Zechariah 14:7 But it shall he one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them towards the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
9 And the Lord shall be king over the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Brother Kenneth Yoder
America has experienced several notable revivals in the past. The Great Awakening in the late 1700's under Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield gave America her moral foundation as a nation. The Second Great Awakening in the early 1800's was outstanding for its duration. Then came the Finney Revivals under the leadership of Charles Finney. The next national revival was called the Great Prayer Revival and occurred in 1857-58. Finally, the Holiness Awakening in the late 1800's that formed our spiritual roots proved to be the last great revival that America has enjoyed. This period of history lasting a little over 100 years was a unique era for spiritual awakenings in America. For about 100 years now America has been without a national awakening. Some of us are very interested in a study of that period of spiritual awakenings in hope of discovering something to help us in our quest for revival.
One of the questions that has stirred my deepest curiosity is, How could the Christians of that period pray with such assurance and expectancy in regard to revival? Christians in
our day have little hope or faith for revival. The Christians during that period of spiritual awakening had such great anticipation and expectation that God would answer their prayers for revival. What made this difference between them and us? I shall try to provide some answers to that question in this article. At least, I hope to give you something to think about. My subject is: The Relationship Between One's View of the End of Time and His Hope for Revival.
The views that we hold concerning the end of time have a tremendous affect on any hope that we have for revival. If we hold the opinions that the few years before Jesus' second coming will be a time of deep apostasy and that the world is predestined to get worse and worse, we will have little or no hope for revival. I believe you can see how those views of the end of time would affect any hope for revival. If you honestly believed those opinions you could not have much hope for revival.
If you view the delay of Jesus' second coming from the standpoint that God is waiting until the world is hopelessly wicked before he sends his Son back, then you expect the spiritual conditions to become gradually worse. Some Christians believe that the world is not wicked enough and that God is simply waiting for the world to get more wicked. God is merely waiting for the moral and spiritual conditions to get so extremely wicked that he has no alternative but to send his Son in judgment on the world. God is only waiting until the world's cup of iniquity is full. When the cup of iniquity is full then God shall bring judgment with the second coming of Christ. There are several variations of these ideas.
Now, no matter how much you desired a revival nor how much you saw a need for a revival, if you sincerely held these beliefs, they would prevent you from praying in hope and faith for revival. If you believed that the Bible actually prophesied that extreme wickedness will be the prevailing spiritual condition at the end of time then you could not bring yourself to pray contrary to what you believe is Biblical prophecy. The relationship between our view of the end of time and our hope for revival is a reality not often considered. The reason that our hope for revival is so weak today is because we simply do not see any reason to hope. The way in which Biblical prophecy is interpreted, gives the church no reason to hope for revival.
These opinions are easy to believe because wickedness and ungodliness seems to be triumphing all around us today. The combination of ever-creasing wickedness and the popular interpretation of Biblical prophecy have a very discouraging effect. Most Christians do not see any reason to hope. The Scriptural foundation of hope has been demolished by the way prophecy is interpreted. Link that with what we observe daily and hope for revival is effectively quenched. Our ability to pray in faith is demolished. To be able to pray in faith, we must have some expectation. If we do not expect what we are asking for to take place, then we cannot exercise faith. Because of these discouraging influences, the church has great difficulty in praying for a revival in our day and time.
Now then, with this background, we shall begin our study of what the New Testament writers believed about the end of time.
II Peter 3:8,9 But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
In the context of this passage Peter was dealing with man's indifference and sin in light of the seeming delay of Jesus' second coming. Some early Christians believed that Jesus' second coming was immediate. Some taught that he was going to return within their lifetime. As the years passed and their hope of Jesus' return was not realized, a problem arose, the problem of the delay of Jesus' second coming. Some mocked the Christian's hope by asking the question, Where is the promise of his coming?
Notice II Peter 3:3,4 Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Scoffers are those who make fun of or mock the truth by sarcastically asking the question, Where is the promise of his coming? Their question implied that Jesus promised that he would return, but since he has not, therefore he is not. These scoffers argued that Jesus is not coming back or he would have. That was said in the first century, nearly two thousand years ago. Many generations of Christians before ours have expected the Lord to return in their day. Likewise, many in our generation expect the Lord to come within their lifetime, but the truth is that no one, and I mean no one, but God knows when Jesus is coming again. Jesus taught that no man, nor angel, not even Jesus himself knows when the end of time will occur. Only God himself knows. Scoffers in light of the apparent delay of Jesus' second coming mockingly asked the question, When is he coming?, implying that Jesus is not going to return.
Peter in answer to that charge wrote, Brethren, remember this; time does not mean anything to God. One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. What that means is that God is not bound by time as you and I are. Time does not mean anything to God. That means if it takes another thousand years for God to carry out his purposes for this world he, will wait.
Possibly, the most popular doctrine in our day and time is that Jesus' second coming is immediate. But my friend, the very reasons which preachers and teachers in our day are using to support this doctrine are the same reasons that Christians used three and four hundred years ago. The truth is, my friend, there are no definite signs of Jesus' second coming. If there were definite signs then anyone could discover when he is returning. If there were definite signs that precisely pointed to Jesus' second coming then by a study of them anyone could determine when he is returning. The Bible teaches that it will come at a time unexpected, like a thief in the night. In ail of the parables about the end of time and the second coming of Jesus, this truth that Jesus' second coming will be at an unexpected time is taught repeatedly and emphatically. Study any of those parables; the ten virgins, the thief in the night, and the return of the absent lord to accounting servants and you will see this clearly. Also study the other teachings of Jesus that illustrate the unexpectedness of his coming, such as, that it shall be as it was in the days of Jonah or Lot. There is a single point in all of these teachings which is that Jesus' second coming will be at an unexpected time.
Let us return to the passage in the third chapter of II Peter. In verse nine, Peter gives the reason for the apparent delay of Jesus' second coming. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (That means that God has not failed to fulfill his promise. He is faithful to keep his promises. God is not slack concerning Jesus' promise of coming again.) as some men count slackness, (as the mockers were charging), he is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance-
God does not desire that anyone perish, but that all come to repentance. The reason for the seeming delay of Jesus' second coming is God's forbearance or longsuffering. God is waiting for sinners to come to repentance. This is totally opposite to the popular thinking in Christianity today. As 1 said earlier, the popular thinking is that God is waiting for the world to get worse, but the Bible teaches that God is waiting in longsuffering for sinners to repent.
Again, in verse 15, And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also said according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you..
Peter states we ought to account (reckon or consider) that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation. That means that the apparent delay, which is actually generated by God's longsuffering ought to be considered as an opportunity for the salvation of lost souls. We ought to regard the delay of Jesus' return as God's means of salvation. That idea is so contrary to the opinions and the teachings in our day and time that it seems to be untrue. Some actually teach that they expect the work of salvation to almost come to a standstill before the Lord returns, but the opposite is true. The apparent delay brought about by the forbearance of God is intended as an opportunity for the church to win the lost to Christ. The expression, account the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, means God's longsuffering in delaying the second coming equals salvation for the lost.
So the delay of the second coming of Christ is because God loves sinners. God forbears because he loves. God is waiting for lost souls to receive salvation. It is not because God is unfaithful, nor has he failed to keep his promise, but because he is forbearing with a sinful world. Christians ought to consider the period of postponement as days of salvation.
There are three basic views concerning the end-time that I want to discuss. These three basic views are incorporated within teachings about the millennium. The word millennium means a thousand years. There are three general theological views regarding the millennium. The following order is not important; I am only listing them to distinguish them.
The first view is called pre-millennialism because according to this teaching the second coming precedes the millennium or the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth.
The second view is called post-millennialism. The prefix post, means following in the sense of after in time or order. Those who hold to this teaching believe that the second coming of Christ will follow the millennium. As far as the time of the second coming, it is the direct opposite of the pre-millennialists doctrine.
The third view is called amillennialism. The prefix a, means without or not. These are not-millennialists. They reject the idea of any future personal reign of Christ on the earth.
While there are basically three views, there are many variations of these. I intend to only give the broadest outline possible and not to present a detailed description of each. I am not going to take the time necessary to explain fully nor support any of these theological positions. I am not even going to state what I believe. I just want to present a broad outline of the different views that Christians have held and then make some comparisons between them.
A period of a thousand years is referred to in six different verses in Revelations 20:1-10. Those who teach from an amillennialist point of view reject the idea of a future millennium. The amillennialist teach that the thousand years is symbolic. Therefore, it is not an actual length of exactly one thousand years, but is symbolic of a long period of time. That is, it is an actual period of time, but not literally one thousand years.
The amiilennialist understand this period of church history as already past. It is not something that they are looking to occur in the future. It is something that has occurred in church history. I do not want to go into the details of how they explain all the symbols. I repeat, I only want to present a broad outline.
To the amiilennialist the reign of Christ occurs within the age of the church. Therefore there is no millennium in the future. The future events which the amillennialist expects are the second coming of Christ and a general resurrection of all the dead, followed by the final judgment and eternity. There will be no future personal political reign of Christ on the earth. An amillennialist interprets Revelation 20:1-10 symbolically and spiritually. Basically, this chapter is considered by them as a confirmation of the triumph of the kingdom of God over Satan's kingdom.
Now then, a symbolic interpretation is to be preferred to a literal one. Someone may ask, Why? The answer is because of the difficulties you face in a literal interpretation. Those who interpret this chapter of Revelation literally have a very difficult time attempting to justify their teachings because they will not line up with the rest of the Word of God. Those who construe this as literal must teach there are at least two future comings of our Lord. The first is a secret coming, in which Jesus raptures away the church for a short period. This then is followed by a second future coming, which is a public manifestation that ushers in the millennium. A period of one thousand years occurs between this second future coming and the end of time.
Those ideas are not found anywhere in the New Testament. Jesus never hinted it nor did any other New Testament writer. The New Testament teaches one future general resurrection of all the dead followed immediately by the final judgment. There is not a hint in the teachings of the New Testament of a period of time between the second coming of Christ and the resurrection or the final judgment. The idea of more than one resurrection is impossible to support by the New Testament. The concept of the New Testament is one future resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked occurring at Jesus' second coming. In support of an amillennialist interpretation, let me say, you should keep in mind that the context of the book of Revelation is cast in a symbolic setting.
The second view is that of the post-rnillennialist. Most Christians are not as familiar with this view as with the other two. It has fallen to some discredit in theological circles in our generation. The post-millennialists teach that the second coming of Jesus will follow the millennium. That is the reason it is called post-millennialism. They believe that preceding the end of the history of the world, there will be one thousand years of spiritual prosperity for the church on the earth. They believe that this future prosperity of the kingdom of God on earth is to be interpreted in a spiritual manner and not in a political sense. This reign of Christ on the earth will be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit and not by the bodily presence of Jesus Christ. Therefore by spiritual means the kingdom of God will triumph as more and more accept the gospel. Post-millennialists believe that the millennium will be ushered in by a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit bringing revival or spiritual awakening. These revivals will result in a world-wide movement of conversions. Not that everybody in the world would be converted, but there would be a significant world-wide triumph of the gospel.
The post-millennialists and the amillennial-ists agree in the following things. First, they agree that the second coming of Jesus ushers in the end of the world. Second, they agree that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reign of Christ and not a personal political reign.
Let us move on to the third view which is very popular in our day and time. The greatest part of Christianity today is pre-millennialist in their thinking. They believe the second coming of Jesus precedes the millennium. Both the pre-millennialists and the post-millennialists interpret the thousand years as a literal period of time. They differ in the fact that pre-millenniaiists believe the coming of Christ precedes it while post-millennialists believe the second coming occurs at the conclusion of the thousand years. They also disagree over the nature of the kingdom of God.
Pre-millenniaiists not only interpret the thousand years in a literal manner, but they also interpret the nature of the kingdom of God in a material manner. Pre-millennialists interpret the kingdom as a political kingdom. Many of them see it as the restored nation of Israel becoming a world power. They believe that after Israel is converted to Christ, they become the promised kingdom of God. Jesus will return to establish this kingdom on the earth through military power. They believe that the Jewish Messianic hope of national restoration will be fulfilled in the millennium. They believe that only the intervention of the personal presence of Christ can bring success to the kingdom of God in this world.
Some early millennialists actually continued the Jewish expectations of a political kingdom in a very materialistic manner. Some of the phraseology used to describe the millennium was so materialistic and so political in nature that it was entirely rejected by the early church. In fact, this is the very reason it was so objectionable, if you understand the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God, then this material and political interpretation seems absurd, it does not line up with the teachings of the New Testament.
With this broad outline of these three basic views of the end time, let us study the effect that each has had on the church. The post-millennium teachings were the beliefs of the early leaders of the Protestant Reformation. The early Protestant reformers interpreted the success of the reformation as the dawning of a new day of spiritual prosperity. The teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, before the Protestant Reformation, was basically amillennialism. Augustine, one of the great theologians in the Roman Catholic Church was an amillennialist. His teachings were generally accepted as the true doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. I repeat, when the early Protestant reformers saw the success of the reformation, they interpreted it as the dawning of a new age of spiritual prosperity. They believed that this period of spiritual prosperity would eventually develop into the millennium. This interpretation created a spirit of optimism. Post-millennialists are characterized by a spirit of optimism concerning the future. Someone may ask, What do you mean? Consider what I said about post-millennialists. They believe there will be a period of a thousand years in which the kingdom of God will prosper on earth before Jesus returns. This spiritual reign of Christ would be brought about by spiritual means. The gospel would have a world-wide effect through the means of spiritual awakenings affected by the power of the Holy Spirit. Well that is optimistic! Whether it is right or wrong, it is optimistic. There is no question about its effect on the church. In fact, this spirit of optimism was the spiritual force that played a major role in developing what is called the Missionary Movement. Christians were inspired and motivated by a conviction that God intended for the gospel to be preached in all the world before Jesus returns. They were inspired with an optimism generated by a conviction that the millennium was dawning. Men such as William Carey, Hudson Taylor, and others became possessed by this vision. I do not have time to go into this interesting history but the development of the Missionary Movement came from a spirit of optimism. They believed a time of spiritual prosperity had dawned for the church.
To go a little further, it was this optimism that provided the inspiration for the great revivals and spiritual awakenings that have occurred in American history. Listen to me, it was the optimism of post-millennial teachings that provided inspiration for revival. If you would read the works of Jonathan Edwards or Charles Finney you would discover that they held these views. Their motivation and inspiration rested on the hopes of a future spiritual prosperity of the church, in fact, those Christians believed that the revivals they were experiencing and the growth of missions were the first signs that the conversion of the world was at hand. This optimism is what motivated and inspired them. Sacrificial labors were common in those days because a hope burned bright in their souls. At no other time in the history of the church has the gospel reached so many in so few years.
This view also gave human responsibility and activity a very significant role in the success of the kingdom of God. They fully accepted their responsibility to lost souls. In their minds, human instrumentality played a significant role in the success of the kingdom of God. Of course, this view of their responsibility would inspire sacrificial labors.
I repeat, this optimism spawned revivals in America. The Great Awakening under Jonathan Edwards, in the latter part of the 18th century, the Second Great Awakening in the early 1800's, the Finney Revivals in 1830's and the Great Prayer Revival in the 1850's were all experienced in part because Christians had great hope and could therefore pray in faith. Those revivals convinced Christians in America and elsewhere that the Spirit of God was mightily at work. They believed these awakenings would usher in the millennium.
How did they believe this period of great spiritual prosperity would be brought about? They believed that it would be brought about by the personal holiness of the individual believer through the power of the Holy Spirit. Their conviction of the possibilities of the gospel is what originated the various Christian movements in the 1800's. Do you realize that for the most part, Christians today are going on their momentum? I have already mentioned foreign missions, but there were many other moral crusades. The temperance movement that consummated in prohibition, (which later was reversed); the Sunday School movement began during that period; also the women's rights movement and the abolishing of slavery in America. All of these movements came into being because they believed that the gospel of Christ could change society.
The Holiness Movement was also born during this time in an atmosphere of soaring hopes. The church possessed a passion for social reform founded on the prerequisite of the sanctification of the individual. They believed that society could only be improved by
getting people saved and filled with the Spirit of God. They believed that the only way in which society could be bettered was by living a life of personal holiness. This belief gave birth to the holiness movement. The only way the world will ever be improved is by people accepting the gospel and living for God. Their objective was to elevate personal holiness. In those early days of the holiness movement there were many disagreements about exactly how this was going to be accomplished. But they did agree that the triumph of God's kingdom required personal holiness of individual believers. They believed that God's kingdom would only triumph if people lived a holy life.
A revival in the subject of Christian holiness occurred in the last half of the 1800's. That holiness revival is the spiritual roots of most of my readers. The holiness revival was born in the midst of rising optimism and soaring hopes that the Spirit of God was mightily at work. They believed God was mounting a world-wide movement. It was these optimistic hopes of the triumph of the kingdom of God coupled with the necessity of personal holiness of the individual that provided them with the motivation they required.
My point is that the revivals in America were influenced by the optimism of the post-millennial view. Both Jonathan Edwards and Charles Finney were influenced and inspired by this optimism. They believed that God was mightily at work in the world and that the revivals they experienced were the beginning of a greater work.
I can clearly understand how their optimism inspired their hope and faith to pray. It is obvious that the high hopes they possessed inspired their prayers. Their earnest prayers, fasting, and perseverance were quickened by the optimism of their hopes. Their optimism also inspired their sacrificial and diligent labors. They were willing to give their lives and everything they had to realize their hopes.
We must go on. The post-millennial view thrived in times of hopeful signs. Pre-millennial-ism gains popularity in times of discouraging signs. Pre-millennialism is totally opposite of post-millennialism. They are deeply pessimistic. Pre-millennialists believe there is no real hope for the salvation of the world apart from Jesus' immediate presence. Do not misunderstand me, they are not totally hopeless. They do believe the church can see some souls saved and some progress. Most of them have not totally given up to the point that they refuse to attempt anything because of their hopelessness, but some are close to it. They do not believe that God intends to achieve his plans for the salvation of the world before the second coming of Christ. They believe that God's greatest purposes are to be achieved after Jesus' second coming.
The pre-millennial view is the most popular view of the end-time in our day. This is one of the reasons that a pessimism permeates the religious atmosphere in our country. Most Christians are terrified when they look toward the future. When they hear about the horrible and appalling things that are happening, they simply believe that these events are a fulfillment of prophecy. They expect a great falling away or apostasy in the end-time and therefore they assume it will get worse.
Whether you will admit it or not, the truth is that the greater part of us is deeply affected by this pessimism. This is the reason our prayers are so timid today. I do not know whether you have studied the lives of the revivalists or not but I have. Often as I have read their prayers, I have been shocked by the boldness expressed in those prayers. I have asked myself, How could they pray with such expectation? We pray hesitantly because we do not dare hope. Really, our prayers for revival not prayed in faith in the sense of really expecting God to hear and answer.
Many of my readers have historical roots in the Church of God Reformation Movement. The Church of God Reformation Movement was born in the midst of the optimistic hopes of the holiness awakening in the late 1800's. Daniel Warner, a pioneer in the Church of God Reformation Movement, was a leader in the holiness awakening. Have you ever noticed the optimism that characterized the early Church of God reformers? The evening light message was a vision of "brighter days are sweetly dawning". They believed "a mighty reformation was sweeping over the land". My point is that our spiritual roots are in the holiness awakening of late 1800's. Church of God people were first brought together through the teachings of holiness or the sanctification of individual believers.
The Church of God has always been amillennial in the sense that we have rejected the idea of a literal thousand year reign of Christ on the earth, in either the pre-miliennialists or post-mitlennialists sense, yet it is undeniable that the early Church of God reformers were definitely influenced by post-millennial optimism. Someone may ask "What do you mean?" The very idea of an evening-time reformation is founded in principle on the hope of a final success of the Kingdom of God in this world. F. G. Smith, one of the pioneer preachers of the Church of God Reformation Movement, wrote a book entitled, The Last Reformation. The title alone suggests a conviction that God is going to move mightily in the end-time.
Many optimistic concepts were incorporated in their teachings. For example, God intends to bring his people together in unity (now, that is optimistic!). They believed the experience of holiness would eliminate the attitudes that cause division. They had extremely high hopes for the future.
I have said all the above to support my position that the early Church of God reformers were influenced by the optimism of the post-millennial view. The optimistic idea of a church triumphant is lost today. Our vision is often one of a church broken in spirit, and bankrupt of spiritual power. Their message of a triumphant church was very inspiring and was the motivation of their zeal and sacrificial labors.
May I refer you to the words of some great hymns and songs of the early Church of God pioneers? Listen to these words and sense their hopes.
"There's a mighty reformation sweeping o'er the land, God is gathering his people by his mighty hand, for the cloudy day is ending and the evening sun is bright, with a shout of joy we hail the light. Oh the reformation Glory! let it shine to every land." That is optimistic!
Here is another: "Men speak of a "church triumphant" as something on earth unknown, they think us beneath the tyrant until we shall reach our home. Thank God for a church triumphant all pure in this world below, for the kingdom that Jesus founded does triumph o'er every foe. Oh cannot the great redeemer prevail over Satan here? or must we remain yet under confusion, pressed down in fear? Thank God for a church triumphant."
One more: "Brighter days are sweetly dawning, Oh the glory looms in sights for the cloudy day is waning and the evening shall be light. Oh, what golden glory streaming! Purer light is coming fast, now in Christ we've found a freedom, which eternally shall last."
Spend some time reading the old songs and you will discover that their optimism was great indeed. It almost sounds out of place to sing those songs with our views, doesn't it? Brighter days are sweetly dawning. Oh the glory looms in sight. That is not our theme! Deny it if you dare but our opinion is that darker days are on the horizon. Most of us hope simply to survive, not triumph.
I repeat, the optimism of the early Church of God reformers is all but lost today. Optimism has given way to pessimism. We may condemn pre-millennialism in our teachings but in practice we have adopted their pessimistic view of the future. The hopeless pessimism of pre-millennialism has deeply affected all of us. A preacher among us is almost regarded as a heretic if he would even question this pessimistic view. If you even question the idea that the world is destined to wax worse and worse you are marked as unorthodox. These pessimistic views have become so ingrained and deep-seated in our thinking that we are almost hopeless.
Faith in the power of the gospel must be restored. The gospel was given to save the world. 1 can assure you of this, my friend that God intends to save everybody that will ever be saved before Jesus comes again. The gospel is God's last message to the world. Salvation of the world will occur in the church age not in another age to follow. Jesus said, this gospel shall be preached in all the world and then the end shall come, (see Matthew 24:14). Paul said, The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, (see Romans 1:16).
I am trying to point out that, because we have lost faith in the power of the gospel, we do not have much hope. Our hopes are down-hearted. Our faith is weak. Our labors are not diligent. Listen to me, most have lost hope to the place that diligent sacrificial labors seem like a waste of time because they promise nothing. Man is inspired by hope. Hope is the inspiration of faith. What causes a man to trust God and devote sacrificial labors to God's cause? The answer is hope. Destroy a man's hope and his faith will be weak.
I have tried for several years to get the church to understand these truths. 1 might add without very much success, because there is an overwhelming influence pushing the other way. What is one voice against so many voices to the contrary?
I trust this lesson has helped to answer the questions, How did Christians in times past maintain such strong faith in the promise of revival? How did they reach a state of mind that seems impossible for us today? The answer is, they enjoyed optimistic hopes, while we are possessed by hopelessness and pessimism. I am fully convinced that this is one of the greatest hindrances to God working in our day and time. Even those who have a deep desire to experience God's mighty moving cannot pray in faith because of the prevailing pessimism.
America needs a revival! God knows we need one as well as many Christians also. But while Christians pray for an awakening that will turn the tide against the immoral activities in our country, such as abortion and homosexuality, they have no hope for such. Because while they are praying, in the back of their mind is the idea that spiritual conditions must grow worse and worse. Therefore, a hopelessness floods their mind and soul that makes faith impossible.
It is very important what you believe the conditions must or will be near the end of time. I trust that God will help everyone who reads this article to be encouraged. Now, I realize no one is going to receive this message simply because I have delivered it. My dear brethren, you cannot deny that the church needs to be encouraged to pray in faith for revival and this article is my honest effort to be an encourager of such.
I had better stop, but I could go into the passages that are used to support the pessimistic view and show you that the Word of God does not uphold such. But what is one voice against many? Before a revival is experienced more Christians must believe the gospel has the same power today as it always has had. I preached recently on the deficiencies of the modern gospel. One of them is that it offers people forgiveness for sin but not a cleansing from sin. The true gospel that is so needed today is not being preached. The gospel of Christ not only provides for forgiveness but cleansing of one's heart also.
I did not tell you everything I believe in detail. I did not intend to. What I intended to do was to draw a contrast between the different views of the end-time and illustrate their effect on hope and faith.
The tragic situation in which we find ourselves, is a world that does not know God and is going deeper into sin every day, while at the same time, the church doubts its message or the power of its message. A church that should be able to help men and women cannot because it doubts the ability of God to meet the needs of the wicked. We would not say that, but that is what it amounts Jo.
The beliefs of the church have effectively weakened her faith. If you kill a person's hope, he may continue to do things because he feels duty-bound, but the manner in which he does them is entirely different. That is the way I see things. I may be wrong, but what I have observed is that the people of God have lost their inspiration to even try to reach the unsaved. The diligent efforts and sacrificial labors required to win the lost are not expended because we are in the grip of hopelessness. If you preach on their responsibilities they will make some attempt to do it because it is their duty. That attitude is so different in spirit from those filled with hope and faith. May God speed the day when the church's hope and faith are once again strong and vibrant, is my prayer. *END*