Answers to your questions about life, religion and the Bible
Are we in the end times?
Dear Father Paul: A lot of my Christian friends are really into Biblical “End Times” prophesy. Are we in the End Times? What does the Bible say?”
— Jerome.
Dear Jerome: Thank you for your question. It is particularly timely considering the evil, death and destruction that all of us can see happening in the world on our own TVs., newspapers or the internet on a daily basis. Someone said recently, “I thought a few short years ago that things couldn’t possibly get any worse, but they have! What in God’s name is going on?”
The Bible has the answer(s) for anyone who will read it. First, the Bible teaches that God, indeed, has a plan for planet earth. So nothing takes him by surprise. Second, God’s plan for planet earth and man (simplified) has just three parts: the Beginning Times, the Middle Times, and the End Times.
The Beginning Times included God’s creation of the earth and of man and woman and his gift of a free choice between eternal life by loving and obeying God or eternal death by sinning against God. In the Garden of Eden, we know from the Bible, that man and woman sinned and chose death instead of life. Ever since then we have all lived on a fallen planet subject to suffering, tears, pain, wars, evil and death.
The Middle Times presented God’s loving provision by which the sins of mankind could be forgiven and cancelled through man’s repentance, faith in his son Jesus, and obedience to God. This could result in a new beginning in the relationship between mankind and God. During this time God sent numerous prophets, messengers and finally his own son, Jesus, to reveal all this to men and women. At the close of these Middle Times, Jesus freely and willingly went to his death on a cross taking upon himself the punishment for sin due and payable by every single human being.
The End Times began with the resurrection of Jesus signifying that the penalty he had paid was acceptable to God. Today, because of Jesus, mankind has a second chance to make a choice. Choose God and Jesus and receive eternal life … or fail to choose God and Jesus and thus choose eternal and everlasting death. The exciting news: Jesus promised his followers, both before his crucifixion, and again after his resurrection that he would someday return to the earth to gather all of those who had chosen rightly, both those living at the time he would return and those who had died. He instructed his followers to watch expectantly for his return, and, although they would not know the exact year, month or day, there would be easily recognizable “signs’ that his return was near. These signs, some given by Jesus himself, are recorded in the four Gospels. Additional “signs” are given by the authors of other books in the New Testament.
So what does the Bible say about the End Times?
Jesus says in Matthew 24 (New Living Translation) “Many (in the End Times) will come in my name, claiming ‘I am the Messiah,’ (false religions).They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. Then you (my followers) will be arrested persecuted and killed (beheadings). You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. Sin will be rampant everywhere.”
The Apostle Paul says in II Timothy 3 and 4 (New Living Translation) “… in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will have no self control. People will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. (Instead) they will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth.”
Sound like today? There are dozens more End Time scriptures. The truth is that Jesus Christ could easily return to the earth today, tomorrow, or next week. I believe his return is immanent. The time to get ready is now!
Do you have a question? Email it to me at paulmassey@earthlink.net
Father Paul Massey is pastor emeritus at Church of the Holy Cross Charismatic Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. Check out www.holycrosschurch.wordpress,com for more information, service times and recordings of Sunday services.
