Christian Apocalypse
By spicymary
@spicymary (558)
Romania
March 9, 2013 9:22am CST
Being Christians we know that the world will end some day and that Jesus Christ will come again, to judge the people and distribute them in hell or heaven for eternity. Apocalypse is the last book of the Bible, and is difficult to understand. However, many theologians or scientists tried to read the book in its spirit and look for signs that show the coming of the Apocalypse.
Only God knows when this day will come. And maybe we are not supposed to try to predict it or make plans accordingly. Maybe we should just wait and behave like this will not interest us at all.
But taking in consideration that Bible have this book, I don't find it wrong to try to read the signs of our times. People say apocalypse will come soon, because there are a lot of signs in this world.
Relativism is very common in our world, even in the church and it may be a sign that the world is ready for the Antichrist to come. Technology evolved a lot, and the microchip technology, that would implant some device in our head or right hand is available.
I have friends that predict the end in 20-30 years. Others that say it would come in 100-200 years. The debate is if we will be alive when apocalypse will come or not.
As christians... if we believe that apocalypse is close, I guess all our lifestyle should change. Maybe we should prepare for those times when christians would run in the mountains, because they could never survive in society without chips (not being allowed to buy or sell or anything).
I also heard a theory... That if apocalypse comes, just refusing to cooperate with this world, refusing the chip for example, will be enough for redemption. So... we can take the risk now to sin (more), knowing we can defend religion in the hard way later.
What do you think about this? Would you predict that apocalypse will come in the next decades? Do you prepare for it? How?
4 people like this
11 responses
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
First in english bibles it is called Revelation, it is a better word to use since Apocalypse sounds too scary.
Then it makes no difference for a christian if Jesus comes tomorrow or in 2 million years. He is required to do exactly the same thing.
Third it`s true that a so called baptism of blood or martyrage can help someone to win a free ticket in heaven but if you think about planning that " i sin today and i`ll defend religion tomorrow " i don`t believe it will count too much. A christian is required to defend religion every day and the first thing he can do is to stop sinning. 
1 person likes this
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
This whole idea about a bet while it has some truth in it, sounds childish. Even Pascal`s wager has the same problem. It is logical, it`s true that you have nothing to lose if God doesn`t exists and you have everything to lose if He exists. But both bets are based on the same childish idea that you can make a trick and fool God, like God doesn`t know what you want to do.
Even more, both are based on the fear of God. And we learn from the Bible that "Fear of God is the beginning of the wisdom." And yes it is possible to go to heaven only with that but why not trying to see if it`s something more than the "Fear of God" ?
Especially if you belong to the orthodox church, you have tons of examples of people who went way above that. Why not following the example of ST. Anthony the Great ? He said :" I no longer fear God, i love Him "
Try to find the books of Philokalia and read them. Then see if you still want to make any bet so that you can sin or you`ll want to learn how to love God.
Try to find the books of Philokalia and read them. Then see if you still want to make any bet so that you can sin or you`ll want to learn how to love God.1 person likes this
@spicymary (558)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
I know this is not the best approach to christianity at all. I completely agree with what you say. I believe every human being should aim to be how close it's possible to God, to love Him and to accomplish the mission on this earth.
I don't want to make this bet on my redemption. And this because I don't think one should take this kind of risks. Better said, keep it as an alternative.
Still, hypotethically speaking, if we would have the certainty, I would judge the option in your terms.
I don't see it as a way to fool God and a decision based on fear. It's more like being aware of your talents, and trying to increase the number of those you have. It's recognising you have faults, but assuming the fact that in the area you have some skills, you will make no compromise. Like showing God you love Him, following firstly the "to do" list based on the 9 Beatitudes, and hoping He will forgive your faults in respecting the 10 Commandments.
There are different ways to serve God. There are ascets, mystics, martyrs. I think it was an example in the "Pateric" (maybe it's not the English word, but I didn't found a translation), where a really religious person, prayed "God, I do whatever I can to be a good man, but please, don't put me to take any torture for you, because I can't do it. I will deny you in this situation. Protect me from this challenge."
The "bet" we are talking about it's, in my opinion, the opposite of this. I can't be the ideal type of man, I am too weak in front of this world pleasures. But no matter what happens, I will never deny you.
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
10 Mar 13
But this sounds a little silly. I mean if you are a slave of pleasures what makes you think you can give up to everything ? What if accepting the mark it`s not a big denial of God at a certain moment but just small ones over and over and over, being the slave of world pleasures the whole life ? Did you ever thought about it ?
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Mar 13
You have to act as you do now, so if you were acting like a Christian and praying for forgiveness of your sins and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, you would have no trouble. I do not know about chips, and I think the Mark of the Beast is in the heart and mind because it talks about those who do not have his Mark being the true children of God. Besides if a chip is the mark of the beast, then that would mean that anyone who uses a credit card that has a chip in it is also a sign of the beast and therefore Christians should not use credit cards or debit cards for that matter.
That also means that they might not be able to use checks and have to take out large sums of cash from the bank and keep them in their home, making it liable for robberies and for fires in the home.
I do not know when the apocalypse would come. We thought it would come with Hitler and before with Stalin, so for it to come, the gospel has to be preached to the ends of the earth and that means everyone on earth has the chance to here. Also the main antichrist has to appear and he has to be someone almost everyone except those whom God has chosen as His elect would love and adore. He also has to be powerful and have a magnetic personality and someone who could do evil and get excuses while someone else just as bad but not the same type would not.
Does it sound like someone you know?
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Mar 13
Well on the hand or the forehead could also mean what you do and what you think. But it would not be a chip because that would mean it would be hard to distinguish and the other person would have to use a scanner. It could be a tattoo and that would mean that it would work on people in primitive countries. That would mean it would not be us horrible westerners who would be unable to buy or sell but also those people deep in the jungle or rainforests who have no electricity.
However there might be a few areas like in the jungles or desert areas and it also depends on what Word is preached and I hope these people when God finds them do get a chance to live their new Christian lives for at least a little while.
For instance if they preach False Christs or something that includes the Bible but is not true to the Bible, that does not count.
There will also be false signs and wonders done by the Anti-Christ or Satan working through him. I am talking about a political figure, not about someone I personally know. So if you say, a man down the street or I say, my neighbor who happens to be a Fire Marshall, that would not be correct. It would have to be someone skilled at mesmerizing and whom everyone almost everyone rallies behind.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
9 Mar 13
No one knows the day or the hour. People have predicted this for hundreds of years even thousands. Only God knows so why pre-empt Him?
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
9 Mar 13
cynthiann,
No one knows the day or the hour...BUT we will know the season......
God told us to watch for the signs. That we would know.
People have predicted this for thousands, and hundreds of years. But their are signs that are happening now...that could not have happened even 50 years ago......
1 person likes this
@spicymary (558)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
Do you think it's a chance that we will still be alive when it will happen?
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
24 Apr 13
Wrong. As Christians, we know that Christ has conquered the world. We know that "we are in the world, but not of the world." We know that everything in the world is destroyed every so-often, except for what humans recover & restore.
If you want to follow the signs, that's your destiny. My destiny is the Kingdom of Heaven, and so that's what I'll follow.
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
25 Apr 13
Heaven is more like a 'nationality' than a "place." If you think of it as a place, it's a place that hasn't been built yet. Hell is to Heaven as Dark is to Light; shine your Heaven-ianity on whatever-place-you're-in, and it will either be Heavenly or 'be destroyed' (probably more like 'fade away like ash').
Apocalypse is always happening, just less at-a-time than we can see. I don't think it's okay to look for the signs if it distracts from your mission.
@spicymary (558)
• Romania
24 Apr 13
I don't quite understand your answer. You say you are a Christian and that you believe you will spend your eternity in heaven. You don't believe in hell at all?
What is the part you consider wrong? You don't believe at all in apocalypse, or you don't think it's ok to look for the signs?
@kenshin2143 (1880)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
As a grounded Christian, I do believe that God is the only being knowing when the world will end. I will just keep striving to be a better person and honor Him in every thing I do. Looking forward for an apocalypse will just build fear in my head as well as the feeling of being controlled.
1 person likes this
@spicymary (558)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
Well... you say you know that the world will end, so apocalypse should not make you feel extra-fear.
I guess it's a good thing, though, that you avoid to think at this and just keep up with your spiritual evolution.
Still... control and manipulation are considered to be characteristics of the last times, more than ever. Don't you think you can be also affected and separated from God, if you are not careful?
I'm sorry if I sound too fatalistic... I just put myself those questions, and I'm curious how do you answer to them.
Have a nice day. :)
@celticeagle (166911)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar 13
I have been hearing people predicting the Apocalyse since the mid 60's when I was in high school. I am an agnostic so not christian or of any religion or belief. Just spiritual. I think that it is going to come. I wish I knew for sure when. But I do think it is very important for people to prepare for it. Food, water, medical items, etc. And I also think it is very important to give some serious thought to how much and what you will do to protect your family from vigilantes and theives. There will be little or no government help or technology meaning telephones and television may be a thing of the past. How do you prepare? You do research on how to do it. YouTube.com has some great videos on how to purify water and how to save food for the long hall. Online there are many sites with information on this subject. There is a show on cable about people across the country that are preparing and the different ways they are going about it. Better to be prepared and have nothing happen than to not be prepared and wish you had something stored up. In the long run whether you believe in God or not you have to be prepared for your family.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I think every generation of Christians in the history of Christianity had many people who predicted that it was all coming in their particular lifetime, no?
There are Christians today trying to put the literal fear of God into people, telling them the end is near and that the signs are unfolding and that Jesus is soon to return.
So far, the predictions have been all 0'fer.
Well, he has roughly 4,000,000,000 years to get to it, or else the sun is going to supernova and he's going to miss his window!
But religion or no religion, the rate we're living now, we'll probably have to abandon ship in another 10,000 years. 
But on a serious note here: What I remember about the end times, there's supposed to be some war, no? The devil loose for a season and all that. (Could be mixing stories; Revelations never really intrigued me much.)
Can you just imagine the size of the devil's army? It must be 5,000:1! Just think about all the people before this religion to worship the wrong ones. They're all in hell, a huge army. That has to be in the hundreds of millions. And then you have only about, what, a 3rd of the world worshiping Christianity if you're lucky? So the rest are Satan's Soldiers. And then all the Christians that fall short and have fallen short over the years.
Out of billions and billions and billions of souls, "evil" has the Persian army and "good" has SPARTAAAAA and the 300 in comparison.
But on a serious note here: What I remember about the end times, there's supposed to be some war, no? The devil loose for a season and all that. (Could be mixing stories; Revelations never really intrigued me much.)
Can you just imagine the size of the devil's army? It must be 5,000:1! Just think about all the people before this religion to worship the wrong ones. They're all in hell, a huge army. That has to be in the hundreds of millions. And then you have only about, what, a 3rd of the world worshiping Christianity if you're lucky? So the rest are Satan's Soldiers. And then all the Christians that fall short and have fallen short over the years.
Out of billions and billions and billions of souls, "evil" has the Persian army and "good" has SPARTAAAAA and the 300 in comparison. 
@aju007 (1460)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
18 Jan 16
I am a Muslim and we do also have our belief in Apocalypse as yours. They are somewhat similar. We believe Jesus Christ(pbuh) will come again and we believe there will be an antichrist. As said in the bible, we are also taught many signs of the hour from our books. And most of them are fulfilled. So maybe the hour is near. Lets be prepared for anything!
@Pegasus72 (1898)
•
10 Apr 13
It will happen at some time, but that is not for us to know, we can watch for the signs that are to come before it, but it is ultimately up to God when he decides to come back and take his bridegroom.
@Laurenlynn (715)
• Canada
9 Mar 13
Hi spicymary, Let not our heart be troubled, Do not fret it only leads to evildoing for evildoers will be cut off. I truly think we are not to be concerning ourselves with these worries.
@spicymary (558)
• Romania
9 Mar 13
Well... I see it as a great challenge. And I can't stop thinking if I will be able to face it or not. Also, if it will come soon, all our plans for the future can change. Maybe we should earn some surviving skills.
