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them of His coming in power and glory to rule. Then, on the
Mount of Olives, His disciples asked privately, "Tell us, when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming,
and of the end of the world [age]?" (Verse 3.)
Jesus did not give them the sign of His coming and the END
of this present world right away. First He warned them, "Take
heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name,
saying that I am the Christ; and shall deceive many."
That happened. They claimed to be the ministers of Jesus
Christ. They said Jesus was the Christ. They preached CHRIST
(the Messenger) to the world, but NOT His message -- His Gospel
-- the Kingdom of God. And they indeed have deceived the MANY
-- the MILLIONS and hundreds of millions!
Finally, in verse 14, He gave them the sign by which we
were to know the time of the end of this age and Christ's imminent
coming to establish the KINGDOM OF GOD is near. "And this Gospel
of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Notice -- not
to convert all nations. Just for a witness to all nations.
Gospel NOT Proclaimed 18 1/2 Centuries
Unless Jesus knew that a different gospel would go out --
a gospel about His PERSON (and teaching a DIFFERENT JESUS at
that!) -- the end time proclaiming of the true Gospel of the
Kingdom could not be a sign by which you may know His coming is
near!
Jesus plainly said here that the true GOSPEL would not be
preached to the world UNTIL NOW!
Notice briefly Galatians 1:6-9. This false gospel was
already, when Paul wrote to the Galatians, being preached: "I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel... but there be some
that trouble you, and would pervert the qospel of Christ." Then
he pronounced a double curse on any who dared to proclaim a
different gospel.
A Different Gospel
Consider with that scripture another from II Corinthians
11:2-4, 13-15. Paul wrote the Corinthians, who were already
listening to this FALSE gospel: "I am jealous over you with godly
jealousy... But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted.... For
if he that cometh [Simon the sorcerer's followers] preacheth
another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another
spirit, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER GOSPEL, which ye
have not [as yet] accepted...."
Who were these false preachers with "ANOTHER GOSPEL"?