I notice that Stop Playing Church are very active at the moment. I see their posts on my Facebook feed each day and while I applaud them for their strength and tenacity. It highlights two different approaches to the gospel. Those who ask what would Jesus do and try to emulate his approach to people and those who focus on God’s judgement on mankind and End Times bible prophecy.
Having been an End Times focused Christian for most of my life I know the issues that can accompany that perspective. What you read is who you are so if you major on judgement and a soon end of the world as we know it. Then it follows that you will become quite dour and hard to be around. Every thing you see in the world around you relates to what the bible says about the era we are living in. The tendency is to get frustrated and angry with the forces of the enemy and their influence on world government and the Church. This flows over into how you feel about other believers and the relationships you form with them. It becomes difficult to trust anyone.
The real issue is that an End Times focus distorts the balance of a believers world view. I note that in the gospels the writers focused mainly on Jesus ministry of service and sacrifice to the people around him. The End Times were mentioned when the apostles asked Jesus what was going to happen at the end of his ministry. The take away is that helping people to find salvation and meeting their needs is far more important than stewing over the current events and worrying about when the return of the Jesus will happen.
If you have a more servant nature you are easier to be around. People tend to warm to a person who genuinely cares for them rather than someone who preaches uncertainty and that judgement is imminent. I am not saying we should not warn the people of the time we live in. Israel is spoken of in the book of Matthew as the Fig Tree putting forth shoots. Many believers see this scripture from Jesus as a prophecy of the restoration of the nation of Israel in the last days. The literal restoration of the modern nation of Israel that we see today happened in 1948. So be aware of scripture and prophecy but make your major focus to be bringing the love of Jesus of Nazareth to as many as you can. Be as Jesus to your fellow man and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love on another.
Galatians 5: 22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Against such things there is no law... NASB” 1.
The fruit of the Spirit can be summed up as being tolerant and helpful or “Love your neighbor as yourself” as Jesus said when asked about which was the greatest commandment. 2. These actions can be assessed as the visible implementation of the fruit of the Spirit. It is not just talking the talk as I am prone to do. It is walking the walk.
Walking the walk in such a way that the love of God is made visible to those around you and especially to those who have not met the Savior yet. A person who demonstrates love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness and faithfulness is easy to be around. Such a person is one to be turned too when help is needed. To be listened too when advice is sought.
This is completely different than the believer who looks only at the time of judgement that is promised in the End Times. When the battle lines are drawn between Satan’s forces and the Armies of the Living God in the last days of the Age of Grace. 3. Again this knowledge is valid particularly in this time in which we are living. It is just not necessarily a healthy way to look at the world all of the time.
This is also a fairly depressing world view to those around you and often not the best way of witnessing to non Christian people. It can be a bit of a shock to be traveling along oblivious to the finality of our temporal situation only to be told that global catastrophe is imminent. Repent or die in your sins. Some may be convicted but most will simply shy away and keep on walking toward oblivion. Particularly in these times where apocalyptic fantasies are prevalent in the entertainment industry.
For me personally, this represents a long overdue change of viewpoint and perhaps an equally overdue period of personal growth in my Christian faith. It is also a challenge to not only talk the talk but actually walk the walk. The greatest area of focus being to surrender to the Holy Spirit rather than stumbling along under my own limited and fallible power and not making an unmitigated mess of things as usual.
How about you? Does any of the prophecy versus love discussion relate to you? Is there a change in your outlook that would make you a much more effective witness? Is it time to kneel in prayer and ask God for guidance in your spiritual life? Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you asked him to to come into your life that you might be baptized in his name and receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Is it time to make that decision to seek him while he may be found?
Acts 2: 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NASB 4.
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