Prophecy - The End Times

[Ohio]

Yes, you do have a valid point. There are those who argue eschatology and never pay attention to their walk. Sadly, I and my gospel have been hurt by a few of these.

I believe we have been charged to both have a healthy walk and know the depths of His word.

Why do Christians know so much detail and stats about their favorite sports team, or their favorite music, or their favorite programs, or whatever, but see little value in applying this same long-term diligence to their Bible?

[Nell]

Interesting quote from the video:

Jesus said when he comes back, will he even find faith on the earth? We know that in the last days there’s going to be a diminishing of people believing. I believe what’s happened in America is the westernized version of, can I say, a “man-made” Christianity?

Christianity is failing. It’s failing in faith. It’s failing in its ability to engage the culture. It’s failing to be ready to be about our Father’s business. It’s failing in evangelism. Why? There’s no sense of urgency. So we are living in a time when there are those saying they believe in the Bible and they believe in Jesus. I have to ask a question “What Bible are you reading?” and “Which Jesus are you talking about?”

[OBW]

I hear you.

There is no true sense of urgency. And some of the urgency that is there is a substitute for the real thing. And even where there is a claim of belief but no outward urgency, the evidence sometimes might suggest little or no real belief.

Just a social religion that borrows from the Bible.

And, for better or worse, the sum total of all who claim belief is shrinking. There are arguments that it is just those who don't really believe that are dropping their claims, but that is not certain.

[Nell]

When you look at the whole picture, the Galileans are really the key to understanding the why and what of the second coming of Christ.

Jesus used this illustration that they knew so intimately, over and over and over again. That you have a bride who is loved by a bridegroom, who is betrothed to this bridegroom. The bridegroom is going to make a covenant with her and then he’s going to go away.

And eventually, when they don’t know, he’s going to come back and take her to be with him where he is. This is an amazing thing. It all stems from what the Galileans understood and Jesus talked to the Galileans like they were Galileans so that they would understand what he meant when he said “this is what it’s going to be like when I return”.

Wow.

Nell

[Nell]

One of the speakers (Jack Hibbs) at one point says this:

59 minutes in:
“So you’ve got the parable of those with oil in their lamp. You’ve got ten of them. All ten started, but not all ten finished. At the time of the midnight cry they all jumped up and trimmed their lamps. But only five had enough oil to continue on.

This is key. Symbolically in Scripture, the oil is reference to the Holy Spirit in your life. So you can be a believer. Jesus said “these are they who believed for awhile”. It doesn’t mean you are born again to believe. Has your belief brought you to faith in Christ.”

Essentially he's saying you can be a believer, but it doesn't mean you are born again..

What does THAT mean? Zezima? Ohio? Anybody?

Nell

[Nell]

"J. D. Farag: It is our choice. Jesus is not forced on anyone. It is our own free will, it is our choice that we choose to accept our proposal (of marriage) from Jesus Christ as our bridegroom.

This is why Satan, again the why, this is why Satan hates, particularly, the Christian marriage. He hates marriage because of what it represents. It’s (marriage) is a microcosm of what awaits in heaven. We are the family of God, our Heavenly Father. We are brothers and sisters, siblings in Christ. It is a microcosm, a picture of that which is yet to be fulfilled when it comes."
---Before the Fall

For the last few decades we've been seeing Satan's assault on marriage, growing worse and worse. During the Covid epidemic, when children were not allowed in school, parents began to see what their children had been exposed to in schools by the education system which has become perverted. The system in place is attempting to usurp the authority of parents over their own children. We've also been barraged with gender confusion. People are attempting to make themselves into something they are not...also an attack on marriage.

When man and woman were in the garden, in the beginning, God told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over every living thing that moves on the earth.

If carried to the ultimate conclusion of this Satanic attack on marriage, mankind would cease to exist on the earth. Mankind would be unable to be fruitful, to multiply and replenish the earth. Mankind would no longer have dominion over the living on the earth.

Surely this attack is a rush to the end of days.

Nell

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Nell

One of the speakers (Jack Hibbs) at one point says this:

59 minutes in:
“So you’ve got the parable of those with oil in their lamp. You’ve got ten of them. All ten started, but not all ten finished. At the time of the midnight cry they all jumped up and trimmed their lamps. But only five had enough oil to continue on.

This is key. Symbolically in Scripture, the oil is reference to the Holy Spirit in your life. So you can be a believer. Jesus said “these are they who believed for awhile”. It doesn’t mean you are born again to believe. Has your belief brought you to faith in Christ.”

Essentially he's saying you can be a believer, but it doesn't mean you are born again..

What does THAT mean? Zezima? Ohio? Anybody?

Nell

I agree that Jesus has further defined real faith (to Nicodemus) with being born again, but in this parable all ten virgins were born of the Spirit, since they all had the oil of the Spirit at one time burning within them.

[OBW]

It would seem that the source Nell is looking at is suggesting that belief and being born again are two different things.

And another related question might be: "Is belief merely a step on the way to salvation, or is it the requirement for salvation?"

And if we assume that scripture says strongly enough that belief (true belief, not mere assent) is the requirement on our part for salvation, then there is the question whether being born again is something additional to salvation or is a component of salvation?

Is is not generally accepted by all except the Pentecostals that the receipt of the Spirit is concurrent with salvation? And unless we are questioning the declaration to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved," then what is being suggested by this audio source?

I will be the first to say that a strong acceptance of Calvinist theology makes the idea of believing and then not believing essentially confirms the idea that there is belief that does not equate to belief in Christ. And while I accept this idea at some level, how do we discuss belief in Christ as a certain thing when there are examples of people who have demonstrated strong faith over many years and then walked away from it all and now claim no belief? The Calvinist has the position that true faith cannot be lost. Yet I keep reading John 3:16 and note that it says ". . . who believes in me . . ." not "believed."

In other words, this is probably an inquiry that is not something anyone will resolve in this life. But we still have the assurance that if we believe, we are saved. Whether and how terms like "born again," "salvation," "sanctification," etc. apply is up for debate. At some level, it is a little like the pre/mid/post-tribulation debate. If we are believing and are therefore ready, we will be ready for whatever the answer is when it comes. In short, it will all "pan out" in the end.