Do you know how much you don't know?

MATTHEW 16
1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered them, [1] “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Here's the problem. We believe what the people we trust believe. They believe what the people they trust believed. How much they know and have learned on their own is not something we can know. So if we trust them for what we believe then we have no way of knowing if they are wrong.

Most people believe the rapture will take place before the 7 sevens years of tribulation because of a series of books called "Left Behind". How this helps them understand the actual Bible text is indeterminate.

The Pharisess and Sadducees knew exactly what they were supposed to believe and they missed the coming of the Messiah. It is no doubt that they were sure of what they knew. However, they didn't know what they didn't know.

It is apparent that the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they knew exactly what was coming to pass and so do the Christians of today. We believe that if one dies before coming to Christ that eterntal torment awaits even thought they claim their G-d is eternally mercifal. The Jews didn't think there was hope for the Gentiles and now the
Gentiles feel there is no hope for non-Christians.

Insulated as the Pharisees were to the outside world it's possible we might be overlooking the true power of the Savior. That he might be the savior of all humanity.

Now, here's why we can't trust leadership on this one. Like tithing, their jobs are linked to the belief that there is no hope for most of humanity. Without the preaching of eternal torment they believe it would be harder to keep the people in the pews, which would hurt the bottom line.

However, we shouldn't come to G-d out of fear of eternal torment. Since there are more reasons than I could list on this page I'll let you figure out your own reasons.