The Seven-Day Adventist denomination celebrated their 150-year anniversary in May 1994. Yet, they looked upon it as a failure, for their denomination was founded upon the principle of the immediate return of Jesus. Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, the denomination’s director of education, said, “It’s almost an embarrassment to be celebrating 150 years.” Michael Ryan, a vice-president, said, “In one kind of way it really is a sad event.”

Paul expected the immediate return of Jesus, and this influenced much of his writings. In fact, Paul expected Jesus to return — the Second Coming — the Parousia — in his lifetime. This concept of eschatology — the theology of the end times — guided all his theology. The word eschatology arises from the Greek eschatos meaning “last” and -logy meaning “the study of.” Esc…