Woody Posted February 16, 2008 Author Share Posted February 16, 2008 Neil ... I just provide the snippets. You will have to interpret. But, I don't consider you as one of the "stars". Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil D Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Neil ... I don't consider you as one of the "stars". Dang, there goes my meglomania ego, out the door.... Quote Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Yes, there are certainly clear indications in the NT that people would think there is a "delay." For instance, Jesus said people would say say, "My Lord delays His coming"(Matt. 24: 26), Jesus mentioned this idea of a delay again in Luke 12: 45. It appears from the NT that Christ's Second Coming would not happen as soon as the people living at that time believed. For instance, Paul evidently assumed for a while that he would be found among those alive at Christ's return. The concept of delay is also found in 2 Peter 3: 3-9 and Rev. 10: 6. So Jesus knew some people would "think" there was a delay, but He never said anything Himself about there being a delay. I can't think offhand if there was any time that Jesus referred to His 2nd coming as being "soon," either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 I guess I could always trust that HE knows best. I think that's all we can do. It IS hard sometimes. I've been having a difficult time the last couple of days with what is going on in The Congo. One estimate I saw was 7 million killed since 1994. Not to mention Darfur, Chad, Kenya, and so many other places. How much worse can it get?!!! But we know it will get a lot worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fccool Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 I don't think He is delaying His coming. To say that is to misunderstand that God knew what is going to happen before He even created the world. So He know when He is coming back, the exact day and minute and second. I don't think anything is delayed. Everything is on schedule and goes as planned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators John317 Posted February 17, 2008 Moderators Share Posted February 17, 2008 Originally Posted By: John317 Yes, there are certainly clear indications in the NT that people would think there is a "delay." For instance, Jesus said people would say say, "My Lord delays His coming"(Matt. 24: 26), Jesus mentioned this idea of a delay again in Luke 12: 45. It appears from the NT that Christ's Second Coming would not happen as soon as the people living at that time believed. For instance, Paul evidently assumed for a while that he would be found among those alive at Christ's return. The concept of delay is also found in 2 Peter 3: 3-9 and Rev. 10: 6. So Jesus knew some people would "think" there was a delay, but He never said anything Himself about there being a delay. From the human viewpoint, there has certainly appeared to be a delay in the Second Coming. But I believe that God, who knows the end from the beginning, has always known exactly when Christ will come. (One of my teachers, Dr. Richard Rice, working under the influence of Alfred North Whitehead and Wolfhart Pannenberg, both of whom taught "process theology," wrote a book entitled, The Openness of God. In it he makes the case that God does not necessarily know everything in detail about the future, including when the parousia will occur.) On the basis of SDA history and statements made by Ellen Whie, SDAs believe that Christ could have come about 1895. The reason Christ didn't come was because of the rebellion in rejecting the Message of 1888 (a message of righteousness by faith) that came through E. J. Waggoner and A. T. Jones. It is comparable to what happened after the exodus when the children of Israel could have gone straight into the Promised Land. That was God's plan for them. It was not God who caused that 40 year delay. In the same way, Christ could have come before, but He hasn't come because of the condition of the SDA church. 2 Peter 3: 12 seems to indicate that believers can "hasten" the coming of the day of God. God uses human instruments to bring about the end-time events, including the closing ones, leading up to the parousia. Quote: I can't think offhand if there was any time that Jesus referred to His 2nd coming as being "soon," either. Jesus said, "Surely I am coming quickly" (Rev. 22: 20). Jesus says He is coming soon, or quickly, in Rev. 3: 11; 22: 7, 12. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Regards, "John 3: 17" Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators John317 Posted February 17, 2008 Moderators Share Posted February 17, 2008 I don't think He is delaying His coming. To say that is to misunderstand that God knew what is going to happen before He even created the world. So He know when He is coming back, the exact day and minute and second. I don't think anything is delayed. Everything is on schedule and goes as planned. I believe the evidence shows that God is not waiting for a certain year or a particular hour. Rather He is waiting for a certain condition in the SDA church. For instance, Rev. 19: 7 says that Christ comes at a time when "His wife (the church) has made herself ready." There are other verses that speak to this. Consider the entrance of the Israelites into Palestine, which the Bible says was delayed because of lack of faith or obedience. They wandered for 40 years, not because of God's clock but because of their rebelliousness against God and against His prophet. They wished they could eat flesh instead of a vegetarian diet that God had lovingly provided; they rebelled against God's prophet; they tempted Christ; they refused to believe God's promise to defeat the giants; they yearned to return to Egypt; and at one point they went so far as to deny that it was God who had led them out of Egypt even though they saw all of God's miracles with their own eyes. Ellen White said that we are repeating much of the history of Israel. I have no doubt she's right. Regards, "John 3: 17" Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil D Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 So Jesus knew some people would "think" there was a delay, but He never said anything Himself about there being a delay. I can't think offhand if there was any time that Jesus referred to His 2nd coming as being "soon," either. And he said to me, " These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. "And behold, I am coming quickly Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. This is from Revelation 22...Does this give the impression of His "soon" return? I saw this yesterday and wanted to comment on it, but John got to it before I did... and I think that John is right about the church being as a wife who is prepared to meet her husband. And while the rebellion of Isreal and the 40 years of wondering is mentioned, I wonder what other types of rebellion we would update and currently see. Quote Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JeanMarie Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man Matthew 24:37 Are we yet in the "days of Noah"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted February 17, 2008 Author Share Posted February 17, 2008 I don't think He is delaying His coming. To say that is to misunderstand that God knew what is going to happen before He even created the world. So He know when He is coming back, the exact day and minute and second. I don't think anything is delayed. Everything is on schedule and goes as planned. Yep. And He predestinated that we all be saved despite all that is currently going on. He knew all this would happen. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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