A Community of Faith - part 13
The Last Days
By far, my favorite book on the End Times is Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse: the official field manual for the end of the world by Jason Boyett. It is a humor-filled book packed with information about all things apocalyptic. It’s proof that it is possible to write a funny book that teaches well. Chapter 5 is especially helpful for those who have not studied the many theories on the End—a branch of theology called “eschatology.” It is appropriately named “Fun with Eschatology.” Reading it is helpful anytime I begin a study on Revelation or End Times because inevitably people want to know when Jesus is going to return. And inevitably, I have to tell them, “No one knows. Jesus even said He didn’t know when He would return.” Then, of course, current events are brought up, and someone will say, “Isn’t this that. Aren’t these the signs?” And, once again, I have to play the bubble-burster and remind them humans have seen those same signs for centuries now.
There are two extremes to avoid when studying the End Times. The first extreme is deciding that we can’t know anything about it, or that it is unnecessary to know anything. Jesus spoke a good bit about His Second Coming, and He revealed more info to the New Testament writers, so it is definitely an important subject. After a sermon about the End, Jesus tells His disciples this:
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Matthew 24:32-33
The second extreme is deciding that through some mathematical or symbolical voodoo a person can decipher the date of Jesus’ return. That option is clearly removed in Matthew 24:36.
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Matthew 24:36
So, Jesus gives us signs to watch for, but also warns us to not get too excited about picking a date. Why is that? Well the answer comes in the next set of verses.
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:37-44
The signs of the End are in Scripture so that God’s people will be ready, because the world will not be.
We are to study the Scriptures so that we are ready for when the End approaches, and also so that we aren’t deceived when false prophets pop up with their bad theology and bad guesses. We avoid getting sucked into crazy cults when we understand the Truth. So, as we take a look at the Baptist Faith & Message today, let’s keep in mind what we can know for sure. Wisely, the BFM does not take a particular stance on eschatological timelines. Baptists have had many different ideas on what the End will look like, but those differences should not divide us for one simple reason: We are discussing a topic that we absolutely cannot be confident in full understanding. It’s the future. No one knows for sure, because it hasn’t happened yet!
With that said, let’s take a look at the BFM and what we can know for sure.
The End is in His Time
The Baptist Faith & Message gives four statements for what we can know for sure. These are certainly not exhaustive statements, but they give the primary teachings from Scripture.
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end.
BFM, X. The Last Things
The first line reminds us that time is in the hands of God. It is not for us to decide, decipher, or demand when Jesus returns. There is an order of events God has determined for this world, and that order will happen. Now, we may not know the details of the order, but we do know the final outcome. In fact, God began revealing His plan way back in the Old Testament. Isaiah prophesied the coming Messiah, and some of those prophecies include the Second Coming. The ultimate ends in God’s mind are given in Isaiah 11.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:9
We often say “The End” as though we mean “The Absolute End,” but really we mean “The End of this age.” We currently live in a period of time in which God is working toward the goal of restoring this world as it should be. We spoke last time about the tension of living in a world in which the Kingdom of God has come and is available, but this rebellious earth still maintains the remnants of sin. The End of this age is the end of this tension.
The end of this world means the beginning of the new Creation without the corruption of sin.
When will this happen? The answer is in God’s time.
The End is Visible
According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.
BFM, X. The Last Things
We will not wonder if the end of this age has come. It will be obvious. We will see Jesus come down and the dead rise up. Jesus says this in Luke and Matthew:
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory
Luke 21:27
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done.
Matthew 16:27
Likewise, when the disciples watched Jesus ascend to heaven after His resurrection, they also saw angels appear who told them:
They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.
Acts 1:11
Scripture is very clear that when Jesus returns, everyone will know it. So, any time you hear someone say, “Oh, this guy is Jesus come back,” you can confidently say, “No, he isn’t.” You’ll know when it really is Jesus because the guy will be riding a cloud. And, if you are surrendered to Jesus and saved, you’ll be floating off the ground on your way to meet Him in the sky.
The return of Jesus will be visible and obvious.
The second part of this line reminds us that when Jesus returns, it will not be like before. When Jesus first came, He came to seek and save the lost. The second time will be to divide humanity between those who are His and those who have continued in rebellion. The proof of this is actually in the fulfillment of His first coming. If we know Jesus accomplished all that He wanted on His first visit, then He will certainly accomplish His mission on the second visit.
because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
Acts 17:31
God has established that His justice will reign. Sin will be judged, and those who are in Christ will be saved. Because Jesus is raised from the dead, we can know that these things will happen.
The return of Jesus will be to judge the world.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10
The time for salvation is now, because when Jesus returns, it will be too late.
Two Roads at the End of this Age
The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
BFM, X. The Last Things
There are only two options for eternity. We don’t hear too much about heaven and hell these days, because the notion of someone being punished for their sins forever is undesirable in our world. Well, the truth is at no point in human history has anyone ever really liked the idea. Every theologian and pastor wishes there was some way around the truth of hell. In fact, some have attempted to soften the idea with ideas of annihilation or purgatory, or some other temporary version of hell. And yet, Scripture is very plain about hell. It is forever.
Jesus gives the picture of a shepherd separating the goats from the sheep in Matthew 25.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
…
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
…
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46
Just as heaven is forever, so too is hell. When Jesus returns, He will divide humanity into those who follow Him (And whose actions demonstrate this surrender if you read the verses I skipped) and those who do not. That will be our eternal destination.
When Jesus returns, His decision on our fate will be final.
How we prepare for the End
And, because we know judgement is on the way, we must be ready. How do we do that? Take a look.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:35-58
The first way is to be unshakable in our faith. “Study to show thyself approved.” Continue the work God has given you, because through that work, others will hear about Jesus and be saved.
We prepare for the future by continuing God’s work in the present.
The second way is to keep an eye on our own life. Whatever may be keeping you from fully following Christ may just be what sends you to hell. Jesus said it this way:
And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:43-48
Sometimes a speaker will attempt to make this hyperbole, but I tend to think Jesus was quite literal. In either case, the point is clear:
Nothing in this life is worth an eternity in hell.
Jesus called the Kingdom of Heaven a “pearl of great price.” It is the most valuable thing you can discover because it is where eternal life exists. C.S. Lewis said people tend to be satisfied playing in mud pits when God offers a beach vacation. This world certainly has some neat things in it, but at the end of this age, nothing in this world compares to what is to come. Do not miss out of heaven because of some sinful trinket on earth.