One of the professors at a Bible college I attended used to state that truth often lies somewhere between two extremes. Indeed, he would continue, most error in the Church represents a truth carried to unbiblical extremes - a notable example being found in the early Church's struggle to define the person and nature of Christ. As in our own time, some so emphasized his humanity as to essentially deny his deity, while others so emphasized his deity as to deny his physical reality. The list, of course, is endless: free will vs. divine sovereignty; unity vs. plurality in both Godhead and the Church; "holiness" vs. the merely legalistic; sacramental vs. the emblematic, ad infinitum.
Another area in which balance is frequently needed lies in the perception of divine intent. Following his resurrection, for example, Christ chided two of his followers on the road to Emmaus for being "slow to believe" the prophecies concerning his passion and resultant "entry into glory" (Luke 24:25-26). On the other hand, one need not delve far into the epistles to encounter the apostle Paul addressing believers with a propensity for "running away with things" in terms of the speculative and conjectural.
Such was a problem at Thessalonica, where, even some years after Christ's Ascension, believers were becoming caught up in an excited anticipation that Christ's return was momentarily imminent ("at hand") - probably tomorrow, if not before. As to our "gathering together unto Christ," Paul advises them, "that day shall not come" until the "man of sin" (Antichrist) has first appeared (II Thess. 2:1-5). In other words, it is going to be a while... so go back to work and calm down (3:11-12).
At the same time, however, it will be to our detriment should we fail to recognize the times and their significance (Matt. 16:3). The world we have known is rapidly on the way to becoming one we have not known. The overall influence on the believing community in terms of objective, state of mind and relationship to the world surrounding us, will be profound. Jesus' answer is a call to calm discernment coupled with unreserved commitment (Matt. 24:6,13).
Peter notes that at the end "scoffers" will maintain that, in terms of faith and divine promise, nothing has really changed - "all continu[ing] the same" (II Pet. 3:3).
As believers, it will be to our loss should we inadvertently lose our awareness to the contrary.
Burl Ratzsch
