So, what’s worse? Bad eschatology or no eschatology?
I think, a while ago, I would probably have said the first. Such a reaction would mainly have been driven with an increasing frustration with the whole Left Behind thing. Why? well;
1. It’s just poor handling of the Bible. I mean, think about, you should be seriously wanting to be left behind. Listen to what Jesus says,
Matthew 24:37-39 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Now, in the days of Noah, who was it that got swept away? The ungodly!!! That’s why I really want to be left behind. And that’s just for starters, don’t get me going on all the other dodgy stuff in it; poor understanding of apocalyptic genre etc.
2. This sort of poor handling breeds more poor handling. Just listen to the Left Behind apologists. They’ve been taught to eisegete.
Now, that’s still annoying but I think you have to face it that this is still better than no eschatology. At least even those running crazy on Left Behind are longing for the return of Jesus in judgement and salvation. But, when there’s not even contemplation of those things then is there really Christian faith?
I remember being quite shocked in my second week working in a church in Singapore. I was invited to attend a Bible study with a bunch of wonderful ladies who were finishing a series in Ecclesiastes. They asked me to present a summary of the book which I duly did and it went (in very simplistic form) like this:
i the writer thinks life is pretty meaningless because whatever you do you don’t get a fair payback
ii when the writer expands his horizon to eternity and judgement he realises that life is fair.
iii as a result he calls his reader to remember the Lord now before they get jaded.
What shocked me was that of the 12 dear ladies in the room only 2 of them said they even thought about eternity as part of their Christian thinking! So what were the rest thinking that Jesus accomplished?! I was stunned. What sort of Christian teaching is it that allows people to think that they’re Christian whilst never stopping to consider that they will be judged one day? How can Jesus be trusted as our substitute if there’s nothing to substitute for? Are they even actually saved?
So, dear reader, no eschatology is worse than bad eschatology. And, if you have no eschatology then get some – stop and think for a minute about the fact that there is a day of judgement coming, Jesus talks about it a great deal, and that if you aren’t right with the judge then no matter how rosy life looks now it’s going to go downhill very fast.
And, to be honest, I don’t care if you end up wanting to be Raptured or some other nonsense; just as long as you realise that that Day will come.
It boggles my mind as well that anyone who knows even the raw basics about Christianity would not have some sort of eschatology, even if it’s bad. What the heck was this church teaching before you got there? Did the ladies even know the Creed and stop and think, “hmm, what is this ‘resurrection’ thing”? Sounds like they should be doing a Bible study on Thessalonians, not Ecclesiastes.
My personal eschatology, as per baseball broadcasting:
JESUS WINS! THE LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS….WINS!!!
-j (Yankees fan, Christian)
My personal eschatology, as per Mexican soccer broadcasting:
Y JESÚS VIENE ABAJO… GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL! GGGOOOOOOOOOOAAAAL POR JESÚS!!!
(I don’t speak a word of Spanish.)
Re: My personal eschatology, as per Mexican soccer broadcasting:
¡¡Olé Jesucristo!!
-j (not much better with the Español)
Re: My personal eschatology, as per Mexican soccer broadcasting:
The NFL game last Sunday that was in Mexico City was awesome (except for being between practically the two worst teams in the NFL). Latin American sports announcers + Footbal = Genius.
Re: My personal eschatology, as per Mexican soccer broadcasting:
And let us not forget the genius that is Sabado Gigante!
-j
Re: My personal eschatology, as per Mexican soccer broadcasting:
Ah, yes- the only show with a German Jew Hispanic host!
That’s quite amazing.
One of the reasons I like discussion concerning the Bible, even when I’m wrong, and even when I’m talking with people I’ll never convince of anything… it’s accountability. It’s knowing why I believe what I believe. It requires me to study and know. Paul believed that it was only important that the gospel was preached, but he was adamant that it should not be changed from what he was teaching. There are things that are quite important, and things that aren’t. The gospel must be preached correctly. Hopefully people get that eternity is what it’s all pointing toward, but at the same time live a full life in Christ while they’re here.
just as long as you realise that that Day will come.
Haha… I have mixed feelings about that Day… of course, I look forward to it, but that God… He gave me this will to live. So here I am. 🙂 Living, yet longing.