I recently received an email from a woman who detailed how her church has become hostile to those of us anticipating Jesus’ return. Mockers were predicted to emerge in the last days, but it is still hurtful.
Scoffers increase every year as we get closer to Christ’s return—despite the signs of the times exploding, which should serve as a wake-up call for how late the hour is.
The email I received also described denigrating names that were being given to people like her who were looking up, awaiting Jesus’ return—names like “End Times Eddie,” “Apocalyptic Anita,” or “Doom and Gloom June.” I wish I were making this up! This is just one more church saying, “Come Lord Jesus… but not too soon.”
Her church went on to teach that we can experience “heaven on earth” right now—and if that’s the case, why be in such a hurry to be raptured out? Are you kidding? With rampant crime and lawlessness, 20 active hot wars, birth pangs causing death and destruction, broken marriages, and teens out of control, this is apparently “heaven on earth”?
The Bible is clear: until all things are made new, all things will remain broken. There can simply be no heaven on earth until Jesus reigns; the idea that it can is driven by “Kingdom Now” theology known as “dominionism.”
Let’s be honest, Earth is a sinking Titanic. It is ripe for judgment. No amount of wishful thinking can make it a Garden of Eden. Slumbering preachers and sleepy saints need to wake up and realize that Earth has an expiration date, and we are racing towards it. They also need to get excited about the fact that the King is coming to deliver His saints out of it.
Our assignment on this earth is not to continually improve it, making renovations to usher in Christ’s kingdom. While the Holy Spirit operates through the church to restrain the evil of our day, we know where this world is headed. That is why many are looking for the true rescue known as the “Blessed Hope,” the Rapture of believers, out of this Titanic.
We aren’t relying on the United Nations to rescue us or a false theology like “Kingdom Now.” We are waiting for a trumpet and a shout (1 Thessalonians 4). I’m proud to be among this crowd, no matter what name they want to call me—and I think you should flee from any church that seems to be teaching: “Come Lord Jesus… but not too soon.”
