This is the first of the series on the imminence of Christ's return. 

Yours in Christ,  Scott

OF BABIES AND BATHWATER

by Scott Lundy

    Here’s a little guide to technological terminology for country folk:  1)LOG ON: Makin’ a wood stove hotter.  2)LOG OFF: Don’t add no more wood!  3)DOWNLOAD: Gittin’ the farwood off’n the truk.  4)MEGA HERTZ: When yer not kerful gettin’ the farwood.  5)FLOPPY DISC: Whatcha git from tryin’ to carry too much farwood!  6)HARD DRIVE: Gettin’ home in the winter time.  7)CHIP: Munchies fer the TV.  8)MICRO CHIP: Whut’s in the bottom of the munchie bag.  9)MODEM: Whut ya did to the hay fields.  10)MOUSE PAD: Hippie talk fer a rat hole.  11)RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY: When ya cain’t ‘member whut ya paid fer the rifle when yore wife asks!

    Country folk or not, we live in a high-tech world - like it or not.  There are some who despise the world of computers and DSL Internet connections so much that they REFUSE to have anything to do with them, even when they could be helpful.  Computers and printers are simply tools, and they can be used for good or ill.  It would be a shame to refuse to use a tool because it had been misused at some point (which computers have!).  We would call that: “Throwing out the baby with the bathwater.”

    I fear that regarding things spiritual we may be doing a little “out-throwing of the baby.”  The reality of Christ’s certain return seems to have faded in importance among some elements of the Body of Christ.  This may be a reaction to an overemphasis on Jesus’ “immediate” return during a good portion of the second half of the 20th century.  There were those who flirted dangerously with claiming that they could tell when Jesus would return, in spite of the Bible’s warning that no one knows that time. (Matthew 24:36-44)

    Whatever the reason for the current de-emphasis of Christ’s certain return, the potential impact is significant and far-reaching.  The doctrine of Imminence (stating that the return of Jesus is ready to take place at any time) has been a cornerstone of orthodox Christian belief for almost two millennia.  Simply because this doctrine may have been misused by someone is no reason to push in onto a pitiful little back burner to be nearly forgotten.  We can’t afford to have this baby go out with the bathwater!

    Jesus was quite clear that we are to be ready at any time: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come...So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.  Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the maser has put in charge of the servants, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?  IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THAT SERVANT WHOSE MASTER FINDS HIM DOING SO WHEN HE RETURNS.” (Matthew 24:42,44-46; emphasis mine)

    The knowledge of Christ’s imminent return has been an incredibly important motivator for godly behavior throughout the history of the Christian faith.  The Holy Spirit lives in His people and empowers them to live a supernaturally charged life, but we must choose to submit to that process, and knowing that Jesus could arrive at any moment keeps us aware of reality, and so reminds us to be living for Him, not for ourselves and this world.

    So when this reality falls from favor and has only a secondary importance, we lose the tremendous jump-start to Christian living that it was meant to be.  Over the next couple of weeks let’s look more at this.  But until then: “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God...Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (1Thessalonians 4:16,18)

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