While having touched upon the following in prior postings, we yet do well to remind ourselves.
God is not through with the Church. Although there were instances in which the apostle Paul seemingly anticipated living to see Christ's return (note, for example, his inclusion of himself with those to be granted "relief" at Christ's coming, II Thess. 1:7) he was yet unhesitating in expressing himself as to certain prerequisites destined to precede that time and event.
When, despite Christ's having returned to the Father some thirty or more years prior, the Thessalonian believers became caught up in a euphoric expectancy of his immediate return, Paul's advice was essentially that they go back to work and recognize, as he had before taught them, that Christ's return would not take place until after the age-concluding "man of sin" had risen to power. "Do you not remember?" (II Thess. 2:1-5).
Another key to the times in relation to the Church lies in the fact of certain objectives ordained to attain fulfillment prior to, and in preparation for, Christ's reception of a Church "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing...holy and blameless" (Eph. 5:27 as predicated on preceding 4:11-13: "until we all come to...").
As anyone acquainted with Church well recognizes, such state has yet to exist within the Church in any lasting sense. This includes the apostolic era, as attested by the ongoing efforts of the apostles to counter heresy, personal ambition, immorality - as well as resolve Church disputes, renew a Christocentric focus, ad infinitum.
Significantly, the first attribute of the matured Church will be a meaningful "unity of the faith" (again, Eph. 4:13). This, of course, accords with Christ's last recorded prayer in which he petitioned that the Church come to reflect the oneness of his own relationship with the Father.
While various factors will contribute to the fulfilling of this prayer, one of the more obvious agencies for effecting such will lie in the coming universal hatred of believers - a fact to which our Lord made repeated reference. It need little be noted that the rumblings of such are already becoming discernable in terms of not only an increasingly anti-Christian world, but apostate elements within the institutional Chruch as well.
The day is coming in which, as believers, we shall much need one another - a day in which the bond of faith and fellowship will derive, not from self-focused causes, identities and sectarian interests, but rather transcendent commitment to Jesus Christ, love for one another, and dedication to biblical principles.
Count on it.
Burl Ratzsch
