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God and Adam looked exactly alike.
-- Kenneth Copeland, The Authority of the Believer IV; Tape #01-0304
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Prophecy: The Secular Web: The Lowdown on God's Showdown
Posted on Friday, June 24 @ 13:56:45 PDT by John |
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by Edward Babinski
Many evangelical Christians tremble with excitement at the thought that they are the "last generation" and "Jesus is due to return soon." Others are less excitable and propose that Jesus' "return" might still be far off. Neither view appears to be correct judging by the plain words of the New Testament - words that armies of theologians have spent centuries trying to divide up and "conquer," or in this case, "explain away." Let's examine some of those words to discover exactly what it is about them that requires mountains of ingenious explanations from Dispensationalists, Preterists, and other varieties of evangelical Christian apologists.
Naturally, each has its "explanations," mountains of them, so unfortunately this paper can only provide a peek at the critical verses themselves, the verses that need "explaining" in order to fit them into this or that apologetic scheme and make the Bible "true" in all things. We shall begin with a peek at verses in the final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, and then proceed backward in time to letters from the Apostles, and save for last the words allegedly spoken by Jesus.
Click here to read the entire article on the website infidels.org.
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Average Score: 5
Votes: 1
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Re: The Secular Web: The Lowdown on God's Showdown (Score: 1)
 by Duncan on Friday, June 24 @ 21:02:08 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hey Good stuff! I may borrow a quote or two to use in my book. These "infidels" are doing a great job of presenting a Biblical problem that preterists have the answer to.
Thanks guys!
Duncan |
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Re: Maybe One Day Atheists Will Help Shed Sanity on Christ's Prophecies (Score: 1)
 by chrisliv on Friday, June 24 @ 22:51:28 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Yeah,
It concludes similarly as C.S. Lewis and Bertrand Russell did, while only mentioning Preterists by name.
I just skimmed it, but the article didn't seem to actually consider the Preterist position at all. Maybe it's a good start for them to only ridicule Dispensationalism (like we Preterists do), as they begin to learn the Preterist position and hopefully go on to mention how it is a reasonable alternative that sheds sanity regarding Christ's prophecies.
Wouldn't that be something, for Atheists to promote Preterism over Dispensationalism in the mainstream media?
But, whether Atheist or Dispensationalist, by interpreting Christ's statements with a carnal mind, one will be led to an impression of failed prophecy, lunacy, or futuristic fantasy. And the article also began with a false premise of post-70 AD New Testament writings, which again, leads to an impression of false prophecy.
But, it's interesting how Atheists are far more honest and accurate, than are Dispensationalists, in their understanding that Jesus clearly stated how The Judgment, His Coming, and His Kingdom were to be a completed action within the lifetime of a certain percentage of some of those who heard him speak between 30-33 AD.
Atheists are right about Dispensational interpretations of the Bible: they imply that Christ was a false prophet.
It is only we Preterists who see how there was a perfect fulfillment of those things ending in the terrible Siege and Fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Peace to you all,
C. Livingstone |
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Re: The Secular Web: The Lowdown on God's Showdown (Score: 1)
by Duncan on Saturday, June 25 @ 08:43:52 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | I must say that brother Babinski did a fine job in his article. If I may, let me just add a little more on Revelation.
At the beginning of the book of Revelation John (c. AD 65) told his first century audience that the time was near for the fulfillment of the prophecies contained in the book. He said that Revelation was about the “things which must shortly take place” and that “the time is near.” Revelation 1:1, 3). Consistent with this, each of the seven churches of Revelation is told that the events associated with the Second Coming would happen to them, for good or ill. The church at Ephesus is told that if they did not repent that Jesus would come quickly and remove their lampstand (Rev. 2:5). The church at Symrana is told that it is about to experience tribulation, a reference to the soon coming great tribulation (cf. Rev. 3:10). The church at Pergamos is told that if they did not repent that Jesus would come quickly and fight against them with the sword of His mouth (Rev. 2:16). This is a reference to the Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21), where Jesus fights against His enemies with the sword that comes out of His mouth. The church of Thyatira is told to hold “fast what you have till I come,” another reference to the soon coming Second Coming. The church at Sardis is likewise told to hold fast and repent or Jesus would come upon them as a thief. This is a reference to Revelation 16:15, which is talking about the Second Coming (Behold I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garment, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. cf. Matt 24:42-44). The church at Philadelphia is told that Jesus is coming “quickly,” and if they remain faithful they will be kept from the hour of trial that was about to come on the world (Rev. 3:10). This is a reference to the great tribulation, which was to happen right before the Second Coming (cf. Rev. 7:9-17). The church at Laodicea is told that Jesus is standing at the door. This is often interpreted as the door of one’s heart but it is more likely the door of heaven (Rev. 4:1; cf. James 5:9) meaning that the Second Coming was about to happen (when you see all these things, know that it [or He] is near-at the doors! Matt. 24:33).
Consistent with the first century audience of Revelation being told that they will be around for the Second Coming, they are also told that with the correct knowledge they had the ability to calculate the number of the beast. This is a reference to the soon coming Antichrist, who was a first century figure (cf. 1 John 4:3), not someone who would come thousands of years in the future. That the beast was a contemporary of the first century recipients of Revelation is another indicator that the Second Coming was about to happen as the beast is defeated by the Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21; cf. Dan. 7:21-22). All that was standing between the seven churches and the soon coming Antichrist was the short reign of one ruler (Rev. 17:10-11). The beast was “about to come up out of the abyss” when Revelation was written (Rev. 17:8, NASB); the time truly was at hand.
Duncan
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- by Virgil on Saturday, June 25 @ 09:16:34 PDT
- by Duncan on Saturday, June 25 @ 09:39:45 PDT
- by Jamie on Saturday, June 25 @ 19:19:49 PDT
- by Duncan on Saturday, June 25 @ 21:07:10 PDT
- by Virgil on Saturday, June 25 @ 21:30:49 PDT
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