It's been a little while since I've written on my blog, but this was because I was studying a new(for me) topic. It's called eschatology, which is basically the study of the last days. I might write another post about the "end times" if need be. I challenge you to challenge me if you have questions, but I thought I'd show you what I've been learning.
So, how DID we get to this point?
No Christian denies there is a problem in our generation, the homosexual community is growing, abortion is still an international practice, and it seems like the Christian community is deteriorating. The main reason for these problems is that the church allows it to happen. The majority of Christians today are Pre-millennial, which means they believe that the rapture will happen then Jesus will reign on earth for 1000 years. The problem with this Pre-mill belief is not only that it isn't biblical but that it excuses our lack of duty(I'll come back to this). I know what your thinking, "Did he just say the rapture isn't biblical, what about 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17?", This passage, when placed in the larger context of the chapter, is answering questions that Christians in Thessalonica had concerning death. "What has happened to our loved ones who have died before the return of Christ to earth? What is theirs and our ultimate destiny?" Paul’s answer: bodily resurrection at the return of Christ to earth! Not an escape into the sky. Jesus even asked the father NOT to take us out of the world(John 17:15). "Ok, well what about Matthew 24:36-44?" Well, "as in the days of Noah", who were left behind, who were removed from the earth? Matthew 24:39," and they were unaware until the flood came and swept THEM all away." Like I said before if need be I will write more about the "end times" but now I will show you what we should be doing.
Christians need to be reconstructionists. In order to re-construct something it has to be created then broken. God created this world good, or He wouldn't have said so(Gen 1:31), but He made it so it needed a care taker. God told man to multiply and subdue it, this also means to cultivate it. We need to be in the culture, and we need to cultivate it to a way that pleases God. But what pleases God? Would it be safe to say that a culture that has Godly standards, and that is seeking after God is pleasing to Him? Today, Christians don't care if, and almost want, the world to go to hell in a hand basket. I use to believe in the rapture, and when I did I would pray every night for God NOT to come the next day and to wait at least until I was married and had kids. But then I would pray NOT to have kids in fear they would be left behind. Sadly most Christians have this mind set that "if we aren't going to be here in 10 years why leave a legacy?" Instead we need to leave a Godly legacy, and teach the next generation how to influence the culture.
All Christians acknowledge Christ as King, that He is God incarnate who came to die to save His people and rise to God the Father to reign as King.
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."(Daniel 7:13-14).
Jesus said," all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..."(Matt 28:18).
"I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.'"(Psalms 2:7-8), let me ask you, do you think Jesus forgot to ask? Of course not!
Daniel 2 talks about king Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Long story short the dream means that there will be kingdoms to come after the Babylonian empire but then there would be one to come that shall never end. Daniel 2:35,"...But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth". That stone is the Kingdom of God, it WILL fill the earth just like God said.
So when will this happen? Jesus said,"if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you" the next verse says,"or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then he indeed may plunder his house."(Matt 12:28-29). The strong man mentioned in the text is Satan, who at that time was unbound, but now he is bound and the Christians now go in and,"plunder his house". The take over of Christianity is not an instant event, it will take a while. For example,"It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree", or,"It's like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened"(Luke 13:18-21).
Who or how will this come to be? Simply, "...the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this"(Isaiah 9:7). Jesus told us to be salt(which was used to preserve meat) and light(which was used to give light to the whole house). Knowing that, we are supposed to shine to the whole world and then to preserve the goodness in the world.
Here's another question for you, is the power of the resurrection more or less powerful than the curse? Also where does the power of the resurrection stop? Christ came to die to remove the curse given to the world(both people and nature). Basically, because Jesus died and has defeated the curse we now go and reconstruct the earth.
What happens when people have this multi-generational vision, and a God given job? People started building cathedrals that they would never see finished. They had the mind set that, "hey, we are going to be here for awhile".
Where did this mind set go? Many people had this mind set but when WW1 came people changed and wondered,"how could God allow this world go to war if there will be peace?" Then WW2 came and this vision almost completely died because,"surely God couldn't use this for good". But one thing to remember is who won both wars? The Allies, but these wars were not between the Allies and the Axis but between Christianity and Humanism. But nevertheless people lost the,"we need to shape this world to please God" kind of vision.
Why is the reconstruction view so important? It's not salvation issue. No, but it is a Gospel issue, to only preach the law then repentance through grace is only to preach part of the Gospel. We need to start at the beginning.
In the beginning God created the world, He placed man and woman in this world along with all the created creation. God saw all he had made and it was GOOD(Genesis 1:31). God placed one rule over Man, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil(Genesis 2:16-17). Man, tempted by Satan, committed a crime against God, and in doing so allowed sin to enter the world(Romans 5:12). Man, in sin, is separated from God who is righteous. God sent his commandments to Moses to give to the people, that they may know what sin is(Romans 7:7, 5:15). God being also just, would be justified in destroying Mankind. But, oh that glorious "but", God knowing Man would choose sin over Himself had a plan. The only way for Man to make amends with God was to present a sacrifice, but Man being dead in sin can never present a worthy sacrifice. So, God also being merciful, sent His Son Jesus and the perfect sacrifice. The only person to perfectly please God is Himself. Jesus came as "the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world"(1 John 2:2). Because God loved His creation so much He sent His son to remove the curse of sin. Now anyone who calls upon the word of the Lord WILL be saved(Romans 10:13-14). But Man still dead in sin is chosen by God to be born-again according to the purpose of His will(Ephesians 1:4-5). Now that we have been set free from sin we are now a slave to God, the fruits you bear are from sanctification by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit begins conforming you to the image of Christ. As we grow to be more like Christ, we need to also give an answer for what we believe(1 Peter 3:15). Jesus gave His followers a command to,"go therefore",WAIT! What do we do when we see that word? We must ask,"what's that therefore there for?" So we go back a verse," And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"(Matthew 28:18-20). Now we must demonstrate our love for God and others(the two greatest commandments) by spreading the Gospel. But that's not it, as Christianity spreads so does its standards. When a people group honors those standards they will be blessed. Then Jesus will return after all His enemies are defeated(1 Corinthians 15:24-26). This is Good News!
So now what do we do?
First, we must read the Bible! The Left Behind series is a great story, but it is not the Bible. The Bible has everything we need from how to run a Godly government to how to preach the gospel. The scriptures are sufficient for all areas of life.
Second, we must take what we learn to others and give an apologetic for what we believe. There are no exceptions to the great commission.
Third, we must rebuild the family starting with marriage and that kids are a blessing. Then we must teach those kids to do the same to their kids. We need to raise soldiers, not doomsday prepers. We MUST leave a legacy!
Fourth, we must pray both for repentance of not doing these things, and also for future generations not to fall into the place where we are.
Last but not least, we must influence the culture. Christians are called to be in the world not of the world.
Am I blaming premillennialism for all our problems today? No, I'm blaming the church for not being in the culture, conforming it to please God. We need a revival! Revivals don't happen twice a month on Wednesday, they start when the people of God return to His ways, read their Bibles, act on what they learn, and then teach their kids to do the same.
This world WILL get better, the question is, will you be apart of it?
Doing His Will,
Austin Ryan
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