Eschatology, Part 2: Does It Matter?

Ah, eschatology. Does it really matter what we believe about “the end times”? In my first blog on the topic, I defined the term eschatology as the study of the end times or the last days, and we also looked at the Bible's reference to time (This Age and The Age to Come). Today I want to continue this series on eschatology as we take a step back and answer the question: Does eschatology matter?

Some people believe that eschatology is superfluous to Christian belief and practice, and many of the people in this camp see it as a distraction from the important matters.  On the other hand, there are people who say that eschatology is one of the most important doctrines to Christian belief and practice, and some of the people in this group tend to focus all their time and energy on the study of eschatology to the neglect of the rest of the Bible’s teaching. 

So, what has the church historically believed about eschatology? 

In God’s Word we see the apostles preaching and teaching on eschatology (several examples include Acts 2:14-36, 17:1-31; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Peter 3:1-13).  And even after the apostolic era, eschatology remained an important doctrine throughout the history of the church.  Gregg Allison, a well-known author and professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary writes, “From its inception, the church has clung to and developed a hope for God’s final intervention in the world to put an end to all opposition and all ungodliness, to reward his faithful followers, and to make all things new” (For a survey of eschatological doctrine throughout church history see Gregg Allison’s Historical Theology). 

Though there is clear evidence throughout history that eschatology is an important doctrine, we are still pressed to answer the question: Does eschatology matter today?  The answer is a resounding yes! Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why eschatology matters.

1.  Eschatology matters because it’s in God’s Word.  In the Holy Bible, the God of the universe has revealed Himself to us.  And if the God of the universe speaks to us, we need to listen.  In fact, we should listen to all that God says, for ^“All Scripture is breathed out by God and it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  In 2 Timothy we learn that all Scripture comes from God, and that all Scripture is profitable.  This includes Scriptures concerning eschatology.

2.  Eschatology matters because it provides us with a heavenly perspective that helps us make sense of the present world.  Eschatology focuses upon ultimate realities like heaven, hell, and the end (or the goal) of all things.  Eschatology includes God’s ultimate plan of judgment and redemption and the promised return of Jesus Christ.  Knowing that Jesus will one day come back to earth to make all things right reminds us that no one in this present age will save the world.  Therefore, we do not place our faith in presidents, leaders, employers, spouses, family members, pastors, or any other creature or created thing. 

3.  A right understanding of eschatology matters in order to protect us against false teaching.  False prophets will come and will bring with them destructive heresies, and in their greed they will exploit us with false words (See 2 Peter 2:1-3).  This is especially true of eschatology.  I have watched over and over again as TV preachers use scare tactics, enticing supporters to give more and more money to their so-called ministries. We must study eschatology so we can protect ourselves against these false teachings which aim to exploit rather than equip.

4.  Eschatology matters because ideas have consequences.  Let’s take, for instance, the eschatology that spurred on the Islamic crusaders.  The end goal of their fight was (and still is) to usher in the end times.  In order to bring back the Mahdi (Islamic redeemer) Jerusalem must be under Islamic rule.  It was their eschatological belief that motivated the Islamic crusaders over 1000 years ago and it is a similar eschatological belief that motivates ISIS today.  (For more on this, click here.)  On the Christian side of the theological spectrum, Christian crusaders who were fighting against Muslim crusaders believed that they had to defeat the Antichrist before Jesus would return, and they viewed the Muslim crusaders as the Antichrist.  Both of these eschatological systems justified their wars, indicating that ideas have consequences. What we think about the end times affects our lives now.    

5.  Studying eschatology reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus Christ (See Isaiah 65:17-25). Many believe the main point of eschatology is to strike fear into all the living. While it’s true that eschatology should awaken us all to God’s wrath and His ultimate judgment, more importantly eschatology should give the Christian comfort, joy, and hope, for at the heart of eschatology is the return of Jesus Christ. 

Take a look at the words of Jesus:  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Jesus Christ will return and when He does He will judge the world, usher in His eternal kingdom, and gather up His own to spend eternity with Him.  This is the pinnacle of eschatology.  If Christ matters to you, then eschatology should definitely matter to you, for Jesus Christ is the center of eschatology. 

~Corey

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

People from every corner of the USA are watching and waiting with anticipation to see how Donald Trump, as our president, will lead this country. Will he go down in history as a good president or as a bad one? Will he follow through on his promises? Will he bring unity to our nation? Many people who voted for Donald Trump thought Hillary Clinton would ruin the nation, while those who voted for Hillary Clinton thought Donald Trump would be the one to tear this nation down.

In the days following the presidential election, it is interesting to observe the number of people who, on social media outlets, gush and carry on about Trump as if he is the answer to all the problems in this country. It is easy for some to believe that because he is not a politician, Trump will turn America around and will fix all the problems in Washington D.C.  Now I am certainly not a political expert, but I have been around long enough to know that no president, no one person, can fix all the problems we have in this country. Sure, folks in the government can lay out good policies or pass good laws that move our country in a positive direction, but presidents (no matter what political party they are affiliated with) will always let us down. Why? Because presidents are sinners and because presidents can’t fix sinners. We are all sinful, fallen people, and the problems in this country and in the entire world are so deeply rooted within us that we can't simply "fix" them. 

And every four or eight years, when another presidential election rolls around and the current president hasn't fixed all our problems, the country shows its disapproval by electing someone with completely different ideals, strategies, and policies. Presidential elections are a back-and-forth game, a pendulum that swings one way and then the other, as we place our hope in the next guy, thinking that he'll be the one to make all things right.

The problem with putting our hope in a president is that no president will ever bring fulfillment. The president is not the answer to our problems. As with past elected officials, we will all soon see that Trump will never be able to fix our country. He will never bring satisfaction. Christ is the only one who can bring true satisfaction to our dry, thirsty souls. He is the way, the truth, and the life. So let's share the Gospel and live it out, remembering that our hope lies in Christ alone.

Love,

Kristen

The Morning After...

The election is over, the campaigns are over, some are overjoyed, some are extremely disheartened.  Many are bragging as if their team just won the World Series, while others are grieving as if their life is over.

If you voted for Trump, this is not a win for your team and a loss for the other team.  And if you voted against Trump, this is not the end of the world.  This is only the election of one man.  Yes, he is a very powerful man, but that doesn’t change who you are and what you believe. Therefore, my prayer is that no matter where you stand, politically speaking, you will see this as an opportunity for honest discussion and as a chance to learn from others, even from those with whom you disagree. 

And if you are a person who cannot possibly understand how anyone could vote for a particular candidate (on either side), find out.  Engage in meaningful conversations with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  This is one of the beautiful realities about living in the USA: We have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and even freedom of opinion.  And while we are divided on worldview, we are not divided as image-bearers of God, so I encourage everyone everywhere to treat one another with respect as fellow image-bearers of God.

One last thing I want to point out and direct specifically to Christians is that this is not a win for the church.  In fact, this will be a loss for the church if we believe that Trump’s election is a win for God and that anyone who did not vote Republican is anti-Christ.  God’s church does not depend upon the government for her strength.  For the church is founded upon none other than Jesus Christ. Regardless of who is president, our mission as the church does not change.  Listen to the words of God to the church in Ephesians 2:19-22.

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

~Corey

(Be on the lookout for part 2 in my series on eschatology.)

Halloween Candy Stickers - A Great Way to Be a Light!

Every year I put these cute Halloween stickers on the candy we pass out to trick-or-treaters. The stickers are wonderful conversation-starters and are a great way to be a Gospel light to your neighborhood. I thought I would share them with you! Just click on each link to get a PDF version of the stickers. You can print them on address labels, or if you don't have any labels, you can simply print them on paper, cut them out, and tape them to the candy.


Halloween Stickers 1

Halloween Stickers 2

Halloween Stickers 3

Halloween Stickers 4

(Note: I originally downloaded the stickers from this site but have since edited them to my liking. However, this lady is the original sticker-maker so I want to make sure I give credit where it's due!) 

Hope you enjoy!

Love,

Kristen

Earthly Wisdom vs. Godly Wisdom

We all hear many ideas and opinions about what is considered to be good and wise in our world today. But how can we truly know what is good and wise in a culture that's oozing with relativism and pragmatism at every turn? The way in which we answer that question will reveal our worldview and will tell us wherein our trust lies. 

What feels right? What is popular? What has brought success in the past? Questions such as those are spurred by earthly wisdom. Earthly wisdom appeals to our senses and emotions and tells us to follow our hearts. It consists of thoughts and ideas that seem wise in the eyes of man, and it can change based on what is popular and what people believe to be true at the time.

Godly wisdom, on the other hand, never changes. It is based solely upon God's Word and tells us to steer clear of emotional decisions and to reject our inclination to follow our hearts; after all, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). 

Let's look to the writings of Paul to help us better discern earthly wisdom from godly wisdom. When Paul wrote 2 Corinthians he was attempting to defend himself after false teachers had gone into the Corinthian church and tried to debunk Paul’s testimony by attacking his character and his credibility as an apostle. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:12: "For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you."

In this verse Paul says to the Corinthian church that his conscience is clear because he acted not with earthly wisdom toward the Corinthians, but with godly wisdom. The Lord gave Paul grace to behave with simplicity (not to try to impress people) and with godly sincerity (to be humble and to recognize his need for God's grace), which caused him to boast in the Lord all the more.

Additionally, King Solomon gives us great insight into godly wisdom. When God asked him what one thing he wanted more than anything else, Solomon asked for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1). The book of Proverbs, written around the 10th century B.C. by King Solomon, teaches us about the source of godly wisdom: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Proverbs 9:10).

Fearing the Lord is where godly wisdom begins. This doesn’t just mean having a great respect for the Lord, as some people say. Fearing the Lord means our hearts and souls fall down before Him, recognizing His sovereignty, His power, and our eternal need of Him. My husband explains the fear of the Lord like this: Imagine there is a huge lion standing before you; no cage, no glass, nothing. Just you and a lion. Realizing that lion's immense power and knowing that it could rip your head off at any minute leads you to tremble with fear. And although that lion allows you to get close and snuggle up to it, you're always aware of its great strength and its capability to destroy you at any moment. Now, this analogy definitely falls short in many areas when we think about a believer's relationship to God (for God has promised not to devour those who are in Christ, and believers can be confident in God's promises while boldly approaching His throne), but we do get a clearer picture of what the fear of the Lord looks like as we acknowledge His power and sovereignty over us. And when we truly fear the Lord, we'll read His Word and follow His commands because we will see what a mighty God He is, and we’ll desire to honor Him with our lives. This is godly wisdom from above that is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).

Love,

Kristen

Eschatology, Part 1: This Age and The Age to Come

Over the next 2 or 3 months, I plan to write a series of succinct blog entries on eschatology.  My goal with each entry is to briefly explain an aspect of the doctrine of eschatology and then to help you think about how this matters in our lives today.  Now, I realize some of you know exactly what the term eschatology means, while others of you may be scratching your heads a bit at this unfamiliar word, so let me explain:  Eschatology is the study of the end times or the last days.  Eschatos is a Greek word from which we derive the word eschaton, which refers to “the end” or “the last,” and –ology simply refers to “the study of” or “the knowledge of.”  Therefore, eschatology is the term we use to refer to the study of the end times or the last days.

But what exactly is meant by the end times or the last days?  In Scripture we are presented with two ages: the present age and the eternal age (i.e. Ephesians 1:21 - “… in this age, but also in the one to come”).  The age we live in now is referred to as “this age” and the age that will one day supersede this age is referred to as “the age to come.”  So, when we talk about eschatology we are not actually referring to an ultimate end of life altogether; we are referring to the end of this present age.  Eschatology is the end of this age and the ushering in of the age to come. 

What is the difference between these two ages?  The Bible refers to this age as the “present evil age” (Galatians 1:4), which is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:31), while the age to come will be eternal (Mark 10:30, Matthew 25:46).  In this age there is death, pain, and suffering; in the age to come there will be no more death (Luke 20:34-37) and no more pain or suffering (Revelation 21:4). Additionally, this age is unrighteous and evil, but in the age to come all these former things will pass away, and all things will be made new (Revelation 21:1-5).  

Thankfully, when this age expires, there will come a new day that will be ushered in by Jesus Christ.  He will return to judge the world in righteousness, and then He will bring in the age to come. This will be an age not like our own, but one of beauty, perfection, and righteousness.  And this will not happen till He comes. 

So, how can we apply this to our lives right now? Well, let’s use our present political situation as an example. We cannot expect a presidential candidate to usher in the age to come (beauty, perfection, righteousness, and endless joy), because Jesus alone is the One who will usher in the eternal age. He is the Messiah, not a president or world leader.  Be careful of your expectations, because there is no such thing as heaven on earth in this present age.
         Our hope is not in this age; our hope is in the One who will usher in the age to come.  But this does not mean we stop living or enjoying the gift of life God has given us in this age; this does mean, however, that we should stop expecting a presidential nominee to usher in the age of goodness and righteousness. While we have the privilege, and even the duty, to vote in local, regional, state, and national elections, our only true hope is in God, and not in man.  Our faith must rest in Jesus the Messiah, the Eternal God of the Ages.

~Corey

In This World You Will Have Trouble...

How do you usually react when trials and troubles come your way? What is your response when your soul grows weary and the burden you carry seems almost unbearable? For me, trials often initially cause a particular response to bubble-up within my soul. An attitude of self-pity and a no-one-around-me-could-possibly-understand-what-I'm-going-through mindset are usually my first inclinations during times of difficulty. 

Recently my friend and I were discussing some of our current struggles with one another, as we often do. During our conversation, God used her kind and compassionate words to remind me of the goodness and love He so freely pours out onto His people. The Lord, though He owes us nothing, graciously brings believers together in unity to experience sweet fellowship with one another. And at times, to lovingly rebuke and correct one another. What a gift God has given us - each other! So, why is it that often times we quickly declare that no one could possibly understand the hardship we're experiencing in a particular situation? Why does it matter if someone doesn't understand the exact pain and the exact circumstances you're going through? Can any of us ever perfectly understand one another? Only Christ truly understands our woes, and He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), for He knows us better than we know ourselves. We don't always fully understand how it must feel to experience a particular trial, but we do all go through trials. Every person doesn't understand what it's like to mourn the loss of a spouse, suffer a terrible illness, sort through a mountain of debt, endure the sorrow of a miscarriage, or face long-term unemployment. But we all, in different ways and from different angles, have felt the crippling emotions various trials can bring, such as loneliness, unworthiness, guilt, and heartbreak.

Just because no two person's troubles are the same doesn't mean that we all haven't experienced hurt, pain, and grief. Everyone goes through trials. Some are more visible than others. Some are never exposed to anyone at all. But the purpose of our trials, no matter how big or how small, is to cause us to cling to Christ all the more and to remind us that our hearts will never be made whole or complete until we reach the end of this earthly race. Trusting that Christ will bring us to completion is the only hope for any of us. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Knowing that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called as His children makes the trials more bearable. God created us to need Him and to rely on each other for support during hard times. And He graciously places people in our lives that continue to point us to Christ in the midst of it all. Thankfully, we are all in this race together! So let's focus on running the course hand-in-hand, being sure that "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

Love,

Kristen