Raptured out of Responsibility

By Dr. Mark Creech
Christian Action League
December 5, 2018

I have witnessed a response from my Christian brethren which sometimes distresses me. With regard to the many assaults on righteousness, they wag their heads and say, “It’s a terrible thing. But the Lord said it would get worse before his return.”

Perhaps they really are watching the eastern sky for Christ’s second coming. I know I am. More often than not, however, I think they make such statements in a spirit of resignation, as an excuse to do nothing to address the wrongs they just heard about. They forget they remain earthbound only because God’s people have work to do. When the Savior comes he expects us to be about his work, not sitting around waiting for him to show up to make everything right. Some Christians act like they want to be Raptured out of responsibility.

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, the great Quaker statesman and patriot, said: “True Godliness doesn’t turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it, and excites their endeavors to mend it.”

The Lord is indeed coming again. Perhaps soon. We watch for it, as he commanded. Still, the next time you hear about evil’s advance somewhere, an appropriate response would also be to pray and ask, “Lord, is there something you would have me do about this situation?”