I saw a YouTube video posting saying “Jesus is coming, Be ready,” but wait, how did he know? Didn’t they also claim that no one can know the day or the hour?
Like everyone else, I came to faith embracing the same teachings and declarations. But in my twenty one years of reading and study of the Bible, I have found more contradictions than truths with their prevailing teachings.
Can we Christians simply ignore statements of Jesus Christ concerning His return and say otherwise? Look and see:
“For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”” Matthew 16:27-28
“And He (Jesus Christ) said to them (Jesus’ immediate audience including the apostles), “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”” Mark 9:1
“For whoever is ashamed of Me (Jesus Christ) and of My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”” Luke 9:26-27
“When they persecute you (the apostles) in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you (the apostles), you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 10:23
A lot of Christians thought of the same thing before, during and after the first World War, and again with the second one. Yet, we knew nothing like what they had claimed happened. Sad to say, it was precisely due to such failed declarations that challenges to the Christian faith have increased.
We have seen similar trends happening again and again. Young people joining a Christian fellowship or Bible study group, excitedly seeking the truth, but after a while, a lot would walk away after figuring out true Scriptural teachings. Many would find none or go nowhere, turning cold and simply becoming attendee Christians. They only go by the practice of meeting together but not necessarily truthfully seeking the truth. All the more when worries and challenges of life appear and begin to challenge them, a lesson from the parable of Jesus Christ (Matthew 13).
Our Christian mission is to declare the message of the kingdom, not to impose millennia-old tradition that have no solid foundation in Scripture. In this pandemic, once more, many are interested to know what truly lies ahead. Hence, we see and hear pulpit messages and fellowship gatherings focusing on the topic of eschatology – the doctrine of the last things.
Funny, a lot also claim that the Jewish temple would be rebuilt for a third time. May I ask where in Scripture did the Bible speak of a third rebuilt Jewish Temple?
In biblical history, Solomon built the Jewish temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Seventy years after the exile of the Jews (Judah, Southern kingdom), the temple was rebuilt during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra. And it came about due to God’s promise of return and rebuilding by the Jewish people found in the Book of Jeremiah and Daniel. However, in the same vision shown to Daniel regarding the rebuilding, a second another destruction, a final destruction, was also announced (Daniel 9).
Herod the Great worked on the expansion and beautification of the second temple. This is the same temple during the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry and those of the apostles. And Jesus Christ spoke of its destruction, affirming therefore the vision and prophecy of Daniel in all three Synoptic Gospels of the Bible – Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
In Revelation, John saw the vision and the reality of the Holy City and the New Heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21). This is clearly misrepresented and missing in the modern teaching of the Bible.
One of the primary disciplines in studying the Bible is to recognize audience relevance, time statements, and the context of the passage. That is clearly violated in the presentation of modern preachers and teachers of the Bible.
Listen to the words of Jesus Christ, see Matthew 15:12-14.
“Then the disciples came and said to Him (Jesus Christ), “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.””
Do your own reading of the Scripture. Don’t just listen to the preaching or teaching of a pastor simply because he is popular or because it is the popular teaching. Beware that when Jesus Christ came teaching and preaching, many found His teaching new and strange ‘cause it was not according to the popular teachings of His time.
“And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him (Jesus Christ).”” Mark 1:27
“And they took him (the apostle Paul) and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” Acts 17:19
“Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as He taught at Capernaum. When many of His disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”“ John 6:59-60
Check for yourselves the truthful teachings of the Scripture. Learn to discern truthful teaching of the Bible from man-invented ideas misquoting Scripture. Do not be afraid to challenge conventional Christian ideas or teachings if Scripture proves otherwise.
Remember the words of Jesus Christ.
““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14
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Liberating Truth 