The following article provides scriptural proof that the “End of the Age” is actually referring to the Goal of the Age, which is the obedient Christian life. To put this in perspective –
Matthew 24 details the “Day of the Lord”. This is not the Second Coming of Christ. It is the “Day” or time of discipline. This discipline from God occurs on an individual basis, and only after disobedience is found in one of God’s people. This disobedient Christain has decided not to restrain sin, and this lack of restraint takes them “out of the way” (Rm 3:12,2 Thess 2:7,Heb 5:2,Heb 12:13) and they become a “Man of Sin”. The discipline of a Christian is designed to bring the Christian individual back to obedience (1 Cor 11:32) and to the “End or goal” of their faith. This “End” is described in 1 Timothy 1:5.
Matt 24:14 says that the “end/goal” or the obedient Christian life (which is the millennium, Rev 20) comes after this discipline has brought the Christian back to obedience.
After Jesus has destroyed all that brings death (which is Sin) in a Christian’s life then He delivers the Christian to the Father, 1 Cor 15:24.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the “end”, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (KJV)
Now to be clear – a Person does not have to be sinless to go to Heaven, but they do have to be a Christian.
The use of the phrase “end of the Age” and the understanding of that phrase is dependant upon the Greek definition of the term.
Matthew used this phrase in Matthew 24:3.
Mt 24:3 And when he is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, `Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence, and of the –
full end (4930 <sunteleia>) of the age? (YLT)
Paul used a similar phrase in 1 Cor 10:11.
1Co 10:11 And all these things as types did happen to those persons, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the end (5056 <telos>) of the ages did come, (YLT)
In Matthew 24:3 the Greek word “Sunteleia” is used for the “end” and in 1 Cor 10:11 Paul used the word “Telos” when referring to the “end”.
The two words used are gramatically related.
The word “Sunteleia” from Matthew 24:3 comes from the root word “Telos” used by Paul in 1 Cor 10:11.
Here is the way they are related –
The word “Sunteleia” from Matt 24:3 is rooted in “Sun” which refers to “Completeness”, and the greek word Teleo (5055) which is a variation of 5056 (telos) meaning “end”.
Both Matthew and Paul used the same words to relate the concept of the “End” of the age.
Matthew was quoting Jesus in His Gospel and Paul was relating His understanding of the concept in 1 Cor 10:11.
The difference in the two phrases is that Matthew used the word “sunteleia” referring to “The complete End of the Age”and Paul used the word “telos” in 1 Cor 10:11 to describe the “end” of the age.
This difference is seen in the Youngs literal translations of the verses pasted above.
Using the modern day concept of a “goal” can serve to define the phrase.
“End of the Age” = “Goal of the Age”.
When Jesus was speaking of the “end” of the world in Matt 24:3, He had in mind the “End” or the goal of the Devoted Christian Life.
When Jesus was speaking of the “end” of the world in Matt 24:3, He had in mind the “End” or the goal that we refer to as “professing of our faith”.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (KJV)
This “End/Goal of the Age” had already come upon Paul, and those that He wrote to, in 1 Cor 10:11.
This was the “Goal” of “Being in Christ”.
Paul’s concept of the goal of the “Ages” from 1 Cor 10:11 reflects His understanding of the phrase that Jesus used in Matthew 24:3.
1Ti 1:5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: