Sent in by Donovan Richter of East London, South Africa
WHY I DON’T UPHOLD AN END-TIME ATTITUDE OF PASSIVITY AND FATALISM! “
This illustration from the power of salt to restrain corruption explains Paul’s teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. Paul warned that human wickedness will come to its climax in the person of a world ruler supernaturally empowered and directed by Satan himself… Emergence of this satanic ruler is inevitable… Unfortunately, some preachers have used this teaching about Antichrist to instill into Christians an attitude of passivity and fatalism. “Antichrist is coming,” they have said. “Things are getting worse and worse. There is nothing we can do about it.” As a result, Christians have all too often sat back with folded hands, in pious dismay, and watched the ravages of Satan proceed unchecked all around them.
This attitude of passivity and fatalism is as tragic as it is unscriptural. It is true that Antichrist must eventually emerge. But it is far from true that there is nothing to be done about him in the meanwhile. To this present moment, there is a force at work in the world that challenges, resists, and restrains the spirit of antichrist. The work of this force is described by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7… As the salt of the earth, then, we who are Christ’s disciples have two primary responsibilities. First, by our presence we commend the earth to God’s continuing grace and mercy. Second, by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, we hold in check the forces of corruption and lawlessness until God’s appointed time. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the church stands as the barrier to the accomplishment of Satan’s supreme ambition, which is to gain dominion over the whole earth. So long as the church stands firm and uncompromising in its faith, it has the power to hold back the final manifestation of Antichrist. Satan himself fully understands this, and therefore his primary objective is to undermine the faith and righteousness of the church. Once he achieves this, the barrier to his purposes is removed, and the way is open for him to gain both spiritual and political control over the whole earth.
Suppose that Satan succeeds because we, as Christians, fail to fulfill our responsibilities. What then? Jesus Himself gave us the answer. We become salt that has lost its flavour. He warned us of the fate that awaits such flavourless salt: “It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). “Good for nothing”! That is severe condemnation indeed. What follows? We are “cast out,” or rejected by God. Then we are “trodden under foot of men.” Men become the instruments of God’s judgment on a saltless, apostate church. If we in the church fail to hold back the forces of wickedness, our judgment is to be handed over to those very forces.If we will heed the warning of Jesus, and fulfill our functions as salt in the earth, we will have the power to prevent this. But if we default from our responsibilities and suffer the judgment that follows, the bitterest reflection of all will be this: it need never have happened!” – DEREK PRINCE (Shaping History through Fasting and Prayer).
Prayer: Father forgive us for our passive attitudes and apathy. Cleanse and sanctify us. Fill us anew with your Holy Spirit. Give us a fresh vision of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ unto salvation. Let us be salt that has enough flavour to resist the decay in our communities by living holy lives, not loving the world, not giving in to temptation to sin, and for taking a stand for Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.