Ask the Evangelical!

[musicman]

There are so many interpretations of those churches...

The first interpretation of the seven churches (see Revelation 1-3) is that they were seven real churches in Asia Minor, and the letters addressed those churches at that time only. While principles in those letters apply to Christians throughout history (warning against being lukewarm, Jesus standing at the door and knocking, etc.), there is no correspondence to the future state of the Church. This tends to be my viewpoint.

A second interpretation is that the seven churches represent seven different phases in church history. According to this take, we are currently in the fifth, sixth, or seventh phase, depending on who you ask. My only problem with this is that in Rev. 4:1, an angel tells John that he is going to see the things that take place after this. So I don't really see how the church's history - all in the future at this point - would be told before this statement.

A third interpretation is that the seven churches are seven manifestations of the Church at the time of Christ's return. While I think that many denominations or congregations may display the traits associated with the seven churches in Revelation, I don't think that's the primary interpretation.


Does that answer your question?

Thanks, Jeff. That clears a few things up for me.

 

[5stringJeff]

What do you make of Dr. Richard Eby - he claimed to have died, visited with Jesus, and he related what Christ told him to much scrutiny. One such message was 'Christ would return before Dr. Eby's death'. Dr Eby died in 2002?. Some are saying Christ HAS returned; but came into the world in the same manor as his last trip - via virgin birth. Anywho...that's switching gears....main question is:

Have you heard of Dr Eby? If so, your thoughts/opinions?

I had to Google him. Very interesting. My thoughts: he may have very well had a near death experience. He may have seen Jesus. No one can know for sure except for him. But if he made a prophecy (i.e. Jesus will return before He dies) and it didn't come true, then he is a false prophet. And for that, I have to view everything he says with a grain of salt.

As to the Second Coming of Christ, it is very clear from the Bible that every eye will see Jesus return, and there will be no mistaking that event for something else. I don't buy into the theory that Jesus will return as a baby again.

 

[Hobbit]

What do you make of Dr. Richard Eby - he claimed to have died, visited with Jesus, and he related what Christ told him to much scrutiny. One such message was 'Christ would return before Dr. Eby's death'. Dr Eby died in 2002?. Some are saying Christ HAS returned; but came into the world in the same manor as his last trip - via virgin birth. Anywho...that's switching gears....main question is:

Have you heard of Dr Eby? If so, your thoughts/opinions?

Two scenarios here, assuming he wasn't just a liar:

A: He really had a prophetic dream to be shared with the world, but didn't pray about it and his narcissism caused him to misinterperet it.

B: His near death experience was a psychological response to protect him from the reality of his condition.

 

[Avatar4321]

I had to Google him. Very interesting. My thoughts: he may have very well had a near death experience. He may have seen Jesus. No one can know for sure except for him. But if he made a prophecy (i.e. Jesus will return before He dies) and it didn't come true, then he is a false prophet. And for that, I have to view everything he says with a grain of salt.

As to the Second Coming of Christ, it is very clear from the Bible that every eye will see Jesus return, and there will be no mistaking that event for something else. I don't buy into the theory that Jesus will return as a baby again.

Acts chapter one eliminates the possibility of the Jesus returning as a baby. Its pretty clear that He will return the way He left.

Ive thought about it alot but i dont think there is anything that prevents him from visiting the faithful. I think the Second coming will be His Return in front of the world. Because even before He was born He appeared to many of the Prophets. So I think He probably visits some of the more faithful to prepare the world for the Second coming...of course this is the Gospel according to me so i could be wrong.

 

[dmp]

I've often wondered if his return will be visible, yet after the moment it happens, we'll all forget those gone ever existed. It'd be VERY easy to believe in Christ if you saw thousands, millions, taken.

 

[5stringJeff]

Acts chapter one eliminates the possibility of the Jesus returning as a baby. Its pretty clear that He will return the way He left.

Ive thought about it alot but i dont think there is anything that prevents him from visiting the faithful. I think the Second coming will be His Return in front of the world. Because even before He was born He appeared to many of the Prophets. So I think He probably visits some of the more faithful to prepare the world for the Second coming...of course this is the Gospel according to me so i could be wrong.

I think it's quite posible that Jesus would reveal Himself to people. He did so with Paul - though he was an apostle. But if Christ did reveal Himself, He would have to do so in a way that did not conflict with His previous appearances and/or words. In other words, He wouldn't contradict Himself.

Another thought I had was that the devil also does things to trick people. So it could be possible that the devil tricked Dr. Eby into thinking he was Christ, gave him a vision which Eby spread, and thus tricked a certain amount of people into believing a false vision.

 

[5stringJeff]

I've often wondered if his return will be visible, yet after the moment it happens, we'll all forget those gone ever existed. It'd be VERY easy to believe in Christ if you saw thousands, millions, taken.

Or another way to put it: will those of us in heaven remember those who are simultaneously in hell? If heaven is a place with no sorrow or crying, would we be cognisant (sp?) of those people we knew who were not there? Frankly, I don't know how to answer that.

 

[Shattered]

Ok.. I've just gotta ask...

Why is it so easy to believe there's a Heaven/Hell, but literally impossible to believe that when you die, you merely become worm food (as sounds logical), and that's the end of it...?

 

[5stringJeff]

Ok.. I've just gotta ask...

Why is it so easy to believe there's a Heaven/Hell, but literally impossible to believe that when you die, you merely become worm food (as sounds logical), and that's the end of it...?

In other words, why believe in life after death?

I believe, as do other evangelicals, that Jesus rose from the dead. That is, He died, as was witnessed by dozens of people; He was buried - also witnessed by others, with a guard put in front of His tomb; and He then was alive again, in bodily form, confirmed by eating and drinking in front of His disciples. Even "Doubting Thomas," when told by Jesus after the resurrection to touch the holes in His body from His crucifixion, had a major change of heart, proclaiming, "My Lord and My God!"

So Jesus' resurrection proclaims to us that we don't just become worm food. There is life after death, and He is (pardon the pun) living proof.

 

[freeandfun1]

Ok.. I've just gotta ask...

Why is it so easy to believe there's a Heaven/Hell, but literally impossible to believe that when you die, you merely become worm food (as sounds logical), and that's the end of it...?

Frankly, I believe you do become worm food. But you are given new garments (a new body) upon entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[shrapnel]

why aren't all christians locked away in a mental hospital? I don't understand.

 

[Shattered]

Frankly, I believe you do become worm food. But you are given new garments (a new body) upon entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Can I request a taller body, then?

 

[Shattered]

why aren't all christians locked away in a mental hospital? I don't understand.

I'm not a Christian, and I think *some* of them are pretty whacked, but that was just plain rude.

Why aren't intolerant people locked away in a mental hospital?

Way to start out, hey...

 

[Avatar4321]

why aren't all christians locked away in a mental hospital? I don't understand.

Because there is nothing mentally wrong with us.

 

[shrapnel]

I'm not a Christian, and I think *some* of them are pretty whacked, but that was just plain rude.

Why aren't intolerant people locked away in a mental hospital?

Way to start out, hey...

Who's intolerant? They run the world if you haven't noticed. I'll bet your intolerant of Hitler.

 

[shrapnel]

Because there is nothing mentally wrong with us.

You base your life on imaginary people....you bet your mental, just commit yourself and be done with it.

 

[Avatar4321]

Who's intolerant? They run the world if you haven't noticed. I'll bet your intolerant of Hitler.

Hitler has nothing to with the thread. He killed all religious people. focused more on the jews but people of faith were a threat to him.

 

[Avatar4321]

You base your life on imaginary people....you bet your mental, just commit yourself and be done with it.

Just to let you know this is a warning. we dont appreciate trolls.

 

[Shattered]

Who's intolerant? They run the world if you haven't noticed. I'll bet your intolerant of Hitler.

They run the world if you allow them to... There are Christian extremists, just like there are extremists in everything else in life. If you'd get your head out of your ass, you'd see that MOST (with few exceptions) of the Christians that frequent this place are pretty cool, and don't fit into your "mental" qualifications.

 

[freeandfun1]

If you'd get your head out of your ass, you'd see that MOST (with few exceptions) of the Christians that frequent this place are pretty cool, and don't fit into your "mental" qualifications.

Or his preconceived "stereo-type". Funny, I bet he is a liberal that runs around telling everybody how they need to be tolerant and that they shouldn't "stereo-type" people yet here he (it) is doing just that.