“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”. - John 14:3
Jesus will return. This is a central tenet and firm belief rooted deep in historical Christian thought. The question is not whether it will happen, but when will it happen? Will it be soon or somewhere in the distant future? Is there a way for us to know? As we read the headlines and watch our culture rapidly descend into Godlessness, many Christians are asking if we are finally in the End Times as described in Scripture. Is this age finally wrapping up and giving way to God’s Kingdom? The best answer I have for that is yes. And no. And, well, maybe.
The Point Is to Be Prepared
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them”. - Mark 13:9
A casual read of the New Testament reveals that the early Church believed that they were living in the end times and that the return of Jesus could happen at any moment. Of course, that did not occur. Yet they were willing to endure pain, prison, and even death for the sake of this new faith that they had received. Christianity was not an easy choice for anyone. Yet, they lived with an urgency that placed their fervor for Christ above all else and passed on this knowledge of God and trust in Christ so that their faith spread across the face of the earth.
Fast forward a few thousand years to our time. Ours is a time that sees the headlines filled with unsettling scenarios and a sharply divided culture. Christians throughout the world are increasingly facing persecution, and enduring prison and torture as a result of their faith.
Like those in the early Church, we must ask ourselves if we are living in the End Times, and if so, how do we compare to the earliest believers? Are we bold and confident in our faith, or does our fervor for the Gospel of Jesus Christ fall short of what it should be? Does it fall short of what it must be?
Is This the End?
How often have we heard that the world has just gone crazy, or people are just crazy these days? We say this as if it is a new thing, that people have made bad decisions and acted irrationally for the first time. We say this as if our society is somehow getting worse, and things were better in the much longed-for, ‘good old days’.
But are things really that different? In many ways, yes. Every day we utilize technology that was not believable just 25 years ago. Think of phones, for example. Until recently this was a device attached to a wall by a cord for talking. Now it is a supercomputer we carry in our pockets, statistically speaking, is likely where you are reading this right now.
Things are undeniably changing, and these changes indeed move us closer to the atmosphere that will lead to the end times. It is no longer unrealistic to think that an easy, digital way to buy things at the supermarket could easily become the mark of the beast as described in Revelation 13:16-17, “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name”.
I am not saying that the world is ending, that the President is the anti-Christ or any of that mumbo jumbo we are accustomed to hearing from alarmist sources. That is all just a distraction.
If Not Now, Then When?
“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” - Matthew 24:44
If we believe in Christ, and believe that He will indeed return as he said, then we must be ready. We can be ready by living each and every day as citizens of his Kingdom, as citizens of heaven, with a godly outlook on life. It should find its way into the way we speak to others, the relationships we pursue, the way we raise our families, and how we choose to spend our time. Planning for our future on earth is wise and necessary, but planning for our future in eternity should hold at least equal consideration.
The world we love and live in is doomed to destruction at some point in the future. This is clearly laid out in Scripture, and it is more evident every passing day. I love the awe-inspiring beauty of Creation. I love the people of this world and the brilliance and creativity that has been placed in the minds of the hearts of mankind. There is an unparalleled beauty when looking at a mountain, staring up at the stars in the night sky, or watching the sunrise and set, painting the sky in radiant hues.
Yet this world in all its beauty is just a mere glimpse of the beauty that is to come, of what awaits us on the other side of Christ’s return. My fear is that we have become comfortable amongst them to the point we fail to consider the Creator who designed it for us to enjoy. Earlier this week I saw a comedian proclaiming that there is no hell. Of course, she also concludes that there is no heaven either because there is no God.
What Should We Do in the Meantime?
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” - Matthew 24:14
We have no way to know when the end will come, we just know that at some point in history it will! There is so much more to be discussed about the signs of the end, but in the meantime, our job is to be ready and to share the good news of the Gospel as we have the opportunity to do so. Jesus could come before you finish reading this, or he could tarry another thousand years. The point is that we are to live as if today is the day, that every choice we make will hold eternal significance. This in itself should make an unmistakable impact on how we live and what we do with our lives.
It is my prayer to live out each day as if I will see Jesus face-to-face, knowing that someday, in this life or the nest, I most certainly will.
Related Resource: Listen to our FREE podcast, The Bible Never Said That. In this podcast, we unpack some of the most popular "spiritual statements" that have made their way into popular culture and the church, even though they are not theologically sound. All of our episodes are available at LifeAudio.com.
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Jason Soroski is a homeschool dad and member of the worship team at matthias lot church in St. Charles, MO. He spends his free time hanging out with his family, exploring new places, and writing about the experiences. Connect on Facebook or at JasonSoroski.net.
This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more about the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that explain Biblical truths. You do not need to fear or worry about the future!
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