As I look at the evil, rebellion, sickness and sin in the world today, I believe we are in the time-period the Bible calls “The Last Days.” You can read about the last days in Matthew, chapter 24, 1 or 2 Timothy 3, and Revelation. The last days are the final days of God’s plan for people on this earth and the end of time as we know it. This is the time when people will eventually be judged according to the choices they have made and the deeds they have done. Soon Jesus will come to rapture the church and take His bride to heaven. The final days, for people who are still alive then, will offer the last choice of responding to God and choosing where you will spend eternity: heaven or hell.
As Christians, we need to seek after God and to share the Gospel or “Good News” about Jesus and His work on the cross at Calvary with those around us more than ever before. We need to make the most of every opportunity to let people know the hope of Jesus Christ, that they are forgiven, can be born again, and can become an adopted child of God. There is deliverance, healing, hope, and salvation for anyone who will believe, accept Him into his/her heart, and establish a personal relationship with Jesus.
Throughout the past 40 years many of the churches I attended have taught, and continue teaching, a multitude of Bible stories and topics from the Old Testament. Though these stories and topics are good to learn, I question the priorities of those who spend a great deal of time teaching the Old Testament while multitudes of people, who don’t know about Jesus and salvation, step closer each day to spending eternity in hell. Sure, the Old Testament stories are relevant and provide great spiritual truths, but are the people in our churches prepared to meet Jesus? Do they know the great future available to them if they believe in faith that He died, was buried, and rose again to pay the penalty for their sins? Do the principles of living the Christian life and walking in the spirit? Shouldn’t we teach these things as a priority since our time is short?
Also, we need to be making disciples and evangelists who can We should also teach them about being baptized with the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in tongues. This is an endowment of power God puts in us (a filling) so we can be His ambassadors and witnesses on this earth.
We need to teach our students about the love of God and the Great Commandments—to love God first, love our neighbors, and even love our enemies. Though we love the people, we hate the sin they partake it—and we all partake in sin at times.
We also need to teach our students about the great spiritual battle we enter when we get born again and come to Jesus Christ. We need to teach them endurance, perseverance, the sharing in the suffering of Christ, persecution, and how to fight spiritual warfare.
As a former Bible teacher and a Christian Author, I believe many Christian churches and companies that make Bible teaching materials need a fresh new focus that meets present-day and future needs, a focus that makes Jesus Christ the center of our lives and teachings, and prepares people for living the Christian life and watching for the coming events as established in the book of Revelation. We need to prepare as many people as accept Christ to live out their daily life as a true believer and be prepared for the rapture and coming of Christ our Lord.
When Jesus Christ accomplished His work on the cross and rose again, He fulfilled the Mosaic Law so New Testament believers are no longer required to do the sacrifices and activities under that law. Rather, we are under the New Testament (covenant) of grace and in Jesus Christ, if we believe by faith, we are saved. We are saved by what Jesus did on the cross, not by our deeds. We do good deeds because we love and want to serve God and others. We were cleansed by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and clothes with His righteousness, not our own. We cannot earn our way to heaven with our own abilities, no matter how many things we do. So why do some churches put the Old Testament laws in their requirements and in so doing, put stumbling blocks in the way of believers?
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV the Bible says, “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot (…).” I believe the time has come for us to evaluate our focus, our Bible-teaching materials and methods, and our goals. Do they line up with what the Bible teaches? Do they focus on the immediate needs of present-day believers? Are we focused on evangelism of lost souls? Are we making the most of every opportunity? Or are our lessons and sermons distracting, irrelevant to the present needs of our people, or only a side issue? Do we have our priorities in order?
As I write this, the Holy Spirit is also ministering to me. I need to examine my priorities and get plugged in to my local fellowship again. I need to get going again as I took a break to regroup and get healed up after some medical issues.
Robin Ulbredtch, Christian Author 