Wednesday, May 23, 2007
How our Eschatology is Destroying God's World
I can't stands it no more - this has got to be said!!!!! I grew up dispensational premillenialist - it sounds good - great for adventure novels - great for scaring the snot out of everyone - great for high adventure preaching and keeping up little kids all night - but not so good in terms of being Biblically accurate. So what is my position? Jesus is coming back - things are going to get better and worse at the same time - he expects us to share the good news and love people in words and deeds.
If we follow the logic, things are going to get worse and worse and worse until he returns - then the church is acting properly. She is isolating herself from the world. She is putting up us against them mentality. She getting people to pray the sinners prayer and to just hold out till Jesus comes.
But what if Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards - and others were right? What if Jesus wouldn't return for an unprepared bride? What if it isn't enough to just pop the question and get the bride to answer yes? What if we have to preapre the bride?
Is the Gospel powerful enough to change a single life? No doubt. Is the Gospel, when planted in a society, enough to transform that society? Scripture says it is, going so far as to say God will hold nations accountable as a result.
So why don't we preach this and live it? It's a heck of a lot easier to isolate than integrate. It's less stressful to just say the world is going to hell and let it - than to actually try to do something about it.
So what if I'm wrong? I've lost nothing - but if right - I've obeyed the Father and made the world ready. I've also been thinking - I'm not a Fundamentalist or Liberal - both of which may wind up in hell - one is a Pharasee and one is nothing. The Fundamentalist goes about his way on the road to hell full of anger. The Liberal goes about his way on the road to hell full of laughter - which would you be? Not mind you that any of us are either - we're the ones that are always right. It's late, I'm on the other side of my world - and I can't sleep - I'd better stop typing before I really start writing some wild stuff.
If we follow the logic, things are going to get worse and worse and worse until he returns - then the church is acting properly. She is isolating herself from the world. She is putting up us against them mentality. She getting people to pray the sinners prayer and to just hold out till Jesus comes.
But what if Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards - and others were right? What if Jesus wouldn't return for an unprepared bride? What if it isn't enough to just pop the question and get the bride to answer yes? What if we have to preapre the bride?
Is the Gospel powerful enough to change a single life? No doubt. Is the Gospel, when planted in a society, enough to transform that society? Scripture says it is, going so far as to say God will hold nations accountable as a result.
So why don't we preach this and live it? It's a heck of a lot easier to isolate than integrate. It's less stressful to just say the world is going to hell and let it - than to actually try to do something about it.
So what if I'm wrong? I've lost nothing - but if right - I've obeyed the Father and made the world ready. I've also been thinking - I'm not a Fundamentalist or Liberal - both of which may wind up in hell - one is a Pharasee and one is nothing. The Fundamentalist goes about his way on the road to hell full of anger. The Liberal goes about his way on the road to hell full of laughter - which would you be? Not mind you that any of us are either - we're the ones that are always right. It's late, I'm on the other side of my world - and I can't sleep - I'd better stop typing before I really start writing some wild stuff.
Comments:
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I'm interested to see what is going to happen when Christians stop trying to always be right, trying to convince everyone around them with words to follow this Jesus they speak of. How do we miss the act of Christ's love all throughout the new testament and replace it with being so convinced of how right we are that we separate ourselves from the world that we're called to love. May we refuse to do anything less than love the hell out of everyone we come in contact with until the day we die. Enable us Jesus.
Brother Bob,
I grew up as one of those scared kids, reading the Late, Great Planet Earth. All I wanted to do was to grow up. Well, here I am today and I'm sure there are alot just like me out there. The world is in a bad place with wars, storms, and sin. It must be getting closer to the time for Christ return, right? Well, one thing I figured out a long time ago is that God isn't finished with us yet. History has a way of showing that to us. It repeats itself over and over again. We are not unique! NO ONE KNOWS! That's why we're also told to be prepared and to tell the world! That's what we have to do as Christians...spread the Good news of Christ. His hope and love!
I grew up as one of those scared kids, reading the Late, Great Planet Earth. All I wanted to do was to grow up. Well, here I am today and I'm sure there are alot just like me out there. The world is in a bad place with wars, storms, and sin. It must be getting closer to the time for Christ return, right? Well, one thing I figured out a long time ago is that God isn't finished with us yet. History has a way of showing that to us. It repeats itself over and over again. We are not unique! NO ONE KNOWS! That's why we're also told to be prepared and to tell the world! That's what we have to do as Christians...spread the Good news of Christ. His hope and love!
Hey BobBob, you had wayy too much cheese at dinner it seems!
Nah, you're right as always. If we are 'just watin for heaven' now then it devalues our current experience. I always think the corrective is bad escahtology is good eschatology and that ain't amillenialist either. The Lord's Prayer says it all. "May your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven..." Jewish concepts of heaven are very concrete and not erethereal and spooky.
Stay true bit man. We are all for you!
Nah, you're right as always. If we are 'just watin for heaven' now then it devalues our current experience. I always think the corrective is bad escahtology is good eschatology and that ain't amillenialist either. The Lord's Prayer says it all. "May your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven..." Jewish concepts of heaven are very concrete and not erethereal and spooky.
Stay true bit man. We are all for you!
# posted by 
: 5:10 PM
: 5:10 PM
I remember when I was a youth and young college republican saying all of those same things because of my eschatology. I remember loving that I had heard that James Watt, Reagan's environmental and energy guy, was the same way.
But Jesus told us to pray for the Father's Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth just as it is in heaven. Jesus spread the good news of the Kingdom of God. We need to be all about that. Yes, the gospel is powerful enough to change the world. Let's get on with it.
love your passion!
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But Jesus told us to pray for the Father's Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth just as it is in heaven. Jesus spread the good news of the Kingdom of God. We need to be all about that. Yes, the gospel is powerful enough to change the world. Let's get on with it.
love your passion!
# posted by : 10:00 PM
: 10:00 PM << Home
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