One of the fundamental verses used by Harold Camping to teach the New Testament church will come under judgment is the following:
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
The idea being that toward the end of time God will start the judgment of the world with the visible church, that is, with the various congregations of the world where professing Christians gather together (this being the interpretation of "the house of God"), and from them spread to the rest of the world, those not in the visible churches (i.e., those not professing to follow or obey the gospel of God). In order to get a better understanding of this verse some context is necessary:
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Verse 12 makes an interesting statement, think it not strange concerning the fiery trail which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. What is this fiery trial and why would it appear to be strange? Note that fiery trail is better translated burning toward trial (πυρώσει πρὸς πειρασμὸν), where πειρασμὸν means to test or prove something by testing, hence a trial. The idea being that professing Christians will be tested by some type of burning or setting on fire. When we search the word πυρώσει we find two references in the book of Revelation:
Rev 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Revelation 18 speaks of the burning of the harlot Babylon (Rev 18:2), who is also called a "woman" in Revelation 17:1-5, 18. The reference to a woman refers back to Revelation 12, to the woman who brought forth the man child (Rev 12:5), who most often is recognized to be Christ. In Revelation 12 this woman, after bearing, fled from the dragon into the wilderness, but by Revelation 17 this woman is sitting on the back of the scarlet colored beast and is called a harlot. It is the judgment of this woman, Babylon, that is being referenced in Revelation 18:9, 18. The smoke of her burning refers to God's judgment upon the harlot woman. Just as in the days of the old testament, when a city was beseiged and finally overtaken, the last step in the destruction of the city after either killing or deporting all the inhabitants, was to burn the city, easily recognized by the smoke that ascended from it.
Now back in 1 Peter 4:12, we can see the burning that is a testing trial is referring to some kind of judgment. It should also be noticed that this burning or judgment would be perceived as "strange". The same word is used earlier in 1 Peter 4, in verse 4, saying "wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you". In this case, those who are not rioting as others are viewed as being strange, or of behaving in a foreign way. In the same way, the burning of judgment coming upon professing Christians seems to be something strange or foreign. Following verse 12 are several verses describing the expected Christian experience, that is, one should not be surprised to be reproached for the name of Christ, in fact, they are told to glorify God in that regard.
oti-[that,because] the-(nsm) season-[period of time]-(nsm), of-the-one-(gsn) to-begin-[start, be first]-(amn-gsn?) the-(asn) judgment-(asn), apo-[from] the-(gsm) house-[dwelling]-(gsm) of-the-(gsm) God-(gsm). de-[but,now,yet] if firstly apo-[from] us-(1gp), what-(nsn) the-(nsn) end-[finish,completion]-(nsn) of-the-ones-(gpm) disobeying-[being unpersuaded]-(pap-gpm) by-the-(dsn) gospel-[good message,news]-dsn) of-the-(gsm) God-(gsm)?
==> Because the season/time of the one to begin the judgment from the house of God. Now if firstly from us, what the end of the ones being unpersuaded [disobeying] by the gospel of God?
> what does season/time refer to? NT church age, great tribulation, other? (notice it is tied to the beginning or start of judgment)
> what does "tou" (of the one) refer to? is this referring to Rev_12:12
> what does house of God refer to? all true Christians or all professing Christians?
> who does "us" refer to? all true Christians or all professing Christians? notice that the follow-up seems to address unbelievers, and doesn't seem to distinguish from unbelievers who profess Christ vs those that don't profess Christ. is it actually referring to ones truly disobeying the gospel or just to ones appearing to disobey the gospel?
NOTICE VERSE 12 BEGINS WITH PLURAL "YOU-ALL", that is, US refers to YOU-ALL, the ones being told not to think it strange concerning the fiery trail coming to TRY/TEXT them
The season being referred to is that one beginning judgment. I don't think this verse is saying judgment begins from the house of God so much as it says there is a season which begins the judgment, and this judgment starts with or originates "from" the house of God. The latter half of the verse seems to confirm this, saying, if first from us (the house of God), then what will be the result for the ones not listening to the gospel of God.
Question 1: when did this season of judgment begin? At Pentecost, the great tribulation, another time???
Question 2: in what way does this judgment originate "from" the house of God??? Is it an external judgment upon the house of God, that later transitions to the world, or is it a judgment that is internal, coming from inside the church and going out into the world???