The Frightening Rise Of Christian Persecution

Christians Around The World Are Being Shot,

 Burned, Hanged, Tortured, 

 Stuffed Into Metal Shipping Containers 

While we Christians in Canada are still free to assemble to practice our faith, many are being persecuted for accepting Jesus as their personal saviour.  It won't be long now that these phenomena will be at our doorstep…. enjoy your freedom while you can. 

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"Persecution is a test from God in order to separate the real Christians from others, it also makes Christians stronger. Look at other countries where there is no persecution; USA for example where people are free to worship. See what happen there? The Christian's faith has weaken there.. How it is in decline...  it is no so in China," Pastor Wong, Voice Of The Martyrs USA

There is a widely quoted statistic that more Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in the 19 centuries leading up to it. But as bad as the 20th century was, the 21st century is starting to make that look like a Sunday picnic. In every corner of the globe, Christians are being shot, burned, hanged, tortured and even stuffed into metal shipping containers. Christian clergy are being marked for assassination around the world, and hundreds of churches are being burned to the ground along with scores of homes and businesses owned by Christians. Dozens of nations across the globe have now passed strict anti-conversion laws in an attempt to stifle the spread of Christianity. In the countries where Christians are not yet facing physical persecution, they still must deal with open discrimination, lawsuits and increasing ridicule. Christianity is now the most hated and most persecuted religion on the planet. The reality is that the words that Jesus spoke in John 15:18 ring truer today than ever: "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."

Keep those words in mind as you read the following shocking reports of Christian persecution from all over the world...

China

Chinese authorities have conducted a crackdown on "illegal" Christian churches in recent months that church leaders are calling the harshest in years. Christians in China are required to worship in "churches" run by state-controlled organizations, and Christians who attempt to worship on their own are brutally persecuted.

Recently, hundreds of government police and hired thugs descended on a megachurch that served approximately 50,000 worshippers, smashing doors and windows, seizing Bibles and sending dozens of worshippers to hospitals with serious injuries. The co-pastors of the church are in prison and police vehicles remain parked on virtually every corner of the neighbourhood where the church is located. Scenes such as this are regularly being repeated all over China as the Communist government seeks to eliminate all religion that is not government-sanctioned.

Eritrea

In a story that recently made headlines all over the world, thirty elderly women in Eritrea were arrested for simply praying together. But the truth is that this is just the latest episode in the ongoing persecution of Christians that is beyond brutal.

The Pakistan Christian TV website recently described the horrific persecution of Christians in Eritrea this way...

Today some 3,000 Eritrean Christians are imprisoned for their faith. Some are in underground and solitary cells whilst some are in 'secret' prisons for the 'disappeared'. However, most are herded into unventilated shipping containers in the desert where dysentery and infectious diseases go untreated. Torture is routine.

The truth is that these unventilated shipping containers are extremely uncomfortable. The temperatures in these metal shipping containers can reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and in many instances, Christians are not even let out of them to use the bathroom.

Assassinations Of Clergy

Increasingly, Christian clergies are being targeted for assassination all over the world. The following are just a few of the recent examples...

*A Russian priest who had been highly critical of Islam has been assassinated inside his own church.

*Leftist guerrillas in Colombia brutally executed a Christian pastor just outside his own home.

*Two masked members of the al-Shabaab Muslim militia shot and killed a Christian pastor in Somalia as he drove home from a worship service.

India

The persecution of Christians in India is getting so bad that India actually made International Christian Concern's Hall of Shame.

According to the ICC, 2008 was particularly bad, with "wave after wave of highly coordinated Hindu raids" that resulted in "the worst outbreak of anti-Christian violence in its recent history."

The statistics that the ICC quotes regarding the outbreak of persecution in India are sobering...

"In all, more than 100 Christians are confirmed dead, 4,000 homes have burned down, and over 50,000 Christians have fled their homes."

The following is just one example of what is going on in India. This story was originally posted by The Voice of the Martyrs...

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On April 25, Pastor Mohan Babu and two other believers were severely beaten by 35 Hindu extremists for holding a Vacation Bible School (VBS) near Bangalore City, in Karnataka State. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in India, the three-day VBS was organized by Ragigudda Baptist Church. VOM sources said, "Around 60 children from different backgrounds were attending the VBS. As they were worshiping, about 35 people belonging to a Hindu extremist group forcefully entered the hut chanting slogans and demolished the hut. The extremists mercilessly beat Mohan, Samuel and Krishna, alleging forceful conversion. The perpetrators chased the children without any courtesy and tore the Bibles. Mohan was severely injured on his lips and was profusely bleeding. The believers are living in fear and did not lodge a complaint with the police."

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Egypt

Hundreds of Muslim villagers in southern Egypt recently burned and looted scores of Christian-owned shops. Christians in Egypt live in a constant state of fear and thousands are being forced to relocate. In fact, the forced deportation of Egyptian Christians from their homes by the government to "protect" them is rapidly increasing.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, of course, strictly forbids the conversion of any Muslim to Christianity. The penalty for conversion is death. Back in 2008, The daughter of a man who works for Saudi Arabia's religious police became a Christian after she joined an Internet chat group. He responded by cutting out her tongue and burning her to death.

The United Kingdom and Europe

All across Europe, "anti-proselytizing" laws are being passed. Not only that but other laws are being adopted that force Christians to deny their beliefs. For example, the U.K. government is being forced by the European Commission to eliminate exemptions that allow churches to refuse to employ homosexual staff.

North Korea

North Korea is one of the most brutally repressive governments in the history of mankind. Tonight more than 200,000 Christians will try to stay warm in horrific North Korean labour camps.

Christians there are considered little more than dogs as the following story from The Voice Of The Martyrs illustrates.....

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The young brown-eyed girl looked up at her mother. What would she decide?

Earlier that morning, the young girl's mother, their pastor, and twenty-six others in her North Korean village of GokSan were bound and taken before a screaming crowd of Communists.

One of the guards ordered Pastor Kim and the other Christians, "Deny Christ, or you will die." The words chilled her. How could they ask her to deny Jesus? She knew in her heart he was real. They all quietly refused.

Then the Communist guard shouted directly at the adult Christians, "Deny Christ, or we will hang your children." The young girl looked up at her mother. She gripped her and knowing how much her mom loved her. her mother then leaned down. With confidence and peace she whispered, "Today, my love, I will see you in heaven."

All of the children were hanged.

The remaining believers were then brought out onto the pavement and forced to lie down in front of a huge steamroller. The Communists gave them one last chance. "Deny this Jesus or you will be crushed." The Christians had already given up their children; there was no turning back.

As the driver started the heavy piece of equipment, the singing from the villagers started softly. "More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee."

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United States

Even with everything that has happened, the United States still offers Christians more freedom than virtually anywhere else on earth. But that is quickly changing as well. Christians in the U.S. just do not have the same level of freedom that they used to experience.

For example, school teachers in Florida say that they are being forced to hide in closets to pray after a controversial court ruling. All expressions of Christian faith are being ruthlessly pushed out of the public sphere by very powerful interest groups.

Calls for government repression of Christianity in the United States have grown louder than ever before. The Huffington Post even published a deeply disturbing article that calls evangelical Christianity the number one source of domestic terrorism in the United States and that calls on the Secret Service and the FBI to investigate and "infiltrate" pro-life and evangelical Christian groups.

Not only that, but many of the hottest bestselling books in recent years have publicly mocked Christianity...

Just consider the titles of a few recent New York Times bestsellers.....

*"God is Not Great: Why Religion Poisons Everything" by journalist Christopher Hitchens.

*"The End of Faith" by atheist author Sam Harris.

*"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.

But this anti-Christian sentiment is just not held by a few elitists. The reality is that it has spread to much of the general population.

For example, the following are the titles of just a few anti-Christian threads on one of the most popular political discussion forums on the Internet...

"Dirty, Filthy, Christians": Treatise On The Most Dangerous Death Cult In Human History

How can we destroy Christians?

Christians should not participate in politics

Why Christians are so ******* lame...

Attention Heterosexuals! Repent! Jesus Can Finally Make You Gay!

Christian are sub-humans

The truth is that hatred for Christians and Christianity is rapidly increasing.

Jesus warned us that these days would come.

In Matthew 24:9, Jesus told us how the world will treat Christians in the end times....

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."

WARNING ( Some of the clips are extremely graphic in nature and children should not watch) 

The times ahead of us are not referred to as "the Tribulation" for nothing. It will be an absolute bloodbath for Christians. The entire world system will be geared towards eliminating all traces of the true Christian faith. Members of the same family will even betray one another to the authorities.

The truth is that things are not going to get any easier for Christians from here on out.    Someday soon there will be no place to hide from Christian persecution.

When that day arrives, what will you do?

Christian Persecution : Martyr Killings of Christians doubles worldwide in 2013 (Jan 11, 2014)

‘They Are Slaughtering Us Like Chickens’: Muslim Persecution of Christians, December 2013

Are you supporting a Palestinian State? The Error of Replacement Theology

Many Christian denominations are Signatories of An Evangelical Statement on Israel/Palestine. Part of the statement declaration is; "We also resolve to work for a viable permanent, democratic Palestinian State with a flourishing economy that offers economic opportunity to all its people. We believe that the way forward is for the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution."

I am a born-again Christian, Bible believer Christians, non-denominational, believing that Christ is the head of the church (His Body) with my citizenship in heaven awaiting His return for His bribe (at the rapture) while He judges the nations of this world and purifies of His people Israel, then to reign here on earth with Israel for a thousand years. Until then, I am to represent Him as the salt of the earth, a light to this world and a witness of the Kingdom of God to all nations.

 "Replacement Theology" is the greatest error that is taught by many Christian denominations. The greatest effect of this teaching is a total ignorance of God's prophetic plan for the Church, Israel as a nation and for all gentile nations.

It is God's plan to re-establish the Nation of Israel to prove to the gentile nations that He is preparing the return of His Son Jesus Christ who will reign with His chosen people Israel.  It is a witness to the world that it is "Time Out". Satan will do anything to interfere with God's plan. The establishment of a Palestinian State is part of it.

I have in the past tried to raise awareness of this error so that many may seriously look at it and pass it on the your leadership so that they too could teach the truth to all members of their congregations worldwide. So what will it take to accept this warning seriously?

The next important advent is the sudden disappearance of hundreds of thousands of people and children. This event is known as the Rapture. Israel will be attacked by an overwhelming war machine composed of Arab nations led by Russia. The Western world will stand still totally indifferent as it was in all previous conflicts in the past where Israel against all odds survived all her enemy's attacks. But this time, this war machine is so great and unexpected that Israel has no chance. God Himself will intervene. All gentile nations will realize that something supernatural has happened. Many Israelis will finally recognize that it is Jesus, the one that they had crucified who intervened. But this is only the beginning. A man of peace will introduce himself to confirm a 7-year peace plan. The Temple will be rebuilt….and you know the rest.

Exert from The Error of Replacement Theology by Clarence H. Wagner, Jr.

What Happens When the Church Replaces Israel?

1) The Church becomes arrogant and self-centred.
2) It boasts against the Jews and Israel.
3) It devalues the role of Israel or has no role for Israel at all.
4) These attitudes result in anti-Semitism in word and deed.
5) Without a place for Israel and the Jewish people today, you cannot explain the Bible prophecies, especially the very specific ones being fulfilled in Israel today.
6) Many New Testament passages do not make sense when the Jewish people are replaced by the Church.
7) You can lose the significance of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, for today. Many Christians boast of being a New Testament (NT) Christian or a NT Church as in the Book of Acts. However, the Bible of the early Church was not the New Testament, which did not get codified until the 4th century, but rather the Hebrew Scriptures.
8) You can lose the Hebraic/Judaic contextualization of the New Testament, which teaches us more about Yeshua and how to become better disciples.
9) The Church loses out on the opportunity to participate in God's plan and prophecy for the Church, Israel and the world today.

What Happens When the Church Relates to Israel?

1) The Church takes its proper role in God's redemptive plan for the world, appreciating God's ongoing covenant relationship and love for Israel and the Jewish people.
2) We can see the consistency of God's redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation as an ongoing complementary process, not as disconnected snapshots.
3) We show love and honour for God's covenant people, not contempt.
4) We value the Old and New Testaments as equally inspired and significant for the Church today.
5) Bible prophecy makes sense for today and offers opportunities for involvement in God's plan for Israel.
6) We become better disciples of Yeshua as we are able to appreciate the Hebraic/Judaic roots that fill in the definitions, concepts, words and events in the New Testament that are otherwise obscured. Why? Many were not explained by the Jewish writers of the New Testament, because they did not feel the need to fill in all the details that were already explained in the Old Testament.
Ref: The Importance of Jerusalem by Derek Prince.

Let me briefly sum up my conclusion. In the eternal counsel of God, He has determined to make Jerusalem the decisive issue by which He will deal with the nations. Those nations who align themselves with God's purposes for Jerusalem will receive His blessing. But those who follow a policy in opposition to God's purposes will be severely dealt with. Commit yourself to pray that divine wisdom, discernment and understanding would be the portion of all who hold positions of influence over matters in the Middle East.

God's Word Of Warning To All Nations

"I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  (Genesis 12:3)
Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.  (Isaiah 34: 1, 2, 8)
For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.  (Isaiah 60:12)
A Song of Ascents. "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth," let Israel now say-- "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long." The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms. Neither let those who pass by them say, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord!"  (Psalm 129)
'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the Lord, 'nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you,' says the Lord, 'to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished.'  (Jeremiah 30:10-11)
In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."  (Zechariah 12:8-10)

Sharing the Word of God

That is what pleases God

Something wonderful is taking place in my little town of Glovertown, NL. A small group of Christians have started to gather each Wednesday evening for Bible study.  Not any kind of bible study, but one in the word of God takes precedence. A small group who recognize that Jesus is the head and has power and authority over the participant.  Jesus is center stage. 

Last winter I visited a small community for fellowship and praising God by singing hymn songs.  It took place in a small church.  It is a building, in which two different denominations are shared.  At one extremity, there is the podium of one denomination and at the other extremity the podium of the other.  In between, there are the pews. The pew's back support swivels in a manner that it allows inclining in one direction to another without moving the pews.  Some commented how genius that the two different denominations came up with this solution to share the cost of administering the expense of the building.  I commented, "Wouldn't it be better if the pews were all positioned in a circle so that Jesus could be in the centre?"

It is a blessing to be part of the Body of Christ; it is a greater blessing to be among those who agree and partake in searching for a greater understanding and knowledge of God. I have a long desire to be united with such a group. Although we are on a different level of understanding, I feel the Spirit of God is among the participants who desire to grow in the knowledge of God.

 "Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding".  Proverbs 3:13

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law". Deut 29:29

"At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes". Matt 11:25  Boy I'm glad to be a babe.

"the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints."  Col 1:26

Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. Pro 8:24.  

Praying to Dead Saints or love one

Do you know where you stand on the subject of speaking to the dead?

"Some 'Christian' denominations teach that you can pray to your loved ones or to saints who have died and that they will hear you. Hmm, do they really? You may argue that you do not pray to them but talk to them only, so what is wrong with that?

A young man with a deep problem went to consult a pastor for support and guidance. Unsatisfied with the result, he left to visit his father's grave and spoke to him. A few days later, his problem was resolved, and everything turned out well. On all saint days, in his message, the pasture explained that there was nothing wrong with that. But what does the bible have to say about speaking to the dead loved one?

This usually happens when someone teaches the tradition of man instead of the doctrine of God. "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ," Colossians 2:8.

Deuteronomy 18:10-11 teaches us to avoid the medium and consult the dead. "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritism, or one who calls up the dead."

Now, you may retort by saying that this young man was not consulting a medium that he was talking to his deceased dad and that it only shows how much he misses his dad. You would tell me, "What right do I have to judge him, and that I should not leave him alone?" It is his grief and his problem.

Have you ever experienced talking to a friend on a cell phone only to find out that the signal was cut off, and you only noticed it a few minutes later? All that time, you were talking to nobody. This is what happens when you talk to the dead; no one is listening. That is explained in Ecclesiastes 9:5: "For the living know that they will die, But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten."

What proof do I have that the dead cannot help or communicate with us? If you are not a Christian, outside of the word of God, I have no proof to argue the contrary, but I have a few arguments for a Christian who talks to decease.

What would be the purpose of a Christ resurrection? So, Christian did ask that question in 1 Corinthians 15:12: "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" Please read the following commentary titled "The Resurrection Gospel."

There is a resurrection, and this is the sequence of how it will happen. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

Source

You may argue that while they await the resurrection, nothing stops them from helping their close one who is still alive, and you may argue that the dead saint intervenes on our behalf; after all, they are closer to God than us. By saying this, you are showing your doubt about the presence of Jesus in your life. He is never too busy and tired to listen to and help you. Jesus continually invites us to rest in Him. It pleases Him that you trust Him and that you wait for Him.

Being saved by believing in Jesus does give us eternal life, yet the dead who are waiting for the resurrection have no power and no authority to help anyone.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  As Christians, are we not called to trust in Him for all our needs?   We are invited to be in fellowship with Him and the Father. That is the reason Jesus died for us: to close the gap ( caused by sin) that was separating us.

Jesus instructs us to avoid those who intervene on our behalf and those who encourage doing so. Leviticus 19:31: "Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." God considers adultery those who talk to the dead." Leviticus 20:6  "And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."

Source

Jesus does not want you to be deceived by the false spirit as Saul has been.  Saul sought advice for a coming battle against his enemies. 1 Samuel 28:7  "Then Saul said to his servants, find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.  And his servants said to him, in fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor."

Now again, you will argue that this young man who spoke to his deceased father got his prayer answered since his entire problem went away.  That is proof that his dad heard him. This is the greatest deception. He was drawn away from God instead of being drawn closer to God.  Satan causes this deception. That is Satan's device. He wants to make a man turn away from God. Isaiah 8:19  "And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?"

This man first sought advice from his pastor, and since the answer of his pastor was unsatisfactory, he went to his deceased father's grave. Satan accomplishes his goal by taking away the problem that he had caused in the first place. This man is not any closer to God and to salvation.

Jesus describes Satan in this manner: John 8:44: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."  Revelation 12:9: "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

Do not talk to the dead, even the loved ones that you miss. Tell the Father in Heaven that you miss them. Follow the real example of all the saints who were waiting for our blessed hope, the rapture; they trusted Jesus and prayed to the Father only. By the way, whoever believes in the One that God had sent is also considered a saint. God justified you.  He makes you righteous in His presence; you are, therefore, a saint.

Make the right choice. 

"And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people,"

Leviticus 20:6

But instead, 

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need," Hebrews 4:16.

I used to believe that the dead were not going to heaven and were waiting for the resurrection when Jesus returned for them and for the Church at an event called the rapture. Not anymore.  The soul goes to heaven and then waits for the event called the rapture. This video explains how that's possible. 

Where Did Jesus Go for Three Days and Three Nights after He was Crucified - by Hank Lindstrom

Time to make one Decision

Decision

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6–7

The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

There is a time in life when we get tired of trying to live by faith. It takes effort to put our best foot forward…to act as we believe. Yet, it torments me not being able to please God by just trusting Him. Read PS 78. It shows the example of Israel's lack of faith in the One that kept on showing His presence by all sorts of miracles and interventions.

I want to please my Lord, My God, and make Him happy by trusting Him

I trust Him and that is my decision. Make it yours also.

Christ Return Very Soon

The undisputed return of Jesus is the next prophetic advent…..soon as IMMINENT!

As we understand the law of physics and we would see a heavy mass hanging by a fine thread over our head, we would conclude that the mass is ready to fall at any moment.  When we see a heavy mass hanging by a steel cable, we conclude that it would take some time before it falls. It will take some changes in the mass or in the wear of the cable before we can conclude that it will fall at any time.

If we know, how to discern the sign of time we can, therefore, predict the soon return of Jesus, not His return but the state of its imminency, or condition nearby pertaining to the event of His return. The study of bible prophecy should be considered a science of discerning the sign of His instant return and not the time of His return.

Many students of bible prophecy including myself concluded that we are living in the immediate return of Our Lord. The establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 seems to be the final event before His return predicted in Ezekiel (which is the rapture for the church and judgement to all nations).  His return is hanging by a thread.

Imminency and the Any-Moment Rapture 

By Dr. Thomas Ice - www.pre-trib.org

We believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ could come in the clouds at any moment and take His church to be with Him to His Father's house (John 14:1-3). What a great hope, that while you are reading this article, our Lord could return and rapture His church. We have come to call this any-moment hope of the rapture an imminent event.

The English word "imminent" (of Latin derivation) can be used in many ways, it is used to note the New Testament teaching that Christ could return and rapture His church at any moment, without prior signs or warning. Use of the term "imminency" entered the lexicon of American Evangelicalism around the end of the last century in contrast to the dominant, but waning, postmillennialism which taught that Christ's coming was not imminent. Postmillennialism held that Christ's return must first await the Christianization of the world by the Church. By the 1930s, it was common to pack into one theological expression - imminency - all of the many New Testament ways in which Christ's coming for His Church is said to be possible at any moment. Thus, imminency and the any-moment return of Christ became synonyms for the pretribulation rapture of the church.

In fact, imminency is such a powerful argument for pretribulationism that it is one of the most frequent and fiercely attacked doctrines by our opponents. Non-pretribulationists sense that if the New Testament teaches imminency, then pretribulationism is virtually assured.

Definition of Imminency

What is the biblical definition of imminency? Four important elements contribute to a pretribulation understanding of imminency. 

First, imminency means that the rapture could take place at any moment. While other events may take place before the rapture, no event must precede it. If prior events are required before the rapture, then the rapture could not be described as imminent. Thus, if any event were required to occur before the rapture, then the concept of imminency would be destroyed.

Second, since the rapture is imminent and could happen at any moment, then it follows that one must be prepared for it to occur at any time, without sign or warning.

Third, imminency eliminates any attempt at date setting. Date setting is impossible since the rapture is signless (i.e., providing no basis for date setting) and if imminency is really true, the moment a date was fixed then Christ could not come at any moment, destroying imminency. Fourth, Renald Showers says, "A person cannot legitimately say that an imminent event will happen soon. The term 'soon' implies that an event must take place 'within a short time (after a particular point of time specified or implied).' By contrast, an imminent event may take place within a short time, but it does not have to do so in order to be imminent. As I hope you can see by now, "imminent" is not equal to 'soon.'" [1] A. T. Pierson has noted that "Imminence is the combination of two conditions, viz.,: certainty and uncertainty. By an imminent event, we mean one which is certain to occur at some time, uncertain at what time." [2]

Imminency in the New Testament

The fact that Christ could return, but may not soon, at any moment, yet without the necessity of signs preceding His return, requires the kind of imminence taught by pretribulationism.

What New Testament passages teach this truth? Those verses stated that Christ could return at any moment, without warning and instructing believers to wait and look for the Lord's coming to teach the doctrine of imminence. Note the following New Testament passages:

• 1 Corinthians 1:7 - "awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
• 1 Corinthians 16:22 - "Maranatha."
• Philippians 3:20 - "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;"    Philippians 4:5 - "The Lord is near."
• 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - "to wait for His Son from heaven,"
• 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 - "For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6 - "so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober."
• 1 Timothy 6:14 - "that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
• Titus 2:13 - "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;"
• Hebrews 9:28 - "so Christ . . . shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."
• James 5:7-9 - "Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. . . . for the coming of the Lord is at hand. . . . behold, the Judge is standing right at the door."
• 1 Peter 1:13 - "fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
• Jude 21 - "waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
• Revelation 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20 - "'I am coming quickly!'"
• Revelation 22:17, 20 - "And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.'" ..."He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

It is significant that all of the above passages relate to the rapture and speak of the Lord's coming as something that could occur at any moment, that it is imminent. This is why believers are waiting for a person - Jesus Christ - not just an event or series of events such as those related to the tribulation leading up to Christ's second advent in which He returns to the earth and remains for His millennial reign.

Imminence and Pretribulationism

Contemplation of the above passages indicates that Christ may come at any moment so that the rapture is actually imminent. Only pretribulationism can give a full, literal meaning to such an any-moment event. Other rapture views must redefine imminence more loosely than the New Testament would allow. Dr. Walvoord declares, "The exhortation to look for 'the glorious appearing' of Christ to His own (Titus 2:13) loses its significance if the Tribulation must intervene first. Believers in that case should look for signs." [3] If the pretribulation view of imminence is not accepted, then it would make sense to look for signs related to events of the tribulation (i.e., the anti-Christ, the two witnesses, etc.) and not for Christ Himself. But the New Testament, as demonstrated above, uniformly instructs the church to look for the coming of Christ, while tribulation saints are told to look for signs.

The New Testament exhortation to be comforted by the Lord's coming (John 14:1; 1 Thess. 4:18) would no longer have meaning if believers first had to pass through any part of the tribulation. Instead, comfort would have to await passage through the events of the tribulation. No, the church has been given a "Blessed Hope," in part, because our Lord's return is truly imminent.

Maranatha!

The early church had a special greeting for one another, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 16:22, which was "Maranatha!" Maranatha consists of three Aramaic words: "Mar" ("Lord"), "ana" ("our"), and "tha" ("come"), meaning "our Lord, come." As with other New Testament passages, Maranatha only makes sense if an any-moment or imminent coming is understood. Such an understanding supports the pretribulationism.

No wonder these ancient Christians coined such a unique greeting which reflects an eager expectation of the Blessed Hope as a very real presence in their everyday lives providing a motivation for godly living, evangelism, and worldwide evangelism. The life of the church today could only be improved if "Maranatha" were to return as a sincere greeting on the lips of an expectant people. Maranatha!

Endnotes

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[1] Renald Showers, Maranatha Our Lord, Come! A Definitive Study of the Rapture of the Church (Bellmawr, N.J.: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1995), pp. 127-28.

[2] Arthur T. Pierson, Our Lord's Second Coming as a Motive to World-Wide Evangelism (published by John Wanamaker, n.d., cited in Showers, Maranatha, p. 127.

[3] John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), p. 273.

Atheist asks me why God allow suffering

Atheist asks me why God allow suffering?

Why ask me…Ask God…oh ya, you don't believe in a living God. So the question you should ask is "Why does man allow suffering?" Why blame someone that doesn't exist?

God gave the most precious gift…..free choice.  Yet choices (good or bad) have consequences. Are you mature enough to accept the consequences?  Do you want God to take away only the bad ones?

He gave everyone that unique gift.  Yet, many have taken away that gift from someone. You see it from the government to within a marriage relationship.  Are you a control freak?… then you have taken away that gift from someone.

He gave Adam free choice.  You may contest that Adam has nothing to do with your choice.  But, what about you?  What about now?  Is it your way or God's way?  You have today the same choice Adam had.

But you contest…I'm not a killer, I harm no one.  Why God does not stop those who commit atrocities?  Killing is only one commandment. To whose standard should God use to intervene in the affair of man?  Yours?

You contest again by stating that no one is perfect and no one can keep the commandments.  You are right.  That is why, by one man (Adam) all have sin, by one man (Jesus) we can all be saved.  God has sent His Son to pay for the penalty of all sins so that whoever believed in Him may have eternal life.  (Save by grace not by work). That simple.

To believe….that is your choice.  Chose life.