Who would meet the Lord Jesus Christ at His return?
I Thess. 4:16-17 NKJV |
16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.) |
Who would meet the Lord Jesus Christ at His return? Paul said, "we who are alive and remain". In whom do they remain? Paul said, "in Christ." (cf. Matt. 24:13). Did the Apostle Paul say that those who were referred to in the expression, "we who are alive," were those who remained in Christ in Paul's own time? No he did not.
What would occur before the end of the world?
Matt. 24:3-4, 11 KJV |
3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (The Holy Bible: King James Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962.) |
What would occur before the end of the world? Jesus said, "many false prophets shall rise." How many deceived? Jesus said, "many". Hence many [though not all] would turn away from the faith. This statement of our Lord Jesus Christ is what the Apostle Paul was referring to in his epistle.
What doctrines would lead to the falling away of the faith?
I Tim. 4:1, 3 KJV |
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.) |
What doctrines would lead to the falling away of the faith? Paul said, "doctrines of devils." What's one example? Paul said, "Forbidding to marry". What's another example? Paul said, "commanding to abstain from meats". Are marriage and meats two things to be avoided? Paul said, "God hath created to be received". Observance of these two doctrines are signs that the falling away of the faith has taken place.
Are there those who practice these doctrines today?
Hist. Dict. of Cath., p. 91 |
CELIBACY. (From Lt caelebs, “unmarried.”) Abstention from marriage and sexual activity. ... A movement toward celibacy of the clergy is first seen in the early fourth century. ... It remains the norm in the Roman Rite: married men may not be ordained priests, though they may be ordained deacons. No one may marry after ordination. (Historical Dictionary of Catholicism. By William J. Collinge. Second Edition. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2012.) |
Are there those who practice these doctrines today? Yes, there are. Who practice these doctrines today? The Catholic Church.
What is commanded among the clergy of the Catholic Church? According to Collinge, "Abstention from marriage". Is this a doctrine of God? No. Who's doctrine is this? The Apostle Paul said of the Devil.
What about the doctrine commanding to abstain from meat?
The Code of Canon Law, p. 173 |
Canon 1251. Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. (The Code of Canon Law. Collins Liturgical Publications: Piccadilly, London, 1983.) |
What about the doctrine commanding to abstain from meat? The Catholic Church also practices this.
What abstinence was to be observed on all Fridays? According to Canon 1251, "Abstinence from meat". This is why fish on Fridays was a staple of Catholic homes for centuries, until the doctrine was amended to only be in effect for the Fridays of Lent. Is this, however, a doctrine of God? No. Who's doctrine is this? The Apostle Paul said of the Devil.
Who would teach these doctrines? Who would cause the falling away from the faith?
II Thess. 2:3-4 BBE |
3Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith, and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction, 4who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God. (The Bible in Basic English. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2006.) |
Who would cause the falling away from the faith? Paul said, "the man of sin". How can they be identified? Paul said, "he takes his seat in the Temple of God." Who do they put themselves forward as? Paul said, "as God".
How does one put themself forward as God? What was the strict instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ so that nobody would take the place of God?
Matt. 23:9 NKJV |
9Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. (Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.) |
What was the strict instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ so that nobody would take the place of God? Jesus said, "Do not call anyone one earth your father." Why not? Jesus said, "for One is your Father". Who is that? Jesus said, "He who is in heaven". Hence, that title is reserved only for the God in heaven. The one who uses that title puts themself forward as God.
Are there those today who are called father?
Radio Replies 3, p. 168 |
Catholics rightly, therefore, call the priest "father," not to the exclusion of their Father in heaven, but as a manifestation on earth of the supreme Fatherhood of God in the spiritual order, … (Radio Replies [Third Volume], by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble, M.S.C., Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc, 1979.) |
Are there those today who are called father? According to Rumble, "Catholics rightly, therefore, call the priest 'father'". Who's fatherhood have they taken? According to Rumble, "the supreme Fatherhood of God in the spiritual order". Hence, the Catholic priests fulfill the prophecy of the man of sin.
When would the falling away from the faith occur? What was already at work during the time of the Apostles?
II Thess. 2:6-7 BBE |
6And now it is clear to you what is keeping back his revelation till the time comes for him to be seen. 7For the secret of evil is even now at work: but there is one who is keeping back the evil till he is taken out of the way.(The Bible in Basic English. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2006.) |
What was already at work during the time of the Apostles? Paul said, "the secret of evil is even now at work". Yet, why had the falling away from the faith not yet come? Paul said, "there is one who is keeping back the evil." Until when would the restrainer be able to hold the evil back? Paul said, "till he is taken out of the way".
What would occur after the Apostles departed?
Acts 20:25, 29-30, 37-38 Lamsa |
25And now I know that you, among whom I have traveled and preached the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 28Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood. 29For I know this, that after I have departed, fierce wolves will attack you, which will not spare the flock. 30Also from among yourselves, men shall arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them. 37And they all wept bitterly, and they embraced him and kissed him; 38but they were most distressed because of the words he spoke, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. (Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text: George M. Lamsa’s Translation from the Aramaic of the Peshitta. Philadelphia USA: A.J. Holman Co., 1968.) |
What would occur after the Apostles departed? Paul said, "men shall arise." What kind of men would arise? What kind of things would they say? Paul said, "perverse things to draw away disciples after them". These are the false prophets that had been forewarned, who, for the time being, were being held back.
Where would they come from? Paul said, "from among yourselves". Who was the Apostle Paul speaking with? What was their charge inside of the Church of Christ? Paul said, "The Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers". Hence, those charged with taking care of the Church would also be responsible for its falling away from the faith.
[What about those brethren who stood their ground? Paul said, "fierce wolves will attack you, which will not spare the flock". Hence, those who did not fall away from the faith would be put to death. Who were referred to as wolves who would not spare the flock? Government officials (Ezek. 22:27) and false prophets (Matt. 7:15). This is a topic all its own, and I don't want this answer to get too long.]
What kind of departure would precipitate all of this? Would this occur after Paul's literal departure? Paul said, "I know that you," shall, what? Paul said, "shall see my face no more". What was the response of the brethren upon hearing this? Luke wrote, "they all wept bitterly".
How come? What did the Apostle Paul mean that he would depart?
II Tim. 4:6 Lamsa |
6From henceforth I am ready to die, and the time of my departure is at hand. (Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text: George M. Lamsa’s Translation from the Aramaic of the Peshitta. Philadelphia USA: A.J. Holman Co., 1968.) |
What did the Apostle Paul mean that he would depart? Paul told Timothy, "I am ready to die". Hence, for as long as the Apostles were still alive, the falling away from the faith would not yet occur. However, according to the prophecy of the Apostle Paul, it is when they would be taken away, that it would no longer be held back.
Hence, according to history, what occurred after the Apostles had died?
The Church in History, p. 44 |
The Apostolic Age came to a close around the year 100. The apostles were followed by the Apostolic Fathers. From their writings we can see that the signs of deterioration were disturbing the Church. In the course of the next four hundred years that deterioration increased steadily. (The Church in History, by Kuiper, B.K., Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A.: W. M. B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Co., 1951.) |
According to history, what occurred after the Apostles had died? According to Kuiper, "The apostles were followed by the Apostolic Fathers". What could be seen in their writings? According to Kuiper, "signs of deterioration were disturbing the Church". What would happen over the course of the next four hundred years? According to Kuiper, "that deterioration increased steadily".
Hence, the falling away from the faith led by those who were supposed to take care of the Church was coming into fulfillment, and it continues to be fulfilled to this day.
This event together with many other signs will eventually lead to the end of the world, or the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Read here and here for more answers related to the topic I discussed.