Earthquakes in Pakistan, hurricanes in the USA, tsunamis in Asia and severe droughts in Africa - the list of natural disasters bursting upon us seems almost endless.



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The point is this: if we know the end is coming and our actions and motives will be held up to divine scrutiny, that knowledge should inspire in us a healthy respect for God.

That knowledge should drive us to doing as much as we can to promote Christ's kingdom before his return.

The Bible's eschatology and that of Christ in particular, is not given to turn us into escapists, but to encourage engagement; to get us to live more accountably in the present age. It carries with it a clear call to take responsibility for our lives and for the needs of others.

As one writer put it, we should all plan ahead as if Jesus' were not returning for a hundred years, while living as if he might return tonight!

In a sense, a knowledge of end-time teaching is a good servant but a poor master.

In terms of end-time events, the key thing is not the signs themselves and whether or not what we're seeing fits the bill or not.

The key thing for us is another line from Jesus' teaching: 'When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith in the earth?'

That should be our primary concern.  CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.