Please feel free to answer honestly because this is not meant to be a gotcha question:
Jesus said during his lifetime that he would be back soon, that he would return before the people to whom he was speaking had died. Christians have been certain since that time that they were witnessing the end times and that Jesus would be returning soon, definitely within their lifetime.
So my question is: Do you ever feel insecure or nervous our doubtful or fearful that Jesus should have returned by now if the prophecy were true? Does it seem to you based on your understanding of the Bible that Jesus should have returned already?
Are there ways that you justify the delay to yourself? Do you just throw up your hands and say " God works in mysterious ways" ?
He technically did return during John's life. He went to Patmos to give the Revelation. He even said, concerning John, "what is it to you if he should remain until I return?" John lived longer than any disciple and Jesus came to him on the island. It wasn't the final return but a return.
I asked an honest question in this thread. I asked if Christians ever feel nervous or insecure about the fact that these "latter days" have been going on for 2000 years. You decided instead that you wanted to talk about different ways in which you think the prophecy was maybe, possibly, metaphorically fulfilled. I did not find the apologetics compelling and made that clear.
Sorry if you feel that makes me an antagonist.
Do feel free to answer the original question. If not, take care and good evening.
@Pikachu I legitimately did answer the original question, or I thought I did. By brainstorming, I was trying to say "no I'm not bothered. I know God well enough to know that His words are always reliable, even when I don't understand them, or it seems like there is a flaw." I'm sorry if that wasn't clear.
And I'm sorry if I was rude. That's a real problem with me and I hate it. It sneaks up on me and I tend to feel really bad later.
It really does break my heart that you apparently don't believe in Jesus. I really hope I'm wrong in coming to that conclusion
Jesus won't return until a magic number of believers have been killed for their faith. He insists on it. So, if a church is packed with believers and a gunman walks in and starts shooting people, they should all stand up and say "shoot me!" They might be the magic number. Wouldn't that be fantastic?
@Diotrephes Yeah that's honestly not in the Bible. Not one verse supports people signing up to die. Better to die than deny Christ, yes, but no where are we instructed to straight up volunteer
Yeah that's honestly not in the Bible. Not one verse supports people signing up to die. Better to die than deny Christ, yes, but no where are we instructed to straight up volunteer
Have you forgotten all of the Christians who were killed in the Roman arenas? Then there are the Crusaders.
Remember, you can't get to heaven unless you are dead. Christanity is a death cult.
Revelation 6:9-11 (NKJV) = "9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed."
@Diotrephes That means He knows what's going to happen, not necessarily that He wants it to happen. God is patient and waits until His wrath can't be reasonably held back any longer. Until sin simply must be punished because it's too great. The Old Testament shows that, He would wait centuries to give the vilest of cultures time to repent. In this Revelation passage, God knows more of His people will be killed for their faith but He witholds punishment for the moment because of what I said above and probably for other reasons. Possibly the faith and courage of those martyred will inspire others to salvation. That doesn't mean God wants the death to happen and He'd certainly rather people simply believe in Him but, in an evil world, He often uses our free choices for good.
The Crusades and the Romans killing people were not of God. They were acting in very unbiblical ways.
No, we are not a death cult. Not at all. Notice we celebrate the Resurrection and mourn that the Cross was necessary
Well I’m not really a Christian, but I did go to catholic school. Was that quote about returning not in reference to the resurrection after crucifixion?
It doesn't really matter to which religious or cultural group he was speaking. He was speaking to living people and telling them that they would still be alive when he returned.
