The End Is Near?
Just as I thought I might have to post something about why I haven’t posted anything (how self-referential & self-indulgent!), FatherDMJ rides to the rescue with a posting pondering the potential of the end times being near.
Editorial Comment: Boo to LiveJournal for not supporting trackbacks!
Two things about FatherDMJ’s rant piqued my interest beyond the usual interest I have in his postings:
- From an historical perspective, I’m not sure that I completely agree with FatherDMJ’s analysis that various states of our current culture indicate that the End is nearer than we might think. While it is doubtless that our American civilization is on the downhill side (I think I might place our peak in the 1940’s-50’s time frame…), our descent is hardly unique in the annals of History. Great civilizations have risen & fallen on a fairly predictable basis, following a fairly predictable trajectory. I just don’t know that I think our current decline merits thinking the End is nearer, merely because of the events transpiring during the decline. The furthest I’ll go is to state that, as time passes from when Christ left and promised His return, we obviously get closer to that inevitable return. But, just as Christ also said, we don’t, won’t, and can’t know exactly when the return will happen — nor should we worry about it.
- More fascinating, however, is the linkage he makes between the “secular” divorce rate (i.e., between a man & woman) and the “theological” divorce rate (i.e., between a pastor/shepherd & congregation/flock), most particularly in the LCMS. While I’ve been quite aware of the sorry state of playing to “itching ears” in many parts of the synod for a while now (indeed, it weighs heavily on my mind whenever I wonder if I’m being drawn towards the Sem & into the Ministry…), I’ve never quite made the linkage that FatherDMJ does — and I’m greatful to him for having brought it to my attention!
I very much like the way that the HCSB translates 2 Timothy 4:3 — For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.
This dovetails quite nicely with a point made by FatherDMJ — that one of the main reasons that people have for not tolerating the preaching of sound doctrine, is that they don’t like hearing the same thing week after week. “That’s boring.” “That’s not inspiring.” “That’s not seeker sensitive.” Boo hoo.
But, however, IT WORKS!!!
Thank God.
Come, Lord Jesus!
-ghp
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