First Corinthians Chapters 1-4

A Baptist Pastor had a dream and found himself fully dressed with a Bible in hand at the gate of heaven. As he was about to enter, he heard so many people crying and wailing in hell. He went to the gate and met the gate-keeper. He asked the gate-keeper “Who are those crying? Is there a Baptist there?”

The story is told of a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

“Mom and dad, I am coming home, but I’ve a favour to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me.”

The song "It Is Well With My Soul" was written by a successful Christian lawyer, Horatio Spafford. His only son died at age 4 in 1870. In 1871, the great Chicago fire wiped out his vast estate made from a successful legal career. In 1873, he sent his wife and four daughters over to Europe on a summer trip on the ill-fated SS Ville du Havre. Since he had a lot of work to do, he planned to follow them later. The ship sank and he lost his four daughters with the wife being the only survivor. She sent him a famous telegram which simply read, "SAVED ALONE...."  On his return home, his Law firm was burned down and the insurance refused to pay; they said "It's An Act Of God".  He had no money to pay for his house and no work, he also lost his house. Then while sitting and thinking what's happening to him, he wrote the famous hymn - "...whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say - It is well, it is well with my soul."  

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.  Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.”

It is the desire of every parent that the children grow up to become God-fearing and respectable members of the society. We would all like our children to grow up in Christ. God also wishes that all children grow up to love Him and know Him; for the Kingdom of Heaven is for them too. God also wants them to grow up in our present society and ‘enjoy’ their lives. But there is this condition attached to the freedom to ‘enjoy’ life- “remember that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment”

Our today’s society is painfully full of negatives which scare parents stiff. How can children grow up in such societies and be good and God-fearing? How can they grow in such societies and still meet with God’s standards and escape condemnation in the judgment? Did God foresee and foreknow this type of society before He enjoined the youth to enjoy himself and yet be prepared for judgment?

In our last discussion we looked at the events of the end times and the role of the Church. Like we did in that earlier discussion we shall in discussing the Christian and the end times first spend some time on some other aspects of the end times before we look at what the Christian is expected to do.