How Shall We Live?

While I’m no expert in eschatology (study of the end times), I enjoy listening to those who are. It seems many pieces of the larger puzzle are coming together, and we may well be living in the “last” of the last days. 

Personally I believe that to be true, but will also say this. 

I became a Christian  in 1982, and remember people discussing the Antichrist, and wondered if he was living on the earth today. He was everything from Henry Kissinger to the Pope. False prophets making false profits by writing books predicting the year, or even day of Christ’s return.  Although the Bible clearly states no man knows the day or time, (not even the Son knows), millions of people would make these a bestseller. (Matthew 24:36)

The fact that so many would buy such a book points to both the danger of following false teachers, and the level of biblical illiteracy that exists in the world today. 

Now, 43 years later, we’re still having that discussion. 

I’m not saying it’s not a fascinating topic, or one that should not be discussed. We are told to look for, and anticipate His return. We are also warned to make sure we are ready. (Matt 24:42-44, Matt 25:1-13, I Thess 5:2-6)

But I also believe as Christians, we have to be careful we’re not so fixated on His return that we forget we have work to do.  

From the day Jesus ascended, we have been anticipating His return. I find the account of his ascension in Acts 1:9-11 interesting. “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Specifically “why do you stand gazing up into heaven?”

Now, in defense of those who witnessed the ascension, I think I’d be “gazing” too, wondering when He was coming back. 

The ascension of Jesus was the “official” end of His earthly ministry, and His Church was about to be empowered to continue His earthly ministry.

In John 15:5-14, Jesus said it was to our “advantage” that he go away, because had he not ascended, the Holy Spirit would not come. And when He came, He would “convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment,” and “guide us into all truth.”

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

So let’s take a moment to see the bigger picture by backing up a few verses, beginning in Acts 1:4-8. “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So the stage was set for the familiar passage in the 2^nd chapter of Acts. 

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” 

It was the birth, and empowerment of the Church. 

Empowering Christ followers to fulfill the great commission of “making disciples of all nations, and teaching them to observe (obey) all things He’s commanded us to do. (Matt 28:19-20)

With all due respect, while I understand the fascination with the return of Christ (it will be both a great and terrible day) we are called not to organize “watch parties,” but to discipleship making. 

My point is not to criticize those providing exegetical teaching on the end times. Dr David Jeremiah, Jack Hibbs, Greg Laurie, and Gary Hamrick are just a few who do an outstanding job in walking us through biblical prophecy, and I am thankful for their ministries. 

But my question is, “why do we stand gazing into heaven, when there is much work to do?”

As a new Believer, I would frequently ask myself the following questions.

– Do I believe what I say I believe?

– Do I really believe what I say I believe?

– Do I believe it in my heart, or my head only? (A true belief, or mental ascension)

– Do I believe we are all sinners in need of a Savior?

– Do I believe you must be born again to both see, and enter the Kingdom of God?

– Do I believe we are saved by grace through faith, not by works, and it is a gift from God?

– Do I believe the path to life has a narrow gate, and Jesus is the only way to eternal life?

– Do I believe there are many “false Christs” in this world and the only true Christ is the one revealed in Scripture?

– Do I believe in heaven?

– Do I believe in hell?

– Do I believe we’re not all “children of God,” and adoption into the family is a work of the Holy Spirit upon justification?

– Do I believe if you die in your sin you will be eternally separated from God?

Answering “yes” to these questions requires me to also ask…

– Do I have friends and family members who live in unbelief, have never been born again, and who if Christ returned today, would be eternally lost?

– Do I have friends and family members who live in deception, have never been born again, and who if Christ returned today, would be eternally lost?

If the answer to all of the above is “yes,” it leads to one final question.

“How then should I live?”