By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador
Kua tata ia te whakamutunga o nga mea katoa.
‘Ua latalata mai le i‘uga o mea uma lava.
The end of all things is near.
1 Peter 4:7
Peter probably wrote these words around AD 64, just as the persecution of Christians was ramping up. What is Peter’s framework for thinking about the persecution, suffering, injustice, and pressure Rome caused?
It’s the recognition that the end of all things is near. In 1 Peter 1:5, Peter describes this as the “last time”. In 1 Peter 1:7, it’s the time that “Jesus Christ is revealed”. In 2 Peter 3:10, he calls it “the day of the Lord”.
These small statements communicate that in difficult times, Peter is working under the assumption that Jesus is Lord and Nero is not. He’s operating out of the understanding that one day soon Jesus will judge all evil, all sin, and all the powers that stand against him. On that day, God’s perfect justice and mercy will be fully displayed throughout all creation. Peter knows that as bad as the battle looks today, the war is ultimately won.
Understanding that the end is near, and that God has a plan for accomplishing justice at the end of all things, leads us to focus on prayerfulness. We live in prayerful eagerness for that day.
Understanding that the end is near also leads us to focus on serving one another as a local church. Because we know the outcome of all things, we are eager to make a lasting investment in the age to come by serving our church.
The more we reflect on the end of all things and the return of Jesus, the more we are led to pray, serve using our gifts, and practice hospitality in our local church while we can, during this age. The coming of Jesus deepens our commitment to our local church.
1 Peter challenges me to ask myself, does the way that I live show that I know that the Lord is coming soon? Is that belief translating into praying, serving, and practising hospitality in my local church?
