Every generation has raised the alarm that the end is near. Whether it was war, famine, disease, or outright evil, proclamations of the end of the world have never been too far removed from the culture. Christianity has fed into this with countless so-called prophets predicting the second coming of the Lord. The Lord is coming back, but we know from Jesus Himself that no one knows when that day will be (Matthew 24:36).
That means every prediction about the timing of His return will be wrong. You would think with so many proclamations of how short time is that Christians would have lived like it was true at some point. But even after hundreds of years of predicted doom, we still carry on as if we have all the time in the world to make things right. So what if Jesus actually comes back today?
Perhaps the fact it’s been 2,000 years since Jesus stepped foot on this earth that causes our complacency. That’s just laziness. Peter told us to be on the watch for the devil (1 Peter 5:8). Jesus told us to watch and prepare because we don’t know the hour of His return (Matthew 25:1-13). There is no excuse for being unprepared or for living as if Jesus isn’t coming back. We know He is because He said He would (John 14:3).
It shouldn’t take difficult or evil times to wake us from our slumber. A disciple of Jesus is always about the work of their Master. Complacency is not an option for us. We are ambassadors of Jesus. If the end is near, then we must tell others of their impending doom. I don’t want to see a single soul go to Hell. Those who reject Christ do not know what they are doing. They don’t understand what they are relegating their eternity to. It’s tragic.
If the doomsday prophets are correct and the end is near, would you make the same choices in your life today? Would you watch, listen, or do anything differently? Every follower of Jesus should have their bags packed and be ready to go. We should have one eye on the situation around us and one eye on the sky. The way we live should reflect where we are going, not where we are. How can we face our King knowing we squandered so much of what He entrusted to our care?
Whether or not the end is near, we should live as if it is. We have got to get ready. If we aren’t committed enough to live as though Jesus could return today, then we may not be committed enough to spend eternity with Him. My intent is not to question or make you doubt your salvation, only to point out Jesus said His followers would be known by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). If we aren’t living in obedience to His Word and not exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23), the first thing we need to verify is whether we know and love Jesus at all. I don’t know when Jesus will return, but I know He’s coming back. Don’t be caught off-guard (Matthew 24:42-44). The end is near and we must live like it. We must all get ready.