If you look closely you’ll notice that the Church has a black eye. She’s had it for a long time. And, just when it seems like it’s going to heal, along comes another blow that brightens the bruise.
The bruise that threatens to mar the reputation of the Church is the often-cited claim that Jesus is going to return very soon. This claim has been repeated many, many times over the course of church history, yet it has not come true. Jesus has not returned in spite of the many claims that He is poised to come back to the earth in final judgment.
I recall first hearing a lot of talk about the imminent return of Jesus back in the 70s. Everyone felt it was coming soon. Preachers preached it and teachers taught it. Some Christians even began to pick dates. I remember hearing that 1981 was the year Jesus was returning. Then, it was moved to 1988. Most recently, the late Harold Camping predicted that we would see Jesus returning on May 21, 2011. When Jesus failed to make an appearance, Camping did some recalculations and adjusted his date to Oct 21, 2011. That date came and went with no Jesus.
In my opinion, one of the reasons people continue to claim that the return of Jesus is very soon is because it has seemed to work well as a preaching tool. If a preacher can convince his audience that Jesus is about to reappear, then he might easily convince them to repent and become Christians. The obvious problem, however, is that many of these people aren’t really becoming Christians; they’re just buying “fire insurance.” When Jesus does not return soon, some of them fall away. (Click here to read an interesting testimony of someone who fell away because Jesus didn’t return as he was told).
Another reason why many are convinced Jesus is about to reappear is based on our egocentric natures. We tend to see ourselves at the center of life. Therefore, Jesus will most certainly come during “my” lifetime, so “I” can see it. It is about “me,” after all.
A third reason why we hear the claim made so often is because people tend to interpret the Bible by what they hear in the news. As soon as they hear about an earthquake or other major disaster, they immediately assume that the end is here. That’s not the way the Bible is to be read.
Let’s just stop it, okay? Let’s stop telling people that Jesus’ return is very soon when in reality we have no idea when it will be. Let’s stop giving people reasons to believe that the Church is disingenuous.
Let me be clear; I believe that Jesus will one day return to the earth. It might be soon, or it might be after another 2,000 years. I have no idea when this will happen. Neither does anyone else. So, rather than try to frighten people into becoming Christians with the threat that the end might be near, let’s try to woo them to God with the love of Jesus.
peace,
dane
A Bible teacher I know says that Jesus could be coming for any one of us at any time. Like the parable of the rich man who build bigger barns. “You fool” Tonight your soul shall be required of you”.
But on the other hand there are signs that this time His return could indeed be sooner than we may think. While Jesus warned us against date setting He also rebuked the religious leaders for not observing the signs of the times. And there ARE signs in these days that suggest the time could well be near. Probably not today or tomorrow or even next week month or even year, but I would be surprised if it is not in the lifetimes of most of us (assuming we live out a normal span) but things are beginning to come together and even to escalate.
The Bible gives the analogy of childbirth. Late in pregnancy there may be there are odd pains or even an episode(s) of false labour which can be mistaken for the real thing. But once real labour begins the pains gradually become more and more intense and closer together. There may be long or short intervals of respite before it begins again worse than before. There are distinct stages of labour too, but when the final stage begins you know the birth won’t be long. But how long is “Long”? Ten minutes? An hour? A few hours? So long that a Caesarian is needed to save both mother and baby? (as in Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20).
Wars, famines, earthquakes etc are not the main signs, though they will get worse. One major sign was the return of Israel to their land. another one is increasing deception, even among “The elect”, and escalating apostasy (KJV, “Falling away” – 2 Thessalonians 2). The final one it seems is not war or famine but peace and prosperity (1 Thessalonians 5:3) under an apparently benevolent dictator.
As Jesus himself said “Watch, for you do not know the day nor the hour”