Why Believers Have No Reason to Follow Chicken Little

You are likely familiar with the story of Chicken Little (or Henny Penny). A little chicken has an acorn fall on his head and starts to believe that the sky is falling. On his way to tell the king he incites fear in all of his other fowl friends, they join his quest to warn the king. Eventually they meet up with Foxy Loxy. He pretends to be on their team but uses their fear to get them into his lair were he eats every last one of them.

There are many Chicken Little’s in our world, and just as many Foxy Loxy’s that use fear to fill their stomachs. Sadly, many believers fall prey to this fear-mongering. When we follow Chicken Little on his quest we betray our bad theology.

Now some will say, “Mike, the sky really is falling. Look at our world. We really are living in perilous times. Chicken Little’s got a point. He sees it with his own eyes and if I’m being honest I see it with mine as well. We had better do something about this before it is too late!”

To this I say, “So what if Chicken Little is correct?” Responding in fear only reveals a lack of trust in the One that is on the throne.

The King is Sovereign Over History

In Revelation 5 you see that Jesus Christ is the only one that is able to open the scroll. This means that He is the only one that is sovereign over history. He holds history in His hand. He is sovereign over everything. There is not one speck of dust that falls outside of His sovereign rule. There is not one square inch of creation that He cannot cry out “this is mine”.

Barack Obama (or any Republican in his place) does not move history. Kim Jong Un does not move history. No world leader moves history. Those that reject Christ, persecute Christians, and even the Antichrist himself does not move history. Those that mock us and those that overturn godly principles in our nation do not move history. They are not on the throne. They do not determine our course. Jesus Christ does. Our fears, our failures, and our inadequacy also does not move history or stall history. Jesus stands over every bit of it.

If Jesus is sovereign over history, and He is, fear is ridiculous. Chicken Little serves a king that needs to be told the sky is falling. We serve the King that rules history…even when the sky starts to fall. Therefore we don’t need to join his quest to tell the King. The King already knows and He is orchestrating it all for His glory. (See Colossians 1)

What then? Passivity?

Our response to a falling sky shouldn’t be fear. But it also shouldn’t be passivity. The believers in Thessalonica had a case of the Chicken Little’s. They believed that they end was going to happen any day (or even that Christ had already returned). Their response to such news was to sit back and idly let Jesus come and set all things right. To this Paul says, “WRONG!”

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage on another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

The sky may be falling but the sovereign Lord of history means it for our good. There’s no need to go running to the King and telling Him that His universe is collapsing. He knows what is happening and He radically dedicated to your good and His glory. Trust Him.

And while you live out your life trusting Him, edify your fellow believers and share the gospel with those that are perishing. Not because we need them to keep the sky from falling but because Christ is in the business of rooting out of His world all sin and unbelief and replacing it with passionate worshippers. You want to be on that side of history. 

Some day the sky will fall (at least figuratively) but it will be at the King’s behest. Let’s live out our lives in obedience to the King and not follow Chicken Little when he tells us that the sky is falling. When he gives us his sobering news that the sky is falling and that he is going to tell the king, let’s stop him in his tracks. And let’s share how we know the King, and that He is very good and He is sovereign over history.

Yes, the sky is falling…and Jesus is very good.

4 Reasons Why I’m Tentatively a Historic Pre-Millennialist

Yesterday I proposed a grid for thinking through early church practices. I believe it partially works for how to apply early church theology too. Following a similar grid is why I am tentatively a historic pre-millennialist.

1. New Testament passages explicitly deny a Post-millennial position; namely, those passages which show the world will get worse (2 Thess. 2:3-4) and those passages which seem to state the number of believers will be fewer than unbelievers when Christ returns (Mt. 22:14).
2. I am not convinced by pre-millennial dispensationalism.This article explains that in part.
3. The historical place that historic pre-millennialism holds. The Apostle John discipled Papias and Polycarp. Polycarp discipled Irenaeus. Between these three we have explicit claims that the apostle John held to a pre-millennial position.
4. It is the most clear reading of Revelation 20:1-10. This seems to be the most clear reading of the binding of Satan and the nature of the resurrection.

In all honesty I want to hold to amillennialism. I find certain aspects of that position compelling. But I believe because of the place in history that the historic pre-millennial position holds the burden of proof lies on other positions. There is nothing in Scripture that seems to directly contradict a pre-millennial position. Therefore, I’m inclined to lean that way.

I hold the historic pre-millennial position tentatively. There does not, in my estimation, appear to be enough textual evidence to overturn the most clear reading of Revelation 20:1-10, nor to overturn the historical precedent set by the early church fathers. Therefore, I hold at least a form of historic pre-millennialism—yet there is still much that I do not know.

The one thing that I do know is that Christ is returning. Christ has defeated Satan on the Cross and will more fully defeat him in the culmination of the history as we know it. It is to the return of Christ that I look. Regardless of your view of the millennium it is appropriate to say, Maranatha!

Feel free to convince me of your position in the comments. I could be an easy sell to an a-mill position, you’ll have a more difficult time of convincing me on the others.

Five Dangers of Poor Eschatology

Today is December 04, 2012. If the Mayans have anything to say about it, we only have about 17 days left on earth. The verdict is still out on how exactly it’s going to go down. Personally, I think when all is said and done Richard Simmons will somehow be to blame. But just in case this prediction is wrong—as it likely will be—I thought perhaps I should explain why poor eschatology is dangerous.

First, I need to tell you what I mean by poor eschatology. I don’t mean that you have to have your millenial position nailed down. Nor do I mean that you have poor eschatology just because you believe in a rapture (which I do not). What I consider poor eschatology is that which is held too highly, too certainly, and too sweepingly.

Certainly it is not wrong to have confidence in your view of the end times. But at the end of the day, apart from a confession that Christ will return, the specifics of eschatology is a third tier issue. To make it more is to hold it too highly, too certainly, or too sweepingly. Doing such has caused problems in the church since the first century. Here are 5 dangers of poor eschatology:

1. Passivity—This is what happened to the church at Thessalonica. They became so certain in their eschatology that it lead to inactivity. The same thing happens in our day. Some people respond to the problems in our culture by holing up in their bomb shelter instead of continuing to spread the kingdom of Christ.
2. Misplaced Focus—I’ve been here before. You get so excited about rapture charts and other end times material that it becomes your entire relationship with Jesus. You begin to judge people’s relationship with Christ based on their view of the rapture. Your focus has become centered on the return of Christ instead of the Christ that is returning.
3. Misreading—Not only the Scriptures but also the newspaper. You read everything through the lens of your eschatological views. Earthquakes aren’t meant to provide strength to our eschatological views. Earthquakes are meant to provide opportunities for love and mission. 
4. Misapplication—You not only misread Scripture but you also misapply it. You apply things to the realm of the end times that are not meant to be applied that way. Passages that ought to call us to repentance are used to show how messed up the world is and how it will be judged.
5. Misrepresentation—With every false prediction the credibility of believers and the claims of Christ become a little less serious. Christians are mocked for our silly end times hysteria and the cause of Christ is harmed. The gospel is misrepresented when it becomes a ticket to end times security instead of union with Christ.

These are five dangers, I could list more. I also suppose that someone could write an article about 5 dangers of neglecting eschatology. It is an important doctrine but it needs to be held appropriately.

Fear-Mongering and Kingdom Loyalties

I read this article today: Texas Megachurch Pastor Says Obama Will ‘Pave Way’ for Antichrist. The money quote for me in that article is this one:

"President Obama is not the Antichrist. But what I am saying is this: the course he is choosing to lead our nation is paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist."

Jeffress would go on to say that "it is time for Christians to stand up and to push back against this evil that is overtaking our nation" and to do so via "the ballot box

After reading that article on Jeffress I read through Isaiah 8. It’s amazing how fitting this passage of Scripture is to our current political unrest.

“Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

My point in this article is not really even political. I care little about a discussion on Obama, Romney, or any third-party candidate. What I do care about are those professing to be believers being swept up in worldly fear. The “they” in Isaiah 8 is not talking about Gentiles that are not part of the covenant. The “they” in Isaiah 8 is talking about people like the king of Judah that is wringing his hands in fear because two powerhouse nations are now in cahoots and seeking to terrify Judah.

That would be a scary thing. I do not want to minimize that. Nor do I want to minimize the reality of some of the fear that people have for our nation. There are real issues that ought to cause people real concern. The problem is not with the presence of concern. The problem is with what type of fear and concern is present.

Fear-Mongering Reveals Kingdom Loyalties

What Jeffress said is fear-mongering plain and simple. It is the Christianized version of the fear-mongering that takes place on much talk radio. If A happens then B is going to happen and then we’re all in big trouble. Christians get swept up into this and we start to fear the same thing that the world fears.

Is it wrong that I do not fear the Antichrist? Of course I would prefer that I never have to live during the reign of the Antichrist. I would prefer that my children and grandchildren do not either. But I do not fear his mock reign. Because that is all it is—a mock reign. Jesus will never lose His throne. It is to his kingdom that I am aligned. You can take away my American dream, my American economy, my American freedom and comforts, but you cannot take away Jesus. You cannot boot him out of the schools. You cannot boot him out of our nation. He’s not going anywhere.

Such fear-mongering reveals kingdom loyalties. When we “fight for America” through worldly fear-mongering we subtly reveal where our kingdom loyalties lie. The kingdom that we ought to be “fighting for” through loving proclamation is one that is not built by fear. It is built by love. And it is a kingdom in which such fear is not only wrong headed it is called idolatry. Our fear is reserved for our King alone.

Such thinking misunderstands evil as well. The “evil” in our nation is not the result of dirty politics. The “evil” that we are pushing back against isn’t found on the other side of the aisle. It is found in our hearts. Evil cares less about destroying America than it cares about destroying Americans. In the same way Christ did not come to rescue America; he came to rescue Americans…and people from every tribe, people, nation, and tongue.

Isaiah 8 calls us to fear the Lord. Let’s leave the fear-mongering to worldly politicians and ideologues and use our pastorates for proclaiming a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Marriage and Longing

The green doors in the chapel swung open wide. The sunlight cascading through the crack in the doors was no match for the beauty that entered through them. All eyes, especially mine, were on the beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle.

My heart still skips a beat. I can still see her face, her smile, our joy. Then my vision gets a little blurry because of the tears in my eyes. I wipe away the tears and she’s still there only closer—closer to my hand holding hers, and closer to beginning our lives together.

Part of my cheek-bath was due to the sheer beauty of my bride and the overwhelming reality that she was actually going to be my wife. If I had gotten the wife I deserved she’d probably have the face of a badger and its personality to boot. But no, I was receiving tremendous grace on this day—and every day following. I was not marrying the she-beast that I deserved; I was marrying a princess of grace.

That’s part of the reason I was crying.

The other reason was because for as long as I can remember I had a deep desire to be married. Singleness really stunk. I felt Psalm 13 deeply (though wrongly):

How long, O Lord?

Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me? 

2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? 

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.”

As a Christian single that desired to no longer check that dreaded box on my IRS 1040 I felt like the enemy (singleness) was dancing over me.

“How long, O Lord will you leave me single? Seriously, I’ll take the she-beast I just don’t want to be alone.”

But the Lord tarried. And tarried. And tarried. It felt like an eternity. I was twenty-two going on ninety convinced that I was running out of time.

Finally on this day my longing for intimacy, companionship, and oneness with another was being fulfilled. And did I mention that God has overwhelmed with his gracious provision of such a phenomenal helper? He has in an overabundance fulfilled and reshaped my capacity for enjoying my spouse. God is good in his provision.

However, this is but a picture of a more mind-blowing reality. There will be a day when this scene is re-created. Only (and this still kind of weird’s me out) I’ll be the bride this time. And rather than the groom marrying way over his head (as in my case) in this scenario the bride is marrying WAY over her head. In fact her purity, her joy, her life, her everything comes from the Groom.

But this doesn’t keep the Groom from rejoicing, because “…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”  As is typically the case in earthly weddings there will be deep rejoicing by all parties on that day when the Bride is fully gathered to her Bridegroom. 

I wonder, though, do I long for that day as much as I longed for my earthly wedding? Am I praying Psalm 13 wondering “how long” until the Lord Jesus comes to rescue His bride and make everything aright? Do I ache for that day? Do I feel the pain of living this side of Eden as much as I felt the pain of singleness?

Come Lord Jesus Come!

Top 7 Reasons The Earth Will Be Here on October 22nd, 2011

During the whole rapture fiasco of May 21st I linked to my 7 reasons why I left behind a pre-tribulation rapture.  That, and the fact that Harold Camping is a false prophet and horrible exegete, left me with little expectation of a rapture on May 21.  Now we have this little gem from Camping:

"Five months from now from May 21, as we learn from the Bible is Oct. 21. We are not changing the dates at all. We are just learning that we have to look at all this a little more spiritual[ly]. But it won't be spiritual on Oct. 21 because the Bible clearly teaches that then the world will be destroyed altogether. But it will be very quick. It won't be a five-month difficulty as we have learned."

There are probably a good number of people that will share a bit of Camping’s eschatology but balk at his date giving.  I’m not one of them.  In fact I don’t think the earth is going to be destroyed.  Not on October 21st and not at the return of Christ. 

So I give you now my top 7 reasons that the earth isn’t going to be destroyed on October 21st or ever.  Renewed, yes.  Radically changed, yes.  Destroyed, no. 

1. Revelation 21-22 helps us to see the end of the story.  The picture is not of us floating around in the sky as disembodied spirits playing harps on a cloud.  The picture here is of heaven coming down and transforming earth.  Notice in 21:2 that while the “first heaven and the first earth have passed away” this new city is “coming down out of heaven from God”.  It’s not the other way around.  Which is ironic because the place that we often turn to find out about the “end of the world” actually tells us about the “restoration of the world”.  We don’t ultimately “go up”, God “comes down”.
2. The “obliteration passage” like 2 Peter 3:10 is probably, *gulp*, mistranslated in the KJV.  The ESV is probably closer to the original, “the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed”.  As Christopher Wright comments, “we should not see in this passage an obliteration of the universe, but a moral and redemptive purging of the universe, cleansing it of the presence and effects of all sin and evil.
3. The meaning of kainos.  Drawing from 1 Corinthians 15, my trusty ESV Study Bible says the meaning of kainos here is probably “best understood in terms of something that has been qualitatively transformed in a fundamental way, rather than as an outright new creation ex nihilo as in the case of God’s original creation. 
4. Jesus is better than Plato.  Yes, Jesus had a pretty sweet new body that could do some “other-worldly things”.  But he also ate a piece of fish.  Spiritual=good, material=bad isn’t from the mouth of Christ it’s from the teaching of Plato and the Gnostics.  Therefore, there is no need for the earth to be destroyed.  It’s not in rebellion—we are.  Which leads to my next reason…
5. Creation longs for redemption not destruction.  Romans 8 doesn’t make much sense if when we receive our reward creation gets annihilated.  Paul says that creation was subjected to futility in hope that, “the creation itself will be set free from bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God”.  Sure doesn’t sound like a fireball blowing up the whole earth to me. 
6. The Storyline of Scripture.  There are several threads of a beautiful story that are weaved all throughout Scripture.  One of these is the Garden/Temple as the Presence of God with man.  Again the picture in Revelation 21 is a restored Garden.  The theme of Scripture isn’t that God starts over completely with is covenant community and that his “new” is ex nihilo.  Even with Noah—God brought a sinner into the ark and it was a sinner from the same flesh as Adam that was brought out of the ark.  But Noah was a sinner now in covenant with the LORD.  God doesn’t start over He transforms. 
7. It Simply Makes More Sense.  This isn’t the best argument and certainly should not stand alone, but this view makes more sense of my desires.  That’s dangerous isn’t it?  But this gets me excited, “Think of the prospect!  All human culture, language, literature, art, music, science, business, sport, technological achievement—actual and potential—all available to us.  All of it with the poison of evil and sin sucked out of it forever.  All of it glorifying God.  All of it under his loving and approving smile.  All of it for us to enjoy with God and indeed being enjoyed by God.  An all eternity for us to explore it, understand it, appreciate it, and expand it.”  (Christopher Wright, The God I Don’t Understand, 203).  The problem with creation isn’t creation—it’s sin.  God removes the curse and redeems.  How amazing will that be?

Maybe the earth will be completely destroyed and for a few short days we’ll be floating in space.  Perhaps God will then create a new (ex nihilo) that is nothing like what we could ever even imagine.  Maybe.  But maybe He’ll just show His awesome power by turning all evil, sin, death, etc. on its head and completely redeeming this very same earth that you and I are walking on.  Maybe the oxygen we breath will not be consumed by fires but rather redeemed. 

Maybe heaven will be more like picking strawberries without the chance of a rotten one and less like playing an spiritual harp on an spiritual cloud with my spiritual fingers. 

Why I’m Not Doing a Series of Devotions on Revelation Even Though A Good Number Wanted Me To…

One of the things I want to do is use my writing ministry more in my ministry here at Jasper.  So, to this end I hope to start writing daily (maybe somewhat daily) devotionals going through a particular place in Scripture.  A few people (some on Facebook others in person) suggested that I go through Revelation.  At this particular time I am not and here is why:

Mostly it is because, I can almost guarantee that I have a different view of Revelation (eschatology) than 90% of our members.  That’s okay.  I’m not afraid of having a different view, nor am I embarrassed of my view.  But I do think that eschatology (end times) for some is a hot button issue.  So I will briefly share my view of the end times (without much explanation) and then close with why I am going to start these devotions at another place in Scripture. 

-My core belief on eschatology is that Jesus wins, and fully redeems the church He bought with His blood.  That’s the story. 

-I don’t believe the church is secretly raptured before a seven year period of tribulation.  Nor do I believe the church is raptured half way through, or any other time.  I believe in the second coming, but not a secret rapture of the church.  Here is a brief explanation of this position…

-I could probably sum up what I don’t believe by saying I disagree with the Left Behind books, though I think they are well written fiction.  I disagree with Hal Lindsey though I do like his mustache. 

-I don’t think the Middle East is the center of Bible prophecy.  I am not what is called a dispensationalist.  I do think that there may be a great conversion of Jewish people, but I don’t think that God has a special plan for ethnic Israel and a special plan for spiritual Israel. 

-I don’t think you should read Revelation as an end times manual.  So, if I did a study on it you would continue to hear me say day after day “Christ is the conquering King, that is what this text is about”.  And that wouldn’t be a bad thing but I can do that from other texts that aren’t as loaded with controversy. 

-In line with this fundamentally Revelation is not a “revelation of the end times” it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ”.  Yes it may be about “the things that will soon take place” but at the center of the story is the conquering King Jesus and not the Tribulation Force.

-I’m either a historic premillenialist or an amillenialist.  If you know what that means good.  If not, don’t worry about it. 

Okay those are a few of my general eschatological views.  So why am I not going to do a series (at least now) on my interpretation of Revelation?  Because it would cause more trouble than what it is worth.  What I mean is that I can proclaim to you the message of Revelation (as I understand it) from a ton of other places that are not loaded with controversy. 

Yes, Revelation is essential to Scripture.  And, no I’m not refusing to teach the entire Word of God.  I’m just saying that I’d rather start somewhere else…

If you have any questions, or want more explanation on these views, then feel free to leave a comment or email me at mike@fbjasper.org

Top 7 Reasons I Left-Behind a Pre-tribulational Rapture

I recently wrote a paper for my Systematic Theology class on the differing views of the millennium.  In this paper I did not deal with the differing views of the rapture, but it caused me to start thinking along those lines.  I have held to a Post-tribulational view of the rapture for quite some time.  In other words I believe that the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture are the same event.  To put that another way I do not believe that a “secret” rapture of the church is most faithful to the biblical revelation.  Because I may be in the minority view, I  thought it may be beneficial to explain my reasons.  Here are the top 7 reasons (in no order):

1. History. This is by no means a “nail in the coffin”, but the fact that the view of a secret rapture of the church is relatively new in the history of the church is quite telling.  This view of the rapture was first made popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s.  Some will make an attempt to put pre-tribulationalism on the lips of Tertullian, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, etc.  I’m not convinced.  They were historic premillennialist but not pre-tribulational. 
2. The Silence of Paul.  Arguments from silence are typically pretty shaky.  However, I think this one is pretty loud.  In 2 Thessalonians some are worried that Christ has returned.  Paul could have easily reminded them that they had not been secretly raptured.  “Duh,  you’re still on earth…you haven’t been raptured…Jesus has came back.”  But instead Paul talks about the man of lawlessness.  Certainly, it could be argued that what is “restraining” him is that the rapture has yet to happen.  Fair enough, but I’m not convinced.
3. 3. Revelation 3:10.  “I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.”  This is one of the most widely used verses for the pre-tribulational position.  Consider what this word means in John 17:15, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”  This word does not have to be read as Jesus zapping us out of earth.  His keeping us is not removing us.  His keeping us is bringing about our perseverance through his powerful working.
4. The “meeting” of a dignitary.  In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 this “meeting” the Lord in the air is more than likely not referring to meeting Jesus and then going back to where he is, but rather meeting Jesus and going together where we are.  This word was used of meeting a Roman dignitary.  You meet him outside your town and then brought him back into your town—not vice versa.  This is the same meaning in Matthew 25 with the parable of the Ten Virgins.  Notice that the virgins go meet the bridegroom and then take him back to where they have been waiting. 
5. The Silence of Jesus.  Where Jesus speaks on the issue where you would expect a secret rapture he is silent.  Wait, you say, “what about Matthew 24 and the one being taken away”?  Consider the context.  The one that is “taken away” is like the one swept away in the day of Noah.  The one that is left is what you want to be—not the one taken away. 
6. Since when are believers taken out of suffering and not called to endure and go through it?  It seems to be that the general tenor of the teaching of Scripture is that we will go through many tribulations.  It is through much tribulation that we will inherit the kingdom.  It seems to be following in the steps of our King to endure through suffering not to be taken away from it.  Of course believers are protected in and through suffering—but that does not mean that we are delivered out of it. 
7. What sense would Revelation have made to its first century audience?  Revelation was written to struggling 1st century Christians that were being bombarded with persecution and intense suffering.  The hope laid out in Revelation is not a manual for interpreting the end times.  The hope laid out in Revelation is that Jesus Christ the true King reigns victorious.  Believers, though suffering now, will one day be victorious if they remain faithful to Christ in the midst of suffering.  If I am correct about the general tenor of Revelation then this notion of a secret rapture would seem to undercut the teaching of this book. 

The beauty of eschatology is that even though we differ on these matters we still have the same King that will bring it about.  If I am wrong about the secret rapture of the church—then I’m totally cool with that.  If I am right about the second coming and “rapture” being the same event then I pray “come Lord Jesus”.  I hold fast to the confidence that no matter what the future holds, Christ Jesus holds my future. 
Now, feel free to disagree in the comments…