Our Hope At The End Of The Age
The Blessed Hope
Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
In many western churches, what the bible calls ‘the Blessed Hope’ is rarely mentioned. Our secular scientific culture tells us the world has been gradually evolving for billions of years, and expects the current world order to continue ad infinitum, all-be-it with all the dangers that before long mankind may destroy our planet in one way or other. Many western Christians, including Christian leaders, have absorbed this secular mindset. The bible tells us the current world order is rapidly drawing to a close, and a new world order is about to be revealed. The turning point is not some gradual process of change, but a sudden dramatic intervention. Jesus is coming back, and when that happens, the world as we know it is going to be turned upside down!
The Gospel gives us great hope for this present age, and a promise of heaven when we die. Or rather, if we die! For if Jesus is coming back as soon as I believe he is, many of us will never die!
It’s time we moved on from a primary school version of the Gospel that merely considers this present age and heaven when we die. Let’s start secondary school, and consider what the bible says about how this age is about to end, and a new age is about to begin. Let’s begin a new chapter entitled ‘Christian End-Times’.
Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
In many western churches, what the bible calls ‘the Blessed Hope’ is rarely mentioned. Our secular scientific culture tells us the world has been gradually evolving for billions of years, and expects the current world order to continue ad infinitum, all-be-it with all the dangers that before long mankind may destroy our planet in one way or other. Many western Christians, including Christian leaders, have absorbed this secular mindset. The bible tells us the current world order is rapidly drawing to a close, and a new world order is about to be revealed. The turning point is not some gradual process of change, but a sudden dramatic intervention. Jesus is coming back, and when that happens, the world as we know it is going to be turned upside down!
The Gospel gives us great hope for this present age, and a promise of heaven when we die. Or rather, if we die! For if Jesus is coming back as soon as I believe he is, many of us will never die!
It’s time we moved on from a primary school version of the Gospel that merely considers this present age and heaven when we die. Let’s start secondary school, and consider what the bible says about how this age is about to end, and a new age is about to begin. Let’s begin a new chapter entitled ‘Christian End-Times’.