Does Eschatology Shape our Walk with Christ today?

[Hazelelponi]

I'm amil I suppose, but I AM curious, why does any of this matter, really?

The purpose of the entire exercise of our faith is salvation. For those of us who are saved, we are in an awesome position and have nothing to fear of the future because we are held in God's Hand.

For those who aren't saved (and yes, I understand this is a Christian only forum), the end of the world could be tommorow, for you just might die.

It is the Christian responsibility to be the light of Christ to the world, and share the Gospel with the lost.

So, my curiosity is, why does speaking or even thinking on the end times even matter? God has us in His Hand, whether we experience trials and tribulations or not we are held in the power and security of the Almighty.

So why have any concern for the future?

How does eschatology shape our lives today?

Just a curiosity point really, but I find nothing to fear here, and very little significance in our day to day Christian life outside of it does seem to shape our external politics - which can be quite a significant shaping, but is it truly relevant, in the long run, outside of politics?

 

[faroukfarouk]

I'm amil I suppose, but I AM curious, why does any of this matter, really?

The purpose of the entire exercise of our faith is salvation. For those of us who are saved, we are in an awesome position and have nothing to fear of the future because we are held in God's Hand.

For those who aren't saved (and yes, I understand this is a Christian only forum), the end of the world could be tommorow, for you just might die.

It is the Christian responsibility to be the light of Christ to the world, and share the Gospel with the lost.

So, my curiosity is, why does speaking or even thinking on the end times even matter? God has us in His Hand, whether we experience trials and tribulations or not we are held in the power and security of the Almighty.

So why have any concern for the future?

How does eschatology shape our lives today?

Just a curiosity point really, but I find nothing to fear here, and very little significance in our day to day Christian life outside of it does seem to shape our external politics - which can be quite a significant shaping, but is it truly relevant, in the long run, outside of politics?

Well, for a start, in the Lord's Supper the believer's hope is brought out very eloquently; it is done 'till He come' (1 Corinthians 11.26).

 

[Hazelelponi]

Well, for a start, in the Lord's Supper the believer's hope is brought out very eloquently; it is done 'till He come' (1 Corinthians 11.26).

That's a good point, I've never met a Christian who doesn't believe in participation in the Lord's Supper, so a good point is that perhaps some may not..

okay. So. Lord's Supper - check!

Thank you for that contribution!

 

[Paidiske]

I think our eschatology shapes our sense of mission. For example, I hold to an already-inaugurated eschatology; so I see the mission of the Church as making real, concrete and manifest that eschatological reign of God in the world now.

 

[friend of]

I don't think it does. Or at least, it shouldn't. Eschatology is not a salvation issue.

 

[Sabertooth]

@Hazelelponi , it makes us cautious about the RFID chip in Sweden (or, at least, it should).

 

[royal priest]

The other day someone told me that I need to be paying attention to current global events as signs for when the end is near.
I told them Jesus' return is immenent and does not depend on a consequence of headline news.
Rather, Jesus' coming will be as 2 Peter chapter 3 says, as a theif in the night...therefore consider what sort of pepole you ought to be in godliness and holiness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.
Our conduct has greater bearing on the return of Christ than when a certain national event takes place.

 

[com7fy8]

So, my curiosity is, why does speaking or even thinking on the end times even matter? God has us in His Hand, whether we experience trials and tribulations or not we are held in the power and security of the Almighty.

So why have any concern for the future?

How does eschatology shape our lives today?

First, we think of the future, in order to have hope of seeing Jesus when He returns, and then sharing with Him and with one another as God's family. So, feeding on this future hope can minister us to prepare by becoming holy like God and seeking the correction for this, needed, plus we grow in how to relate with our Father and one another as family so we are prepared to share like this in the Rapture.

Also . . . whether we believe we will go through the Great Tribulation or not, it is wise to trust God to prepare us for whatsoever trouble He knows we will suffer in the future. With God, it is possible to go through any trouble, and His grace is almighty and of love to make us able to be loving and caring for even enemies while we go through anything. So, we do well to prepare to live and to love like this, in any time of trouble.

Therefore, whether we think we will be in the Tribulation or not, I trust we are wise to be changed by God so we are able to be living and loving in submission to Him during any hard time. Because God is almighty in love, so easily able to have us succeed with Him. And in prayer, if we exercise this, we grow stronger in > "faith working through love" (in Galatians 5:6) < so we are changed into the image of Jesus more and more maturely . . . instead of being intimidated by hard things of the future.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I'm amil I suppose, but I AM curious, why does any of this matter, really?

It doesn't. In the final analysis it's nothing but "Controversial Theology". I'm "Pre-Mil" as a "knee-jerk working hypothesis". and in my case, I'll PROBABLY get to watch it all from the OTHER SIDE, unless it happens QUICKLY!!! The Assemblies of God holds the Pre-Mil theory (explained at ag.org if you're interested in their reasoning). During times of revival (Like the Charismatic Outpouring '64-'78 or so) the Rapture was quite prominent, at present, it's not, and it is, at best, an "abstract". Nobody really knows how it'll happen, and nobody likely will, until it does.

Regardless, I'm ready NOW, been ready for 50 years, and tonight would be fine, there NOTHING here I'd even miss.

 

[anna ~ grace]

I'm amil I suppose, but I AM curious, why does any of this matter, really?

The purpose of the entire exercise of our faith is salvation. For those of us who are saved, we are in an awesome position and have nothing to fear of the future because we are held in God's Hand.

For those who aren't saved (and yes, I understand this is a Christian only forum), the end of the world could be tommorow, for you just might die.

It is the Christian responsibility to be the light of Christ to the world, and share the Gospel with the lost.

So, my curiosity is, why does speaking or even thinking on the end times even matter? God has us in His Hand, whether we experience trials and tribulations or not we are held in the power and security of the Almighty.

So why have any concern for the future?

How does eschatology shape our lives today?

Just a curiosity point really, but I find nothing to fear here, and very little significance in our day to day Christian life outside of it does seem to shape our external politics - which can be quite a significant shaping, but is it truly relevant, in the long run, outside of politics?

That's a good question. I often wonder why we talk as much as we do about the end. And get angry and debate. Hasn't happened yet.

 

[Gottservant]

The thing about testimony is that everyone's is different.

Eschatology brings us together, around that which we all share.

Even then, we are united by eschatology that relates to our specific walk in faith.

Jesus saw the Day of His Return on the Cross (in principle), as a Jew that empowered Him to put faith in His Resurrection - without that, He would never have overcome.

 

[Hazelelponi]

The thing about testimony is that everyone's is different.

Eschatology brings us together, around that which we all share.

Even then, we are united by eschatology that relates to our specific walk in faith.

Jesus saw the Day of His Return on the Cross (in principle), as a Jew that empowered Him to put faith in His Resurrection - without that, He would never have overcome.

I don't think your right about eschatology being a point that brings us together. I see eschatology as just one more thing we all disagree much like every other topic, sometimes disturbingly so.

Look at this thread and you see that, although granted it's a much nicer way of disagreeing because no one is shouting their views, but had I framed the OP any differently there would have been debate.

Your saying, for instance, that if not for eschatology Jesus would have been a failed Messiah. I find that answer infinitely sad, because I can't for even a moment imagine following a God so impotent. But then, the nature of God is what brought me to Christ to begin with, if not for that I'd be lost still. I had to explore the God who can, verses the god who can't and decide which one was truly God and truly worthy of worship. So the sovereignty of God - and thus also the efficacy of Jesus - was a very real sticking point in my conversion.

So I guess for you that's the answer, because you see eschatology as being the sole reason your able to be saved at all. I'll accept that as your answer, it would cause you to see eschatology in a far different way than I do.

Thank you for sharing your views.

 

[Sabertooth]

Look at this thread and you see that, although granted it's a much nicer way of disagreeing because no one is shouting their views, but had I framed the OP any differently there would have been debate.

Besides honest & developmental mistakes occurring in all of God's people --for now we see in a glass darkly-- Jesus said that there are Tares in our midst [Matthew 13:24-30], as well. They were trolls even before there was an internet!

 

[Gottservant]

I don't think your right about eschatology being a point that brings us together. I see eschatology as just one more thing we all disagree much like every other topic, sometimes disturbingly so.

[...]

So I guess for you that's the answer, because you see eschatology as being the sole reason your able to be saved at all. I'll accept that as your answer, it would cause you to see eschatology in a far different way than I do.

Thank you for sharing your views.

Thanks for being so civil - you're right I don't think we have to agree.

Basically no-one has to agree on the internet, because we are all finding rest in distraction.

The time will come though, when we see eye to eye, because we are predetermined by the testimony of Jesus that is in us (including the eschatology of Christ).