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Rebuke and Correct Me–If I’m Wrong
I have taken a stand here at 5ptsalt. It has costs me, and I have no regrets. None whatsoever.
I believe Scripture teaches that when Christ returns again, it is too late for repentance, too late for salvation, too late to cling by faith to the finished work of Christ alone. I believe and know in my heart that God’s Word is true and is to be believed when it says that Jesus Christ will return again and when He does, it will not be in reference, in any way, to sin. Except to judge.
Except to judge. I’ve said it twice here, I mean it. That’s what God’s Word says.
Now, if I’m wrong, I ask the entire Church reading this, please rebuke and correct me – by the Word of God. I don’t give a rip about what you think because what you think is irrelevant. What God has said – that’s relevant.
When does the opportunity for Gospel repentance end?
John MacArthur, Dan Phillips of ‘TeamPyro’ preach and teach that some can repent and be saved after Christ returns.
Here is what God’s Word to mankind says:
And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. – Hebrews 9:27-28 (emphasis mine)
Ok? So, I believe that.
Either John MacArthur and Dan Phillips and every person who believes that anyone can or will be saved after Christ’s return is either lacking in knowledge regarding the truth, or, they are a liar and in need of the truth and repentance themselves.
What is it going to be Church? Rebuke me! Correct me! Please, for my sanctification – IF I’m wrong on this.
5 Pt. Salt 
You did not add “spank me.” That might solicit a wider response. That being said, I find no fault with your Scriptural viewpoint.
Hear hear, I agree Joel and I agree it is an incredibly important issue. I have been busy this summer, so haven’t followed — have you been accused of participating in a circular firing squad yet?
😉
No rebuke, correction or spanking necessary, when Christ returns as a thief in the night , the unrepentant will not know what has hit them.
I’ve made a change in my eschatology in the last few years. And one thing with your article brings to mind is the passage in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. It mentions the “last trump” which to me, counters anything the pre-mill/pre-trib rapture say. If Christ returns after the last trump and the dead shall rise. Then Christ has to return after the tribulation. You know all of those trumpets in Revelation. In my study of end times prophecy I’ve become a partial preterist/post-mil. So I would agree with you that when Christ returns that’s it, no second chances.
Amen.
Also,
“For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1Thess 4:16 – 5:3, ESV)
The coming of the Lord = the day of the Lord
Only *two* groups of people on that day, (1) Those already in Christ who go to be with the Lord forever, and (2) everyone else who is destroyed suddenly.
None who convert when they see Christ.
No one “left behind”.
Joel,
I personally thank you for your public stance on this issue. This is truly another version of the gospel being preached by men who are long on demagoguery and short on exegesis and understanding. I honestly think most of these men are more concerned with preserving the traditions under which they studied than with pulling out the bible and learning what is actually there.
Of further concern is why reformed men like Sproul continue to back-slap, joke and share pulpits with men like these who are unapologetic in promoting their erroneous eschatology/ecclesiology. This is not as simple as showing charity a la “majoring only on the majors”, there is an explicit promise for the lost that there is a second chance for them if they can manage to survive the “stealthy return” of Christ and that must be rejected and refuted.
Add to this MacArthur’s view on Israel that the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt and sacrifice reinstated and you have an even more bizarre situation of heretical teaching being ignored by men who know better.
You know I am with you on this, but let’s be clear that the premil position is so incredibly complex there is no way that they could prove it in a comments section of a blog with just a few scripture references.
Any serious premil adherent would not venture to take up this challenge knowing that few people reading a comments section will have the patience to hear their drawn out ramblings regarding their position.
As an aside: to the ignorant complexity looks like intelligence, which is why I think a lot of people find themselves duped into dispensationalism, and trust their leaders who have ‘worked through’ those complexities.
Question: I am Arminian, so explain it slow for me.
What is the significance of the “in reference to sin” and how does that blunt their dispensational viewpoint.
I admit, I am probably missing the obvious.