1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1) What convinces you that the end is at hand or that there is an end?
2) And if you are convinced there is an "end", are you living like there is an end?
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1) What convinces you that the end is at hand or that there is an end?
2) And if you are convinced there is an "end", are you living like there is an end?
Since the only choices appear to be either an interminable heat death when entropy reaches its maximum or a fiery annihilation when everything falls back into a singularity; I am living as if there is no tomorrow because I can't fathom the eons of time that constitutes "tomorrow."
What if Peter's "all things" was an elliptical phrase like Paul's usage in Philippians 4:13? What if the "all things" Peter had in mind came to an end already long ago? How should we then live?
Since the only choices appear to be either an interminable heat death when entropy reaches its maximum or a fiery annihilation when everything falls back into a singularity; I am living as if there is no tomorrow because I can't fathom the eons of time that constitutes "tomorrow."
What if Peter's "all things" was an elliptical phrase like Paul's usage in Philippians 4:13? What if the "all things" Peter had in mind came to an end already long ago? How should we then live?
We'd have no right to live! Shame on us!
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
If something was at hand in Peter's day, it is long since past now. Situations are different now, and we do not have the same impetus they did to serve God. But that in no way means we should not strive to serve God properly, lol. There are many reasons to strive to serve Him more fully.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
good ol matt henry said he was referring to : "The miserable destruction of the Jewish church and nation foretold by our Saviour is now very near"
I agree with him.
Mt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
(AD 30 somethin)
Col. 1:6 the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit
:23 gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven
(AD 60 somethin)
(1Peter AD 60-65) ...end of all things is near
if ALL things meant literally ALL, afterward there would be nothing- not even Gods existance, let alone ours. I believe it meant the world as they knew it, old law/temple and such, IMHO.
(Bible says Cezars tax went into the WHOLE world,but it really didnt as far as the entire planet.)
option #3 Striving to live a life that aligns to His Kingdom
__________________ If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart...
Abraham Lincoln
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Eph. 4:29
If something was at hand in Peter's day, it is long since past now. Situations are different now, and we do not have the same impetus they did to serve God. But that in no way means we should not strive to serve God properly, lol. There are many reasons to strive to serve Him more fully.
Yea right:
[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
[4] 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.
[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
[7] But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
[8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
[4] 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.
[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
[7] But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
[8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
While you neglect the thought of AT HAND, do you not believe there were no scoffers in the first century who mocked the Lord's words about the temple destruction? And when reading 1 Peter 3, did you never consider how Psalms said the earth was dissolved back int he days since the flood in the time of David, while the actual earth remained?
I know I know I know. It is easier to take it at face value rather than consider Peter used expressions that must be discovered through research of the REST OF THE BIBLE in order to properly understand them, and then distort that manner of researching by saying we are just making up any old interpretation.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Each of us will come to the time of our end regardless. One by one we will pass from
this life. Why wouldn't we want to live for a GOD that loved us so much that HE gave
His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have ever-
lasting life. God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through him might be saved. By faith. we believe in the name of the only begotten
Son of God, to the saving of our souls.
The end was refering to the end of their age they were living in.
Agreed! The end of the age of law keeping and animal sacrifices. The OLD
Covenant Age. God said He would make a New Covenant with Israel. He did
just that.