While we don't know any specifics such as dates or times, Jesus did mention THE precondition that must take place in order for this world to end and Christ to come again:
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Mt. 24:14
So what's the current status of world evangelization? Obviously, we're not there yet since I haven't heard a trumpet blast (1 Thes. 4:16). But I do know this - the gospel is spreading throughout the world at a pace that would boggle your mind. As a result of numerous church planting movements, thousands of people are being born into the Kingdom of God DAILY in parts of the world where there had previously been no gospel witness. Consequently, only God knows how close we are until the precondition given in Matthew 24 is met. It could be 10 years from now. It could be sometime next week.
So is this good news or bad news? The answer is Yes. Well it's good news for those who've been born again, who've been redeemed by the blood of Christ. We will finally get to see our Savior who died on our behalf and satisfied the wrath of God. We will finally get to see God the Father in all His glory and splendor, something we could never do here on earth. And we get to dwell with the Triune God and with other believers in a place where sin and death do not exist. Can you hardly wait?
Now the bad news. It is possible for the precondition given by Jesus to be fulfilled without everyone having had a chance to hear the gospel. That may sound strange, but based upon the Jesus' words in Matthew and upon other passages in the Bible, the precondition only requires that the gospel reach every people group in the world, not necessarily every person (for a thorough explanation of this, see John Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad).
So what can/should we do? The Body of Christ needs to do all that it can - pray, give, and go - to get the gospel to every person possible so that when that final trumpet blows, multitudes upon multitudes of redeemed individuals will meet the Lord in the air at His coming.
Will you be a part of that welcoming party? Whom will you invite?
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Mt. 24:14
So what's the current status of world evangelization? Obviously, we're not there yet since I haven't heard a trumpet blast (1 Thes. 4:16). But I do know this - the gospel is spreading throughout the world at a pace that would boggle your mind. As a result of numerous church planting movements, thousands of people are being born into the Kingdom of God DAILY in parts of the world where there had previously been no gospel witness. Consequently, only God knows how close we are until the precondition given in Matthew 24 is met. It could be 10 years from now. It could be sometime next week.
So is this good news or bad news? The answer is Yes. Well it's good news for those who've been born again, who've been redeemed by the blood of Christ. We will finally get to see our Savior who died on our behalf and satisfied the wrath of God. We will finally get to see God the Father in all His glory and splendor, something we could never do here on earth. And we get to dwell with the Triune God and with other believers in a place where sin and death do not exist. Can you hardly wait?
Now the bad news. It is possible for the precondition given by Jesus to be fulfilled without everyone having had a chance to hear the gospel. That may sound strange, but based upon the Jesus' words in Matthew and upon other passages in the Bible, the precondition only requires that the gospel reach every people group in the world, not necessarily every person (for a thorough explanation of this, see John Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad).
So what can/should we do? The Body of Christ needs to do all that it can - pray, give, and go - to get the gospel to every person possible so that when that final trumpet blows, multitudes upon multitudes of redeemed individuals will meet the Lord in the air at His coming.
Will you be a part of that welcoming party? Whom will you invite?
