The future

There will probably always be someone who claims to be a prophet or believes they can calculate the date of Jesus' return. I recently saw a report about a rabbi who supposedly connected Nostradamus's predictions with the Torah. Another person predicted that Jesus's return would take place at Pentecost 2019. Many prophecy enthusiasts try to find a connection between current news and biblical prophecies…

The word "grace" has a high status in Christian circles. Therefore, it is important to reflect on its true meaning. Understanding grace is a great challenge - not because it is unclear or difficult to grasp, but because of its immense significance. The word "grace" is derived from the Greek word "charis" and in the Christian understanding describes the undeserved favor or benevolence that God shows to people.…

The most common description of heaven, sitting on a cloud, wearing a nightgown and playing a harp, has little to do with how the Scriptures describe heaven. In contrast, the Bible describes heaven as a great feast, like a picture in super-large format. There is delicious food and fine wine in great company. It is the greatest wedding reception of all time, celebrating the marriage of Christ to his Church.…

Do you long for Jesus to return soon? Do you hope for an end to the misery and wickedness we see around us, and for God to usher in a time as Isaiah prophesied: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea?” (Jes 11,9)The authors of the New Testament lived in anticipation of the second coming of Jesus, so that he might deliver them from the present evil…

"It is true that I will go and prepare a place for you, but it is equally true that I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (Joh. 14,3)Have you ever had a deep longing for something that was about to happen? All Christians, even those in the first century, yearned for Christ's return, but in those days and age they expressed it in a simple Aramaic prayer: "Maranatha," which means in English:…

What do you think would be the greatest event that could happen on the world stage? Another world war? The discovery of a cure for a terrible disease? World peace, once and for all? Perhaps contact with extraterrestrial intelligence? For millions of Christians, the answer to this question is simple: The greatest event that will ever occur is the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Central Message of the Bible The entire biblical…

"Judgment is coming! Judgment is coming! Repent now, or you will go to hell." Perhaps you have heard these or similar words from screaming evangelists. Their intention is to scare the listeners into committing to Jesus. Such words distort the gospel. Perhaps this is not so far from the image of "eternal judgment" that many Christians have believed in with horror over the centuries, especially in...

Have you ever had reason to punish a disobedient child? Have you ever explained that the punishment would never end? I have a few questions for all of us who have children. Here's the first question: Has your child ever disobeyed you? Well, take a moment to think about it if you're not sure. OK, if you answered yes, like every other parent, now let's move on to the second question: Have you...

That believers will rise to immortal life at Christ's coming is the hope of all Christians. Therefore, it is no surprise that when the Apostle Paul heard that some members of the church in Corinth were denying the resurrection, he vigorously refuted their misunderstanding in his First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. Paul first reiterated the message of the Gospel, to which they too affirmed: Christ had risen. Paul…

When we understand that we live, move, and are in Christ (Apg 17,28)In the One who created all things and redeemed all things, and who loves us unconditionally, we can lay aside all fear and worry about where we stand with God and begin to truly rest in the assurance of His love and guiding power in our lives. The Gospel is good news. It is indeed not just for a select few, but for all people…

It reminded me of scenes from a science fiction film when I heard about the discovery of an Earth-like planet called Proxima Centauri. It is in an orbit of the red fixed star Proxima Centauri. However, it is unlikely that we will discover extraterrestrial life there (at a distance of 40 trillion kilometers!). However, people will always ask themselves whether there is human-like life outside of our Earth.…

How do you know that God exists? How do you know that God loves you personally? Many people carry these questions unspoken in their hearts. The answers are as concrete and tangible as the defining moments of your own life. The older I get, the more I notice my tendency towards a certain nostalgia. Many people instinctively cling to memories, hoping to find meaning, comfort, and guidance in them. When I think back to my…

Again and again in Romans, Paul argues that it is because of Christ that God considers us justified. Although we sometimes sin, these sins are counted against the old self that was crucified with Christ. Our sins do not count against who we are in Christ. We have a duty to fight sin, not to be saved, but because we are already children of God. In the last part of chapter 8, Paul addresses…

Jesus Christ will, as he promised, return to earth to judge and rule all nations in the Kingdom of God. His second coming in power and glory will be visible. This event heralds the resurrection and reward of the saints. (Johannes 14,3; Offenbarung 1,7; Matthäus 24,30; 1. Thessalonicher 4,15-17; Offenbarung 22,12)Will Christ return? What do you think would be the greatest event that could happen on the world stage? A…

Is there a resurrection? The question of the resurrection is central to our faith. Without the resurrection, faith would be meaningless. If Christianity were limited to this physical life and we did not continue to exist after death, it would ultimately not matter how we live, what we do or what we believe in. Without a future perspective, it would be more sensible to simply enjoy our lives while we can. The apostle Paul emphasizes: "Is there no...

The "Rapture Doctrine" advocated by some Christians deals with what will happen to the church when Jesus returns - at the "Second Coming", as it is usually called. The doctrine states that believers will experience a kind of ascension; that they will be caught up to meet Christ at some point when he returns in glory. Rapture believers essentially use a single passage as evidence: "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord...

When we understand that we live, move, and have our being in Christ, in the One who created all things and redeemed all things, and who loves us unconditionally (Apg 12,32; Kol 1,19-20; Joh 3,16-17)We can lay aside all fear and worry about "where we stand with God" and begin to truly rest in the assurance of His love and guiding power in our lives. This is what the gospel is good news for, and it is indeed not just for a select few, but…

When our long-awaited son finally saw the light of day, a cry of joy escaped me: "He's coming! He's coming!" Looking back, I find this phrase an unusual way to describe such a wonderful event. For nine months, his mother carried the growing life within her. He was truly born only the moment he separated from her body and entered this world. My wife Karen and I longed to start a family…

The Bible says: “God is love.” (1. Joh 4,8)He has decided to do good by serving and loving people. But the Bible also points to God's wrath. Yet how can someone who is pure love also have anything to do with wrath? Love and wrath are not mutually exclusive. Therefore, we may expect that love, the desire to do good, also includes wrath or resistance to everything hurtful and destructive. God's love is…

Have you ever wished that someone would knock on your door and tell you that a rich uncle you never heard of had died and left you a huge fortune? The idea of ​​money appearing out of thin air is exciting, a dream of many people and a premise of many books and movies. What would you do with your newfound wealth? What impact would it have on your life? Would it change all your…

You know the gospel means good news. But do you really consider it good news? Like so many of you, I was taught for much of my life that we are living in the last days. This gave me a worldview that looked at things from a perspective that the end of the world as we know it today would come in just a few short years. But if I acted accordingly, I would be saved from the Great…

The gospel means "good news." For years, the gospel was not good news to me because I was taught for much of my life that we were living in the last days. I believed that "the end of the world" was coming in a few years, but if I acted accordingly, I would be spared the Great Tribulation. This kind of worldview can be addictive, so you tend to explain everything that happens in the world through...

To avoid misinterpretations, it is important to first of all to... Matthäus 24 to be seen in the broader context of the preceding chapters. You might be surprised to learn that the backstory of Matthäus 24 It begins at the latest in chapter 16, verse 21. There it says, in summary: “From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples how he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and…”

If there were no future, Paul writes, it would be foolish to believe in Christ. (1Kor 15,19)Prophecy is an essential and very encouraging part of the Christian faith. Biblical prophecy proclaims extraordinarily hopeful things to us. We can draw great strength and courage from it if we focus on its core messages, not on details that can be debated. The meaning and purpose of prophecy: Prophecy is not an end in itself – it articulates a…

The Millennium is the period of time described in the Book of Revelation during which Christian martyrs will reign with Jesus Christ. After the Millennium, when Christ has overthrown all enemies and subdued all things, he will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father, and heaven and earth will be made new. Some Christian traditions interpret the Millennium literally as a thousand years preceding or following the coming of Christ; others see the…

Every year we celebrate Jesus' resurrection. He is our Savior, Savior, Redeemer and our King. As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded of the promise of our own resurrection. Because we are united with Christ in faith, we share in his life, death, resurrection, and glory. This is our identity in Jesus Christ. We have accepted Christ as our Savior and Savior, therefore our life is in Him...

The Aramaic word "Maranatha" literally translates to "Our Lord is coming!" or "Our Lord come." The church where my father was pastor had a conference center called "Maranatha Park." There, during Eastertide, attendees greeted each other not with a simple "Hello," but with the word "Maranatha." The hymns sung were about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Paul used the word Maranatha to express the expectations of believers…

Nothing sells like prophecy. It's true. A church or ministry can have a stupid theology, a weird leader, and ridiculously strict rules, but they have a couple of world maps, a pair of scissors, and a stack of newspapers, along with a preacher who can communicate reasonably well, then, it seems people will send them buckets of money. People fear the unknown and they know the future...

On September 14, 2001, the day of mourning, as people gathered in churches across America and other countries, they came seeking words of comfort, encouragement, and hope. However, a number of conservative Christian church leaders—contrary to their intention of offering hope to the grieving nation—unwittingly spread a message that fueled despair, discouragement, and fear, particularly among those who had lost loved ones in the attack.

Prophecy reveals God's will and plan for humanity. In biblical prophecies, God explains that human sinfulness is forgiven through repentance and faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Prophecy proclaims God as the almighty Creator and Judge of all, assuring humanity of his love, grace, and faithfulness, and motivating believers to live a God-fearing life in Jesus Christ.Jesaja 46,9-11; Lukas 24,44-48; Daniel 4,17; ...

After his suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus had repeatedly shown himself to his disciples as the living one for forty days. They were able to experience Jesus' appearance several times, even behind closed doors, as the resurrected one in a transfigured form. They were allowed to touch him and eat with him. He spoke to them about the kingdom of God and what it will be like when God establishes his rule and completes his work. These events…

At the end of the age, God will gather all the living and the dead before the heavenly throne of Christ for judgment. The righteous will receive eternal glory, the wicked damnation in the lake of fire. In Christ, the Lord makes gracious and just provision for all, even for those who, at the time of death, apparently did not believe the gospel.Matthäus 25,31-32; Apostelgeschichte 24,15; Johannes 5,28-29; Offenbarung 20,11-15; 1. Timotheus 2,3-6; 2. Petrus 3,9; ...

Have you ever heard that those who die as unbelievers cannot be reached by God? It is a cruel and destructive doctrine, which is proven by a single verse in the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus. But like all Bible passages, this parable also stands in a certain context and can only be understood correctly in that context. It is always bad to base a doctrine on a single verse -...