Until He Comes

From "Acts" magazine - NOvember/December 2011 - a publication of
The General Council Church of God (Seventh Day), Meridian, ID.
USA.


Until He Comes

by Eva June Narber


Should we witness truth? Should we hide ourselves away and wait
for His return? Should we be doing something special? For nearly
two thousand years, followers of the Messiah of scripture, Jesus
Christ, have waited anxiously for His return, some in relative
isolation, forgotten by the pages of history, and others,
actively testifying scriptural truth in a world that had all but
forgotten the historical truth, and instead, clung to the
counterfeit Christ who did not focus on repentance and walking in
newness of life in scriptural truth.

The first issue involves the group of Christians who try to
isolate themselves from society in a variety of ways. Some choose
to homeschool their children and then the children end up living
at home well into their adult years until they, form their own
family unit and then they too, isolate themselves from society at
large. While I think homeschooling is a noble endeavor, it should
never be undertaken just to isolate a child from reality as that
child must grow up and become a productive, working member of
society. Another form of isolation tends to be those who refuse
to work in contemporary society, as they feel that that can lead
to spiritual issues, and it is better for them to live off of
social welfare, their families or in some cases the church they
attend. Is social isolation of entire families exactly what
Christ had in mind for His followers? When Jesus spoke again to
the people, he said, "1 am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life" John 8:12 NIV.

When a person walks in Christ and scriptural truth, they are the
light of the world. As we read in John 8:12, we can never walk in
dark ness because God's light, HIS TRUTH, is in us. This stands
as a testimony: There is no excuse for not working and being
involved in society in a normal fashion to earn ones own living
("Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider its ways, and be wise!"
Proverbs 6:6 NIV and "For six days, work is to be done..." Exodus
35:2 NIV), to serve in the community, and in the school system to
make it better for everyone.

Hiding oneself and one's family is much like burying a talent and
hoping to protect it.

"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, 1
knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not
sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou
hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou
wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that 1 reap where 1
sowed not, and gather where 1 have not strawed: Thou oughtest
therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my
coming 1 should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents"
Matthew 25:24-28 KJV.

Of course, I have heard numerous sermons that elaborate that this
is not talking about real physical participation in life, but
just spiritual gifts. Are not physical activities where spiritual
fruit is manifested as witnesses to society at large? Whether the
person is a third grade child at school testifying Christ through
being a model student, or a modern day worker performing at
his/her best, or a senior citizen leading an art project at a
senior living facility, all these people are actively doing
something in their daily lives in the normal environment one
would expect to find a human of their age. This running away and
hiding from society or isolating oneself from all aspects of
modern life is nothing more than a cowardly justification for not
being a LIVING SACRIFICE to serve the high heavens. Permit me to
pose a question: What would please Satan more: a person out
witnessing scriptural truth through word and deed to influence
others to repent and turn to Christ, or one who is hidding away
in his/her own home, concerned ONLY about his/her own salvation?
I think the only logical answer is it may irritate the devil when
any Christian lives a righteous life, but it must ROCK HIS WORLD
into fits of anger when a servant of Jesus Christ is out doing
what Christ himself did! The reason is simple. The more who hear
the truth that Christ is Lord, that the Bible is truth and it is
meant to be consulted, read, and lived by today, and that Christ
is soon coming back to rule this world forever: It spreads the
truth and more people have the chance of coming to the Truth.
Words and ideas are powerful, but a living, breathing, witness is
a thousand times more powerful in spiritual witnessing because
seeing is believing!

"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have
been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body
to him as instruments of righteousness"
Romans 6:13 NIV.
"...to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the
priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the
Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified
by the Holy Spirit"
Romans 15:16 NIV.

We must use our lives, our bodies, our influences to further
God's will on earth in every way at our individual disposal.
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life
worthy of the calling you have received" Ephesians 4:1 NIV. It is
scripturally prophesized that all followers of Christ would do
greater works than even Christ did. Some falsely believe this was
just the original apostles, but it was to continue until Christ
returns as each generation produces new people that must hear,
learn, and implement the truth of scripture.
"...He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do
also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto
my Father" John 14:12 KJV.

While all people may not have the same opportunity, everyone has
SOME opportunity. For some, it will be living a productive life
active at a job, in the community, in the public schools, or in
the churches. Some may have a more powerful job to do as did
Isaiah.

"CRY aloud, spare not, and lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and
shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their
sins" Isaiah 58:1 KJV.

Everyone should strive to make society a better place NOW, not
just wait for the Kingdom. Consider the words of Proverbs. Some
people may be in a position to influence and help through
starting or participating in nonprofit organizations, in making
or changing laws, in civil and community life.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the
rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy" Proverbs 31:8-9 NIV.

Sometimes women are condemned for leaving their household duties,
yet in Proverbs 31:18a, she sees that her trading is profitable,
(trading requires a business enterprise). Modern households often
have women doing a variety of professional endeavors. I am
saddened by the continual negativity that is generated at women
who are actively living productive, professional lives. How often
do people forget that some women have no family, and function in
society the equivalent of any man in terms of professional
occupation: home buying, paying of bills, physical
responsibilities and active participation in the community? An
example that recently came to my attention is that of a
middle-aged woman who openly refused to work, believing falsely
that society (via welfare) and the church should provide for her
needs and wants, as God did not send her a husband. Even the most
conservative interpretation of Proverbs 31 shows a woman actively
working from sunrise to sundown supplying her household's needs.
And if that household is just one person, there still are
important responsibilities that must be met, including financial.
Can any church logically and fiscally accept the responsibility
of providing for its members who refuse to work for whatever
reasons? Of course, those who are elderly and truly disabled are
not included in this analysis.

Following are verses from Proverbs 31 followed with my commentary
in parenthesis for a modern equivalent to the verse.
Proverbs 31:13-27 NIV

:13- She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. (Sews,
crafts)
:14- She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
(Cooking, merchandizing)
:15- She gets up while it is still dark, she provides food for
her family (Meets all financial and physical needs of her
household) and portions for her servant girls. (She has servants
or employees)
:16- She considers a field and buys it; (Business, real estate,
and commerce) out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
(Business of her own creation: manages it, works it, controls it)
:17- She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for
her tasks. (Executive implementation, strong body perhaps
involved with regular exercise and health-conscious lifestyle)
:18- She sees that her trading is profitable, (Economics,
accounting, bookkeeping, financial records) and her lamp does not
go out at night. (Not slothful)
:19- In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle
with her fingers.
:20- She opens her arms to the poor (Charitable in the community,
the nonprofit) and extends her hands to the needy. (Volunteers in
the community)
:21- When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of
them are clothed in scarlet. (Dresses well by the given society's
standards)
:22- She makes coverings for her bed; (Well decorated, designed,
and maintained home) she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
:23- Her husband is respected at the city gate, (Husband is
involved in community affairs, politics, school boards, civil
government as well as perhaps committees) where he takes his seat
among the elders of the land. (Politics, leader in society)
:24- She makes linen garments and sells them, (Business
enterprise) and supplies the merchants with sashes. (Social
inaction, business networking, supply and demand, trade)
:25- She is clothed with strength and dignity; (Confidence, well
spoken, articulate) she can laugh at the days to come.
:26- She speaks with wisdom, (Well educated, public speaking
trained,) and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
:27- She watches over the affairs of her household and does not
eat the bread of idleness. (Does not expect others to provide for
her when she can do for herself)

FAITH IN ACTION REQUIRES A HUMAN TO BE INVOLVED WITH LIFE!

As believers, we want to encourage each other. Perhaps we can
truly influence only ourselves and our immediate family, but any
positive influence we can have to inspire people to be doers--not
just speakers of the Word, to be active and positively involved
with life, and to use each vital resource as a teaching
instrument, surely the rest can be nothing but positive. Sadly,
through several online communities, I constantly see people
stagnating spiritually and physically because they just lock
themselves away from society, thinking that this is what Jesus
Christ expects. The saddest fact is, in spite of such attempts at
isolation to preserve their Christian faith, it slowly corrodes
it away. Faith is like a river that must constantly flow and move
or else it will stagnate and fester. Faith in action requires a
human to be involved with life. Otherwise, why did God create a
vibrant world in which we are to interact? If such were the case,
creating a pod in which we just grew like peas and were zapped
with scriptural knowledge would have sufficed. But that is not
what the Creator did. He has allowed each generation of believers
to be engaged with, interact with, and live within whatever
generation they were born. Although we have the most challenging
of environments in which to live and witness, we also have the
most incredible resources at our disposal, including literally
international communication at a click of a computer mouse.
Let's be engaged and full participants in life while living and
teaching every word of scripture as a living witness, and a
living sacrifice to the Heavenly Father and the soon coming King
of kings, Our savior, Jesus Christ.
...........

"June Narber resides in Chapel Hill, NC. She is the 2011 Interim
President for the Bible Sabbath Association. She is an ESL
instructor at an area college, a freelance writer and runs a
small tutoring company called Everything English. She holds a BA
degree in theology, a Masters Degree in International Development
and is currently working toward a PhD in education. Scripture
quoted was from the KJV or the NIV as noted.