In this episode of Truth + Fire: The Podcast, host Veritéetfeu revisits The End is Near: 5 Things You Need to Know about the Rapture, a Truth + Fire blog post from 2016 which challenges five popular beliefs concerning the return of Jesus Christ.
S2E2.2: Are We Cowards? Christians + COVID-19 Hugs, Hygiene + Hypocrisy
Are we cowards? In this three-part special, we’re talking about the Christian response to COVID-19. Declared a global pandemic, COVID-19 has impacted political, social and economic practices around the world. But how has it impacted the Church? And, most importantly, has the Christian response been Christ-like? In Part 2, we examine new social and hygienic measures that could easily take Believers down an unloving and hypocritical path. Available on all podcast streaming platforms.
Self-Check + Encouragement for the Weary Christian
Proclaiming Christ, defending the faith and sharing the deeper mysteries of the Gospel give me absolute life. I sincerely enjoy it. But, admittedly, I recently experienced a bout of near exhaustion, and I noticed that I was becoming easily frustrated by those who rejected the truth. It's disappointing to see many willingly remain in sin and confusion even after you’ve taken them through the Scriptures - line by line, precept by precept - to show them that Jesus truly is THE way! And it's all the more infuriating when you're demonized by those who, themselves, do the work of satan by suppressing the truth! It's enough to tempt one to grow weary in well doing!
Christian Persecution is Coming to America
Yesterday, we celebrated the 241st "birthday" of our nation's Declaration of Independence. But for the past few weeks, I've actually been contemplating matters relating to our Constitution. I'm aware that the U.S. Constitution wouldn't become the law of the land for another decade, two months and 13 days after we declared our independence from British rule. And I can respect the amount of painstaking time, energy and thought our Forefathers put into creating our "more perfect Union" and the "supreme law" that would rule it. Yet, with all that is going on in our nation and the world, I've been considering lately how desperately fragile this document, and the rights granted therein, actually are.
Truth is, I'm of the mind that Christian persecution will become a widespread norm in the United States - probably in my lifetime. I don’t mean persecution of the "Starbucks-removed-the-Christmas-tree-from-their- red- cups” variety (which, by the way, isn’t persecution at all given that Christmas is a man-made holiday rooted in pagan practices AND one that Jesus never told us to celebrate in the first place. But that’s another post). I’m talking about the type of persecution the early Church endured.
The End is Near: 5 Things You Need to Know about the Rapture
One thing that has been pressing on my heart lately is the “pre-tribulation/post-tribulation” debate that has creeped into the Church. For those who aren’t familiar with it, the “pre-trib/post-trib” debate includes opposing views on exactly when and how Jesus Christ is to return for His Bride.
Certainly, some would just plant themselves some place in the middle of these two arguments. Others would say neither argument matters – after all, as long as we’ve accepted Jesus, we’re good.
But here’s the truth: It matters! And what you believe (or don’t) can have grave consequences.
So, to bring you up to speed, here are 5 things you need to know and should begin to study about Jesus’ return.
Ummm...That Ain't in My Bible: Stuff Lukewarm Christians Say (Part 2)
Welcome to the second installment of "Ummm...That Ain't in My Bible". If you've had a chance to read Part 1 of this series, you know my entire goal is to examine and tear down some of the things non-believers and lukewarm Christians have been known to say when discussing or explaining matters of the Christian faith. I was inspired to write this piece because even I uttered some of these falsities and half-truths until I grew more committed to my walk with Christ and got serious about studying God's word.
So, in an effort to begin to speak the truth (and to help us graduate from lowly lukewarm status), in this installment I'm debunking a couple of phrases that tend to misrepresent God's attributes and Jesus's purpose.