“It’s the birthing pains!” “What’s happening is a sign of the times!” Throughout my life, I’ve often found myself caught in a discussion with one or both of those phrases connected confidently to whatever the latest news story is. I think that at one point or another, we have each found ourselves on either one end or another of that exchange. Those conversations so often end in one person rolling their eyes, or giving a heated monologue about their personal spin on the details, that I think it’s safe to say that a lot of us either try to mentally escape or hastily give our own opinion, with claws bared, every time those phrases come up.
With all the events of 2020 (and now 2021), conversations having to do with the end times and Jesus coming back have resurfaced with a passion, and we as Christians have to decide how to respond each time those topics come up.
Now, before we mentally check out, or lash out with emotion, we should recognize that there is a lot of validity to talking about Jesus coming back. After all, this is more than just some intellectual discussion—Jesus is coming back. When He does, it will be very real. All the mental images we’ve conjured up of what God looks like will not even compare to the glory we see that day (1 Cor. 13:12). For Christians, we get to look forward to a wonderful reunion with our Savior (1 Thes. 4:13-18).
At the same time, we know that people who aren’t Christians, maybe even people we know, will be judged, and it will be an absolutely terrifying day for them (John 5:28-29, Mat. 25:31-46). Once that day comes, there will be no second chances, no life to re-live and do over, and no last-minute apologies. It will be absolutely over, and each person (Rev. 1:7) will stand either with God or against Him (Mat. 25:46, 1 Thes. 4:13-18).
Given what that day will be like, as important and welcome as it is to have those (respectful!) theological discussions, I would like to challenge us as a college, and as brothers and sisters in Christ, to do so with grace and with just as much a readiness to listen as we have when giving our own opinions. Whenever Jesus does come back, whether it be in our lifetime or long after we have communed with our King in heaven, it will be a very real, very obvious event in history (1 Thes. 4:13-18), and then it will be over.
So, even though we don’t know when it will happen from our vantage point (Mat. 24:36), what we can get out of every one of those conversations is a sharp reminder that our time here is limited. Whenever we are heartbroken over what is going on in our world, we can know that one day God will set everything right, and we as believers can rest knowing we are secured for eternity.
So, while friendly discussions still have value, instead of arguing over the exact details of what will happen between now and Christ’s second coming, what if we were to take God’s warning seriously and really live as if we weren’t guaranteed tomorrow (James 4, Prov. 27), and as if, were Jesus to come today, we would have no regrets?
Chances are we don’t have earth-shattering plans on our agenda for this year, but what we can do is be faithful exactly where God has put us. We can be faithful students, faithful workers at our jobs, faithful friends and faithful family members. We can serve where we see opportunity, honor God in every little thing we do and, when the chance presents itself, share with others the hope that is in us. Ready or not, Christ is coming soon. Covenant College, let’s be found faithful.