Eschatology Matters: Why one’s Understanding of the End Makes a Difference

With every second that passes by God’s divine plan to redeem and restore His fallen creation is being played out in history. As a result of Adam and Eve’s failure to obey God’s command in the garden of Eden mankind was plunged into a wicked rebellion. The consequence of this rebellion is that every one of us is bound and shackled in the chains of sinful depravity for God’s righteousness could not allow for anything less.

​God’s Word declares His Holiness:

“You who are of purer eyes than to see evil … cannot look at wrong” - Habakkuk 1:13

It is because God’s very nature of holiness demands that sin be punished that He placed a curse on his disobedient creation:

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” - Romans 8:20-21

Therefore we must conclude that the wickedness we presently experience in the world is a result of mankind’s selfishly diseased heart. God, however, was not content to destroy His fallen creation for He had determined before He ever formed it, to restore it:

“but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” - 1 Peter 1:19-21

God willingly sent His Son to redeem and restore sinners to Himself:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” - John 3:16-18

This loving reality of redemption was thoroughly presented in the Old Testament though at the same time it was concealed and perceived to be a mystery:

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith.” - Romans 16:25-26 

In the present age the Church (sinners purchased by the blood of Christ) by faith in the risen Messiah are to seek to live holy lives with biblical values, declare the gospel and make further disciples of Christ:

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:18-20

However, the questions that many ask is how long does this age last and how will it end? Well, there are many professing Christians that come to different conclusions when seeking to answer these important questions. These questions are considered eschatological questions. Simply put, eschatology is the study of last things and seeing how these questions pertain to how the present age will end they are eschatological in nature. Sadly, there are numerous conflicting approaches to understanding biblical eschatology and for the most part, the Church has agreed to disagree on these matters. For the sake of unity the Church has diluted the importance of biblical eschatology resulting in tremendous confusion and biblical illiteracy. For example, there is a growing trend in Western Christianity today to focus on forms of social and political activism, in an attempt to “redeem the culture.” As a result, more time and energy is wasted on endless debates and frivolous protests than on proclaiming the gospel. So why has the Church largely shifted its focus from the Great Commission to matters of Social Justice? While there are several reasons for this, one in particular is a misunderstanding of biblical eschatology. Some believe that the Church is to transform the world into a Christian utopia in preparation for Christ’s “postmillennial” return. In other words, the Church’s goal in the present age is to transform the world and its institutions, while at the same time righting all the social wrongs. But is this what the Bible teaches concerning the culmination of the present age? It is for this very reason that I have chosen to write this blog post and entitle it “Eschatology Matters: Why one’s Understanding of the End Makes a Difference.”

The Bible absolutely has something to say concerning how the present age will end and how God’s plan for the world will play out. Thus, as students of God’s Word it is important for us to know what the Bible says concerning such things.  Quite frankly, it is not as confusing as many would like to make it out to be. To the contrary God’s Word is pretty clear regarding these matters. The disciples themselves where concerned with these same questions and Jesus prior to going to the cross sought to relieve their worries. He stated:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” - John 14:1-3

Jesus here instructs His church to believe in God (the Father) and also in who He is, namely the Christ. Furthermore, he assures His church that when He has completed His work for the present age He will return for His bride (the Church) and take us to heaven where He has prepared a place for us. The apostle Paul affirms this teaching by stating:

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Again, the present Church age will end with Christ returning for His bride. We will most certainly face trying and difficult times, however we are to encourage one another with these words regarding the imminent return of Christ. In the meantime we are to be living holy lives, advancing the gospel, making disciples and awaiting Christ’s return. Paul again states:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” – Titus 2:11-14

While the gospel goes forth and God continues to draw sinners to Himself through the atoning work of Christ crucified it is noteworthy that the world itself will continue to grow darker and darker. The Word of God reveals this in such passages that follow:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” -2 Timothy 3:1-5

“Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” -2 Peter 3:3

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” –Matthew 24:12

Sadly, there are some who reject what the Bible has to say concerning the culmination of the present age and as a result many are distracted with futile efforts to restore the fallen state of the world. While it is important to stand for what is true and for what is right, believing that the culture of fallen man can be redeemed results in the displacement of ones efforts to evangelize the lost. Rather than seeking to redeem sin-stained institutions, Christians must be focused on the gospel which will bring about the transformation necessary to redeem the souls of unbelievers. Of the present world God’s Word declares:

“…the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” - 2 Peter 3:7-10

While it would be a gross misunderstanding on the part of the Church to simply do nothing but wait for Christ to return, the mandate given to the Church is to proclaim the gospel to every nation and to make disciples of those whom believe by faith that Christ Jesus is both savior and Lord. At the coming of Christ to implement the promised millennial kingdom the fallen institutions of man will no longer be an issue for all will submit to the authority of Christ. The greatest danger the false views of eschatology (such as postmillennialism) pose to the Church is not a misplaced hope in redeeming the culture, but that an effort to do so will enviably shift its gaze from 1. the mission of redeeming sinners and 2. from the blessed hope of Christ’s imminent return. Jesus and His disciples did not endeavor to transform the fallen world and its systems, but to call sinners to be set apart from the world with the hope that Christ would one day return to take us to be with Him. The question we all must answer is this far reaching one, “In this matter are we willing to do as Christ taught?”