- Nov 23, 2017
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As Christians, at least some of us are looking forward to the return of Jesus (call it Rapture, Second Coming or any other way and regardless the different interpretations of the intermediate events)
Now usually, we pray the Lord for good things that we would like in our lives because Jesus has taught us to ASK for good things we want in many passages (Luke 18:1-8, John 14:13-14, Matthew 21:22, John 16:24, and many others)
It is reasonable to think that asking is an important step in the relationship between men and God.
And what to ask? In the Lord prayer, there are are many (if not all) passages that will be fulfilled completely only on the Second Coming:
"your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven."
- The kingdom of the Lord has not completely come, and His will is not completely done on earth, and it will not until His return, and the separation of sheeps and goats.
"And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’"
- Same here: the only way in which we will be COMPLETELY freed and delivered from temptation and the evil one, will be on the Last day, by entering his Kingdom, separated from the goats.
Then curiosly, in Matthew 24:22 we find "for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened".
Now I have 2 QUESTIONS:
1) As Christian, would you really be happy if the Second Coming would happen in a month? Or in a week? Or today? Or would you prefer to first do some mundane things and you'd rather prefer Him to come later? (Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 19:14)
2) Provided that we usually ask for many things never mentioned in the Gospel, and we hope them to be fulfilled, would it be so wrong to ask for such thing as the Return of the Lord? At least there is some probability that is a correct prayer. If it's not, it wouldn't have hurt to try, but if it is right, it will means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and be delivered from evil immediately, not only for us but for everyone living now.
3) What if the Lord is waiting for people, at least His elects, really wanting and ASKing for His return, to shorten the days?
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NOTE
To a possible objection like "if the day will be shortened, some people will not have time to repent" there are at least 2 answers:
- Every day new people born in this world full of temptations (Luke 4:6), and there are more people at risk of losing the way, than people who repent.
- If someone has the seed of repentance in his earth, it's not to exclude that he will be saved in the last day even if he didn't publicly confessed to be Christian because they haven't met Christ yet.
If it wouldn't be like this, then every population who did not hear of Christ in the past and now would be condemned, and this is not the case, because those who pursued good and searched for the Truth would have listened to the Lord and convert if had the occasion (Romans 2:15) (think about people like Socrates), so they will likely be saved anyway.
Now usually, we pray the Lord for good things that we would like in our lives because Jesus has taught us to ASK for good things we want in many passages (Luke 18:1-8, John 14:13-14, Matthew 21:22, John 16:24, and many others)
It is reasonable to think that asking is an important step in the relationship between men and God.
And what to ask? In the Lord prayer, there are are many (if not all) passages that will be fulfilled completely only on the Second Coming:
"your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven."
- The kingdom of the Lord has not completely come, and His will is not completely done on earth, and it will not until His return, and the separation of sheeps and goats.
"And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’"
- Same here: the only way in which we will be COMPLETELY freed and delivered from temptation and the evil one, will be on the Last day, by entering his Kingdom, separated from the goats.
Then curiosly, in Matthew 24:22 we find "for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened".
Now I have 2 QUESTIONS:
1) As Christian, would you really be happy if the Second Coming would happen in a month? Or in a week? Or today? Or would you prefer to first do some mundane things and you'd rather prefer Him to come later? (Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 19:14)
2) Provided that we usually ask for many things never mentioned in the Gospel, and we hope them to be fulfilled, would it be so wrong to ask for such thing as the Return of the Lord? At least there is some probability that is a correct prayer. If it's not, it wouldn't have hurt to try, but if it is right, it will means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and be delivered from evil immediately, not only for us but for everyone living now.
3) What if the Lord is waiting for people, at least His elects, really wanting and ASKing for His return, to shorten the days?
----------------------------------------------------------
NOTE
To a possible objection like "if the day will be shortened, some people will not have time to repent" there are at least 2 answers:
- Every day new people born in this world full of temptations (Luke 4:6), and there are more people at risk of losing the way, than people who repent.
- If someone has the seed of repentance in his earth, it's not to exclude that he will be saved in the last day even if he didn't publicly confessed to be Christian because they haven't met Christ yet.
If it wouldn't be like this, then every population who did not hear of Christ in the past and now would be condemned, and this is not the case, because those who pursued good and searched for the Truth would have listened to the Lord and convert if had the occasion (Romans 2:15) (think about people like Socrates), so they will likely be saved anyway.
