THE ETERNAL GOD HAS IN THE LAST FEW HUNDRED YEARS, PLUS, INSPIRED SOME PEOPLE TO GIVE US AIDS TO HELP US READ AND UNDERSTAND THE HOLY BIBLE. ONE SUCH MAN WAS "STRONG" AND HENCE THE "STRONG'S CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE." EVERY WORD IN THE KJV TRANSLATION IS FOUND IN STRONG'S CONCORDANCE. SOME STUDYING OF THE BIBLE NEEDS TO BE DONE IN-DEPTH, YES HOURS AND HOURS OF WORK IS NEEDED TO STUDY SOME SUBJECTS OF THE BIBLE. HERE I UNDERTAKE SUCH A STUDY---- THE RETURN OF CHRIST JESUS TO THIS EARTH, THE VERY LITERAL BODILY RETURN.
The "IMMINENT" return of Christ
The word "coming" and Jesus' Return
by Keith Hunt If you have done some prolonged reading of the popular fundamental prophets of today ... well also yesterday, going back 100 years and more, you will soon realize they talk about the "imminent" return of Christ. Now do not bother to go and look up in the dictionary what the word "imminent" can mean, for the way the fundamental prophets use it is very clear from their literature; to them it means they teach that Christ could return any day, any hour, any minute, any second! They tell you that reading the NT (New Testament) shows the apostles believed and taught that Jesus could return any second. Is that the truth of the matter? Does it make no difference what any prophecy in any prophetic books of the Bible says must come to pass before the end of this age arrives? Does it make no difference what the book of Revelation has to say in regards events leading up to the second coming of Jesus? Can Christ come at any second, regardless of any prophecy in the Bible. Are the prophecies of the book of Revelation just there to make a horror story, and to entertain us, as they may not happen at all, as Christ Jesus may come at any second? We need to look at every verses in the NT that deals with the second coming of Christ, and see if the NT and the writer thereof really did teach that Jesus could come at any second. Now of course in one sense, the coming of Christ is at the time of a Christian's death, but that is not what the fundamentalists are dealing with when they talk about the "imminent" return of Christ. Most of them are meaning the "secret rapture" - Christ coming invisibly for His church - is the "imminent" return of Jesus, and they claim that secret coming, could be at any second. It is to be NOTED as we begin, that in the KJV Bible, the NT, you cannot find the word "imminent" used AT ALL!! If you try to find the word "imminent" in Strong's Concordance, which is based upon the MSS that the KJV is translated from, you cannot find it. It is NOT there!! We shall first look at the verses using "coming" in regards to Jesus' return. 1. "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Mat.16:28). Does this mean Christ at some "any second" in the first century came and had His kingdom? Even the fundamentalists don't say that it was so. Even they still look for the Kingdom to be set up on this earth by Christ. The words "any second" do not appear in this verse. This verse can hardly be said to support the "imminent" return of the Lord. 2. "....what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world (or age)?" (Mat.24:3). Here the question asked to Christ was, give us a sign of your coming. Jesus did not go on to say, "Well some sign is not important, or valid, because I can come at any second." Jesus, actually did go on to give some very real literal signs. You cannot find that after the signs were given, Jesus saying, "And do not take too seriously these signs I've given for in reality I can come at any second." The whole logic and wording from Jesus Himself in Matthew 24 would dis-prove the idea that Jesus can come at any second, in any day, in any year, in any century, without any of these signs having to come to pass. If these signs that Jesus gave need not happen before He returns, then Jesus is seriously leading us down the garden path. There is nothing here from the Lord's lips saying something like: "But the signs you should not take at face value, for I can come at any second." 3. "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shines even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Mat.24:27). This verse tells us what manner the Son of man comes. Jesus gives a comparison as to what His coming will be like. There is nothing in this verse to say His coming can be at any second dis-regarding all the signs He was laying out. 4. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Mat.24:30). Once more our Lord gives a "descriptive" picture of His coming, there is nothing here to teach Jesus could return at any second, disregarding and ignoring the signs He was laying out and giving in answer to the disciples question of verse 3. 5. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Mat.24:37). Jesus had just finished telling the disciples to take the sings He was given as like looking at the fig tree, putting forth leaves you know summer is close at hand, and so when we see these signs we can know Jesus' coming is near, even at the doors (verses 32-33). He then goes on to say that that generation that sees all these signs He has given, that generation will not pass away before the Son of man indeed does come back (verse 34). The very day and hour we shall never know, only the Father knows that (verse 36), but the signs He has given in all the previous verses, will come to pass. Some of those sign were VERY specific - the abomination that makes desolate - the fleeing of the Jews in Judea to the hills, the greatest tribulation to ever come on earth, the close extinction of mankind, the sun being darkened, the moon not giving its light, the stars of heaven falling (verses 15-29). Signs so noticeable, a disciple would have to be blind and deaf to not see them and know them. Yet in those days it will still be like the days of Noah, people will eat and drink and marry, life in daily living will go on. Noah we are told was a preacher of righteousness. God had told him there would be 120 years before the flood would come to destroy his society. People could have watched Noah build the ark, preach about the 120 years. People could have counted down, they could have watched, they could have seen the sings, but they refused to look and see. The flood came as the sings of that time came, one huge sign, the count-down of the 120 years. Noah would have been telling them. The people refused to listen and acknowledge the signs. "They knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of man be" (verse 39). The signs MUST take place, just as it did for Noah's day. It was pointless for Jesus to give signs, so His disciples would watch for them, IF He was going to come at any second, rejecting, ignoring, being in different and having contempt for the signs He had just given. As we cannot know the hour or the very day of His coming, we are to "Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord does come" (verse 42). Jesus will come as a "thief" - not secretly but as a thief of the night comes, not telling you which "watch" of the night he will come. You have no idea if the thief will come at 10 p.m. or 1 a.m or 3 a.m. or 5 a.m. Jesus' disciples do not know the "hour" so "Therefore be you ready; for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh" (verses 43-44). It should be plain by now. Jesus DID give SIGNS, they are and will come to pass, the generation that sees them, will not pass away until they are all fulfilled and Jesus has returned. But even with the signs, Jesus' disciples cannot know the day or the hour of His coming. They will know it is surely at the door, very near indeed, but they have to be ready spiritually, mentally and emotionally. They cannot let down their guard, they must continue the fight against Satan, they must continue to wear the armor of God (Eph.6) and hold up the shield of faith whereby they can stop all the fiery darts of the wicked one. At that time the darts of the Devil will be so many and so strong it will be like no other time in history. So the servant of the Lord must be vigilant: "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (verses 44-46). If in those days, the servant of the Lord thinks the signs have gone on too long, or gives in to the wickedness and deceptions of those days, and walks away from the calling of God, thinking the Lord is delaying His coming, having an attitude of: "Lord, you should have come by now, the signs are here that you spoke about, I cannot bear the burden of fighting the evil and wickedness and powers of Satan any longer. I'm giving up, I'm going with the crowd, I'm going back to the world" (verse 48-49). Then that servant's attitude has changed. He will no longer keep watching the signs, and so not watching, the Lord will come on a day and in an hour that he is not expecting, just as the rest of the world of sin and deception is not expecting (verse 50). Everything in this Matthew chapter 24 is TOTALLY AGAINST the teaching that Jesus can come at any SECOND, of any day, of any month, of any year, of any century. The disciples asked for the signs to the coming of the Lord, and Jesus obliged by laying out those signs, some in specific detail. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is just an AMPLIFICATION of the signs given in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Those chapters and the book of Revelation I have expounded for you in detail elsewhere on this Website. 6. "Thou oughest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury" (Mat.25:27). Just a statement of the fact that Jesus will come again. No word here of coming at any second. It would be silly foolishness to use this verse to try and prove an "any second" coming of Christ. 7. "Jesus saith unto him, 'Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Thereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven'" (Mat.25:64). Another simple statement of fact only. When Jesus does come it will not be secret, or invisible, but with POWER and with CLOUDS of heaven. Once more anyone trying to use this verse to prove an "any second" coming of Christ is reading into things that are just not there, and showing their mind is from planet Pluto (which they now claim is not a planet at all, but a blob of gassy nothingness). 8. "And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26). You can read all the previous verses of this chapter and you will see there is no talk from Jesus about Him coming in a "secret rapture" invisible manner before He comes with power and in the clouds. Again, a "descriptive" verse, as to HOW Jesus will come, nothing in this verse or the previous verses to teach an "any second" coming as the "imminent" fundamentalists teach. 9. "Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping" (Mark 13:36). Jesus saying the same as in Matthew 24. Jesus is on a far journey. We are to watch for we do not know if He will come again in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the cock, or in the morning (verses 32-35). We do not know the day nor the hour (verse 32), but we sure do have some signs that must be fulfilled before He comes, as we have seen in Matthew 24. To have these signs repeated in Mark 13 is totally crazy and inept on Jesus' part IF Jesus can come again at any second, and ignore and trash the signs, He so painstakingly gave. 10. "And Jesus said, 'I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven'" (Mark 14:62). Another descriptive verse of Jesus telling us a FACT of His visible return. This is what it will be like. The subject here has nothing to do with Jesus coming at any second, of any generation in history. It is just a straight-up fact that when He does come it will not be secret, but mighty powerful and with clouds of heaven. 11. "But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and be drunken; The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware...." (Luke 12:45-46). A simple plain truth given here by Jesus. All the words around the word "coming" and "come" qualify what Jesus is talking about. A disciple that thinks Jesus is taking too long to come back to earth, and just gives up, falls in the fight with Satan and the world, puts down the shield of faith, takes off the armor of God, and puts up the white flag of surrender. The disciple who goes back into the world, who stops watching for the signs of Jesus' coming, then for sure, if that disciple is living so in the generation that shall see the Lord return, that once-upon-a- time disciple will not be ready in the day and the hour that Jesus does come again. Jesus gave the signs to watch for, those signs can be speeded up or slowed down, according to the will of God the Father. We must always be watching and ready, so we can know Jesus is even at the door. 12. "Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?" (Luke 19:23). A mention of Jesus' coming, in relation to another matter. Just a statement that is all. It's more than dumb to try and teach from this verse Jesus can come at any second of any century. 13. "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they SEE the Son of man coming in a CLOUD with POWER and great GLORY. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:26-28). Once more, to give even further emphasis, Jesus had Luke record the signs of the times leading up to the coming of Christ. Three persons, three times, Jesus gave the signs to be recorded, without any qualifying statement like: "Well now, remember these signs may not happen as I can come at any second in any decade of any millennium." Nor do we find one word in the Gospels where Jesus came even close to saying: "And do not forget I will come secretly first, invisibly, at any second, to snatch away my church to be with me in heaven." Once more these verses in Luke are a simple statement of fact. There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars and mighty weather upheavals (which we have had at times already, but the sun, moon, and stars, are still pretty calm and even). The heavens will be shaken, men's hearts failing them (I guess some could say we have more heart-attacks in men than ever before, but I somehow do not think this is what Jesus is talking about in the context), which all leads up to the SEEING of the Son of man coming in a CLOUD, with POWER and with great GLORY! Just a statement of facts. To use these verses to teach an "imminent" and/or any "second/minute" coming of Christ, that ignores the signs Jesus gave leading up to His coming, is surely stretching the theological truth we have seen, to planet Pluto (which is no planet they now tell us). 14. "So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor.1:7). Can you find the word "imminent" here? Can you find any word or words where Paul says here that Jesus's coming can be at any "second" of any day or year? Can you find here where Paul contradicts the clear teaching of Jesus that certain events or signs MUST and WILL come to pass before His coming again? Now, it may be true that Paul (and other apostles) believed that Jesus would come again in that generation, in their life time. But to believe and teach that the coming of Christ could be at any second of any day of any year, no matter that the signs Jesus gave leading up to His coming were nowhere to be seen ... that is a whole matter of a different ball game. Paul was taught by Christ (see Galatians 1:11-19). Paul's second epistle to the Thessalonians is generally (by most "scholars") said to have been written as one of his first letters, about 51 A.D. In that epistle we have the clear understanding that the "falling away" and THE man of sin would need to appear BEFORE the day of Christ. For the man of sin - "THE WICKED" is to be consumed by the Lord via the spirit of His mouth with the BRIGHTNESS of His coming - see indeed 2 Thes.2:1-12. Also note verse 1-2. Some had been circulating letters as if from Paul and other apostles, that the "day of Christ is at hand." Paul was writing to the Thessalonians to counter-act this deception, and to inform them that TWO EVENTS at least was to happen BEFORE the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him" (verse 1). Paul knew by 51 A.D. in one of the very first letters he wrote to a church congregation, that Jesus could NOT come UNTIL these TWO events had ARRIVED!! They HAD NOT YET ARRIVED in about 51 A.D. Jesus had taught Paul (Gal.1). Paul knew what Jesus had taught in Mat.24; Mark 13; and Luke 21. Paul KNEW Jesus could NOT come at any "second" of the day, with a disregard to the signs Jesus had taught and had given. Now Jesus had taught Paul that a GREAT MAN OF SIN, THE WICKED, had to come shortly before Jesus would return, for Jesus was going to DESTROY "THAT WICKED" with the spirit of His mouth at the BRIGHTNESS of His coming. Certainly not in any "secret rapture" event, but in a very OPEN and GLORIOUS event! Oh yes, Paul may have believed (up to the point of his death) these events were going to take place in his life time, but that is a LONG WAY from saying Paul believed and taught Jesus could come back at any second, disregarding any signs Jesus had given and these two signs Jesus had revealed to Paul, as contained in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul fully believed and very clearly knew certain events HAD TO TAKE PLACE before Jesus could return to earth. 15. "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor.15:23). Just a statement of fact that is all. A fact that at Christ's coming those that are His will be resurrected as the context is talking about. Nothing more than that, those that add to this simple statement of fact, will be in judgment of adding to the word of God, and the book of Revelation has something pretty serious to say to those who add to God's word, or take away from it also. Those who would try to us this verse to teach some "imminent" any second coming without regarding the signs Jesus gave, do take fire into their hands which can slay the deceiver. 16. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming" (1 Cor.2:19). A statement of fact once again. It was going to be Paul's and other apostles' joy, crown of rejoicing, to see those whom they had worked among in bringing the Gospel to them, in the presence of Jesus christ, when He came again. Just that simple, nothing complicated about it at all. Nothing here about HOW Jesus will return or WHEN, nothing here to prove the "imminent" teaching of the fundamentalists, as they teach the word "imminent" in relation to the coming of Christ. We wise, do not add or take away from the word of the Lord. Do not read into things that are not there. 17. "To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thes.3:13). Another hope of Paul for them and another statement of fact. That at the coming of Christ the Thessalonians would be unblamable in holiness before God the Father. This verse has nothing to do with HOW or WHEN Jesus will return. Once more read not into the word of the Lord that which is not there. 18. "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) then which are asleep" (1 Thes.4:15). Again, a statement of fact for something that is to happen at the coming of the Lord. Nothing here is talking about HOW and WHEN the coming is. Not in this verse it is not, but yes in the following verses Paul does talk about HOW, in what MANNER the coming of Christ will be. He shall descend from heaven, with a SHOUT, with the VOICE of the archangel, with the TRUMP of God. Now that is no secret invisible coming, not if you read English as it reads. It says what it means and means what it says, unless you are from Jupiter (I still think they say that is a planet). Nothing here about Christ coming any second, without regards to the signs He gave us leading up to His coming. 19. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes.5:23). Can you find anything here about HOW or WHEN Jesus will come again? I think not, unless your adding to God's word. Nothing here about a "any second of any century - no signs needed" coming. This verse is a prayer from Paul that his readers will be preserved blameless (forgiven of sins - and many studies on this Website show the truth of that matter) unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 20. "Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him....Then shall that WICKED be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thes.1,8). I covered this section already. Nothing, in fact just the opposite, to prove Jesus can come at any second in any century, without the need of the signs He gave us in Mat.24; Mark 13; Luke 21 or in this very chapter of 2 Thessalonians. This section is proof positive Paul KNEW that the "day of Christ" - "our gathering together unto Him" - was not at hand UNTIL TWO EVENTS at least were to happen - a falling away and the man of sin to be revealed, who would live at the time of Christ's coming, for THAT WICKED would be destroyed by the BRIGHTNESS of Jesus' coming. Pretty easy to understand context I would say. You just have to believe what it says; it says what it means and it means what it says. There are SIGNS that lead up to the coming of Christ. Jesus cannot just come in secret, at any second of the day or year, without certain signs taking place BEFORE He returns. It is just that simple to comprehend. If your willing to be like a child in reading your Bible. 21. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7) Ah, the husbandman must wait in anticipation for the fruit. It is yet to come, but the early and latter rain must come for him to receive that fruit. There is a time plan, and signs along the way towards the end of that time plan. Jesus gave us the signs to watch for His coming, when we would know His coming was at hand, near the door. James is saying we have to be patient, the fruit of our patience will be given, but we need to have even long patience. Most put the book of James as written about 62 A.D. Jesus had not yet come, the signs given by Jesus and by Jesus through Paul (2 Thes.2) had not yet come to pass. If the apostles did believe Jesus would come again in their lifetime (and there is no reason to believe they did not believe that) by 62 A.D. James was saying LONG patience could be needed to see the fruit of the coming of the Lord. I'm pretty sure James probably had no idea that long patience he was inspired to write about would have to stretch over for at least another 2,000 years. So it is today folks, Jesus has not yet come, the signs are not yet fully come that Jesus and Paul and John (as the writer) in Revelation have given. It is in the Father's time plan, to bring the signs shortly or to put them into the future as He wills. Nothing in this verse of James, tells us Jesus is to come invisibly and at any second, in some "secret rapture" teaching, that needs not the signs to precede it. Actually nothing in the Bible teaches any "secret rapture" period! 22. "Be you also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (James 5:8). Did James think the signs of his time looked like they were heading to be the signs that Jesus gave and that Paul proclaimed? Yes, he may well have thought so. You'll notice James says "draweth nigh" - he does not say "Jesus can come at any second." And once more I'll repeat the word "imminent" is not there nor is it found in the NT via the MSS used by the KJV translators. Certainly the way "imminent" is understood and taught by the fundamentalists is not within this verse and thought by James. "Draweth nigh" is clearly the expression of someone looking at the signs around them and thinking the signs could lead up to the very signs Jesus and Paul gave, that must come to pass before Jesus will return. James may have thought the signs of the day were such as that the coming of the Lord was drawing nigh. If James thought this, he was like many others down through the centuries, who also have thought the same, but it was not so. Then on the other hand this was probably inspired to be written as a LIVING verse, applicable to all saints in all ages over the last 2,000 years. All saints hope and pray that their generation will be the generation to see the signs given, fulfilled, and to witness the coming of the Lord. Then we also need to remember the coming of the Lord is as close to us as your death. The very next moment we fall asleep we awake in the resurrection at the coming of the Lord. 23. "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the POWER and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). The majesty Peter and others were witness to was the majesty that Jesus will have when He comes again. The coming of the LORD will be with POWER! It will be with MAJESTY, as we have seen in previous verses in this study. This is again a statement of fact by Peter. They saw it, they knew it, they taught it. The coming of Christ will be with power and majesty. Nothing in this verses teaches the "imminent" teaching of the fundamentalists. There is nothing here about the WHEN of Christ's coming, there is a little about the HOW of His coming. That is all, do not add and do not take away from the words of God. 24. "And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter 3:4). An interesting verse indeed. Peter is answering the argument that shall "come in the last days" - scoffers - laughing at the idea of the second coming of Christ, and saying nothing has really changed, the signs ain't there, all is as before, all is happening in physical things on earth as it has happened before down through the millenniums. The "last days" in Peter's mind may well have been the first century as we can see it was so in the mind of John the apostle (see 1 John 2:18). And most believe John wrote his book and letters and penned Revelation towards the end of the first century. Peter, most agree, was writing this second letter shortly before his death, about 67 A.D. By this time both Paul and Peter knew Jesus was not going to return in their life time, they would shortly be executed. Scoffers had risen to laugh at the idea Jesus would return period! They could not see the signs Jesus had given nor what Paul had stated in 2 Thes.2. But Peter is here giving a prophecy that such will be the case in the last days - scoffers would come, and laugh at the teaching of the coming of the Lord Jesus in power and glory back to this earth. That has happened and it is still happening. That is all that Peter is telling us here. There is no word in this verse as to WHEN or HOW Jesus will return. It is only a prophecy that there will be scoffers in the last days, scoffing at the teaching of Christ's coming again. This verse proves nothing of the fundamentalists teaching on the "imminent" return of Christ. 25. "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat" (2 Peter 3:12). I've included this verse though it is not directly connected with the phrase "coming of the Lord" and the like. Verse 11 gives the thought and context of thought. We know God's plan will end with fire, and a new heavens and new earth will come forth (Revelation 21,22). We know the end of this age will be with mighty signs and mighty destruction, as Jesus in the Gospels and Revelation makes very plain. We are then to note the dissolving of our world and a new earth to emerge wherein only holy righteousness dwells (Rev.21,22). Hence we should live in all holy conduct and godliness to assure that we will be a part of that eternal dwelling and Kingdom of God. 26. "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). Finally, once more a verse that has nothing to do with telling us HOW or WHEN Jesus will return. Just a verse of statement and encouragement, exhortation to abide in Christ, that when He does appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Nothing in this verse upholds or teaches what the fundamentalists teach on their so-called "imminent" return of Christ. All this verse tells us is that Jesus SHALL appear, and we should be living in full confidence that when He does come, we should not be ashamed before Him. Do not add and do not take away from the words of God. I have taken MANY HOURS to go through every verse in the KJV Bible that uses the word "coming" in relationship with the coming of Christ Jesus again to this earth. There is NOTHING in any of these verses to teach the "imminent" doctrine of the fundamentalists. There is in the words of Christ Himself many signs to watch for that lead up to the coming of Jesus. We are yet to study all the verses in the NT under "come" - "cometh" - "return" - in connection with the Second Coming of Christ. Those studies I will do shortly. It takes time, and time, and more time, to study fully some of the important truths of God in His word. All I did in this study was to take Strong's Concordance of the KJV Bible and look up every word where "coming" is used in the NT. I hope this may be an example to you on how at times to study the Bible. ....................... Keith Hunt, May 2009 AS A TEENAGER GROWING UP IN A CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL AND ATTENDING VERY FAITHFULLY A LOCAL SUNDAY SCHOOL, I HAD ACCEPTED JESUS AS MY SAVIOR ABOUT AGE 12. A LADY IN CHURCH GAVE ME A RED LETTER NEW TESTAMENT BECAUSE OF MY SERIOUS DEDICATION TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. I HAD NEVER SEEN A RED LETTER [WORDS OF CHRIST IN RED] NEW TESTAMENT. I WOULD READ SOME OF THE WORDS OF JESUS EACH NIGHT BEFORE TURNING OFF THE LIGHT AND GOING TO SLEEP. IN ALL THOSE YEARS OF BIBLE READING I NEVER EVER THOUGHT OF CHRIST'S COMING AGAIN IN TWO PHASES WITH YEARS INBETWEEN. I WAS SHOCKED OUT OF MY SOCKS, AT AGE 18, COMING TO CANADA, AND HEARING NORTH AMERICA FUNDAMENTAL TEACHERS, WITH THIS "SECRET RAPTURE" IDEA---- CHRIST COMING AT A CERTAIN SECOND, INVISIBLE, TAKING HIS DISCIPLES UP TO HEAVEN, FOR 3 AND 1/2 YEARS OR 7 YEARS [DEPENDING WHO YOUR'S LISTEN TO] AND THEN VISIBLY RETURNING TO EARTH. I JUST LAUGHED, WITH SHOCK AT SUCH A TEACHING. THAT SENT ME INTO 4 YEARS OF BIBLE STUDY, EVERY SPARE HOUR I HAD FROM MY JOB. IT WAS A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER OF MY CHRISTIAN LIFE; AND I DISCOVERED MANY THINGS VERY WRONG WITH NORTH AMERICAN FUNDAMENTAL PROTESTANTISM. I WAS SHOCKED THAT THEY JUST COULD NOT PUT SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE, AND THEY STILL ARE NOT ABLE TO DO IT. BUT THEN JESUS HIMSELF SAID HIS PEOPLE WOULD BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH [SPRINKLED HERE AND THERE] AND THE VERY VERY LITTLE FLOCK AS THE GREEK IS A DOUBLE DIMINUTIVE. AFTER 4 YEARS OF DEEP DEEP BIBLE STUDY AND READING WITH THE HELP OF STRONG'S CONCORDANCE OF THE KJV BIBLE, I UNDERSTOOD MORE OF TRUE BIBLE TRUTH THAN ALL THE PhD PEOPLE OF CATHOLICISM AND PROTESTANTISM. THE BIBLE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LET IT CORRECT YOU; YOU HAVE TO DO AS JESUS INSTRUCTED, HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS. |
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