As I begin this article, I am very conscious that I will be accused as a ‘doom monger’ a hell-fire preacher, delighting in prophesying misery, and condemning out of hand innocent pleasures, and, probably, by the most stereotyped epithet of all- puritanical!
I will quote the apostle Paul’s words to the elders of the church at Ephesus -
I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole council of God. Keep watch over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood- Ephesians 20: 27 & 28
Without going into details, the happenings of the last hundred years clearly point to the second coming of Jesus Christ, the rapture of the church, the raising of the dead in Christ and the lightening transformation of those Christian believers who are alive. Again, I will not go into details of the terrible time of judgement that will follow as you can read of it for yourself in the prophecies of the Bible.
Catastrophes, environmental disasters, wars and rumours of wars, anarchy, social unrest and financial instability, and one could go on. It is true that Jesus himself said-
"No- one knows about that day and hour, (of Christ’s coming) not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father"- Matthew 24: 36
Nevertheless Jesus also said-
"When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?"- Luke 12: 54 to 56
One of the reasons is that we are all so busy, both at work and at play, and we have all kinds of technology to help us, but we just fill in the time that they save with other things. It seems that every minute must be put to use, to stop and think and meditate is to waste time, and worse to be bored.
Yet go a bookstall, or shop, for example, at a large railway terminus or airport and you will find a thousand and one subjects on sale, enough to satisfy the most outlandish interests. The one exception will be Christian books and magazines. There are exceptions, of course, but they are, indeed, exceptions.
When did you last see a newspaper article written from an orthodox Christian point of view seeking to explain the Gospel? It is true that there are television debates about God and Christianity, but the speakers are always invited by the programme makers themselves, and they make sure that scholarly Christians, who know their subject, and are skilled debaters are never invited.
We must be thankful for the Internet, in spite of all the evil and drivel that comes from it, because there, at least, the message cannot be suppressed and it is, and should, be exploited to the full.
Jesus said this-
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and been given in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the Ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
These are Jesus’ words not mine, terrible words, prophetic words, but such is his love for us that he faithfully warns us.
A fine Christian John Weston put it this way-
"Is God indifferent to all that is happening? By no means! God is working for the eternal blessing and salvation of all who will turn to him in repentance and faith. The world is doomed, but he is taking out of the world a people for himself, i.e. all who respond to the call of gospel.
The world is like a ship whose crew have mutinied and murdered the captain (the owner’s son) and thrown his body overboard. Now the question arises, who can guide the ship? Attempts are made by one and another, but all ends in failure, for the ship strikes a rock and is doomed to destruction.
The owner hears what has happened and orders a lifeboat to be sent out immediately to save the crew. ‘But they have murdered your son’ the lifeboatmen exclaim. ‘I will pardon their awful crime,’ replied the owner,’ and save everyman who will jump into the lifeboat. The ship is doomed and lost, but I will save out of it all who will accept saving."
Jesus himself, three days after wicked men crucified him, rose from the dead and he himself is the lifeboat. Trust him, and in faith, leap to safety.
Jesus’ words were not always sombre warnings, there were often tender and kind -
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light- Matthew 11: 28 to 30.
Salvation is possible for all, but only through Jesus Christ. He said very clearly with heavenly authority, in words that cannot be misinterpreted-
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No- one comes to the Father except through me"- John 14: 6.
God does not delight in the destruction of the wicked, on the contrary, he would be delighted if all turned to him, repented, and followed Jesus Christ as his disciple; and so we read in the book of the prophet Ezekiel-
"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"- Ezekiel 18: 23
Nevertheless, and I repeat, it is only through Jesus Christ. The apostles Peter & John stood before the Sanhedrin, the leaders of the Jewish nation, and told them clearly and categorically that-
Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given unto men by which we must be saved- Acts 4: 12
Jesus Christ is the only answer to a troubled world, and because he was faithful unto death, even a death by crucifixion, God’s purposes will come to pass, and the next great event will be his coming again.
The great question is: Are you for him or against him: your eternal destiny depends on how you answer. Turn your life over to him now and your joyful answer will be: Yes I’m for him!
