I’ve been challenged thus far by our study in Matthew 24 to
keep my eyes open for deception and to persevere throughout the persecution of
this present age. I’m so thankful
for expository preaching – if it were not for our conviction that the Word
should be taught expositionally, I most likely would never have taken the time
to consider in depth the doctrine of the last things.
Our current sermon series is not going to necessitate a look
at a number of key questions regarding eschatology. Some of these questions include:
What will be the timing of the Lord’s return relative to the
tribulation of the last days? Will
He return at the beginning, middle, or end of this tribulation?
Will the tribulation of the last days consist of a literal
seven-year period or an indeterminate period of time?
What should we believe about the Anti-Christ? Will this be a literal person, a
religious group, a secular government, or something else?
What should we believe about the 1,000-year period
prophesied in Revelation 20?
Though we are dealing with quite a bit in Matthew 24, there
are quite a few eschatological questions we are leaving unasked and unanswered. Given the interest that many believers
have on this issue as well as the general lack of awareness regarding the
different sides of each question, we are
going to do a broad survey of biblical eschatology during our Wednesday night
adult bible study, beginning September 9. We will take a look at the main eschatological passages in
the Old and New Testaments. We
will cover each of the main views regarding the Millennium, the timing of the
rapture, and the nature of the Anti-Christ, focusing on both the strengths and
weaknesses of each position. And we will discover the things we can know for
sure about the end as well as the things we should hold loosely.
Please understand that this will not be a forum for debate. The elders remain committed to keeping
this 2nd tier doctrine on the 2nd tier. For that reason, I will not be taking a
hard position on any of the issues.
This is mainly because I don’t have
a strong position on many of the issues, but also because it is important that
we not allow differences on a 2nd tier doctrine to create division
among us. Nonetheless, it should
prove to be a challenging, enlightening, and encouraging look at the events
surrounding the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
Hope to see you on the 9th!
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