I live in the area and have been looking for a church home for my family and I. I like what I have read on your website. I do have a question which I have highlighted from your website. Could you please clarify for me what is meant by "before the end of history"? Do you believe that before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ that the world will become more Christian, or is this something you see happening at his second coming?
"God has planned and is in control of all of history. All of history is moving toward one goal: The conquering of the world and it's nations by Jesus Christ (*"Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.*" -- I Cor. 15:24-25). Christians are called to bring the nations to bow before Christ the King (Mt. 28:19), which the Bible promises will happen before the end of history!" -- Pastor Mencarow
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Hi Jim,
Thank you for your email. You ask a good question.
Ps. 66:4 says, "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name."
Ps. 67:4 says, "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth."
Ps. 72 says -- and I've copied it here and ask you to look at it prayerfully and very closely:
[2] He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. [3] The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. [4] He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. [5] They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. [6] He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. [7] In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. [8] He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. [9] They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. [10] The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. [11] Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. [12] For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. [13] He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. [14] He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. [15] And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. [16] There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. [17] His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. [18] Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. [19] And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
I Jn. 3:8b says, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." I believe what He comes to do He will accomplish, Isa. 55:11: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Eph. 6:17: "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:..."
Rev. 19:15: "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron:..."
I believe Scripture teaches that the church of Christ will be established throughout the earth and that all nations (not every individual) will be predominately Christian before the Lord returns in judgment for the "Second Coming," for that day announces that this present earth's history is at an end. I believe the entire sweep of Scripture teaches this. Some other major passages include Gen. 3:14-15; Ps. 2; Ps. 22:27-28; Ps. 45:17; Ps. 47; Isa. 9:7; Isa. 49:23; 65:20, 25; Mic 7:17; I Cor. 15:24-28; Col 2:15; Heb. 2:14 and many, many others.
I do not believe that the Bible teaches that it is the Lord's will that His church grows weaker and weaker while Satan grows stronger and stronger, no more than I believe in a weak Christ who pitifully begs sinners to accept Him.
The Lord taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We sometimes don't think about the tremendous meaning of those two words, "on earth."