WHAT TO DO UNTIL THE
KINGDOM COMES
In His model
prayer, Christ instructed His disciples to pray "Thy kingdom come." And
so we do - at least some of us do - perhaps perfunctorily, perhaps
fervently - but we pray for it.
And we hope it will come soon - or we hope it will come later so as not
to preempt our plans and worldly pursuits. Or we don't hope at all.
And we speculate about it. And argue over it. When will it come? Will
it come at all? What sequence of events will lead to its arrival?
But who among us is really preparing for it?
Preparing to meet our God is something most of us would consider
seriously only on our deathbeds or if we believed that Christ's return
were very, very imminent. Otherwise, forget it for now - we'll think
about it some other day.
Such a don't-bother-me, devil-may-care (Satan takes the second coming
of Christ very seriously, by the way) attitude is extremely
shortsighted. In the first place, if Christ does return in your
lifetime, you, of course, could be in real trouble.
But should you die before He returns, as billions have before you, the
question of preparation is still important. For the Bible teaches that
the dead in Christ - and you do hope to be numbered among that
privileged group - will be resurrected to immortality when Christ
returns, when the Kingdom comes!
Wising Up
So no matter how you figure it, the coming of the Kingdom is of
immediate concern to you. When you pray "Thy kingdom come," you should
also pray the prayer of Moses: "So teach us to number our days, that we
may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps. 90:12). You should take to heart
the exhortation of the Apostle Paul: "See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because
the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16).
How do we wise up? How do we know what Christ's will for us is in these
crucial times? Fortunately, we don't have to guess. For Christ not only
told us what would happen (which everybody worries about), but also
what to do about it (which most people ignore). Let's take a look at
His important - and often overlooked - instruction.
Future Shock
In 1970, Alvin Toffler, in his best-selling book Future Shock,
proclaimed the gospel of rapid change and predicted a radically
different world of the future. Toffler warned of massive future shock -
bewildering anxiety, frustration
and disorientation - for those who don't change their modes
of thinking and living to prepare themselves for the changes to come.
Toffler is one of a new breed of thinkers called futurists. They
attempt to predict the future based on past and present conditions and
trends.
Over 1900 years earlier, Jesus Christ preached another gospel of change
and prophesied of a different - better - world to come. You can read
about it in His best-selling book, the Bible. As the first and foremost
futurist, Christ predicted the coming Kingdom of God and told people to
change - repent - in order to be prepared for its arrival (Mark
1:14-15). He also warned of extreme future shock - often summed up in
the expression "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" - for
those who didn't heed His message.
Some of Christ's strongest warnings about future shock are recorded in
Matthew 24 and 25. First, He foretold the sequence of traumatic events
that would culminate in His return. Then He warned: "But of that day
and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father
only. . . . Watch therefore: iot ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come" (Matt. 24:36, 42).
Second-Guessing the Second Coming
In spite of these emphatic statements of Christ, there have always been
some who have tried to second-guess God the Father about the return of
His Son. And who wouldn't want to know? After all, the return of Christ
is the focal point of all prophecy, the hope and expectation of all
true believers.
But those who try to outguess God are setting themselves up for an
unpleasant dose of future shock - the trauma and disillusionment of
being wrong.
Prophecy is interesting and informative, but it is plain from the words
of Christ that there is only so much we can know beforehand. So it's
futile to try to second-guess God. Besides, there are more important
things for a Christian to do than play guessing games.
Take a word of advice from Paul: "... Yet shew I unto you a more
excellent way.... And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge ... and have not charity
[love], / am nothing" (I Cor. 12:31; 13:2). Concentrate on matters that
really count.
Eat, Drink While the Lord Doth Tarry
At the opposite extreme of the second-guessers are those who give up
hoping or believing Christ is coming. They comprise a much larger
group, and their problem is far more serious. Second-guessing is
foolish - but skepticism and doubt can be fatal!
The Apostle Peter predicted that as we drew closer to Christ's return,
there would be, ironically, greater and greater skepticism that He
would return. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the
promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (II Pet.
3:3-4).
Peter explained that God does not view time as we mortals do and any
"delay" is for our benefit. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night..." (verses 8-10).
The smart Christian realizes this and keeps himself busy doing what Christ says.
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler
over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that
servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say
unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods" (Matt.
24:45-47).
But the doubter or skeptic, lacking conviction and motivation, is
liable to misuse the precious time afforded him. He adopts an
eat-drink-while-the-Lord-doth-tarry life-style - with fatal
consequences. "But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My
lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants,
and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall
come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is
not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion
with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
(verses 48-51).
Avoid future shock. Don't be caught off guard. If you let down in your
spiritual responsibilities, you may be left out of the Kingdom.
The "Fuelish" Virgins
Another group of people in danger of suffering future shock is
portrayed in the parable of the wise and foolish - or "fuelish," as we
shall see - virgins.
Ten virgins go out to meet the bridegroom - Christ (Matt. 25:1). Half
of them are well supplied with oil; half aren't. While the bridegroom
is delayed, they fall asleep. At midnight the cry goes out to meet the
bridegroom.
"Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish
said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us
and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were
ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (Matt.
25:7-12).
Spiritual Energy Crisis
Christ tells us to be lights to the world (Matt. 5:14). "Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven" (verse 16).
Your light can shine if you have plenty of oil - if you have and use
God's Holy Spirit daily, if you have a close one-on-one relationship
with God, and if you are doing His will.
But if you aren't "on fire" for God, then you, like the "fuelish" virgins, are suffering from a spiritual energy crisis.
The problem with them was not that they did anything particularly evil
- but rather that they didn't do anything at all! They were spiritually
apathetic and complacent. Maybe they didn't dive off the deep end of
the cesspool of sensuality and sin - like the wicked servant in Matthew
24 - but neither were they fervent and zealous for the things of God.
The foolish virgins couldn't make up their deficiency by borrowing oil
from others. This shows that you can't make it into the Kingdom - you
can't be saved - on someone else's coat tails. All of your friends and
good connections won't do you any good at the time of judgment.
You will be judged on your own merits - or demerits.
Christ ended the parable with this warning: "Watch therefore, for ye
know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt.
25:13).
Watch what? Certainly world conditions. But Christ also meant we should
watch our own spiritual condition. The literal Greek carries the
connotation of being vigilant, awake, alert, prepared. We should post a
continual watch on our own lives - what we think and what we do - and
have plenty of fuel on hand through contact with God and His Word. Then
we will be prepared for future salvation instead of future shock.
The Parable of the Talents
Now that you're awake, you need to keep yourself busy. You need to be
doing something constructive with your life. This is Christ's advice in
His next parable - the parable of the talents.
A talent in Christ's time was a unit of currency worth several hundred
dollars at today's rates. In this parable Christ used it to symbolize a
person's abilities and natural aptitudes. Etymologists tell us the
modern use of the word "talent" is derived from the use Christ made of
it in this parable.
The parable begins in Matthew 25:14 with a man (Christ) taking a long
journey into a far country (heaven). Among his servants (Christians) he
distributes his wealth for them to invest; some get more than others.
Upon his return he calls for an accounting.
"And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five
talents, saying, Lord, thou deliv-eredst unto me five talents: behold,
I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him,
Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over
a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into
the joy of thy lord" (verses 20, 21). The servant with two talents also
doubled his amount and was similarly commended.
"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew
thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and
gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and
hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His
lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou
knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with
usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which
hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he
shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away
even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into
outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt.
25:24-30).
Don't Sell Yourself Short
The lesson to all is to make the most of the talents and opportunities
God gives you. This message is especially important to those who think
they possess only one talent - or less. Focusing their minds on what
they don't have instead of what they do, they are fond of quoting
Paul's statement in I Corinthians 1:26-27: "For ye see your calling,
brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of
the world ... the weak things ... and base things of the world, and
things which are despised." Identifying themselves with this
description, they short-sell themselves, bury their talent, and wait,
wait, wait for Christ to come.
It's too bad they don't read and identify with Paul's response to his
own weaknesses. In II Corinthians 12 Paul prayed three times for relief
from his physical afflictions. But God
answered: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness." To which Paul responded: "Most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for
when I am weak, then am I strong" (verses 9-10).
The short-sellers should also read the parable of the pounds in Luke
19:12-27. It is identical to the parable of the talents except for the
fact that each servant is given only one pound to work with. (For those
who like to discount their ability, it should be pointed out that a
pound was worth much less than a talent.) The profitable servants were
able to show Christ a 1,000% and 500% return on His investment in them.
What you start out with is Christ's responsibility - and what you end
up with is yours.
The criterion for Christians to keep in mind is that Christ will only
hold you accountable for what you do with what you have - not what you
haven't. So get busy!
The Ice Age Cometh
In Matthew 24, Christ predicted that as the end approaches there would
be an Ice Age - of the human heart. "And because iniquity shall abound,
the love of many shall wax cold" (verse 12).
The Apostle Paul elaborated on this chilling of human emotions and
relationships in II Timothy 3:1-4: "This know also, that in the last
days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves ... unthankful, unholy, without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good ... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God."
One of the great challenges facing Christians today is to give love, to
be concerned and involved in people's problems and needs.
Thus the parable of the sheep and goats. The time setting is the
judgment when Christ sorts out the sheep (righteous) from the goats
(wicked).
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me."
The righteous ask how this could be so. "And the King shall answer and
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt.
25:34-40).
The goats on the left are left out of the Kingdom of God because they
never took the time and effort to care. They took their motto from the
first murderer, Cain: "... Am I my brother's keeper?"
Endangered Species
If you were in the sorting pen now, on which side of Christ would you
be placed? If you can't say confidently that you'd end up on the right
side, now is the time to do something about it.
There are too few sheep in the world - in fact, they are becoming an
endangered species! Any additions to their depleted ranks will help a
love starved humanity and be well rewarded by Christ when His Kingdom
comes.
The concept and practice of brotherly love is such a vast one that it
could scarcely be covered in a whole article, much less in these few
paragraphs. But for a working definition, read Romans 13:8-10. Also
write for two important booklets - What Is a Real Christian? and The
Ten Commandments. They expand upon the theme of love.
Warn the World
We have seen that Christ instructs us to watch, to develop our talents,
and to love our fellowman. These are things we as individuals can - and
must - do. There is yet another responsibility Jesus places upon us.
But it is a collective responsibility - a job that He has assigned to
His spiritual organism - the Church. And that is to warn the world that
He is coming.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,"
said Christ (Mark 16:15). The gospel is the good news of the coming
Kingdom of God - see Mark 1:14-15.
He also commissioned His Church to "Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in [into] the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20).
This is the work given to the Church to perform until Christ returns.
It is being accomplished today through the personal ministry of Mr.
Herbert W. Armstrong, now proclaiming the gospel of the
Kingdom of God to heads of state
around the world; through, the personal ministry of Mr. Garner Ted
Armstrong on TV, radio, in print, and now in evangelistic campaigns.
Through hundreds of ordained ministers around the globe who teach
repentance and baptism, and who are involved in the problems and needs
of tens of thousands of people. Through the printing and mailing of
millions of magazines and booklets each year that proclaim the gospel
and instruct people in all the teachings of Christ.
The Worldwide Church of God is doing something more than pray "Thy
kingdom come." As the collective body of Christ it is striving to make
this important prophecy of Christ a reality: "And this gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14).
For more information about who we are, and what we are accomplishing,
write for the booklets This Is the Worldwide Church of God and Where Is
God's True Church Today?
And if you are interested in becoming a part of this worldwide Work,
and have questions you would like answered, you are invited to write us
and request a special, private appointment with one of our ministers.
Or if you would prefer faster service, simply pick up the phone and
dial this toll-free number in the continental United States:
800-423-4444. (Readers in California, Alaska and Hawaii may call
213-577-5225 collect.)
We have no religious ax to grind, no quotas to meet, no pressure to
exert. We simply have a message of hope and salvation, and a mission to
broadcast that good news to the world. We intend to proclaim the good
news of the Kingdom of God until that Kingdom comes. For as Christ
said: "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find
so doing."
What will you be doing when Christ comes?
By D. Paul Cranke
Reprinted from the Janurary 1975 Good News Magazine
Brought to you as a Study Resource by the