Glenn L. Hill - Christianity's Great Dilemma

From the Preface

Bible scholars wholeheartedly agree that Jesus promised to return during the lifetime of His contemporaries in that first century. They further agree that His disciples continued to preach that their Master’s return was imminent, at hand, and would occur soon. But today, 2,000 years later, the church teaches that Jesus did not come in the first century as He promised! Now that is a dilemma!

It is difficult for me and other believers to actually ask the hard questions created by Jesus’ perceived failure. We cannot bring ourselves to question the integrity of our Savior. On the other hand, the doubters and unbelievers have no problems pointing out Jesus’ apparent false prophecies. In his essay, “The World’s Last Night,” the great Christian author, C. S. Lewis, wrote exactly what the unbelievers are all saying:

Say what you like, the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, “this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.” And He was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.

What terrible accusations against our Lord! Yet, our famous intellectual brother, C. S. Lewis, having no suitable answer to these charges, simply acknowledges in his next paragraph that: “It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.” He was referring to the passage he had quoted where Jesus had promised to return in the “generation” of His contemporaries (Matt. 24:34, Mark 13:30, Luke 21:32).

What a dilemma this is! Jesus told His followers He would come back while some of them were still living, and apparently He did not keep His promise! If I believed Jesus did not do what He said, if I believed He had misled and deceived His first followers, then I could no longer believe in Him. Yet, the conclusion reached by unbelievers, that Jesus “was wrong” about “when” He would return, is exactly what is believed by most of Christianity’s leaders today! Were you aware of this? It is shocking! Mainstream Christianity has no credible answer, so they conclude that Jesus must have been wrong! How can it be that the Son of God was mistaken or made a promise He did not keep? What a predicament! This is indeed a great dilemma!

For generation after generation we Christian preachers and prophets have been declaring with great emphasis that “Jesus is coming soon.” WE WERE ALL WRONG! Jesus did not come as we had promised and He surely did not come “soon”! Yet Christianity continues to preach this same message. Numerous “prophets” have gone so far as to name the date when Jesus would return, but they ALWAYS have been wrong! What a blow all of this is to the credibility of Christianity and to the integrity of Jesus and His Holy Word! It is no wonder that atheists and other unbelievers laugh at us and make fun of Christianity. What a great hindrance to the growth of the church! Indeed, what a great dilemma we Christians face!

Is there an answer to this huge problem? Yes, thank the Lord! The answer is what my book is all about! In its pages you will find the solution to Christianity’s Great Dilemma! The answer is not some imaginary or hypothetical solution. It is not some invisible and intangible possibility. The answer revealed in this book is firmly and solidly based on the Scriptures themselves! The answer is simple and easy to grasp. It is the truth which, somehow, has been overlooked by most of Christianity. I still wonder how I, too, missed it for so many decades!

This is A MUST-READ BOOK for every studious, thoughtful, and sincere Christian! I humbly invite you to read it. It is not difficult reading. I tried to write using simple, everyday language and purposely avoided complicated theological terms and words. Yet, I promise you will find it intellectually honest, unique, interesting, and even challenging. Most Christians have never heard or even considered the thrilling discoveries found in these pages. Read this book with eagerness! Read with a spirit of expectancy and anticipation! Read with a genuine hunger to find the answer to Christianity’s Great Dilemma! You will not be disappointed! The singular answer to this dilemma runs consistently all the way through the New Testament. Discovering that answer for yourself will increase your faith in Jesus and your walk with Him will be better than ever!