Read Paul’s words to Timothy:
Now, I’m asking that you listen to Mark (the Video is short) and consider is he correct here in his statement concerning the crown of righteousness. Listen and then we can dig in.
We need to consider is Mark here presenting to you, what is best thought to represent Paul in Paul’s own dedication, as he himself has stated it to be in these verses? Now consider his dedication even during what are for him and have been for him very difficult times. And this was also true for most believers in his own day. Believers then were being lit up as torches in the coliseum in Rome. Some are being crucified; some fed to lions. Paul himself was on his way to his own beheading. Under these circumstances he awaited his crown of righteousness. Was it a result of reward on the day of Christ’s appearing for Paul’s faithfulness. Or was it for the expectation “only” of Jesus soon Coming, as Mark suggests here?
Has Mark been giving us encouragement to stand in these our own times, when Islam has been brought into the formerly Christianized parts of our world, and there to riot, rape and kill? And when Christianized Africa is seeing churches burned and believers slaughtered, is this serious or to be ignored?
Is this Mark’s seeming concern; Or has Mark more resembled what Paul told us was coming in verse 3 & 4 above when men who desired something different than the sufferings of our age for believers in these times would then “desire teachers”, who would tickle their ears with what they want to hear?
You might approach these questions by asking yourself just what might I truly want to hear from a preacher myself today, and just because I might like it, is it what God desires that I hear in light of what I see? Do I want to hear about the tribulations that are coming for this earth, we can actually see them on the horizon. Do I just want to hear that I can escape this time? If God needs you to stand tall and endure during this time, which message will God want you to pay very close attention to, as the message is being given out?
Is not the crown given for the believers righteousness, even as Paul implies by the name of the crown itself? But important to what he is stating, or to his words to us here, would be, which of the two groups displayed here do you think will love the Lord’s appearing, when He comes? Will it be those with itching ears or those who endured as Paul was doing even unto his own end- no matter what that end may be?
John 11:26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (NASB1995)
I just wish that I could get Mark to even consider what the word might be saying rather than to be making it say what he desires it to say. Think about what he tells you that it has stated here, and then you be the judge. Did this passage even come close to implying what he says that it says? For if it didn’t then I think you know what you must do. When we become confused then it’s imperative that we seek God through His Holy Spirit, who truly is our only teacher given by Jesus when He left. Then ask for His wisdom and understanding that we might be made ready for what He knows (not what we know) that might be coming for our future.
I know that it appears to those following this blog that I may seem to be unkind to the Mark’s of the Church. I don’t want anyone to dislike Mark. I truly think him to believe that he is right. But this is about what is God’s Holy Spirit saying to you when He instructs you concerning the Scripture. It’s not about either me or Mark. It’s about God’s truth, and only God can give us the assurance of His truth.
I think that’s there are two things in Marks teachings that I’ve shared with you lately that are qualifiers placing him in verses 3 and 4 above. Mark has said that the Church is not required repentance for salvation. (That’s his position recorded in my last post about Dispensationalist doctrine). You can view it here should you wish: https://raptureonline.blog/2026/10/19/why-has-dispensationalism-transformed-the-good-news/ in this post he is seen as understanding that repentance was (is) only for Israel; yet when reading John’s messages from Jesus to the churches in Revelation we see that Jesus is calling some to repentance. Is it for their salvation? I would not bet against it. “I’ll remove your candlestick” – seems serious stuff. Secondly, Mark’s ministry is geared toward escaping a time that Jesus definitely warned His disciples was coming. A time that actually mimicked what did come for them, but this future time will come for a Church body that is represented worldwide. Satan’s attempt to wipe the Church out in the days of the Apostles, was wide spread within the Church in the Roman Empire, but it was not worldwide.
What we see advancing rapidly today is a hatred of man’s creator and His representatives in both Israel, who is yet to join their Messiah’s Church (His Bride), and His thus far constituted Church herself, which Israel must join for The Church represents her final covenant with her God: His New Covenant offer to create within her a new heart and to write His word upon her heart. She can only come into that covenant promise by repenting of her former rejection of her Messiah and coming to her God in Christ Jesus.
The coming Great Tribulation will do everything that a hate filled power hungry deceiver like Satan can do to stop God’s plan to finally save Israel and complete Jesus’ own Church. As we are seeing; it will be a worldwide effort at destruction. And no one longs to see Jesus Coming more than His persecuted Church. Jesus desires our endurance, but that’s up to us. Are you walking in His Spirt, and in His Word? Are you constantly in prayer trusting Him alone for your next step. He is a light unto our path, and yes He guides our very steps.
