Tag: Bible

No One Knows the Day or Hour, yet another Prediction About the Rapture

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

DAVID INGRAM

You don’t see my name on the website too often. Mostly because so many others are better at saying things that need to be said. But today, I’ll make an exception.

Matthew 24:36 makes it clear that no one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return. Matthew says that not the angels in heaven, nor even the Son, but only the Father. This truth is a direct warning against those who claim to predict the timing of the Second Coming. I realize that some don’t use the word “rapture” because it’s not in the Bible. I think we all know it refers to Jesus’ return, so let’s hold that debate for another day.

When a South African pastor, Joshua Mhlakela, insists that the Rapture will take place on September 23 or 24, 2025, he places himself in direct contradiction to the very words of Jesus. Any attempt to put a date on such an event is not only speculative but also unbiblical, since Scripture emphasizes readiness at all times, not countdowns to a specific day.

Mhlakela’s so-called “divine prophecy,” shared on YouTube and in his interview with Centtwinz TV, reveals a troubling pattern: presenting certainty where the Bible gives none. Scripture consistently reminds believers to be watchful and prepared because Christ’s return will come suddenly and unexpectedly, “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). By fixing a date, Mhlakela misleads his audience into placing their hope in his personal claim instead of in the sure promises of God. This not only undermines biblical authority but risks damaging faith when his prediction inevitably fails, as all such predictions have in the past.

The responsibility of every preacher is to point people to Christ and His Word, not to their own revelations. In Matthew 24, Jesus stresses the importance of faithfulness, watchfulness, and endurance, not of prediction-making. By claiming to know what the Bible says cannot be known, Mhlakela shifts attention away from the gospel and onto himself.

Could Jesus come back today or tomorrow? Of course! Does Mhlakela have a prophecy from God? Well, the verse above says no one knows the day or hour. Mhlakela says he’s narrowed it down to two days. This is something we’ve heard from many mislead preachers in the past including Edgar Whisenant back in the 1980’s and Harold Camping in the 1990’s.

Christians are urged to measure every teaching against Scripture and to reject messages that contradict its clear truths. Isn’t the call of Christ not to chase dates but to live faithfully and expectantly every day, ready for His return at any moment?

Staying Separate from the World in Spiritual Work

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

JEFF TURNER

In 2 Corinthians 6:14, the Apostle Paul tells believers not to join with non-believers. While some apply this verse to marriage, its main focus is broader and more urgent. Paul’s concern is not first about marriage, but about spiritual partnerships. He is warning the church in Corinth against forming religious or ministry connections with those who do not share their faith.

The Corinthian church was facing real trouble—false teachers had entered the community and gained influence. Paul saw this as dangerous. He reminded them that light and darkness do not mix, and that Christ has no partnership with evil. Believers are not to rely on non-believers to achieve spiritual goals.

For specific guidance on marriage, Paul speaks clearly in 1 Corinthians 7, where he says that a Christian should marry only within the faith. This leaves no doubt. But the instruction in 2 Corinthians 6:14 goes deeper, warning believers not to compromise in any work that relates to the kingdom of God.

This teaching still applies today. The church must remain distinct from the world, avoiding alliances that might weaken its witness.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

A Serious Warning from Hebrews 6

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

JEFF TURNER

Hebrews 6:4–6 often raises concern because it describes people who have seen and experienced spiritual truth, but then fall away. At first glance, this sounds like someone losing their salvation. However, a closer look shows something different.

The passage mentions those who were “enlightened,” who “tasted the heavenly gift,” shared in the Holy Spirit, and experienced the goodness of God’s word and the power of the coming age. But after all this, they turned away. The writer then says it is impossible to bring them back to repentance.

Some believe this means salvation can be lost, but if that were true, the text clearly says it could never be regained. That would mean once someone loses salvation, there would be no chance to return to God—a very final statement. But the passage doesn’t use words like “saved,” “born again,” or “justified.” Instead, it talks about people who were exposed to God’s truth, who tasted it but never fully embraced it.

The warning is aimed at those who had every opportunity to believe but still rejected the message. Jesus said something similar in Matthew 11:20, where He rebuked towns that saw His works but did not repent. Hebrews 6 is not about losing salvation. It is about the danger of resisting it completely after fully understanding it.

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us.

1 John 2:19

Matthew 18 and the Presence of Christ

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

JEFF TURNER

Some people find comfort in Matthew 18:20, where Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” This is often quoted to reassure believers who feel alone. But the meaning of the passage is not about general comfort or fellowship.

Consider the wider context of Matthew 18. Jesus is speaking about church discipline. When someone in the church continues in sin without repentance, the process includes confronting them privately, then with one or two others. If there’s still no change, it’s brought before the church. The gathering of two or three witnesses is to confirm the response of the person being corrected. They witness whether the individual has repented or not. Jesus promises His presence in this difficult process. He is there not simply to comfort, but to support the pursuit of purity within the church.

This doesn’t mean Jesus is only present when believers gather in groups. In fact, other scriptures like Matthew 28:20 say, “Lo, I am with you always,” reminding us that His presence is with each believer at all times. Believers can pray alone, trust that Christ dwells in them, and know that they are never truly alone.

Matthew 18:20 is about accountability, not comfort.

The Certain Return of Christ and the Call to Prepare

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

AMY TURNER

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ will one day return to the earth. Revelation 1:7 tells us that he will come with the clouds, and every person will see him — including those responsible for his death. People from every nation will mourn when this happens because it will mark the moment of final judgement.

This event will be public and undeniable. Christ will not return in secret or as a distant idea. His coming will be visible and real, and it will affect every human being. No one will be able to avoid this moment. We’re told in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Doesn’t knowing this truth call for a serious response from each of us?

because He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.”

Acts 17:31