I have a question about the end times.  I have been looking online, and I get a ton of websites or even videos that talk about what the Bible says are the end warning signs.  Most websites and videos agree that the end is very close.  Do you agree with this?  I know that no man will know the exact time, but I guess we could know about when if the signs are met.  I think that the world is getting so bad and that the end would have to be getting close, but I could be wrong. However, I do see the world getting worse and not better...and it scares me...

 

Sincerely,
Forecast: Unknown

Dear Forecast: Unknown,

There are a great many people – as you have noticed – with many opinions about when the world will end, but the truth is nobody knows because God doesn’t say.  God told the Thessalonians that the end would come “like a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:2).  If anything, the one thing you can count on is that it won’t be when people say it is.  In truth, a christian shouldn’t worry about when the end will come… we should live every day like the end could be today.

Paul told the Thessalonians (who were quite fixated with the return of Christ) that they should live every day soberly, as if any day might be the day (1 Thess 5:4-6).

People have been using details from the book of Revelation to “predict” the end of time for centuries.  Unfortunately, the book of Revelation has nothing to do with the end of time.  Revelation is a book dedicated to what would “shortly come to pass” (Rev 1:1).  Specifically, Revelation dealt with the coming persecution that the church of the first century was about to face.  It is a figurative and symbolic book (Rev 1:1 – notice the word ‘signified’, that means ‘symbolic’) that God used to prepare those saints for the trials they had ahead of them (see our post “Left Behind” for more details).  Beware of anyone that uses the book of Revelation to “forecast” the end of time – they are using the book out of context.

The other thing that we must be aware of is that every generation and every individual (us here at AYP included) is convinced that things are getting worse.  Every generation has felt that things were getting so bad with the world that the end of the world must be soon.  God warns us about the habit of constant pessimism (Eccl 7:10).  There will come a time when the world is so wicked that God will destroy this earth, but that will only happen after He has given as much time as is needed for mankind to repent of their sins (2 Pet 3:9-10).  Since we do not know when that day is, let us live every day with holy living and godliness (2 Pet 3:11-12).

Why are there so many churches on the earth today?  Shouldn’t we all be unified and agree on what Christ said we should do?

 

Sincerely,
Unity Matters

Dear Unity Matters,

There was only one church in the first century, and today there are well over 33,000 different denominations all professing to belong to Christ.  This is not only tragic, it’s wrong.  Christ died for one church, and He gave us one doctrine (Eph 4:4-6).  Christianity can only be preserved in the “unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3).  This means that the only way we can have unity is to use the standard the Holy Spirit has given us – the Bible.

All the denominations have their own creed books, statements of faith, organizational structures, and opinions.  Christ’s church has none of those.  It has one book, the Bible, as its rule and standard for all behavior.  It is our guide for all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).  It is the book that was handed down once and for all to the saints (Jude 3).  We cannot have faith without hearing this Word (Rom 10:17), and we cannot please God without obeying its commandments (Jhn 15:14).

The Catholics trust their Vatican leadership, the Protestants reform a broken system, and the community churches pledge loyalty to their communities and social programs.  The only solution to the religious confusion is a radical step… restoration of Bible-only principles.  Let us go back to the Bible for everything that we do, and if we cannot find Bible authority for something… we must refuse to practice it.  A church that finds its roadmap and structure in the Bible alone is the real solution to the division that exists in the religious world.  When the Bible speaks, let us speak – and when it is silent, let us be silent.

What was John Gill’s eschatology, and was John Gill a Calvinist?

 

Sincerely,
Gill Seems Fishy

Dear Gill Seems Fishy,

Yes, John Gill was a Calvinist.  We here at AYP are not well-read on the history of every false teacher throughout history (we admit; we had to look up who John Gill was) and could not properly explain what John Gill’s eschatological views were.  Eschatology is the study of the end times.  The Bible provides a spectacular answer of what happens at the end of time, and that is all that concerns us (see the post “What Happens When I Die?” for the Bible’s teachings on the end of time).  We can, however, explain the pernicious false doctrine of Calvinism of which John Gill (a Baptist scholar who lived in the 1700’s) adhered to.

Calvinism is best described using the TULIP theory.  TULIP is an acronym developed by Calvinists to explain their philosophy; each letter of the acronym stands for a fundamental part of the Calvinist doctrine.

‘T’ stands for “Total Depravity”.  Total Depravity means that Calvinists believe that everyone is born completely sinful and depraved.  A totally depraved human is incapable of doing good or pleasing God.  This is completely false.  All babies are born without sin and perfect in God’s sight (even David recognized that his dead child was going to be in heaven [2 Sam 12:23]).  Sin is not a birthright; it is a choice (Gen 4:6-7, Jas 1:13-15).  Humans sin when they choose to do wrong; they are not born in sin.

‘U’ stands for “Unconditional Election”.  If you are born totally depraved and incapable of doing anything good through your own power, then it makes sense that Calvinists also believe that God saves you without any requirements.  You can’t require someone to do the right thing if they are incapable of it.  This, too, is false.  The entire Bible is a book of commandments for mankind to follow.  It is FULL of conditions.  We cannot be God’s friends unless we obey His conditions and commands (Jhn 15:14).

‘L’ stands for “Limited Atonement”.  Limited Atonement means that Calvinists believe Jesus only died to save a limited amount of people.  Since they believe everyone is totally depraved and only a few are chosen by God to go to heaven, it follows that Jesus only died on the cross for those few that were chosen.  This is blatantly opposite of the Scriptures’ teachings (Jhn 3:16).

‘I’ stands for “Irresistible Grace”.  Irresistible Grace means that if God chooses you to be saved, you are incapable of resisting that salvation.  If God chooses you to be saved, you cannot tell Him, “No!”.  This is a complete lie.  People reject God all the time.  People rejected Christ as He walked this planet – even one of Jesus’ apostles rejected Him (Matt 10:4).  Jesus specifically says that those who reject Him will be judged (Jhn 12:48).  Mankind has always had the choice to accept or reject God.

‘P’ stands for “Perseverance Of The Saints”.  Perseverance Of The Saints means that christians will always persevere no matter what sins they commit.  Calvinists teach that it is impossible for someone to be lost once they become a Christian.  That is rubbish.  Heb 6:4-6 directly states that someone can enjoy the blessings of fellowship with God and then fall away.  Even the apostle Paul believed if he didn’t continually strive to serve God, he would fall away (1 Cor 9:27).

Calvinism is a lie created by man to blind people from the truth of God’s Word.  Calvinism teaches a lack of responsibility for our behavior and eternal destiny.  It makes God out to be an evil villain that willfully seeks the destruction of the majority of mankind, instead of the loving God that sacrificed His own Son in hopes that all would come unto Him (Jhn 3:16).  Calvinism leaves most of mankind tearfully unloved and alone, without the hope of salvation.

So, you don't think God gives us visions or prophecies today? Do you believe God still performs miracles in our everyday lives (this question is in reference to “I Dreamed A Dream” answer)? If not, why would we read, 'ask and you shall receive', 'knock and the door will be opened' … isn't that asking for a miracle??

I once was failing Latin, and if you had a failing grade, you could not stay on the cheerleading squad. The morning of report cards, I stopped at a large window across from the cafeteria and looked to the sky and prayed for God to forgive me of my sins and to somehow convince Mrs. Martin to give me a passing grade. She called my name to come up to sit by her desk to look at my test scores before she would write my grade on my report card.  She looked at me very sternly and showed me my four scores, which only averaged out to 69.  I had to score a 75 to make a low C.  She then said, “I don't know why I'm doing this”, and she drew out very slowly a ‘C’ on my report card.

I almost broke down but was so happy and KNEW in my heart that God had granted me a miracle. I'll go to my grave believing I had a miracle that morning.

Sincerely, Graded On A Curve

Dear Graded On A Curve,

It is important to define the term 'miracle'.  Today, the word 'miracle' describes both the act of raising a man from the dead and the act of a child being born... yet there is a vast difference between those two events.  'Miracle' - in the Biblical sense - is a 'supernatural event that breaks the laws of nature'.  Examples of this are raising the dead, walking on water, instantaneous healing of leprosy, etc.

The event you described is not a miracle in that sense.  You described a providential act of God’s care.  God took care of the situation while acting within the frameworks of natural law.  God used circumstances and unseen influence to alter the course of events and answered your prayer.  There is no doubt that God still does this every day.  The whole purpose of “a righteous man's prayer avails much" (Jas 5:16) is that God hears prayers and acts upon them.  The key is that He does so without miracles.

Miracles had one very specific purpose - to give evidence that the apostles, prophets, and Jesus were from God.  Paul called miracles "the signs of an apostle" (2 Cor 12:12).  Heb 2:4 states that God bore witness to the apostles and prophets through "signs and wonders".  Even the enemies of Christ agreed that miracles were a sign of divine approval (Acts 4:16).

Prayers certainly make a difference, and God certainly intervenes for us... just not with supernatural miracles.  However, not to worry, God can just as easily care for your needs providentially as He could with miracles.

My question is in regards to a vision… or what I think was a vision.  July 2007, I began dating a guy who was once a believer, says he loves God, and will get right again someday.  By December 2007, God began speaking to me, and I believe gave me a vision.  I found out he had been diagnosed with AIDS in 2006 and almost died.  However, God spared him, and he now has no trace of even HIV.  So, shortly after finding this out, I was talking to his sister on the phone.  It seems like it was all in the blink of an eye, but I remember so much color, feeling, etc.  I remember more details of that split second than any dream I've ever had.  I rarely dream, so it was odd to have gotten that much so fast.  It was like I was a third person.  I could see the back of what was me (even though I couldn't see my face, I knew it was me), and he was standing at a pulpit with a microphone.  He was in front of a large church, and I remember the lights were so bright, the church reminded me of my own (only larger), and I can recall the color of the carpet, what he was wearing, what I was wearing, and that there were other people around us.  All he said was, "My wife stuck beside me even though it could have cost her her life." Then he looked at me, and it was done.  God also began to tell me “2-3 months”, and I knew that He meant we would be apart for a time.  God told me that I needed to work on me and just be an example to him. I've known and heard this since December 2007.  We are at that point now, and now I am questioning whether that was a vision from God and whether I really heard “2-3 months” all this time.  I just can't help but question it and am having a hard time with my faith now because I don't know if it was a vision or my imagination.  Any insight would be much appreciated.  Thank you so much!

Sincerely, Minding My Mind

Dear Minding My Mind,

God doesn’t give us visions and prophecies today. What you had, though vivid, was purely from your own mind. The whole purpose of prophecies and visions was to bring God’s teachings to mankind (Heb 1:2). Today, we have all of God’s teachings (Jude 3, 2 Pet 1:3).

There was a time when prophecy and other miraculous abilities were necessary. As the New Testament was being completed, congregations needed prophets to tell them what had not yet been written down, but when the New Testament was completed, there was no longer a need for those miracles. Paul explained this concept to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 13:8-10. Prophecy (and visions, which are a form of prophecy) was a temporary thing until ‘the perfect’, the complete Word of God, came.

Think of it this way, if God has given us everything that we need to know in His Word – what would be the point of another vision? A vision would either alter what God had already said, which God says will never happen (Gal 1:8), or it will only repeat a teaching you can already find in the Bible! I have no doubt that your waking dream was exceptionally vivid and impressive to you, but it wasn’t from God.