Pat explains that though we do not know the exact day or hour of our Lord's return, the Bible does give us signs of His second coming. Nobody can say with any degree of certainty when Jesus is coming again, because He said clearly that even the angels in heaven do not know that day (see Mark 13:32).

No man knows that day, and the Son of God, when He was on the earth, did not know either. This knowledge, the Lord Jesus said, was strictly reserved for the Father. We can see certain signs, or clues (see Matthew 24:3, Luke 21:7), that His coming is approaching. Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars, revolutions, widespread famine, disease, and earthquakes in many different places (see Matthew 24:6-7, Luke 21:10-11). There would be an increase of lawlessness and anarchy.

The apostle Paul said, "That day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God" (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). Along with the "man of sin" will come what is called an apostasy, or a falling away. Many of the believing people will grow cold in their faith (see Matthew 24:12).

There will be persecution of Christians and a time of general trouble. I think all these things are happening with increasing frequency. Another event that had to happen before Jesus could return was the re-establishment of the state of Israel. The original Israel disappeared from the globe hundreds of years ago. In 1948 a new state of Israel was established.

The regathering of Jews to Israel is a clear sign, in both the Old and New Testaments, that our age is just about over. Jesus said, "Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). On June 6, 1967, the Jews, for the first time since Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., took over control of the entire city of Jerusalem, thus signaling the approaching end of Gentile world power.

Jesus said, however, that the one major thing which would herald His coming would be the proclamation of the gospel. He said, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).

These are signs of the times. We are to hold ourselves always ready for our Lord's return. But nobody knows the day and hour when that will be.

What Makes the Teachings of Jesus Unique Jesus Christ is unlike any other religious leader in the history of the world, past or present. Pat explains the majesty and authority behind the only One who is the Life, Truth, and Way. It has been said that if Jesus is not God, then we should worship the man who thought Him up, because never did any man speak that way before or since.

The teachings that I have discovered, especially about the kingdom, have truth that is self-validating. They resonate with the experience of people throughout all the ages. When these principles are put into practice, they lead invariably to peace, harmony, victory, and love. This does not mean that the teachings of Jesus will not bring conflict. Because when someone accepts the teachings of God, there will be conflict with those who wish to continue in evil.

Jesus' words pulsate with wisdom. For example, His concept about civil government: "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21). The concept of God as a Spirit: "Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). The Sermon on the Mount: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you" (Matthew 5:44). The greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind ... Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40).

Jesus' understanding of the sweep of history was absolutely superb. There has never been anyone in history who has even come close to Him. Above all else, Jesus rose from the dead, appeared to people, sent His Spirit to people, and has transformed the lives of millions. Wherever you find the gospel, you find progress, freedom, liberty, and family loyalty--all the things that human beings acknowledge as the desires of their hearts.

It is not coincidental that the nations that have been characterized as "Christian" have surpassed the rest of the world for centuries in almost every measure of achievement. It is true that there have been many crimes perpetrated upon humanity in the name of Christianity, but those who did such things did not really know Christ or His teachings. Christ did not lead people to persecute and torture Jews and "heretics." Many so-called "heretics" were actually ones who knew the Lord, and they were being persecuted by zealots who did not know Him.

What happens in religion is that one generation finds Jesus and lives for Him. The next generation learns His teaching by rote. The third generation does not really know it at all, but decides to use religion as a justification for holding on to temporal power. Such people launched the crusades and conducted the Inquisition. They were using religion, but they did not know Jesus. Wherever you find political power and worldly ambition using Christianity, you will often find the absence of New Testament truth. Then there may be sinful excesses done in the name of religion.

Neither Jesus nor His teachings should be blamed for sinful excesses committed under cover of His name.