50 Days to Understanding the End-Times More Accurately - Day 41 - Imminent - 1
DAY 41 - Imminent - 1
As I reasoned through these issues and attempted to discuss them with pretribulational church leaders, I was left wondering exactly what they had to support their view.
I determined that if it could be proven from Scripture that the rapture was actually an imminent event, then all of my reasoning and attempted understanding of this issue would need to be found flawed.
Since other arguments exist besides “not knowing the day or hour”, I will evaluate them now.
Some of these will seem like a stretch, but I did not claim these verses taught imminency; the pretribulationists told that to me.
“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:7)
Jesus had just spent forty days after His resurrection teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God.
They had asked “wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b).
Obviously the disciples were still concerned with when Rome would get kicked out and Israel would get her freedom.
Somehow they were still hoping that Jesus was the Conquering Ruler and not the Heavenly, Sacrificial Saviour.
Even if this teaching pertained to His return, not knowing “the time or the seasons” only necessitates ignorance, and not imminence.
“And now little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28)
This passage obviously shares nothing about either timing or the lack of it.
It simply commands us to “abide in him” that we may “not be ashamed before him at his coming”.
The only way for us to “not be ashamed before him” is to “abide in him”, which is why we are often commanded to do so.
Whether we meet Him via death or the rapture, we should always strive for sacrificial, effective, God-honoring living by the power of the Holy Spirit.
To say that this passage is given to encourage all to expect His any moment return is not based upon what this verse actually says.
This verse does say that “he shall appear… at his coming”, but nothing in regard to the timing of that event.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)
This proof text is even worse than the last to attempt to prove an imminent rapture return.
It doesn’t even mention how one should live so as to be prepared whenever He does come.
Here we are simply told that though “it doth not yet appear what we shall be… we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”.
When He arrives we will be like Him and see Him as He is.
This is true. Yet, again, no timing, or lack of timing is given, and certainly no “Doctrine of Imminence”, only a statement that “he shall appear”.
“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4)
This verse, though views always vary, is pretty much the same as the previous verse.
I find no imminency here, since it is only mentioned that he “shall appear.”
He indeed will, but no reference to when (or when not) is made here.
Point #1: If the rapture can be shown to be imminent from the Bible, then all my reasoning thus far must be wrong, at least about the timing of events.
Point #2: No verse evaluated so far has shown this to be true.
2+2=4
Thanks, @narrowminded
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition
11 : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
12 : The Revealing of the Antichrist
13 : Same Day - 1
14 : Same Day -2
15 : Hand in Hand
16 : Overtake You as a Thief
17 : Another Thief
18 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 1
19 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 2
20 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 3
21 : Ignorance
22 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -1
23 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -2
24 : For My Name's Sake -1
25 : For My Name's Sake -2
26 : Enduring to the End
27 : The Righteous and the Wicked
28 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 1
29 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 2
30 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 3
31 : "Seal Judgments"
32 : The Fifth Seal
33 : Timing - 1
34 : Timing - 2
35 : Timing - 3
36 : Two Witnesses - 1
37 : Two Witnesses - 2
38 : Two Witnesses - 3
39 : Two Witnesses - 4
40 : Two Witnesses - 5