THIS IS A GREAT VIDEO DISCUSSION ABOUT END TIMES EVENTS ~ Pastor Greg
Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship and Don Stewart of Calvary Chapel
have a very informative dialogue on End Times events. And they explain why this information is so very important for all of us to understand.
I found nowhere in this video that I would disagree with what is said. However there are three points in the discussion which could be misleading and should be clarified.
FIRST, when Don Stewart speaks of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, he seems to imply that this is two comings of Christ. Pastor Greg clarifies that a moment later, but some might not catch it. And, the reason I want to clarify this point is that this is an accusation made by many liberal Christians who do not view the Bible as the literal Written Word of God and by Christians who hold to a legalistic theology.
They say that we Pretribulation believers teach that there will be a Second and a Third Coming of Christ. Their justification for saying this is that they teach that a Pretribulation Rapture would have to be a second coming of Christ. And then there would be what we all call the true Second Coming, i.e., a second and third coming of Christ to earth.
That is not true. At the Rapture 1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells us that we "shall be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord IN THE AIR." Jesus Christ does not return to the earth at the Rapture, but will meet us in the air - somewhere above the earth. And, at this time only believers will see Him. This is what some will call the Secret Rapture, but it is not. For every believer who has ever been born will see Him and rejoice.
Yet, of the non-believers at His Second Coming, we are told in Revelation 1:7, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen." At the Rapture there will only be joy and rejoicing. At His Second Coming, there will be mourning.
Then, in Revelation 19 Christ will return to earth, His Second Coming, and we will be coming with Him to take part in His Millennial Reign on earth.
SECOND, in their discussion Pastor Greg and Don Stewart discuss the resurrection and Great White Throne Judgement of Revelation 20:11-15 - and I got the impression that they were saying that believers will be at that judgement. That cannot be true for several reasons.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 we read that all believers will be raptured into heaven, into our immortal bodies, to be with the Lord during the Tribulation. In our mortal bodies, we were accepted by God because we were covered by the righteousness of Christ. However, that will not work when we stand in His presence. We must stand in His presence covered by our own righteousness. How do we attain our own righteousness? We are given our own robes of righteousness at the Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat Judgment) as we enter into heaven, the realm of God.
We know that the church is the bride of Christ. And, in Revelation 19:6-9 we are told of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, when Christ will take His betrothed, His church, to be His Bride. But, the Bride of Christ cannot attend her own wedding to the Lamb unless she is dressed in a beautiful wedding dress. And, we are told in Revelation 19:8, "And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."
The Bride of Christ MUST be dressed in her wedding gown of fine linen - which is the righteous acts of the saints. This is why the Believers' Judgment MUST occur in heaven during the Tribulation. This is why the church has to be in heaven during the Tribulation. And this is why the church, all believers, will NOT be standing in judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment.
THIRD, in their dialogue, Don Stewart defines for us the meaning of Replacement Theology, a theology held by many Liberal and Reform churches and denominations - that the church has replaced Israel as the chosen people of God. According to their teachings, Israel was the "physical" chosen people of God and rejected Christ - so the church is now the "spiritual" chosen people of God, replacing Israel.
That cannot be for God made a covenant with Israel - and God does not break His covenants. I am sure that is also the way that Don Stewart, Pastor Greg, and all of Calvary Chapel believes - but Don did not make it really clear in this discussion.
So, with that said, I encourage all my Friends to watch this video for it is a good discussion of End Times events. If you were getting ready to take a long awaited and exciting trip - I am sure that you would do all you can to make sure you are well prepared for your trip. My Friends, at the Rapture we believers are going to be taking the most fantastic trip we could ever envision - into our heavenly home. So, you most definitely want to get all the information you can in preparation for this great move. That is why I offer this video for your viewing.
And, for my Friends who have not yet made a decision to be children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ - maybe knowing more about what is going to happen during that horrible seven years of the Tribulation - just might give you more reason to hurry up and make that eternal decision to follow Jesus Christ.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
I found nowhere in this video that I would disagree with what is said. However there are three points in the discussion which could be misleading and should be clarified.
FIRST, when Don Stewart speaks of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, he seems to imply that this is two comings of Christ. Pastor Greg clarifies that a moment later, but some might not catch it. And, the reason I want to clarify this point is that this is an accusation made by many liberal Christians who do not view the Bible as the literal Written Word of God and by Christians who hold to a legalistic theology.
They say that we Pretribulation believers teach that there will be a Second and a Third Coming of Christ. Their justification for saying this is that they teach that a Pretribulation Rapture would have to be a second coming of Christ. And then there would be what we all call the true Second Coming, i.e., a second and third coming of Christ to earth.
That is not true. At the Rapture 1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells us that we "shall be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord IN THE AIR." Jesus Christ does not return to the earth at the Rapture, but will meet us in the air - somewhere above the earth. And, at this time only believers will see Him. This is what some will call the Secret Rapture, but it is not. For every believer who has ever been born will see Him and rejoice.
Yet, of the non-believers at His Second Coming, we are told in Revelation 1:7, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen." At the Rapture there will only be joy and rejoicing. At His Second Coming, there will be mourning.
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 will by no means precede those who are asleep. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words."
Then, in Revelation 19 Christ will return to earth, His Second Coming, and we will be coming with Him to take part in His Millennial Reign on earth.
SECOND, in their discussion Pastor Greg and Don Stewart discuss the resurrection and Great White Throne Judgement of Revelation 20:11-15 - and I got the impression that they were saying that believers will be at that judgement. That cannot be true for several reasons.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 we read that all believers will be raptured into heaven, into our immortal bodies, to be with the Lord during the Tribulation. In our mortal bodies, we were accepted by God because we were covered by the righteousness of Christ. However, that will not work when we stand in His presence. We must stand in His presence covered by our own righteousness. How do we attain our own righteousness? We are given our own robes of righteousness at the Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat Judgment) as we enter into heaven, the realm of God.
We know that the church is the bride of Christ. And, in Revelation 19:6-9 we are told of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, when Christ will take His betrothed, His church, to be His Bride. But, the Bride of Christ cannot attend her own wedding to the Lamb unless she is dressed in a beautiful wedding dress. And, we are told in Revelation 19:8, "And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."
The Bride of Christ MUST be dressed in her wedding gown of fine linen - which is the righteous acts of the saints. This is why the Believers' Judgment MUST occur in heaven during the Tribulation. This is why the church has to be in heaven during the Tribulation. And this is why the church, all believers, will NOT be standing in judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment.
Revelation 19:7-9, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, 'Write: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!"?' And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.'"
THIRD, in their dialogue, Don Stewart defines for us the meaning of Replacement Theology, a theology held by many Liberal and Reform churches and denominations - that the church has replaced Israel as the chosen people of God. According to their teachings, Israel was the "physical" chosen people of God and rejected Christ - so the church is now the "spiritual" chosen people of God, replacing Israel.
That cannot be for God made a covenant with Israel - and God does not break His covenants. I am sure that is also the way that Don Stewart, Pastor Greg, and all of Calvary Chapel believes - but Don did not make it really clear in this discussion.
So, with that said, I encourage all my Friends to watch this video for it is a good discussion of End Times events. If you were getting ready to take a long awaited and exciting trip - I am sure that you would do all you can to make sure you are well prepared for your trip. My Friends, at the Rapture we believers are going to be taking the most fantastic trip we could ever envision - into our heavenly home. So, you most definitely want to get all the information you can in preparation for this great move. That is why I offer this video for your viewing.
And, for my Friends who have not yet made a decision to be children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ - maybe knowing more about what is going to happen during that horrible seven years of the Tribulation - just might give you more reason to hurry up and make that eternal decision to follow Jesus Christ.
Pastor Greg and Don Stewart Discuss End Times Events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HmGdDjgR7s
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment