Wrong Reaction

I get miffed when I see Bible-believing Christians either ranting and raving about, or quaking in their boots over the world’s chaotic state. Chaos fills the globe, and Christians are not taking it well!

Rather than rest in the security of Christ’s precious and irrevocable promises, we allow ourselves to become unhinged. Here in the States, some of us cower in fear. Others spew hatred against elected officials, beginning with the President and working down the ladder of leadership on both sides of the aisle.

Others dive headlong into conspiracy theories, particularly going back a few years to the “stolen” Presidential election of 2020 and ongoing Covid vaccinations. In so doing, Christians – rather than being the voices of reason and peace – make matters worse, stoking the flames of mistrust, discord, and dissatisfaction.

And further flaming the fire has been the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk.

However, instead of sowing seeds of division and separation, we should be imparting a message of Truth: That Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners from their sins, thereby saving their souls from eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).

No Surprise

Another thing the current turmoil has made sadly evident to us is that, in general, Christians don’t know their Bibles! What is now happening should surprise no one. After all, didn’t Jesus Himself teach us these things would come to pass in the latter days? For instance, He told us:

“And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains”(Matthew 24:6-8).

These are bad things, and the King James Version adds there will also be “pestilences” – of which Covid-19 qualifies. Yet these are just the “birth pains” – the lead-in to the climactic 7 years of this era of human history. I truly believe we are in the “birth pains” days.

Jesus is not alone in His prognostications. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:1-4:

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”

And these are both well-read books! It’s not as though these dark forebodings are hidden away in some “minor prophet” book such as Nahum – a portion of the Bible Christians foolishly avoid as, well, a pestilence!

No, we’re talking about the famous Book of Matthew. We’re talking about the well-studied book 2 Timothy. Even Christians who don’t read as much of their Bibles as they should have read these books. And they have read the above passages and are familiar with them. So, where’s the problem?

The problem is that these things are coming to fruition, and Western Christians don’t like it. We don’t like seeing our ease and contentment slipping away.

We don’t want the Lord telling us to leave the comfort of our castle-like homes (compared to 90 percent of the world), get out on the streets, and start sharing with the lost the only Truth that counts.

A Change of Attitude

What Christians need is a change of attitude. Rather than fear or anger regarding the ongoing descent of Planet Earth, we must embrace it.

For several decades now, renowned Bible teacher Marv Rosenthal (with whom I had been associated since 1989 but passed on to Heaven in 2022) has said of these days: “If you are a Christian, there is no greater time in which to be alive!”

Marv explained that as the world grows darker and darker, Christians will have greater and greater opportunities to shine for Christ.

As the media continues to spread its false narrative to a naïve and gullible world, Christians have the singular privilege of communicating a soul-saving message of life and redemption to a people sinking in the quicksand of everlasting destruction.

Therefore, Christian, stand firm in Christ and prepare for action. Don’t cower in fear. Don’t simmer in outrage. Instead, determine to be an ambassador for Christ. Ask God to send you out to the fields which are ripe for harvest (John 4:35-38).

Yes, the times are indeed dark, but the opportunities are there! As Christians we carry with us the only Truth that matters and God will allow us to share it if we ask Him.

Now is the time for Bible-believing Christians to embrace these dark days, that we may shine as the stars of Heaven (Daniel 12:3). May God give us a heart to bring the message of life to a lost and dying world!

David Ettinger was born and raised in a Jewish family in New York. After moving to New Mexico as an adult, he suffered through many trials. The nudge of the Holy Spirit caused him to examine his heart and in 1986 he surrendered his life to Jesus and has walked with Him ever since. David holds a BA, and MA, in English from New Mexico State University. He began his journalism career writing for The Roundup, the university paper. After graduation he became the sportswriter for the El Paso Times. He has held many other positions as both writer and editor with major publications. David is active in providing his skills with Zion’s Hope, Inc., in Winter Garden, Florida. His publications include Lifeway publications, Single Parent magazine (Focus on the Family), Zion’s Fire magazine, and Real Life magazine. In addition, he served as managing editor for Zion’s Fire and Real Life. David’s book, Overcomers: 30 Stories of Triumph from the Bible, is available online. David is proud of his son and grandson. Please read his testimony here, on his website. 

Featured Image by Jonathan Mabey on Unsplash