Will All The World Ever Accept Jesus Christ?
Ther are some that teach that a day is coming in which all the world will finally accept Jesus Christ. What does the Bible say?
What did Jesus say would be the condition of the world just prior to His coming?
"As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." Luke 17:26. (See also verses 27-30, and Matthew 24:37-39.) In the days of Noah, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "And the earth was filled with violence." Genesis 6:5, 11.
NOTE: Men everywhere recognize the prevailing wickedness of our times. Drunkenness, vice, crime, and debauchery have increased alarmingly. Selfishness and pride fill the hearts of men to the exclusion of righteousness. Civilization today is repeating the sins of the days of Noah.
According to the parable of the wheat and tares, how long do the good and bad remain together?
"The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil." "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them." Matthew 13:38, 39, 30. "The harvest is the end of the world." Verse 39.
NOTE: Thus it is plain that the wicked (the tares) live with the righteous (the wheat) till the end of the world. There is, then, no time before Christ's coming for a sinless state, in which all men will be converted.
Did Christ tell us that worldwide preaching of the gospel would result in world conversion?
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matthew 24:14.
NOTE: He did not say that all would receive the gospel, but that the gospel was to be preached in all the world fore witness unto all nations, and that than the end would come.
How did Paul describe the last days?
"In the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1. "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Verse 13.
How does Scripture describe the state of international affairs?
"Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war, stir up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." Joel 3:9, 10, A.R.V.
What statement by Jeremiah about conditions in his day equally applies to our own time?
"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Jeremiah 6:14.
Will talking about world peace create a false security?
"There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3, 4. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them... But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4.
NOTE: Those in darkness are looking for a time of peace and safety, and those not in darkness are looking for the day of the Lord -— a day of destruction -— the end of the world and the coming of Christ. (See Jeremiah 7:1-19; Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:1-11; Zephaniah 1; Matthew 25:31-46; Galatians 5:16-21.)
All heedless of the signs of the times and the warnings of the Word of God and of world events, the world will come up to the day of the Lord unprepared. As a thief in the night this day will take unawares all who are not looking, watching, and waiting for their Lord's return. Instead of Looking for the world's conversion, we should be looking for Christ's coming.
What warning to Isaiah to the faithful in his day should also be the Christian's reaction to last-day conditions?
"Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid." Isaiah 8:12. (See 1 Peter 3:14.) "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
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What did Jesus say would be the condition of the world just prior to His coming?
"As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." Luke 17:26. (See also verses 27-30, and Matthew 24:37-39.) In the days of Noah, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "And the earth was filled with violence." Genesis 6:5, 11.
NOTE: Men everywhere recognize the prevailing wickedness of our times. Drunkenness, vice, crime, and debauchery have increased alarmingly. Selfishness and pride fill the hearts of men to the exclusion of righteousness. Civilization today is repeating the sins of the days of Noah.
According to the parable of the wheat and tares, how long do the good and bad remain together?
"The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil." "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them." Matthew 13:38, 39, 30. "The harvest is the end of the world." Verse 39.
NOTE: Thus it is plain that the wicked (the tares) live with the righteous (the wheat) till the end of the world. There is, then, no time before Christ's coming for a sinless state, in which all men will be converted.
Did Christ tell us that worldwide preaching of the gospel would result in world conversion?
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matthew 24:14.
NOTE: He did not say that all would receive the gospel, but that the gospel was to be preached in all the world fore witness unto all nations, and that than the end would come.
How did Paul describe the last days?
"In the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1. "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Verse 13.
How does Scripture describe the state of international affairs?
"Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war, stir up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." Joel 3:9, 10, A.R.V.
What statement by Jeremiah about conditions in his day equally applies to our own time?
"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Jeremiah 6:14.
Will talking about world peace create a false security?
"There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3, 4. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them... But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4.
NOTE: Those in darkness are looking for a time of peace and safety, and those not in darkness are looking for the day of the Lord -— a day of destruction -— the end of the world and the coming of Christ. (See Jeremiah 7:1-19; Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:1-11; Zephaniah 1; Matthew 25:31-46; Galatians 5:16-21.)
All heedless of the signs of the times and the warnings of the Word of God and of world events, the world will come up to the day of the Lord unprepared. As a thief in the night this day will take unawares all who are not looking, watching, and waiting for their Lord's return. Instead of Looking for the world's conversion, we should be looking for Christ's coming.
What warning to Isaiah to the faithful in his day should also be the Christian's reaction to last-day conditions?
"Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid." Isaiah 8:12. (See 1 Peter 3:14.) "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
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posted by Michael A. Redwine at Monday, October 17, 2005
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