THE CHRISTIAN IN MODERN TIMES – THE LAST DAYS, AND HOW TO LIVE IN THEM – PRACTICAL AND PESONAL TEACHINGS - PART 4
LIVING WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS – THE PILLARS OF THE LAST DAYS
“The last days” when used by people can be confusing. The term always needs defining. Let me attempt to do that now. There are two “last days” and they refer to the last days of the Church age and the last days of the present age.
Do you remember the disciples asked this of the Lord – {{Matthew 24:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of THE END OF THE AGE?”}} The end of the age is the end of human government on the earth, and in Matthew 24 Jesus set out the signs of those last days leading up to the Second Coming. The Old Testament prophets often referred to the last days as in this example – {{Hosea 3:5 “Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king, and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness IN THE LAST DAYS.”}}
However in the last days of the Church age we speak of the time leading up to the Rapture. We are in those days right now, and 2Timothy 3 sheds light on the conditions of the last days. We are going to see more violence, more breakdown of society, more awful behaviour from arrogant and selfish people, more chaos in the world, more inability of nations to govern themselves properly, and more of evil men and women proceeding from bad to worse.
For the Christian believers, things will get worse in many fields. For those who live in some of the developed western nations, you might try to tell me things are not too bad but I would respond by saying, “You have not been following what is happening in the world and the awful legislation planned in our nations, and take a look at the Islamic nations, and India and China and other Communist nations, and parts of Africa such as Nigeria, and you will see how bad it is for Christians.
I wish to put to you some pointers applicable to Christians in these last days. They represent the battles we have and will have with increasing frequency. There is a dire need for Christians to nail their colours to the wall and be committed properly to Jesus Christ. Let us look at some areas we need to watch –
[1]. SATANIC LIBERALISM IN CHURCHES
Liberalism is killing churches. There is destruction of traditional doctrines, and a moving of the landmarks that were once established in the Christian church. Denominations that once were fundamentally strong and orthodox like the American Baptists, where some now are adopting all sorts of liberal theology and acceptance of homosexuality and Gender reassignment and WOKE philosophies and socialist policies and climate change agenda and just so many more. {{Proverbs 23:10-11 “DO NOT MOVE THE ANCIENT BOUNDARY or go into the fields of the fatherless for their Redeemer is strong. He will plead their case against you.”}}. Today all biblical boundaries set by God for thousands of years are being removed and abused.
[2]. IMPURITY IN DOCTRINE
Some might be thinking, “Why do some people get their nickers in a knot over this or that?” Well in most cases the ones accused, are defending biblical principles, biblical traditions, and these are not open to personal opinion. I speak of such matters like the creation of Adam and Eve, not evolution; the two genders God set – {{Genesis 1:27 “God created man in His own image. In the image of God He created him. MALE AND FEMALE He created them.”}} We speak of salvation by faith alone; that Jesus is the only way to salvation – {{John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me”}}; that hell is a physical place, and just so many more where the boundary markers are being removed.
Correct doctrine and theology are the coat hangers on which faith rests. They are what secure faith. {{Romans 10:17 “Therefore faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”}} It is not the church pastor who must study so that he can have something to deliver to his congregation. In fact the truth is that a true pastor will WANT to deliver WHAT the Lord has already given him. Churches often get the order wrong. The obligation to be established is for each of us, not merely for the church pastor. We ourselves must study, read, meditate, so that we know the faith we ought to confess.
[3]. LIVING WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND CONFUSION
The last days, as they become more difficult, will impact Christians and these are serious matters. It is not my subject for today but the three matters I cited must be addressed as they are so important. They require another session. The fundamentals of the faith must include the stress these last day problems are giving to the Lord’s followers. Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” and said early in His ministry, {{Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden 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 SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS,”}}
[4]. STORED UP WRATH CAUSES A HEAVINESS IN A PERSON’S SOUL
Do you feel the pressures of the world as government policies fail and the likelihood of war is imminent? Cost of living increases, and life becomes more difficult with sinister organisations trying to cause great discord in our nations. These are symptoms of the last days but we must always be clear about this truth in {{Philippians 3:20-21 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also WE EAGERLY WAIT FOR A SAVIOUR, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”}}
It is logical that a Christian will feel great injustice at the wickedness in the world and the rise of evil men and women who proceed from bad to worse. Everything is recorded on God’s account, and this world is oblivious to the day of reckoning that will come, and it will come soon. As for you, dear fellow believer, do not forget the breastplate and the helmet from the last message. God knows where things are going. Homosexual marriage is called good. The destruction of children’s sexuality is called good. Rising anti-Semitism is called good. WOKEism is called good. {{Isaiah 5:20-23 “WOE TO THOSE WHO CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink; who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!”}}
{{1Thessalonians 5:13 – “and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. LIVE IN PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER. ”}} “LIVE IN PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER”. It does not say, “live in peace with all men,” because that is not possible because the world outside is hostile for Christians, but we must live in peace with one another, our fellow Christians. Even this is difficult because of disagreements that arise, but we don’t take up arms over it.
[5]. FOUR COMMANDS FOR CHRISTIANS
{{1Thessalonians 5:14 “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.”}} This verse is not addressed to the elders, but given to all the people in the Christian group at Thessalonica. There are 4 commands.
(A). (KEEP YOUR CORRECT CHRISTIAN RANK). The first is, “admonish/caution, reprimand, scold the unruly. The same word for unruly (NIV idle and disruptive) was used of a soldier who deserted his rank in the Roman army, or who was not in a proper marching order – out of line. There were a few problem people at the assembly in Thessalonica as this verse from chapter 3 proves – {{1Thessalonians 3:11 - “For we hear that some among you are leading AN UNDISCIPLINED LIFE, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.”}}. One chapter back in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, the same group is considered – “and to aspire to live quietly, and to MIND YOUR OWN AFFAIRS, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you.” (ESV).
These were disorderly people, out of line through choice or stubbornness, or neglect. People like that cause a lot of pain and havoc in a church. I quote from Barnes who puts his finger on it well – [[ “The word here used (ata?t?? ataktos), is one which properly means "not keeping the ranks," as of soldiers; and then irregular, confused, neglectful of duty, disorderly. The reference here is to the members of the church who were irregular in their Christian walk. It is not difficult, in an army, when soldiers get out of the line, or leave their places in the ranks, or are thrown into confusion, to see that little can be accomplished in such a state of irregularity and confusion. When the members of a church are out of their places, it is difficult to see little being accomplished in such a state.
Many a church is like an army where half the soldiers are out of the line; where there is entire insubordination in the ranks, and where not half of them could be depended on for efficient service in a campaign. Indeed, an army would accomplish little if as large a proportion of it were irregular, idle, remiss, or pursuing their own aims to the neglect of the public interest, as there are members of the church who can never be depended on in accomplishing the great purpose for which it was organised.” ]]
(B). The second command is to “ENCOURAGE THE FAINTHEARTED”. For many years in my earlier Christian life, I was of a different opinion about this, from what I know today. (KJV) = “comfort the feeble-minded”. At Teachers’ College we were told about intelligence – genius ? pure idiot. Because of the KJV, I used to think we had a ministry to those of poor intelligence and how to get gospel concepts across to them. However the problem lies, as it often does, in the mistranslation of the KJV. This phrase in Greek is translated in the following manner - “encourage the disheartened” (NIV) “encourage the fainthearted” (ESV NASB) “comfort the discouraged” (Holman). Now, who are the fainthearted, the disheartened and the discouraged?
Word has the following synonyms for “fainthearted” - timid, cowardly, livy-livered, spineless, fearful, nervous, weak, timorous, afraid, pusillanimous. I am certain that we can dismiss some of those and retain these which I am sure Paul had in mind – “timid, fearful, nervous, weak, timorous, afraid.” And, we can add, “shy, and not-adventurous, and retiring”. Let us look how these applied to what Paul was writing about. Do you remember back at the close of chapter 4, Paul wrote these words – verse 18 - “Therefore ENCOURAGE one another with these words.” Some of the people were disheartened and afraid and nervous because some of their loved ones had died before the Rapture had come, and they thought they had missed out. They were worried and concerned. This is what it is all about. In Thessalonica, they all were to encourage one another.
In our daily lives, in this hectic world, some Christians get worried about sin, and their personal problems, and the state of world affairs, and their families, and their security and jobs, even their salvation. This world is full of conflict and hatred. We are all to encourage one another especially those who fall into the timid and afraid category, and also those who are weak in the faith. The Romans were told in {{Romans 14:1 to “Now accept the one who is WEAK IN FAITH, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.”}}
There is a warning for those who think they are strong lest they fall. There is no place for Christian superiority or thinking you have made it, and others are left behind in your dust. God will have no part of that Laodicean attitude of smugness. In fact we need to consider carefully, this verse – {{2Corinthians 13:4 “Indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God, for we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.”}}. Do you recall who was the son of consolation? It was Barnabas, the great encourager. I want to look at something he did – {{Acts 11:22-26 “and the news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he had come and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord, for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. He left for Tarsus to look for Saul and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”}}
(C). The third command in 1Thessalonians 5:14 is to HELP THE WEAK and it does not refer just to those who are ill and laid aside, though they would be included in this command to help. A few verses here to consider are these – {{1Corinthians 8:9 “but take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block TO THE WEAK”}} (that means those who are weak in their faith and maybe young Christians) and this passage also – {{Acts 20:33-35 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner YOU MUST HELP THE WEAK and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”}}. Remember this most important fact, that even the weakest saint in the Lord Jesus Christ is in a different league from even the most powerful and influential non-Christian in this world, made clear by Paul – {{1Corinthians 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong.”}}
We should all accommodate ourselves to the weakness we all have in things, and which certain believers have, so we don’t use our liberty to their offence, and hindrance in their lives. We need to bear with them in their failings, in weakness, and not to condemn or despise them; and not to please ourselves - without any regard to others. We should be willing to deny ourselves, if by it we may promote the happiness of others. This refers particularly to "opinions" about meats and drinks; but it may be applied to Christian conduct generally, as denoting that we are not to make our own happiness or gratification the standard of our conduct, but are to seek the welfare of others. As Romans tells us – {{Romans 15:1-3 - “WE WHO ARE STRONG HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BEAR WITH THE FAILINGS OF THE WEAK, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up, for Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”}} (ESV)
(D). The fourth command is to BE PATIENT WITH ALL MEN. The word used here µa?????µe? (makrothumei) denotes "longanimity," slowness to anger or passion; longsuffering, patient endurance, forbearance. It is opposed to haste; to passionate expressions and thoughts, and to irritability. It denotes the state of mind which can bear long when oppressed, provoked, and when one seeks to injure us, or makes false and malicious statements against us. It consists in the deferring or moderating of anger, to wait without anger when men delay us, and to suffer without undue anger when they deal injuriously with us, whether they be good men or evil, believers or infidels, the strong or the weak, ministers or people. It is patience towards all men, not just the saints. Patience is one of the gifts of the Spirit. In these last days we need God’s help in exhibiting these works of the Holy Spirit in an increasingly hostile world.
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[6]. THE CONDUCT OF YOUR LIFE – EVEN MORE NECESSARY IN THESE LAST DAYS –
{{1Thessalonians 4:9-12 “Now as to THE LOVE OF THE BRETHREN, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, for indeed you do practise it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia, but we urge you, brethren, TO EXCEL STILL MORE, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you so that you may behave properly toward OUTSIDERS and not be in any need.”}}
Verse 1 is quite amazing, because even without teaching from men, God will cause the Christian to know that we are to love one another because we are all fellow members of the house of God. Over and over, we are told this truth of love towards our fellow believers, not a wishy-washy sentimentality, but a practical, out-working love. The Apostle John was reported in his very last days to say over and over, “love one another,” and we know it is almost the major theme of his writings. Paul confirmed that these Thessalonians loved all the brethren through Macedonia, but in verse 10, he wants to see even a more excellent love.
[7]. WORDS OF CONTINUAL COMFORT –
{{1Thessalonians 4:13-18 We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus, for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep, for THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore COMFORT one another with these words.
[8]. CONCLUSION – Paul urges us to live holy lives as we wait for the coming of the Lord. We walk to please Him, conducting our lives aright through the Holy Spirit. We must go forward with our Lord, not slide back.
THE EMU AND KANGAROO - The Australian Coat of Arms pictures two creatures, the kangaroo and the emu, a flightless bird. The animals were chosen because they are distinctly Australian, but they also share a characteristic that appealed to the Australian citizens. Both the emu and kangaroo can move only forward, not back. The emu's three-toed foot causes it to fall if it tries to go backwards, and the kangaroo is prevented from moving in reverse by its large tail. Those who truly choose to follow Jesus become like the emu and kangaroo, moving only forward, never back.
