The Coming Judgment

I was waiting for it and then the headline came, "The Solar Eclipse is a Sign that America is Evil".  While it may not have been a popular headline, it was a headline none-the-less.  I expected it.  After all, there are some people who take any astrological oddity to mean that the judgment of God is coming.

Let me be clear.  I am not saying that we are not deserving of judgment.  I am one hundred percent convinced that our world should be anticipating the coming judgment.  I am not saying that God will not judge, in fact - quite the opposite.  I am certain with the highest level of certainty that God is indeed going to judge.  The Scripture are clear that there is a day of coming judgment. What I am concerned about is the fact that it seems to me that when people state that something is definitively going to happen at such and such a time and they are dead wrong it hurts the body of Christ and the reliability of the Scriptures.  This is why it is so critical that we let the Bible speak for itself and focus on teaching what the Scriptures teach.

Let me illustrate my concern this way.  If I say that I am going to the store right now and I don't go, I lied.  If I say I will go to the store shortly, this gives me a little more clarity and if I don't go right away I have not lied (unless it is days before I actually go).  If I say that I will go to the store,  this gives me immense freedom.  As we apply this to the Bible and its discussion of end times, the Scriptures are clear that Christ is returning to save His church and judge the living and the dead.  Absolutely it will happen.  But it does not tell us when.  Ever.  In fact, it says that we do not know the day this will happen.  It is not going to be known - it will come like a thief in the night.  A thief does not announce his arrival.  Yes there will be signs that are given, but if you look at the signs that are given they are signs that indicate that it could happen at any time.  In fact, every generation from when Christ ascended, including the first generation of Christians thought that Christ was coming in their generation.  And He could have.  And that is the point.  He could come today.  And we need to be ready for His coming - and we need to prepare others for His coming.  His coming is imminent.  It could happen today.

But please do not go around stating that because it could happen today that it will happen today.  Or tomorrow.  Or the next solar eclipse, or the next major world event.  We do not know when Christ will return.  We do know that He will.  And so we are to proclaim what we know - we know Christ will return, and that we should be ready.  Today.  Regardless of astrological sign.  Regardless of world event.  Preach Christ today!