Two Boundaries for End Times Discussions

I recently participated in a discussion in which I pointed out that some things that some Christians point to as “signs” of the End Times really are not historically unique. One participant got so exasperated at my comments that he accused me of doing what 2 Peter 3:4 condemns: They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." My response was to point out that Peter was talking about people who deny that Jesus will return and a final judgment for all mankind, something I had not done and would never do. Not only so, but in that discussion, prior to his comment, I had stated that Jesus' return and final judgment are fundamental teachings of Christianity.

In the last couple of days it occurred to me that this person had been doing something Jesus had warned against in Matthew 24:23-26: Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. and in Matthew 24:36: But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,but the Father only. The person had been speculating about time frames and means by which Jesus might return.

I think these two extremes – denial and date speculation – form a pair of boundaries (not the only ones) within which discussion of eschatology can be informative and edifying. Denial of Jesus' return and setting dates (or time frames) for Jesus return are both paths to spiritual disaster. Denying Jesus' return and final judgment are denials – conscious or unconscious – of Who Jesus is, of what He did, and of our need for Jesus. On the other extreme, history has repeatedly shown that date-setting speculation leads to disappointment when the expected event does not happen. With that disappointment, the people who believed the speculation are forced into a crisis of faith in which they have to backtrack from the ideas they learned to be wrong to something in which they can believe. While some may realize that the problem was of wrong interpretations of prophecy and continue to follow Christ, rebuilding their spiritual lives, others will continue to believe the interpretations of prophecy were correct, but conclude that the prophecies and Christianity are false.

Discussion and study of End Times related Scripture are proper and needful, in a broader context of trying to understand and live in the light of Scripture. But in our eschatology discussions we should heed the warnings of Scripture and stay within these two boundaries to keep our discussions informative and edifying.