the Bible. It sounds good to natural logic...but that is actually the problem. This sort of thinking actually disregards all the signs of the coming of Jesus because someone in the past was wrong.
Every writer of the New Testament took the position that this misguided pastor called "doom and gloom."
You have to decide: do you believe people, and all of the offense and dissappoinment that informs their thinking of what is good and evil... or do you believe the Bible?
It really is that simple...every writer in the New Testament took the position of trying to believe they were in the end times and then making choices accordingly. This misguided pastor actually was raised in a New Testament aligned environment! But, they were offended by God's ways.
Anyone who takes a position MOCKING the Biblical position on the end times is preaching "another gospel":
John
1 John 2:18-19 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. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
Peter
2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Writer of Hebrews
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, (2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Paul
1 Corinthians 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
James
James 5:3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
Jude
Jude 1:16-18 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. (17) But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: (18) how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
Don't believe everything preachers preach. Many don't know what they are talking about. Often, preachers who disagree with the main and plain understanding of the Bible are simply regurgitating something they heard, or something that makes them feel better about the choices they have made.
Jesus is never going to evaluate your obedience in light of what your pastor taught. He is going to hold you accountable for how much you valued Him and His word. If you support a leader that preaches against the Gospel, then you are also considered to be preaching against the Gospel:
Revelation 2:18-20 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: (19) "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. (20) Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
There is only one Gospel. It is uncomfortable. It requires taking an unpopular stand. It is resisted....but its the only one that actually works.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (4) For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Listened to a message today from a pastor who's parents were also pastors that believed in the 70s and 80s that Jesus was soon to return. They said that their parents were so sure Jesus would return in the 80s that they didn't value many parts of the American culture.
Then they went on to say that this is a "doom and gloom mentality" that they needed to come out of because the return of Jesus never happened when their parents thought it would, and that believing Jesus was about to return kept their parents from voting, or getting involved in government, etc. This is a common mentality: that caring about Jesus return at the expense of other parts of life is unhealthy and unBiblical.
The only problem with this sort of thinking is that THIS thinking is unBiblical!
The arguments to not spend time on the return of Jesus
make some sense to the natural mind that doesn't believe the Bible. It sounds good to natural logic...but that is actually the problem. This sort of thinking actually disregards all the signs of the coming of Jesus because someone in the past was wrong.
Every writer of the New Testament took the position that this misguided pastor called "doom and gloom."
You have to decide: do you believe people, and all of the offense and dissappoinment that informs their thinking of what is good and evil... or do you believe the Bible?
It really is that simple...every writer in the New Testament took the position of trying to believe they were in the end times and then making choices accordingly. This misguided pastor actually was raised in a New Testament aligned environment! But, they were offended by God's ways.
Anyone who takes a position MOCKING the Biblical position on the end times is preaching "another gospel":
John
1 John 2:18-19 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. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
Peter
2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Writer of Hebrews
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, (2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Paul
1 Corinthians 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
James
James 5:3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
Jude
Jude 1:16-18 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. (17) But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: (18) how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
Don't believe everything preachers preach. Many don't know what they are talking about. Often, preachers who disagree with the main and plain understanding of the Bible are simply regurgitating something they heard, or something that makes them feel better about the choices they have made.
Jesus is never going to evaluate your obedience in light of what your pastor taught. He is going to hold you accountable for how much you valued Him and His word. If you support a leader that preaches against the Gospel, then you are also considered to be preaching against the Gospel:
Revelation 2:18-20 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: (19) "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. (20) Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
There is only one Gospel. It is uncomfortable. It requires taking an unpopular stand. It is resisted....but its the only one that actually works.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (4) For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
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