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Would you be disappointed ? (No end times )

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SpagLard

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Hi ,

I was asked this question by an acquaintance at dinner yesterday,
who isn't a Christian but is interested in religion in general and in the Bible..

After i told her i consider it evident from scripture that there will be a time of judgement and end times
She put it to me like this:
"What if it never happened, would you feel cheated or disappointed,
since you spend your life anticipating on it and living towards it in a sense? "

i was pretty baffled, and admitted i had not thought about that as a possibility before..
i still dont really have a reply or answer as to how that would make me feel,
if people just misunderstood it, or it turns out that you'll never notice it if it happens.

Have any of you ever been asked such things ?
how would you answer such a question ?

Cheers~
 
Yup been asked many times.. doesn't bother me as i try to live as Christ would have me live. ..no matter the out come
 
Hi Reba ,
since you've been asked many times , how did you answer ?
or do you mean to say that "it doesn't bother me" was your answer ?

I must admit it bothered me and still does a bit, eventhough i try to live by Christ
 
Not exactly those words but that idea ... we do not always answer each person the exact same way..
Most often ( depending on the person asking) i would ask back and where will you spend eternity if the Word of God is true?
I have given up nothing to serve the Lord yet i have given all..
 
We have some really sharp Christians around here who can put thoughts in words much better then I..
Welcome to CFnet :wave2
 
The question should be would we rather continue to live in this world the way it is or as Gods word describes it here.. I'm looking forward to that day..

II Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
 
Not especially, since the end can come to any of us individually, at any time, and we should be living our lives as though the end was imminent anyway.
 
Christ is, for me, TODAY... NOT aiming for or waiting on an event somewhere in the future.
 
Plenty of Christians have. My dad died believing the rapture could happen at any moment. But as he also pointed out to me, Christians were saying that the rapture could happen at any moment 30 years ago.
Anyways, as for me, I don't "officially" have a view on the end times anymore. Bible prophecy is confusing and hard to decipher. What happens happens, y'know? If it never happens in my lifetime, I will just figure it wasn't time yet or that we were wrong about some of our interpretations.
 
I don't concern myself with the 'end times.' So there certainly won't be any disappointment if the 'end times' doesn't occur in my lifetime.

I'm concerned about my Christian growth and relationship with our Lord in the here and now. I'm concerned about sharing His Word with others, so they may enjoy a relationship with our Lord as well.
 
Would you be disappointed ? (No end times )
My life as a Christian far exceeds my life as part of this world. So disappointment would not be on my plate. I think the question should have been posed.
"Wouldn't it be better to be prepared and it not come, than to not be prepared and spend eternity in hell?"

Tortured sleep it leaves me
Wondering in the night
Moving through the shadows
Hidden from plain sight


I try to start my days a new
The unrest lies within
I live with being haunted
from everywhere I’ve been


Memories of lost love
Things that might have been
Had I chose a life of righteousness
Instead of this life of sin


The battles they seem endless
Though the war’s already won
My life it seems so helpless
I feel I can’t go on


Looking up to heaven
Down on my knees I pray
I ask the Lord for mercy
Why must I go on this way


A better place is waiting
Lord why then must I stay
Show Your will to me

I will live for You today


peter
 
I've only now even begun to be able to think of Heaven and actually comprehend that, yes, there is a place for saved people and a place for the rest...for eternity. I've been more focused on Christ's work in the world right now...my own life has changed dramatically (I've only been saved slightly under 3 years), I have some family who have testimonies, people here inspire me...

The Bible is true. That's the core of Christianity. So, to ask "well, what if its not true?" seems to me sort of asking "well, what if your God has been lying to you?," which is impossible. I don't know much about the end times, honestly. Sometimes, I get this weird feeling that maybe its upon us, but I think that happens to people, even nominal or non-believers. I mean, in the mid-19th century, there were various religious sects anticipating the imminent return of Christ (one group morphed into the 7th Day Adventists, btw). Maybe its just a mood that strikes us as society changes? I dunno.

I'm of the opinion that God's justice if often more merciful than man's justice. He seems to have an eye to restoration and reconciliation. So, in terms of the end times...I'm not gung ho about it, I"m not eagerly awaiting it, but I do sometimes wonder if maybe God will show Himself more merciful than we give Him credit for. Just an early AM though (not quite 5 AM here, lol).
 
What would there be to lose if it was not true?. Nothing.

Should i be sorry that i did not want to live evil, and not just rip people off and be greedy, and just live like a feral pig.

Should i be sorry i have i wasted my time trying to live good even i fail at times . No way.

I would rather live with hope than live without it. And no, im not waiting for some rapture or some 'end times' event.
 
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At the end of the day, the way we are to live in Christ, i.e. fruits of the spirit is certainly a good way to live, even if Christianity is false.
 
Eschatology or end time studies are quite fascinating and a lot of people are drawn to it. I grew up in a Lutheran household, regular church attendance and all that and never once heard the subject come up in the pulpit.

For lack of a better word I'd call it a genre or a type of subsection that have various toeholds in scripture to take hold of. A LOT of the early understandings came about when Protestants speculated about the Pope or the roman catholic church system in relationship to the evil that was perpetrated by that sect, with the Pope being the anti-Christ. Many unfortunately still believe this and it's surprising how many Protestant reformers thought this to be the case.

I was a big comic book fan when I was a kid. Had stacks and stacks of them. So when some of the early novels came out about the anti-Christ as some wicked person/world leader in books such as Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" hit the rounds among the housewives in 1970, claiming such was in the bible, it sparked my interests.

Now, after intensely studying this general subject for many decades I don't consider any of the various postures legitimate whatsoever. I can comfortably say it will quite assuredly NOT be about some wicked man running the earth. All of that to me, today is utter rubbish and largely fear mongering set to the masses. Fear became a great marketing tool in the churches quite some time ago. I am particularly against personal manipulations based on fear.

Having poured through just about every posture available on this subject I would say today, that end times will NOT be like anything anyone has read to date, and in my sight it will be an almost opposite scenario.

Some take aways?

-There won't be a singular man (or woman) anti-Christ running the world with evil.
-There won't be an external brand or mark or a chip implant dooming one's eternal fate.
-The physical nation of Israel has little to nothing to do with the matters of end times.

This ONE THING I am however quite certain about, and it is this. The end time quotients are every bit about the destruction of the devil and his messengers.


So, today, if and when this subject comes up with casual non-Christians, I examine the role of the devil in their lives. It's much more fascinating. Because you see the whole world of unbelievers are already spiritually blinded by that anti-Christ spirit.

It's a fantastic witnessing tool for Christ that kind of brings the subject matter "home" to the blinded captives. Use it quite often. It goes generally like this: Jesus died for your sins, YOUR evil. Your failings. Sin is of the devil who manipulates our minds and hearts to think and do evil. This is what Jesus exposes in the Gospel. He died for us and forgives us. He doesn't forgive the devil. If you examine your mind and find temptations therein, you know know WHERE the anti-Christ abides. The real deceiver has blinded you your entire life to Christ, and that blindness is between your own ears. Give your heart to Christ for eternal life. He'll keep you from deception, and show you the way of His Life.

As to the common gibberish on the subject?

meh
 
I do sometimes wonder if maybe God will show Himself more merciful than we give Him credit for. Just an early AM though (not quite 5 AM here, lol).

A believer will always have spiritual banking to be done/added to based on God in Christ's Mercy, Forgiveness, Grace and Love.

End time really is a discussion of final judgments on/in the earth. The enemies of the Gospel, the devil and his messengers, can be eradicated and disappear in about a nano-second, or as Paul may have noted, the twinkling of an eye.

Isaiah 27:4
Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

IF God in Christ has a "real" enemy, it is of His Own making, for whatever purposes He has proposed. I prefer to see the "enemy" as temporary fertilizer for the plantings of The Lord, which are people. Or elemental (base/evil) spirits that we, in our own minds, have been placed under for learning purposes on the not so good side of the ledgers, which we are "released" and "divided" from by faith in Christ, when He comes INTO our hearts. We learn to "resist" such things by our exposures.

ALSO, on a similar note, I often have very vivid moments with God in the early morning hours, often "just as I am awakening." Get the picture? It's a spiritual thing. A real Divine expression there my friend, with an accompanying Spiritual fact, as you duly noted.

Yes, God will be MERCIFUL. That is a huge part of His Expression, and the reason we are all presently bound.
 
We all have an 'end time' ,, here is our hope ..
Col_1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
 
Hi ,

I was asked this question by an acquaintance at dinner yesterday,
who isn't a Christian but is interested in religion in general and in the Bible..

After i told her i consider it evident from scripture that there will be a time of judgement and end times
She put it to me like this:
"What if it never happened, would you feel cheated or disappointed,
since you spend your life anticipating on it and living towards it in a sense? "

i was pretty baffled, and admitted i had not thought about that as a possibility before..
i still dont really have a reply or answer as to how that would make me feel,
if people just misunderstood it, or it turns out that you'll never notice it if it happens.

Have any of you ever been asked such things ?
how would you answer such a question ?

Cheers~
I just made up an account . Specifically to help you find answers . If you aren't already you need to read the Bible. Because you could answer your friend : All the signs of the last days are here - People are Lovers of self: Example face book - Over 20,000 species of animals are near extinction -Most in the last 7 years -75% of what's near extinct is our food source. Look at the number of large Earthquakes - Jesus said the signs we would see Would be that People would travel all over the place : They would be Lovers of Self. They would deny Noah's day . Earthquakes in strange places - Distress of Nations - Israel would be a nation again -The Generation alive in 1948 would not pass away before he returned - Jerusalem would be divided - that's happened already. I could go on and on and on. But for now I'll wait to see who understand what and who wants to understand better . Do you realize that the Rise of Islam and Immigrants being sent to all the Christian Countries is Prophesy? Do you know since 1997 over 2 million Christians have been killed . Mainly by Muslims and some Hindu's - Do you know 100's of Christians are beheaded daily - Most people I run into that are American can't see how bad it is because so far we are somewhat spared , But that won't last. The 3rd Temple is very close to reality : It's being authorized by the Muslim Mullah in Turkey - He is like the POPE for Muslims . Islam is the 8th beast Empire - Please keep in mind everything I say is in the Bible : Thanks
 
I just made up an account . Specifically to help you find answers

wow , thanks,. not many people would go as far to help others find answers. :)

. If you aren't already you need to read the Bible. Because you could answer your friend : All the signs of the last days are here - People are Lovers of self: Example face book - Over 20,000 species of animals are near extinction -Most in the last 7 years -75% of what's near extinct is our food source. Look at the number of large Earthquakes - Jesus said the signs we would see Would be that People would travel all over the place : They would be Lovers of Self. They would deny Noah's day . Earthquakes in strange places - Distress of Nations - Israel would be a nation again -The Generation alive in 1948 would not pass away before he returned - Jerusalem would be divided - that's happened already. I could go on and on and on. But for now I'll wait to see who understand what and who wants to understand better .

Of course i read and study the bible, and i am able to explain to my acquaintance why i believe in the last days,
it is the question she asked me about my personal sentiment if the end times as i envision them would never occur,
that have a hard time answering for myself, and thus to others.

Do you realize that the Rise of Islam and Immigrants being sent to all the Christian Countries is Prophesy?

The rise of Islam >? is Islamic religion mentioned in the Bible ?
No, i didnt realize that ,.. what do you mean by -the Christian countries- ?

Do you know since 1997 over 2 million Christians have been killed . Mainly by Muslims and some Hindu's - Do you know 100's of Christians are beheaded daily -

what?! 100 beheaded Christians daily ?
that should really be headline news globally instead of :wall what symbol twitter uses to "like" something.. ! OMG

Most people I run into that are American can't see how bad it is because so far we are somewhat spared , But that won't last.

I'm not from the USA , i live in London ATM and was born in Antwerp , Belgium.

The 3rd Temple is very close to reality : It's being authorized by the Muslim Mullah in Turkey - He is like the POPE for Muslims . Islam is the 8th beast Empire - Please keep in mind everything I say is in the Bible : Thanks

You put out a lot of valuable information i was unaware about.. sheesh
I'll have t read into this a bit before i can offer constructive comments on most these topics.:sorry
thanks for your post and blessings to you.
 
For a while I've heard the idea that Isreal becoming a nation is a prophesy, and that the generation that lived during WWII and Isreal becoming a nation was a measure of how soon the end times would occur. However my garndmother recently passed away, and this was mostly in her generation. It's really shaken my perspective of being in the last days. So I've been thinking about simular things as your friend's question. So far here's my answer.

Would I be disapointed? The hope of earth being restored, and the promises of the kingdom of Heaven on earth are my hope for this broken and hurting world. For a while they were my hopes in general for myself because they were all I figured to hope on. the hope is strong even if it's not in my lifetime. I would've be disappointed if it's not in my lifetime, because it's God's choice and planing that are important, and I trust Him. But I can't say I'm not disapointed with the world as it is now.

The other aspect to the question is what do we live for, if it's not the end times prophesies bringing Jesus and God here? The best I can say is to live for God, follow Him, and in His love you will find strength and direction.

....I don't think unnoticed will be an option though concerning when Jesus returns.
 
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