Remember

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:5 KJV)

Paul was reminding the Thessalonians of what he had taught them when he was with them. He mentioned in earlier verses in this same chapter – that the day of Christ is at hand. It appears that the problem came when that was their whole focus, talking about and waiting on the day of Christ.

Paul spends many words talking about that day, concluding with:

Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. (2 Thessalonians 2:17 KJV)

That good word and work is what we should be doing, since we note that the day of Christ may still be hand, but has not yet come. It didn’t come during the dark ages when the word was kept from men. It didn’t come during the crusades when men were focused on the old Jerusalem instead of the new. It did not come when Islam covered a large portion of Europe, nor did it come when Islam retreated from Europe.

It did not come when Hitler set out to exterminate Judaism, along with a number of other groups. It did not come when Israel was renewed as a nation, and it has not come while Israel has been under attack over the last six decades.

Many believed that those events – or others – should have been precursors of His return and they predicted (not prophesied, mind you) specific times. We need to remember, even now:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36 KJV)

Some say it will never come. They say that God either does not exist, Christ was not from God, or that we’ve misunderstood and He’s not coming. Sorry, all of that is simply denial. We’ve been promised His return, but we’ve never been promised when that will be. It could be soon, or not. So what are we supposed to do? Plan for it or not?

I remember, and consider, Christ’s words:

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:43-44 KJV)

We watch and keep our house together. We remain ready, continuing to do what He has commanded we do. If you don’t know what those commands are, you haven’t been reading my blog for very long. They are in His word – the Bible. Paul said this was a good idea:

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; (Philippians 1:9-10 KJV)