Did Chuck Smith teach that Jesus would return by May of 1981 in a number of his books and messages?

Question

http://calvarychapel.pbwiki.com/1981

Answer 1

Yes, he did.

And, almost 26 years later, we're still here.

Answer 2

I have sat under Pastor Chuck for over 30 years and have been through the entire Bible with him 3 times. He said this in 1981, yes. But he also said, (and look at the link) "I could be wrong."

Now that is FAR, FAR different than saying "thus says the Lord" or "sell your possessions and sit on your roof and wait for him" as others have. It is one thing to speculate and be convinced you are on the right track. It is another thing to direct people to a plan of action based on "what God has revealed" like other cults have done.

Look at the red underline, "I believe the Lord will come back for his church..." Having listened to him make statements like this in person during the 80s, I know what he sounded like and his body language said it as well. He was speculating and pretty convinced that the rapture was at hand. Not "believe" such as belief in Christ as Lord. This speculation is confirmed with the snippet from "End Times" page 36. Because he was merely speculating, he was not sure when that generational hypothesis could have started, 1948 or 1967. If it is 1967, then that brings us to this year! :O

Now, if you take Jesus literally that no man will know the day or the hour, then yes, Chuck never set such a day or hour. He was doing what Jesus commanded "to know the signs of the times" and the "seasons".

Chuck Smith was commenting regarding the parable of the fig tree. In this parable, Jesus exhorted us, "When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!"

Summer is a season, and Chuck was merely conveying that since Israel become a nation in 1948, we were officially in the "season" of His coming.

Personally, I do not believe that when Jesus said that "this generation shall not pass away until all things are fulfilled" that He was giving a "40 year" generation timeline. The word generation in Greek is "ethnos". So what Jesus was saying is that Israel and the Israelis will not be wiped out or destroyed. This is in agreement with Amos 9:14-15. So Chuck and I disagreed on that matter back then. But that is OK, I could be wrong too. :)

Answer 3

I have been going to Calvary Chapel for years and have not anything like that. The Bible says no one will know the hour or the day the Lord will return. So far Calvary's stick pretty close to scripture.
After checking the source. This looks like wishful thinking rather than prophecy. He never made and declarations of devine knowledge... he was doing math. He apologized for confusing people.

Answer 4

I spoke to a person that goes to Calvary Chapel and they confirmed this. I really appreciated their honesty.
So Jehovah's Witnesses are not the only ones that have made mistakes in the past. Very interesting.