Waiting for the World to End

I was in a course last week at seminary, and while interacting with fellow students, I heard the most alarming thing. Apparently… some Christians are tired of waiting for Jesus to come.

Is this true? I am horrified, even now after a full week of thinking about this, to think that perhaps you don’t have the excitement and desire to see Him. During quarantine, I discovered that there are many Christians out there who have no idea about what the end of the world means for believers. That bothered me too, but not as much as the idea that people are just tapping out because they can’t wait anymore. It’s like…

Truly, I’m not trying to judge or call out anyone, but there are a few things I need to bring to your attention about the End Times. In fact, let me say that I was the first one to be fed up of Bible studies that were stuck in Revelations Chapter 2. I lost interest when I realized that everyone was just going to get in trouble and then a whole lot of bad things would happen. Of course charismatic churches steer clear of any talk about sin, death or the end and prefer to swim in the shallow, warm waters. In the midst of pandemic, global warming, swarms of locusts, civil unrest and political war, it’s no wonder that people who go to cookie cutter church service are wondering where God is… they haven’t been told.

The study of the end of the world as we know it is called “eschatology”. This is the theology that looks at death, final judgment and what comes with eternal life. Because it is heavily based on Revelations (a vision that was given to the Apostle John) and it is about a time period that is “yet to come”, there is plenty speculation about which ideas have been properly interpreted and which ones are vagrant. I believe that we all need to take the time to comb through this on our own, to make sure that we know what is said an we can weigh it individually with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to arrive at what you accept.

In this post, I won’t go through everything, but I will talk about what’s imminent. First of all, you have to get used to the idea that God’s idea of time and space are not like ours. We have a basic understanding and He has an aerial view. They are vaguely comparable. I think that Jesus knew that we would struggle with time. Many times when He was with the disciples, He was trying to teach them about things, but it was hard for them to grasp. At the time of writing of the New Testament, the authors were convinced that Jesus would be coming back very soon, and this was all the work that needed to be done until He came back. Here’s what Jesus actually said:

1)    He is coming back (John 14:3, Matthew 16:27, 1 Thessolonians 4:16-18). On a cloud, presumably in the sky (Revelaton 1:7, Mark 13:24-27).

2)    We won’t know when it’s going to happen (Matthew 24:42-44, Mark 13:32, Acts 1:7-8), but Jesus gives us some signs to watch for. Paul writes it will be like a thief in the night (1 Thessolonians 5:2). Like a bride waiting for the bridegroom to come and the wedding to begin(Matthew 25). Two people will be gathering in the fields, and suddenly one will disappear(Matthew 24:40, Luke 17:34-37). This event will be the rapture, where those who have accepted Christ will rise up to join Him in the air and be whisked away to a Heavenly place (1 Thessolonians 4:17, Revelation 3:10, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

3)    Even those who have died and accepted Christ will rise on that day, so presumably, there is still some remnant of human spirit that is at rest until this glorious event will take place (1 Thessolonians 4:16, Daniel 12:1-2).

4)    After we go, there will be 7 years of terrible, terrible things. Like, worse than we could imagine, worse than what’s going on now. When we look back at times we thought were bad, and then look forward in time to what is bad now, we can see the progression of wickedness. It was always there, but it’s like new conceptions of rotten things stuffed with even more rotten things. (Revelation 7:14, called the Great Tribulation. Also Matthew 24:15, Revelation 16:12-16).

5)    After that 7 year period, we will return to earth with Jesus and His fully installed Kingdom. It will come down and we will live again, but this time there will be no sin or death (Revelation 20:4-6).

Now, there is more to the story. That’s literally the beginning. I will be studying this formally in 2021, so if you can bear with me, I will get through it and then put up some thoughtful pieces to help you in the process of combing through. For now, I want to stop here and just talk about the tension of not knowing when He will come back.

The early roots of Petencostalism began with the Methodists and Holiness Movements. A new move of God, characterized by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit where tongues and other spiritual gifts were activated en masse at Azusa Street in Los Angeles mobilized people for the mission of taking the gospel to all ends of the earth. This movement resulted in many being trained for leadership and others going to help establish missions in various countries. Those who could not go funded these endeavours through generous giving. Churches lived off the embers of the experiences of missionaries when they would return to share what God was doing abroad. 

Pardon me, my 2020 is showing, but I do have to point out that not all of these missionary experiences were people doing the right thing. There were plenty of issues with money and power attached, and you know that human hearts are deceitful when left to their own conceptions. These days there is plenty of outrage directed at colonialism, and missionary efforts, for their assimilation practices and stamping out of culture. I can’t say for sure, I wasn’t there; and neither were you. I can tell you this: if you talk to the people who lived in colonial and post-colonial contexts, you might be surprised to hear that they aren’t all bitter and damaged. My parents grew up in the Caribbean, and despite me trying to free them, they love the Queen and think of her as their own. When they were part of a colony, everyone had flour and when the country moved to independence, they lived through racial riots and goods embargos.

I grew up in a Caribbean church located in Canada, and I have to say, it was a really good church. The teachings were very sound, the structure was solid. Now that I’m a seminary student, I recognize that it was their careful emulation of the missionary examples that established such a strong foundation. Always consider there’s a side of the story that you don’t know!

All this to say, the Pentecostals were determined the spread the gospel to the ends of the earth in order to fulfill the mission of God in preparation for the return of Christ. I have recently identified that the emphasis on Jesus’ return is diminished by charismatic churches because it’s problematic in that it forces them to take a stand on hard things like sin, judgment and the reality that not everyone will make it. Oh yes, read it again. In 2020, no one wants to talk about this, because according to secular morality, it’s exclusive.

Jesus is the same as He was before they hijacked the copyrights to what’s right and wrong. He offers salvation to all who want to be reconciled- that’s free and inclusive. Your life has to change if you intend to get there, and you can’t change it on your own human will power, you need the Holy Spirit to help you. 

The reality is that many people give their lives to Christ, but not all experience the transformation, because we are like fruit: some were picked too soon, some have bruises and wounds, some have a worm deep inside that needs to be excised. Once that spiritual surgery takes place, and God heals you, suddenly you are not working hard to prove the fruit of the Spirit in your life, you find yourself harvesting love, peace, joy etc. regularly.

Fruit of the Spirit grows in your life because we are part of something bigger, like a vine, and we are abiding in it (John 15). The time you spend in the vine that is Christ, the stronger you become and the more attached to Him you are. Friends, this is when you’re a vessel that’s fit for use. God will open to you spiritual gifts that are meant for you to use in the church. The gifts are here to keep the church encouraged by giving them a glimpse into what will come when we are fully reconciled with Christ. The gifts are not to wow people at parties, or to convince non-believers to believe. They are for the church and the people of God FIRST. And they point to one big thing! Jesus is coming.

If you are a Christian and you don’t believe that Jesus is coming back, I have news for you- you’ve truly missed possibly the biggest part. We don’t love God for the gifts He gives us. Something that is much bigger than your personal life story is in the works where Good and evil will finally face off. Of course you are important to God, and He is able (and wants to) concern Himself with fashioning your life story interwoven with His, but you gotta know that His story is BIGGER and involves ALL of us. Your Christianity needs to be a balance of being willing to look at your life and see what needs to be changed in order to live the life God wants for you as well as contributing to the overall mission of God.

Charismatics won’t press you for this- I can now say I know why. In a similar way, I got tired of being in a church that was so focused on doing the work of God, even when the tasks we were given as the work did not seem related. I feel like Charismatics are Pentecostals gone bad, who just want to do away with everything that leads to restriction, and just get fat off the good stuff of experiencing God or using spiritual gifts. The result is gross imbalance, where people are lovesick for God but no longer progressing in life. This is not what you were called to. You were called to live a life yielded to Him, obedient and exemplary of your newfound joint heritage in Him. You were called to be socially responsible within reason, and to be a proper steward of all creation. You were called to unify and not to destroy the church, choosing love and forgiveness above pettiness and offense. You were called to work with your hands and to wait on Him.

Back to my horror- I said, “What do you mean people are disinterested in waiting for Jesus?” There was an uneasy silence, and then one spoke, “there are people who have been in church their whole lives, and they aren’t seeing Him come, so they are… cold.” Others began to speak, and I learned that in some places, the emphasis is fading on the crucial tenet of the faith, because it’s been a mere 2000 years and Christ still hasn’t returned.

Let me tell you, nothing in my life has come easy. There were plenty of times I gave up on the idea that I would get married or have the job that I really wanted. With time, and a lot of work, and tears where I learned to submit my will to God for His, those things that had preoccupied my mind for so long came to pass. There are others who began at the same starting line who are still where I left them, and I can’t help but notice it has to do with attitude. Friends, if after being saved, producing fruit of the Spirit, being baptized in the Spirit and exercising Spiritual gifts, if after surrendering the things of this world to God’s will over yours, if after deliverance prayer and counselling, you still cannot progress, then there is serious problem and you need to get real with your pastor.

 Things won’t move in life until you make sure you’re starting with a lamp that’s full and not cracked or a wineskin that’s not leaking… that’s where deliverance and inner healing come into it. After that restoration and filling, then you grow in the grace and knowledge of God, and you find yourself doing His work in small ways or maybe big ways. All of this is progress. I can’t imagine anyone abiding in the Vine that is Jesus and not being sure or excited that He is coming back.

Then I consider what my Christianity was like when I was in a nice big church and I was comfortable. There was no impetus for change, to look inside, to say what else can you prune on me, Lord? I was a Sunday only Christian, I was on a rotating worship team and none of the demons deposited on my soul were disturbed by my church going.

It wasn’t until I got to Quebec and found myself in an unchurched place that I realized what it must be like to be a missionary. Even the basics of life seemed to be missing in this new place- it really is spiritually dry. Historically, people have been oppressed by the church, and spiritually, it is hard to plant new churches. I had to come to this dry land for the numbness of Churchianity to wear off of me. I had to feel cold, hungry and vulnerable again. I had to remember that all our church position and structure is a drop in the bucket on a world’s stage. Not even! I just moved over one province!

Here’s what Jesus said: Be hot or be cold. Don’t be a little bit here and there, lukewarm, or else, I’ll spit you out of my mouth. That is harsh, folks. You could have the best set up, everything you want out of life, but if your insides do not burn with love and anticipation for Christ’s return, you’re jeopardizing your eligibility. Your attitude in the waiting, the way you cultivate desire for Him while He is here, but not yet arrived, is deeply intwined with how you progress through life. Your story is interwoven with His story, so while you are playing out the mission of God, equally, there should be change in your life. You may say Sis, I don’t have the means to live in anything but poverty, my friend I encourage you today, it isn’t your circumstances, but instead, whether or not you have God’s point of view of you and your life. The light in your eyes will lead you to enjoy life no matter what you’re facing. 

There are times to build and work hard. And there are times to enjoy what has been accomplished. Let me also say, it wasn’t natural or easy for me to love God. It isn’t until He started transforming my insides that I went from merely speaking words of love to Him to actually feeling that love. Sometimes now, when I am having a beautiful moment with Him when I feel so close to Him, suddenly I find myself in tears because I long for Him! It’s all good to abide, but I long now to see Him face to face, to see what He looks like when He’s looking at me, to touch His hands, scarred and strong enough to have held me all this time. When I look at the world around me, I hear His words to watch for these things that happening now. His return is right around the corner! It’s imminent. I don’t care if I am an old woman and I die not having been raptured as yet, I will wait for Him every day the way a dog waits for the owner to come home. I want the same for you!