Answers

By   •   March 23, 2012   •   Topics:

Q:

My uncle has become very absorbed with questions about when the world is going to end. He studies everything he can, from preachers on TV to articles about that Mayan calendar thing. Why do you suppose he's so fascinated by this?


A:

Only your uncle could answer your question, of course; I don’t know why he focuses so much on this matter. Some day, you might ask him, however; it would be interesting to know if he has an answer, or if he’s simply drifted into this study out of curiosity or as a hobby.

It’s not wrong to think about the future, of course — in fact, it’s far more serious to ignore it (as many people do). Some day, every one of us will die and stand before God, and life’s greatest question is whether or not we are prepared for that day. And some day, the Bible says, the world as we know it will come to an end, and Jesus Christ will return in glory to establish His rule over the nations.

Only by putting our faith and trust in Christ can we be prepared for those events, because He came to save us from the judgment we deserve for our sins. Have you committed your life to Him? The Bible’s warning is clear: “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

At the same time, the Bible warns us against speculating about the future, because only God knows when the world will end. Nor should we look to anything other than God’s Word to tell us about the future. Instead, our goal should be to follow Christ every day, seeking to “live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).