Stu wrote: ↑Fri Aug 04, 2023 7:18 am
yet many Christians are fast asleep living happily in their sin.
Stu,whatever you think about tribulation or how close we are to the end, no true Christian is HAPPILY living in their sins - yet many are struggling against obvious and serious sins, while praying to overcome them. A TRUE Christian: A) is committed in heart and mind to recognizing Christ as their Lord and believes in Jesus' death and Resurrection, and has asked Him for forgiveness and salvation. B) ALL true Christians will nonetheless continue to sin, as we are not yet, still in our flesh, able to completely overcome sin. Also, I can guarantee you that there are sins you and I commit every day that we may not even be aware of. And YET, Scripture reveals that ALL true Christians are completely forgiven for ALL past, present and future sins. However, ALL people that merely CALL themselves Christians are NOT saved / forgiven.
The other thing I see is, you are always on about doom and gloom. The apostles risked death everyday, and the Apostle Paul knew he was soon to die - and yet, his writings abound with a completely different focus - one of love, gratefulness, joy, and perfect hope in his freedom from sin and evil that was to come (and, for us, that still is!). Christians focused on Endtimes agonies are never going to have what the Apostles did - not because they are unsaved, but because their focus is constantly on gloom and doom.
Stu, I would encourage you to focus on what the Apostle says in Philippians 4:
"5 The Lord is at hand; 6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things,
and the God of peace will be with you.
Tribulations Christians go through will not be as if they'll be walking alone - as they are children of God, who loves and forgives them - which doesn't mean they won't experience any - or perhaps, significant, suffering. Of course, for unsaved persons - ones that will eventually be saved - tribulations are and will be one way that God will use for them to become desperate enough and finally cry out to Him in their sufferings and urgent need.
God clearly shows us, through His Apostles, that our focus is NOT to be gloom and doom and future events we can't predict or know the time of. Because NO Christian can have God's peace like that - as it's pessimistic and produces anxiety - and yet, what does Paul encourage us to do, but to "not be anxious about ANYTHING" - EVEN in the midst of the threat of death, which he constantly lived!
Stu, I know that some great evils are going on down in South Africa - with this very week evil persons in the majority encouraging the murders and taking of land of white South Africans, and so it's easy (and understandable) to focus on fearful possibilities. But having the wrong focus and not seeing the eternal future for ALL Christians as being full of hope, or somehow doubting that God won't be with them when evil things arise - well, you can't have peace like that. Choose (God's) peace! I pray you and your family remain safe!
