It's time to stop focusing on the end and start focusing on the now.
"...Historically, it has been the Christian community that has been the most enamored with the apocalypse, and a long line of religious leaders have proclaimed the importance of recognizing that the end is coming. That end is, after all, alluded to over and over in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New. Early Christians believed that Christ would return within their lifetimes, and that prediction has been revised over and over ever since.
So why the obsession? For many Christians, it comes down to concern. “The urgency was that the Rapture could happen at any time,” says San Francisco-based church information manager, Melisa Blankenship. For some, the feeling that, at any moment, all the world’s unsaved might lose their chance at Heaven can be terrifying.
But consider this: for Christians, the end of the world doesn’t matter. Not one whit. And in fact, giving this idea too much importance in your life might just be holding you back from being the best believer—and person—you can be.
It’s time to stop talking about the end. Let’s find out why.
It Leaves You Hopeless
In the Bible, the essence of most any passage talking about the end of the world is positivity—Christ is returning, all of creation will be restored, and all evil will be defeated, once and for all. This is a message that focuses on hope, redemption, and new beginnings rather than endings.
But for many, the end is the focus. This breeds hopelessness. This breeds despair. This breeds a sense that nothing really matters.
It also breeds anxiety. Imagine the weight of thinking that you know that the world is going to end very soon, that it could happen at any moment, that everyone and everything you love might be swept away in an instant. That is a burden few could bear.
An intense focus on the end of the world is extremely unhealthy. If we are to dwell on Christ’s return, we need to dwell on the positive.
Remember—in Revelation 21, God says that “I am making everything new!” He goes on to proclaim that He will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
We should be celebrating the beautiful world God has in store for us rather than focusing on the passage of the “old order”. It is there you will find hope.
Read more at For Christians, the End Times Don't Matter
"...Historically, it has been the Christian community that has been the most enamored with the apocalypse, and a long line of religious leaders have proclaimed the importance of recognizing that the end is coming. That end is, after all, alluded to over and over in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New. Early Christians believed that Christ would return within their lifetimes, and that prediction has been revised over and over ever since.
So why the obsession? For many Christians, it comes down to concern. “The urgency was that the Rapture could happen at any time,” says San Francisco-based church information manager, Melisa Blankenship. For some, the feeling that, at any moment, all the world’s unsaved might lose their chance at Heaven can be terrifying.
But consider this: for Christians, the end of the world doesn’t matter. Not one whit. And in fact, giving this idea too much importance in your life might just be holding you back from being the best believer—and person—you can be.
It’s time to stop talking about the end. Let’s find out why.
It Leaves You Hopeless
In the Bible, the essence of most any passage talking about the end of the world is positivity—Christ is returning, all of creation will be restored, and all evil will be defeated, once and for all. This is a message that focuses on hope, redemption, and new beginnings rather than endings.
But for many, the end is the focus. This breeds hopelessness. This breeds despair. This breeds a sense that nothing really matters.
It also breeds anxiety. Imagine the weight of thinking that you know that the world is going to end very soon, that it could happen at any moment, that everyone and everything you love might be swept away in an instant. That is a burden few could bear.
An intense focus on the end of the world is extremely unhealthy. If we are to dwell on Christ’s return, we need to dwell on the positive.
Remember—in Revelation 21, God says that “I am making everything new!” He goes on to proclaim that He will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
We should be celebrating the beautiful world God has in store for us rather than focusing on the passage of the “old order”. It is there you will find hope.
Read more at For Christians, the End Times Don't Matter