The following Question and Answer was taken from John MacArthur's book, The Second Coming, pp. 17, 20-21.  ©1999 by John MacArthur. All Rights Reserved.

Question

Sometimes the debate about end times gets pretty heated. What do you think about this controversy?

Answer

I think it’s worth emphasizing that eschatology, the branch of theology that deals with future things, is more enveloped in mystery than any other theological discipline. This is true by God’s own design. Remember that even Christ, while on earth, said neither He Himself nor the angels in heaven knew the timing of the Second Coming: “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:32-33).

It’s fine to have strong opinions on these matters. As far as Scripture allows, my own eschatological convictions regarding the pretribulational rapture and premillennialism are firm and definite. But given the mystery that surrounds so much of the prophetic revelation about the future, these are not matters on which we should be quarrelsome and quickly contentious. Our detailed prophetic diagrams should not be made tests of orthodoxy or grounds of separation from other believers. Aside from the aspects of Bible prophecy that are essential to the Christian message–such as the fact of Christ’s bodily return, the resurrection of the dead, and the final triumph of Christ over all His enemies–these are not issues that should divide us from other Christians with whom we disagree.

Too many people are pugnacious about their views on the mysteries of biblical eschatology. Detailed prophetic calendars, dispensational charts, and debates about the order and arrangement of all the prophetic events simply do not warrant the amount of attention, the intensity of debate, or the level of intramural rancor they often generate between Christian brethren.

Worse, far too many Christians actually do break fellowship with other Christians who differ with them on speculative and secondary eschatological issues. But our humility as we approach such mysterious matters ought to be accompanied by charity for others whose perspectives are different.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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