What if....... part 2

     Do you know what it's like to believe something with all your heart and then suddenly, as if a curtain is opened, you see that thing in a totally different light?  Perhaps you have never had that happen.  If you haven't, let me tell you how absolutely awe inspiring it is! 

     Not too long ago I was having a conversation with a friend about current world events and I made an off the cuff remark.  Later I began thinking about what I had said and thought, hmmm what if....

     I now want to throw that idea out to you as well.  Within Christianity we have been taught that the anti-Christ is a person.  A charismatic person who will be so persuasive as to gain the confidence of the entire world.

     Now let me give you a what if.  What if the anti-Christ is not a person, but people.....a group of people?  In the days of Jesus there was an anti-Christ, but it wasn't one single person.  It was a group. In His day he was followed by throngs of common people and many of the religious leaders, but one group of people sought to take Him down. 

     They believed with all their hearts they were in the right.  They were, after all, the keepers of God's word.  They were the ones who had interpreted it, more clearly defined it, taught it, and carried out judgement on those who went against it.  They did their best to ensure that no one interfered with their interpretation and instruction.  They had become so self absorbed they could no longer hear the voice of God and in their zeal to uphold what they believed about the Messiah they actually were in opposition to Him and His teachings.  They had become so obsessed with the "Word" they were hearing it, but not doing it.

     Now if it is true as Solomon exclaimed in Proverbs that there is nothing new under the sun, then can we take the first anti-Christ and make a correlation?  If so, is the next anti-Christ the same?  If we read the entire Bible we can see that the same story seems to be repeating itself over and over, yet with a different generation and a slightly clearer picture.  Taking these things into consideration, could the anti-Christ be a similar group?

     Could these people be ones who believe with all their hearts they are in the right?  Could they be the keepers of God's word?  Could they be the ones who interpret it, more clearly define it, teach it, and carry out judgement on those who go against it?  Could they be people who do their best to ensure that no one interferes with their interpretation and instruction?  Could they be considered people who are self absorbed and can no longer hear the voice of God, and in their zeal to uphold what they believe about the Messiah unwittingly be thwarting Him and His teachings?  Could they be so obsessed with the "Word" they are hearing it, but not doing it?

     I am not making a prediction nor am I saying this is absolute truth, just throwing out an idea for you to think about.  If what I wrote about in part 1 of this post is true and that the first anti-Christ was the religious leaders and their faithful followers, could the correct interpretation of who the anti-Christ is actually be the "modern church" and it's followers?  I will just leave this idea here.  Remember it is just a thought of what if....

     Shalom!

What if.........

     I am one who truly enjoys thinking deeply into a matter.  As a child I would sit for hours and just think, "Me......," as I looked at my hands and tried to discern what made me different from others.  Not that I was "different," yet we are all different.  I was inside this body and I could never be anything but .... me. 

     I would also think to myself about what I would do in various situations.  You know like a kidnapping, or an earthquake or well any number of things.  I can "chew" on the meaning of a single word for hours upon end.  Then I grew up and now I think, "what if?"  What if the church isn't the truth, or what if everything I think I know for truth really is not?  Sort of like the Matrix. 

     One of my all time favorite books is The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I was introduced to this magnificent work by my youngest son.  He was required to read it for his 7th grade English class.  We actually read it together.  If you have never read it, please do.  It is powerful.  It is not a religious book, but boy could I ever preach a sermon using it as an example!  The book takes one on a journey into a civilization where perceived realities just might not be quite so real. I will leave it at that so as not to spoil it for you.  Please read the book BEFORE you watch the movie.....it just isn't quite the same.....just sayin!

     When I finished that book I began to ponder my perceived realities.  What if all the things I think are true are not?  What if the things I believe are fallacies truly are reality?   I could spend hours here on this post about all the things I have actually mulled over in my lifetime, but I will not bore you with those. 

      I would like to continue this post into at least two or three parts.  For tonight I want to leave you with this thought to meditate upon:  What if, within Christianity, we have the cart before the horse?  Like, what if we are doing the right things, but at the wrong time in history?  We proclaim Jesus as The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we sing almost all of our songs about Him, praise Him, pray to Him and proclaim everything in Jesus Name.  But what if those things are not to be done until He returns? 

     Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6  Does this imply that as of now we are to have the Father as our goal?  Read on, "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I shall do, in order that the Father might be esteemed in the Son."  vs 13.  "If you did love Me, you would have rejoiced that I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I." vs 28  "...in order for the world to know that I love the Father, and that as the Father commanded Me, so I am doing."  vs 31.

     If we place Jesus as the end all at this point, are we actually delaying the return of the Messiah?  Could it be that if we put Jesus in the proper place, we could see Him sooner?  Have we inserted the Messianic Kingdom before the return of the Messiah?  John's revelation is about the return of the Messiah, His kingdom on earth, which is then followed by the New Heaven and New Earth.

    Are we so consumed with being in His presence that we are of no earthly good?  Have we become the living dead rather than living water to the world?........ Shalom!