I think church historians 200 years from now will look back at the 20th and 21st century only to conclude that the greatest lie perpetrated on the church, then proliferated by it, was the doctrine of the rapture.
This escapist theology has, directly and indirectly, been one of the single greatest reasons the church has been lulled into a passive, weak, shriveled up state. All because of our misplaced hope in being raptured up out of “worldly chaos” instead of engaging with it, as the solution. The church is designed to be the hands and feets of Jesus. We are divine problem solvers with downloads from heaven that are meant to fix many of the issues we face in the world around us.
Yet, we don’t engage. We don’t innovate. We don’t lead at the the forefront of business, technology, and science. Why is that? Has our collective psyche become so eroded by the idea that we are all about to blow this “disaster” of a popsicle-stand that we no longer even care about changing it?
If things truly are getting worse and worse then what is the point? If we are one or two lifetimes away before the Lord returns and we all meet him in the sky then…
– Why protect the earth, why recycle, why save forests, why look for alternative energy sources?
– Why invent modern conveniences? Why use technology to make our lives easier?
– Why work with other nations to further peace? Or boost 3rd world economies?
– Why bolster women’s and children’s rights around the world? Why fight for equality?
– Why cure diseases? Or create new medical devices to prolong life?
Here is the reality, what you believe about the future will determine what you do today!
I will end with this Lance Wallnau quote I found in my notes… “If you have an eschatology that has no hope then you will lose your moral authority and spiritual influence over “delivers of nations” if you can not speak in a language that fortifies their faith… because God has raised them up and has given them a faith to save their nation.”