What If These Are Not The Last Days...

newgrowth15

Well-Known Member
As believers, we have been led to believe that we live in the last days before the return of Christ. We have lived this way for 2,000+ years. We are taught to love God, honor our parents and live a good life, among other things. Some believers are living a life of fear and torment, working for their salvation as if they have something to "do" to make their lives holy and acceptable to God. When we read in the scriptures to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling," we must take this in context of who God is and that we must have a healthy reverence and respect for who He is. We must also understand that "it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13. Once we realize that God created us unto good works and that there is nothing we can "do" to earn our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10), it releases us to truly worship and serve God freely.

We have been given so many scriptures of peace, love and joy (Philippians 4:6-8; Isaiah 26:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:7; just to name a few), but some are taught to focus on doom and gloom. There are a multitude of scriptures that tell us to "fear not" that “God is love” that “God loves us” and that we should “Rejoice” for we serve a risen Savior; yet many live under the cover of fear and judgment all day, thinking that if they don't do this or that, they won't make it into God's kingdom. Don’t hand the devil your joy.

What if Jesus Christ doesn't return for another 1,000 years? What legacy are we leaving for the future generations to come? As Jesus said in Luke 18:8, shall He find faith on earth? Do we practice a vertical faith where we watch and pray or are we constantly looking around at what the “world” is doing and basing our faith on the movements of this world? Whose report will you believe?

Were I to counsel a babe in Christ, I would warn them about the wiles of the devil and to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), but I would have them to focus on the goodness of God, the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the instructions from the Holy Spirit. I would teach them to live a life of thanksgiving and rejoicing. To always look for God’s handiwork in all of their lives, no matter the circumstances and to give Him the glory for all things. I would counsel this new babe to read the Bible for him/her self, to pray without ceasing and to encourage one another in brotherly love. There is so much more I could add, but these are the basics.

I did not intend for this to be as long as it is, but rather to ask a Food for Thought question.

This is not meant as an attack on anyone's beliefs, but rather a plea to "let us reason together..." Isaiah 1:18 and not argue and insult one another.

God bless.
 
@newgrowth15, :kiss:

I wish I could like your post 144 times.

What a beautiful start to a powerful and super important conversation. I want to lovingly participate and hope to do so.

For now, please let me apologize to you, @blazingthru, and everyone else if my previous posts on this topic come across unkindly or harshly. I'm very sorry. It's not my intention. My actual intention with those posts is to speak VERY clearly and decisively IN OPPOSITION to what I believe is a spirit of worry-infused legalism that is (1) from the enemy, (2) is particularly insidious because it POSES as a more dedicated faith, and (3) is counter in just about EVERY WAY to Jesus's words to

"Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Because this particular spirit of perpetual, hyper-analysis DISGUISES itself as a "sincere-er, more serious" faith and dedication to the Lord and Christianity, and because it's so pervasive and only requires small twistings of the Word to set Christians off on its path, trapped there, spinning -- I tend to address it with as decisive words as I can. I believe only that will work against this particular spirit.

I hope I'm speaking in love and with encouragement when people are talking with me about this topic. I pray that I do so without being harmful. I pray that God guides me and words, and I apologize if/when I miss the mark.

I'm going to go find that scripture that talks about the REST that belongs to the believer. :smile: I hope to be back.

Blessings and love, everyone!
 
@YvetteWithJoy, thank you for responding. I have never taken offense to any of your posts. As a matter of fact, I tend to agree with you because you back up what you post with scripture. We know that God said His Word will not return void, but that it will do what He purposes it to do, so keep spreading God's Word in love.

Continue to walk in God's blessings, my sister.
 
Philippians 4:6-7New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
2 Peter 1:3-4 King James Version (KJV)

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
 
Galatians 5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.


9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
 
@YvetteWithJoy, girl you worked overtime. LOL! Thanks for all of the excellent scripture references. May God continue to bless and inspire you through His Word.

Lol! Thanks! To you, too!

Copying and pasting scripture took no time! :smile: I didn't have time to cut some of the posts down to be shorter.

It's food for thought on the topic.

The Word is the best sustenance. :yep: It funnels God's love and guidance straight into our hearts and minds.
 
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