I have been reading in Mark 13:1-37. In summary:
Jesus Christ had just been speaking to his disciples, warning them and instructing them with regard to the signs of the end of the age. So, he warned them of false christs, of liars and deceivers, of false prophets, and of many who would come in the name of Christ and would lead many astray. And we are definitely living in those times.
And then he spoke of wars and of nation rising against nation. And he spoke of earthquakes and famines, and that these would be just the beginning of birth pains. And then he warned them that they would be persecuted for their walks of faith in Jesus Christ and for sharing with others the truth of the gospel, but that they were not to be afraid.
And then he spoke of a great tribulation which is and will be a time of enormous suffering, especially for those saints of God who keep the commandments of God (New Covenant) and their faith in Jesus, and who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ and who do not deny his name (Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13).
And then he told them that after the time of tribulation is past, then the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. And “the elect” are his faithful followers who keep the Lord’s commands.
Mark 13:32-37 ESV
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
So, even though he told his disciples that when they see these things taking place that they should know that Jesus Christ is near, at the very gates, he also told them that not one of us knows the exact date and hour when our Lord will return. And so we are to be on our guard, and we are to keep awake, not physically, but spiritually. For we are to be spiritually alert, dying daily to sin and to self, following our Lord in obedience, and living holy and godly lives to the glory of God in his power and strength.
We are to live our lives daily as though Jesus Christ could return at any moment or as though we know we are about to breathe our last breath. But why is this important? Why did he tell his disciples that they needed to be alert and on their guard, and that they needed to stay awake spiritually? Why did they need to be concerned about Jesus returning and finding them in a state of spiritual slumber (laziness, stagnation, inactivity)? Why the warning? Why the urgency? Weren’t they believers in Christ?
This, like many other similar passages of Scripture, lets us know that we can’t just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), and now heaven is guaranteed us when we die, and it can’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live. This teaches progressive salvation, as the rest of the New Testament does. For we are saved (past), we are being saved (present) and we will be saved (future) when Jesus Christ returns, which is when our salvation will be complete, but provided that we are walking the walk and not just talking it.
For, the Scriptures teach that our salvation from sin involves us being crucified with Christ in death to sin, and us being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So sin is to no longer reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, and if righteousness, godliness, and obedience to our Lord are not what we obey, we don’t know God, we are not born of God, and we will not go to heaven when we die, regardless of what our lips profess. So, please Stay Awake!
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
When in The Stillness
An Original Work / September 26, 2011
When in the stillness of this moment,
Speak to me, Lord, I humbly pray.
Be my desire, set me on fire,
Teach me to love always.
Help me to walk in fellowship with You,
Listening to You; sit at Your feet.
Whisper Your words to me,
Oh, how gently, guiding me in Your truth.
While we are waiting for Your blessing,
Lord, in our hearts be King today.
Help us to live for you ev’ry moment,
List’ning to what You say.
May we not stray from your word within us,
Help us obey You, Lord, in all things,
Walking each moment, Lord, in Your presence,
Our offerings to You bring.
Help us to love You, Lord, our master;
Be an example of Your love,
Helping the hurting, lift up the fallen,
Showing them Your great love.
Teach them to love You, follow You always,
Bearing their cross and turning from sin;
Walking in daily fellowship with You,
Making You Lord and King.
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