{"id":940,"date":"2010-06-28T14:26:57","date_gmt":"2010-06-28T19:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/?p=940"},"modified":"2023-10-23T09:46:20","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T13:46:20","slug":"the-end-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/2010\/06\/the-end-times\/","title":{"rendered":"The End Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q<\/em> & A<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"th\"<\/a><\/p>\n

THE END TIMES<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Lewis Gregory<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Q. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span>What\u2019s all the fuss about? Why are some Christians giving so much attention to the end times?\u00a0 There seems to be so many different theories about it. And of course, everyone thinks his or her theory is right. Where did these theories come from? It is all very confusing to me.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A.<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/em>Depending on what you’ve heard, it certainly can be confusing. However, it should give us great comfort to know that God has a plan for our world, and it is all coming together according to His Divine purpose. Almighty God, who knows the end from the beginning, will make sure that everything turns out right in the end! First I will give you a little Historical background, and then I will offer my personal thoughts on the subject.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND<\/b><\/p>\n

The theories about the end times are sometimes described as Eschatology.\u00a0 Eschatology is the Theological term for the study of the end times or last days.\u00a0 One of the most prevalent theories regarding the end times espoused today is called Dispensationalism.\u00a0 This theory is fairly recent in terms of the span of Christian history. It was not until the late1800\u2019s that it came into prominence by a man named John Nelson Darby.<\/p>\n

Darby was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, originally associated with the Plymouth Brethren. In 1848, he became involved in a complex dispute among the Plymouth Brethren that resulted in a split between \u201cOpen\u201d Brethren and \u201cExclusive\u201d Brethren.\u00a0 After that time, Darby was recognized as the dominant figure among the Exclusive Brethren.\u00a0 The Exclusive Brethren has been described as a separatist Christian group, a controversial offshoot of the Plymouth Brethren.<\/p>\n

John Darby is considered the father of modern Dispensationalism. Its name comes from the fact that dispensationalists see biblical history as best understood in light of a series of dispensations in the Bible. Each dispensation is said to represent a different way in which God deals with man. According to C. I. Scofield, \u201cThese periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God\u2019s method of dealing with mankind, in respect to two questions: of sin, and of man\u2019s responsibility\u201d.<\/p>\n

John Darby taught, and most subsequent dispensationalists have consistently maintained, that God looks upon the Jews as his chosen people and continues to have a place for them in the dispensational, prophetic scheme of things.\u00a0 While many traditions of Christianity teach that the Jews are a distinct people, dispensationalism is unique in teaching that the Church is a provisional dispensation, until the Jews finally recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah during the trials that dispensationalists envision coming upon the Jews in the Great Tribulation.<\/p>\n

Darby also proposed a teaching that he called the \u201csecret rapture\u201d. The term rapture, which means to transport or carry away, is of Latin derivation.\u00a0 The word rapture is not found in the Bible.\u00a0 It is possibly a reference to a Scripture verse in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 \u201cwe shall be caught up.\u201d\u00a0 The rapture is an event in certain systems of Christian Eschatology whereby it is believed that Jesus Christ will return and take all Christians living on the Earth up into Heaven. The term \u201crapture\u201d is usually applied specifically to the belief that Christians will be taken into heaven prior to the Second Coming of Christ.<\/p>\n

Of course there have been numerous variations on this subject since then.\u00a0 But even from this brief summary, you should be able to see that it can easily get rather involved.<\/p>\n

PERSONAL THOUGHTS<\/b><\/p>\n

When I studied Christian Eschatology in seminary, we examined various theories regarding the end times.\u00a0 I was introduced to the Pre, Mid, and Post Tribulation theories.\u00a0 I could best relate to the Pan theory that my professor also mentioned. \u00a0As he said, according to the Pan theory, it will all pan out.\u00a0 And I agree!\u00a0 I am by no means being facetious. I am confident that the Lord God Almighty is in complete control, and it will all pan<\/i>\u00a0out in the end! This may be a simplistic approach, but I do believe it is at least an honest one.\u00a0 Only God knows the real outcome of this old world, and there is nothing we can do about it.<\/p>\n

BIBLICAL FACTS<\/b><\/p>\n

Will the Lord return?\u00a0 Yes, He will!\u00a0 That has already been foretold, but when, where and how, that\u2019s His prerogative.\u00a0Jesus Christ himself said that only the Father knew the time.\u00a0\u201cBut of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.\u201d (Matthew 24:36) Furthermore, when Christ ascended the angel of the Lord gave this admonition:\u00a0\u201cAnd while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven.\u00a0 Then they returned . . . .\u201d (Acts 1:10-12)<\/p>\n

We need to stop gazing up into Heaven trying to figure out when He will return, and get about the Father\u2019s business.\u00a0I adhere to the admonition of the Apostle John, author of Revelation, the book about the end times. \u201cBeloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.\u00a0 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.\u201d (1 John 3:2,3)<\/p>\n

So, let us concentrate on our present life and walk in the Lord, and do as Jesus instructed by taking no thought for tomorrow.\u00a0We must seek God and His kingdom, and let Him take care of the details. (Mathew 6:33) The future is God\u2019s responsibility.\u00a0 He does all things well! Furthermore, as new creations in Christ, God tells us that we are the new Israel. (Romans 9:6-8, Galatians 6:16)<\/p>\n

Therefore, our primary emphasis should be on the\u00a0spiritual kingdom of Heaven<\/i>\u00a0(which is eternal) rather than the\u00a0earthly kingdom of God<\/i>\u00a0(which is temporal). \u201cFor he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.\u00a0 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.\u201d (Romans 2:28-29)<\/p>\n

Also, since the promise was given by God to Abraham and his seed (singular) \u201cwhich is Christ\u201d (Galatians 3:16), it behooves us to be sure that we are\u00a0in Christ<\/i>. \u00a0We must receive Jesus Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior so that we can be brought into vital union with Christ. Thus, by virtue of the fact that we are made one with Christ, \u201cwe are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.\u201d (Romans 8:17)<\/p>\n

CONCLUSION<\/b><\/p>\n

Well, so much more could be said. Suffice it to say that the kingdom God has for us is not of this world, because the kingdom of God is within us, where King Jesus has come to rule and reign in our hearts.\u00a0 God has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.\u00a0 And that is sheer GRACE!\u00a0 So because of the grace of God that has been imparted to us through Christ, we need not be fearful of such things as the end times, nor consumed by them.\u00a0 Therefore, we simply must not give in to curiosity, vain imaginations, and speculations regarding the end times.<\/p>\n

The only time we\u2019ve got is now!\u00a0 So, we should redeem the time, living now by faith instead of by sight. That is how the Apostle Paul lived, \u201cthe life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God.\u201d (Galatians 2:20) May God grant you the grace to live accordingly!<\/p>\n

Copyright\u00a92010 Dr.\u00a0Lewis Gregory<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q & A THE END TIMES Dr. Lewis Gregory Q. What\u2019s all the fuss about? Why are some Christians giving so much attention to the end times?\u00a0 There seems to be so many different theories about it. And of course, everyone thinks his or her theory is right. Where did these theories come from? It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,51],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=940"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4591,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940\/revisions\/4591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sourceministries.net\/go\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}