Comments

Amen! This really speakes to me, because I am so greatful to have my Shepherd the Lord guide me through the trying times in life and encourage me to be inspired. Thanks for the uplifting post!

*1 Corinthians 15:1-4 --

(*Gospel) / (Re: What's *essential?)

What's essential for salvation is belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the human/divine Son of God (John 20:31, John 3:36, 1 John 2:23), and that he died on the Cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Luke 24:46-47, Matthew 20:19, Matthew 26:28).

-

(What if I don't feel any *relationship with God even though I'm a Christian?) / (*Faith) / (Re: Now that I'm a believer what's the *first thing I should do?)

If we don't feel any relationship with God, even though we consider ourselves to be Christians, it could be because we've subconsciously hardened our hearts against God because of something bad that happened in our life (for example, the death of a loved one). We could be subconsciously blaming him for letting that bad thing happen, instead of using his power to keep it from happening.

Also, we also need to examine ourselves to see if we're truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 14:12). The way to do this is to read every word of the Bible (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:4) and see if we accept everything that it teaches as having come from God (John 8:47, 2 Timothy 3:16). For just as a true faith will initially come from reading (or hearing) what the Bible teaches (Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 3:15), so we can know that we're remaining in the true faith if we continue to believe that everything the Bible teaches came from God (John 8:31b, 2 Timothy 4:2-4, 1 Timothy 4:1, Mark 8:35-38).

In order to have any real relationship with Jesus and God the Father and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), most importantly we must believe the right things about Jesus (John 14:6-7): that he's God the Word made flesh (John 1:1,14), that he's the Christ (1 John 5:1, 1 John 2:22), that he's the only begotten (only born) Son of God (John 3:16,36, 1 John 2:23), meaning that he's the only person ever born without any human father (Luke 1:34-35). And we must believe that Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21) and so he could die on the Cross for all our sins and rise from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). He rose and will remain forever in an immortal flesh and blood human body (Luke 24:39, 2 John 1:7), as our eternally-human high priest/mediator (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 2:16-17, Hebrews 7:24-26).

Once we come into faith in Jesus, we must obey him and God the Father and the Holy Spirit by repenting from all our sins and getting water-immersion (burial) baptized into Jesus (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 3:27). Then we can get hands laid on us to receive the Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 8:17) and one or more of his wonderful Spiritual gifts (Acts 19:6, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Then, washed from all our sins by water baptism (Acts 22:16) and empowered by the Holy Spirit within us (Acts 1:8, Ephesians 3:16), we must each and every day for the rest of our lives deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23, 2 Corinthians 5:15), by continuing in the faith unto the end (Hebrews 3:6,12,14, Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6, 2 Timothy 2:12b), by repenting from every sin that we might commit (Hebrews 10:26-29, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Luke 12:45-46), and by doing the particular spiritual works which he has given us as individuals to do (Mark 13:34, Romans 12:6-8, Titus 3:8).

But if we as believers wrongly employ our free will to refuse to do these things, then we can't expect to have any continued real relationship with Jesus and God the Father and the Holy Spirit. For a continued real relationship with them requires that we not only continue to believe in them but also continue to obey them (John 15:10, John 14:21,23); faith without works is dead (James 2:20) and cannot ultimately save us (James 2:14-26, Romans 2:6-8, Matthew 7:21, Hebrews 5:9, Revelation 22:14).

At some point in the future, Jesus will descend bodily from heaven (Acts 1:11-12, Zechariah 14:3-4, Revelation 19:11-21) and obedient believers will be resurrected or changed in the twinkling of an eye into immortal human bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53). Then Jesus will judge all believers (Psalms 50:4-5, cf. Mark 13:27) by their works (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 2:6-8, Luke 12:45-48, Matthew 25:19-30). Then obedient believers will reign on the earth with the returned Jesus for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29). Sometime after that, obedient believers will live with Jesus and God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the city of New Jerusalem on a new earth (Revelation 21:1-8).

-

(Gospel foretold in OT)

Search for "the Old Testament foretold" under John 1:1,14 above

-

(Re: NOSAS isn't the gospel, for it isn't *good news)

The good news is that elect sinners can repent and believe and be obedient unto eternal life (e.g. Hebrews 5:9, Romans 2:7).

There's a lot of bad news in the Bible as well, for nonelect people (e.g. John 8:42-47, Romans 9:21-22) and for unrepentant believers (e.g. Hebrews 10:26-29, Luke 12:45-46).

It's important to preach both the good news and the bad news in the Bible (e.g. John 3:36, Romans 9:22-23, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 4:2-4). For it's by the fear of God (Luke 12:5, Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:46, Matthew 25:41,46, Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10,15) that believers depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 3:7, Proverbs 14:27).

(See "Fear" section under Romans 11:20 above)

-

(Re: NOSAS makes ourselves, not Jesus, our *Savior)

Jesus is still our Savior. For initial salvation is by faith apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Romans 4:1-5), and while both faith and continued works of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3, Galatians 5:6, Titus 3:8) (not works of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law) are required in order to obtain ultimate salvation (e.g. Romans 2:6-8, James 2:24, Matthew 7:21), it's only by our continuing to abide in Jesus our Savior that we're able to do the right things (John 15:4-5, Philippians 2:12-13). On our own there's no way we can ever save ourselves.

---

*1 Corinthians 15:10b means that Paul didn't labor on his own, apart from God's help (John 15:4-5, Philippians 2:13). 1 Corinthians 15:10b doesn't mean that Paul didn't labor himself, for elsewhere he shows that believers must labor themselves (2 Corinthians 5:9, Romans 2:6-8, Titus 3:8), together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9, Colossians 1:29, Philippians 2:12b-13).

UPDATE: The Russian boarder said that he is leaving the states in a few days but he is leaving this home on Thursday. I can't stop crying, I hate goodbye's, I get so attached to people so easily, cause of my hypersensitivty. TWO DAYS he will be gone, I will never see him again. I remember how sad I was when this one male boarder left and then when having to say goodbye to that girl who dated Alex (prob pete's twin HA) but both of them still lives in this city not this Russian boarder, he is going for good to his home country. WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN PETE, WHY COULDN'T PETE HAVE GOTTEN A JOB IN ALASKA OR SOMETHING SO FAR AWAY FROM THIS CITY, I'm stuck with Pete and the Russian boarder leaves for good in less than 48 hours. I just found out.
Pete is a jerk in my opinion, a real JERK! The Russian guy all and all was a good fellow and sensitive heart for the most part.
Oh the tears are flowing like a monsoon. :'(

*Romans 10:9-13 is only part of Christian faith, for it isn't contradicting other scriptures which show that Christians also must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the human/divine Son of God (John 20:31, John 3:36), and that he died on the Cross for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

(Also, search for "related verses" under John 3:16 above)

Well, we have a winner! This post wins by having a wompin' 65! lol
Next post, shoot for 70!! XD

Okay 41 here... now let me count the next one.

Okay, I'm going to count the exclamation points in this post as well and compare. See which one wins out.

I need to count the exclamation points in this post... ;-D

*Acts 23:6 doesn't mean that Paul as the apostle of Jesus Christ has the leaven/hypocrisy of the non-Christian Pharisees referred to in Luke 12:1. Nor does it mean that as a Christian he is one of those Christian Pharisees who mistakenly teach that Christians have to perform the works of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Acts 15:5-11, Philippians 3:5c-14). Instead, Acts 23:6 simply means that Paul believes in the future resurrection of the dead, like even the non-Christian Pharisees he was addressing rightly did (Acts 23:6c-9).

---

*Acts 26:5 --

(Re: It sounds like you've never had any interaction with Jews regarding the Mosaic law)

It should be noted that not all genetic, non-Christian Jews consider themselves to be religious Jews, and that most who do consider themselves to be religious Jews don't hold to the mistaken, so-called "Orthodox" Jewish (i.e. the Pharisaical) idea that they must keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. And some of the elect portion of even the relatively small minority of genetic, non-Christian Jews who do think that they must keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law can still be converted by preaching the scriptural truth to them (Romans 10:17), for even the apostle Paul himself was once a hard-core, law-zealous Pharisee (Galatians 1:13-24, Acts 26:5, Acts 22:3-4, Philippians 3:5-9).

---

*Acts 28:20b's "hope of Israel" includes both genetic Jews and genetic Gentiles.

(Search for "All those in the church" under "Dispensationalism is mistaken" section under Romans 11:17 below)

---

*Romans 1:11 doesn't mean that none of the Christians in Rome had received the Holy Spirit, because Paul subsequently refers to them as already having received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-16). Also, Romans 1:11 doesn't require that none of the Christians in Rome were operating in Spiritual gifts at that time, because Christians can receive more Spiritual gifts over time. For example, those who have already received the gift of tongues should be praying to also receive the separate gift of the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:13, cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10).

So Romans 1:11 can simply mean that Paul wanted the Roman Christians to receive some Spiritual gift from him which they hadn't already received. Also, Romans 1:11 may not even be referring to some Spiritual gift in the sense of giving the Roman Christians some other miraculous ability from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), but in a more general sense that Paul would give them through his preaching to them (Romans 1:15) the gift of some spiritual truth which they may have not yet been taught.

---

*Romans 1:16 --

The gospel goes to genetic Jews first (Romans 1:16, Matthew 10:5-6, Matthew 15:24) and salvation is of genetic Jews (John 4:22b) because salvation is of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28, 1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 9:15) made only with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Genetic Gentile believers are grafted into Israel so that they can partake of the salvation of Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19, Romans 11:17,24, Galatians 3:29, John 10:16). Also, all believers, no matter whether they're genetic Jews (Acts 22:3) or genetic Gentiles (Romans 16:4b), have become spiritually-circumcised Jews if they've undergone the spiritual circumcision of water-immersion (burial) baptism into Jesus Christ (Romans 2:29, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 2:11-13).

nooooooooooooooooooooo NOT ONE NUMBER, I didn't get any lotto numbers NOOOOOOOOOOOO I am stuck with this crush on this weather guy.
Praying for a miracle.

Amen!!! This is one of the most touching testimonies I have ever read/heard. From I976 God has been looking out for you! throughout all these years he was there and he will continue to be there for you...You where chosen from the beginning.The devil comes to kill, steal and to destroy but Jesus said I came so you might have life...Claim back all the things the devil stole from you all those years in Jesus' name.
Oh lord we thank you for all the great things you do.For you never cease to amaze me.
It's good to testify...Revelations 12:11" And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death"

AMEN!!!!

Very good poem!

I HATE RUMORS, Gosh if people want to know the truth then ASK ME stop beleiving lies!!!!!!!!! Rumors are STUPID and EVIL!

Norman Vincent Peale a man who made up his mind.

Norman Vincient Peale

I have to tell you a good rest feels so good. I got to sleep in my angel's arms, I was laying right on his chest as he held me. I HATE waking up cause I know that I can not cuddle with my guardian angel. I think that is why I love sleeping the best, cause I can snuggle with my dear love of my life. I wish I could just sleep my life away and have him hold me. Don't get me wrong I LOVE being active (as in keeping fit) but I have to say I love being in my guardian angel's arms A LOT more. I feel the happiest when I am with him, my guardian angel.
I will write more this evening but for now, I am going to take ANOTHER nap. I CAN"T get enough of my dear love of my life, my guardian angel. <3

*Luke 18:19 --

See Matthew 19:17 above

---

*Luke 19:44 --

Search for "Luke 19:44" under Matthew 24(space) above

---

*Luke 21:12 can refer to long "before" the endtime tribulation begins: the "synagogues" part can refer to persecution of Christians in Judaea by Jews in the first century (1 Thessalonians 2:14).

---

*Luke 21:24 --

The times of the Gentiles will include the treading down of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24) which will occur during the coming 3.5-year worldwide reign of the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of the beast) (Revelation 11:2b, cf. Revelation 13:5-18).

(See "Fulness" section under Romans 11:25 below)

---

*Luke 21:27 is referring to Jesus' second coming (cf. Matthew 24:29-31). So Luke 21:28 is referring only to the signs which will accompany his second coming (Luke 21:25-27, Matthew 24:29-30), not the things which will happen during the preceding tribulation (Luke 21:8-24).

---

*Luke 21:32 --

See Matthew 24:34 above

---

*Luke 21:36 --

(*Escape)

Luke 21:36 doesn't require a pre-trib rapture, because some in the church will escape all of the tribulation by dying before it starts (cf. Isaiah 57:1), and others in the church will escape all of the tribulation by being physically protected on the earth during it (e.g. Revelation 12:14-16, cf. Psalms 91).

-

(Re: So we should pray that we die?)

We shouldn't pray that we die, but that we might escape the tribulation (Luke 21:36). But we should pray that realizing that if our prayer is answered it won't require that we be pre-trib raptured. For some believers... (See section above)

-

(*Stand before the Son of man)

Those who will escape all of the tribulation (Luke 21:36a) by dying before it starts (cf. Isaiah 57:1) will stand before the Lord (Luke 21:36b) in heaven (cf. Philippians 1:21,23, 2 Corinthians 5:8). And those who will escape all of the tribulation by being miraculously protected on the earth during it (e.g. Revelation 12:14-16, cf. Psalms 91) will stand before the Lord in the sky at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:17), which won't happen until immediately after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Revelation 19:7).

-

(Re: "Stand" in the Bible indicates either being resurrected or judged)

It doesn't have to indicate either (e.g. Luke 19:8).

-

(Re: There's no verse that says dead Christians go to "heaven")

No scriptures contradict the fact that the souls of obedient Christians go into heaven when they die (Revelation 6:9-10, Luke 23:43,46). For their souls go to be with the Lord when they die (Philippians 1:21,23, 2 Corinthians 5:8), and the Lord is in heaven (Acts 3:21), and their souls with be brought down from heaven with the Lord at his second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

No scripture shows the souls of obedient Christians going into Hades, instead of into heaven, when they die.

-

(Re: You separate the saints, whereas the rapture has them "together")

No reference has been made to any separation at the time of the rapture. For... (See 1 Thessalonians 4:14 below)

-

(Re: Luke 21:36 applies to the great multitude)

Luke 21:36 doesn't necessarily apply to the great multitude in heaven in Revelation 7:9,14, because the great multitude could have died during the first stage of the tribulation (Revelation 6).

---

*Luke 22:30 --

See Matthew 19:28 above

---

*Luke 22:32 means that God gives initially saved people the ability to continue in the faith. But he doesn't take away their free will. So it's still possible for them to wrongly employ their free will to commit apostasy (1 Timothy 4:1), to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8).

(Re: catholic.com quote from *Eusebius on *Novatian being sprinkled)

Something very similar to that quote is indeed found in book six of Ecclesiastical History, in chapter 43. And Eusebius is indeed quoting one of the "epistles of Cornelius, bishop of Rome, to Fabius, of the church at Antioch" (paragraph 3), when chapter 43 says: "Being delivered by the exorcists, he [Novatian] fell into a severe sickness; and as he seemed about to die, he received baptism by affusion, on the bed where he lay; if indeed we can say that such a one did receive it. And when he was healed of his sickness he did not receive the other things which it is necessary to have according to the canon of the Church, even the being sealed by the bishop. And as he did not receive this, how could he receive the Holy Spirit?” (paragraphs 14 and 15).

Here Cornelius is first questioning whether Novatian had really received baptism by water, and then is stating that Novatian didn't subsequently receive (the separate baptism of) the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 8:15-17, Acts 19:5-6, Acts 11:15-16, Acts 10:44-48).

Cornelius doesn't state or imply in the quote that he believes that "baptism by affusion" is acceptable to God (instead of immersion) in any case except when a believer "seems about to die". How many adherents of Catholicism aren't immersed when they don't "seem about to die"?

Also, on what authority would Cornelius believe that "baptism by affusion" is acceptable to God (instead of immersion) when a believer "seems about to die"? Why can't a believer who seems about to die be carried immediately to where he can be immersed, such as in a tub of water, or in the nearest body of water?

-

Also, there are some notes which accompany chapter 43 at Christian Classics. Note 2128 (in the yellow column on the right) says that there was "an objection to Novatian’s ordination, based upon his irregular baptism". And Note 2132 says that "Clinic baptism (so-called from [the Greek for] “a bed”) was ordinarily looked upon in the early Church, in which immersion was the common mode of baptism, as permanently debarring a person from the presbyterate, and by many persons it was denied that such baptism was baptism at all".

-

Also, it's curious to note that Novatian would become "Christianity's second ever antipope" and that Hippolytus of Rome would be "considered by some to be Novatian's teacher" (Wikipedia).

---

*Mark 16:17 --

Regarding Mark 16:17a, not every believer is given the ability to cast out demons, just as not every believer is given the ability to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:29-30).

(Regarding Mark 16:17b, see tongues detail under 1 Corinthians 12:8 below)

---

*Mark 16:18 --

Regarding Mark 16:18, Christians must never test God by purposely, unnecessarily placing themselves in harm's way (Matthew 4:5-7). Just as Christians shouldn't throw themselves off buildings in order to test Psalms 91:12, so they shouldn't purposely pick up dangerous snakes or purposely drink poison in order to test Mark 16:18. For Mark 16:18 refers to, for example, accidental cases of Christians taking up snakes, such as when picking up a pile of wood (Acts 28:3-6).

---

*Luke 4:11 --

(Re: epi meaning inside)

Only the surface of the skin of the hands actually touches the one being borne, so that the "epi" in Luke 4:11 means "on" their hands. It doesn't mean that the one being borne will be "inside" their hands, as in being put under the skin of their hands.

---

*Luke 6:32-36 --

(Means God loves everyone?)

See Matthew 5:44 above

---

*Luke 6:43-44 --

See Matthew 12:33 above

---

*Luke 6:46 --

Believers can't separate their obedience to Jesus Christ's requirements from their claiming his Lordship (Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21, Revelation 22:14).

---

*Luke 7:50 --

(So baptism isn't necessary?)

See under Luke 23:43 below

---

*Luke 8:4-15 --

In the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), the last three types of people all received God's Word and came into faith. The one who came into faith on stony ground believed for awhile, but then subsequently committed apostasy (Luke 8:13, cf. 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Thessalonians 2:3), which ultimately results in the loss of salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6, 2 Timothy 2:12). The one who came into faith on weed-choked ground subsequently neglected to patiently continue in good works, neglected to bear fruit unto perfection (Luke 8:14, cf. Colossians 1:10, Revelation 3:1b-2). And the one who came into faith on good ground subsequently brought forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15), which is required in order for believers to obtain ultimate salvation (Romans 2:6-8, Matthew 7:21, James 2:24).

---

*Luke 9:23-26 --

Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:26-27,33 give no assurance that every truly saved person will subsequently rightly employ his or her free will to fulfill them, just as Luke 9:24a,25-26 and Luke 14:34b-35 give no assurance that every truly saved person won't subsequently wrongly employ his or her free will to fulfill them.

---

*Luke 9:27 --

See Matthew 16:28 above

---

*Luke 10:13-15 --

(Means everyone can repent?)

See Matthew 11:20 above

---

*Luke 10:19b --

If Luke 10:19b refers to physical protection, Luke 10:19 could have applied only to the seventy (Luke 10:17). If Luke 10:19b applies to the entire church, it means that the power of the devil can't hurt obedient believers spiritually. For the devil can hurt and even kill obedient believers physically (Revelation 2:10, Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4, Matthew 24:9).

Obedient believers overcome the devil spiritually even when they're physically killed by him (Revelation 12:11); they're more than conquerors spiritually even when they're physically led like sheep to the slaughter (Romans 8:36-37). For death is a gain for obedient believers, as it brings their souls into heaven to be with Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:21,23, 2 Corinthians 5:8). So obedient believers need have no fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

And at Jesus' second coming, he will bring with him from heaven all the souls of all the obedient believers who have ever died (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15) and they will all be resurrected into immortal bodies at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,52-53). They will all then reign on the earth with Jesus for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29). So no matter what evil forces have done to obedient believers physically in the past, or are doing to obedient believers physically now, or will do to obedient believers physically in the future, such as during the coming tribulation (Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4, Matthew 24:9), all obedient believers of all times will ultimately have the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 John 5:4, Revelation 15:2).

*Matthew 24:28 isn't referring to the rapture, but to a dead body being eaten by eagles (Job 39:30b, Revelation 19:21). The original Greek word (ptoma, G4430) translated as "carcase" in Matthew 24:28 (KJV) is used to refer only to a dead body (e.g. Matthew 14:12, Mark 6:29, Mark 15:45, Revelation 11:8-9).

---

*Matthew 24:29 --

(Same as 6th seal?)

See under Revelation 6:12 below

---

*Matthew 24:30 isn't referring to only the Jews, but to all the unbelieving tribes (or kindreds) of the earth. Matthew 24:30 means that everyone on the earth will see Jesus' second coming (Revelation 1:7). The same Greek word translated as "tribes" in Matthew 24:30 is translated as "kindreds" in Revelation 1:7.

-

(Re: Where does it say that everyone will see Jesus' second coming at the same time?) / (*Sign of the Son of man)

Matthew 24:30 and Revelation 1:7 show that everyone will see Jesus second coming; and his second coming will happen only one time, immediately after the still-unfulfilled tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7-20:6) of Matthew 24/Revelation chapters 6-18. Also, at his second coming, everyone in the church will be resurrected or "changed" into immortal bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Revelation 19:7-20:6, Romans 8:23-25); and everyone in the church will be resurrected or "changed" into immortal bodies at the same moment in time (1 Corinthians 15:51-53), at the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52), which won't sound until immediately after the still-unfulfilled tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31) of Matthew 24/Revelation chapters 6-18.

The "sign of the Son of man" (Matthew 24:30) (if it isn't the sign of the Cross) could be the appearance of Jesus himself (Luke 11:29-30) in the sky at his second coming (Matthew 24:30). Before he lands on the earth (Zechariah 14:4, cf. Acts 1:11-12), he could circle the globe in the sky many times so that everyone will be able to see him with their own eyes, as Revelation 1:7 and Matthew 24:27,30 require. This is also the whole point of Matthew 24:23-31: if Jesus' second coming isn't immediately obvious to everyone at the same time, then it's not really Jesus. Another test is that the bodily resurrection and gathering together (rapture) of the church into the sky have to occur at the second coming of the real Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30-31, 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Revelation 20:4-6, Romans 8:23-25).

-

(Re: Why wasn't Jesus obvious the first time he came?)

Jesus came the first time to die on the Cross for our sins and rise from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If he had come the first time like he will return (in glory, Matthew 24:30), no one would have crucified him (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:8).