CHANGING THE WORLD FOR CHRIST IS NOT THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH… In the preview for “The Bible,” a television miniseries, produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, we see the Jesus character in a boat. He leans over and whispers in a disciple’s ear, “We’re going to change the world.” While this is certainly a lofty goal, Jesus did not come to change this world. He came to provide deliverance from God’s imminent judgment of it. The calling of the Church is not, “Go ye unto all the world and turn it around for Christ.” The Church’s calling, as Donald Grey Barnhouse once said, is to reach our next door neighbor with the vital message of God salvation before God takes his foot and crushes this world, and the wickedness of it, like a bunch of grapes. (Rev 14:19-20) This world is on a collision course with God’s eternal judgment and the calling of the Church is to reach as many people as we can with the Gospel message before God’s judgment falls. Certainly the great commission is, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mar 16:15) But the earth, the world system, and the wicked are already judged. Jesus said, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) In 2 Peter, Chapter 3, Peter is writing about God’s judgment that fell upon the earth in Noah’s day, and then he speaks of the heavens and the earth of today. 2 Peter 3:7 7: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Peter says as certainly as God judged the old earth and the wickedness therein, He fully intends to judge the current earth. And someone would ask, “When is God’s judgment coming? Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:4) And Peter reminds us that God’s time table is not our time table. To God, measured time is irrelevant. 2 Peter 3:8-9 8: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Why hasnt God’s judgment fallen upon the earth yet, because God is “longsuffering” not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It is the calling of the Church to take this very message to our neighbor and to warn them of God’s coming judgment and to share with them the deliverance offered them through the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. But make no mistake about it; God’s judgment is going to fall. 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. The Bible makes it clear; there is no turning the world around for Christ, nor changing it in any way to avoid its certain destruction. God’s judgment is coming and the calling of the Church is to reach our next door neighbor with the Gospel message before its too late for them.
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 12:27:10 +0000
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