End Time Insights

The Thessalonians began to serve the Living God and to wait eagerly for His Son’s arrival from Heaven – 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10. The saints in Thessalonica responded to the preaching of the Gospel by turning from “ idols to serve the living and true God .” Their life orientation changed radically because of their new faith in the Gospel, and their allegiance to Jesus Christ. Rather than a comfortable life in Macedonia, they chose a path that guaranteed opposition and persecution.

Jesus summoned his disciples to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to every inhabited corner of the Earth . The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about reforming society or governments. His message summons all men to repent and join a radically new social order and unique political reality, the  Kingdom of God . It is a message contrary to the political ideologies of the present world order. We must respond positively to his invitation since the end of the age is approaching. When Jesus returns, the existing order will disappear from the planet.

Paul responded to false teachings about the resurrection of believers in his second letter to Timothy. Certain voices in the Church were denying this essential truth. “ God did not give us a spirit of fear but of a sound mind ,” including our anxieties about death. Jesus overcomes death and gives life “ through the Gospel .”

Paul prepared his readers in Philippi for one of his letter’s main themes: Going on to “ perfection ” in Jesus. Bodily resurrection must take place for the consummation of this process. This will occur when Jesus appears “ on the clouds of Heaven .” What God began in the Philippians at their conversion He would continue to perform until “ the Day of Christ .”

The biblical faith is forward-looking and foundational to its doctrine of salvation is the future resurrection of the righteous dead. That event will also mark the arrival of the New Creation. The New Testament links this to two events. First, the past Resurrection of Jesus. Second, his future arrival at the end of the age. Our salvation remains incomplete without our resurrection.

In his Letter to the Romans , Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the Gospel. His purpose was to deal with conflicts between Gentile and Jewish members of the Assembly and prepare the ground for taking the Gospel to the West. In doing so, he touched on key topics, including death, redemption, the Law, resurrection, and New Creation.

The vision of the “ Son of Man ” in the Book of Revelation is preceded by “ greetings ” from the “ One who is, who was, and who is coming ,” the “ Seven Spirits before His Throne ,” and from Jesus Christ, the “ Faithful Witness ” and the “ Firstborn of the Dead .” In his death, he gave faithful testimony, and God vindicated his sacrifice by raising him from the dead.  Moreover, his resurrection is the precedent for the future resurrection of his followers, therefore, he is the “ Firstborn of the Dead ,” the first of many over whom the “ Second Death has no power . ”

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations! ” He then sent his disciples to announce his salvation to the “ ends of the Earth .” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection. His  life-giving message  must be announced to all men. The Messiah of Israel has achieved life and deliverance from bondage for his people!

Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In the man from Nazareth, the salvation promised by the God of Israel has arrived in all its glory . In the  Gospel of Matthew , an angel informed Joseph that the child carried by Mary was “ begotten of the Holy Spirit ” and instructed him to name the child ‘ Jesus ’ - “ Call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins .” This name pointed to the saving act of God for humanity that He was about to reveal to the world.

In his  Letter to the Romans , Paul describes in detail the message of salvation that he proclaims among the nations. He declares that it is the “ power of God for salvation ” to all men who accept it. Due to humanity’s sin, two forces are at work in the world -  Righteousness  and  Wrath . In Jesus of Nazareth, God has provided the solution to humanity’s desperate plight and made it available to all men through the “ faith OF Jesus Christ .”

Paul provided the Assembly in Thessalonica with instructions on how believers must live in anticipation of the “ Day of the Lord .” It will not overtake them since they “ are not in darkness .” They are the “ Sons of Light ” and the “ Sons of the Day .” Unlike the unrighteous of this fallen age, the watchful believer who lives in the light of the Gospel will not be caught off guard by that Day’s sudden arrival.