The end has come! The end has not come!

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C

CB

Guest
#1
#1
One of the greatest needs in the church today is a shift in our understanding of the term "eschatology". There needs to be a dismantling of this "left behind" futuristic only ideology of the "end times" and a reshaping of it to what it biblically is. I'm reminded of a couple quotes from a paper I have just read by G.K. Beale entitled "The Eschatological Conception of New Testament Theology" where he quotes two people specifically who have helped shape and redefine a right paradigm of the "latter days"....

In his book entitled "Christ and Time" Oscar Cullman uses the analogy of World War II to help understand the events of the Eschaton. With D-day being the decisive day/battle of the war and V-day simply the culmination of what has already been done at Normandy. He writes:

"The hope of the final victory is so much more vivid because of the unshakeably firm conviction that the battle that decides the victory has already taken place."

Another quote by William Manson also helps our understanding:

"When we turn to the New Testament, we pass from the climate of prediction to that of fulfillment. The things which God had foreshadowed by the lips of His holy prophets He has now, in part at least, brought to accomplishment...The supreme sign of the Eschaton is the Resurrection of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Church. The Resurrection of Jesus is not simply a sign which God has granted in favour of His son, but is the inauguration, the entrance into history, of the times of the End."

Also, he writes "Christians, therefore have entered through the Christ into the new age...What had been predicted in Holy Scripture as to happen to Israel or to man in the Eschaton has happened to and in Jesus. The foundation-stone of the New Creation has come into position."
 
Y

yaright

Guest
#2
#2
I hope you don't mind a witness that speaks of things we can see as being a mere image of spiritual matters which we cannot see personally within without Jesus, who opens understanding to us from within. Our battles are not about what we can see; our battles are spiritual in nature from within. We couldn't possibly know of this if it weren't for the wars that take place among temporary things like flesh.

Many generations have come and gone from the time Jesus walked with His first disciples onto this very day. In each generation the principles of end times remained the same, Repent! That single word speaks volumes concerning end times; the end of one world (within) and the beginning of another way of life in Christ.

One of the intriguing things I find today, having suffered to understand, is the way a man comes in from the ways of the world according to the things that seemed right to him; Having been called by the convicting Word of God; that man repents, casting down the temple he built according to the things that seemed right to him,

and then turns and points (away from himself) at the ways of the world and says, "See what evil there is in the world, surely the end times are near!"

A person has to carefully consider this on a personal level in order to see what is being said on a spiritual plain. The end time came when that man heard the convicting Word of God, repented, and began to follow in the teaching of Christ, who delivered that man from his own death. This has taken place for many generations, and still, many cannot see this because the end time is spiritual in nature. Jesus said, "If you say you can see, you remain in your sin." Looking only at the ways of the world does not answer to what is happening within the man.
 
C

CB

Guest
#3
#3
yaright said:
I hope you don't mind a witness that speaks of things we can see as being a mere image of spiritual matters which we cannot see personally within without Jesus, who opens understanding to us from within. Our battles are not about what we can see; our battles are spiritual in nature from within. We couldn't possibly know of this if it weren't for the wars that take place among temporary things like flesh.

Many generations have come and gone from the time Jesus walked with His first disciples onto this very day. In each generation the principles of end times remained the same, Repent! That single word speaks volumes concerning end times; the end of one world (within) and the beginning of another way of life in Christ.

One of the intriguing things I find today, having suffered to understand, is the way a man comes in from the ways of the world according to the things that seemed right to him; Having been called by the convicting Word of God; that man repents, casting down the temple he built according to the things that seemed right to him,

and then turns and points (away from himself) at the ways of the world and says, "See what evil there is in the world, surely the end times are near!"

A person has to carefully consider this on a personal level in order to see what is being said on a spiritual plain. The end time came when that man heard the convicting Word of God, repented, and began to follow in the teaching of Christ, who delivered that man from his own death. This has taken place for many generations, and still, many cannot see this because the end time is spiritual in nature. Jesus said, "If you say you can see, you remain in your sin." Looking only at the ways of the world does not answer to what is happening within the man.
Click to expand...

??? I"m not really understanding what you were saying?
 
Y

yaright

Guest
#4
#4
CB, have you ever hear someone say of themselves "The old man is dead!" It is an expression of something that took place in that man's life. It speaks of the end of a way of life according to the things which seem right to us. It is natural for us to consider things according to the things that seem right to us. In our sin, we trusted that natural part of us and went where ever chose to do. There is a problem that is hidden in that part of us that we trust most. Because we consider this to be our greatest strength, Satan deceived us all in the one that we trust most about ourselves. Because of this, we cannot see what Satan did because we placed our trust in that part of our lives. Satan's deception is that profound. This is spoken of in the Book of Genesis. The serpent is more cunning than any beast of the field. Satan is more cunning than anyone who lives according to the ways of the flesh; The term 'beast' is the image of a man who wanders as if he has no ruler over him. A wild creature. This is mentioned in the New Testament when Paul spoke to men in the manner of beasts. The bible uses many facets to show us who we are and why we are that way in God's sight. Another facet of the teaching of the fish. I'll send it and I'd like to know if it helps at all;


 Discovery



Discovery is one of the most revealing elements of life; so I'd like to share a story about a fish that might impact your life concerning who we are and why we are that way in God's sight. Here is one facet of a large treasure discovered not all that long ago....

This is a Story About Fish Of The Sea

I would like to share a story of a fish who speaks
of the work done by God's hand.
(Job 12; 8-10)
Did you know the symbol of the biblical fish has a hidden meaning? Many Christians call this symbol a Jesus fish, but far too many do not know how to apply this personally to their own lives. Have you heard the expression, "Don't go there!" Well, by my own choices to sin, I "went there". I did not know of this wisdom which is hidden in plain sight until my own salvation and the beginning of my walk with Jesus. A Prophet named Habakkuk asked God, "Why do You make men like fish of the sea; like creatures who wander as if they have no ruler over them?" These are the lost; strangers to God's temple whom Jesus spoke of when He said,

"Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men."

This is a fish story because it is a 'fish' who is giving witness of the things God has done by His own hand (Habakkul 1;14). These are strangers to God's temple, the lost Jesus spoke of. In our sin, we wandered as if we had no ruler over us. But when the Word of God was received, and we repented; this story is very personal. This wisdom reveals sin was not simply a moment in my life; It was a way of life altogether until with my own mouth I repented and began to follow The Word of God. New Testament parable language given of the fish is shown on two plains.

One is;..... "fishers of men.”

These are disciples Jesus is teaching;

And......... "men like fish of the sea”

whom our Lord Jesus is teaching His disciples how to catch.

The very nature of a fisherman reveals a man who gives his life with all hope and anticipation for the catch of the day. If you have wanted to catch fish, you know of this nature. When a fisherman takes a fish out of the water (this is a personal inflection); what happens to the fish? Ponder these things God our Father put before us to give witness of the things He has done in our lives by His own hand. These are two biblical perspectives hidden from plain sight, and called parable language, a sign for those who walk in the Light of Christ. We need to see this from two perspectives to understand what is hidden in plain sight.


“fishers of men”


“men like ( put the symbol of the Christian fish here) of the sea”

The personal understanding of an image of the Christian fish is more than just a

“A Line Drawn In The Sand”

This is the fulfillment of words of the prophets; and the fulfillment of Law follows closely after this, concerning you and the coin in the fish's mouth. There is much more, but if you understand this, you have in your heart God’s desire for you from the beginning.
 
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