I am frequently reminded of the remark made by a professor at one of the schools I attended in which, with regard to spiritual concerns, he observed that "most error is a truth carried to unbiblical extremes." This was then illustrated by the early Church's struggle with those so emphasizing Christ's Deity as to deny the reality of his human state (i.e., the Docetae; see I John 4:2,3; II John 7). Present day error would, of course, emphasize his humanity to the point of excluding, or at times simply denying, his Deity.
The principle of focal extremes and imbalance extends to many faith-related concerns. This was brought home again recently while watching PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In an increasing (and increasingly acknowledged) time of confusion, question arises as to how present conditions are to be addressed from the perspective of faith.
Jesus touches on two opposing poles of reaction to eventual world developments in his prophetic Olivet Discourse. In days to come, lack of awareness as to the times will prove fatal. "Noah's day" is cited in illustration: "They knew not until the flood came" (Matt. 24:38,39). Significantly, Jesus' words at this point were not addressed to the world at large but rather to the Disciples as representing the believing community. Sadly, it would seem that the perceptiveness of many professing Christians extends little beyond the present price per bushel of corn, or latest TV entertainment schedule. Jesus' exhortation to watchfulness presupposes the believer's awareness of events and developments taking place in the surrounding world. In contrast to a somewhat indifferent, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through" mindset, such will hold profound implication for the Church as time progresses.
Second, Jesus exhorts a calm objectivity: "See that you are not alarmed" (Matt. 24:6). Faith and stability are never served by panic or frantic dither. Persons of such inclination were not hard to find during the "Cold War" years. We recall one occasion in which we were called upon to visit a home in which the husband was so obsessed with the threat of Communism that not only could he think or speak of little else; his wife was considering leaving him in the simple quest for peace of mind. (Nor was it difficult at the time to find preachers whose message had, for all practical purposes, undergone transformation from the Gospel of Jesus Christ to proclamation of the evils of communism.)
Jesus offer a valuable insight here: "These things must needs be." For the believer this translates into a two-fold awareness: 1.) While obviously concerned, worrying will not change the world as time progresses toward an ultimate conclusion, and; 2.) In both final analysis and outplaying of events, God retains control.
Are we making predictions? No. Yet, in a time of increasing threat, Christ's points of emphasis are, and shall remain, relevant: "Watch therefore"; "Be not alarmed."
Burl Ratzsch
