Faulty Prophet Turns Repentant Sinner?

After causing great and long-term harm and confusion to countless Christians, families, churches, and even the kingdom in general, a very prominent Bible teacher and broadcaster has finally admitted he was wrong. It was a long time coming. But after much damage was done, and multiple millions spent, Harold Camping, of Family Radio fame, just recently announced that he was dead wrong and had actually "sinned" in his multiple predictions concerning the Rapture of the Church.

When his former predictions failed to materialize, many followers were devastated - particularly those who had actually quit their jobs or donated portions of their retirement, savings, or college funds to help pronounce his nearing Judgment Day message.

Baptist Press online, out of Nashville, Tennessee stated, "Harold Camping, the radio preacher who wrongly predicted that Jesus would return May 21 of last year has released a remorseful statement calling his prediction 'sinful' and saying his critics were right in stating that no one knows the date of Christ's second coming.” They reported Camping as stating, "We must also openly acknowledge that we have no new evidence pointing to another date for the end of the world. God has humbled us through the events of May 21, 2011 to continue to more fervently search the Scriptures, not to find dates, but to be more faithful in our understanding."

Mr. Camping also said, "We have learned the very painful lesson that all of creation is in God's hands and He will end time in His time, not ours!" A Toronto Star headline declared "A U.S. preacher, who spent millions last year to publicize his message of impending global destruction, has for the first time acknowledged his apocalyptic prophecy was wrong. In a letter posted on his independent ministry's site, the 90-year-old Harold Camping told his followers he has no evidence the world will end anytime soon, and he isn't interested in considering future dates.

Finally the famous radio and TV preacher wrote, "We tremble before God as we humbly ask Him for forgiveness for making that sinful statement," the statement reads. "We are so thankful that God is so loving that He will forgive even this sin."

Indeed Harold Camping’s highly hyped predictions cost the Church of Christ a great price. Large sums of money, used for his date setting fantasies, could have been used for real and effective ministry. The dates that came, and uneventfully left, were also used by those already opposed to Christianity to further abuse and poke more fun at those who are believers in God’s faith family.

But with all of that said, just two questions arise. First, will Mr. Camping receive forgiveness by God for his massive and costly theological blunder? And secondly, does the Rapture still remain a great Scriptural truth no matter how Camping, and others like him, may tarnish it with their repeated and high profile mistakes? The answer to both questions is yes!

If Harold Camping is a true believer in Christ, and has asked for God’s forgiveness, it will be granted him. The Savior of mankind forgives His own people’s sins - past, present, and future. Romans 8:1 says it briefly but adequately: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Also, those who tinker with God’s timing cannot themselves change what the Bible teaches on this, or any subject, found there. The term ‘Rapture”, which literally means a ‘super-quick snatching away’, is not actually used in the Bible. But the concept is clearly taught there. The following verses make reference to this very special moment when Christ literally returns at some future time – and perhaps far sooner than most may think.

The following passages reveal the concept of Christ’s literal return to the planet He entered as a sinless babe in a manger and then died on a Roman cross to provide forgiveness of human sin and redemption for those He created. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 2:7-8)

- I Thessalonians 4:16-18: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

- John 14:2-3: "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

- Mark 13:32-34: "But 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.”

A study of the Scriptures reveals that the Rapture will be a real and blessed event – at least for those who are part of the true church. And it also seems that, although God has given general ‘signs of the times' concerning its near return, that His major concern is not having us predicting its arrival, but rather being spiritually prepared for it. And if we believe this next great event on God’s prophetic calendar is real and could come at any time, we should likewise be attempting to ready those now outside of Christ to be likewise ready according to passages like 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 Bill Breckenridge