Tag Archives: theology

The End: What You Cannot Deny

Posted on 05/09/2025 | 3 comments

This article discusses what is meant by the biblical term ‘the end’ and in its Jewish context  We will also discuss various beliefs about when, how and what the coming of the end means for believers. Many mistakes and assumptions made by modern Christians will be exposed and hopefully corrected.

We find the phrase ‘the end’ in many eschatological contexts. But, just what is it the end of?

This is the end of an age, a long period of time. It is the end of the Mosaic age, Judaism. It’s the end of the Jewish sacrificial system, of the whole of the Jerusalem Temple and priesthood mediation. 

It is a mistake to think that the end of the age means the end of the world or the end of history. For the Jews it meant the end of the ‘current’ Jewish age, the beginning of the new age of the Messiah.

Jesus charged the disciples with the Great Commission, promising He would be with them “until the end of the age”. Some people think Jesus meant that before the end comes that the gospel must be preached to all nations. The degree of completion of this task is seen by many as a significant indicator of the approaching end times. That is also a mistake.

One of the most notable references to the End is found in Matthew 24. Verse 14 says:  this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 

This convinces many readers that the end occurs after the gospel has been preached to all nations.

But in fact, the single Greek word Jesus used for the phrase ‘all the world’ meant something else to the disciples. It meant the Roman world or the known civilised world.

Jesus did not say ‘all would hear about the kingdom’. He said that the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth. This ‘world’ was all reached within the lifetime of the apostle Paul. See the evidence at for this in Romans 10:18, 15: 10, 16:18, Colossians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:8). 

That, my friends, is sensational. The End has come already. That is undeniable.

Another reference to the End is found in Paul’s 1 Corinthians 15:22-25 “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be abolished is death”.

 This ‘End’ passage is centred around Paul’s teaching on the resurrection of the dead. It shows the end comes after Jesus has completed his mission and handed over the kingdom to God the Father.

Jesus was the ‘first fruits’—He was the first to rise from the dead. Others follow! Jesus has certainty completed His mission and returned to the Father long ago.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 accurately foretells that after the last trumpet has sounded, believers are consequently and quickly raised to new life after their physical death! This continues to the present day.

It is undeniable that Christians celebrate this wonderful fact at every funeral of our fellow believers!

The sound of the trumpet is a powerful biblical image associated with significant divine announcements, such as the giving of the Law at Sinai, and the call to assemble the Israelites. 

Here the “last trumpet” is the call for people of God to gather to meet the Lord also described in Matthew 24:31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17. What could be a more significant divine announcement?

Revelation describes various events to unfold during the last days: Revelation 1:1-3; 22:6-7, 12,20.

Sure, Jesus said that no one knows the exact day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36). But He did not say ‘years, centuries or millennia’. And He added it would be in the lifetime of many of the people He spoke with face to face. (Matthew 10:23, 16:27-28, 24:34). See, that is undeniable.

Then The End Will Come.

So when do you expect “the end’ to occur? And how do you expect Him to appear?

There is an error which the famed scholar C S Lewis made. Lewis blatantly said Jesus was mistaken! He said Jesus failed to come back in the End times as he said he would. (See his book “The World’s Last Night”). That is also the mistaken view of many liberal scholars, atheists and Islamic writers. They have assumed that since Jesus was never seen by human eyes optically, that He never appeared.

But why should any human eyes see the Lord who after His ascension and glorification dwells in unapproachable light at the Father’s right hand? No one in human flesh can see Him and live.

The first Christians expected Jesus to return within their lifetimes. Exactly how they would experience His coming they were not told. So we must be cautious in what to expect, not assuming things.

The apostles wrote 100 times in the NT letters of Jesus’ imminent coming. It is undeniable they could possibly all been mistaken.  See Romans 13:11-13; 16:20; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 4:5; 10:6; Philippians 1:6; 3:11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10-10  for undeniable evidence.  The apostles referred often to the “last days,” urging believers to be ready:  See 1 Peter 1:20; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 1:2).

Many theologians in their blindness cannot see. So they adapted teachings to explain the apparent delay, making false assumptions. So they claim that Jesus did not mean in His current generation It must be some future generation—a nonsense assumption. Please see my article on this issue here.

Others offer the absurd explanation that the word ‘generation’ meant ‘race’ i.e., the Jewish race. We must stick to the plain words of Jesus. He consistently attacked “this evil generation” the Jews of His own generation.

It is another mistake to believe the End will be a worldwide event seen optically, quoting Matthew 24:23–30 literally. But Biblical prophesies of the collapsing of cosmic entities were a common motif in judgment prophecy, e.g. Isa 13:10, 19:1,24:18-20, 34;8-15, Ezek 32:7–8; Joel 2:28; Nah 1:3; Pss 18, 104:3). This would be understood by informed Jews familiar with the prophets and as Jesus taught His disciples.

Jesus said His return will come with speed, brightness, and power, as lightning! Jesus is not seen in the sky but ‘seen’ seated in the heavenly places at the Father’s side! Stephen said to the Sanhedrin, at his trial, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56).

It is a huge mistake to think you could see Jesus’ second coming optically.  He sits at the right hand of power. He “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16).

The scriptures are plain. How clearer can we get?  It’s time for your denial to end, the brainwashing, the cognitive dissonance to be recognised and truth to prevail.

Truth is demanded by the Lord from us all. Jesus is the truth. He seeks those who want to worship God in spirit and in truth, not those who seek fantasies, like some imagined rapture.

Instead, as He said to the disciples before they killed Him: I do not ask {Father} to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  John 17: 15-18

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More on the Great Tribulation

Posted on 21/08/2025 | Leave a comment

This article follows one I posted some years ago, which you can read here.

The Great Tribulation was one of the several events that Jesus said would take place before He returned. He said these events would all take place before His (‘the disciples’) generation would pass away. It is a no-brainer and incontrovertible fact that generation has long past away! Please remember, Jesus was talking to the people in front of him not people like us thousands of years ahead in time.

The Great Tribulation (TGT) was said by Jesus to be “cut short” so that the believers could flee Judea.

Jesus gave the disciples two signs when they must flee.

In Matthew, Jesus told them when they see the prophesied Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15) standing in the Temple, the believers must flee Jerusalem.

Luke’s gospel says when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20), the believers must get away.

So in Matthew .we read:

16. . . . .   when you see the abomination of desolation . . . . . then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. .’ . . . .   21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 

Or in Luke 21:20-22 we read:

20 when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city.  22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 

God’s wrath would not be poured out until the saints had escaped. Thus many Jewish lives would be saved. Luke tells us because these are days of wrath and vengeance so that all things prophesied and written become fulfilled.

Now about the “tribulations of the saints”?

This terrible tribulation event was defined in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:21) as a divine wrath-outpouring on the unbelieving Jews. This is sometimes confused with the fierce persecution of the real believers by the apostate Jews. (Matthew 24:16).

The tribulations or suffering of the saints described in many NT passages was persecution from Jews. This was not Neronic persecution. It was not the Great Tribulation (TGT). We see this persecution clearly in the Gospels, the Book of Acts and letters to the Thessalonians, Galatians and Hebrews, among others.

We note that Jesus warned the disciples in the Olivet Discourse that ‘a time of great’ persecution would come from Jews and synagogues and even family members.

Luke records Jesus’ words: But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors (Luke 21:12).

Finally, we find the term ‘great tribulation’ also mentioned in Revelation 7 saying  ’. . . those who come out, or are coming out of great tribulation (7:14).

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel . . . .  9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

In this Revelation 7 passage the definite article is not in the original text.  Also, the Greek participle (erchomenoi) is in the present continuous tense. That indicates those saints were or are coming out of some great suffering on earth. They suffered for Jesus’ sake on His mission, just as predicted by Jesus and explained above—not the Great Tribulation.

We can say assuredly that Jesus had provided the way of escape for believers (as above) and so the Revelation 7 passage is not about believers suffering the fate of the apostate Jews who had rejected their Christ. How could it possibly be that!

Also in the Revelation 7:9 passage, John saw they were a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language. That must include Gentiles! This forces us to understand this great suffering was not “the great tribulation” of Matthew 24.

The angel’s phrase ‘are coming out’ must mean they are escaping the Great Tribulation—they are coming out of Jerusalem and Judea by obeying Jesus’ words.

Conclusion

Let us continue today to be on Jesus’ mission. Let us go on, standing before His throne and before the Lamb, clothed in ‘white robes,’ of righteouness joining the countless number and the angels, who are crying outout with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” everywhere and to everyone.

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The Resurrection of Believers

Posted on 25/07/2025 | Leave a comment

In the New Testament, there are passages that say the resurrection of believers will occur. This event will take place at the time of Christ’s second coming. These include 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

When He returns Jesus said He will gather those who have placed their faith in Him:.
And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” Matthew 24:31.

Some passages mention our being with Jesus when we die. These assure us there will be a conscious state in fellowship with Jesus after death.

Thus in Luke 23:43 Jesus assured the repentant thief on the cross that they would be together in ‘Paradise’ that day. ‘Paradise’ translates the Greek word paradeisos Strongs G3847. That word was used for the Garden of Eden in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint.

In Luke 14:13-14 Jesus taught: when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

In Luke 16:22, we see what is referred to as ‘the bosom of Abraham’. This is deemed to the abode of the righteous dead awaiting the judgment day. It is a place of conscious awareness. Strongs G285—kolpos for bosom. It means to obtain the seat close to Abraham, i.e. to be partaker of the same blessedness as Abraham in paradise.

In Luke 20:35-36, Jesus said to the Sadducees:  those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

In John 5:24-25. Jesus said Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

In all the above spoken by Jesus, we note the certainty of resurrection of believers.

We also find that the Apostle Paul lived with the same certainty.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 1 Corinthians 6:14.

Certainty! No doubt.

And asking his readers that if from human motives he fought then what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 1 Corinthians 15:31-32. Certainty.

Paul wrote to the Philippians about his certainty of his own resurrection. He expressed his preference to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Also see Philippians 1:20.

And in Philippians 3:10-11 this extraordinary hope: That . . . . . becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. That is, he had the expectation of his resurrection before his death. Thus he had the expectation of Jesus’ return before his death!

Matthew 12:32. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

2 Peter 3:10-13. But the day of the Lord will come . . . . . . the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Peter believed he and his contemporaries would experience new heavens and a new earth.

Isaiah 65:17-19. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

Isaiah 26:19. Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.

Interestingly, our resurrection has nothing to do with how “good” we are or our status with Jesus. Both those who are going to be with God and those who are going to be separated from God will be resurrected:

Daniel 12:2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Revelation 21:4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

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The Age to Come

Posted on 16/07/2025 | Leave a comment

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples came along and wanted to take him on a tour of the various Temple buildings. 2 But he told them, “All these buildings will be knocked down, with not one stone left on top of another!” 3 “When will this happen?” the disciples asked him later, as he sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. “What events will signal your return and the end of the age?” 4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone fool you. 5 For many will come claiming to be the Messiah and will lead many astray. 6 When you hear of wars beginning, this does not signal my return; these must come, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:1-6

The Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition referred to a future era of divine fulfilment, the Messianic Age. This period was envisioned as an age of universal peace, harmony, and the reign of the Messiah, where evil will be eradicated, and the knowledge of the Creator will be widespread.

That’s why Jesus and the disciples along with the Jews expected a future era which was referred to as ‘the age to come’, contrasting with their current age.

In Christian tradition, the “age to come” is similarly associated with the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  

For Jews, the idea of the Messianic Age is deeply rooted in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the books of the prophets. Isaiah speaks of a time when “nation will not lift sword against nation” and “they will no longer study warfare. Isaiah 2 speaks of a time when the Mount of the Lord’s house will be established as the highest of the mountains, and all nations will stream to it, seeking peace and learning the ways of the Lord.

Isaiah 11 describes the Messianic Age as a time when a shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse (David’s father), and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

This figure, the Messiah, will be filled with the Spirit of the Lord, bringing wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.

The Messianic Age is also described in Isaiah 32, where the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out on the people, leading to a time of peace, security, and prosperity. The passage emphasizes that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

In addition, Isaiah 42 highlights the Messiah’s role in bringing justice to the nations. He will not falter or be discouraged until he establishes justice on earth, and the nations will look to him for guidance and hope.

Isaiah 65:17-19. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

These Old Testament passages collectively paint a picture of the Messianic Age as a time of peace, justice, and the presence of God’s Spirit, where the Messiah will reign and bring about a new era of harmony and righteousness.

Now consider these passages from the New Testament:

Now consider these passages from the New Testament:

Matthew 12:32. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Luke 18:30. . . . . . receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

 

1 Corinthians 2:6.  we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away

 

Ephesians 1:21. Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

 

Hebrews 6:5.  . . .tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come

 

Revelation 21:4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, . . . . .  nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away

Jesus would have expounded to the disciples many Old Testament scriptures that pointed to end times. Also He would have given them His own direct teachings. Matthew recorded many of these He gave them before the Olivet discourse. See Matthew 4:17, 5:17, 10:23, 16:17-18,  9:36-43, 13:47-50, 22:2-14.

It is a huge mistake to think that the End in the Bible means the end of everything. But that’s what a surprising number of Christian people believe.

              That’s an error which the famed scholar C S Lewis made. Lewis blatantly said Jesus was mistaken! He said Jesus failed to come back in the End time as he said he would. (See Lewis’ book “The World’s Last Night”).

That is also the mistaken view of many liberal scholars, atheists and Islamic writers.

So, please do not make this mistake.

Jesus was not mistaken and he cannot lie. But true to his promise, he returned as he said he would before many of his followers passed away (Matthew 10:23, 16:17-18 and 24:34.

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Paul and his blessed hope

Posted on 02/07/2025 | Leave a comment

Paul anticipated the imminent resurrection of the dead. He knew for certain that the resurrection would occur at Jesus’ coming. The resurrection he knew that would occur on that day. He was also convinced this would occur within the lifetime of many of Jesus’ disciples. (see Matthew 24:34).

Paul called this ‘the blessed hope’.

The concept of “the blessed hope” in the New Testament refers to the confident expectation and assurance of the return of Jesus Christ. This hope was not merely wishful thinking for them. It was a divine certainty or joyful assurance. 

Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this:  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet  sounds; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  (1 Corinthians 15: 51-54)

Paul had this blessed hope that he would see that day. He did not expect it to come in some distant future. He believed Jesus’ words given to the disciples on the Mt Olivet (Matthew 24).

In his letter to the Philippians, a letter rejoicing in the blessed hope:

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. ( Philippians 1:21-24)

Paul longs to go and be with Christ, which would be far better. What could be better than that? To be with Christ! Notice his supreme confidence.

He goes on to urge his readers to hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. (Philippians 2:16)

Note how certain Paul was of the coming of Christ being imminent. Was he mistaken? People who are still waiting for His return must admit they are wrong or face the challenge that Jesus and the apostolic writers were mistaken.

In Philippians 3:10-11, Paul is emphatic about experiencing resurrection from the dead: I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

See also 1 Thessalonians 1:10, . .  they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. And 1 Thessalonians 2:9: After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 

Titus 2:11-12. For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

He emphasised that believers are to live godly lives in the present while waiting for this blessed hope, which is the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ

He also mentions this future event in other passages, reinforcing the significance of this blessed hope. See 2 Timothy 4:7-8:  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. y

Not only Paul but also Peter. According to his first letter, 1 Peter 1: 5-9:

5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

Again, note Peter’s certainty that this great hope is their future i.e., his readers’ salvation is soon to happen. He said their salvation will be accomplished on that glorious day of His return.

Further, He confirmed to his readers:  Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 1 Peter 1:13

Such passages emphasise the importance of this hope. It was imminent for the life of First Century believers. This hope was central to the Christian faith, providing a foundation for both present living and future expectations.

They were not to be mistaken!

For us today, the blessed hope is not a future event as it was for the early believers. It is a present reality, as believers experience the assurance of salvation through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We know that to be with Christ is far better than remaining here—our resurrection! Yet it is important for us to remain, so we can bear witness to Him and make disciples until He calls us home .

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The Resurrection From The Dead

Posted on 21/06/2025 | Leave a comment

The following passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians makes it absolutely clear that he understood the resurrection of the dead was imminent. It was not thousands of years in the future!

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Philippians:3:9-11.

He saw that knowing Christ and suffering with Him meant His resurrection was possible before He passed from the scene. This was the ‘blessed hope’ of 1st century believers.

He had already said this to them, chapter 1:10:  For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Obviously Paul anticipated Christ’s imminent return within the lifetime of his readers!

And also, in this letter, 1:21-23: For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Here Paul reveals his certainty of being in close fellowship with Jesus after his death! This would be far better for him! Again, he believed that resurrection was also imminent!

Compare this with Jesus’ statements in Matthew 10:23, 16:27-28 and 24:34, that many in this (his) generation would be alive at his coming and therefore experience their resurrection of believers.

Also it makes sense of Paul’s writings to the Corinthians about the resurrection.

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your stingl” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:51-57.

So, not everyone will die before the return of Jesus. Paul wrote there would be people living in their flesh bodies when Jesus comes. However when Jesus returns all that are here in the flesh shall each be changed into an incorruptible body, a spiritual body.

Revelation 10:6-7.  He (the angel) . . . . . . said, here will be no more delay. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7, Habakkuk 2:3)

Hebrews 10:37: For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.

So why are so many people looking for a future return of Jesus, after 2000 years?

Please explain.

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Why Jesus Had To Come Again

Posted on 15/06/2025 | Leave a comment

Most Bible-believing Christians wait Jesus’ second coming after 2000 years.

We are told that Jesus’ return will be unexpected. People point to Matthew 24:36, which states, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” 

But in that same discourse to the same disciples, Jesus said I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34.

Jesus’ words are precisely why the early Christians expected Jesus to return very soon, even within their lifetimes. As we read the letters of the apostles, we see that evidence repeatedly.

How could the apostles be so sure? The answer is they believed Jesus.

There are over one hundred passages in the apostles’ letters. These passages show how the first believers were more than confident of his return in their lifetime.

Just as these ‘timing’ passages confine Christ’s Second Coming to the first-century generation, they saw the end of the age squarely in that generation as well. See e.g.

-Phil 3:20.  . And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

-Titus 2:11f. . . . . we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior

-2 Thes 2:1.  . .  about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.

James 5:8-9. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

But when his Second Coming did not appear to happen, how could the delay be explained? Some scholars suggest that early Christians misinterpreted Jesus’ words, leading to disappointment when the Second Coming did not occur as anticipated. Even C S Lewis blatantly said Jesus was mistaken! He said Jesus did not come back as he said he would. (See his book “The World’s Last Night”). That is also the view of many liberal scholars, atheists and Islamic writers.

He failed to show up?

But is there any biblical reason to believe anyone would optically ‘see’ him coming in his glorified resurrected body to earth? Paul described the ascended Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. 

(1 Timothy 6:13-16).

This demand for him to be seen optically is a grave mistake. It discredits Jesus. These teachers fail to look at the rest of the New Testament. The evidence is there. The disciples believed him. He had to come on time. If not, Christianity would be falsified. Yet we know it is true.

It further appears that Jesus intended the disciples to believe in His imminent return. He often urged His followers to whom he spoke face to face to “be ready”. These passages show this:

Mark 13:33. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert[

Luke 12:40.  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Luke 21:36. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

These passages must be seen in their historical context—Jesus was speaking to Jewish disciples not to us.

Paul hoped to see the resurrection before he passed away, see:

Philippians 3:11, I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

And 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53.  But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. That is resurrection!

And most importantly, the author of Hebrews wrote:

    For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come a second time, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.  Hebrews 9:24-28.

Did you catch that?

It is a fact that Jesus’ sacrificial death assures us of sins forgiven. He has effectively dealt with our sins by his death on the cross, as the apostles’ letters in the New Testament attest. We believe this today.

However, there is more!

The Jews in the Old Testament eagerly awaited the high-priest’s coming out of the temple on the Day of Atonement each year. His emergence alive from the Holy of Holies meant their sins were atoned for.

In like manner, Jesus would come to bring completed salvation to all believers, eagerly awaiting His coming a second time.

Without his return, those First Century believers would have expected to pass away and go to Sheol. There they would await the resurrection.

That’s why he had to come a second time.

Of course, few today believe we go to Sheol, but to Heaven. That’s what we hear and sing about at every funeral of a Christian!

Now because of his return we will enjoy the resurrection and Heaven!

I am not saying here that you, dear reader, lack complete salvation today.

Why?

Because He has already come and completed your salvation—even if you don’t believe that!

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The Disciples’ Two Big Questions

Posted on 08/06/2025 | 2 comments

When Jesus’ disciples pointed out the temple buildings, He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”  Matthew 24:1-2.

This temple complex had taken 46 years to build (John 2:20). It was one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was built of stones weighing up to 400 tons. The entire complex, with its multiple courts, was capable of accommodating up to one million people. 

The temple was the epicentre of the entire Jewish religion.

Think about that. Jesus declared it would be totally destroyed! Torn down.  

For the disciples to hear such words from their Master would have shocked them to their care.

Jesus often used the phrase truly I say unto you when about to say something extremely surprising and unbelievable. He used this phrase as if to warn them they were about to be shocked. He used this expression again in verse 34.

This event was the most shocking and tumultuous thing any Jew could imagine would happen. This struck at the very heart of Judaism, their religion, God’s house. This was unimaginable, incredible, beyond belief.

The Jerusalem temple was everything to them.

The destruction of the temple will happen because it was now no longer God’s house, but ‘desolate’ (Matthew 23:38). In a few days, Jesus would make the sacrifice once for all (Hebrews 10:9, 12, 14, 18). See also Jesus’ words recorded in Luke 21:24. We know today that the Roman army under Titus destroyed the temple in 70 AD along with the city of Jerusalem.

In this shocking announcement, Jesus provoked the disciples to ask questions. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? (v3).

The first: ‘Tell us, when will this happen?’ The ‘when’ question.

The second: ‘What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?’ The ‘what sign’ question.

Some people say there were three questions. But there are only two questions. The disciples understood his return would coincide with the end of their current age. The Jews believed there were two ages. First the age of the whole sacrificial and temple system. And second, the age to come when their Messiah would come and reign.

Verses 14-26 and 32-44 deal with the ‘when’ question and 27-31 deal with the ‘what sign’ question.

Jesus said (v14) And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations [peoples] will hear it; and then the end will come.

Please note that the word ‘whole world’ translates the Greek oikemene, i.e., the Greco-Roman world, the inhabited world, not the whole planet.

History shows us how this actually happened in the 1st century. Paul wrote that the Good News had been proclaimed throughout the Greco-Roman world—see Romans 1:8, 15:19; Colossians 1:6.

Does this not show that “the End” has already come? The age to come has arrived along with Jesus’ return long ago.

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Dispensationalism and John Nelson Darby

Posted on 06/06/2025 | Leave a comment

People who follow dispensational and ‘rapture’ teaching invariably believe the teachings of Darby.

John Nelson Darby was born in 1800 to a prominent family in London. First, he became a lawyer, then he became a priest in the Church of Ireland. However, he became concerned over the prevailing condition of the church, which he saw as deadened by formality. The style of work,” he wrote, “was not in agreement with what I read in the Bible concerning the church and Christianity; nor did it correspond with the effects of the action of the Spirit of God” (Letters of J. N. Darby, Oak Park, IL: Bible Truth Publishers, 1971, III, 297–298).

The Darby family owned the most haunted castle in the country, Leap Castle. There 150 dead bodies were found in the cellars, and where satanic masses were held. Darby used all kinds of occult terms in his religious writings. He was involved in many secret societies and occult groups.

During the time of his predecessor Jonathan Charles Darby there, séances were held in the castle by the latter’s wife Mildred Darby. She was a writer of Gothic novels, leading to publicity about the castle and its ghosts. The claims of paranormal activity include the putative existence of a Red Lady ghost, the ghosts of two girls, and an “elemental spirit” associated with Mildred Darby. The castle describes itself as “the world’s most haunted castle.” 

You can read about this at https://www.thestandingstone.ie/2009/08/leap-castle-co-offaly.html

And at https://www.ciaranmchugh.com/gallery/the-bloody-chapel-at-leap-castle/ 

Darby marked his doctrinal works with Masonic and Theosophical terms. See here

https://libertytothecaptives.net/darby_writings_occult.html.

See Darby’s Pre-Trib Rapture ‘Christ’ compared to Alice Bailey’s Theosophical/Luciferian Christ here: https:libertytothecaptives.net/darbychrist_newage.html 

His teachings

Darby taught the separate economies in God’s redemptive purpose. He separated Israel and the Church. There were two distinct groups, two distinct identities, and two distinct futures. He viewed Acts 2 in the New Testament as a pivotal moment in God’s dealings with Israel. He claimed that began a new dispensation, the ‘church’. This period would last until what he understood as the ‘rapture’.

He taught seven dispensations: Paradise, Noah, Abraham, Israel, Gentiles, the Spirit and the Millennium. He held a hermeneutic of “literal interpretation” to all areas of scripture including Old Testament prophecies.

Darby toured many times through the United States and Canada from 1859 to 1874, widely spreading his theological perspectives. His dispensational teachings were further made popular by C. I. Scofield in his notes for the highly influential Scofield Reference Bible.

The Logos.com website ‘Got Questions?’ claims that “today premillennialism and a modified form of Darby’s dispensationalism are held by the majority of evangelicals”. Some estimate half a billion evangelicals, chiefly in America. Logos appears to support this theory.

But is this teaching true? Is it Biblical?

The Bible holds to its unity, both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Bible always stresses the unity of the people of God. The one covenant, the covenant of grace, is the overarching structure. But the dispensationalist structure cuts up the Bible into 7 parts. This is mere presupposition.

Darby proposed the ‘church age’. But as things would get worse, Christ would come back to ‘rapture his church’. Then he says we have seven years of tribulation (misquoting Revelation 16-19). Then Christ comes back as the second coming. Then finally, the thousand-year reign, the millennium.

Dispensationalists think several scriptures show the distinct roles of Israel and the Church and the progressive revelation of God’s plan. They cite Genesis 12:1-3, God’s covenant with Abraham, promising descendants, land, and blessings for all nations through his seed. Dispensationalists interpret this as a literal promise that will be fulfilled within the people of Israel. Again mere presupposition.

The New Testament absolutely explodes this theory.

Paul wrote that gentiles are “no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Ephesians 3

Dispensationalists hold that the seed of Abraham is just the physical offspring of Abraham. But in Galatians 3:16, Paul explains that “the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring.” He then explicitly identifies the offspring (seed) as Jesus Christ. Then in verse 29: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

Christ is a literal physical descendant of Abraham. But because believers, both Jew or gentile, are united to Christ. Thus we too are Abraham’s offspring if we belong to Christ. This is the true gospel.

Dispensationalists cite Ephesians 3:2-5 and 3 other scriptures. They claim that Paul’s term “dispensation” is used to describe God’s progressive revelation of the mystery of the Church.

But Paul says that the church is part of God’s eternal purpose. It will endure forever into the future: “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, “ (Ephesians 3:10-11)

God will be glorified in the church for all future eternity: “to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. ” (Ephesians 3:21)

Dispensationalists believe the church is a temporary stop gap measure. They fail to comprehend that the church is the bride of Christ and that the wedding day is the second coming. “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ” (Ephesians 5:27)

Dispensationalists teach that the church ends at the second coming, when in fact the church continues forever as the bride of Christ. They believe the church was thought up at the last minute when the Jews rejected Jesus as their king! I kid you not! They fail to realise that our salvation is within the Body of Christ and will continue forever.  God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Dispensationalism, the rapture and premillennialism? All heresy invented by John Darby in 1830 AD.

Conclusion

I challenge all dispensationalists: Show me what I write here is incorrect OR admit your own errors. We cannot both be right. One of us is wrong—seriously wrong. Okay?

If you hold Dispensationalism you are preaching a false gospel, according to the scriptures.

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What is Dispensationalism?

Posted on 04/06/2025 | 2 comments

Dispensationalism originated in the nineteenth century in the teaching of John Nelson Darby. It is that recent. It was popularized in the United States through Its growth was spurred on through the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible. <Scofield’s Bible (published in 1909) contributed further to the spread of dispensationalism. This ‘bible’ included study notes written from a distinctively dispensationalist perspective. 

This is a religious system which claims to be Christian while actually emptying Christianity of that which is essential to it. If dispensationalism does this, then it is a cult. It cannot be considered a section of Christianity.

It is as serious as that. It is impossible to exaggerate the gravity of the situation.

Dispensationalism can lead to a misunderstanding of key biblical teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, which is binding on Christians today. 

Critics of dispensationalism argue that the system misinterprets the Bible. This leads to a fragmented understanding of God’s plan for humanity.

The doctrine of salvation is indisputably and uncompromisingly essential to Christianity.

Dispensationalism has departed from the only way of salvation which is faith in Jesus. If so, then it has departed from Christianity.  It empties Christianity of its essential message.

According to the Scofield Study Bible “A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to some specific revelation of the will of God” (Scofield note on Genesis 1:28).

2. With this definition Christians are introduced to the concept there are “seven such dispensations which are distinguished in the Scripture” (Scofield’s note on Genesis 1:28).

3. The seven dispensations are declared by Scofield to be as follows:

1. Dispensation of Innocence
2. Dispensation of Conscience
3. Dispensation of Human Government
4. Dispensation of Promise
5. Dispensation of Law
6. Dispensation of Grace
7. Dispensation of the Millennial

According to the Scofield Study Bible each dispensation has “a character exclusively its own,” being “wholly complete and sufficient in itself,” that it “is in no wise exchangeable for the others, and cannot be commingled.”

There are four passages in the Bible where the word “dispensation” occurs. Time is not a factor in these. The word means “administration” or “stewardship” and in context has reference to the Gospel being dispersed. Paul was entrusted with the Gospel in order to dispense it to the Gentiles.

Here are the four passages:1 Corinthians 9:17, Ephesians 1:10,Ephesians 3:2, Colossians 1:25. 

Next, the Bible never distinguishes between the seven dispensations suggested. The very names of the dispensations are also man-made.

In Scripture, the distinctions suggested by the system among these dispensations are not there. For example, in scripture grace is found under the Law and the Law is also found under grace.

The practical implication of Dispensational thinking also becomes alarming. The System teaches the Sermon on the Mount is not binding on Christians today.

Their System says the age of the Law lasted until the Day of Pentecost. The Bible says:

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it. Luke 16:16

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:26). The King has come to His kingdom to tell His subjects of free grace and mercy. The spiritual nature of the Kingdom confused the Jews many long ago. It continues to confound those today who walk by sight and not by faith. Among these are today’s Zionists and their adulation of the state of Israel. Many have been deceived. Lied to.

They accuse us of “replacement theology”. We gladly accept!  The truth in the New Testament is that there is total replacement theology!

There is no such thing as the nation of Israel today. That nation was totally replaced as God’s wife by Jesus Christ. In Him, the true Vine, is the true assembly of believers, His New Bride. The only way, truth and life.

The people of God in the Old Covenant, the Jews, was replaced by the Body of Christ in a New Covenant! There is only one people of God, not two.

The Jerusalem temple and the entire Mosaic religion were replaced by the Body of Christ in AD 70!

The parables of Matthew 13 show that Jesus’ emphatically taught that there is no other kingdom but His kingdom and its spiritual nature. For example Matthew 13:47-50:

“the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind.  When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Under the New Covenant everyone can come by faith to Mt. Zion, the city of the living God (The letter to the Hebrews. 12:22). Let the Dispensationalist and the Jewish Zionist be incensed. The sacred precinct of their literalism is invalided.

We can find rest in His city. There “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto you: but the Lord shall be unto you an everlasting light, and your God your glory” (Isaiah 60:19).

Conclusion

Look, this is my charge to all you who are dispensationalists—either show me the errors in what I write here or admit your own errors. We cannot both be right. One of us is wrong—seriously wrong. Okay?

If you are wrong, you are preaching a false gospel.

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Posted in Assembling, church, Bible Study, Covenant, new, old, Eschatology, Israel

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