A message to all date-setting Christians · 2:26pm Aug 7th, 2020

Stop it. Seriously.

You're always wrong, and end up hurting the faith instead of helping it. I don't mean to be rude or insulting, but this has to end.

Throughout history, people like William Miller, what I'll call the the 2012 movement, and and the 2017 movement have all been wrong when they predicted the end times or the Rapture or the Parousia coming. Jesus never gave us a date for His return; he said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36, KJV)." As a result, we simply don't know when He is returning. And that's deliberate on God's part.

There are reasons to reject date setting.

1. We are to live by faith. We trust God to do things in His good time and in His way. We aren't meant to search for the signs of the end times. Jesus could return the next second, the next day, or a thousand years from now.

2. We are supposed to be making more followers for Christ, not withdrawing into seclusion waiting for Him to return. Our response (and I claim no perfection at all in this) should be to try to make more believers, so that when Jesus does come back, more people are saved.

3. Date setting hurts the faith instead of building it up. Every time people make a prediction that the world will end on such and such a date, they wind up being wrong, and unbelievers end up mocking the faith. It's also self-defeating, as many either leave the faith or are weakened by the failure.

4. God did not give us a date. God is forthcoming with important information, such as the reality of a sinful world and the need to repent and believe in Jesus. The fact that a date was not given, and that date setting is rejected by Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32, and Acts 1:17, is reason enough to reject date setting. Jesus did say to be ready (Mark 13:33-37), but never appointed a date for His return.

Jesus' return will be sudden and unexpected, like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44). It's not something we can predict, it will happen suddenly and unexpectedly.

The simple fact is that we just don't know when Jesus will return, and our response should be to come closer to God and to Scriptural teachings instead of running after supposed prophets who claim that the world will end on X day in Y year. We should try and evangelize, helping Jesus (if our small, mortal actions could be called helping without being blasphemous) to make more believers, so that when the Rapture occurs and when Jesus does return, a bountiful harvest will be ready.

As Jesus Himself said, "Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them (Luke 21:8, KJV)."

May the Lord Christ Jesus save, protect, and watch over you all.

Sources;

https://www.gotquestions.org/end-times-date-setting.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/Great-Disappointment.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/doomsday-predictions.html
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21&version=KJV
https://www.gotquestions.org/parousia.html
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2024:36&version=KJV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A42-44&version=KJV
https://biblehub.com/matthew/24-36.htm
https://biblia.com/bible/esv/mark/13/33-37

Report Fireheart 1945 · 282 views · #Christian

Comments ( 12 )

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Megaskullmon

Megaskullmon #1 · Aug 7th, 2020 · · ·

Yeah I agree I am a christan myself I see these people and I just shake my head.

Applefai

Applefai #2 · Aug 13th, 2023 · · ·

Does this also mean that we shouldn't look for signs?

Fireheart 1945

Fireheart 1945 #3 · Aug 13th, 2023 · 2 · ·

5742016

Not necessarily. I'm calling for people to stop setting dates for Jesus' return. People have said that one such and such a day on such and such a month in such and such a year that Christ will return. They've always been wrong. Christ will come back, but we were not told the day or hour of His return.

Applefai