Understanding the End

 

At the end of history, we don’t really know how it will look. The Bible gives very little detail of that event, and the imagery that it does use is based on ancient symbolism and metaphor. Understanding how to interpret this imagery is very difficult, if at all possible. 

We can know that mankind will live on the planet in physical form, in the same way that Adam and Eve did. And we do know that death will have been eradicated and that God will be everywhere present. Being surrounded by his holiness will be the standard way of life, which will be a glorious situation for those who sought after holiness, but it will be unpleasant for those who did not.

The Question of Authority

 

After thirty years as a Protestant arguing and debating with other Protestants, evangelicals, and quasi-Christian groups, it occurred to me that the problem was not the Scripture or the Christian faith but the methodology and presumptions of so many that called themselves Christians. The points of argumentation and debates always devolved to the point of “this is how I interpret that passage and that is how you interpret that passage”, in short, a stalemate.

Ultimately it came down to private interpretation. Because there was no ultimate authority outside of the individual’s interpretation, nothing could be resolved. Even in the off chance that I would “win” an argument and convince someone to join my particular version of Protestantism, the problem was still the same. The converting individual was still in the same place of interpreting for themselves what the Scriptures meant.

This explains the reason for the existence of ten thousand different denominations, all calling themselves followers of Jesus Christ. The problem is not the level of devotion or the intent of each person, but of the foundational question of authority. To whom do you look to rightly understand the Scriptures and Christian history? Do you interpret these on your own, or do you look to that which the apostles handed down to each generation?

Personal Responsibility

 

When you live in a culture where the majority are actively pursuing moral decline, depravity, and perversion, it is important to remember that by that point in time, there is likely no reversal possible. The real value of recognizing one’s place in all of this is in understanding that though you won’t be able to change the end result of that culture as a whole, you are responsible to personally follow holiness and be a positive impact on those in your circle of influence.

As individuals, we cannot save the world, no political party can change the world, no individual can save the world. Jesus Christ has already accomplished the work of giving eternal life. It really is as simple as personally pursuing holiness, loving God, and loving your neighbor. 

If we are not structuring our life around love, then we are doing something wrong.

Moral and Artistic Decline

 

It seems that for the most part, excellence in the arts has been lost and/or redefined. It seems that well-crafted music or art is no longer the standard but has been replaced by novelty and shock. The prediction of fifteen minutes of fame has become true. Truly exceptional art is the rare exception and these artists do not merely enjoy fifteen minutes of fame but decades or centuries of fame.

When truly good art is created, it has a lifespan far greater than the life of the artist because it is built on hard work, training, and excellence. All of this comes as no surprise, for with greater amounts of money and free time, artistic expression follows the path of what is most entertaining or distracting for the moment. That which distracts the quickest and easiest and which appeals to the baser passions is what will sell.

The loss of objective morality is quickly followed by immoral distraction.

Cultural Decline

 

It makes perfect sense that the events that bring about devastation upon mankind would be in line with mankind’s current state of development. The bubonic plague took place because mankind did not understand sanitation and disease. It very well could be that the technology of our day will bring about a similar devastation because we do not seem to understand the dangers of unhindered technological progress, i.e., AI and social media.

But one thing that always seems to be the same in every culture and at every time is the fruit of speedy socio-economic progress and the moral depravity that follows.