Introduction

May 21, 2011 came and went without incident. So did December 21, 2012 and dozens of other predictions of the Second Coming or Rapture of the church. Yet hundreds of people who believe in Premillennialism and date setting set their hopes on these dates, and others, that they might be taken home to heaven. But when these dates come and go some lose faith. They think that God has forgotten them or maybe, just maybe, God is a slacker!

What is a slacker?

The dictionary defines one as such:

A person and especially a young person who is perceived to be disaffected, apathetic, cynical, or lacking ambition.

Certainly this wouldn’t describe God! But in 2 Peter 3: 3-6, the apostle addresses the this very issue…

“3. knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, 4. and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5. For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; 6. by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.”

These individuals mocked the Christians asking where is the return of Christ? Why hasn’t it happened yet? Everything has continued as normal since Eden, where is the promise? Even the apostle Paul had a similar problem with the church at Thessalonica except there were people who announced that the Second Coming had already taken place…

“13. But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 17. then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4: 13-18)

These scoffers are usually uneducated individuals, that is, uneducated in the scriptures. Jude wrote about them in verses 10 and 11, “But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed. Woe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.”

Patience

So then if the Second Coming didn’t happen, then what’s keeping God from sending his son? Going back to 2 Peter 3 we find the answer in verses 9 and 10…

“9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

What this means is, God isn’t in a hurry to bring everything to a conclusion. He’s longsuffering or ‘very patient’ with the planet so that everyone might have a chance to obey the gospel and become a true Christian. He doesn’t want anyone to perish because we are His creations and yet He knows eventually He must bring everything to an end and send people to eternal damnation.

All too often many out there in the world wonder what’s taking God so long to bring the world to an end. Death, war, corruption, immoral behavior and other things continue to transform our country and our planet into a spiritual wasteland. They want to conclude their suffering, and others, here in the flesh so that they might all enjoy the benefit of being one of God’s children in the afterlife.

But suppose one of their family members recently fell away or they have a favorite uncle who hasn’t yet heard the gospel because he is too hard-hearted. Don’t they deserve some time to do what’s right? Shouldn’t people, instead, hope that God holds off just a little bit longer in sending His Son back so that these, and others, might repent and do what is asked of them in the scriptures?

While we wait…

So in the meantime what should we do while we wait for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

1. Continue in our own studies and obedience to God. We must first look out for ourselves and make sure that we will get into heaven when the time is right. There may come a time when we are so busy helping others that we overlook our own salvation. This may sound arrogant but the apostle Paul tells us to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2: 12). Our own conversion is important and we don’t want to be left out.

2. Study with others in the faith. Continue to edifying brothers and sisters in the faith so that they too will continue in their salvation and not lose the desire. We are on the “Buddy System” as we look out for one another. The writer or Hebrews says, “and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting `one another'; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.” (Heb. 10: 24-25). We can’t be much help to others if we don’t show up to services.

3. Restore those who have fallen away. This will require a lot of patience and a lot of hard work. James writes: “My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.” (Jas. 5: 19-20) Make sure you don’t fall away yourself while trying to save the soul of another. Paul warns about this in Gal. 6: 1, “Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

4. Share the gospel with everyone. Salvation is for everyone! From the richest man to the poorest individual. From the oldest to the youngest. No one is to be left out of the kingdom but not everyone has heard God’s words. Don’t assume your 85-year-old grandmother, who sits in her chair every morning with her bible in hand, has already obeyed the gospel. She may not understand what Jesus was talking about when he said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7: 21-23) Make sure you talk to her and others about God, The Bible, and the plan of salvation. You’ll never know unless you ask.

Conclusion

Remember God is not on our calendar. In 2 Peter 3: 8 the apostle writes, “But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” This is why we cannot set date for Christ’ return and why we shouldn’t try to hurry God to end everything. He will get to it in His own time not ours. We should be grateful for the time that we do have and do all that we can for the benefit of the kingdom.