Christ is Imminent

World Magazine throws down yet another gauntlet.  From Joel Belz’s article A Hot Issue (http://www.worldmag.com/2015/08/a_hot_issue)  He states the following:

So help me out. Send me a note or an email suggesting the WORLD report that you would be most anxious to read—the account that might most surprise and most intrigue folks around the world. Please keep your suggestion brief!

So naturally, I responded with the following email:

Hello Mr. Belz,

You recently asked people to offer their ideas on a really big story.  While my thoughts on that are not entirely new, I think I put a twist on how World Magazine might report the news.  Here is what I came up with:

First let me say that I am not an eschatological scholar by anyone’s stretch of anyone’s imagination but I do read the bible and other books.  At present I am reading Michael Williams’ dissection of the nature of covenant as God has undertaken to relate to not only Israel but to all the world.  In his writings, Far as the Curse is Found, I have been bolstered in my thinking that when we open the newspaper or turn on the TV news, what we are seeing is God at work—even in the ugliness that we create.  With that in mind, it caused me to wonder what, in covenantal terms, are we hurtling toward?  People have not changed very much through the millennia but our circumstances sure have—and to what purpose? 

With the patriarchs, God positioned His people at the crossroads of the civilized world, in Palestine.  In this location, they were to influence all peoples from that location.  Jesus was born and conducted his ministry in a world ruled by Rome whose means of communication (roads and postal system) propagated the spread of the Way–belief in Jesus Christ and the continuing fleshing out of God’s covenantal works. 

Now, the world is so interconnected via television, phones, and the internet, little happens that does not make it into the homes and offices around the world.  There may be pockets of isolation but precious few.  It is for this reason that I think the Church’s mission and the next big story is Jesus’ return.  I know this is always in the backs of our minds, but we talk about it as if it will never happen in our life time—it is always future.  We also cringe when various “prophets” and charlatans predict the end of the world or the date of Jesus’ return, which we have been told we will never know exactly.  But that doesn’t mean we do not talk about it, report on it as if it were imminent.   This is a “really, really big story”. 

I am not saying we need to interview people and their predictions for the end times or for Christ’s return (ugh!), but we need to report the news as if  the news was part of the ground laying operations the Lord will use in Christ’s return, with a tint of immediacy.  In other words, report the news in light of Christ’s impending return.  Is that a big enough story?  You can be sure to scoop the Washington Post, ​the New York Times​, and the Canberra Times. They couldn’t care less.  

Katherine Powers

In the interest of putting more flesh on this bare-boned notion, what I am suggesting is to go, have a look at your morning paper today and examine the headlines.  (Since my email above we have dropped the daily Canberra Times.  We now get the Australian, a Sydney daily newspaper.)  For September 22, 2015 I see the following:

Headline #1:  Turnbull soars as better PM—Tony Abbott, in abrupt parliamentary form, was summarily ousted as head of the Liberal Party and therefore out of the job of Prime Minister.  That job is now held by Malcolm Turnbull.

Headline #2: Cattle tops agenda as Robb pushes Indonesian trade—Australia is seeking a more stabilized trade agreement with Indonesia.

Headline #3:  EU split as refugees shunted through—Divisions within the EU over handling of the refugee crisis.

With these headlines as just a sample, what I want to know is, what is God doing in and through these events, circumstances, and problems?  If God worked through the lives of Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Pontius Pilate, and Caesar Augustus, and through events like the flood, the Israeli diaspora, and the spread of the Christian faith via the Roman Empire, what is God doing with the events that are playing out today?  Along with that, with the heightened level of communication these days through TV and the internet, would this not be a prime time for Jesus’ return?  With few pockets of ignorance still out there, would this not be a good time for him to usher in his Kingdom?  Please do not think I am off my rocker declaring Jesus will return on November 15, 2016 at 10 am in Darwin, NT or spouting doom and gloom with the coming judgment of God; but nor am I saying not to anticipate it.  “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7

What I think Christians should do is view all of life in the light of Jesus’ impending arrival.  How might the refugee crisis be an element of his arrival?  The change of Prime Ministers in Australia?  Impending trade agreements?  Nothing is outside of God’s plans and intentions. Whether Jesus arrives in our life time or not, we do not know, but we are charged to understand the signs of the times to recognize them when the do appear.   “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.  He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’  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.” Matthew 16:1-3

But why?  Why should we examine life’s events and circumstances in light of Christ’s imminent return?  What difference will it make?  For one thing, we have been promised that Jesus will return, like the bridegroom.  Will we, the Church, have enough oil in our lamps to participate in the wedding feast of Christ and his Church?  Are we prepared?  Secondly, do we realize that God works in and through ALL of life’s blessings, tragedies, immigrations, emmigrations, wars, traquilities, and wins and losses?  He does not stand far off and watch as a spectator to world events.  We busy ourselves in life’s concerns, addressing human failings, knowing that we are a part of His plan, and ensuring our wicks are trimmed and oil at the ready.  Thirdly, Christ’s imminent return creates in us a sense of anticipation, anxiousness, and excitement.  We will spend more time in wondering what God is doing and how we can join Him in the work He is already doing among us (a la Henry Blackaby–Experiencing God).

So what are the signs of the times? Are we sitting on the edge of our seats?  More importantly, are we sowing the seeds of the gospel in fertile soil anticipating his imminent return? Can we be more like Simeon and Anna who waited their entire lives and were blessed to see the arrival of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords–the anticipation!  This is exciting! What is next, God?  Where will you act and how can we be instruments of Your will?  We are ready!

Electioncudchewing

We, in the US, have an election coming up—a blinding statement of the obvious I realize.  Unless you live under a rock, we are being inundated with polls, talking points, and campaign rhetoric, ad nauseum. ( I feel it and I live in Australia!!) So what is a Christian to do?  How are we to sift through the mountains of speeches, debates and promises to arrive at a logical selection for not just president, but for every other candidate and bond issue on the ballot?

First and foremost, we must not check our Christian beliefs and ethics at the polling house door.  We cannot go anywhere in the world without our Christian faith tagging along for the ride.  If we are able separate our faith from anything else in our lives, a closer examination of the state of our journey through sanctification might be in order.  We are Christians and this is the lens through which we examine candidates, purchase homes, study in schools, and select ripe grapefruit.  There is nothing that does not come under the scrutiny of Christ (remember Abraham Kuyper’s quote “In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, ‘That is mine!’”).  Nothing escapes the prying eyes of Christ who looks over our shoulder, whispers in our ears, and occupies our minds so that we might be guided by his Truths.

Continuing on…how then do we go about examining the potential candidates, Democrat and Republican?  What can the bible offer us on how best to weed out candidates so as to support those with strong Christian ethics?  I am assuming here that it makes no sense for Christians to support candidates who do not espouse Christian ethics.  If we take seriously Jesus command to go into all nations… that command begins at home, in our communities, in our nation, and in the world.  Whether Republican or Democrat, our hope and desire is to put into office faithful Christians who recognize their limitations, confess their sins, and persevere under attacks which will be legion.  Perfection is not attainable so to expect that or close to that in our candidates is unreasonable and unbiblical.

Now someone might hear echoes of that trusty old political mantra in the back of his mind, “Separation of Church and State!…Separation of Church and State!”  This is a Jeffersonianism or a Madisonianism or a Voltaireism and not biblical.  Nowhere in all of scripture will we see any attempt by faithful followers of Yahweh to do such a crazy thing and for good reason.  It cannot and should not be done.  Keeping the State out of the Church is a necessity, but keeping the Church out of the government is an impossibility.  While there are followers of Yahweh on this earth, the government will be influenced by its precepts and thankfully so.  (I would not include followers of Islam in this group because when you examine the characteristics of Allah with those of the biblical Yahweh, it becomes readily apparent the two deities are not the same, but this is not the subject of this blog.)  I can also hear the cries of “We don’t live in a theocracy! We live in a democracy…a republic…a monarchy…etc.”  Well, here’s the thing… the breaking news.  We DO live in a theocracy whether we realize it or not because GOD rules!  He always has and He always will.  No matter what form our earthly governments take they are ALL subject to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:1-2)  So let’s not mollycoddle Truth—we must proclaim this from the roof tops.

So how does this help us with our upcoming electoral decisions?  Possibly not much but as we read the newspapers, examine the issues, listen to the candidates and tick the box or flip the switch, remember “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)  We are Christians first and Democrats or Republicans second, third, fourth, or whatever.  We must never forget that and vote accordingly.  Not voting borders on heresy–strong words I know but worth noting.  If we are to be the salt and light in this world one of the best ways to do so is by participating in our elections (especially considering the privilege is not afforded to many in the world).  Neglecting to vote hides our light under a basket and blocks the light with which the world should see Christ.